[598]. The ancient Latin version calls them Villanus, Cotsetle and Gebúr.
[599]. Feormian, firmare; give so much as pastus.
[600]. Help to make park-paling, and perhaps keep watch for game.
[601]. Ascension Day. Observe that the Cotsetla is distinctly asserted to be free.
[602]. “Werige his hláfordes,” etc.; that is, perform for his lord, the duty of coast-guard, and attending the king’s hunt: from which it follows that, where there was no special exemption, these services could be demanded of the lord: that is in case of folcland. The old Latin translates werian by acquietare, which I have adopted.
[603]. Either in repairing the park-paling, or in service during the hunt.
[604]. Aferian, auerian, facit averagium, averiat.
[605]. This seems an immense amount of barley, but the Saxon clearly reads as I have translated. The old Latin version has, “Dare debet in festo Sancti Michaelis x. den. de gablo, et Sancti Martini die xxiii et sestarium ordei et ii gallinas.” Twenty-three pence at Martinmas is a considerable sum; however as a sester of corn must even in ordinary years have been worth quite that sum, it is more reasonable to follow the Latin than the Saxon.
[606]. The fold was often distant from the homestead, and required careful watching, especially during the dark winter months. Sheep alone were not folded, but oxen, cows, and particularly mares: hryðrafald, cúafald, stódfald. This system may be still seen in full force in Hungary; and we may add that, in the article of horse and cattle stealing, the Hungarian presents a very marked likeness to the Anglosaxon. While reading these services, one can hardly get rid of the notion that one is studying the description of a Hungarian Session.
[607]. “Tres acras precum et duas de herbagio: þreo æceras tó béne ⁊ twá tó gærsyðe.” If requested he shall do three acres; but only two if a meadow is to be broken up? This is always much harder work than ploughing on old arable. But it is difficult to reconcile this with the next sentence. The Saxon says, “Gif he máran gærses beþyrfe, earnige ðæs swá him man þafige:” the Latin, “Si plus indigeat herbagio, arabit proinde sicut ei permittatur.” From the word arabit, Thorpe suggests erige instead of earnige. The two readings are however consistent if we consider the expression gærsyðe as having no connection with the gærs of the following sentence. I suppose the meaning to be this: on extraordinary occasions, he might be called upon by the lord to plough three acres instead of one, or in old meadow-land, two acres. If now he himself should want more grass-land than he already possessed, he might make a bargain with the lord, and earn it by this labour with the plough. He was bound to give one day’s ploughing every week from the commencement of the ploughing season till the 11th of November: but on pressing emergency, and on request of the lord, he must give three days (for an acre a day was the just calculation) or in old meadow two. If his services at the plough were still further required, he was to make a bargain with his lord; and a common case is supposed, viz. that he required more grass-land than he had. In this way all seems intelligible.