16 THE DOMESDAY INQUEST 



knowledge, and possibly they were assisted by similar returns 

 which had been prepared by the reeves for their annual 

 reckonings with their lords. We shall later refer to such 

 returns compiled between the years 1125-28 for the estates 

 of Peterborough Abbey contained in the Liber Niger, and 

 to slightly earlier returns relating to the estates of Burton 

 Abbey. Archdeacon Hale has pointed out that somewhat 

 similar returns for the manors belonging to St. Paul's Cathe- 

 dral, and also for the manor of Corfe Castle, were submitted 

 on the law-days of these manors, and, as the old English word 

 for law was " doom," he thinks that these returns were also 

 known as Domesday returns, and that the title was transferred 

 to the book compiled from the returns ; and Mr. Freeman 

 approves of this derivation. But the term " Domesday " is 

 never found in the book itself. Sometimes it calls itself 

 description a survey ; sometimes breve, a writ. The render of 

 Shrewsbury is given for " the year before this description was 

 made," 1 and certain Worcestershire manors are recorded in 

 the " writ " for Herefordshire. 2 



When the returns had been thus compiled, hundred by 

 hundred and vill by vill, they were sent to the King's house 

 at Winchester, and there rearranged ; it would have been an 

 endless task for the officials of the Exchequer to search through 

 all these returns to discover what lands any person held in any 

 county, and what geld was payable in respect of these lands ; 

 and therefore the various estates were arranged under the 

 names of their owners. First we find the lands of the King ; 

 then follow those of the archbishops, bishops, abbeys, earls, 

 and lesser landowners ; and at the end come two or three 

 comprehensive groups, such as the King's servientes or ser- 

 jeants, the King's vavassours, and the King's thegns, in which 

 were included all those who held small estates with no superior 

 but the King. 



In order to carry out this rearrangement, one clerk had the 

 1 D. B., I. 252 a i. 2 id., I. 178. 



