THEIR CONDITION IN 1066 123 



customs. But the thegns of Salford and the freemen of Ley- 

 land were not accustomed to work at the King's hall, nor to 

 mow in August ; all the work required of them was to make 

 one enclosure in the King's wood. The customs of the 

 drengs of Wellington are not recorded. Here, then, without 

 referring to the thegns, we have undoubted freemen paying 

 rent and performing special services (boon-works) for the 

 King ; and thus find corroborative evidence for our con- 

 tention that the services of the freeholders were rendered 

 to the King. But it should be noticed that there is no 

 statement as to liberty of, or restraint on, commendation. 



It is obvious that the grant by the King of his services 

 from one of his freeholders could not derogate from the rights 

 of that freeholder ; hence a freeholder was still at liberty to 

 commend himself to a lord of his choice, although he rendered 

 services to a third party ; and it is for this reason that we 

 read of men who were commended to A, while their soke 

 remained to B. Examples of this are very frequent. 



" Barnby (Suffolk). Five freemen commended to Burchard, over 

 whom the King and Earl had the soke." l 



" Dersingham (Norfolk). The predecessor of Peter of Valonges 

 had the commendation only of 22 freemen, but Stigand had the 

 soke." 2 



" Gateley (Norfolk). The predecessor of Hugh of Montfort had 

 the foldsoke and commendation of 2 sokemen, but the other soke lay 

 in Muleham, a Royal manor." 3 



" Eversden (Cambs.). Edric, who could sell, had commended 

 himself to the Abbot of Ely, but Earl Alfgar had the soke." 4 



" Over (Cambs.). The Abbot of Ramsey had the soke of a man 

 who could sell and had commended himself to Earl Waltheof." 5 



"Bergholt. There were 210 sokemen T. R. E., but only 119 in 

 1086. Of these 119 Harold had the commendation of 4 only, and 

 his brother Gurth of two. All the Others were commended to other 

 barons ; but Harold had the soke of all." 6 



1 D. B., II. 302. 2 Id., 278 b. 3 Id., II. 256 b. 



4 Id., I. 199 a 2. 5 Id., I. 202 b I. 6 Id., II. 287 b. 



