Wemustplaceinthesamecategoryallmeasuresintendedtopreventdirectlyorindirectlythepassageofthepeasantryfromoneplacetotheother。TheinstructionsissuedforthemanagementoftheAbbotofGloucester’sestatesabsolutelyforbidthepracticeofleavingthelord’slandwithoutleave。56*
Still，emigrationfromthemanor。fromtimetotimethecouldnotbeentirelystopped，inhabitantswanderedawayinordertolookoutforfieldworkelsewhere，ortotakeupsomecraftortrade。
Inthiscasetheyhadtopayakindofpoll-taxchevagium，whichwas，strictlyspeaking，notrent：veryoftenitwasveryinsignificantinamount，andwasreplacedbyatriflingpaymentinkind，forinstance，bytheobligationtobringacapononceayear。57*Theobjectwasnotsomuchtogetmoneyastoretainsomeholdoverthevillainafterhehadsucceededinescapingfromthelord’simmediatesway。Therearenotracesofasystematicattempttotaxandransomtheworkofdependentswhohaveleftthelord’sterritorynothingtomatchthethoroughsubjectioninwhichtheywereheldwhileinthemanor。Andthusthelordwasforcedinhisowninteresttoacceptnominalpayments，toconcentratehiswholeattentiononthesubjectsunderhisdirectcontrol，andtopreventthemasfaraspossiblefrommovingandleavingtheland。Inregulationsforthemanagementofestatesweoftenfindseveralparagraphswhichhavethisobjectinview。Sometimestheyoungermengetleavetoworkoutsidethelord’spossessions，butonlywhiletheirfatherremainsathomeandoccupiesaholding。Sometimes，again，thelicenceisgrantedundertheconditionthatthevillainwillremaininoneofhislord’stithings58*，anobligationwhichcouldbefulfilledonlyifthepeasantremainedwithineasyreachofhisbirth-place，Specialcareistakennottoallowthevillainstobuyfreelandinordertoclaimtheirfreedomonthestrengthofsuchfreepossession。59*Everykindofpersonalcommendationtoinfluentialpeopleisalsoforbidden。60*
Notwithstandingalltheserulesandprecepts，everyofthedocumentstestifiestofrequentmigrationsfromthemanorsinoppositiontotheexpresswillofthelandowners。Thesurveystellofserfswhosettleonstrangelandeveninthevicinityoftheirformerhome。61*Itisbynomeansexceptionaltofindmentionofenterprisinglandlordsdrawingawaythepopulationfromtheirneighbours’manors。62*Thefugitivevillainandthesettlerwhocomesfromafarareawell-markedfeatureofthisfeudalsociety。63*
Thelimitationsofrightsofpropertyhaveleftasdistincttracesinthecartulariesasthedirectconsequencesofpersonalunfreedom。Thesetwomattersareconnectedbytheprinciplethateverythingacquiredbytheslaveisacquiredbyhismaster；andthisprinciplefindsbothexpressionandapplicationinourdocuments。OnthestrengthofittheAbbotofEynshamtakesfromhispeasantlandwhichhadbeenboughtbythelatter’sfather。64*Thecasedatesfromthesecondhalfofthefourteenthcentury，fromatimewhenthesocialconflicthadbecomeparticularlyacuteinconsequenceoftheBlackDeath，andoftheconsequentattemptsonthepartoflandlordstostretchtheirrightstotheutmost。Butwehaveacasefromthethirteenthcentury：thePriorofBarnwellquotestheabovementionedruleinsupportofaconfiscationofhisvillain’sland。65*——Inbothinstancestheprincipleislaiddownexpressly，butinothercasespeasantsweredeprivedoftheirpropertywithoutanyformalexplanation。
Ofcourse，onemustlookuponsuchtreatmentasexceptional。
Butanimportantandconstantresultofthegeneralconceptionistobefoundinsomeoftheregularfeudalexactions。Thevillainhasnopropertyofhisown，andconsequentlyhecannottransmitproperty。Strictlyspeaking，thereisnoinheritanceinvillainage。Asamatteroffactthepeasant’spropertydidnotgetconfiscatedafterhisdeath，buttheheirshadtosurrenderapartofit，sometimesaveryconsiderableone。Adifferenceismadebetweenchattelsandland。Astothefirst，whicharesupposedtobesuppliedbythelord，thedutyoftheheirisespeciallyonerous，OnthelandoftheBishopricofLichfield，forinstance，hehastogiveupasheriotthebestheadofhornedcattle，allhorses，thecart，thecaldron，allwoollencloth，allthebacon，alltheswineexceptone，andalltheswarmsofbees。66*ThevillainsofSt。Alban’shavetogivethebestheadofcattle，andallhousefurniture。67*Butinmostcasesonlythebestbeastistaken，andiftherebenocattleonthetenement，thenmoneyhastobepaidinstead。