GENERAL DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH. 77 



pullum masculum and pullatum), or cutting down oak or ash 

 tree, without his lord's consent. Nor can he marry his son or 

 daughter without a similar permission. 



The lord, it will be seen, readily received a pecuniary pay- 

 ment in lieu of these labour rents. In the Cuxham bailiff's 

 rolls, the annual service is valued generally at two shillings 

 and sixpence; and for many years, four of the villains on the 

 manor, among whom, in particular, Bonecherche is named, 

 pay this compensation. Ultimately the pecuniary payment is 

 universally adopted, instead of the labour rent. It was more 

 easily appraised than labour, and was more convenient to the 

 lord. And thus it became at last an ordinary quit-rent, with, 

 of course, the addition of such contingencies and incidents 

 as were always implied in copyhold or villain tenure, that is, 

 fines and heriots. 



That the villain should be required to obtain his lord's con- 

 sent for the exercise of common paternal rights, was no doubt 

 an exceptional hardship. The lord himself, if a military 

 tenant, was in risk of a similar liability if he entered on his 

 fee during his legal infancy. But the villain was constantly 

 subject to the necessity of praying for a licence of marriage, a 

 licence granted on payment of a varying sum of money ; the 

 breach of the regulation being also visited by a pecuniary 

 mulct. This licence is known in early times by those voces 

 horrendae, mercheta and culage. In course of time these terms 

 disappear ; and at last it seems that the fine on marriage is 

 paid when the woman wishes to quit the manor, and of course 

 to be free from any further liability to the lord. 



A singular incident of villenage is the restraint put upon 

 those liable to it in the selection of occupation for their 

 children. There were difficulties no doubt in the way of such 

 villains as wished to make their sons enter on any other 

 occupation than husbandry, before a legal impediment was 

 laid in the way of such a purpose by 12 Ric. II. cap. 3. As a 

 fine was paid for licence to quit the manor, a check was put 

 on the initiative of such an act. The chief ambition however, 



