Page:History of the German people at the close of the Middle Ages vol1.djvu/326

 314 HISTORY OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE possession by the lord of the soil or by his representa- tive. Before this investiture the incoming party made an oath of allegiance which bound him to all the required conditions. With this oath of allegiance began the duty of the lord to protect the property of the tenant and to provide for him in case of war, famine, or other great calamity. Although ' bound to the soil,' the tenant could, without the permission of the lord, send his children or members of his family into the service of other masters, or into cities or villages, where they could earn the right of citizenship. Should the tenant wish to leave the manor, he had to discharge all outstanding rent or service, settle with his creditors, and publicly, sometimes at the church on Sunday, announce his intention. He must leave ' in full day- light ' — that is, openly. ' His preparations,' prescribes the law, ' must be made by daylight ; the fire must be extinguished before sunset. In the evening his goods or baggage must be put upon a waggon, the pole of which pointed in the direction in which he intended going, and then he was to be accompanied on the road by many.' 1 Former tenants could return to their holdings by re- assuming the imposed conditions. 2 The rentals of manor tenants were generally very moderate, and often paid in kind or in services whose 1 WeistJiuvi des Hofes Prouzfeld bei Pruim, 1476 ; Niedecluren, 1469 ; Tablatt, 1471 ; Grimm, Weisthilmer, ii. p. 558, L. 219-225. Among the regulations of the Abbey of Alpirsbach we find the following : ' The tenant, having paid his obligations, may go where he will. The bailiff shall take leave of him with the words, " Go, in the name of God ; should it be to your advantage to return, come. You will find us what you have already found us " ' (Grimm, i. 376). 2 The Weisthilmer of 1477, 1518; Grimm, i. 292 ; Maurer, Fronhofe, iii. pp. 134-137. At the beginning of the sixteenth century many landlords gave their tenants complete freedom.