It is possible that just as villein tenants could hold in free tenure land in the lord's demesne, so free men might hold virgates in villenage and retain their personal freedom; but those at all events of the holders of virgates who were _nativi_, _i.e._ villeins by descent were _adscripti glebæ_. They held their holdings at the will of the lord, and were bound to perform the customary services. If they allowed their houses to [p030] get out of repair they were guilty of _waste_, and the jury were fined if they did not report the neglect.[23] Yet the entries in the rolls prove that their holdings were hereditary, passing by the lord's re-grant from father to son by the rule of primogeniture, on payment of the customary heriot or relief.[24] Widows had dower, and widowers were _tenants by the curtesy_, as in the case of freeholds. The holders in villenage, even 'nativi,' could make wills which were proved before the _cellerarius_ of the abbey, and had done so time out of mind, while the wills of free tenants were proved at St. Albans.[25] These things all look like a certain recognition of freedom within the restraints of the villenage. But if the 'nativi' married without the lord's consent they were fined. If they sold an ox without licence, again they were fined. If they left the manor without licence they were searched for, and if found arrested as fugitives and brought back.[26] If their daughters lost their chastity[27] the lord again had his fine. And [p031] in all these cases the whole jury were fined if they neglected to report the delinquent. «But their serfdom is breaking up.» Their services were no doubt limited and defined by custom, and so late as the reign of Edward III. mostly discharged by a money payment in lieu of the actual service, but they rested nominally on the will of the lord; and sometimes to test their obedience the relaxed rein was tightened, and trivial orders were issued, such as that they should go off to the woods and pick nuts for the lord.[28] In case of dispute a court was held under the great ash tree at St. Albans, and the decision of this superior manorial court at head-quarters settled the question.[29] This villenage of the Winslow tenants was, no doubt, in the fourteenth century mild in its character; the silent working of economic laws was breaking it up; but it was villenage still. It was serfdom, but it was serfdom in the last stages of its relaxation and decay.