Custumal of 1337/38

The 1337/38 Custumal of Ilmer held in the national archives SC 11/79

Transcribed and translated from medieval latin by AI

In the eleventh year of the reign of King Edward the Third after the conquest of England, on Thursday in Easter week, in the year of the Lord one thousand three hundred and thirty-seven.

An inquisition taken at Ilmer on the Wednesday next after the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord in the eleventh year of the reign of King Edward the Third after the Conquest, by virtue of a certain writ of the lord king directed to the justices to inquire about the customs and services of the tenants of the manor of Ilmer, and who the tenants are, and how much land each holds, and by what services.

John, son of Nicholas, holds one virgate of land in bondage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service, namely for the Thressemann one division of hay at the valley of Ilmer between the land of Richard le Fevre and the land formerly of Robert le Chapman. Also he ought to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever he mows with the whole tenement of the lord he ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also he ought at the task of the lord to carry grain for four days with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he ought for the lord's carriage the day after the feast of Saint Martin to Warhull to the amount of one cart with four beasts and one man for one meal from the lord, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he owes for the sheriff's aid two pence at the view of the steward. Also he owes merchet for his daughter and heriot after death, and he cannot sell wood nor cut down nor fell without the lord's license.

Alice atte Grene holds half a virgate of land in bondage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service, namely to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever she mows with the whole tenement of the lord she ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also she ought at the task of the lord to carry grain for two days with the lord's meal, and if she does not eat then she ought to have half an obol. Also she ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if she does not eat then she ought to have half an obol. Also she owes for the sheriff's aid one penny at the view of the steward. Also she owes merchet for her daughter and heriot after death, and she cannot sell wood nor cut down nor fell without the lord's license.

John atte Grene holds half a virgate of land in bondage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service, namely to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever he mows with the whole tenement of the lord he ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also he ought at the task of the lord to carry grain for two days with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have half an obol. Also he ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have half an obol. Also he owes for the sheriff's aid one penny at the view of the steward. Also he owes merchet for his daughter and heriot after death, and he cannot sell wood nor cut down nor fell without the lord's license.

Richard le Fevre holds one virgate of land in bondage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service, namely for the Thressemann one division of hay at the valley of Ilmer between the land of John, son of Nicholas, and the land formerly of John le Chapman. Also he ought to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever he mows with the whole tenement of the lord he ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also he ought at the task of the lord to carry grain for four days with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he ought for the lord's carriage the day after the feast of Saint Martin to Warhull to the amount of one cart with four beasts and one man for one meal from the lord, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he owes for the sheriff's aid two pence at the view of the steward. Also he owes merchet for his daughter and heriot after death, and he cannot sell wood nor cut down nor fell without the lord's license.

Richard, son of Geoffrey, holds one virgate of land in bondage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service, namely for the Thressemann one division of hay at the valley of Ilmer between the land formerly of Robert le Chapman and the land of Walter le Bonde. Also he ought to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever he mows with the whole tenement of the lord he ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also he ought at the task of the lord to carry grain for four days with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he ought for the lord's carriage the day after the feast of Saint Martin to Warhull to the amount of one cart with four beasts and one man for one meal from the lord, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he owes for the sheriff's aid two pence at the view of the steward. Also he owes merchet for his daughter and heriot after death, and he cannot sell wood nor cut down nor fell without the lord's license.

Walter le Bonde holds one virgate of land in bondage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service, namely for the Thressemann one division of hay at the valley of Ilmer between the land of Richard, son of Geoffrey, and the land of Robert le Chapman. Also he ought to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever he mows with the whole tenement of the lord he ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also he ought at the task of the lord to carry grain for four days with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he ought for the lord's carriage the day after the feast of Saint Martin to Warhull to the amount of one cart with four beasts and one man for one meal from the lord, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he owes for the sheriff's aid two pence at the view of the steward. Also he owes merchet for his daughter and heriot after death, and he cannot sell wood nor cut down nor fell without the lord's license.

Robert le Chapman holds one virgate of land in bondage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service, namely for the Thressemann one division of hay at the valley of Ilmer between the land of Walter le Bonde and the land of John, son of Nicholas. Also he ought to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever he mows with the whole tenement of the lord he ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also he ought at the task of the lord to carry grain for four days with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he ought for the lord's carriage the day after the feast of Saint Martin to Warhull to the amount of one cart with four beasts and one man for one meal from the lord, and if he does not eat then he ought to have one obol. Also he owes for the sheriff's aid two pence at the view of the steward. Also he owes merchet for his daughter and heriot after death, and he cannot sell wood nor cut down nor fell without the lord's license.

