160 On the Self-Government of Small Manorial Communities 
lature of their times in similar matters; and, indeed, it is only at 
a very recent period, if even now it can be declared with truth, 
that the Parliament of this kingdom, and its highest authorities, 
have wholly emancipated its internal and external commerce from 
similar shackles, and themselves individually from the prejudices 
in which they had their root. 
Without prolonging these extracts further it is evident from the 
proceedings already noticed, that the inhabitants of this and of 
similarly privileged Manors (and, indeed, it seems probable that 
many of these privileges were shared by all ordinary Manors, 
entitled to hold a Court Baron and View of Frank-pledge, although 
not having Jura Regalia, as being of Ancient Demesne), formed, 
from a period as early as the close of the thirteenth century at 
least, and probably from the the time of the Saxon monarch, 
Edward the Confessor, down to the beginning of the eighteenth— 
when the proceedings of their Courts fell into disuse—a community 
to a very considerable extent self-governed. 
The Grand Jury and Homage, appointed by and from amongst 
themselves, at the Leet and Baronial Courts, exercised, it is clear, 
a very extensive and powerful authority within their jurisdiction, 
both of a civil and criminal character. They amerced all offenders 
against the public peace or welfare, or who committed damage or 
injury on any of the inhabitants, in pecuniary penalties, or punished 
them by whipping, imprisonment in the stocks, or the pillory. 
They legislated, moreover, very largely, by ‘orders,’ upon 
numerous matters which may appear perhaps of trifling moment 
individually, but which still are, and in those times were collectively 
yet more than at present, of great and daily importance to the 
inhabitants of a rural township; such as the stocking of their 
common lands, the repair of fences, roads, bridges, water-courses, 
and drains, the abolition or prevention of nuisances, the prices at 
which bread or liquors should be sold within their jurisdiction. 
They provided for the good morals of the place by punishing 
disorderly conduct, idleness, gambling, debauchery, foul language, 
eaves-dropping, petty thefts, assaults, and affrays. They regulated 
their own numbers in a great degree by a superintending control 
