Ihaveonlytosayinadditiontothissummingupofthesubject，thatthequasi-legalstandingofthevillainsinregardtothelordappearswithspecialclearnesswhentheystandarrayedagainsthimasagroupandnotassingleindividuals。Wecouldguessasmuchongeneralgrounds，buttheself-dependentpositionassumedbythe’communitasvillanorum’ofBrightwalthamisthemoreinteresting，thatitfindsexpressioninaformalandrecordedagreement。
Wecatchaglimpseofthesamephenomenonfromyetanotherpointofview。Itisquitecommontofindentireestateslettofarmtotheruralcommunitysettleduponthem。(16*)Insuchcasesthemediationofthebailiffmightbedispensedwith；thevillageenteredintoadirectagreementwiththelordorhischiefstewardandundertookacertainsetofservicesandpayments，orpromisedtogivearoundsum。Suchanarrangementwasprofitabletobothparties。Thevillainswerewillingtopaydearlyinordertofreethemselvesfromthebailiff’sinterferencewiththeiraffairs；thelandownergotridofanumerousandinconvenientstaffofstewardsandservants；therurallifewasorganisedonthebasisofself-governmentwithaveryslightcontrolonthepartofthelord。Suchagreementsconcernthegeneralmanagementofmanorsaswellasthelettingofdomainlandorofparticularplotsandrights。(17*)Ofcoursetherewasthisgreatdisadvantageforthelord，thatthetiebetweenhimandhissubjectswasverymuchloosenedbysucharrangements，andsometimeshehadtocomplainthattheconditionsunderwhichthelandwasheldweremateriallydisturbedunderthefarmershipofthevillage。Itiscertain，thatinageneralwaythismodeofadministrationledtoagradualimprovementinthesocialstatusofthepeasantry。
Onegreatdrawbackofinvestigationsintothehistoryofmedievalinstitutionsconsistsintheveryincompletemannerinwhichthesubjectisusuallyreflectedinthedocuments。Wehavetopickupbitsofevidenceastoveryimportantquestionsinthemidstofavastmassofuninterestingmaterial，andsometimeswholesidesofthesubjectareleftintheshade，notbythefaultoftheinquirer，butinconsequenceofdisappointinggapsinthecontemporaryrecords。Evenconveyancingentries，surrenders，admittances，areofrareoccurrenceonsomeofthemoreancientrolls，andtheprobablereasonis，thattheywerenotthoughtworthyofenrolment。(18*)Asforparticularsofhusbandrytheyarealmostentirelyabsentfromthemedievaldocuments，anditisonlyontherecordsofthesixteenthandyetlatercenturiesthatwehavetorelywhenwelookforsomedirectevidenceofthefactthatthemanorialcommunitieshadtodealwithsuchquestions。(19*)
Andsoourknowledgeoftheseinstitutionsmustbebasedlargelyoninference。Butevengrantingalltheseimperfectionsofthematerial，itmustbeallowedthattheonesideofmanoriallifewhichiswellreflectedinthedocuments——thejuridicalorganisationofthemanor——affordsveryinterestingcluestowardsanunderstandingofthesystemandofitsorigins。
Letusrepeatagain，thatthemanagementofthemanorisbynomeansdependentoncapriciousandone-sidedexpressionsofthelord’swill。Onthecontrary，everyknownactofitslifeisconnectedwithcollegiatedecisions。Notwithstandingtheabsolutecharacterofthelordwithregardtohisvillainstakenseparately，heisintruthbutthecentreofacommunityrepresentedbymeetingsorcourts。Notonlythefree，butalsotheserviletenantryareruledinaccordancewiththeviewsandcustomsofacongregationofthetenantsintheirdiversclasses。
Therecanbenodoubtthatthediscretionofthelordwasoftenstretchedinexceptionalcases，thatrelationsbasedonmoralsenseandatruecomprehensionofinterestsoftensufferedfromviolenceandencroachment。Butasageneralrule，andwithunimportantexceptions，thefeudalsystemisquiteasmuchcharacterisedbythecollegiateorganisationofitspartsasbytheirmonarchicalexterior。Themanorialcourtswerereallymeetingsofthevillagecommunityunderthepresidencyofthelordorofhissteward。
