A HISTORY OF ESSEX 



(four batches of 25 apiece) and see that the number of villani and bordaril has risen 

 from 1,486 to 1,894, while the number of servi has fallen from 423 to 303. We 

 make another experiment with a hundred entries. This gives the following result : 



A.D. IO66 A.D. IO86 



Villani 1,273 I > 2 47 



Bordarii 810 1,241 



Servi 384 312 



This decrease in the number of servi seems to be pretty evenly distributed 

 throughout the county. 1 



As this feature of the county survey has attracted so much attention, I 

 give here some selected types, inviting attention to the fact that, apart 

 from the proportion of the classes, the total number of the peasantry 

 shows an almost steady increase. 



The only unvarying feature here is the marked increase in ' bordars,' 

 even when the total decreases and even when the serfs are stationary. 

 The two cases which follow are examples of an increase, instead of a 

 decrease, in the number of villeins, significantly concurrent with an 

 increase in the ' men's plough-teams ' and a decrease in those on the 

 lord's demesne. 



(MERKS IN) GREAT DUNMOW 



LANGENHOE 



It is a safe generalization to say that the typical Essex manor exhibits 

 a marked increase of bordars, at the cost of the classes above and below 



1 Domes Jay Book and Beyond, p. 3 5 . 

 360 



