Fetidalis7n. 147 



their glamour to chaiTii the modern eye requires surely the 

 stage scenery of battlement, tower, and keep as well as the 

 brilliant costumes that we associate with the Middle Ages. 

 The imaginative tourist on a B-hine steamer may sometimes 

 forget his immediate surroundings and dream of feudal times 

 when he gazes up at the castle of some robber baron under 

 the Othos silhouetted against the westering sun, or glances 

 down on the ancient church of his tenant in frankalmaigue 

 centre of a village that once held his vassals, and as the steam- 

 boat glides past the ruins of that very pier which paid the 

 baron's dues, he may listen in fancy to the winding of the 

 horn which summoned the moss troopers to " spur, spear, and 

 snafHe." 



The customs of these ancient tenures we have seen vary 

 considerably, even in the same species of feudal tenure. Thus 

 in that of sergeantry, the gay scene in "Westminster Hall soars 

 as near the sublime as the leap and the puff of the le Sarceres 

 nears the ridiculous. 



The manor of Aston Cautlou in "Warwickshire has to supply 

 the king with a man armed with a bow without a string and 

 one basnet or helmet.^ That of Bericote involves the service 

 of keeping a white young brach with red ears, to be delivered 

 to the king at the year's end. That of Henley in Warwick- 

 shire, the service of three shillings or a pair of scarlet hose. 

 In the manor of Stoneley (also in "Warwickshire) four bond- 

 men held each one messuage and one quartron of land by ser- 

 vice of making the gallows, hanging thieves, and wearing a 

 red clout betwixt their shoulders. The manor of Cukeney 

 was held under service of shoeing the king's palfrey,^ with 

 the prospect of having to supply another of four marks price 

 if he lamed the beast in the process. East Bilsington in Kent 

 was held by service of presenting the king on Coronation 

 Day with three maple cups. Narbrough was held by castle 

 gard, which could be redeemed by waj^^t fee, a term no doubfc 

 signifying a money equivalent in lieu of attendance or wait- 

 ing. Lastres in Herefordshire was held under service of a 



' An instance of tenure by petit-sergeantry. 



" Also an instance of tenure by petit-sergeantry 



