38 Domesday and Feudal Statistics 



48 ac.), and at Therfield of 4 virg. of 64 ac. 

 (i.e., 256 ac.) with in other cases 3-7 virg. per 

 Hide ; in the H. R. (referring of course to the 

 5 counties given at large) it is I think the 

 exception for Hides to be named, either for 

 defence, or as areal measures, nevertheless there 

 are indications of a varying no. of acres per Hide,* 



* The E. H. R. (vol. v., p. 143, review by W. H. Steven- 

 Domesday son) states that measurements are never given in terms of the 

 "measures." Hide and Qxgang, Ploughland and Yardland, as still fre- 

 quently confused by antiquaries, which proposition postulates 

 that the critic is better informed than Domesday Book ; such 

 a statement calls to mind the reply of the unfortunate 

 authoress of the "New Atalantis," who had discovered some 

 special Facts (concerning the Whigs, t. Anne] which were 

 thought above her own Intelligence (i.e., information), and 

 alleged in defence that her source was Inspiration, " because 

 knowing her own Innocence she could account for it in no 

 other Way." Some of the following references to Domesday 

 demonstrate that the uniformity alleged in the E. H. R. is not 

 agreeable to the Record : Cheshire (body of county), 263*7, 

 266*7 bovates occur in a hidated shire ; (between Ribble and 

 Mersey), 269^, 270*7 one Hide is equated to 6 Carucates, 

 which is amply borne out by the summary of 79 Hides 

 (scotting), whereas the Hides and Carucates add to about 

 80 H. by above equation ; and further the Hide is sometimes 

 (Cornish \ valued at l6s. and the Carucate at 2s. 8d. ; Cornwall, 123/2 to 

 ("acres." ) 125*7 appears to prove the acre greater than the ferling, and 

 from the Exon { D. B. the former seems equal to 10 fiscal 

 English acres, thus p. 92, Tretlant 4 ac. ; p. 206, Tretlant 

 (apparently same entry), I virgate and I acre ; also p. 242, 

 Delio, I virgate divided into ij acres and another land, 

 suggesting 4 ferl. = I virgate =-3 acres, which is rather sup- 

 ported by the Testa de Neville (21 Ed. I., pp. 204-5), wnere 

 the Cornish acre equals the Cornish carucate ; Devon, 104*7, 

 107*5, no<2, the acre apparently normal, and the ferling the 

 fourth of a virgate ; G/os'ter, 162*7, the Welsh carucates ; 

 Hereford, 181*7 and b, 182^, English and Welsh Hides ; Kent, 



