Onemoresubjectremainstobediscussed。Isthereinthesurveysanymarkeddifferencebetweendifferentclassesofthepeasantryinpointofruralduties？
　　Anexaminationofthesurveyswillshowatoncethatthefreeandtheservileholdingsdifferverymateriallyastoservices，quiteapartfromtheircontrast，inpointoflegalprotectionandofcasualexactionssuchasmarriagefines，heriots，andthelike。Thedifferencemaybeeitherinthekindofdutiesorintheirquantity。Bothmaybetracedintherecords。Ifwetakefirstthediversitiesinpointofqualityweshallnoticethatonmanyoccasionsthefreetenantsaresubjectedtoanimpositiononthesameoccasionastheunfree，buttheirmodeofacquittingthemselvesofitisslightlydifferent——theyhave，forinstance，tobringeggswhenthevillainsbringhens。Theobjectcannotbetomaketheburdenlighter；itamountstomuchthesame，andsotheaimmusthavebeentokeepupthedistinctionsbetweenthetwoclasses。Itisverycommontorequirethefreetenantstoactasoverseersofworktobeperformedbytherestofthepeasantry。Theyhavetogoaboutorrideaboutwithrodsandtokeepthevillainsinorder。Suchanobligationisespeciallyfrequentontheboon-daysprecariae，whenalmostallthepopulationofthevillageisdriventoworkonthefieldofthelord。Sometimesfreehouseholders，whohavedependentpeopleresidentunderthem，areliberatedfromcertainpayments；anditmaybeconjecturedthatthereasonistobefoundinthefactthattheyhavetosuperintendworkperformedbytheirlabourersorinferiortenants。104*Allsuchpointsareofsmallimportance，however，whencomparedwiththegeneraloppositionofwhichIhavebeenspeakingseveraltimes。Thefreeandtheservileholdingsarechieflydistinguishedbythefactthatthefirstpayrentandthelastperformlabour。
　　Wheneverwecometoexaminecloselythereasonunderlyingthecaseswhentheclassificationintoservileandfreeisadopted，wefindthatitgenerallyresolvesitselfintoacontrastbetweenthosewhohavetoserve，intheoriginalsenseoftheterm，andthosewhoareexemptedfromactuallabour-service。Beingdependentnevertheless，theselasthavetopayrent。IneednotrepeatthatIamspeakingofmaindistinctionsandnotofthevariousdetailsboundupwiththem。Inordertounderstandthoroughlythenatureofsuchdiversities，letustakeupaveryelaboratedescriptionofdutiestobeperformedbythepeasantsinthemanorofWye，Kent，belongingtotheAbbeyofBattle。105*Ofthesixty-oneyokesitcontainsthirtyareservile，twenty-ninearefree，andtwooccupyanintermediateposition。Thedutiesofthetwochiefclassesoftenantsdifferinmanyrespects。Theservilepeoplehavetopayrentandsohavethefree，butwhilethefirstcontributetomakeupageneralpaymentofsixpounds，eachyokebeingassessedatsevenshillingsandfive-pence，thefreepeoplehavetopayasmuchastwenty-threeshillingsandseven-penceperyoke。Bothsetshavetoperformploughings，reapings，andcarriageduties，buttheburdenoftheservileportionissomuchgreaterinregardtothecarriage-work，thatthecorrespondingyokessometimesgettheirverynamefromit，theyarejugaaveragiantia，whilethefreehouseholdsaremerelyboundtohelpafewtimesduringthesummer。Everyservileholdinghasacertainnumberofacresofwoodassignedtoit，orelsecorrespondingrightsinthecommonwood，whilethefreetenantshavetosettleseparatelywiththelordofthemanor。Andlastly，thereliefforeveryunfreeyokeisfixedatfortypence，andforeveryfreeoneisequaltotheannualrent。Thiscomparisonofdutiesshowsthatthepeasantscalledfreewerebynomeanssubjectedtoverylightburdens：infactitlooksalmostasiftheyweremoreheavilytaxedthantherest。Stilltheywereexemptedfromthemostunpopularandinconvenientlabourservices。
　　Altogether，thestudyofruralworkandrentsleadstothesameconclusionastheanalysisofthelegalcharacteristicsofvillainage。TheperiodfromtheConquestonwardsmaybedividedintotwostages。Inlatertimes，thatisfromthecloseofthethirteenthcenturydownwards，thedivisionbetweenthetwogreatclassesoftenantsandtenements，acontraststrictlylegal，isregulatedbythematerialtestofthecertaintyoruncertaintyoftheservicedue，andtheformaltestofthemodeofconveyance。