68*TheCartularyofBattleisexceptionallylenientastooneoftheAbbey’smanors：69*itliberatesfromalldutyofthekindthosewhodonotownanyoxen，Itsometimeshappens，ontheotherhand，thatthepaymentisdoubled；onebeastistakenfromthelateoccupierbywayofheriot，andtheotherfromhiswidowforthelifeinterestwhichisconcededtoherafterthedeathofherhusband。70*Such’freebench’isregulatedverydifferentlybydifferentcustoms。Themostcommonrequirementis，thatthewidowmaynotmarryagainandmustremainchaste。InKentthewidowhasarighttohalfthetenementforlife，evenincaseofasecondmarriage；inOxfordshire，ifshemarrieswithoutthelord’sleave，sheisleftinpossessiononlyduringayearandaday。71*
Inalltheseinstances，whenasecondpaymentarisesalongsideoftheheriot，suchapaymentreceivesalsothenameofheriotbecauseofthisresemblance，althoughthetwoduesaregroundedondifferentclaims，ThetrueheriotisakininnameandincharactertotheSaxon’here-geat’——tothesurrenderofthemilitaryoutfitsuppliedbythechieftohisfollower。Infeudaltimesandamongpeasantsitisnotthewar-horseandthearmourthataremeant，oxandharnesstaketheirplace，butthedifferenceisnotintheprinciple，andonemayevencatchsometimesaglimpseoftheprocessbywhichonecustomshadesoffintotheother。OnthepossessionsofSt。MaryofWorcester，forinstance，wefindthefollowingenactment：72*Eachvirgatehastogivethreeheriots，thatisahorse，harness，andtwooxen；
thehalf-virgatetwoheriots，thatisaharnessedhorseandoneox；otherholdingsgiveeitherahorseoranox。Insuchconnexionthepaymenthasnothingservileaboutit，andsimplyappearsasaconsequenceofthefactorassumptionthatthelandlordhasprovidedhispeasantwiththenecessaryoutfitforagriculturalwork。Andstilltheheriotisconstantlymentionedalongwiththemerchetasaparticularlybasepayment，andthoughitmightfallonthesuccessionofafreemanholdinginvillainage，itisnotcommonlyfoundonfreeland。thefactthatthisoldSaxonincidentofdependencebecomesinthefeudalperiodamarkofserviletenure，isafactnotwithoutsignificance。
Itisotherwisewiththereliefrelevium，thedutyleviedfortheresumptionoftheholdingbytheheir：itextendsequallytomilitarytenureandtovillainage。Althoughtheheriotandreliefgetmixedupnowandthen，theirfundamentaldifferenceisrealisedbythegreatmajorityofourdocumentsandwellgroundedonprinciple。Inonecasethechattelsareconcerned，intheotherthetenement；oneisprimarilyapaymentinkind，theotheramoney-fine。Astotheamountofthereliefthesamefluctuationsmaybetracedasinthecaseoftheheriot。themostcommonthingistogiveayear’srent；butinsomeinstancestheheirmustsettlewiththelordatthelatter’swill，orransomthelandasastranger，thatisbyaseparateagreementineachsinglecase。73*Fixedsumsoccuralso，andtheyvaryaccordingtothesizeandqualityoftheholding。74*
Ontheboundarybetweenpersonalsubjectionandpoliticalsubordinationwefindtheliabilityofthepeasantrytopaytallage。Itcouldbeequallydeducedfromtheprinciplethatavillainhasnothingofhisownandmaybeexploitedatwillbyhismasterorfromthepoliticalgrantofthepoweroftaxationtotherepresentativeoffeudalprivilege。thepaymentofarbitrarytallageisheldduringthethirteenthcenturytoimplyaservilestatus。75*Suchtallageatwillisnotfoundveryofteninthedocuments，althoughthelordsometimesretainedhisprerogativeinthisrespectevenwhensanctioningthecustomaryformsofrendersandservices。Nowandthenitismentionedthatthetallageistobeleviedonceayear，76*althoughtheamountremainsuncertain。
Asaholderofpoliticalpowerthelordhasarighttoinflictfinesandamercementsontransgressors。77*TheCourt-rollsarefullofentriesaboutsuchpayments，anditseemsthatoneofthereasonswhyverygreatstresswaslaidonattendanceatthemanorialCourtswasconnectedwiththeliabilitytoallsortsofimpositionsthatwasenforcedbymeansofthesegatherings。tenantshadtoattendandtomakepresentments，toelectofficers，andtoserveonjuries；andineverycasewheretherewasadefaultoranirregularityofanykind，finesflowedintothelord’sexchequer。
Lastly，wemayclassifyundertheheadofpoliticalexactions，monopoliesandprivilegessuchasthosewhichwerecalledbanalitesinFrance：theywereimposedonthepeasantrybythestronghand，althoughtherewasnodirectconnexionbetweenthemandtheexerciseofanyparticularfunctionoftheState。
