LANDOWNERS IN CORNWALL, 1165. 151 



his Barony of Cornwall, was 215^; and reckoning 13s. 4d. for 

 each fee as the assessment, the total amount was £143 lis. l^d. 

 This sum, small as it now appears, was in reality a large amount, 

 considering the population of the county at that time, when 

 wheat was only 4^d. per bushel, and the daily pay of farm 

 labourers was only two pence. 



A knight's fee was land sufficient in extent and value to 

 support the dignity of a knight. At this period an income of 

 £15 per annum was required; but in later times £20, and even 

 £40 was the annual value of a knight's fee. Why the Domes- 

 day Survey was not used as the foundation for this assessment, 

 having, with a few modifications in practice, served as the rate- 

 book of the whole kingdom for 80 years, was because it was at 

 last found inadequate for the present purpose, owing to the 

 frequent changes and subdivision of properties, which had, 

 during that period, taken place. 



This account of the possessors of land is necessarily a small 

 " Collectanea Genealogiea Comubiensts," and it would swell its 

 limits too much if all the authorities were duly acknowledged. 

 I may, however, mention Lysons, Polwhele, Bond and Maclean, 

 as also, Lake's History of Cornwall, as having been of great 

 assistance in my researches ; and to some extent, Eyton's 

 antiquities of Shropshire, a very valuable work, which has been 

 useful with regard to the Botreaux family. I should be glad if 

 some able antiquarian would do for Cornwall what Eyton has 

 done for Shropshire, and on the same plan. 



Principal Land-holders of Cornwall, — 11th Henry II, 

 (1165—1166). 



The earliest record, after the Domesday Survey, which 

 furnishes us with any account of the principal land-holders of 

 Cornwall, is the Liber Niger Scaccarii, or Black Book of the 

 Exchequer, which is mainly the result of an order made, in 1 165, 

 on every tenant, in capite of the Crown, to return a list, before 

 the first Sunday of Lent (March 13th, 1166), of all who held 

 under him by knight-service, stating whether such tenure was 



