第27章

Theseregularlyrecurringliberationesorliberaturaeastheyarecalled，thatis，mealsandprovenderdeliveredtothelabourers，havetheircounterpartinthecustomaryarrangementoftheamountandkindofservices。Ishallhavetospeakoftheirvarietiesandusualformsinanotherconnexion，butitmustbenoticednow，thatthesepeasantsunprotectedatlawwereundertheruleoforderlycustom。Wehaveseenalreadythatthepaymentsanddutieswhichfollowedfromthesubjectionofthevillainswereforthemostpartfixedaccordingtoconstantrulesineachparticularcase。Thesamemaybesaidoftheeconomicalpressureexercisedintheshapeofserviceandrent。Itdidnotdependonthecapriceofthelord，althoughitdependedtheoreticallyonhiswill。ThevillainsofamanorinLeicestershirearenotboundtoworkatweedingthedemesnefieldsunlessbytheirownconsent，thatisbyagreement。(118*)A

bakerbelongingtoGlastonburyAbbeyisnotboundtocarryloadsunlessacartisprovidedhim。(119*)AsurveyofElymentionsthatsomepeasantsaremadetokeepahedgeinorderasextraworkandwithoutbeingfed。Butitisaddedthatthejurorsofthevillageprotestagainstsuchanobligation，asheretoforeunheardof。(120*)Allthesecustomsandlimitationsmay，ofcourse，bebrokenandslightedbythelord，butsuchviolentactiononhispartwillbeconsideredasgrossinjustice，andmayleadtoconsequencesunpleasantforhim——toriotsanddesertion。

Itiscuriousthattheinfluenceofcustommakesitselffeltslowlybutsurelyamongthemostdebasedofthevillains。TheOxfordshireHundredRolltreatsforinstanceoftheserviofSwincombe。Theypaymerchet；ifanyofthemdieswithoutmakinghiswillthewholeofhismoveablepropertyfallstothelord。

Theyareindeeddegraded。Andstillthelorddoesnottallagethematpleasure，theyaresecureinthepossessionoftheirwaynage(salvocontenemento)。(121*)

Wemaysumuptheresultsalreadyobtainedbyouranalysisofmanorialdocumentsinthefollowingpropositions：——

1。Theterminologyofthefeudalperiodandthetreatmentoftenureinactuallifetestifytothefactthatthechiefstresslaymoreontenurethanonstatus，moreoneconomicalconditionthanonlegaldistinctions。

2。Thesubdivisionsoftheservileclassandthevarietiesofserviceandcustomshowthatvillainagewasacomplexmouldintowhichseveralheterogeneouselementshadbeenfused。

3。Thelifeofthevillainischieflydependentoncustom，whichisthegreatcharacteristicofmedievalrelations，andwhichstandsinsharpcontrastwithslaveryontheonehandandwithfreedomontheother。

NOTES：

1。ThoroldRogershasmadegreatuseofthislastclassofmanorialdocumentsinhiswell-knownbooks。

artularyofMalmesbury(RollsSeries)，ii。186：’VidelicetquodprefatusRicardusconcessitpraedictisabbatietconventuieteorumtenentibus，tamrusticis，quamliberisquodipsiterrassuaslibereprovoluntatesuaexcolant。’

AstotheWarwickshireHundredRollintheRecordOffice，seemyletterintheAthenaeum，1883，December22。

Rot。Hundred。ii。471，a：’LiberetenentespriorisdeSwaveseia。HenricusPalmer1mesuagiumet3rodasterrereddens12d。et2precarias。ServiAdamscottenet10acrasreddens4s。et6precarias。Cotarii’

7。Rot。Hundred。ii。715。a：’Inservitutetenentes。Assuntetibidem10tenentesquitenent10virgatasterreinvillenagioetoperanturadvoluntatemdominietredduntperannum25s。’

8。Rot。Hundred。ii。690。691：’Villaniservi-custumarii。Ettenentutvillani，utservi，utliberetenentes。’RotHundred。

ii。544，b：’DecustumariisJohannesSamartenet1mesuagiumet1

croftperservicium3sol。2d。etsecabit2acrasetdim。，falcabitper1diem。Deservis。NicholausDilkestenet15acras——etfacietperannum144operaetmetet2acras。Dealiisservis。Decotariis。Dealiiscotariis。’

9。Rot。Hundred。ii。528，a：’Henr。deWalpolhabetlatinos(corr。nativos)，quitenent180acrasterreetredd。10libr。et8sol。et4d。etob。NominaeorumquitenentdeHenricodeWalpolinvillenagio。’ChapterHouse，CountyBoxes，Salop。14，c：

10。Hale，inhisIntroductiontotheDomesdayofSt。Paul’s，xxiv，speaksofthe’nativiaprincipio’ofNavestock，anddistinguishesthemfromthevillains。’Theordinarypraedialservicesduefromthetenentesorvillaniwerenotrequiredtobeperformedinperson，andwhetherinthemanororoutofitthevillanuswasnotinlegallanguage“subpotestatedomini。”Notsothenativus。’Hale’sexplanationisnotcorrect，butthetwofolddivisionisnoticed