342 The Customs of Four Manors of the Abbey of Lacock. 



among her calves. Further if the lady has beasts in his keeping slaughtered, 

 he shall have the inside of the second [bestj beast. 



Further if he be shepherd, he shall have at the year's end the best lamb 

 but one, and the second best fleece. Further if he have oxen of his own, for 

 each ox he shall plough half-an-acre ; and for this he shall have the customary 

 grace in the lady's pasture from Martinmas to Candlemas. Further if he 

 be reeve, he shall have four oxen with the lady's oxen, and a horse or mare 

 in the lady's pasture. Further he shall have one portion of meadow, where 

 assigned. He shall have also his meals from the lady by right, but this has 

 been unjustly withdrawn. Further if a cotsetel be sick, his wife shall be free 

 of all service for fifteen days ; if he dies, she shall be free for a month. 

 Further those of the cotsetel who work, must work daily throughout the year 

 until terce (when it is lawful) except on Saturday, but if they work on 

 Saturday, the half of another 'day shall be allowed them for it. And be it 

 known that henceforward the cotsetl shall not mow the meadow, but shall 

 lift the hay, and help after dinner, and stack all the lady's hay as well in the 

 meadow as in the grange, or the stack outside. Nor shall this be allowed 

 them for any work. If however they spread the grass or do as abovesaid, 

 before dinner, it shall be allowed to them for their work. Every day from 

 St. John's Day to Michaelmas they must work from sunrise to noon unless 

 they are busy in the meadow as aforesaid or in the reaping, as shall be said 

 hereafter, and they shall receive nothing from the meadows for ever although 

 they have been used to receive it, because henceforward they are released of 

 their fixed work after dinner, which they have been used to do of old times, 

 from Midsummer to Michaelmas. Furthermore if it be the Lady's pleasure 

 that they shall reap for their work, they shall reap a half-acre as has been 

 the ancient custom. (50) They shall have one sheaf as it stands in the rank 

 by the view and delivery of the bailiff, nor in future shall they take cop-sheaf 

 or cop-handful, on account of the aforesaid release of work ; and when they 

 have fully stored the whole of the hay in the grange or in the stack, they 

 shall have, of the lady's grace twelve pence to be shared between themselves 

 and the others who work in the aforesaid meadow. Besides this it they nap 

 stubble, they shall make sixteen heaps it it begins before the feast of the 

 Assumption of S. Mary (51), and thence to each double foasl one shall he 

 taken from the number. The last day of sowing they shall have the old share 

 or one penny. 



The ploughmen and shepherds shall eat with the lady at Christmas, and 

 l a iter, and Whitsunday. 



Richard the fisher shall work on Monday ( V.') and Friday as does a cotsetel, 

 and shall receive as ,,nr of them or give two shillings and not work. 



Richard Russell and Alexander shall work and receive as a cotsetel, or 



pa] two shilling's. William Furs as Richard the fisher. 



Robert Hat shall wash the sheep and shear on Monday, and shall go once 

 to the weeding, and the reaping, and once to the hay. 



Sixteen other tenants owe the same or slightly varying services, without 



mention oi a money oompi 'sition. ) 



