Whenaknightwasenfeoffedbyamonasteryinconsiderationofsomeinfinitesimalpayment，theremightbeseveralreasonsforsuchatransaction。Theabbotmayhavethoughtitgoodpolicytoacquirethesupportofaconsiderableperson，hemayhavebeenforcedtogivethelandandonlygladtoobtainsomerecognition，howevertrifling，ofthegift；oragain，hemayhavemadeabeneficialfeoffmentinreturnforasumofreadymoneypaidbywayofgersumaorfine，buthemayalsohaveextendedhissupremacyoverapieceoflandwhichdidnotbelongtohimoriginallyatall。Eveninfeudaltimesthiscouldbedonebymeansofafictitiouslawsuitendingin’afinalconcord’；orevensimplybyaninstrumentofquitclaimandfeoffmentwithoutanysuit。81*Atthetimewhenfeudalismwasonlysettlingitself，inthetwelfthandthirteenthcenturies，thismusthavebeenacommonthing，evenifwedonottakeintoaccounttheSaxonpracticeof’commendation。’Howeverthismaybe，thetriflingdutiesimposedonfreeholdsleadtotheinferencethattheagreementbetweenlordandtenanthadbeenmadeonthebasisofthelatter’sindependentright，andnotonthatofthelord’swillandpower。Theytestifytoasubjectionoffreepeopleandnottotheliberationofserfs。Andastheyarefoundconstantlyalliedwithshareholding，wehavetosaythattheyimplymanorialrelationssuperimposedonacommunitywhich，ifnotentirelyfree，containedfreeelementswithinit。Themanorialdutiesaremorevariedandcapriciousthanarethesharesjustbecausetheyarealatergrowth。
Ishouldnotliketoleavethisintricateinquirywithouttestingitsresultsbyyetanotherstandard。Ihavebeentryingtoprovetwothings：thatsomeofthefeudalfreeholdsareancientfreeholds，notliberatedfromservitudebutoriginallybasedontherecognisedrightoftheholders；thatsuchancientfreeholdswereincludedinthecommunalarrangementofownership，althoughtheassessmentoftheirdutieswasnotcommunal。Towhatextentarethesepropositionssupportedbyananalysisofthatadmittedlyancienttenure，thetenureofthesocmen？Wemustlookchieflytothe’free’socmen；butImaybeallowed，onthestrengthofthechapteronAncientDemesne，totakethebondsocmenalsointoaccount。
LetustakethemanorofChesterton，inCambridgeshire。82*
Itisroyal，butletoutinfeefarmtothePriorofBarnwell，anditsmenmakeuseoftheparvumbrevederecto。Thereisonefreetenantofeighty-eightacresholdingdeantiquitateandtheScholarsofMertonholdforty-fouracresfreely。Theyhaveclearlytakentheplaceofsomefreeman，whetherbypurchaseorbygiftIdonotknow；theyareboundtoperformploughingsandtocarrycorn。Bothtenementsareworthyofnoticebecausechartersarenotmentionedandstilltheholdingsaresetapartfromtherest。Intheonecasethetenureisexpresslystatedtobeanancientone，andpresumablythetitleoftheothertenementisofthesamekind。Thenumberofacresispeculiarandpointstosomeagrariandivisionofwhicheighty-eightandforty-fourwerefractionsormultiples。Thebulkofthepopulationaredescribedascustomers。Theyusedtoholdhalf-virgates，itissaid，butsomeofthemhavesoldpartoftheirlandaccordingtothecustomofthemanor。Andsotheirtenementshavelosttheiroriginalregularityofconstruction，althoughitseemspossibletofixtheaverageholdingsattwelveorfifteenacres。Anyhow，itisimpossibletoreducethemtofractionsofeighty-eight；forsomereasonoranother，thereckoningismadeonadifferentbasis。Thedutiesvaryagooddeal，anditwouldbeevenmoredifficulttoconjecturewhattheoriginalservicesmayhavebeenthantomakeoutthesizeofthevirgate。
