F0BM8 OF LAND TENURE. 163 



Other duties of a vassal to his lord were wholly of an 

 honourable character. The vassal was bound to his lord in 

 fealty, and it was a breach of faith to divulge the lord's counsel, 

 or to conceal from him the machinations of his enemies ; to injure 

 his person, or fortune or to violate the sanctity of his roof or the 

 honour of his family. In battle the vassal was bound to lend 

 his horse to his lord when dismounted, to adhere to his side when 

 fighting, and to go into captivity for him when taken prisoner. 



There were also many other substantial advantages which 

 accrued to the lord. First among them, we may mention the 

 right of Lords over their vassals in respect to the wardship and 

 marriage of heirs being minors. As fees were held upon the 

 condition of the performance of certain services which men only 

 could render, in the event of the death of the tenant leaving a 

 female heir, or a son within age, the lands were seized into the 

 lord's hands, who became the guardian of the heir during his, 

 or her, minority, and the lord, during that time, appropriated to 

 himself the profits of the estate, subject to proper provision for 

 the maintenance and education of the heir according to his 

 degree. It involved also the right of tendering to the heir, 

 being a female, whilst under age, a suitable husband, which if 

 she refused, she forfeited the value of her marriage, which was 

 as much as any one would give the lord for his permission to 

 marry her. At a later date, the claim of marriage was extended 

 to male heirs, being minors, and even to female vassals of all 

 ages, and to widows who held lands in capite in dower. These 

 rights, however, were exceptional, and were limited to this 

 country, and, consequently, were the cause of much discontent 

 and ill feeling. Attempts were several times made to restrain 

 the power, but without success. Upon reflection, however, it 

 would not seem to be a claim inconsistant with feudal principles. 

 The land being held by services which women and children 

 could not perform, it would appear to be only reasonable that 

 the lord should be satisfied as to the sufficiency of the substitute, 

 and that to enable him to provide for the service during the 

 incapacity of the heir, he should retain the profits of the fief, 

 which formed the endowment for the service. In addition to 

 the right of wardship and marriage, and the advantages to the 



