Page:History of the German people at the close of the Middle Ages vol1.djvu/334

 322 HISTORY OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE Each member of these associate villages, whether lay or civil, with or without a tax, had rights on the common district as well as in the particular portion owned by him individually. 1 In the fifteenth century the privileges of the mem- bers of these communal villages consisted in c acorning ' (i.e. sending their animals into the forest to eat acorns), pasture, and wood rights. Eegular days were assigned for the cutting and carrying of wood, when each house- holder, under the direction of an overseer, took what he required for building and burning, for fencing, for his vineyard, and any other purposes. As the live stock formed a very important feature of the farmer's possessions, great care was bestowed upon the pasturage. In most cases the number of cattle to be owned by each farmer was explicitly settled by law. To those inhabitants of the communal villages who did not enjoy full membership, such as artisans, certain privileges were accorded. They were allowed to graze a goat, a pig, or a cow on the common land. The very poor were given as alms either the produce of a fruit tree or the right to cultivate a small garden within the district for a longer or shorter period, besides a place to build. In many confederate villages building- and fire- wood was given to this latter class. In certain places a woman at childbirth, whether she belonged to the community or not, was allowed a certain amount of firewood, which was doubled if the child was a boy. Such allowances were called ' friendly offerings to those who stand in need of our assistance,' and to a certain extent they were bestowed on travellers also. 1 This made the robbery of Church property in the sixteenth century also a robbery of the poor, who lost their benefits from the Almende.