Page:Wiltshire, Extracted from Domesday Book.djvu/15

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[ ix ]

the meaſurement of the old Virgqta may eaſily be fixed in the different manors, and by a multiplication of 4, that of the Carucata may alſo be known.

Bovata is an Oxgang, and is the half of a Yardland, and the eighth part of a ploughland. It muſt be obſerved, that, whenever any of the foregoing terms occur, they all relate to arable lands.

I ſhall now proceed to the Holders of the various parts of the Manor. The Lord himſelf kept the dominium, or demeſne, in his own hands, which was overlooked by the Servi, or Servants, who were actually annexced to the Manor, and were conſidered as a portion of it.

The other parts were allotted to the Villani, Bordarii, Coliberti, Coſcex, and Cotarii, who, on account of the lands which were aſſigned to them, were obliged by their tenures to perform the various offices which the demeſne lands required.

Money being exceedingly ſcarce at that period, no rents in money could be expeſſed from the lands, and the profits, accruing from them to the Lord, were the ſimple produce of the demeſne, which he might either conſume at the Manor Houſe, or otherwiſe diſpoſe of, according to his inclination. The Mills, however, ſeem to be an exception to this rule, as an annual rent

a 4.
was