what their lords chose. I will tell you how it was.
11. The Saxon lords had divided all the land amongst themselves, and had brought from their own countries thousands of ceorls, or poor people, dependent on them, to be their labourers.
12. Each family of ceorls was allowed to have a cottage, with a few acres of land, and to let their cattle or sheep graze on the commons, for which, instead of paying rent, they worked a certain number of days in each year for their lord, and, besides, gave him a stated portion of those things their little farms produced; so that whenever they killed a pig, they carried some of it to the great house; and the same with their fowls, eggs, honey, milk and butter; and thus the chief's family was well supplied with provisions by his tenants, some of whom took care of his sheep and herds, cultivated his fields, and got in his harvests.
13. Then there were always some among them who had learned useful trades, and thus they did all the kinds of work their masters wanted.
14. Yet, with all this, the poor ceorls generally had enough for themselves, and some to spare, which they sold at the markets, and thus were able to save a little money.
