[161] See in particular the survey of Gloucestershire; D. B. i. 165 b: ‘Hoc manerium quietum est a geldo et ab omni forensi servitio praeter aecclesiae’; Ibid. ‘Haec terra libera fuit et quieta ab omni geldo et regali servitio’; 170, ‘Una hida et dimidia libera a geldo.’ When after reading these passages we come upon the following (167 b), ‘Isdem W. tenet Tatinton: Ulgar tenuit de rege Edwardo: haec terra libera est,’ and when we observe that the land is not hidated, we shall probably infer that ‘This land is free’ means ‘This land is exempt from geld, and (perhaps) from all other royal service.’
[162] Dialogus, i. c. 11; ii. c. 14.
[163] Dialogus, i. c. 10.
[164] Will. Conq. I. 30, 31: ‘Si les seignurages ne facent altri gainurs venir a lour terre, la justise le facet.’ The Latin version is ridiculous: ‘Si domini terrarum non procurent idoneos cultores ad terras suas colendas, iustitiarii hoc faciant.’ The translator seems to have been puzzled by the word altri or autrui.
[165] Ibid. 29.
[166] Schmid, App. v.; vii., 2, §§ 9–11; Pseudoleges Canuti, 60–1 (Schmid, p. 431).
[167] D. B. iv. 497.
[168] D. B. i. 44 b: ‘Istam terram calumpniatur Willelmus de Chernet, dicens pertinere ad manerium de Cerneford feudum Hugonis de Port per hereditatem sui antecessoris et de hoc suum testimonium adduxit de melioribus et antiquis hominibus totius comitatus et hundredi; et Picot contraduxit suum testimonium de villanis et vili plebe et de prepositis, qui volunt defendere per sacramentum vel dei iudicium, quod ille qui tenuit terram liber homo fuit et potuit ire cum terra sua quo voluit. Sed testes Willelmi nolunt accipere legem nisi regis Edwardi usque dum diffiniatur per regem.’ It seems possible that William’s witnesses wished to insist on the ancient rule that the oath of one thegn would countervail the oaths of six ceorls. This was the old English law (lex Edwardi) on which they relied.
[169] D. B. ii. 393: ‘et 5 villani de eodem manerio testantur ei et offerunt legem qualem quis iudicaverit; set dimidium hundret de Gepeswiz testantur quod hoc iacebat ad ecclesiam T. R. E. et Wisgarus tenebat et offert derationari.’
[170] Schmid, App. vi.; Leg. Hen. 61 § 2: ‘thaini iusiurandum contravalet iusiurandum sex villanorum.’