Page:VCH Essex 1.djvu/558

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A HISTORY OF ESSEX In SUDBERIA [Sudbury] are 5 burgesses, who hold 2 acres. These with all (those) aforesaid 1 pay 15 pounds and 6 shillings and 6 pence ; and all this (Mum) is in Rich- ard's demesne. In BOITUNA [Boyton (Hall) 3 ] Colfege, a free man, held half a hide and 10 acres in King Edward's time. Then as now (semper) 2 ploughs on the demesne. Then 3 ploughs belonging to the men ; now 2. Then as now (semper) i villein. Then 7 bordars ; after- wards and now 8. Then and afterwards 4 serfs ; now 2. (There is) wood(land) for 30 swine, (and) 8 acres of meadow. It was then worth 40 shillings ; afterwards and now 4 pounds. To this manor have been added in King William's time 45 acres, which belonged to Westrefelda [Wethersfield], the king's manor ; half a plough (was there) then, now fo. 4ob none ; then and afterwards I bordar, now 2 ; (there is) wood(land) for 10 swine, (and) 2 acres of meadow ; it is worth 8 shillings. 3 In BURA [Bures 4 ] Leueva, a free woman, held 40 acres. Then as now (semper) i ploughs belonging to the men, and I villein. Then and afterwards 2 bordars ; now 3. Then as now (semper) 2 serfs. (There is) wood(land) for 20 swine, (and) 5 acres of meadow. It is worth 30 shillings. Richard has this land, namely Boituna [Boyton] and Euro [Bures], by exchange, as his men assert. ROINGES [Roding Morell 5 ] was held in King Edward's time by Coleman as 3 vir- gates. Now Richard holds it for as much (tantundem) in demesne. And Coleman (iste) was so free that he could betake himself (ire) whither he would with (his) soc and sac (sacna) ; and yet (sed tamen) he was the man of Wisgar, Richard's predecessor. Then as now (semper) i villein, and 2 bordars. Then 4 serfs ; now I . Then as now (semper) 2 ploughs on the demesne, and half a plough belonging to the men. (There is) wood(land) 1 i.e. all the men mentioned from Bures to Sudbury, both inclusive, none of the entries con- taining a separate valuation. It should be ob- served that the payment is a fixed one, and not dependent on the varying profits of jurisdiction (soca). For remarks on these sokemen see Intro- duction, p. 358. 2 In Finchingfield. 3 For this Wethersfield land see p. 43 1 above, where it is similarly valued at 8 shillings. 4 Probably Bures hamlet (see p. 479, note 4). 5 Formerly a separate parish ; now in White Roding. for 200 swine, (and) 20 acres or meadow. It was then worth 60 shillings ; afterwards 40 shillings ; now 4 pounds. HUNDRET OF TENDRINGE [TENDRING] MENETLEA 6 [(Little) Bentley] was held by Wisgar as I hide and I manor. It is now held of Richard by Roger. Then as now (semper) 3 villeins, and 4 bordars. Then I serf ; now none. Then as now (semper) I plough on the demesne, and i plough be- longing to the men. (There is) wood(land) for 100 swine, (and) 3 acres of meadow. It was then worth 40 shillings ; now 50. BRUMLEA [(Little) Bromley 7 ] was held by Alwin freely (libere) as I manor and as half a hide ; and he was commended to Wisgar, (but was) able (patens) to sell his land. 8 Now R[oger] holds it under Richard. Then as now (semper) i villein. Now 2 bordars. Then I plough on the demesne ; now none. (There is) wood(land) for 100 swine, (and) 2 acres of meadow. (There are) now 1 1 sheep. It is worth 40 shillings. ALEFORDA [Alresford ? 9 ] was held by Algar, in King Edward's time, as 37 acres. Now he holds it under R[ichard]. 10 And this is of the king's soke of Laleforda [Lawford], as the Hundred (court) testifies. Then i plough ; now none. There is pasture for 40 sheep. It was then worth 10 shillings ; now 6. HUNDRET OF LAXEDANA [LEXDEN] In King Edward's time there were 5 soke- men held by Wisgar, (namely) Ulwin and scribe has written the other volume 6 By a similar error the 'Molebec' for 'Bolebec' in of Domesday (fo. 147). 7 i.e. the manor of Braham Hall there, which was subsequently held of the Honour of Clare. 8 See Introduction, pp. 3589. These cases at Roding and Bentley should be compared with the instances there given of men who were per- sonally commended to a lord without giving him rights over the land, and with the list (on p. 572 below) of holdings which Richard had annexed though his predecessor Wisgar had only the ' com- mendation ' of those who held them. 9 It is difficult to identify positively this hold- ing, which has been assumed to be at Alresford (which was ' Elesford ' or ' Eilesford ' in Domes- day). It is just possibly meant for Lawford (' Lale- ford ') with the ' L ' omitted. 10 This is one of the rare cases in which the former holder was allowed to retain his land as an under-tenant of the new one. That of Gunner at Totham was another. 480