Wemustplaceinthesamecategoryallmeasuresintendedtopreventdirectlyorindirectlythepassageofthepeasantryfromoneplacetotheother。TheinstructionsissuedforthemanagementoftheAbbotofGloucester’sestatesabsolutelyforbidthepracticeofleavingthelord’slandwithoutleave。56*
Still,emigrationfromthemanor。fromtimetotimethecouldnotbeentirelystopped,inhabitantswanderedawayinordertolookoutforfieldworkelsewhere,ortotakeupsomecraftortrade。
Inthiscasetheyhadtopayakindofpoll-taxchevagium,whichwas,strictlyspeaking,notrent:veryoftenitwasveryinsignificantinamount,andwasreplacedbyatriflingpaymentinkind,forinstance,bytheobligationtobringacapononceayear。57*Theobjectwasnotsomuchtogetmoneyastoretainsomeholdoverthevillainafterhehadsucceededinescapingfromthelord’simmediatesway。Therearenotracesofasystematicattempttotaxandransomtheworkofdependentswhohaveleftthelord’sterritorynothingtomatchthethoroughsubjectioninwhichtheywereheldwhileinthemanor。Andthusthelordwasforcedinhisowninteresttoacceptnominalpayments,toconcentratehiswholeattentiononthesubjectsunderhisdirectcontrol,andtopreventthemasfaraspossiblefrommovingandleavingtheland。Inregulationsforthemanagementofestatesweoftenfindseveralparagraphswhichhavethisobjectinview。Sometimestheyoungermengetleavetoworkoutsidethelord’spossessions,butonlywhiletheirfatherremainsathomeandoccupiesaholding。Sometimes,again,thelicenceisgrantedundertheconditionthatthevillainwillremaininoneofhislord’stithings58*,anobligationwhichcouldbefulfilledonlyifthepeasantremainedwithineasyreachofhisbirth-place,Specialcareistakennottoallowthevillainstobuyfreelandinordertoclaimtheirfreedomonthestrengthofsuchfreepossession。59*Everykindofpersonalcommendationtoinfluentialpeopleisalsoforbidden。60*
Notwithstandingalltheserulesandprecepts,everyofthedocumentstestifiestofrequentmigrationsfromthemanorsinoppositiontotheexpresswillofthelandowners。Thesurveystellofserfswhosettleonstrangelandeveninthevicinityoftheirformerhome。61*Itisbynomeansexceptionaltofindmentionofenterprisinglandlordsdrawingawaythepopulationfromtheirneighbours’manors。62*Thefugitivevillainandthesettlerwhocomesfromafarareawell-markedfeatureofthisfeudalsociety。63*
Thelimitationsofrightsofpropertyhaveleftasdistincttracesinthecartulariesasthedirectconsequencesofpersonalunfreedom。Thesetwomattersareconnectedbytheprinciplethateverythingacquiredbytheslaveisacquiredbyhismaster;andthisprinciplefindsbothexpressionandapplicationinourdocuments。OnthestrengthofittheAbbotofEynshamtakesfromhispeasantlandwhichhadbeenboughtbythelatter’sfather。64*Thecasedatesfromthesecondhalfofthefourteenthcentury,fromatimewhenthesocialconflicthadbecomeparticularlyacuteinconsequenceoftheBlackDeath,andoftheconsequentattemptsonthepartoflandlordstostretchtheirrightstotheutmost。Butwehaveacasefromthethirteenthcentury:thePriorofBarnwellquotestheabovementionedruleinsupportofaconfiscationofhisvillain’sland。65*——Inbothinstancestheprincipleislaiddownexpressly,butinothercasespeasantsweredeprivedoftheirpropertywithoutanyformalexplanation。
Ofcourse,onemustlookuponsuchtreatmentasexceptional。
Butanimportantandconstantresultofthegeneralconceptionistobefoundinsomeoftheregularfeudalexactions。Thevillainhasnopropertyofhisown,andconsequentlyhecannottransmitproperty。Strictlyspeaking,thereisnoinheritanceinvillainage。Asamatteroffactthepeasant’spropertydidnotgetconfiscatedafterhisdeath,buttheheirshadtosurrenderapartofit,sometimesaveryconsiderableone。Adifferenceismadebetweenchattelsandland。Astothefirst,whicharesupposedtobesuppliedbythelord,thedutyoftheheirisespeciallyonerous,OnthelandoftheBishopricofLichfield,forinstance,hehastogiveupasheriotthebestheadofhornedcattle,allhorses,thecart,thecaldron,allwoollencloth,allthebacon,alltheswineexceptone,andalltheswarmsofbees。66*ThevillainsofSt。Alban’shavetogivethebestheadofcattle,andallhousefurniture。67*Butinmostcasesonlythebestbeastistaken,andiftherebenocattleonthetenement,thenmoneyhastobepaidinstead。