ON THE COST OF CARRIAGE. 651 



tion. Each manor or parish contained its complement of in- 

 habitants, whose industry supplied them with the greater part 

 of the necessaries of life., and who were always within easy 

 distance of some fair or market, in which they could exchange 

 their surplus products, and procure such conveniences as they 

 needed, or such luxuries as the general simplicity of the age 

 allowed. The manor-house was situated in the middle of the 

 village, and was tenanted when the lord was the owner of a 

 single fee ; but when, as was often the case, it formed a part 

 only of some great but scattered estate, it was either shut up 

 against the lord's periodical visit or was partly inhabited by 

 the bailiff. Round and near the manor-house were clustered 

 the huts of the peasant proprietors, and of the few labourers 

 whose land was insufficient for their entire maintenance. In 

 case, however, the small landowner (as was generally the fact) 

 held sufficient land for the sustenance of his family, he 

 had also his wooden barn and byre, in which, he stored his 

 produce and kept his stock the amount of the latter being 

 defined, partly by the extent of his little homestead and land, 

 partly by the rights which he possessed and exercised in sum- 

 mer-time over the common pasture of the manor rights which 

 were sometimes unlimited, (or, as they were technically styled, 

 held without stint,) sometimes defined by a certain amount 

 of cattle and sheep. 



1 The estate of the manor was generally compact, and no 

 doubt included the best ground in the parish, with, in case 

 such existed, great part of the natural water-meadow, at that 

 time, in the absence of artificial grasses, so precious. The 

 lands of the small proprietors were, however, generally very 

 scattered, their estates frequently consisting of small patches 

 in a large common field, or a certain number of furrows, be- 

 tween which, as a landmark, a boundary of grass, serving 

 partly for hay, partly for autumn-feed, was suffered to grow. 

 At the verge of the whole parish stood the belt of wood, which 

 supplied the inhabitants with necessary fuel, and in which 

 they generally had also common rights. 



