A HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX 



By 1283-4 six out of the ten and a half virgates of ' Shirlond ' at 

 Stepney were definitely posita ad denarium^ and thirty-five more works 

 were sold, accounting for 449 out of a total of 65 8 J works due. 450! 

 cotmen's works out of 854 were sold, as well as the great majority of 

 Hydlond and Mollond works. In and after 1362 the rolls contain no 

 compotus operum, but instead account for all the works due from the four 

 classes of holdings under the heading de operis arrentatis. There was a 

 dispute this year about the commutation of works due from twelve vir- 

 gates of mollond held by free tenants, the homage declaring that the 

 tenants had not been a party to the arrangement, and an allowance for 

 an overcharge was made to them. In 1464 the accounts cease to distin- 

 guish the redditus assist of the mollond, and only free and custumary 

 tenants are mentioned." Stepney suffered badly from the Black Death, 

 and afterwards a good deal of land was let on lease, the rents of terre 

 dimisse amounting to 43 14^. 6d. in 1352-3." 



As we have already seen, certain molmen's works only were rendered 

 at Enfield in and after 1419. By 1439 the situs manerii, the demesne, 

 was let on a six years' lease with the garden, pasture, all demesne and 

 meadow land, all the custumers' weeding, mowing and reaping works 

 and the profits of the first annual hunt in the chase. A house over the 

 gateway, with some adjoining rooms and the stables were reserved for 

 the king. A good deal of bondage land was also let on lease. The 

 carrying works due to the firmarius from certain of the molmen were 

 sold by him at 3^. each. 68 



Although many commutations were made with the granting of 

 leases at Fulham between 1384 and 1396, services were still rendered on 

 the manor at the latter date, for there is a note in an account of that 

 year that tenants who had no horses paid ^d. instead of harrowing. The 

 same account contains a list of custumary holdings, consisting of from five 

 to twenty-six ' akerware ' each, in Acton and Drayton," and giving their 

 payments for rents, works and customs to Fulham manor and to Baling. 

 The demesne was leased in 1401 for seven years with 40 cows and 

 251 sheep, and in 143940 the manor was leased for nine years with 

 all demesne land, meadows, pasture, the profits of the court-leet and all 

 services. The bishop reserved to himself the advowson of the church, 

 the hall and all buildings and gardens within the lower gate, the great 

 garden, one grange and all the stables, 6 acres of meadow, the fishponds 

 and woods and all the judicial rights of the lord of the manor. 60 



A few payments for release from works occur in the Edgeware rolls 

 from 1268, and the sums received do not vary greatly in the few years 

 during which we have any account of the manor. A certain amount of land 



M Compotus roll in St. Paul's Library, dated anno 12 regii Edviardi; P.R.O. Mins. Accts. bdle. 1139, 

 Nos. 18-24 i bdle. 1 140, No. 24 (4-5 Edw. IV). 



" P.R.O. Mins. Accts. bdle. 1139, No. 18. 



M Ibid. bdle. 915, No. 26 (7 Hen. V) ; Mins. Accts. (Duchy of Lane.), bdle. 42, No. 825 ; 

 bdle. 53, Nos. 1010 and 1014. 



" Not to be confused with the St. Paul's Manor of Drayton. This is a small place near Hanwell. 

 P.R.O. Ct. R. 8-19 Ric. II, bdle. 188, Nos. 65-7 ; Mins. Accts. 19 Ric. II, bdle. 1138, No. 18. 



60 P.R.O. Mins. Accts. bdle. 1138, Nos. 22 and 23. 



76 