Theexampleisinstructiveinmanyways。Itisastepping-stonefromvillainagetosocage，orrathertosocman’stenure。Therecanbenoquestionofdifferencesoffeoffment。Themanorialpowerisfullyrecognised，andontheotherhandthecharacterofancientdemesneisalsoconspicuouswithitsprotectionofthepeasantry。Andstillthewholefabricisgivingway——theholdingsgetdispersedandtheservicelosesitsuniformity。Allthesetraitsareafairwarningtothosewhoarguefromtheirregularityoffreetenementsandtheinequalityoftheirrentsagainstthepossibilityoftheirdevelopmentoutofcommunalownership。Hereisawell-attestedvillagecommunity；
itsmembersholdbycustomandhavenotchangedtheirconditioneitherforthebetterorfortheworseinpointoftitle。Lateragenciesareatworktodistorttheoriginalarrangement——afewstepsmoreinthatdirectionanditwouldbeimpossibletomakeouteventhechieflinesofthesystem。Stanton，inCambridgeshire，isasimilarcase。83*Iwouldespeciallydirecttheattentionofthereadertothecapriciouswayinwhichtheservicesareassessed。Andstillthetitlesofthetenantsaretheresultnotofvariousgrantsbutofmanorialcustomappliedtothewholecommunity。Irepeat，thatirregularityinthesizeofholdingsandintheservicesthattheyoweisnoproofthattheseholdingshavenotformedpartofacommunalarrangementorthattheirfreecharacteriftheyhaveafreecharactermustbetheresultofemancipation；theseirregularitiesarefoundontheancientdemesnewheretherehasbeennoenfranchisementoremancipation，andwhereontheotherhandthetenantshaveallalongbeensufficiently’free’toenjoylegalprotectionintheirholdings。
Ifwehavetosaysomuchwithregardtoancientdemesneandbondsocmen，wemustnotwonderthatfreesocmenareveryoftenplacedinconditionswhichitwouldbeimpossibletoreducetoadefiniteplan。OnthefeeofRobertleNoreys，inFordham，84*
wefindsomescatteredfreetenantsburdenedwithentirelyirregularrents，fourvillainsholdingeighteenacreseachandsubjectedtoheavyploughingwork，threesocmenoftwentyacreseachpayingarentof4s。2d。perholding，andobligedtoassistatreapingandtobringchicken，onesocmanofnineacrespaying10d。，oneofsevenacresalsoassessedat10d。，twoofelevenacrespaying15d。，etc，itisnocauseforwonderthatsuchinstancesoccurattheendofthethirteenthcentury。Itismuchmorewonderfulthat，inagoodmanycases，wearestillwellabletoperceiveagreatdealoftheoriginalregularity。SwaffhamPrior，inCambridgeshire，isagrandexampleofanabsolutelyregulararrangementinacommunityoffreesocmen。85*ThePriorofElyholdsitforthreehidesandhas220acresonhishome-farm。Therestisdividedamongsixteenfreesocmenpaying5s。eachandperformingvariouslabourservices。TheseserviceshavebeenconsiderablyincreasedbythePrior。Mixedcasesaremuchmoreusual——Imeancasesinwhichtheoriginalregularityhassufferedsomemodifications，thoughalittleattentionwilldiscovertracesoftheancientcommunalarrangement。86*
Onthewhole，Ithinkthatthenoticesofsocmen’stenureintheHundredRollsareespeciallyprecious，becausetheyprovethattheobservationsthatwehavemadeasregardsfreeholdgenerallyarenotmerelyingenioussuggestionsaboutwhatmayconceivablyhavehappened。Thereisundoubtedlyoneweakpointinthoseobservations，whichisduetothemethodwhichwearecompelledtoadopt。Itisdifficult，ifnotimpossible，toclassifytheactualcaseswhichcomebeforeus，tosay-inthiscasefreeholdistheresultofcommutation，inthatcasethelordhasenfeoffedaretainerorakinsman，whileinthisthirdcase，thefreeholdvirgatehasalwaysbeenfreehold。Theedgeoftheinquiryisblunted，ifImaysosay，bythevaguenessofterminologicaldistinctions，andwemustrelyupongeneralimpressions。Thesocman’stenure，onthecontrary，standsoutasaclearcase，andacarefulanalysisofitabundantlyverifiestheconclusionstowhichwehavepreviouslycomebyamorecircuitousroute。
