第47章

Itistruethatsuchvaguedescriptionsaremostlyfoundinoldersurveys，buttheinferencetobedrawnfromthefactissimplythatmanorialcustomsweredevelopinggraduallyfromratherindefiniterulestoaminutesettlementofdetails。Thereisnodifferenceinthemainprinciple，thatthedependenthouseholderwasnottobetreatedasaslaveandhadacustomaryrighttodevotepartofhistimetothemanagementofhisownaffairs。

Anotherpointistobekeptwellinview。Thewholearrangementofamanorialsurveyisconstructedwiththeholdingasitsbasis。Thenamesofvirgatersandcottersarecertainlymentionedforthesakeofclearness，butitwouldbewrongtoconsiderthedutiesascribedtothemasaimingattheperson。

JohnNewmanmaybesaidtoholdavirgate，tojoinwithhisplough-oxeninthetillageoftwentyacres，toattendatthreeboon-daysinharvesttime，andsoforth。ItwouldbemisleadingtotakethesestatementsveryliterallyandtoinferthatJohnNewmanwasalonetousethevirgateandtoworkforit。Hewasmostprobablymarried，andpossiblyhadgrown-upsonstohelphim；verylikelyabrotherwastherealso，andevenservants，poorhouselessmenfromthesamevillageorfromabroad。Everyhouseholderhasamoreorlessconsiderablefollowing(sequela)，(92*)anditwasbynomeansnecessaryfortheheadofthefamilytoperformallmanorialworkinhisownperson。Hehadtoappearortosendoneworkmanonmostoccasionsandtocomewithallhispeopleonafewdays——theboon-daysnamely。Thedescriptionoftheprecariaeisgenerallytheonlyoccasionwhentheextentstakethisintoaccount，namely，thattherewasaconsiderablepopulationinthevillagebesidesthosetenantswhowerementionedbyname。(93*)Ineednotpointout，thatthefacthasanimportantmeaning。Themedievalsystem，insofarasitrestedonthedistributionofholdings，wasinmanyrespectsmoreadvantageoustothetenantrythantothelord。Itwassuperficialinasense，andfromthepointofviewofthelorddidnotleadtoasatisfactoryresult；hedidnotgettheutmostthatwaspossiblefromhissubordinates。Thefactorofpopulationwasalmostdisregardedbyit，householdsverydifferentlyconstitutedinthisrespectwereassumedtobeequal，andthetenacityofcustompreventedanincreaseofrentsandlabour-servicesinproportiontothegrowthofresourceandwealthamongthepeasants。Someattemptstogetroundthesedifficultiesarenoticeableinthesurveys：theyaremostlyconnectedwiththeregulationofboon-works。Buttheseexceptionalmeasuresgiveindirectproofoftheveryinsufficientmannerinwhichthequestionwasgenerallysettled。

Theliabilitiesofthepeasantrytaketheshapeofproduce，labour，andmoney-rents。Almostineverymanorallthreekindsofimpositionsaretobefoundsplitupintoaconfusingvarietyofcustomaryobligations。Itisoutofthequestiontotraceatthepresenttime，withthehelpoffragmentaryandlatermaterial，whattheoriginalideaswerewhichunderliethesecomplicatedarrangements。Butalthoughareductiontosimpleguidingprinciplesaccountingforeverydetailcannotbeattempted，itiseasytoperceivethatchanceandfancywerenoteverythinginthesematters。Theseveraldutiesarebroughttogethersoastoformacertainwhole，andsomeoftheaimspursuedinthegroupingmaybeperceivedevennow。

Theoldersurveysoftenshowtheoperationofasystemwhichisadaptedbyitsveryessencetoaveryprimitivestateofsociety。Itmaybecalledthefarm-system，thewordfarmbeingusedintheoriginalsenseoftheSaxonfeorm，food，andnotinthelatermeaningoffixedrent，althoughthesetwomeaningsappearintimatelyconnectedinhistory。Thefarmisaquantityofproducenecessaryforthemaintenanceofthelord’shouseholdduringacertainperiod：itmaybeonenight’sorweek’soronefortnight’sfarmaccordingly。AverygoodinstanceofthesystemmaybefoundinanancientcartularyofRamsey，nowattheBritishMuseum，whichthoughcompiledintheearlythirteenthcentury，constantlyreferstotheorderofHenryII’stime。Theestatesoftheabbeyweretaxedinsuchawayastoyieldthirteenfullfarmsofafortnight，andeachofthesewastobeusedforthemaintenanceofthemonksthroughawholemonth。Theextensionoftheperiodisoddenough，andwedonotseeitsreasonclearly。ItfollowedprobablyongreatlossesinpropertyandincomeatthetimeofAbbotWalter。Howeverthismaybe，thethirteenfortnights’farmsweremadetoservealltheyearround，andtocoverfifty-twoweeksinsteadoftwenty-six。AveryminutedescriptionofthesinglefarmisgivenasitwaspaidbythemanorofAyllington(i。e。Elton)。Everykindofproduceismentioned：flourandbread，beerandhoney，bacon，cheese，lambs，geese，chicken，eggs，butter，&c。Thepriceofeac