2 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences^ Arts, and Letters. . 



so on.^ Neither are we entitled to assume an absolute identity in 

 the several, terms, inasmuch as cotarii and cosceti are -occasionally 

 found in the same manor. '^ To add to the perplexity, Domesday 

 Book regularly uses a word of entirely dijfferent etymology, hor- 

 darii, for the class of cottagers, the terms cotarii, cotmanni and 

 cosceti being only occasionally used, and then being often found 

 on the same estate with hordarii. 



The differences here indicated were no doubt slight and unes- 

 sential : and at any rate it would be a hopeless task to attempt at 

 the present day to trace them in detail. Let us return to the three- 

 fold classification made by ih.QExtenta Manerii ; this classification 

 evidently indicates broad and intelligible distinctions. We will 

 inquire first into the position of the cottagers of the thirteenth 

 century, and then proceed to trace the origin of the class. We 

 are here at the start upon firm standing ground. The cottagers 

 of the thirteenth century are sufficiently well understood : in 

 order, however, to make their condition intelligible, a brief re- 

 view of the previous history of the peasaniry will be necessary. 



Tne peasantry of the Grermanic nations were, in the earliest 

 times, divided into small communities, each occupying a definite 

 tract of land, called rtiarh, which they owned and cultivated in 

 common. When they reached a more advanced stage of progress, 

 which required the ownership of land in severalty, each member 

 of the community received an equal portion of land, consisting of 

 house-lot and arable land, with rights of user in the meadows, 

 pasture and forest, which he held as his own, subject, however, to 

 the methods of cultivation followed by the community. This 

 share was called in England, hide, on the continent, mansus. At 

 first the proprietor of the hide held it as it were in trust for his 

 family; he could not alienate it, but must transmit it to his heirs. 

 Soon, however, — at a very early time in England, — he acquired 

 the right of alienation; and, as a matter of course, the primitive 

 equality of ownership was speedily succeeded by great inequality. 

 A few became rich, others were forced to dispose of a part, or 



' Exchequer Domesday, i. f. 128. 



2e. g., Carletoae in Wiltsliire. Id. p. 67. 



