Lastly, as to the gafol—this formed a prominent feature of the weorc-ræden of the Tidenham yard-land.
Gafol chiefly in produce: honey, &c.
It consisted mainly of the produce of the land, like the gafol of the gafolgylders in the Saxon translation of the parable of 'the unjust steward.' Honey and malt, or ale, and yarn and pork—these, as we shall see by-and-by, were the chief products of this and the adjoining districts of Wales.
These, then, were the services of the geburs of Tidenham in respect of their yard-lands in A.D. 950, while the manor was still in royal hands just before it was handed over to the Abbot of Bath.
Comparison of services in the thirteenth century.
Now let us compare these services with the services on the same manor 350 years afterwards, in the time of Edward I. An Inquisitio post mortem of the 35th year of Edward I. enables us to make this comparison.[187]
The following is an abstract of the services of a tenant who held a messuage and xviii. acres of land in villenage (probably a half-virgate). [p157]
His week-work was—
- 5 days in every other week for xxxv. weeks in the year from Michaelmas to Midsummer, except the festival works of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost; 8712 works.
- 212 days every week for 6 weeks from Midsummer to Gules of August; 15 works.
- 3 days every week for 8 weeks from Gules of August to Michaelmas; 24 works.
- And of this week-work between Michaelmas and Christmas, 1 day's work every other week was to lie ploughing and harrowing a half-acre. Each ploughing was accounted for a day's work.
Then as to his precariæ,—