CHAPTER V. 



THE TENANTS AND THEIR LAND. 1272— 1306. 



Little direct evidence has been found concerning the number 

 and economic condition of the tenants of Forncett manor in the 

 thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, but the Account Rolls, though 

 primarily treating of the demesne, incidentally furnish material from 

 which some inferences regarding the economic position of the tenants 

 of the manor may be drawn. 



From the table on pp. 60, 61, it appears that the lands that, 

 by 1376, had fallen into the lord's* hands, had previously been 

 burdened with payments and services of various kinds. Some 

 were probably free lands^ but by far the larger part were bond 

 tenements or portions of bond tenements. 



The tenements may be roughly classified according to the nature 

 and amount of the services with which they had been charged. On 

 these grounds two main classes of tenements may be distinguished, 

 and these again may be further subdivided. 



The first main class comprises such tenements as either rendered 

 no week-work at all, or else rendered it only during the autumn. 

 Tenements in this class would fall into one or the other of two 

 groups. First, tenements that did not render labour services, but 

 paid either money rents only, or in addition such insignificant rents 

 in kind, as a hen and a few eggs yearly ; this group was a very small 

 one, and probably consisted only of such tenements as had been 

 freed from their labour dues, through commutation or otherwise^. 

 Second, tenements rendering such labour services as averagia^ 

 autumn cartings, occasional autumn day-works, and, in some 

 instances, week-work in the autumn. This group was very large. 



^ For example, no. 49, p. 61, the 'divers lands' of Robert Bacon. Bacon had been 

 outlawed for felony. He held 60 acres in chief of Forncett manor and 16 acres of Moulton 

 manor. Inq. p. m. 46 Edw. HI., 2nd nrs., no. 57 a, and 50 Edw. HI., 2nd nrs., no. 6. 



2 No. 2, p. 60 falls within this group. The large money rent paid by this tenement 

 suggests commutation. 



