142 Hungerford. 



extending over several manors. They were small empires witbiu 

 which the lord was the superior over subjects of different ranks ; 

 his power over them not being absolute, but limited by law and 

 custom. The manor was at one time more extensive than the 

 parish ; at another, the parish contained more than one manor. 

 Ancient manors often corresponded vv'ith tithe-districts. The 

 manor was usually the residence of the owner. " Then and now 

 for three hides." The hide is first mentioned in the 8th century. 

 It stands for family, man and wife, and so comes to mean the estate 

 of one household, an amount of laud suflBcient for the support of 

 one family. It varied in size from 50 to 150 acres. The next 

 sentence is incomplete. " In the domain there is one caruka." 

 The caruka consisted of as much land as the plough-share could 

 furrow in the course of the season. "And seven bordars with one 

 team." A bordar received what land he held only as a loan from 

 his lord, who as he had stocked the land and furnished the cottage, 

 and even supplied tools for his poor dependant, took possession of 

 all at the tenant's decease. The bordar paid his rent in kind; in 

 provisions for his lord's table. His usual tenement amounted to 

 five acres. The " team " refers to a team of oxen. " There is 

 one serf, and four acres of meadow and a little wood." The serf 

 was the absolute property of his lord. His interest had to be 

 guarded by others, for he himself had no standing in any public 

 courts. He did no work from sun-set on Sunday-eve till sun-set 

 on Monday-eve. If a tyrannical master compelled him to work 

 during that time, he obtained his freedom, and his lord was to be 

 fined 303. 



In the year 1204, Hungerford is called b}' the name it now 

 bears, and at an uncertain date formed part of what is now called 

 the Dutchy of Lancaster, but originally the Honor of Lancaster, 

 a title of most remote antiquity. A market has been held here 

 from time immemorial, and it is first mentioned as an established 

 market in a record of the year 1297. Befoie I proceed further, I 

 may state that there is apparently a separate history attaching to 

 the manors and Borough of Hungerford, that although now blended 

 and held under the same title^ they were once subjects of distinct 



