Domesday Book and Beyond: Three Essays in the Early History of England

by Frederic William Maitland

[1331] See above, [p. 375].

[1332] A bovate of 13 acres seems to have prevailed in Scotland: Acts of Parliament of Scotland, i. 387.

[1333] The immediate source is the Seneschaucie. See Walter of Henley, ed. Lamond, p. 84. Fleta, p. 159.

[1334] Walter of Henley, pp. 6, 8, 44–5. With a three-course system the figures will be somewhat different. Plough 60 acres for winter seed, 60 for spring seed, 60 for fallow (total 180) at the rate of 7/8th of an acre per day:—Total, 205¹⁄₇ days. In second fallowing plough 60 acres at an acre per day:—Grand total, 265⁵⁄₇ days. Whichever system is adopted, the plough ‘goes’ 240 acres.

[1335] Walter of Henley, p. 13.

[1336] Domesday of S^t. Paul’s, 38.

[1337] Meitzen, op. cit. i. 277; Andrews, op. cit. 260.

[1338] Gerefa, 9 (Anglia, ix. 261): ‘Me mæig in Maio and Junio and Julio on sumera fealgian.’ Andrews, op. cit. 257.

[1339] Thus e.g. Domesday of S^t. Paul’s, 59, Tillingham. Is it possible to fallow, when, as in this case, there is no pasture for the oxen except such as is afforded by the idle field? ‘Non est ibi pastura nisi cum quiescit dominicum per wainagium.... (69) Non est ibi certa pastura nisi quando terrae dominici quiescunt alternatim incultae.’

[1340] D. B. i. 307 b, 308.