Feudal Statistics 43 



noted as not unless 10, for the bishops had granted 

 403. per fee to the King, on all those fees they 

 ought him for scutage, obtaining in return for 

 themselves a like grant on all their fees, so that 

 1166-1242 the Durham bishoprick seemed to 

 contain 70 and 150 fees, the whole however 

 being not unless 10. Now plain it should appear 

 that an immediate tenant's estate was never likely 

 to be completely subinfeuded, and that the lord 

 would reserve for himself some portion the above 

 case is extreme, but 'tis contrary to reason to sup- 

 pose any tenant would systematically subinfeud at 

 what rate himself had been enfeoffed ; nevertheless 

 such unreal conceptions have caused erudite state- 

 ments as to measurement by Hides so many 

 Hides, so many Knights, etc., etc. ; presumptions 

 unwarranted by evidence, and very little flattering 

 the sagacity of our predecessors. 



Without much violence to probability it may 

 be conceded that records of Hidage before 1086 

 existed (thus in D. B., in North Lanes, Staincliffe, 

 Ewecross, parts of Cumberland and Westmorland 

 are named no persons, stock, nor ploughs save in 

 1 6 vills near Preston, where unknown but the 

 Hidage is given), and it also may be allowed that 

 5-6 Domesday Hides make an average Fee (as Average 

 a grant to a lay tenant in cap.), but that is not to 

 say that the first feoffment (presumably before 

 the Book of Winton was written) was made by 

 Hidation ; certain it is that even in one county 

 (Yorks) the subinfeudations vary greatly, thus 

 1205, 7 John, in Scawsby (Honour of Tickhill) 

 2j carucates make a fee (Final Concords) ; temp. 



milites, in the Scotch war this of course must not be con- 

 founded with the now almost extinct service, and whether his 

 retainers were milites or men at arms, any acquainted with the 

 records of the period will not need to be informed they were 

 probably mostly ad vadia nostra (i.e., of Ed. /.). 



