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" Itofota Cjrittg " — " Jtofofee tenement " 



By T. G. J. Heathcote. 



A. — In the years 16°29 — 30 Isaac Selfe purchased sixteen small 

 holdings in Melksham then in the tenure of different persons by 

 lease or copy. 



One of these holdings is described as " the Rovelesse tenement" in 

 the occupation of John Hayward. 



B. — In 164-7 the same Mr. Selfe made a settlement of these 

 estates in favour of his youngest son, then an infant. 



In the deed then executed the " Eovelesse Tenement is now spelt 

 the " Rowlesse Tenement" 



C. — In 1697 on a different property in Melksham I find a pasture 

 ground described as " all that Roivless Tenement." 



D. — Finally, about 1800, a Somerset lawyer, in making out a 

 schedule of lands with a view to redemption of land tax, sets down 

 inter alia " a Roofless Tenement" 



Now I imagine that a " Eoofless Tenement " simply means a 

 tenement or holding on which there is no " roof," i.e., messuage, or 

 dwelling-house, and that the phrases previously cited are intended 

 for the same thing, but are variously spelt owing to the ignorance 

 of the scribes. 



It would seem that a typical holding might consist of (i.) a 

 messuage, (ii.) one or more closes of pasture, (iii.) one or more 

 measured acres of meadow in a common mead, (iv.) a larger measured 

 amount of arable in a common field, and finally, (v.) common of 

 pasture, &c, in the commonable places according to the custom of 

 the manor. 



Such a holding would be a maximum ; a minimum might be a 

 messuage cum pertinenciis. 