Itseemstomethatthegeneralquestionswithwhichwestartedinourinquirymaynowbeapproachedwithsomeconfidence。Therelationoffreetenanciestothemanorialsystemturnsouttobeacomplexone。Thegreatmajorityofsuchtenementsappearsasalatergrowthengraftedonthesystemwhenitwasalreadyindecay。Commutationofservices，thespreadofcultivationoverthewaste，andthesurrenderofportionsofthedemesnetotheincreasingdependentpopulation，mustlargelyaccountforthecontrastbetweenDomesdayandtheHundredRolls。
Butanimportantresidueremains，whichmustbeexplainedontheassumptionthatinmanycasesthesharesofthecommunitywereoriginallydistributedamongfreepeoplewhohadnothingorlittletodowithmanorialwork。
Threeconclusionshavebeenarrivedatinthischapter。
Thehome-farm，thoughthenecessarycentralunitofthemanorialgroup，didnot，asarule，occupyalargearea，andthebreak-upoffeudalismtendedtolessenitsextensioninfavourofthedependentpopulation。
Thepeculiarfeatureofmedievalhusbandry——thegroupingofsmallhouseholdsroundanaristocraticcentre——entailedtheexistenceofalargeclassengagedincollectingrevenue，superintendingwork，andgenerallyconductingthemachinerybywhichthetributarypartswerejoinedwiththeircentre。
Thepositionoffreetenementswithinthemanormaybeascribedtooneofthreecauses：atheyhavebeenthetenementsofserfs，but，inconsequenceeitherofsomegeneralcommutationorofspecialfeoffments，theyhavebecomefree；orbtheirconnexionwiththemanorhasallalongbeenratheramatterofjurisdictionthanamatterofproprietaryright，thatistosay，theyformpartofthemanorchieflybecausetheyarewithinthescopeofthemanorialcourt；orctheyrepresentfreesharesinavillagecommunityuponwhichthemanorialstructurehasbeensuperimposed。
Bracton，iv。9。5，f。263：’Estautemdominicumquodquishabetadmensamsuametproprie，sicutsuntBordlandsAnglice。’
Madox，HistoryoftheExchequer，i。407……，ConcessisseunamvirgatamterraeinHusfelds，scilicet20acrasunoannoet20
acrasalio。’
InBeauchamp，amanorofSt。Paul’s，London，thehomefarmisoneofthelargest。DomesdayofSt。Paul’s，28：’Indominicotamdewainagioveteriquamdenovoessarto676acreterrearabilisetdeprato18acreetdepastura8acras[sic]etinmagnoboscobenevestitoquinquies20acreetinduabusgranisDorileetLangele16acras。’
Astotheeconomicaspectsofthesubject，seeThoroldRogers，HistoryofAgricultureandPrices；Ashley，IntroductiontotheStudyofEconomicHistory；andCunningham，GrowthofIndustryandCommerce2nded。。
RamseyCart。RollsSeries，i。282：’Quaeculturecolipossuntsufficientercumtribuscarucispropriisetconsuetudinecarrucarumvilleetduabusprecariiscaruciscorr。carucarum？，quaeconsuetudoadvalentiamtriumcarucarumaestimatur。’
DomesdayofSt。Paul’s，13，14：’Potestibidemfieriwainagiumcum5carucisquarumtreshabent4boveset4equosetduesingule6equoscumconsuetudinibusvillateproptercorr。
praeter？dominicumdeLuffehaleetaliaquaeremotasunt，quetamensuntindispositionefirmarii。’CfGlastonburyInqu。of1189，pp。28，107。
Asaninstance，BurySt。Edmund’sRegister，Harl。MSS。743，f194：’BuchamabbasStiEdmundicapitalisdominus。tenetineademvillapreterhomagiumliberorumnihil。’
EynshamInqu。，ChapterofChristChurch，Oxford，N。27，f5，a：’RobertusClement。tenetdedominicissuperiusmensuratisdumdominoplacetunamselionemapudWeylondatteWyche，unamselionemapudBlechemanfurlong，tresselionesinWellefurlong，etunamselionemapudGroueacrespro11solidisperannum。’
