[102.] In the next place mentioned 20 men hold 20 virgates, and 13 hold 612 virgates among them, or half a virgate each; and so on. In one place 8 villani hold 1 hide and 1 virgate among them (i.e. 2 probably hold virgates, and 6 of them half-virgates), and 2 others hold 1 virgate each. In another, 20 pleni villani [of 1 virgate each] and 29 semi-villani [of half-virgate each] hold in all 34 virgates and a half. In another, 8 villani hold 8 bovates, and 3 bovates are waste. In the rest of the record it is generally assumed that the 'pleni villani' have a virgate each, and the 'dimidii villani' half a virgate each.

[103.] The following are instances of the villein plough teams:—

There seems to have been as nearly as possible one plough team to each two virgates, which at two oxen the virgate would give four oxen to the plough instead of eight. Speaking generally, it may therefore be said that there were on the Peterborough manors the greater ploughs of the lord's demense with their separate teams of eight oxen belonging to the lord, and the lesser ploughs of the villani, to work which two clubbed together, for which four oxen made a sufficient team; and it would seem, further, that not only had the villani to work at the great manorial ploughs, but also to do service for their lord with their own lesser ploughs in addition. This seems to explain the expressions used in the Gloucester cartulary that the demesne land of this or that manor can be ploughed with so many ploughs of eight head of oxen in the team 'cum consuetudinibus villatæ;' and also the mention in Fleta of the 'carucæ adjutrices' of the villani.

[104.] 'Galfridus Snow tenet quoddam tenementum nativum vocatum Snowes. . . . Willelmus Biesten tenet tenementum nativum vocatum Biestes,' and so on.

Extent of 'Byrchsingeseie,' near Colchester.

Leger Book of St. John the Baptist, Colchester.

Wrest Park MSS., No. 57.

I am indebted to Earl Cowper for the opportunity of referring to this interesting MS., containing valuable examples of extents of manors from the reign of Edward I., and of the services of the tenants. See particularly the extent of 'Wycham,' 17 Ed. I., as a good example of the three field system and serfdom.

[105.] Pp. 162–4, &c.