So that, summing up the evidence of this chapter, daylight seems to have dawned upon the meaning of the interesting gradation of holdings in villenage in the open fields. The hide or carucate seems to be the holding corresponding with the possession of a full plough team of 8 oxen. The half-hide corresponds with the possession of one of the 2 yokes of 4 abreast; the virgate with the possession of a pair of oxen, and the half-virgate or bovate with the possession of a single ox; all having their fixed relations to the full manorial plough team of 8 oxen. And this conclusion receives graphic illustration when the Scotch chronicler Winton thus quaintly describes [p066] the efforts of King Alexander III. to increase the growth of corn in his kingdom:—
Yhwmen, pewere karl, or knawe
That wes of mycht an ox til have
He gert that man hawe part in pluche:
Swa wes corn in his land enwche:
Swa than begouth, and efter lang
Of land wes mesure, ane oxgang.
Mychty men that had mâ
Oxyn, he gert in pluchys ga.
Be that vertu all his land