NOTE.
The following pedigrees illustrate the care with which the relations of the gebúr, and other dependent cultivators on an estate were recorded. It is probable, nay even certain, that such records were preserved in all lordships: they were the original court-rolls, by copy of which the unfree tenants, perhaps also the poor freemen, held, who were thus the ancient copyholders. The amount of the holdings was undoubtedly settled by the custom of the county or the manor; and it is probable that one measure prevailed for all tenants of similar grades. A record of descents was necessary to regulate the claims of a lord to the families of his coloni, and some extensive system of registration very probably prevailed: it would be impossible without it to secure the due operation of the law of teám.
“Dudda was a gebúr at Hǽðfeld, and he had three daughters, one was named Deórwyn, the second Deórswýð, the third Golde. And Wulfláf at Hǽðfeld hath Deórwyn to wife, Ælfstán at Tæccingawyrð hath Deórswýð to wife, and Ealhstán, Ælfstán’s brother, hath Golde to wife. There was a man named Hwíta, the beemaster at Hǽðfeld, and he had a daughter Táte, the mother of Wulfsige, the bowman; and Wulfsige’s sister Lulle hath Héhstán to wife, at Wealden. Wifús and Dunne, and Seoloce are inborn to Hǽðfeld. Duding, the son of Wifús, is settled at Wealden; and Ceólmund the son of Dunne, also sits at Wealden, and Æðelheáh the son of Seoloce, also sits at Wealden: and Táte, Cénwold’s sister, Mæg has to wife at Welgun; and Eádhelm, the son of Hereðrýð, hath Táte’s daughter to wife. Wærláf, Wærstán’s father, was a right serf at Hǽðfeld, he held the grey swine[[428]].”
“᛭ A man named Bráda was a gebúr at Hǽðfeld, and Hwíte was the name of Brâda’s wife; she was a gebúr’s daughter at Hǽðfeld. Hwíte was Wærstán’s Wǽðrýð's and Wynburh’s third mother[[429]]. And Wærstán sits at Wádtún, and hath Wine’s sister to wife, and Wine hath Wærðrýð to wife.[wife.] And Dunne sat at Wádtún, she was inborn to Hǽðfeld: and Deórwyn her daughter hath Cynewald to wife at Munden: and Deórnáð her brother is with Cynewald. And Dudde, Wifús’s daughter sits at Wilmundesleá. Cynhelm, Cénwald’s father, was a gebúr at Hǽðfeld, and Manna, Cénwald’s son, sits at Wádtún under Eádwald.”
“᛭ Buhe, Dryhtláfs mother-in-law, was removed from[from] Hǽðfeld into Eslingaden: and Æðelwyn, Eádugu and Æðelgyð were three sisters; and Tilwine and Dudda, these were all Buge’s children; and Ealhstán Tilwine’s son, and Wulfsige Eádugu’s son, and Ceólhelm Æðelgyð's son, and Ceólstán and Manwine. This kin came from [Hǽð]feld; Deórwulf, Cyneburh’s son, and his two sisters; and Cyneríc at Clæfring is their uncle. These men are the magas of Táta, the gebúr at Hǽðfeld.” Cod. Dipl. No. 1353.
It is probable that all these places are in Hertfordshire, or in Essex. In both counties we find Hatfield and Walden: there is no Clavering in Hertfordshire, that I know of. On the other hand I am not aware of any Munden or Watton in Essex.
In 880 Æðelred, duke of Mercia, gave various estates to the bishopric of Worcester. He also gave six persons with their offspring, who had previously been adscripti glebæ at the royal vill of Bensington. “These are the names of the persons who are written from Bensington to Readanora, to the bishopric of Worcester, with their offspring, and the progeny that may come of them to all eternity: Alhmund, Tídwulf, Tídleáh, Lull and Eádwulf[[430]].”
In 902, Beornwulf homed (gehámette), that is attached, to his manor of Eblesburne, a number of persons, of both sexes. Lufe and her three children, Luha and his six children are named[[431]].
In the time of Eádgár we have the record of several persons establishing by their oaths that their parents had not been serfs or coloni of the king[[432]]. An [Appendix] to this chapter contains numerous examples of manumissions, of various periods.