Open-Field Farming in Medieval Europe

A Study of Village By-laws

Warren Ault

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781136583421
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business General
• Index: Business

This book presents a detailed account of the co-operative practice of agriculture in medieval England, shedding much light on how medieval villagers governed their own affairs. During this period co-operation was essential in ploughing, sowing and reaping, with communal control of the pasturing of the fallow and stubble. These practices were set out in customary by-laws which were agreed to by common consent and villages themselves were greatly involved with their enactment and enforcement.

In the course of time, many of the by-laws were put into writing. Professor Ault has travelled extensively throughout England collecting and researching these agrarian ordinances and translating them into modern English. Since it was first published in 1972 this analysis has provided new insight into the organizational structure and governance of medieval villages in England and is essential reading for all those interested in the history of the Middle Ages.

GLOSSARY

Affeerer	assessor of fines
Agist	to pasture, or to pay for pasture
Amerce	to fine
Codding	gathering of peas, beans, or vetches
Curtilage	stockyard attached to a dwelling
Defence, in	closed to pasture
Drage	mixed cereals
Essoin	lawful excuse
Gersum	a fine, a premium
Heriot	best beast, or the equivalent, accruing to his lord on the death of a tenant
Mainpast	one for whom another is legally responsible
Mercy	an amercement or fine
Messor	hayward, warden of fences
Messuage	dwelling with outbuildings, feed lots and kitchen garden
Native	villein by birth
Seisin	lawful possession
Selion	strip or measure of ploughland
Stint	share of pasture rights, based on size of tenement
Tithing	a mutually responsible group of men
Vetch	bean-like legume
View of frankpledge	held periodically to see that all men who ought to be are in a tithing
Virgater	tenant of a virgate, a measure of land averaging in many cases 30 acres

By-Laws

1270

1 Newington, Oxon. Monday, September 15th

Emma, maid-servant of Ella Somer, and others unknown carried grain by night in autumn contrary to the law [contra defensionem], namely, in the middle of the night.

Thomas Est put himself in mercy, 4d., for having put his pigs in the Lenten field, against the order of the bailiffs and the ordinance of the neighbours of the town.

John Garleche received Isabella [as a gleaner] contrary to the statutes of autumn. Therefore he is in mercy, 2d.³²⁹

1273

2 Chatteris, Cambs. Sunday, July 9th

Wardens chosen to guard the fields, Godfrey Tector, John Hagun, Andrew Alberd, John Hayse, Robert son of Thomas Gilbert.

1275

3 Cheddington, Bucks. Friday, August 9th

It is ordered in court that no one shall harbour anyone male or female [aliquem aut aliquam] who is able to reap, under pain of half a mark.

1276

4 Staines, Middlesex. A. Monday, July 27th

It is provided and ordered by the community of the whole town that no one whether in town or out shall accept any one, stranger or not, to gather grain in the field what is called glenyinge nor shall they pay [anyone] with sheaves in the fields but only at the doors of the granaries, under pain of half a mark.

B. Tuesday, September 15th

Adam in the lane, because he harboured a certain woman, a stranger, who was a malefactor in the grain and meadows, 3d.

Peter Beauchamp for the trespasses of his pigs and sheep in the common field for a whole year, 3d.

Let Christina de Chabsham and William her son be distrained because they were malefactors in the meadows and grain of the whole community.

1286

5 Newington, Oxon. Saturday, July 27th

It is granted by the whole court that no one in this manor shall harbour any stranger who is a wrongdoer especially in autumn time under pain of 2s. 6d. to the lord.

And that no one in the aforesaid time shall accept any one as a gleaner who is capable of doing the work of a reaper.

1287

6 Welwyn Rectory Manor, Herts. Thursday, August 7th

It is ordered by a judgment of the whole court that men and women who are able to reap be distrained not to glean after the fashion of paupers and that those who harbour them be punished and whatever [they] the gleaners have gathered be seized.

1288

7 Broughton, Hunts. Wednesday, November 17th

And they say that William Kataline paid [his workers] with sheaves in the field in autumn contrary to the common statute of the township. Therefore he is in mercy, 12d.