10。ItiswellknownthatthesecondbookofFletacontainsasketchofthefunctionsofmanorialofficers。Inthirteenth-centuryMSS。wefindalsoaspecialtractonthematterentitleddeSenescalcia。SeeCunningham，GrowthofIndustryandCommerce2nded。，p。222。LetitbeunderstoodthatIdonotattemptanexhaustivesurveyofthesubject，butonlyageneralindicationofitsbearings。
DomesdayofSt。Paul’s，122；formsofagreementbywhichthemanorswerelettofarminthetwelfthcentury：’HaecestconventiointercapitulumLundoniensisecclesiaebeatiPaulietRobertumfiliumAlwinisacerdotis。CapitulumconcediteiWichammaneriumsuumadfirmamquamdiuvixeritetindebeneservierit。
Primoquidemannopro58solidiset4d。etprounaparvafirmapanisetcervisiaecumdenariiselemosine。Deincepsverosingulisannisproduabusfirmisbrevibuspanisetcervisiae。’
12。Exch。Q。R。Miscell。：’ConsuetudinesdeAysle：memorandumquodhomagiumdebeteligereprepositumetdominusmaneriipotesteumretinere……Etmemorandumquodhominesdebenthaberepastoremovilisperelectionemcurie。’
Thedutyofservingasreeveisthereforeoftentreatedasoneofthecharacteristicmarksofserfdom；e。g。Cambr。Univ。，Gg。iv。4，f。26。
Harl。MSS。1006，f。18：’Debetessemessoradfrumentumetamerciamentadominicolligendum。’
ShaftesburyInqu。，Harl。MSS。61，f60：’Arator。debetinvenireomniainstrumentaaratrianterotas。’
Ibid。，f54：’Bubulcietgadince。’GlastonburyInqu。of1189：
’Petrasbovarius。custoditbovesdominietvaditadaratrum。’
’Hereward，’GlastonburyInqu。，24，105，etc。；DomesdayofSt。
Paul’s，53。
ElyCart。，CottonMSS。，Claudius，C。xi，f15，d。，Debetnamiarecumbedelloetceterisavermannis，menprovidedwithhorses。GlastonburyInqu。of1189，p。31：’RobertusdeEadwicsequiturhundredumetcomitatumadsuumcostum。Custoditprecesaratureetmessisetdebetadjuvareadnamiacapiendainfrahundredumetestquietusdepannagio。’
GlastonburyCart。，WoodMSS。，i。f92，93；CompotiofNicholasdeWedergrave，whohadchargeofthemonasteryfromthe21stofNovember，16EdwardII，tillthe12thofMarch，16Edw。
II，astotheliberacionesetcourediaservientium：’Etquodretinuitetnecessarieoportuitretinereineademabbathia60
ministrosetservientesprohospitalitateetaliisobsequiisfaciendisineademabbathia。’
BurySt。Edmund’sRegister，Harl。MSS。，
’ScriptumJohannisNorthwoldabbatisdequinqueservanciis，A。
D。1294；f260，d：’。deminutisofficiis。’
GloucesterCart。RollsSer。，iii。213，214：’Hocintellectoquodquandocumqueplacueritlociballivoamoveanturabunolocousqueadaliumadcommodumdominiinfraterminum，salviseisdemliberationibusetstipendiispriusprovisis。Necaliquisadmittaturadservitiumdominisinesaluisplegiisdefideliterserviendoetdeomittendasatisfaciendo。Etmoraturituncplaemunianturquodsibiprovideantadmorandum。Itemquodnullusfamulussitincuriacuiplenumnondeputeturofficium。
Itaquodsiunumofficiumsuostatuisitinsufficiensinaliosuppleaturdefectus。’
MertonCollegeMSS。，91，f153：’Comenthomdeytaloweroueraygnesenfeynesoneenaust。Vouspurrezbienauersarcler3
acrespurundenereaUerfauchelacredeprepur4deners……E
vousdevezSauerqe5hommespoentbienlyeretsyer2acresleiourchecunemaneredebleqelunspluselautremens。Elaoules4prenent7d。ob。leiourelequintpurceoqilestlyourleiour2d。，donqedevezdonnerpurlacre4den。Epurceoqenmouzdepaysineseventnientsierparlacresipoethomsauerparsiourseparlesjurneesceoqilfount。Mesqevousreteignezlessioursparleseezceoestasauerqe5hommesou5femmeslequelqevousvoudrezquehomeapele5homefontuneez，e25
hommesfont5eez，epoent25hommesshyerelier10acresleiourentiersouerables……Esiilaccunteplusdejurneesqenefiertsoloncesteacounte，sinelordeuezpasalower。’