Onemorepointremainstobenoticed。Inordertomakeitclearwemustbywayofexceptionstartfromthearrangementsofalaterepochthanthatwhichwehavebeendiscussing。ThemanorofAstonandCote，whichmayhavebeencarvedoutwithseveralothersfromthemanorofBampton，presentsaverygoodinstanceofavillagemeetingwhichdoesnotcoincidewiththemanorialdivisions，andappearsconstructedonthelinesofavillagecommunitywhichhaspreserveditsunity，althoughseveralmanorshavegrownoutofit。ItwasstatedbythelordofthemanorofAstonandCotein1657，that’therehathbeenacustomtimeoutofmindthatacertainnumberofpersonscalledtheSixteen，orthegreaterpartofthem，haveusedtomakeorders，setpenalties，chooseofficers，andlotmeadows，anddoallsuchthingsasareusuallyperformedordoneinthecourtsbaronofothermanors。’Allthedetailsofthiscaseareinteresting，butweneednotgointothem，becausetheyhavebeensetoutwithsufficientcareintheexistingliterature，andsummedupbyMrGommeinhisbookontheVillageCommunity。(84*)Itisthemainpointwhichwemustconsider。Hereisanassemblymeetingtotransactlegalandeconomicbusiness，whichactsonthepatternofmanorialcourts。Andifnotamanorialcourt，whatisit？I
thinkitisdifficulttoescapetheconclusionthatitisameetingofthevillagecommunityoutsidethelinesofmanorialdivision。ThesuppositionthatitrepresentstheoldmanorofBampton，towhichAston，Cote，BamptonPogeys，BamptonPrioryaresubordinated，isentirelyinsufficienttoexplainthecase，becausethenweshouldnothavehadtorecognisenewmanorsinthefractionswhichweredetachedfromBampton，andtherewouldhavebeennocalltospeakofapeculiarassemblyassumingthecompetenceofacourtbaron——weshouldhavehadthemanorialcourtandthelordofBampton，andnottheSixteentospeakof。
Thefactispatentandsignificant。Itshowsbyitselfthattheremayhavebeencaseswherethevillagecommunityandthemanordidnotcoincide，andthevillagecommunityhadthebestofit。
Thefirstpropositiondoesnotadmitofdoubt。Itwasofquitecommonoccurrencethatthelandofonevillageshouldbebrokenupbetweenseveralmanors，althoughitsopenfieldsystemandallitshusbandryarrangementsremainedundivided。Thequestionarises，howwasthatsystemtowork？Therecouldbeexpressagreementbetweentheowners；(85*)ancientcustomandtheinterferenceofmanorialofficerschosenfromthedifferentpartscouldhelponmanyoccasions。Butitisimpossibletosuppose，inthelightoftheBamptoninstance，thatmeetingsmightnotsometimesexistinsuchdividedvillageswhichtookintotheirhandsthemanagementofthemanyeconomicquestionsarisingoutofcommonhusbandry：questionsabouthedges，rotationofcrops，commonableanimals，usageastowood，moor，pasture，andsoforth。Adiligentsearchinthecustomsofmanorsatalaterperiod，sayinthesixteenthandseventeenthcenturies，mustcertainlydiscloseanumberofsimilarinstances。Ourownmaterialdoesnothelpus，becauseitpassesoverquestionsofhusbandry，andtouchesmerelyjurisdiction，ownership，andtenant-right。Andsowemustrestrictourselftonoticetheopeningforaninquiryinthatdirection。
Suchaninquirymustalsodealwiththeconversepossibility，namely，thecasesinwhichthemanorissolargethatseveralvillageunitsfitintoit。Wemayfindveryfrequentlyinsomepartsofthecountrylargemanorswhicharecomposedofseveralindependentvillagesandhamlets。(86*)Onlargetractsoflandthesevillageswouldformseparateopenfieldgroups。Althoughtheeconomicevidenceisnotwithinourreachinearlytimes，wehaveindicationsofseparatevillagemeetingsunderthemanorialcourtevenfromthelegalpointofviewtakenbythecourt-rolls。