And they say that the wife of Thomas le Hund was a gleaner contrary to the common statute of the township. Therefore he is in mercy; pledge, the reeve.³³⁰

1290

8 Newton Longville, Bucks. Saturday, July 1st

It is granted and ordered by the community of the town that no one henceforth shall gather herbage in another’s grain.

Item that no one who holds land of the lord shall gather peas, beans or vetches in the fields except on land that they have sown.

Item that anyone who wants to gather beans, peas or such like shall gather them between sunlight and prime in le Hech’ [one of the fields], and this [may be done] after the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Item that no one shall allow his calves to be in the fields in the growing grain [infra segetem] before the other animals. . . .³³¹

Item that no one be allowed to glean who is able to earn a penny a day with food or two pence without food if he finds anyone who wishes to hire him.

Item that no outsider be allowed to glean unless he who harbours him is willing to answer for his deeds.

Item that no pauper be allowed to gather beans between the selions but only at the ends and dividing lines. And if he shall do otherwise he shall lose what he has gathered and he shall not be allowed to enter the fields thenceforth to gather beans.

Item that there shall be no carting by night.

Item that everyone shall see that his stiles and lanes, those nearest his neighbours, are so kept that neither the lord nor any of his tenants incur damage because of the lack of such maintenance.

Item that no one shall have his beasts depasture in any cultivated area until one land [terra] is lying wholly cleared [of grain].

Item that no one shall have his beasts depasture in le Hech before... [illegible].

Item that no one shall have his beasts depasture in the growing grain in the night time.

Item that no one shall. . . [gather] peas nor shall any grain be taken from the fields by night. . . [illegible].

And if any one shall be found [doing the] contrary he shall give the lord 6d. And if any one shall be found to be delinquent in the premises by night he shall give the lord 12d.

9 Great Horwood, Bucks. Tuesday, July 11th

A day is given to the town messor to report the names at the next [court] of all those who were transgressors against the ordinance made recently forbidding lambs to be pastured in the common grain [fields] of the town.

Ordinance of autumn. It is granted by the whole homage and by the freemen that all the statutes and ordinances of autumn ... [illegible] in the sixth year³³² be observed. And for the observing of these ordinances and the keeping of these statutes John Fraunk and Richard le Rous³³³... are elected.

10 Newington, Oxon. Wednesday, September 20th

Because John le Meister allowed Walter de Ponte of Chaulhampton to pasture his mare in the meadow of Brockhampton contrary to the form of the law which he cannot do and which is contrary to the statute of the town, therefore the said John is in mercy, 3d.

1291

11 Newton Longville, Bucks. Tuesday, June 19th

It is agreed by the lord and the community of the town to observe all the statutes and ordinances of autumn of the preceding years and to keep the aforesaid statutes and ordinances and faithfully to present offenders. There were chosen John Robert, Richard Carlisle, John Gerard, Henry Holden, Geoffrey Hawkins, Henry Robert, Henry le ferrour, Walter H . . . [illegible].

12 Ripton Regis, Hunts. Friday, October 31st

The jurors did not present that.. .³³⁴ was a gleaner when she was able to earn half a penny a day and her food. Therefore the said jurors [are in mercy] for concealing this, 10d.

13 Houghton, Hunts. Monday, November 10th

From the wife of Peter Wran because she gleaned wrongfully in autumn contrary to the prohibition. She is poor.

Geoffrey of Brinton because he did not bind the lord’s grain in autumn as his neighbours did, 6d.

1293

14 Newington, Oxon. Wednesday, July 22nd

Robert Tornepeny, Henry atte Hegge [and] Hugh Hobesort are chosen to see to it that no one who does damage in autumn is harboured within the limits of this manor and to see if any women glean who are able to reap, and if any are found guilty of such a thing to notify the bailiff at the next [court].

15 Therfield, Herts. Friday, January 30th

From John Aspelon because he carried grain on his horse in bundles without a car...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Copyright page
• General Introduction
• Preface
• Contents
• Introduction
• Documents
• Glossary
• Index