Below these villani, holding one or two bovates, as in all other similar records, were cottage holdings, some of 12 acres, some of 6 acres each. There seems to have been a certain equality in some places, even in the lowest rank of holdings.
Here then, within about 100 years of the Domesday Survey, are found the usual grades of holdings in villenage. The services, too, present little variation from those of later records and other parts of England.
From the Boldon Book may be gathered a few points of further information, which may serve to complete the picture of the life of the village community in villenage. [p070]
Manor sometimes farmed by villani.
The unity of the 'villata' as a self-acting community is illustrated by the fact that in many instances the services of the villani are farmed by them from the monastery as a body, at a single rent for the whole village[91]—a step in the same direction as the commutation of services and leasing of land to farm tenants, practices already everywhere becoming so usual.
Village officials: the faber.
The corporate character of the 'villata' is also illustrated by frequent mention of the village officials. The faber,[92] or blacksmith, whose duty it was to keep in repair the ironwork of the ploughs of the village, usually held his bovate or other holding in respect of his office free from ordinary services. The carpenter[93] also held his holding free, in return for his obligation to repair the woodwork of the ploughs and harrows.
The punder.
The præpositus.
The punder[94] (pound-keeper) was another official with a recognised position. And, as a matter of course, the villein tenant holding the office of præpositus for the time being was freed by virtue of his office from the ordinary services of his virgate or two bovates,[95] but resumed them again when his term of [p071] office ceased, and another villein was elected in his stead.