InseveralinstancestheentriesprintedinthesecondvolumeoftheSeldenSocietypublicationspointtotheactionoftownshipsasdistinctfromthemanorialcourt，andplacedunderit。InBroughtonamandistrainedfordefaultputshimselfontheverdictofthewholecourtandofthetownshipofHurst，bothvillainsandfreemen，thatheowesnosuittothecourtofBroughton，savetwiceayearandtoafforcethecourt。BeitnotedthatthecourtofHurstisdistinguishedfromthetownship，whichappearssubordinatedtoit，probablybecausetherewereothertownshipsinthemanorofHurst。Atthesametimethetownshipiscalledupontoactasanindependentunitinthematter。EvensointherollsofHemingford，thetownshipwhichformsthecentreofthemanorandgivesitsnametoit，issometimessingledoutfromtherestofthecourtasanorganisedcorporation。(87*)Whentownshipandtithingcoincided，asinthecaseofBrightwaltham，thetithinggetsopposedtothegeneralcourtinthesameway。(88*)Altogetherthecorporateunityoftownshipsiswellperceivablebehindthefeudalcoveringofthemanor。MrMaitlandsayswithperfectright，’themanorwasnotaunitinthegovernmentalsystem；thecountywassuchaunit，sowasthehundred。Soagainwasthevill，forthetownshiphadmanypolicedutiestoperform；itwasanamerciable，punishableunit；
notsothemanor，unlessitcoincidedwiththevill。’(89*)Andthenheproceedstosuggestthatthetrueexplanationofthemanoristhatitrepresentsanestatewhichcouldbeandwasadministeredasasingleeconomicandagrarianwhole。Iamunabletofollowhimentirelyastothislastpoint，becauseitseemsprettyclearthattheopenfieldarrangementsfollowedthedivisionintotownships，andnotthoseintomanors。Fromthepointofviewoftheservices，oftheconcentrationofdutiesofthetenantryinregardtothelord，themanorwasawhole，andforthisveryreasonitwasawholeasregardsgeldability，butthisisonlyonesideoftheeconomicstructureofsociety，theupperside，ifonemaybeallowedtosayso。Thearrangementofactualcultivationistheotherside，anditisrepresentedbythetownshipwithitscommunalopenfields。Nowinagreatmanycasestheestateandthecommunityfittedintoeachother；andoftheseinstancesthereisnoneedtospeakanyfurther。Butifbothdidnotfit，theagrarianunityisthetownshipandnotthemanor。Theopenfieldsystemappearsinthisconnexionasoutsidethemanor，andproceedingfromtheruralcommunitybyitself。
Letussumuptheresultsobtainedinthischapter。
1。Thevillagecommunitiescontainedinthemanorialsystemareorganisedonasystemofself-governmentwhichaffordsgreathelptothelordinmanyways，butcertainlylimitshispowermaterially，andreduceshimtothepositionofaconstitutionalruler。
Theoriginalcourtofthemanorwasoneandthebodyofitssuitorswasone。Thedistinctionbetweencourtsforfreetenantsandcustomarycourtsgrowsupverygraduallyinthefourteenthcentury，andlater。
3。Thestewardwasnottheonlyjudgeofthehalimot。Thejudgmentcamefromthewholecourt，anditssuitors，withoutdistinctionofclass，werenecessaryjudicialassessors。
Thecourtofancientdemesnepresentsthesameelementsastheordinaryhalimot，althoughitlaysgreaterstressonthecommunalsideoftheorganisation。
Theconveyancingentriesontherollsdonotprovethewantofrightonthepartofthepeasantholders。Onthecontrary，theygobacktoveryearlycommunalpractice。
Therulewhichmakestheexistenceofthemanordependentontheexistenceoffreesuitorsisderivedfromtheconceptionofthecourtasacourtoffreeandlawfulmen，takinginvillainsandexcludingslaves。
Themanorbyitselfistheestate；theruralcommunityandthejurisdictionofthesokearegenerallyfusedwithitintoonewhole；butinsomecasesthetwolatterelementsareseenemergingasindependentgrowthsfrombehindthemanorialorganisation。
AgoodspecimenoftheaccusationswhichmightbemadeagainstamanorialagentisaffordedbytheCourt-rollsoftheAbbeyofRamsey。Seld。Soc。
Seld。Soc。ii。22：’Etdicitcuriaquodtenementumetunaacraserviliscondicionissuntetunaacralibere。’
CoramRege，Pascha9Edw。I，34，6：’Messariusabbatisetmessariusvillate。’
OkeburnInqu。56(Add。MSS。24316)：’Eligeredebentunummessariumdeseipsisetdominideipsoelectopoteruntfacereprepositum。’
5。G1oucesterCart。iii。221：’Preposituseligeturpercommunitatemhalimotiquitalrineligantquiadsuamterrampropriamexcolendumetceterabonasuadiscreteetcircumspectetractandaidoneusmeritenotaturethabeatur，procuiusdrfectibusetabmittendistotumhalimotumrespondeat，nisiubiurgensnecessitasautcausaprobabilisilludhalimotumcoramlociballivorationabilempraetenderepoteritexcusationem。’CfWalterofHenley，ed。Lamond，pp。