William of Studley holds one cottage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever he mows with the whole tenement of the lord he ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also he ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have half an obol. Also he owes for the sheriff's aid one halfpenny at the view of the steward.

John Pynel holds one cottage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever he mows with the whole tenement of the lord he ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also he ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have half an obol. Also he owes for the sheriff's aid one halfpenny at the view of the steward.

Thomas Smyth holds one cottage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever he mows with the whole tenement of the lord he ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also he ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have half an obol. Also he owes for the sheriff's aid one halfpenny at the view of the steward.

Richard atte Welle holds one cottage and owes per year for the lord's work by custom and service to mow with the whole tenement of the lord the next week after the feast of Saint John the Baptist for one meal from the lord, and whenever he mows with the whole tenement of the lord he ought to have one sheaf of grain. Also he ought at three boon-works of autumn with the lord's meal, and if he does not eat then he ought to have half an obol. Also he owes for the sheriff's aid one halfpenny at the view of the steward.

Summary of tenants in bondage: five virgates of land and four cottages.

Concerning the free tenants.

The Prior of Tickford holds for one hide of land with appurtenances by service per year for two suits of court.

William Trussel holds for half a hide of land with appurtenances by service per year for one suit of court.

John de Molyns holds for half a hide of land with appurtenances by service per year for one suit of court.

Geoffrey de Hotham holds for one virgate of land with appurtenances by service per year for one suit of court.

The jurors who say upon their oath who are the tenants in bondage and how much land each of them holds and by what services say upon their oath as above.

And who are the free tenants and how much land each of them holds and by what services say upon their oath as above.

Given at Ilmer on the day and year aforesaid.

A second inquisition taken at Ilmer on the day and year aforesaid by the oath of John de Thornecombe, Walter le Bonde, Robert le Chapman, Richard le Fevre, John son of Nicholas, Richard son of Geoffrey, Richard atte Welle, Thomas Smyth, John Pynel, William de Stodleye, John atte Grene, Alice atte Grene, jurors who say upon their oath that every customary tenant having one virgate of land ought to plough two acres of land for the lord's winter sowing with his own plough and at his own expense except for the lord's victuals, and each acre is worth six pence to the lord. Also he ought to harrow one acre of land at his own expense. Also he ought to reap at the autumn half an acre of the lord's wheat by task and will find one person to collect and bind the sheaves and will have one sheaf. Also he ought to reap half an acre of the lord's barley by task and will find one person to collect and bind the sheaves and will have one sheaf. Also he ought to lift the lord's grain and carry it to the lord's grange at his own expense, one cartload each day. Also he owes two works between Easter and the Gule of August to weed the lord's grain for three days with the lord's meal, and each day he will have one meal. Also he owes two works between the Gule of August and the feast of Saint Michael to mow the lord's meadow for three days with the lord's meal, and each day he will have one meal. Also he owes one work between the feast of Saint Michael and Christmas to carry the lord's hay for one day with the lord's meal. Also he owes four works between Christmas and Easter to carry the lord's timber for four days with the lord's meal, and each day he will have one meal. Also he owes three boon-works of autumn with the whole tenement of the lord and each will have one loaf of bread and cheese and one gallon of beer. Also he owes carriage service for the lord to any part of the county of Buckinghamshire for two days with two horses and a cart and each day he will have two loaves of bread and cheese and one gallon of beer. And if his horse becomes ill at the first stop, then the lord will find another horse to carry further. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Warhull for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Aylesbury for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Nottele for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Thornecombe for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Ludgarshall for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at la More for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Chilton for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Dorton for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Brill for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Stone for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Waddesdone for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Weston for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Chetwode for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Tingewyke for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Padbury for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Lillingstone for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Stoke Goldyngton for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Newport Paynel for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Bradewelle for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Olneye for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Raveneston for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Weston Underwode for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. Also he owes to carry the lord's fuel at Tynghurst for one day with one cart and four beasts and will have one meal. And if it happens that any of the customary tenants sell their land within the aforesaid manor, then the lord will have three pence for the entry of each piece of land.