Deed Illustrating the Distribution of Strips [Ancient Deeds, B 4397], 1397.
To all Christ's faithful to whom the present writing shall come, Morgan Gogh, greeting in the Lord. Know ye that I have demised, granted and by this my present writing indented confirmed to John Druwere a cottage with a curtilage situate in Modbury between the cottage of John Janekyns on the east side and the tenement of Thomas Cobbe on the west side, and three acres, one rood of arable land lying in the fields of Modbury, whereof one acre lies in Brokeryg between the lord's land on either side, one acre in Totecombe between the lord's land and the land of Thomas Cobbe, three roods in Brokeryg between the lord's land and the land of William Cockes, a half acre there between the land of Thomas Cobbe and the land of Ralph Smale, and a half acre of meadow lies in Sturtilmede between the meadow of Gilbert Scolemaystre on either side, with pasture for one plough-beast and two draught-beasts in common; which land, meadow and pasture John Pipere lately held for term of his life; to have and to hold all the aforesaid cottage with the curtilage, land, meadow, and pasture, to the aforesaid John for term of his life, of me and my heirs or my assigns freely, quietly, well and in peace, rendering therefor yearly to the aforesaid Morgan and his heirs or his assigns 3s. 4d. sterling at the four principal terms of the year by equal portions for all services, saving the royal service, and doing suit to my court yearly upon reasonable summons. … Nor shall it be lawful for the aforesaid John to demise to any man the said cottage, with the curtilage, land, meadow and pasture, as well in parcels as in whole, during his life, under penalty of loss of the aforesaid cottage with all its appurtenances. … In witness whereof the parties aforesaid have interchangeably set their seals to these indentures. These witnesses:—Richard Pokeswell, Thomas Wodham, Robert Grey, John Hunte, John Iryssh and many others. Given at Modbury on Thursday next after Michaelmas, 21 Richard II.
4. Regulation of the Common Fields of Wimeswould [Hist. MSS. Com., Middleton MSS., p. 106], c. 1425.
For neat [i.e. cattle] pasture we ordain Orrow and Breches, Woldsyke and Wylougbybroke, for to be broken[119] on Crowchemesseday [14 September]; and whoso break this, every man shall pay for each beast that may be taken in any other several pasture a penny to the church; therefor to go a sevennightday [i.e., to endure for a week].
Also, for the neat pasture, after that be eaten, all the wheatfield, to wit, Hardacre field namely, save Strete headlands, where they may not go for destroying of corn; this for to endure another sevennightday under the pain beforesaid.
Also, on Holy Thursday eve we ordain the commons of the Peasfield for horses to be broken, and no other beasts to come therein. For if there be any man that have any horse that is feeble and may not do his work for fault of meat, and this may reasonably be known, let him relieve of his own, so that he save his neighbour from harm, for if any man may … which beasts 'lose' in corn or in grass, he shall for each beast pay a penny to the church, and make amends to his neighbour.
Also, on Whitsun eve every man [shall] break his several pasture as he likes, and no man tie his horse on other … his own for to be several till Lammas, each man to eat his own, under the pain beforesaid.
Furthermore, if any man … plough-oxen for to be relieved on his several grass, let him tie them in his best manner or hold them in, as other men do their horses … on no other man's grass going to or fro abroad, as they will pay for each beast a penny to the church and make [amends] … to him that has the harm.
Also, if any man tie his horse or reach on any headlands or by brookside into any man's corn, he shall make amends to him that has the harm, and for each foot that is within the corn pay a penny to the church.
Also if any man shall be taken at night time destroying other corn or grass, he shall be punished as the law will, and pay 4d. to the church.
Also, all manner of men that have any pease in the field when codding time comes, let them cod in their own lands and in no other man's lands. And other men or women that have no peas of their own growing, let them gather them twice in the week on Wednesday and on Friday, reasonably going in the land-furrows and gathering with their hands and with no sickles, once before noon and no more, for if any man or woman other that has any peas of his own and goes into any other, for each time [he shall] pay a penny to the church and lose his cods, and they that have none and go oftener than it is before said, with sickle or without, shall lose the vessel they gather them in and the cods, and a penny to the church.
Also, no man with common herd nor with shed herd [shall] come on the wold after grass be mown till it be made and led away, but on his own, and then let them go all together in God's name; and if they do, each man pay for his quantity of his beasts a certain to the church, that is for to say, a penny for each beast.
Also, if there be any man that throws in any sheaves on any land for to tie on his horses, he shall make a large amends to them that have the harm, and for each foot pay a penny to the church, but on his own. Furthermore, if any man tie his horse in any stubble and it be mown in reasonable time [he] shall pay the aforesaid pain.
Also, if any man may be taken at nighttime in the field with cart or with bearing of any other carriage in unreasonable time between bell and bell [he shall] pay 40d. to the church, save as thus, if any man in peas harvest, he and his servants, in furthering of his work and saving of his corn, bind at morning or till it be moonshine, all other works at nighttime except, save this.
Also, all manner labourers that dwell in the town and have commons among us shall work harvest work and other works for their hire reasonable as custom is, and not to go to other towns but if they have no work or else no man speak to them, so that they may be excused, for if they do, they shall be chastised as the law will.
Also, no man or woman that works harvest work bear home no sheaves of no man's, but if [i.e. unless] they be given them well and truly, for if it may be wist, for each sheaf that they bear home without leave [they] shall pay a penny to the church.
Also, no man or woman glean no manner of corn that is able to work for his meat and twopence a day at the least to help to save his neighbour's corn; nor no other gleaners, that may not work, glean in no manner of wise among no sheaves, for if they do, they shall lose the corn and a penny to the church for each burden.
Also, neither common herd nor shed herd come in the wheat cornfield till the corn be led away, nor in the peas cornfield in the same wise till the peas be led away, and the common herd and shed herd may go together as they should do, on pain of each beast a penny to the church.
Also, that no man take away his beasts from the common herd from Michaelmas tide to Yule to go in the wheatfield to 'lose' the wheat, for if any man may take any beast therein, they shall pay for each beast a penny to the church as often as they may be taken destroying the corn, and the herd [shall pay] his hire.
Also, if our hayward pen a flock of neat of the country, he shall take six pence, for a flock of sheep four pence, and for each horse a penny.
And that our wold be laid in several at Candlemas, for if any herd let his beasts come thereon after, [he shall] pay for each time four pence to the church.
Also, whosoever has any meadows within the corns, my lord or any man else, let make them to 'dele' them out and take a profit of them on God's behalf, and whoso trespass, let make amends.[120]
[119] i.e. Thrown open for grazing.
[120] This document is defective, and at the best
