“The customs of the Gebúr are very various; in some places they are heavy, but in some moderate. In some places it is usual that he shall do two days week-work, whatever work may be commanded him, every week throughout the year; and three days week-work in harvest, and three from Candlemas to Easter. If he carries[[604]], he need not work himself as long as his horse is out. He must pay at Michaelmas ten gafol-pence, and at Martinmas twenty-three sesters of barley, and two hens[[605]]; at Easter one young sheep or two pence; and he shall lie out from Martinmas till Easter at the lord’s fold[[606]]; and from the time when the plough is first put in till Martinmas, he shall plough one acre every week, and make ready the seed in the lord’s barn: moreover three acres on request, and two of grass-ploughing[[607]]. If he require more grass, let him earn it on such conditions as he may. For his rent-ploughing [gafolyrð] he shall plough three acres and sow them from his own barn; and pay his hearth-penny; and two and two shall feed one stag-hound; and each gebúr shall give six loaves to the inswán [that is, the swain or swineherd of the demesne] when he drives his herds to the mast. In the same land where these conditions prevail, the gebúr has a right, towards first stocking his land, to receive two oxen, one cow and six sheep, and seven acres in his yard of land, ready sown. After the first year let him do all the customs which belong to him; and he is to be supplied with tools for his work, and furniture for his house. When he dies, let his lord look after what he leaves.
“This land-law prevails in some lands; but, as I have said, in some places it is heavier, in others lighter; seeing that the customs of all lands are not alike. In some places the gebúr must pay honey-gafol, in some meat-gafol, in some ale-gafol. Let him that holds the shire take heed to know always what is the old arrangement about the land, and what the custom of the country!”
I can only add the expression of my opinion, that a careful study of the condition of the peasantry in the eastern parts of Europe will assist in throwing much light upon these ancient social arrangements in this country. Hard as in some respects the condition of the dependent freeman appears, it must be borne in mind that the possession of land was indispensably necessary to life, unless he was to become an absolute serf. In a country that has little more manufacture than the simple necessities of individual households require, no wealth of raw material and consequently little commerce,—where households rejoice in a sort of self-supporting, self-sufficient autonomy, and the means of internal communication are imperfect,—land and its produce are the only wealth; land is the only means whereby to live. But the Saxon peasant knew his position: it was a hard one, but he bore it: he worked early and late, but he worked cheerfully, and amidst all his toils there is no evidence of his ever having shot at his landlord from behind a stone wall or a hedge.
[523]. The τέμενος, or cut-off portion, entail, which service might earn among the Greeks, is of the same character. According to tradition, Pittacus was thus rewarded by the people of Mitylene, after overcoming Phrynon, the Athenian champion, in single combat: τῶν δὲ Μιτυληναίων δωρεὰς αὐτῷ μεγάλας διδόντων, ἀκοντίσας τὸ δόρυ, τοῦτο μόνον τὸ χωρίον ἠξιώσεν, ὅσον ἐπέσχεν ἡ αἰχμή· καὶ καλεῖται νῦν Πιττάκιον. Plut. de Malign. Herod. c. xv. The reward allotted to Horatius in the Roman Ager ought now to be familiar to every one:
“They gave him of the corn-land
That was of public right,
As much as two strong oxen
Could plough from morn till night!”