Oh, my lord, hard do I work. I go out at daybreak driving the oxen to field, and I yoke them to the plough. Nor is it ever so hard winter that I dare loiter at home, for fear of my lord, but the oxen yoked, and the ploughshare and coulter fastened to the plough, every day must I plough a full acre, or more.
Hast thou any comrade?
I have a boy driving the oxen with an iron goad, who also is hoarse with cold and shouting.
What more dost thou in the day?
Verily then I do more. I must fill the bin of the oxen with hay, and water them, and carry out the dung. Ha! ha! hard work it is, hard work it is! because I am not free.
Perhaps some day his lord will provide him with an outfit of oxen, give him a yard-land, and make him into a gebur instead of a theow. This at least seems to be his yearning.
IX. THE CREATION OF NEW MANORS.
We have hitherto spoken only of the manors. Are we therefore to conclude that there was no land extra-manorial?
Folkland, or terra regis, included royal hams or manors.
It may be asked whether 'folkland' was not extra-manorial.