28 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Jan., 1918 



ba held by villeins, bordars, and cottiers, who held by fixed and com- 

 mutable services. The normal holding of a villein was a virgate, or 

 yardland, of 30 acres, whilst the cottier would have only a cottage 

 and a garden and at the most 5 acres. 



The following extract, which is a translation from the " Exeter 

 Domesday," gives one an idea of the village of Braunton to which I have 

 already referred: "The King has a manor called Braunton which 

 King Edward himself held and it was answerable for one hide. This 

 can be ploughed by forty ploughs. Of it the King has one carucate 

 of land and one plough, and the villeins have thirty ploughs. There 

 the King has forty villeins and thirty bordars and four serfs and 100 

 sheCip and 40 acres of coppice and 2 acres of meadow and 40 acres of 

 pasture, and it returns yearly 16 pounds by weight. 



" Algar the priest has one hide of land in Braunton which he holds 

 in alms of the King. This can be ploughed by eight ploughs. Of it 

 the priest has one virgate and three ploughs in demesne and the 

 villeins have three virgates and five ploughs. There the priest has 

 three villeins and twenty-three bordars and five head of cattle and 

 twelve swine and 100 sheep and ten goats and 20 acres of pasture, and 

 it is worth 50s." 



The work of the village was done by the co-operation of all the 

 inhabitants, and we must remember that practically all men were 

 landholders. There was community in cultivation but not in owner- 

 ship. 



The demesne was cultivated by dcipendents v/holly maintained 

 by the lord and by the part-time services of the villeins, each of which 

 would have work somewhat as follows : He would have to plough in 

 the spring 4 acres, and to supply two oxen for the plough-team three 

 days in winter, and three in spring, and one in summer. Each would 

 work for his lord three days a week, and perhaps pay a yearly toll of 

 money, say 2s., a hen and a score of ^ggs. Each cottier 

 would work one day a week. The following quotation gives us the 

 duties of one Hugh, son of Chrispian, at Haghe, who held a messuage 

 and a quarterium of land. He was to pay Is. a year in rent, 

 to carry dung at a ^d. a day, or to give l^d. instead. He was to 

 plough and to be fed or to pay 6d. for the year's work. He was to 

 gather nuts for three days or to forfeit l|d. He was to supply one 

 man in harvest or pay 2s., to plough half an acre for winter and another 

 half for Lent corn or pay 7d. He was to shear sheep and lamps or 

 pay Ad. a day, to hoe and be fed or forfeit |d. a day. To collect stubble 

 for three days before dinner and receive a ^d. or forfeit lid. To give 

 a hen of the value of 2d. and a cock worth lid., and find a help for 

 the thatclier or forfeit fd. These services would in process of time be 

 commuted for a money payment. The terms would be written down 

 and a copy kept by the tenant, who would then become a copyholder. 



The cattle, sheep and swine would be looked after by village 

 officials, the herdsman receiving about 2d. a quarter for each beast, and 

 the swineherd Id. 



A writer in the sixteenth century called Fitzherbert gives what 

 he considers to be the duties of a wife in the life of the manor- — " It is a 

 wyves occupation to wynowe all maner of cornes, to make malte, to 

 washe and wrynge, to make heye, shere corne and in time of nede to 

 helpe her husbande to fyll the mucke wayne or doune cart, dryve 

 the plough, to loode heye, corne, and such other, and to go or ride to 



