A HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



Generally, however, in the fourteenth century, even in the list of 

 services such daily work as was done at Ditton and Cippenham is very rare. 

 The tenants did not go to perform any work that might be required of them 

 by the lord's bailiff, but their work had become a certainty, whether plough- 

 ing, hoeing, reaping, &c., so that one of Bracton's proofs of unfree service, 

 its uncertain nature, had nearly disappeared. 



The different kinds of boon-work found on the Buckinghamshire 

 manors are interesting. At Cuddington M there was a customary service of 

 benerth, which obliged the tenants to sow wheat and barley for their lord ; 

 they received food from him, since in the reign of Henry V an economy in 

 the expenses of this food was effected by employing the farm-servants on 

 the boon-work. 



At Langley Marish " benerth also was performed, and the custom of 

 ploughing the meadow. A boon-day at Islehampstead Chenies 80 was called 

 a 'Love-bone,' but nothing is said as to its purpose. At harvest time 

 at Langley Marish two boon-days were called 'Water Bedrypes,' at which 

 no beer was given as at an ordinary bedrype at Missenden. In other manors 

 belonging to Missenden Abbey" the harvest boon-day was called the Magna 

 precaria Abbathi. 



The manorial tenants also made various customary payments for privi- 

 leges allowed by the lord. Pannage' 8 for the right of sending their pigs into 

 the lord's woods was paid frequently, and the same payment was called 

 'Garshanese' both at Langley Marish 63 and at Ditton. 64 Derfold and bensed 

 are also mentioned at Langley ; 65 the latter appears at Wendover, 66 when one 

 pint of wheat from every virgate of land held by certain tenants was paid at 

 Martinmas. 



At Brill a yearly payment was made of 4^. 6</., called variously ' Cleg- 

 gavel ' 67 or ' Clan gavel.' 68 



At Monks Risborough 69 certain tenants brewed two gallons of beer, 

 which they gave to the lord of the manor under the name of 'Tolcestre.' In 

 the fifteenth century the payment was commuted, each tenant giving ^d. 

 instead of the beer. In many cases in Henry Vs reign, however, some of 

 the tenants were presented at the manorial court by the bailiff for not having 

 paid the tolcestre. 



Vaccage 70 or ' lactagium ' was continually paid, but perhaps it can 

 hardly be described as a customary payment, being in no way connected with 

 tenure. The lord's cows seem to have been leased to various tenants at so 

 much per head per year, the lessee having the calf and milk ; the same 

 system was followed with sheep, and in one instance with geese and fowls. 



Agistment n was also paid for leave to pasture cattle in the lord's park. 

 This was sometimes paid by a whole township to obtain such rights in a 

 forest or chase. Thus the inhabitants of Salden 72 paid agistment for pasture 

 in Whaddon Chase. 



68 P.R.O. Mins. Accts. bdle. 760, Nos. 15, 16. M Ibid. bdle. 761, No. 17. 



* Ibid. No. 4. 61 Harl. MS. 3688. 



" P.R.O. Mins. Accts. bdle. 764, Nos. 7, 4 ; ibid. bdle. 760, No. 4 ; Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), i, 34. 



68 P.R.O. Mins. Accts. bdle. 761, No. 17. M Ibid. bdle. 760, No. 18, Garsanese.' 



66 Ibid. bdle. 761, No. 17 ; bdle. 764, No. 1 1800. 65 P.R.O. Rentals and Surv. R. 85. 



67 P.R.O. Mins. Accts. bdle. 759, No. 30. Ibid. bdle. 759, No. 31. Monks Risborough Ct. R. 

 70 P.R.O. Mins. Accts. bdle. 760, No. 14 ; bdle. 761, No. n; bdle. 763, No. 6. 



" Ibid. bdle. 763, No. 26. " Ibid. No. 29. 



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