[202.] The leod-geld or wer-gild of a 'man' was 200 shillings (see mention of the half leod-geld of c. shillings, s. 21). As regards the three grades of læts, there were also three grades of female theows of the king (see s. 10–11), the cup-bearer, the grinding-theow, and the lowest class. See also s. 16, where again there is mention of three classes of theows, each with its value.
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CHAPTER VI. THE TRIBAL SYSTEM (IN WALES).
I. EVIDENCE OF THE DOMESDAY SURVEY.
The Saxon land system has now been examined. No feature has been found to be more marked and general than its universally manorial character; that is to say, the Saxon 'ham' or 'tun' was an estate or manor with a village community in villenage upon it. And the services of the villein tenants were of a uniform and clearly defined type; they consisted of the combination of two distinct things—fixed gafol payments in money, in kind, or in labour, and the more servile week-work.
It is needful now to examine the land system beyond the border of Saxon conquest.
A good opportunity of doing this occurs in the Domesday Survey.
The Tidenham manor has already been examined. It afforded a singularly useful example of the Saxon system. Its geographical position, at the extreme south-west corner of England, on the side of Wales, enabled us to trace its history from its probable conquest in 577, or soon after, and to conclude that it remained Saxon from that time to the date of [p182] the Survey; and distinctly manorial was found to be the character of its holdings and services.
West side of the Wye.