326 ENGLISH FIELD SYSTEMS 



the commons and fallow field inhered in the community and 

 were jointly exercised by all its land-holding members. In Nor- 

 folk pasturage rights over certain pastures and certain portions 

 of the fallow field (together called " fold-courses ") appertained 

 only to particular proprietors, other land-holders being excluded. 

 Since this was the practice, it would have served no end had 

 George Elmdon's acres been distributed among three fields. When 

 one-third of them lay fallow, they would not have been open to 

 all the sheep of the township, but would have been reserved for 

 a particular flock. All arable which in any year lay fallow in 

 the township did not form one common pasture, but had to be 

 subdivided in accordance with the claims of the several flocks. 



If it be thought that the Weasenham evidence in this matter is 

 insufficient, there is fuller information relative to Holkham, near 

 by. A map of this township, dated 1590, discloses its pasturage 

 arrangements,* which are further explained by the report of a 

 special royal commission sent in 1584 to ascertain the queen's 

 rights in the " common wastes." ^ The map shows a large South 

 field equal in size to both of the other fields, which were known 

 as Church and Stathe. The marshes to the north next the sea 

 constitute one common, the Lyng on the southeast another. 

 Across fields and commons are traced the boundaries of four fold- 

 courses, each comprising about one-fourth of the township's arable 

 and common waste,' but the boundaries nowhere correspond 

 with those of the fields. Three of these fold-courses represent 

 the three manors of the township. The fourth " is fed with the 

 sheepe of one Edmund Newgate and others the Inhabitunts and 

 house holders there. But whether Newgate's be taken as a folde 

 corse or no we [the jurors] knowe not." * This arrangement 



1 Holkham Maps, No. i, sketched in the accompanying cut. 



^ Duchy of Lancaster, Special Commission, No. 350. The commission and a 

 part of the return have been printed by Hubert Hall, A Formula Book of English 

 Official Historical Documents (2 pts., Cambridge, 1908-09), ii. 17. 



' They are known as North course, Caldowe course, Wheatley's course (also 

 called Grigg's), and Newgate's course. The first includes one-half of the marshes, 

 all of Church field, and a part of South field; the second, a large part of South field 

 and one-half of the Lyng; the third, the remainder of the Lyng, with parts of South 

 field and Stathe field; the fourth, a part of Stathe field and one-half of the marshes. 



* Duchy of Lancaster, Special Commission, No. 350. The jury continues: "No 



