Inspeakingofthoseclassesofpeasantswhowerebynomeanstreatedasserfstobeexploitedatwill，Imustnotomittomentiononegroupwhichappears，notasahorizontallayerspreadoverEngland，butintheverticalcut，asitwere。ImeantheKentishgavelkindtenantry。TheDomesdaySurveyspeaksofthepopulationofthiscountyquiteinthesamewayasofthepeopleofneighbouringshires；villainsformthegreatbulkofit，socmenarenotevenmentioned，andtojudgebysuchindications，wehavehereplainserfdomoccupyingthewholeterritoryofthecounty。OntheotherhandthelawofthethirteenthcenturyputsthesocialstandingofKentishmeninthemostdecidedoppositiontothatofthesurroundingpeople。The’ConsuetudinesKanciae，’
thewell-knownlistofspecialKentishcustoms，71*isreportedtohavebeendrawnupduringaneyreofJohnofBerwickinthetwenty-firstyearofEdwardI。Beitsoriginwhatitmay，wecomeacrossseveralofitsrulesatmuchearliertimes，72*andtheyarealwaysconsideredofimmemorialcustom。ThebasisofKentishsociallawistheassumptionthateverymanborninthecountyisentitledtobeconsideredaspersonallyfree，andtheCommonLawCourtsrecognisedthenotiontotheextentofadmittingtheassertionthatapersonwasborninKentasareplyagainstthe’exceptiovillenagii。’Thecontrastwithothercountiesdidnotstopthere。Thelawoftenurewasasdifferentasthelawofstatus。ItwouldbeneedlesstoenumerateallthepointssetforthasKentishcustom。Theyshowconclusivelythatthelordwasanythingbutomnipotentinthiscounty。Interferencewiththeproprietaryrightofthepeasantryisnoteventhoughtofthetenantsmayevenalienatetheirplotsfreely；thelordcanonlyclaimtheaccustomedrentsandservices；ifthetenantsarenegligentinperformingworkormakingpayments，distressandforfeitureareawardedbythemanorialcourtaccordingtocarefullygraduatedforms；wardshipincaseofminoritygoestothekinandnottothelord，andheiressescannotbeforcedtomarryagainsttheirwish。AsacaseofindependencetheKentishcustomisquitecomplete，andmanorialdocumentsshowoneverythatitwasanythingbutadeadletter。TheRochesterCustumal，theBlackBookofSt。Augustine，thecustomsoftheKentishpossessionsofBattleAbbey，theregistersofChristChurch，Canterbury，allagreeinshowingtheKentishtenantryasaprivilegedone，bothastothequantityandastothequalityoftheirservices。73*AndsothegreatbulkoftheKentishpeasantryactuallyappearsinthesamegeneralpositionasthefreesocmenofothercounties，andsometimestheyareevencalledbythisname。74*
Whatismore，thelawofKentthusfavourabletothepeasantryconnectsitselfdistinctlywiththeancientcustomsofSaxonceorls：thequaintoldEnglishproverbsenrolledinitlooklikesayingswhichhavekeptitinthememoryofgenerationsbeforeitwastransmittedtowriting。Thepeculiaritiesinthetreatmentofwardship，ofdower，ofinheritance，appearnotonlyinoppositiontothefeudaltreatmentofallthesesubjects，butincloseconnexionwitholdSaxonusage。Itwouldbeverywrong，however，toconsiderthewholepopulationofKentaslivingunderonelaw。Asinthecaseofancientdemesne，thereweredifferentclassesonKentishsoil：tenantsbyknight-serviceandsergeantyononeside，villainsontheother。75*ThecustomofKentholdsgoodonlyforthetenantrywhichwouldhavebeencalledgavelmeninotherplaces。Itisacustomofgavelkind，oftherent-payingpeasantry，thepeasantrywhichpaysgafol，andassuchstandsinoppositiontotheusagesofthosewhoholdtheirlandbyforkandflail。76*TheimportantpointisthatwemaylaydownascertaininthiscasewhatwasonlyputforwardhypotheticallyinthecaseofmolmenandgavelmenintherestofEngland：thefreeholdqualityofrent-payinglandisnotduetocommutationandinnovationalone——itproceedsfromapre-feudalclassificationofholdingswhichstartedfromthecontrastbetweenrentandlabour，andnotfromthatbetweencertainanduncertaintenure。Again，thelawofgavelkind，althoughnotextendingoverthewholeofKent，belongstosoimportantandnumerousaportionofthepopulation，that，asinthecaseofancientdemesne，itcomestobeconsideredasthetypicalcustomofthecounty，andattractsallothervariationsoflocalusageintoitssphereofinfluence。TheCustumalpublishedamongtheStatutesspeaksofthepersonalfreedomofallKentish-men，althoughithastoconcernitselfspeciallywiththegavelkindtenantry。Thenotionofvillainagegetsgraduallyeliminatedfromthesoiloftheprovince，althoughitwasbynomeansabsentfromitinthebeginning。
Thirteenth-centurylawevidentlymakesthecontrastbetweenKentandadjoiningshiresmoresharpthanitoughttohavebeen，ifallthevarietieswithinthecountyweretakenintoaccount。
But，ifitwaspossiblefromthelegalstandpointtodrawahardandfastlinebetweenKentononeside，SussexorEssexontheother，itisquiteimpossible，fromthehistorian’spointofview，tograntthatsocialconditionhasdevelopedinadjoiningplacesoutofentirelydifferentelements，withoutgradationsandintermediateshades。Istheretheslightestdoubtthatthegeneralisingjurisprudenceofthethirteenthcenturywentmuchtoofarinonedirection，thegeneralisingscribesoftheeleventhcenturyhavinggonetoofarintheother？DomesdaydoesnotrecogniseanysubstantialdifferencebetweenthestateofKentandthatofSussex；thecourtsofthethirteenthcenturyadmittedacompletediversityofcustom，andneitheronenortheotherextremecanbetakenasatruedescriptionofreality。TheimportanceofthecustomofKentcanhardlybeoverrated：itshowsconclusivelywhatamistakeitwouldbetoacceptwithoutcriticismtheusualgeneralisingstatementastothedifferentcurrentsofsociallifeinmediaevalEngland。Itwillhardlybedoubtedmoreover，thattheKentishcaseprovesthatelementsoffreedombequeathedbyhistorybutignoredbytheDomesdaySurveycometotheforeinconsequenceofcertainfactswhichremainmoreorlesshiddenfromviewandgetrecognisedandprotectedinspiteoffeudalism。Ifso，canthesilenceofDomesdayortheabsenceoflegalprotectioninthethirteenthcenturystandassufficientproofagainsttheadmissionoffreedomasanimportantconstitutiveelementinthehistoricalprocessleadingtofeudalism？IsitnotmorenaturaltoinferthatoutsideKenttherewerekindredelementsoffreedom，kindredremnantsofafreesocialorderwhichnevergotadequaterecognitionintheDomesdayterminologyorleftdefinitetracesinthepracticeoftheRoyalcourts？
Onemoresubjectremainstobetouchedupon，anditmaybeapproachedsafelynowthatwehavereviewedtheseveralsocialgroupsontheborderbetweenfreeholdersandvillains。Itisthis——towhatextentcantheexistenceofaclassoffreeholdersamongthepeasantryoffeudalEnglandbemaintained？Ithasbeenmadeatestquestioninthecontroversybetweenthesupportersofthefreeandthoseoftheservilecommunity，anditwouldseem，atfirstsight，ongoodground。Stresshasbeenlaidonthefact，thatsuchcommunitiesasarementionedinDomesdayanddescribedinlaterdocumentsareifwesetasidetheDanishcounties
