Terry heigho, &c."
W. A. G.
Replies to Minor Queries.
Carucate of Land (Vol. ii., p. 9.).—The measure of the carucate was as indefinite in Edward III.'s time as at an earlier period. It then, as before, represented as much land as could be worked with one plough in a year. I am fortunately enabled to give your correspondent E.V. a precise answer to his Query. In a MS. survey of the Hospitallers' lands in England, taken under the direction of Prior Philip Thame, A.D. 1338, which I transcribed from the original, among the records of the order, I find in the "extent" of the "Camera de Hetherington in comitatu Northampton,"—
"Item. v Carucate terre continentes vc acre terre: pretium cujuslibet, viijd."
"Bæjulia de Eycle (i. e. Eagle in Lincolnshire) cum membris."
"Et ibidem iiij. carucate terre, que continent vc acras terre et apud le Wodehous iij carucate terre, que continent iijc: pretium acre, vjd."
Here we have a decided instance of the variation in the number of acres represented by the carucate. I have generally found that the nearest approximation to correctness, where no other evidence is at hand, is to consider the carucate as designating about 100 acres.
L. B. L.
Carucate of Land.—A case in point is given in the 33rd vol. of the Archæologia, p. 271. The
carucate frequently consisted of eight bovatæ of arable land; but the number of acres appears to have varied not only according to the quality of the soil, but according to the custom of husbandry of the shire: for where a two-years' course, or crop and fallow, was adopted, more land was adjudged to the carucate than where a three-years' course obtained, the land lying fallow not being reckoned or rateable. The object would appear to have been to obtain a carucate of equal value throughout the kingdom.