This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ... could not command the labor of so many villains, and since hired labor was to be had only at a price that made it difficult for him to get it, could he not cultivate his demesne by requiring more work to be done by those villains that were left to him? The temptation to do this may have presented itself, but various considerations prevented his yielding to it. It should not be forgotten, in the first place, that the lord was influenced by the custom of the manor which acted as a strong check on any arbitrary impositions he might wish to lay. In the second place, the villains on most manors, having lost through the death of members of their households much of their own labor power, were in no condition to do more work on the demesne than was customary, and the lord realizing this would refrain from demanding it of them. Lastly, there was no means during the years of disorganization that followed the pestilence by which the lord could enforce his will, if he attempted to inflict heavier burdens on the villains than they themselves thought it right that they should bear. For these reasons the Black Death caused no increase of the burdens of those villains that remained in possession of their old holdings. ' At Cuddington, Suffolk, in 1350, live free tenants were reported dead and their sons inherited their holdings. Twelve virgate holders were dead and their virgates in the hands of the lord "quia nullus sequitur "; while the virgate of another went to his son. Two holders of half virgates were dead, and their land in the hands of the lord; that of a third went to his son, who, however, could pay no heriot on account of poverty. Another virgate went to a widow. There was one virgate in the hands of the lord because the...

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