　　Inearliertimestheclassificationdependsprimarilyontheeconomicrelationbetweenthemanorialcentreandthetributaryhousehold，labourisdeemedservile，rentheldtobefree。Itisonlybykeepingthesetwoperiodsclearlydistinct，thatoneisenabledtocombinetheseeminglyconflictingfactsinoursurveys。Ifwelookatthemostancientofthesedocuments，weshallhavetoadmitthatarent-payingholdingisfree，neverthelessitwouldbewrongtoinferthatwhencommutationbecamemoreorlessgeneral，classificationwassettledinthesameway。Aserviletenementnolongerbecamefreebecauserentwastakeninsteadoflabour；itwasstillheld’atthewillofthelord，’andconveyedbysurrenderandadmittance。Whenallholdingswerefastexchanginglabourforrent，theoldnotionshadbeensurrenderedandanewbasisforclassificationfoundinthoselegalincidentsjustmentioned。Thedevelopmentofcopyholdbelongstothelaterperiod，copyholdbeingmostlyarent-payingserviletenure。Again，ifweturntotheearlierepochweshallhavetorememberthatthecontrastbetweenlabourandrentisnottobetakenmerelyasaresultofcommutation。Localdistinctionsarefittedontoitinawaywhichcannotbeexplainedbythemereassumptionthateverysettlementofarentappearedintheplaceofanoriginallabourobligation。Thecontrastisprimordial，asonemaysay，andbasedonthefactthatthelabourofasubjectappearsdirectlysubservienttothewantsandarrangementsofthesuperiorhousehold，whilethepaymentofrentsevers。theconnexionforatimeandleaveseachbodytomove。Initsowndirectiontillthedaywhenthetributaryhastopayagain。
　　Therecanbenodoubtalsothatthemoreancientsurveysdiscloseadifferenceinpointofquantitybetweenfreeandservileholdings，andthisagainisastrongargumentforthebeliefthatfreesocagemustnotbeconsideredmerelyasanemancipatedserviletenancy。Wheretherehasbeencommutationwemustsupposethatthelabourservicescannothavebeenmorevaluablethanthemoneyrentintowhichtheywerechanged。Thefreerentintowhichlabourbecomesconvertedisnothingbutthepricepaidfortheservicessurrenderedbythelord。Itmusthavestoodhigher，ifanything，thantherealvalueofthelabourexchanged，becausetheexchangeentailedadiminutionofpowerbesidesthegivingupofaneconomiccommodity。Nomatterthatultimatelythequit-rentsturnedouttothedisadvantageofthelord，inasmuchasthebuyingstrengthofmoneygrewlessandless。Thiswastheresultofaverylongprocess，andcouldnotbeforeseenatthetimewhenthecommutationequivalentsweresettled。Andsowemaysafelylaydownthegeneralrule，thatwhenthereisaconspicuousdifferencebetweentheburdensofassessmentoffreeandunfreetenants，suchadifferenceexcludestheideathatoneclassisonlyanemancipatedportionoftheother，andsupposesthatitwasfromthefirstasociallyprivilegedone。ThePeterboroughBlackBook，which，alongwiththeBurtonCartulary，presentsthemostcuriousinstanceofanearlysurvey，describestheservicesofsocmenonthemanorsoftheabbeyasthoseofaclearly。privilegedtenantry。106*Theinterestingpointis，thatthesesocmenareevensubjectedtoweek-workandnotdistinguishablefromvillainssofarasconcernsthequalityoftheirservices。NeverthelessthecontrastwiththevillainsappearsthroughouttheCartularyandissubstantiatedbyamarkeddifferenceinpointofassessment：asocmanhastoworkoneortwodaysintheweekwhenthevillainismadetoworkthreeorfour。
　　Threemainpointsseemestablishedbythesurveyofruralworkandrents。
　　1。Notwithstandingmanyvexatiousdetails，theimpositionstowhichthepeasantryhadtosubmitleftaconsiderablemarginfortheirmaterialprogress。Thissystemofcustomaryruleswaseffectivelyprovidedagainstgeneraloppression。
