233] THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE OPEN FIELDS 77 



The growing irregularity of holdings, combined with the 

 decrease in the number of holders whose interests had to 

 be consulted, made it easier than it had formerly been toi 

 modify the traditional routine of husbandry. Even though 

 the new land acquired by tenants from the demesne or from 

 old bond-holdings did not happen to be adjacent to strips 

 already in their possession, exchange could accomplish the 

 desired result. At Gorleston, Suffolk, a tenant sublet about 

 half of his holding to eight persons, and at the same timd 

 acquired plots of land for himself from another eight hold- 

 ings.^ Before 1350 exchanges, sales and subletting of land 

 by tenants had become general on the manors of the 

 Bishopric of Winchester. It is unusual to find more than 

 two cases of exchanges in any one year, even on a large 

 manor; but Miss Levett adds: "On the other hand, one 

 can hardly look through the fines on any one of the episcopal 

 manors for a period of ten years without finding one or 

 two. From the close correspondence of the areas ex- 

 changed, together with exact details as to position, it is; 

 fairly clear that the object of the exchange was to obtain 

 more compact holdings." * 



Fitzherbert writes that " By the assente of the Lordes 

 and tenauntes, euery neyghbour may exchange lands with 

 other." ^ This practice was especially sanctioned by law 

 ^^ 1597 " for the more comodious occupyinge or husbandrie 

 of anye Land. Meadows, or Pastures," * but it was common 

 in the open-field villages before the legal permission was 

 given. Tawney reproduces several maps belonging to All 

 Souls' Muniment Room, which show the ownership of cer- 



* Tawney, Agrarian Problem, pp. 164-165. 



2 Levett and Ballard, op. cit., pp. 52-53. 



3 Husbandry (ed. English Dialect Society, 1882), p. yj. 



* 39 EL, c. i, vi. 



