48 The Demesne. 1270 — 1307. [ch. ii 



Thus, in 1278, fewer works were sold than in any other year 

 of which we have record. But the great demand for labour rents 

 in this year is to be explained by the fact that at this time 33 acres 

 of the Moulton demesne which were in the earl's hands during the 

 wardship of the heir of Moulton manor, were cultivated by the 

 customary labour of the tenants of Forncett manor. In 1304, on the 

 other hand, the large sale of works is accounted for by the fact that 

 in this year much of the grain from the demesne was sold in the 

 sheaf, and some 500 ' diets ' usually needed for threshing were 

 not demanded. In 1303 and 1304 part of the arable was left unsown* 

 which was another reason for the diminished demand for labour in 

 these years. 



Moreover, if the increase in the fourteenth century of the number 

 of cases in which tenants paid money in lieu of rendering service, 

 denoted a change from an earlier system of * natural husbandry ' to 

 a * money system,' we should expect to find an increase in the 

 amount of unskilled labour hired, corresponding to the decrease 

 in the quantity of customary labour rendered. As a matter of fact, 

 however, less unskilled labour was hired in 1304 than in 1278^ 



There was an increase in the sales of trees and underwood toward 

 the end of the period, when large numbers of trees were felled^ 



On the whole the changes that appear after 1300 seem, as has 

 been said, to have a merely local significance, and may possibly 

 be accounted for by the fact that in 1302 the earl surrendered 

 his estates to the king, and on receiving them back had only a 

 life interest in them^ In December 1306 Earl Roger died °, and in 

 June 1307 the manor passed into the charge of officers of the king^ 



* * De herbagio xviii. acrarum terrae arrabilis non seminatarum.' Min.Acc'ts,935/i5(i303). 

 'De herbagio xxv. acrarum dim. non seminatarum hoc anno.' Min. Acc'ts, 935/16 (1304). 

 Cf. above, p. 27. 



2 In 1278, payments to unskilled labourers in yearly and daily wages and in customary 

 fees amounted to £\. 195. l\d.^ of which lod. was paid for work done on Moulton demesne. 

 In 1304 similar payments amounted to £\. %s. ^\d. The difference is due to the small 

 quantity of day labour employed in the latter year. 



' ' De siccis arboribus venditis...;^35. 9J.' Min. Acc'ts, 935/15. 



^ Stubbs, Const. Hist., 11. 154. 



® Diet. Nat, Biog. * Min. Acc'ts, 937/10. 



