“Homines de his terris custodiebant regem apud Cantuariam vel apud Sandwic per tres dies, si rex illuc venisset.” Domesd. Kent. “Quando rex iacebat in hac civitate, servabant eum vigilantes duodecim homines de melioribus civitatis. Et cum ibi venationem exerceret, similiter custodiebant eum cum armis meliores burgenses cabalos habentes.” Domesd. Shropsh. “Isti debent vigilare in curia domini, cum praesens fuerit.” Chartul. Evesh. f. 24. Footnote 103: “Qui monitus ad stabilitionem venationis non ibat quinquaginta solidos regi emendabat.” Domesd. Berks. ----- Sǽweard or coast-guard was also a royal right, performed by the tenants of those landowners whose estates lay contiguous to the sea. The miserable condition to which England was frequently reduced, by the systematic incursions of Scandinavian invaders, rendered this a very important duty, even in spite of the efforts of successive kings who early comprehended the destinies of this nation, and entrusted her defence to maritime armaments. It seems probable that various ports on the coast of Kent and Norfolk may have been particularly charged with this burthen, and that the _butsecarlas_ or shipmasters were held bound to supply craft on emergencies, or even for a regular system of patrolling. In this may have lain the foundation of the privileges enjoyed by the Cinque Ports, and similar coast towns, even before the Norman conquest. ÆDIFICATIO.—It was further a royal right to claim the aid even of the freemen towards building and fencing the residence or fortress of the king: a certain amount of personal labour was thus demanded of them, in analogy with the _trinoda necessitas_ from which no estate could possibly be relieved. This kind of _corvée_ was no doubt performed by tenants whom the landowners settled on their estates, but really was due from the landowners themselves, except where their estates of bócland had been expressly freed from the royal burthens. Where the royal vill was also a district fortification, not even this general exception relieved the bóclands; fortifications being especially reserved in every charter, as well as building and repair of bridges.