History of Agricultural Rent in England 1 1 



labour rather than privileges giving rise 

 to so much wealth. 



In fact, the lord of the typical manor 

 had to see that his land was adequately 

 stocked with men to work it, and the 

 most simple plan was to keep up the 

 same number of holdings, and on the 

 decease of a tenant or serf, one of his sons, 

 generally the youngest, was compelled to 

 take a re-grant of the land. These serfs 

 had not only to cultivate the long acres 

 which belonged to their part of the estate, 

 but also the strips which belonged, in a 

 more special sense, to the lord of the manor 

 as his home farm. And not only had they 

 to provide the labour, but generally also 

 oxen and ploughs. And besides this, they 

 were compelled to work at the command 

 of the lord of the manor for different 

 purposes, and, in fact, he used their labour 

 as he found it convenient. In return, they 