almostentirelypeopledbyvillains，thatfreetenantsincreaseinnumberthroughtheagencyofcommutationandgrantsofdemesneland，whereastheyareextremelyfewimmediatelyafterDomesday，andthatinthiswaytherecanbenotalkoffreevillagecommunitiesthissideoftheConquest。77*Thisviewofthecasemaybeconsideredasholdingthefieldatthepresentmoment：itschiefargumenthasbeenbrieflysummarisedbythesentence-thevillainsofDomesdayarenotthepredecessorsintitleoflaterfreeholders。78*Icannothelpthinkingthatagooddealhastobemodifiedinthisestimateoftheevidence。Withouttouchingthesubjectinallitsbearings，ImaysayatoncethatIdonotseesufficientreasontofollowthetestimonyofDomesdayverycloselyastonamesofclasses。IfwefindinaplacemanyfreetenantsmentionedintheHundredRoll，andnonebutvillainsinDomesday，itwouldbewrongtoinferthattherewerenonebutvillainsinthelatersenseatthetimeoftheSurvey，orthatallthefreetenementsoftheHundredRollswereoflatercreationthantheConquest。Itwouldbeespeciallydangeroustodrawsuchaninferenceinacasewherethefreeholdersofthethirteenthcenturyarepossessedofvirgates，half-virgates，etc。，andnotofirregularplotsofland。Suchcasesmaypossiblybeexplainedbysweepingcommutation，whichemancipatedtheentirevillageatonestroke，insteadofmakingwayforthefreeholdbythegradualenfranchisementofplotafterplot。Butitisnotlikelythatallthemanyinstancescanbereferredtosuchsweepingemancipation。InthelightofKentishevidence，offreeandvillainsocage，itisatleastprobablethatthethirteenth-centuryfreeholderswereoriginallycustomaryfreeholdersenteredasvillainsinDomesday，andrisingtofreedomagaininspiteoftheinfluenceoffeudalism。Suchanassumption，evenifonlypossibleandhypothetical，wouldopenthewayforfurtherproofandinvestigationonthelinesofadeclineoffreevillagecommunities，insteadofimposingaperemptoryterminationofthewholeinquiryfortheperiodaftertheConquest。IftheDomesdayvillainsareinnocasepredecessorsintitleoffreeholders，thisfactwouldgoalongwaytoestablishtheserfdomofthevillagecommunityforalltheperiodaftertheConquest，andweshouldhavetorelyonlyonearlierevidencetoshowanythingelse。Ourcasewouldbeahardone，becausetheearlierevidenceisscanty，scattered，obscure，andone-sided，ButifthevillainsofDomesdaymaybetakentoincludecustomaryfreeholders，thenwemaytrytoillustrateourconceptionsoftheearlyfreevillagebytraitsdrawnfromthelifeofthelaterperiod，
Exch。Q。R。Min。Acc。，Bundle510，No。13：’Etsolebantfacereserviciaconsueta，sedpervoluntatemetadplacitumdominiextentasuntindenariis。，CfAbingdonCartulary，ii。303。Rot。
Hundred。ii。453，a：’Omnesistiprenominatinominevillenagiisuntadvoluntatemdominideoperibuseorundem。’CfIbid。407，b。
3。WorcesterCartularyCamdenSeries，54，b：’Haecvillatraditaestabantiquovillanisadfirmam，adplacitumcumomnibusadnospertinentibus。’CfGloucesterCartulary，iii。37。
4。WorcesterCartularyCamdenSeries，l。c。：’Praetereapercipimusmedietatemproventuumetherietum，praetereadebentmetere，ligareetcompostarebladumdeantiquodominicodeHordewell……etgersummabuntfilias。’
5。GlastonburyCartulary，BodleianMSS。，Wood，i。，f241，a：
’JocelynusdeigratiaBathoniensisepiscopus。NoveritisnosquietosclamasseomneshominesabbatieGlastoniedeWinterburneinperpetuamdearrurisetaliisoperacionibusquasfaceredebebantcastroMarleberghedeterradeWinterburne，quoshominesnostrosHenricusillustrisrexAnglienobisconcessit。’