Itiswellknownthatlaterlawrecognisesthreekindsofseignorialcourts：theLeet，theCourtBaron，andtheCustomaryCourt。ThefirsthastokeepthepeaceoftheKing，theothersareconcernedwithpurelymanorialaffairs。TheLeetappearsinpossessionofapoliceandcriminaljurisdictioninsofarasthathasnotbeenappropriatedbytheKing’sowntribunals-itsparallelbeingthesheriff’stourninthehundred。TheCourtBaronisacourtoffreetenantsentrustedwithsomeoftheconveyancingandthepettylitigationbetweenthem，andalsowiththeexerciseofminorfranchises。TheCustomaryCourthasinitschargetheunfreepopulationofthemanor。InkeepingwiththisdivisiontheCourtBaronconsistsaccordingtolatertheoryofabodyoffreesuitorswhichismerelyplacedunderthepresidencyofthesteward，whileintheCustomaryCourtthestewardisthetrueandonlyjudge，andthecopyholders，customarytenantsorvillains，aroundhimaremerelycalledupaspresenters。
ThemasterlyinvestigationsofMrMaitland，fromwhichanyreviewofthesubjectmuststart，haveshownconclusively，thatthislatterdoctrine，asembodiedinCoke，forinstance，drawsdistinctionsandestablishesdefinitionswhichwereunknowntoearlierpractice。TheLeetbecameaseparateinstitutionearlyenough，althoughitsnameisrestrictedtooneprovince——
Norfolk——evenatthetimeoftheHundredRolls。(20*)Thefoundationofthecourtwaslaidbythefrank-pledgesystemandthenecessityofkeepingitinworkingorder。WefindtheLeetCourtsometimesunderthenames’CuriaVisusfranciplegii，’or’Visusdeborchtruning’，(21*)anditappearsthenasamoresolemnformofthegeneralmeeting。Itisheldusuallytwiceayeartoregisterallthemalepopulationfromtwelveyearsupwards，topresentthosewhohavenotjoinedthetithings，andsometimestoelecttheheadsorrepresentativesofthesedivisions——the’Capitalesplegii，’(22*)Sometimesthetithingcoincideswiththetownship，isformedonaterritorialbasis，asitwere，sothatwemayfindavillagecalledatithing。(23*)
Thisleadstotheinference，thatthegroupingintotenswasbutanapproximateone，andthisviewisfurthersupportedbythefactthatwehearofbodiesoftwelvealongwiththoseoften。(24*)
Astoattendingthemeeting，ageneralrulewasenforcedtothateffect，thatthepeasantrymustattendinpersonandnotbyreasonoftheirtenure。(25*)Butasitwasoutofthequestiontodriveallthemenofadistricttothemanorialcentresonsuchdays，exceptionsofdifferentkindsarefrequent。(26*)Besidesthewomenandchildren，thepersonalattendantsofthelordgetexempted，andalsoshepherds，ploughboys。andmenengagedindrivingwaggonsladenwithcorn。Servantsandalienswereconsideredasunderthepledgeofthepersonwithwhomtheywerestaying。
Theaimofitswholearrangementwastoensurethemaintenanceofpeace，andthereforeeverybodywasboundonenteringthetithingtoswear，notonlythathewouldkeepthepeace，butthathewouldconcealnothingwhichmightconcernthepeace。(27*)Itisnaturalthatsuchameetingasthatheldfortheviewoffrank-pledgeshouldbegintoassumepolicedutiesandacertaincriminaljurisdiction。MrMaitlandhasshownhow，byitsintimateconnexionwiththesheriff’stourn，theinstitutionoffrank-pledgewasmadetoservethepurposeofcommunalaccusationinthetimeofHenryII。TheAssizeofClarendon)gavetheimpulseinregardtotheSheriff’sCourt，andprivatelordsfollowedspeedilyonthesameline，althoughtheycouldnotcopythepatterninallitsdetails，andthesystemofdoublepresentmentdescribedbyBrittonandFletaprovedtoocumbersomefortheirsmallcourtswithonlyafewfreeholdersonthem。InanycasethejurisdictionoftheCourtLeetispracticallyformedinthetwelfthcentury，andtheQuoWarrantoinquiriesofthethirteenthonlybringoutitsdistinctionsmoreclearly。
ThequestionsastotheoppositionbetweenCourtBaronandCustomaryCourtaremoreintricateandmoreimportant。MrMaitlandhascollectedagooddealofevidencetoprovethatthedivisiondidnotexistoriginally，andthatwehavebeforeusinthethirteenthcenturyonlyonestrictlymanorialcourt，the’halimotum。’Imaysay，thatIcametothesameconclusionmyselfintheRussianeditionofthepresentworkquiteindependentlyofhisargument。IndeedasomewhatintimateacquaintancewiththeearlyCourtRollsmustnecessarilyleadtothisdoctrine。Ifsomedistinctionsaremade，theytouchuponadifferencebetweenordinarymeetingsandthosewhichwereheldunderexceptionalcircumstancesandattendedbyagreaternumberofSuitorsthanusual。Theexpression’liberacuria’whichmeetsussometimesinthedocumentsisanexactparallelwiththatof’freegallows，’
