Feudal Statistics 69 



surprising to find that England contained little 

 more than 6,000 fees in 1346. These I suppose i 

 were all that the jurors could or would find, and i 34 6. 

 consisted of old and new without distinction ; 

 whether most of the fees which had formerly been 

 returned as " super dominicum " were discovered -is 

 not quite so clear. Again deductions should be 

 made from the total, as presumably there would be 

 cases similar to those of the Abbots of Fountains, 

 Furness, etc., who successfully (I think) disputed 

 their indebtedness on some of the fees they were 

 charged with. The aid to marry Blanche daughter 

 of Hen. IV. is set forth in the Enrolled A/ cs of the Returns of 

 Exch. (partial returns in the Book of Aids); thus* Hen ' IV ' 

 for W. R. Yorks (some 1 50 fees in 20 Ed. III.) 

 the collectors render account of ^12 6s. n|d. for 

 1 1 1 fees, and the third part of a ^ part of a fee, 

 and 4 car. 7 bov. of land whence 10 etc., and 

 whence 8 bov. make I car. held immediately of 

 the King in W. R., of each fee 2os., and of more, 

 more, and of less, less etc.; and of 275. 2d. of 

 2 7 3 s - 5^. worth of land held of the King in 

 socage (sine medio) at the rate of 2os. for ^20 and 

 for more, etc.: this is an interesting return, as it 

 would appear that the lands held by others* of " les 



* Vide the government volume, " Feudal Aids," in co. 

 Berks, where the returns cite tenor of Statute 25 Ed. III. 

 (205. per Kiiight's fee held immediately of the Crown, for 

 more, etc., and 205. for each 20 //. la. held of the King sine 

 media, for more, etc.), but the editor in his introduction 

 (p. xxvi) renders this 2Os. per Knight's fee, and the like for 

 20 //. la. held in socage. The form in the record is of 

 course correct, and as is not unfrequently the case with 



