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The English burgesses of Shrewsbury say that it is a great burden to them that they render the whole geld as it was rendered in the time of King Edward, although the earl’s castle has occupied 51 dwellings, and 50 other dwellings are waste, and 43 French burgesses hold dwellings which gelded in the time of King Edward, and the Earl has himself given to the abbey which he is building there 39 burgesses, who in like manner formerly gelded with the others. In all there are 200 dwellings less seven, which pay no geld.
THE SALISBURY OATH OF FEALTY (1086).
Source.—The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, ed. Thorpe, vol. i., p. 353. (Rolls Series.)
In this year the king bare his crown and held his court at Winchester at Easter; and so he fared that he was at Westminster on Whitsunday and there dubbed his son Henry a knight. Thereafter he fared so that he came at Lammas to Salisbury, and there his witan came to him, and all the landholders who were of account all over England, what man’s men soever they were; and they all bowed down to him and became his men, and swore to him oaths of fealty, that they would be faithful to him against all other men.
HOMAGE AND FEALTY.
Source.—Bracton, De Legibus Anglie, ed. Twiss, vol. i., p. 632. (Rolls Series.)
Be it known that he who should do his homage, in view of the reverence which he owes his lord, should wait upon his lord wherever he may be found in the realm or elsewhere, if he can be conveniently waited upon; and the lord is not bound to seek out his tenant. And he should do homage to him in this wise: the tenant should first put both his hands between both hands of his lord, which signifies on the part of the lord protection, defence and warranty, and on the part of the tenant reverence and subjection, and he should say these words: “I become your man for the tenement which I hold of you and ought to hold, and I will bear faith to you of life and limb and earthly honour, and I will bear faith to you against all men, saving the faith due to the lord the King and his heirs.” And straightway afterwards he shall make the oath of fealty to his lord in this wise: “This you hear, my lord N., that I will bear faith to you of life and limb, body and chattels and earthly honour, so help me God and these holy relics.” And some add in the oath, and well so, that faithfully and without diminution, contradiction or hindrance or unjust delay, the tenant will do his service to his lord and his heirs at the stated terms.
And homage ought not to be done in private, but in a public and common place before many persons in the county, hundred or court, so that if by chance the tenant through malice should wish to deny the homage, the lord could the more easily have proof of homage done and service acknowledged.