68*TheCartularyofBattleisexceptionallylenientastooneoftheAbbey’smanors:69*itliberatesfromalldutyofthekindthosewhodonotownanyoxen,Itsometimeshappens,ontheotherhand,thatthepaymentisdoubled;onebeastistakenfromthelateoccupierbywayofheriot,andtheotherfromhiswidowforthelifeinterestwhichisconcededtoherafterthedeathofherhusband。70*Such’freebench’isregulatedverydifferentlybydifferentcustoms。Themostcommonrequirementis,thatthewidowmaynotmarryagainandmustremainchaste。InKentthewidowhasarighttohalfthetenementforlife,evenincaseofasecondmarriage;inOxfordshire,ifshemarrieswithoutthelord’sleave,sheisleftinpossessiononlyduringayearandaday。71*
Inalltheseinstances,whenasecondpaymentarisesalongsideoftheheriot,suchapaymentreceivesalsothenameofheriotbecauseofthisresemblance,althoughthetwoduesaregroundedondifferentclaims,ThetrueheriotisakininnameandincharactertotheSaxon’here-geat’——tothesurrenderofthemilitaryoutfitsuppliedbythechieftohisfollower。Infeudaltimesandamongpeasantsitisnotthewar-horseandthearmourthataremeant,oxandharnesstaketheirplace,butthedifferenceisnotintheprinciple,andonemayevencatchsometimesaglimpseoftheprocessbywhichonecustomshadesoffintotheother。OnthepossessionsofSt。MaryofWorcester,forinstance,wefindthefollowingenactment:72*Eachvirgatehastogivethreeheriots,thatisahorse,harness,andtwooxen;
thehalf-virgatetwoheriots,thatisaharnessedhorseandoneox;otherholdingsgiveeitherahorseoranox。Insuchconnexionthepaymenthasnothingservileaboutit,andsimplyappearsasaconsequenceofthefactorassumptionthatthelandlordhasprovidedhispeasantwiththenecessaryoutfitforagriculturalwork。Andstilltheheriotisconstantlymentionedalongwiththemerchetasaparticularlybasepayment,andthoughitmightfallonthesuccessionofafreemanholdinginvillainage,itisnotcommonlyfoundonfreeland。thefactthatthisoldSaxonincidentofdependencebecomesinthefeudalperiodamarkofserviletenure,isafactnotwithoutsignificance。
Itisotherwisewiththereliefrelevium,thedutyleviedfortheresumptionoftheholdingbytheheir:itextendsequallytomilitarytenureandtovillainage。Althoughtheheriotandreliefgetmixedupnowandthen,theirfundamentaldifferenceisrealisedbythegreatmajorityofourdocumentsandwellgroundedonprinciple。Inonecasethechattelsareconcerned,intheotherthetenement;oneisprimarilyapaymentinkind,theotheramoney-fine。Astotheamountofthereliefthesamefluctuationsmaybetracedasinthecaseoftheheriot。themostcommonthingistogiveayear’srent;butinsomeinstancestheheirmustsettlewiththelordatthelatter’swill,orransomthelandasastranger,thatisbyaseparateagreementineachsinglecase。73*Fixedsumsoccuralso,andtheyvaryaccordingtothesizeandqualityoftheholding。74*
Ontheboundarybetweenpersonalsubjectionandpoliticalsubordinationwefindtheliabilityofthepeasantrytopaytallage。Itcouldbeequallydeducedfromtheprinciplethatavillainhasnothingofhisownandmaybeexploitedatwillbyhismasterorfromthepoliticalgrantofthepoweroftaxationtotherepresentativeoffeudalprivilege。thepaymentofarbitrarytallageisheldduringthethirteenthcenturytoimplyaservilestatus。75*Suchtallageatwillisnotfoundveryofteninthedocuments,althoughthelordsometimesretainedhisprerogativeinthisrespectevenwhensanctioningthecustomaryformsofrendersandservices。Nowandthenitismentionedthatthetallageistobeleviedonceayear,76*althoughtheamountremainsuncertain。
Asaholderofpoliticalpowerthelordhasarighttoinflictfinesandamercementsontransgressors。77*TheCourt-rollsarefullofentriesaboutsuchpayments,anditseemsthatoneofthereasonswhyverygreatstresswaslaidonattendanceatthemanorialCourtswasconnectedwiththeliabilitytoallsortsofimpositionsthatwasenforcedbymeansofthesegatherings。tenantshadtoattendandtomakepresentments,toelectofficers,andtoserveonjuries;andineverycasewheretherewasadefaultoranirregularityofanykind,finesflowedintothelord’sexchequer。
Lastly,wemayclassifyundertheheadofpoliticalexactions,monopoliesandprivilegessuchasthosewhichwerecalledbanalitesinFrance:theywereimposedonthepeasantrybythestronghand,althoughtherewasnodirectconnexionbetweenthemandtheexerciseofanyparticularfunctionoftheState。
