n I The /Vwrv;/,'. 1270 1307. 47 



the differences between the r.irliVr and later yeai few and 



of little general significance. 



KtMits show a small and gradual increase. In 1306 they 

 amounted to 1$$ mote than in 127}, a rise of over 4 per < nit. 

 Hut this dors not necessarily denote an increase in the number 

 of tenants, in the area of land let, or in the value of the land. 

 A large part of the increase, at least, was due to payments made 

 by bondmen who had purchased free land, or to small sums paid 

 to the lord in return for the grant of special privileges 1 . The amount 

 of such payments as salt-penny, forth-ward (ward-penny), scor-fee 2 

 and the like remained unaltered. It is to be noted that the lord 

 seems to have had little difficulty in finding tenants during this 

 period, and few of the rent-paying lands remained in his hands. 



One-fourth of the tolls of Stratton market were farmed for 2s. 6d. 

 from 1273 to 1293, for 3^. 6d. in 1300, and 4^. in 1303 and later. 



Foldage payments declined, as a rule, after 1290. 



The following table shows that in the first years of the fourteenth 

 century more ' manual ' works were annually sold than at an earlier 

 date. This difference, however, does not appear to be a consequence 

 of the working of general causes, or to indicate an advance toward 

 complete commutation. On the contrary a close examination of the 

 rolls seems to show that local and temporary causes suffice to explain 

 the change. 



Number of * works ' due each year. 



Winter works Summer works Autumn works Total 



1505 245 1223 2973 



Number of works sold. 



Winter works Summer works Autumn works Total 



1273 60 45 500 605 



1275 464 51 328 843 



1278 18 o 281 299 



1279 69 o 441 510 



1280 58 24 286 368 

 1284 654 59 384 1097 

 1286 287 25$ 387 699^ 

 1290 468 114^ 368 



1293 383 26 31 i 



1300 ioi 173 636 910^ 



1303 325i H8 600 1073* 



1304 830 151 678 1659 

 1306 693$ 78 586 1357* 



1 Thus, a tenant pays \d. that his son may become a chaplain. Min. Acc'ts, 935/14. 



2 For the meaning of this term cf. Appendix VIII., p. xxx., n. i. 