Englishmedievaldocumentsoftenrefertotheprivilegedmill，towhichallthevillainsandsometimesthefreemenoftheSokewereboundtobringtheircorn。78*thereisalsothemanorialfoldinwhichallthesheepofthetownshiphadtobeenclosed。79*
Inthelattercasethelandlordprofitedbythedungformanuringhisland。Specialattentionwasbestowedonsupervisingthemakingofbeer。Court-rollsconstantlyspeakofpersonsfinedforbrewingwithoutlicence。EverynowandthenwecomeacrossthewondroushabitofcollectingallthevillagersonfixeddaysandmakingthemdrinkScotale，80*thatisalesuppliedbythelord——foragoodprice，ofcourse。
Letuspassnowtothoseaspectsofmanorialusagewhicharedirectlyconnectedwiththemodeofholdingland。ImayrepeatwhatIsaidbefore，thatitwouldbeoutofthequestiontodrawanythinglikeahardandfastlinebetweenthesedifferentsidesofonesubject。Howintimatelythepersonalrelationmaybeboundupwiththelandmaybegathered，amongotherthings，fromthefactthatthereexistedanoathoffealtywhichinmanyplaceswasobligatoryonvillainswhenenteringintopossessionofaholding。Thisoath，thoughconnectedwithtenure，bearsalsoonthepersonalrelationtothelord。81*Theoathoffealtytakenbythetenantinvillainagedifferedfromthattakenbythefreeholderinthatitcontainedthewords，’Iwillbejustifiedbyyouinbodyandgoods；’andagainthetenantinvillainage，thoughhesworefealty，didnohomage；therelationshipbetweenhimandhislordwasnotamerelyfeudalrelationship；thewords，’Ibecomeyourman，’wouldhavebeenoutofplace，andtherecouldbenothoughtofthelordkissinghisvillain。Buthoweverintimatetheconnexionbetweenbothaspectsofthequestion，inprinciplethetenurewasquitedistinctfromthestatus，andcouldinfluencetheconditionofpeoplewhowerepersonallyfreefromanytaintofservility。
Thelegaldefinitionofvillainageasunfreetenuredoesnottakeintoaccounttheservicesoreconomicqualityofthetenure，andlaysstressbarelyontheprecariouscharacteroftheholding。82*Theownermaytakeitawaywhenhepleases，andalteritsconditionatwill。TheAbingdonChronicletellsus83*thatbeforethetimeofAbbotFaritiusitwasheldlawfulonthemanorsoftheAbbeytodrivethepeasantsawayfromtheirtenements。Thestewardsandbailiffsoftenmadeuseofthisright，ifanybodygavethemafeeoutofgreed，oroutofspiteagainsttheholder。Norwasthereanysettledmodeofsuccession，andwhenamandied，hiswifeandchildrenwerepitilesslythrownoutoftheirhomeinordertomakeplaceforperfectstrangers。
AnendwasputtosuchalawlessconditionofthingsbyFaritius’
reforms：hewasverymuchinwantofmoney，andfounditmoreexpedienttosubstituteasettledcustomforthedisorderlyruleofthestewards。Buthedidnotrenouncetherebyanyofhismanorialrights：heonlyregulatedtheirapplication。Thelegalfeatureofbasetenure——itsinsecurity——wasnotabolishedontheAbingdonestates。Ourdocumentssometimesgothelengthofexplainingthatparticularplotsareheldwithoutanysortofsecurityagainstdispossession。WefindsuchremarksintheWarwickshireHundredRollsforinstance。84*Sometimestherightisactuallyenforced：intheCartularyofDunstablePriorywehavetherecordofanexchangebetweentwolandlords，inconsequenceofwhichthepeasantswereremovedfromeighthidesoflandbyoneofthecontractingparties。85*
Thevillainisinnowaytobeconsideredastheowneroftheplotoflandheoccupies；hispowerofdisposingofitisstintedaccordingly，andheissubjectedtoconstantcontrolfromtherealowner。Hecannotfelltimber。oaksandelmsarereservedtothelord。86*Hecannotchangethecultivationofthelandofhisownaccord；itwouldbeoutofthequestion，forinstance，toturnagarden-closeintoarablewithoutaskingforalicence。87*Heisboundtokeephedgesandditchesingoodorder，andisgenerallyresponsibleforanydeteriorationofhisholding。Whenheentersintopossessionofit，hehastofindapledgethathewillperformhisdutiesinasatisfactorymanner。88*Therecanbenothoughtofapersonsosituatedalienatingthelandbyanactofhisownwill；hemustsurrenderitintothehandofthelord，andthelattergrantsittothenewholderafterthepaymentofafine。Thesamekindofprocedureisfollowedwhenatenementispassedtotherightheirinthelifetimeoftheformerpossessor。89*Adefaultinpayingrentsorintheperformanceofservices，andanyothertransgressionagainsttheinterestsofthelord，mayleadtoforfeiture。90*