　　Thedevelopmentfromfood-farmstolabourorganisation，andlastlytomoney-rents，wasaresultnotofone-sidedpressureonthepartofthelandlords，butofaseriesofagreementsbetweenlordandtenants。
　　Thesettlementoftheburdenstowhichpeasantsweresubjecteddependedtoagreatextentondistinctionsastothesocialstandingoftenantswhichhadnothingtodowitheconomicfacts。
　　ElyInqu。，CottonMSS。Claudius，c。xi。f185：’Unusquisquearabitpertresdies，sihabeatsexboves；perduos，sihabeatquatuorboves；perunum，sihabeatduosboves；perdimidium，sihabeatunumbovem。’
　　Add。MSS。6159，f。53，a：’Itemdebentpredicte22virgateterrearrareadfrumentum，adauenametadwarectum113acrasetvalent56solidos6denarios。’
　　GloucesterCart。iii。92：’Etquicquidaraveritdebetherciaretemporeseminis。Etfacietunamhersuramquevocaturlandeggingeetvalet1den。’iii。194：’Etdebetherciarequotidlesinecessefueritquousquesemendominiseminetur，etallocabitureiprooperacionemanuali，etvaletultraobolum。Etquianonestnumeruscertusdediebusherciandis，aestimantjuratores40
　　dies。’
　　RamseyCart。I。345：’Qualibetautemseptimana，afestoStiMichaelisusqueadtempussarclationistribusdiebusoperatur，quodcunqueopussibifueritinjunctum；etquartodiearabitunumsellionem，sivejungaturcumalio，sivenon。’
　　GlastonburyInqu。of1189，p。64：’Adiecircumcisionissimiliter，exceptaebdomadaPasche，sipossitpergelu，etsigeluduratper12dies，quietusdebetesse。Siampliusdurat，restituetaraturam。’
　　Add。MSS。6159，f。49，b：’Idemtenentesdepredictis22etdimidiaterrisdebentarrareadseysonamfrumenti45acrasdegableetdequalibetterra2acras。’35，b：’Gauilherth：
　　WillelmusdeBergatedebetarraredimidiamacram；NicholausdeJonebriggeetsociiejusunamvirgam；heredesJohannis8pedes；
　　RicardusCutte8pedes。Summaacrarum25acre1pes。Hecdebentarrareetseminare。’
　　Rot。Hundred。ii。768，b：’Itemsihabeatcarucamintegramvelcumsociisconjunctam，illacarucaarabitdomino2acrasterreadyvernagiumetherciabitquantumillacarucaaraveritindie，etistudserviciumappellaturGreserthe，proquoservicioipseW。etomnesaliiconsuetudinariihabebuntpasturasdominicasaddiemsic。corr。adieadVinculaStiPetriusqueadfestumbeateMarieinMarcioetpratadominicapostquamfenumfueritcariatum。’
　　GlastonburyCart。，WoodMSS。I，f44，b：’Tenensdimidiamhidamhabet4animaliainpasciusquieta，etsiplushabuerit-arabitetherciabitprounoquoquedimidiamacram。’
　　Add。MSS。6159，f26，b：’Dequalibetcarucaarantunamacramdeaverherde。，etsipernegligenciamalicujusremanseritacranonarata，tuncmittetdominussemenquodsufficiatadunamacramaddomumilliusetoportebitillumredderebladumadmensurampropinqueacreethabebittumherbagiumdeacraassignata。’Cart。
　　ofBeaulieu，CottonMSS。Nero，A。xii，f102，b：’Etsihabeatbovemvelvaccamiunctam，arabitproquolibetvirgodimidiamacramadfestumStiMartinisinecibo。’GlastonburyInqu。of1189，f。116：’Dequalibetcarrucadebentarareadseminandum7
　　acras，etadwarectum7acras，utbovespossintirecumbobusdominiinpastura。’
　　Exch。Q。R。Min。Acc。Bk。514；T。G。41，173：’ExtentamaneriideBurgomedwelond。debentararetantamterramquantumhabentdeprato。’
　　Exch。Q。R。Min。Acc。Bk。513，97：’Beinerth：12custumariiarabunt6acrasterreadsemenyemale。Grasherthe：12arabuntcumquantoiunguntperunumdiemadsemenyemale。’ElyInqu。，CottonMSS。Claudius，C。xi。f。30，a：’Arabitdebeneerthesihabeatcarucamintegram3rodas，etsiiungatcumaliisipseetillecumquoiungitassiduearabunt3rodas。’DomesdayofSt。Paul’s，26；
　　’Etadprecariamcarucarumarabitunamrodamscil。quartampartemacresinecibo。’GlastonburyInqu。of1189，p。98：’R。deWttonetenetdimidiamhidamprounamarcaetdebethabereadprecesperannum12hominesetbisarareadpreces。’
　　GloucesterCart。iii。115：’JohannesBarefothtenetdimidiamvirgatamterrecontinentem24acras。etdebetararequalibetsecundaseptimanaafestoStiMichaelisusqueadfestumBeatiPetriadVinculaunodie。Etpraetereadebetquaterarareinterradomini，etvocanturillearuraeUnlawenher