By John Bedcloe, M.D., LL.D., F.B.S., &c. 25 



Total exol. 



or Freemen. Villans. Bordars. Cottars. Poroi. MelU. Colilji. Servi. Burfs. 



East 137+ I960 1460 684 150 798 5032 



Doubtful 11 283 365 212 7 176 1043 



West 132 1 096 821 712 76 9 132 530 3 376 



Totals 280 3339 2646 1608 76 -1 289 1504 9471 



Percentages 85j9 27-93 "l6-9 -8 "1 3-05 15-9 



East 38-8 28-9 13-5 2-9 15-8 



Doubtful 27-1 35 20-3 -6 169 



E&D together 36-8 29-9 14-7 2-6 15-9 



West 32-4 •24-3 21-1 2-2 "2 3-9 15-7 



W&D together 31-2 26-8 20-9 1-7 "2 3-1 18-0 



It will be observed that my numbers differ a little, but not very 

 materially, from those of Ellis and Birch : and that the proportion 

 of bordars is greater, and that of villans much greater, in the east 

 than in the west, while that of cottars and coliberts, or freedmen, 

 is less, that of slaves, however, being pretty closely equal in all the 

 divisions. This result may have some favourable bearing on the 

 theories of Dr. Guest and Bishop Browne : but one cannot lay 

 much stress upon it. There were a good number of villans in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of Malmesbury. 



It has been stated that the influx of Norman-rrench blood was 

 less here than in some other counties. The assertion derives 

 support from investigation of the proportion of surnames of French 



type. 



During the last few centuries there has been a gradual infiltration 

 of Welshmen in this direction. It probably began about, or even 

 before, the final conquest of Wales. Hardy and pugnacious, Welsh 

 captains did good service in the French wars, and frequently made 

 permanent settlement in England by marrying heiresses. ^ A little 

 later the Earls of Pembroke, acquiring possessions in Wilts, are 

 said to have introduced some of their countrymen and vassals. 

 And when the Tudors obtained the crown, Welshmen followed 

 them into England, as Scotchmen a century later followed the 

 Stuarts. Here again the surnames help us. I append a table 

 showing the proportions per cent, as I judge them to be, of several 

 classes of surnames, first, in the North Wiltshire muster-roll of the 

 year 30 Henry 8th, and secondly, in the last Wiltshire Post Office 



