84 Some Account of the Parish of Monhton Farleigh. 



still very nearly that acreage computed as in demesne or tithe-free. 1 



This is, as briefly as possible, the history of our parish, extending } 

 over a period of eight hundred years, and this it seems to me is very a 

 much the history of many such parishes in England. j 



The comparative independence of the Saxon thane, paying only j 

 his geld and his personal services to the sovereign ; the state of 

 servitude, almost amounting to slavery, of the villagers, with yet 

 some elements of freedom to be worked out in the future. 



The rapacity, mixed with a certain religious superstition, of the j 

 followers of the Conqueror, taking without scruple, on the one hand, 

 from the Saxon proprietor, and giving without stint, on the other I 

 hand, to the Church, for the benefit of the souls, that, even to their I 

 perverted consciences, seemed so urgently to require some expiation. 



The mild and industrious rule of the monks, turning the waste I 

 lands to profit, rearing flocks and herds, creating new industries, I 

 promoting learning and charitable deeds, and gradually emancipating I 

 the agricultural laborer from his state of servitude and ignorance to I 

 a state of freedom and comparative knowledge. 



The spoliation of the industrious community of the monks, with- 



out sometimes — as in our case — even the allegation of corruption to I 



justify it, and the absorption of their lands and goods for purposes j 



of family and personal greed and aggrandisement. 3 



1 I am unable to account for the difference plus, but I am bound to remark I 

 that, this acreage does not correspond with that made for the purpose of the I 

 tithe-rent charge commutation on the 26th January, 1842. According, to this { 

 computation the total acreage was as follows : — j 

 Demesne lands (tithe free) 1034 1 25 



Glebe (tithe free if in hand) 25 3 10 



Subject to tithes 750 1 25 



Total 1810 2 20 



2 I think it would be useful, as evidence of the motives which led to the 

 dissolution of the monasteries,! if enquiry were to be made, perhaps it has been 

 made, into the number of charitable trusts that were absorbed and discontinued 

 when the monasteries were dissolved. The following is the list in our own 

 case : — 



Distributed to the poor on the anniversary of 



Humphrey de la Bound £2 0 0 



Distributed to the poor, four days in the year, 

 on the foundation and gift of Barthei Bygote, 

 per annum 0 13 4 



Not an insignificant sum 350 years ago. 



Total 2 13 4 