6。WartreyPrioryCartulary，FairfaxMSS。f19，a：’EtAdamdicitquodpredictusPriorvillenagiuminpersonaipsiusAdeallegarenonpotestquiadicitquoddudumconvenitinterquemdamJohannemdudumprioremdeWartre……etquendamHenricumdeW。patremipsiusAdevidelicetquodisdemPrior……perquoddamscriptumindenturamconcesseruntHenrico……quoddamtoftumsimulcumduabusbovatisterre。’
7。MalmesburyCartularyRollsSeries，ii。I99：’Nostradidisse。RobertoleH。deK。etHelenaeuxorisuae，etAgnetifiliaeeorumprimogenitaenativisnostris，omnibusdiebusvitaeeorum，unamdomum。ItaquodnonlicetpraedictoRobertoalicuivenderenecoccasioneistiustraditionisaliquamlibertatemipsisvendicare。’
8。Astomolmen，IshallfollowinsubstancemyarticleintheEnglishHistoricalReview，1886，IV。p。734。WealreadyfindtheclassinCartulariesofthetwelfthcentury，intheBurtonCartulary，andintheBoldonBook。SeeRoundintheEnglishHistoricalReview，1886，V。103，andStevenson，ibidem，VI。332。
9。Anynumberofexamplesmightbegiven。IreferredinmyarticletoaRecordOfficedocument，Exch。Treas。ofRec。Min。
Acc。32/8：’Rogerusprepositustenet28acraspro13solidissolvendisad4terminosprincipales。Etdat2gallinasatNataledominideprecio3den。，et18ovaadPascham，etdebet2hominesad2precariasadcibumdominietnonextenduntureoquodnihildabuntinargentosiserviciumilluddominushaberenoluerit。
Itemidemadiuvabitleuarefenumadprecariamdominiquodnihilvaletutsupra。Itemidemfaeiet2averagiaLondiniumquevalent2d。Custumarii。JohannesCowetenet13acrasetdimidiampro27
d。Etdebet3operaqualibetseptimana，scilicetper44
septimanasvidelicetafestoNatalibeateMarieusqueadgulamAugustiquecontinetinoperibusperpredictumtempusvixiii。
e。132etvaletindenariis5sol。’etc。
10。BlackBookofSt。Augustine，Canterbury，CottonMSS。
Faustina，A。i。31：’Dequolibetsullungploughland20solidosdemalaadquatuorterminosquosantecessoresnostridederuntproomnibusiniustisetincausacionibussicquasuobisorepleniusexponemus。’
11。RochesterCostumaled。Thorpe，2，b：’F。habet21jugumterreteGavellanduniusserviciietuniusredditus。Unumquodquejugumreddit10solidosad4terminos-hocestMal。Inmediaquadragesima40d。HocestGable。’TheCartularyofChristChurch，Canterbury，intheBritishMuseumAdd。MSS。6159alwaysgivestherentsunderthetwodifferentheadingsofGafolandMal。
12。TheetymologyofthewordistracedbyStevenson，l。c。
13。Ashley，EconomicHistory，i。pp。56，57。
14。RegistrumAlbumAbbatiaeSanctiEdmundideBurgo，CambridgeUniversity，Ee。iii。60f；188，b：’MemorandumquodannoregniRegisEdwardifiliiRegisHenrici18-dominusJohannesdeNorwoldabbasSti。EdmundiadulterioresportasmaneriisuideHerlawe，adinstanciamCecilieleGretedeHerlawehereditatemsuamdemollondinfracampumdictevillejacentempostmortemvirisuiapluribustenentibusAbbatispetentiscorameodemAbbate，eopretextuquodvirsuusadventiciusdictamhereditatemsuamipsainvitavendiditetalienauit，persubscriptosinquisivit，utrumipseseualiiquicumqueinfravillampredictammollondtenentesliberetenueruntseutenent，etpercartasautaliomodo。Quiomnesetsingulijuratidixeruntpersacramentumsuumquodomnestenentesdemollandsolebantessecustumariietfuerunt，sedAbbasHugoprimusetAbbasSampsonposterumetaliiAbbatesrelaxarunteisseru，ciamaioraetconsuetudinesprocertapecunia；modoarentatiinaliquibusoperibusceteris，sednihilhabentindenectenentpercartas，sedpervirgamincuria。Etsuntgeldabilesinomnibusintercustumariosetquodomnessuntcustumarieetserviliscondicionissicutetalii。’
15。Exch。Treas。ofRec。59/66。Theclassesfolloweachotherinthisway：’Liberitenentes，Molmen，Custumarii。’CfRot。Hundred。
ii。425，a。