CHAPTER VI. 



SEIGNORIAL POWERS. 



Thus far we have confined our attention to an examination of 

 the systems of land tenure practised by the Roman, the 

 Briton, and the Teuton. It is now our object to study the 

 rural economy of the mixed peoples who were occupying the 

 soil of Britain, 



Passing over the irresolute resistance of the British, the 

 gradual progress of the conquerors from isolated footings about 

 the seaboard to a final parcelling out of the country into the 

 kingdoms of the Heptarchy, we at length arrive at a period 

 when the crews of each marauding fleet had finally settled 

 down on whatever area of land they chanced to conquer, 

 and were carrying out on a small scale as nearly the same 

 system of home government as the altered circumstances 

 would admit. ^ 



Their leader was, at first, the earldorman; afterwards, the 

 cyning, or creature of the community; and, finally, the Bret- 

 walda. 



Parts of the divided lands, it is reasonable to suppose, were 

 subdivided amongst the warriors in proportion to their ser- 

 vices. Parts became the Folcland, or common ground of the 

 community, and the rest, if any still remained, would be in 

 native hands. 



The cyning, with his wise men, made the laws in open-air 

 assembly, technically called the Witangemote. Those warriors 



^ Hume, Hist, of Engl, Append. I. ; StuLbs, Select Charters, Introd. 

 Chapter. 



