vill3-第27节
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at of a servant recompensed by the grant of a privileged plot； or that of a peasant confirmed in the possession of soil newly reclaimed from the waste； or that of a bondman who has succeeded in liberating his holding from the burdensome labour service of villainage； in all these instances we come across the same fundamental notion of a definite agreement between lord and tenant。 And again； the capricious aspect of free tenements seems well in keeping with the fact that they are produced by separate and private agreements； by consecutive grants and feoffments； while the villain system of every manor is mapped out at one stroke； and managed as a whole by the lord and his steward。 This contrast between the two arrangements may even seem to widen itself into a difference between a communal organization which is servile； and a system of freeholding which is not communal。 All these inferences are natural enough； and all have been actually drawn。 A close inspection of the Surveys will； however； considerably modify our first impressions； and suggest conclusions widely different from those which I have just now stated。 The importance of the subject requires a detailed discussion； even at the risk of tediousness。 I shall take my instances from the Hundred Rolls； as from a survey which reflects the state of things in central counties and gives an insight into the organisation of secular as well as ecclesiastical estates。 We need not dwell much on the observation that the servile tenements sometimes display no perfect regularity。 Sometimes the burdens incumbent on them are not quite equal。 Sometimes again the holdings themselves are not quite equal。 In Fulborne； Cambridgeshire； e。g。； the villains of Alan de la Zuche are assessed very irregularly；（58*） although their tenements are described as virgates and halfvirgates。 Of course； the general character of the virgate system remains unaltered by these exceptional deviations； which may be easily explained by the consideration that the social order was undergoing a process of change。 The disruption of some of the villain holdings and the modification of certain duties are perhaps less strange than the fact that such alterations should be so decidedly exceptional。 Still； the occurrence of irregularities even within the range of villainage warns us not to be too hasty in our inferences about free tenements； it shows； at any rate； that irregularities may well arise even where there has once been a definite plan； and that it is worth while to enquire whether some traces of such an original plan may not still be discovered amidst the apparent disorder of free tenements。 And a little attention will show us many cases in which free tenements are arranged on the virgate system。 There is hardly any need for quotations on this point： the Hundred Rolls of all the six counties of which we possess surveys； supply an unlimited number of instances。 True； fundamental divisions of land and service may often be obscured and confused by the existence of plots which do not fit into the system； but as in the case of servile tenements we occasionally find irregularities； so in the case of free tenements we often see that below the superficial irregularities there lie traces of an ancient plan。 The manor of Ayllington （Elton）； Huntingdonshire； belonging to the Abbey of Ramsey； presents a good example in point。（59*） It is reckoned to contain thirteen hides and a half； each hide comprising six virgates； and each virgate twenty…four acres。 The actual distribution of the holdings squares to a fraction with this computation； if we take into the reckoning the demesne； the free and the villain tenements。 Three hides are in the lord's hand； one is held by a large tenant； John of Ayllington； eleven virgates and a half by other freeholders； forty…two virgates and a half by the villains； the grand total being exactly thirteen hides。 The numerous cotters are not taken into account； and evidently left 'outside the hides' （extra hidam）； this is a very common thing in the Surveys。 If we neglect them； and turn to the holdings in the 'hidated' portion of the manor； we shall notice that the greater part of the free tenements are arranged on the same system as the servile tenements。 We find six free tenants with a virgate apiece； one with half a virgate； three with a virgate and a half； and three jointly possessed of two virgates。 In contrast with this principal body of tenants stand several small freeholders endowed with irregular plots reckoned in acres and so much varying in size that it is quite impossible to arrange them according to any plan； not to speak of the virgate system。 But these small tenants are all sub…tenants enfeoffed by the principal freeholders whose own tenements are distributed into regular agrarian unity。 It is easy to see that even when the stock of free tenancies stood arranged according to a definite plan； deviations from this plan would easily arise owing to new feoffments made by the lord out of the demesne land or out of the waste。（60*） What I am concerned to say is； not that the Hundred Rolls show a distribution of free holdings quite as regular as that of the servile tenements； but that amidst all the irregularities of the freehold plots we frequently come across unmistakable traces of a system similar to that which prevailed on villain soil。 These traces are not always of the same kind； and present various gradations。 In a comparatively small number of instances the duties imposed on the shareholders are equal； or nearly so； much more often the rent and labour rendered by them to the lord vary a great deal； although their tenements are equal。 The Ayllington instance； quoted above； belongs to the former class； but the proportionate distribution of duties is somewhat obscured by the fact that part of them is reckoned in labour。 The normal rent is computed at six shillings per virgate；（61*） though there are a few noticeable exceptions； but the duty of ploughing is imposed according to two different standards； and it is not easy to reduce these to unity。 The freeholders of one group have to plough eight acres per virgate for the lord； while for the members of the other group the ploughing work is reckoned in the same way as in the case of the villains； each placing his team at the disposal of the lord one day of every week from Michaelmas to the 1st of August； four weeks being excepted in honour of Christmas； Easter； and Trinity。（62*） Ravenston； in Buckinghamshire； is a much clearer example。 Twelve villains hold of the Prior of Ravenston twelve acres each； and their service is worth eighteen shillings per holding； four villains hold six acres each； and their service is valued at nine shillings。 One free tenant has twelve acres and pays sixteen shillings； six have six acres each； and pay seven shillings。 There are three other tenants whose duties cannot be brought within the system。（63*） The portion of Fulborne； in Cambridgeshire； belonging to Baldwin de Maneriis； may also serve as an illustration of an almost regular distribution of land and service among the freeholders。（64*） Instances in which the duties； although not exactly； are still very nearly equal； are very frequent。 In Radewelle； Bedfordshire； the mean rent of the six is two shillings per half…virgate； although the villains perform service to the amount of eight shillings per virgate。（65*） Bidenham； Bedfordshire； also presents an assessment of four shillings per free virgate。（66*） In that part of Fulborne which is owned by Alan de la Zuche the virgates and half…virgates of the free holders are variously rented； but twelve shillings per half…virgate is of common occurrence（67*） while in the fee of Maud Passelewe we find only four and five shillings as the rent for the half…virgate。（68*） Papworth Anneys exhibits a ferdel of seven and a half acres； for which ten to twelve shillings are paid。（69*） As to the cases in which the service varies a great deal； although the land is held in shares； I need not give quotations because they are to be found on every page of the printed hundred Rolls。 We may say； in conclusion； that the process of disruption acts much more potently in the sphere of free holding than it does in regard to villainage； but that it has by no means succeeded in destroying all regularity even there。 Thus； even among the freeholders； landholding is often what I shall take leave to call 'shareholding。' Now； whatever ultimate explanation we may give of this fact； it has one obvious meaning。 That part of the free population which holds in regular shares is not governed entirely by the rules of private ownership； but is somehow implicated in the village community。 Bovates and virgates exist only as parts of carucates or hides； and the several carucates or hides themselves fit together； inasmuch as they suppose a constant apportionment of some kind。 Two sets of important questions arise from this proposition； both intimately connected with each other； although they suggest different lines of enquiry。 We may start from an examination of the single holding； and ask whether its regular shape can be explained by the requirements of its condition or by survivals of a former condition。 Or again； we may start from the whole and inquire whether
