THE ENCROACHMENTS 217 



from his land were annexed to the manor, the land or the ser- 

 vices would pass with the grant of the manor. But if, as Picot 

 contended, he was a freeholder with liberty of commendation, 

 the land would not pass with the manor, and there was no 

 reason why his land should not lawfully have been in the 

 possession of Picot. The contention by William's witnesses, 

 that the dispute should be settled according to the law of 

 King Edward, refers to the old English law which valued a 

 man's oath according to his social position. 



It is often found that a man who owned the freehold of 

 certain lands was also a leaseholder under one or other of 

 the churches ; and if he had commended himself in respect 

 of his freeholds to a certain Englishman, the successor of 

 that Englishman took possession of his freeholds, and often, 

 disregarding the reversionary rights of the church, took 

 possession also of his leaseholds. The case of Alfred Black 

 has already been referred to. Here is a similar case : Miles 

 Crispin succeeded to the lands of Brictric in Bucks. ; l but 

 Brictric had been leaseholder of Clopeham (Beds.) under 

 Ramsey Abbey, and Miles took possession of Clopeham, in 

 spite of the abbot's claim. 2 



Lands would be added to a manor to which they had 

 previously belonged. Richard, son of Earl Gilbert, had a 

 small estate at Borton, in Essex, but to it he added 40 acres 

 which previously lay at Westerfield a manor belonging to 

 the King. 3 Bentley (Suffolk) was a separate manor belong- 

 ing to Earl Gurth in the time of King Edward, but was 

 afterwards added to Bergholt as a berewick. 4 And there is 

 a long list of sokemen who were added by Ilbert and other 

 sheriffs to the large manor at Hitchin. 5 



Men owing service to a manor would be taken away from 

 it. On the royal manor of Stow (Suffolk) there were, T. R. E., 

 forty sokemen who owed all their service to the manor ; in 



1 D. B., 150 a 2. 2 Id., I. 212 a I. 3 Id., II. 40. 



Id., II. 287. 5 Id., I. 132 b. 



