14S History of the Efiglisk Landed Interest. 



goose fit for tlie lord's dinner on Michaelmas Day ; Burgus de 

 Guldeford under that of protecting the king's laundresses. 

 Bertram de Criol was seised of the manor of Setene in Kent 

 under service of providing a vautrer to lead three greyhounds 

 when the king should go in Gascony, so long as a pair of shoes 

 of fourpence price should last. Wrenoe of Shropshire per- 

 formed the service of interpreter between "Welsh and English.^ 

 The Greens of Norton Dauney in Northamptonshire have to 

 hold up their right hand towards the king upon Christmas 

 Day. Sloley of Sloley must give the king a poleaxe or xiicZ.^ 

 in silver every time his royal master marches into Scotland. 

 The holding of a lord's stirrup, the gift of a chaplet of roses 

 on Midsummer's Day,^ the blast of a horn ^ on perceiving an 

 invasion of the Scots, the charge of the coronation napery, 

 the maintenance of dogs for the destruction of wolves, foxes, 

 and other veimin, the delivery of a pair of tongs into the Ex- 

 chequer, are but a few examples of the multiform services 

 required by feudal tenures, some of which from their very 

 absurdity have survived up to this date,^ 



There are also a few customs so quaint and ludicrous as to 

 be worthy of description on this account only. Thus on 

 King's Hill at Rochford in Essex, on the Wednesday morning 

 after Michaelmas Day, at cock's crowing, there is by ancient 

 custom a court held by the lord of the Honour of Raleigh, 

 vulgarly termed the Lawless Court, at which the steward and 

 suitors whisper to each other. There are no candles, and a 

 piece of coal is substituted for the ordinary uses of pen and 

 ink. The absentee who owes suit or service forfeits to his 

 lord double rent for each hour of absence. The title of it in 

 court rolls runs thus : 



Curia de Domine Rege 

 Dicta sine Lege, 



Tenta est ibidem 



Per ejusdem consuetudinem ; 



* Tenure by Latimer. 



^ Another instance of tenure b\' petit-sergeantry. 



^ An instance of blench-holding. 



■* Technically termed tenure by cornage. 



^ Vide. Blount, Jocular Tenures. 



