216 THE DOMESDAY INQUEST 



knows not in what manor he holds this land, and no one 

 came on his part to prove his title." l Occasionally instead 

 of taking possession of the disputed lands, they were content 

 if the occupier gave security (" dedit vadem "). 2 Security 

 was also given in other cases : if a landowner withheld the 

 services due to his lord ; " 3 if a person called on another to 

 warrant his title, and the warrantor made default ; 4 or if a 

 person received the rent of land to which he was not entitled. 5 

 And the long lists of " invasiones " in Essex, Suffolk, and 

 Norfolk, and the " clamores " of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, 

 and Huntingdon, show how careful was the inquiry into title, 

 and favour Mr. Freeman's contention that the chief object 

 of the Domesday Commission was to inquire if the King's 

 gifts had reached their destined recipients. 



Possibly it will be interesting to examine more closely 

 one or two cases of disputed title. William of Charnet held 

 the manor of Charford (Hants.) under Hugh de Forth ; but 

 Picot held 2j virgates which William asserted belonged to 

 the same manor, and based his claim on his heirship to his 

 predecessor (" per hereditatem sui antecessoris "). To support 

 his claim he 



" produced the testimony of the best and oldest men of the said shire 

 and hundred ; but, on the other hand, Picot produced his testimony 

 from the villans and the common people and the reeves to show, 

 either by their oaths or by the judgment of God (i.e. the ordeal), that 

 the man who formerly held this land was a freeman, and could go 

 where he would with his land. But William's witnesses are unwilling 

 to accept anything but the law of King Edward." 



The dispute evidently turned on the point whether Pih- 

 telet, who held the land T. R. E., held " in allodium of the 

 King," as alleged by Picot, or whether his land was annexed 

 to the manor of Charford. If, as William contended, his land 

 was annexed to the manor, or, rather, if the services arising 



1 D. B., II. 25 b. 2 Id., II. ioo b. 3 Id., II. 3. 



4 Id., II. 103. 5 Id., II. 103. s Id., I. 44 b 2. 



