Page:The child's pictorial history of England; (IA childspictorialh00corn).pdf/75

 9. I have already told you that the Feudal system was brought into England by the Saxons, and I explained what it was; but I must now mention that this system was carried much farther by the Normans, that is, their feudal laws were stricter, and the nobles themselves were bound by them as well as the common people.

10. I should wish you to understand this as clearly as possible, because the manners and customs of the age were governed entirely by those laws.

11. First, then, the king was lord of the land, and kept a great portion of it for himself, which made what were called crown lands; and all the people, who lived on the crown lands, whether in burgh, town, or country, were his tenants, and paid him rent, or taxes, both in money and produce, besides being obliged to furnish him with soldiers at their own expense.

12. For example, if a town had to find two or more horse-soldiers, the inhabitants were, besides, obliged to pay the expenses of their arms, horses and maintenance, for the time they were on service.

13. The Manors and Abbey lands were held of the king on the same conditions; and every man, who had a certain quantity of land, was bound