Seld。Soc。ii。12：’Nicholausfiliussacerdotis。etRobertusdeMagedone。inmisericordiaquiacontradixerunttallagiumquodpositumfuitsupereospervicinossuos。’Glastonb。Inqu。of1189，p。33：’Totummaneriumredditdedonosolidoset4den。
sicuthominesvilleilludstatuunt。’
RamseyCart。i。401：’Suntinscotetinlotetinomnibuscumvillata。’SpaldingPrioryReg。，ColeMSS。xliii。p。283：’Liberetenenstacitfossatummarisetomnescommunasvillesecundumquantitatembouatae。’
RamseyCart。i。398：’HenricusleFremansolebatesseincommunavillatae，utintallagioetsimilibus。Nullaindefacit。’
p。394(avillagerdoesnotpayhispartofthetallage)，’quodquidemtallagiumtotavillataetadmagnumipsorumgravamenhucusquepersolvit。’
GlastonburyCart。，WoodMSS。i。fIII：’Sinulsoitenfraunchidesesouvragesdontlavilleestlepluscharge。’
Add。MSS。6159，f25，b：’DominusdebetinvenireduoshominessumptibussuiscorameisdemjusticiariisetvillatadeRodesumptibussuistreshominesinvenient。Ethocperconsuetudinematemporequononextatmemoriautdicitur。’CfDomesdayofSt。
Paul’s，15：’AlanusfiliusAlexandrideCassingburnetresvirgataspro20solidisetpreterhaec10acrasdevillataet10
dedominicoproptersectamsireethundrediquammodononfacit。’
CustumalofBleadon，257：’Invenitfabrumproferdellodominoettotivillae。’
ShaftesburyCart。，Harl。MSS。61，f。63：’Ibitadscotaliamdominesicutadscotaliamvicinorum。’
RamseyCart。i。425：’Poniturinrespectuquousquevideaturquomodosegeratversusdominumabbatemetsuosvicinos。’
Seld。Soc。ii。172：’AdistamcuriamvenittotacommunitasvillanorumdeBristwaltonetdesuameraetspontaneavoluntatesursumreddiditdominototumjusetclamiumquodidemvillanihabereclamabantracionecommuneinboscodominiquivocaturHemeleetlandiscircumadjacentibus，itaquodnecaliquidjurisvelclamiiracionecommuneinboscopredictoetlandiscircumadjacentibusexigere，vendicarevelhaberepoterintinperpetuum。EtprohacsursumreddicioneremisiteisdominusdesuagraciaspecialicommunamquamhabuitincampoquivocaturEstfeld，’etc。
15。AnnalsofDunstable(AnnalesMonast。)iii。379，380：’Etpriordicit，quodpraedictatenementaaliquotemporefueruntinseisinahominumvillatedeThodingdone，quiquidemhomines，unanimivoluntateetassensu，feofaveruntpraedictumSimonem，praedecessorempraedictiprioris，depraedictistenementis，tenendumeidemSimonietsuccessoribussuisinperpetuum。Juratidicunt。quodpraedictatenementaaliquotemporefueruntinseisinapraedictorumhominumvillataedeThodingdoneetquodomnesilli，quialiquidhabueruntinpraedictisduabusplaciisterrae，congregatiinunolocoadquandamcuriamapudThodingdonetentam，unanimiassensuconcesseruntpraedictoSymoni，quondampriorideDunstaple，praedecessoripriorisnunc，praedictasplaceasterrae，cumpertinentiis，tenendumeidemetsuccessoribussuisinperpetuum，reddendoindeeisdemhominibuseteorumhaeredibusperannumsexdenariostemporibusfalcacionisprati。’
Madox，FirmaBurgi，54，f。statimvisislitteriscapiatinmanumRegismaneriadeCochameetBray，quaesuntinmanibushominumpraedictorummaneriorum，etsalvocustodiat，itaquoddeincepsRegipossitresponderedefirmapraedictorummaneriorumadscaccarium。’54，g：’Miramurquamplurimumquod30s。quosmonachideLyradeelemosynanostraconstitutasingulisannispermanusballivorumvillaevestrae，antequampredietamvillamcaperitisadfirmamrecipere。’Cf
Hundr。ii。134：’BenmorejuxtaLangportfuitdedominicodominiRegispertinensadSumertonubiomneshominesdominiRegisdeSumerton，Sutton，PuttemetMernesolebantcommunicarecumomnimodisaveriissuis，setpernegligenciamvillanorumdeSumertonequimaneriumtunctemporisadfirmamtenueruntetHenricusdeUrtiacovetuseandemmoramsibiappropriavit。’
17。GloucesterCart。iii。181：’OmnesistivillanitenentdedominioquoddampratumquodvocaturHaycontinens23acrasetredduntindeperannum23solidos3denarios。’
Cf。ProfMaitland’sIntroductiontotherollsoftheAbbeyofRamsey。Seld。Soc。ii。87。
