12 ENGLISH RURAL LIFE 



peasant origin, or small thegns and other men of 

 military origin, all bound to take up fighting when 

 called upon and to come armed with at least iron cap, 

 shield and spear, to give battle for chief or king, whether 

 in defence of the country or for warlike expeditions. 

 Below these were a class of smaller holders, cottagers, 

 and even a few slaves descendants in some cases of the 

 Celts ; these men were liable to be called on to fight in 

 time of dire need for the defence of the country. 



After the Vlth century, Christianity, taught by mis- 

 sionaries from Rome and by Celtic Christians, spread 

 with its civilizing influence throughout the land, and 

 ultimately there was found in every complete tun 

 the priest, a free man, and the * tun kirke,' the church 

 of the community. The priests were expected to take 

 a leading part in public affairs, and had even to 

 fight for the country in time of necessity. They were 

 supported in part by the gifts of the people, in part by 

 tithes, which, however, in early days, appear in some 

 cases to have been paid to the bishops : and also by the 

 profits of land in the common fields, with which the 

 village churches were very commonly endowed, through 

 the piety either of the estate-holders or of the peasantry 

 themselves. 



The village communities were no mere jumble of 



people, but were well organized for local business ; 



this was dealt with, on democratic lines, 



Local govern- fc y t ^ Q < moot > or v iH a g e meeting, held 



ment. The 



moots. sometimes in the church, but more commonly 



in the open air, either under the moot-tree 

 or on the moot-hill. There such questions would be 

 considered as the management of the common arable 

 fields, the fencing of that part of the land on which 