andmeansacourtheldfreelybythelordandnotacourtoffreemen。MrMaitlandadds，thathehasfoundmentionofacourtofvillainsandoneofknights，butthathenevercameacrossacourtofbaronsinthesensegiveninlaterjurisprudencetotheterm’CourtBaron。’HereImustputinatriflingqualificationwhichdoesnotaffecthismainpositionintheleast。TheIntroductiontotheSeldenSociety’ssecondvolume，whichisourgreatestauthorityonthissubject，mentionsacasewhenthehalimotwasactuallydividedontheprinciplelaiddownbyCokeandlaterlawyersgenerally。ImeanthecaseofSteyning，wheretheAbbotholdsaseparatecourtforfreetenantsandanotherforhisvillains。TheinstancebelongstothetimeoftheEdwards，butitismarkedasaninnovationandabadone。(29*)Itshows，however，thattheseparationofthecourtswasbeginningtosetin。TheSteyningcaseisnotquiteanisolatedone。IhavefoundintheHundredRollstheexpressionSockemanemottodesignateacourtattendedbyfreesokemen，(30*)anditmaybesuggestedthattheformationoftheso-calledCourtBaronmayhavebeenfacilitatedbythepeculiarconstitutionandcustomsofthosecourtswheretheunfreeelementwasalmostentirelyabsent。TheDanishshiresandKentcouldnotbutexerciseacertaininfluenceontheadjoiningcounties。Howeverthismightbe，thegeneralruleis，undoubtedly，thatnodivisionisadmitted，andthatallthesuitorsandaffairsareconcentratedintheonemanorialcourt——thehalimot。
Itmetgenerallyonceeverythreeweeks，butithappenssometimesthatitiscalledtogetherwithoutadefinitelimitoftimeatthepleasureofthelord。(31*)CaseslikethatofthemanorsoftheAbbeyofRamsey，inwhichthecourtsaresummonedonlytwiceayear，arequiteexceptional，andintheinstancecitedthefacthastobeexplainedbytheexistenceofanuppercourtfortheseestates，thecourtofthehonourofBroughton。(32*)Thecommonsuitorsarethepeasantslivingwithinthemanor——theownersofholdingsinthefieldsofthemanor。
Inimportanttrials，whenfreemenareconcerned，orwhenathiefhastobehanged，suitorsarecalledinfromabroad——mostlysmallfreetenantswhohaveenteredintoanagreementaboutacertainnumberofsuitstothecourt。(33*)Theseforeignsuitorsappearonceeverysixweeks，twiceayear，forspecialtrialsuponaroyalwrit，forthehangingofthieves，(34*)etc。Thedutyofattendingthecourtisconstantlymentionedinthedocuments。
Itinvolvedundoubtedlygreathardships，expense，andlossoftime：nowonderthatpeopletriedtoexemptthemselvesfromitasmuchaspossible。(35*)Chartersrelatingtolandprovideforallmannerofcasesrelatingtosuitofcourt。Wefinditsaid，forinstance，thatatenantmustmakehisappearanceonthenextdayaftergettinghissummons，evenifitwasbroughttohimatmidnight。(36*)Whenaholdingwasdividedintoseveralparts，themostcommonthingwasthatonesuitremainedduefromthewhole。(37*)Allthesedetailsarebynomeanswithoutimportance，becausetheyshowthatfiscalreasonshadasmuchtodowiththearrangementofthesemeetingsasrealinterests：everycourtgaverisetoanumberoffinesfromsuitorswhohadmadedefault。
Theprocedureofthehalimotwasruledbyancientcustom。Allforeignelementsintheshapeofadvocatesorprofessionalpleaderswereexcluded。Suchpeople，wearetoldbythemanorialinstructions，breedlitigationanddead-letterformalism，whereastrialsoughttobeconductedandjudgedaccordingtotheirsubstance。(38*)Anotherceremonialpeculiarityofsomeinterestconcernstheplacewheremanorialcourtsareheld。Itiscertainthattheancientgem髏swereheldintheopenair，asMrGommeshowsinhisbookonearlyfolk-mots。AndweseeasurvivalofthecustominthemeetingwhichusedtobeheldbythesocmenofStoneleighonMotstowehill。(39*)Butinthefeudalperiodtherightplacetoholdthecourtwasthemanorialhall。Wefindindeedthatthefourwallsofthisroomareconsideredastheformallimitofthecourt，sothatamanwhohassteptwithinthemandhasthengoneoffwithoutsufficientreasonischargedwithcontemptofcourt。(40*)Indeed，theverynameof’halimot’
canhardlybeexplainedotherwisethanasthemootheldinthehall。(41*)Thepointisofsomeinterest，becausethehallisnotregardedasapurelymaterialcontrivanceforkeepingpeopleprotectedagainstthecoldandtherain，butappearsincloseconnexionwiththemanor，andasitscentreandsymbol。
Wehearverylittleofhusbandryarrangementsmadebythecourts，(42*)andevenoftherepartitionofdutiesandtaxes。(43*)Entriesrelatingtotheelectionofofficersaremorefrequent，(44*)butthelargestpartoftherollsistakenupbylegalbusinessofallsorts。
Theentirecourt，andsometimesabodyoftwelvejurors，presentthosewhoareguiltyofanyoffenceormisdemeanour。