Englishmedievaldocumentsoftenrefertotheprivilegedmill,towhichallthevillainsandsometimesthefreemenoftheSokewereboundtobringtheircorn。78*thereisalsothemanorialfoldinwhichallthesheepofthetownshiphadtobeenclosed。79*
Inthelattercasethelandlordprofitedbythedungformanuringhisland。Specialattentionwasbestowedonsupervisingthemakingofbeer。Court-rollsconstantlyspeakofpersonsfinedforbrewingwithoutlicence。EverynowandthenwecomeacrossthewondroushabitofcollectingallthevillagersonfixeddaysandmakingthemdrinkScotale,80*thatisalesuppliedbythelord——foragoodprice,ofcourse。
Letuspassnowtothoseaspectsofmanorialusagewhicharedirectlyconnectedwiththemodeofholdingland。ImayrepeatwhatIsaidbefore,thatitwouldbeoutofthequestiontodrawanythinglikeahardandfastlinebetweenthesedifferentsidesofonesubject。Howintimatelythepersonalrelationmaybeboundupwiththelandmaybegathered,amongotherthings,fromthefactthatthereexistedanoathoffealtywhichinmanyplaceswasobligatoryonvillainswhenenteringintopossessionofaholding。Thisoath,thoughconnectedwithtenure,bearsalsoonthepersonalrelationtothelord。81*Theoathoffealtytakenbythetenantinvillainagedifferedfromthattakenbythefreeholderinthatitcontainedthewords,’Iwillbejustifiedbyyouinbodyandgoods;’andagainthetenantinvillainage,thoughhesworefealty,didnohomage;therelationshipbetweenhimandhislordwasnotamerelyfeudalrelationship;thewords,’Ibecomeyourman,’wouldhavebeenoutofplace,andtherecouldbenothoughtofthelordkissinghisvillain。Buthoweverintimatetheconnexionbetweenbothaspectsofthequestion,inprinciplethetenurewasquitedistinctfromthestatus,andcouldinfluencetheconditionofpeoplewhowerepersonallyfreefromanytaintofservility。
Thelegaldefinitionofvillainageasunfreetenuredoesnottakeintoaccounttheservicesoreconomicqualityofthetenure,andlaysstressbarelyontheprecariouscharacteroftheholding。82*Theownermaytakeitawaywhenhepleases,andalteritsconditionatwill。TheAbingdonChronicletellsus83*thatbeforethetimeofAbbotFaritiusitwasheldlawfulonthemanorsoftheAbbeytodrivethepeasantsawayfromtheirtenements。Thestewardsandbailiffsoftenmadeuseofthisright,ifanybodygavethemafeeoutofgreed,oroutofspiteagainsttheholder。Norwasthereanysettledmodeofsuccession,andwhenamandied,hiswifeandchildrenwerepitilesslythrownoutoftheirhomeinordertomakeplaceforperfectstrangers。
AnendwasputtosuchalawlessconditionofthingsbyFaritius’
reforms:hewasverymuchinwantofmoney,andfounditmoreexpedienttosubstituteasettledcustomforthedisorderlyruleofthestewards。Buthedidnotrenouncetherebyanyofhismanorialrights:heonlyregulatedtheirapplication。Thelegalfeatureofbasetenure——itsinsecurity——wasnotabolishedontheAbingdonestates。Ourdocumentssometimesgothelengthofexplainingthatparticularplotsareheldwithoutanysortofsecurityagainstdispossession。WefindsuchremarksintheWarwickshireHundredRollsforinstance。84*Sometimestherightisactuallyenforced:intheCartularyofDunstablePriorywehavetherecordofanexchangebetweentwolandlords,inconsequenceofwhichthepeasantswereremovedfromeighthidesoflandbyoneofthecontractingparties。85*
Thevillainisinnowaytobeconsideredastheowneroftheplotoflandheoccupies;hispowerofdisposingofitisstintedaccordingly,andheissubjectedtoconstantcontrolfromtherealowner。Hecannotfelltimber。oaksandelmsarereservedtothelord。86*Hecannotchangethecultivationofthelandofhisownaccord;itwouldbeoutofthequestion,forinstance,toturnagarden-closeintoarablewithoutaskingforalicence。87*Heisboundtokeephedgesandditchesingoodorder,andisgenerallyresponsibleforanydeteriorationofhisholding。Whenheentersintopossessionofit,hehastofindapledgethathewillperformhisdutiesinasatisfactorymanner。88*Therecanbenothoughtofapersonsosituatedalienatingthelandbyanactofhisownwill;hemustsurrenderitintothehandofthelord,andthelattergrantsittothenewholderafterthepaymentofafine。Thesamekindofprocedureisfollowedwhenatenementispassedtotherightheirinthelifetimeoftheformerpossessor。89*Adefaultinpayingrentsorintheperformanceofservices,andanyothertransgressionagainsttheinterestsofthelord,mayleadtoforfeiture。90*