Page:VCH Essex 1.djvu/430

 A HISTORY OF ESSEX (four batches of 25 apiece) and see that the number of villani and bordaril has risen from 1,486 to 1,894, while the number of servi has fallen from 423 to 303. We make another experiment with a hundred entries. This gives the following result : A.D. IO66 A.D. IO86 Villani 1,273 I > 2 47 Bordarii 810 1,241 Servi 384 312 This decrease in the number of servi seems to be pretty evenly distributed throughout the county. 1 As this feature of the county survey has attracted so much attention, I give here some selected types, inviting attention to the fact that, apart from the proportion of the classes, the total number of the peasantry shows an almost steady increase. LANGHAM PANFIELD V. B. S. Total V. B. S. Total (1066) (1086) 22 17 9 27 4

= 35 = 44 (1066) (1086) 10 8 8 15 8 7 = 26 = 30 GREAT BARDFIELD FOBBING V. B. S. Total V. B. S. Total (1066) (1086) 24 20 7 22 8 8 = 39 = So (1066) (1086) 8 3 8 22 12 6 = 28 = 3 1 SAMPFORD ELMSTEAD V. B. S. Total V. B. S. Total (1066) (1086) 23 14 2 18 6 4 = 3 1 = 36 (1066) (1086) H 3i 36 6 i = 51 = 50 RAYLEIGH MOTLEY V. B. S. Total V. B. S. Total (1066) (1086) 21 6 6 15 2 2 = 29 = 23 (1066) (1086) 10 6 3 16 9 4 = 22 = 26 The only unvarying feature here is the marked increase in ' bordars,' even when the total decreases and even when the serfs are stationary. The two cases which follow are examples of an increase, instead of a decrease, in the number of villeins, significantly concurrent with an increase in the ' men's plough-teams ' and a decrease in those on the lord's demesne. (MERKS IN) GREAT DUNMOW Lord's Men's V. B. S. Total teams teams (io66) 3
 * 3

10 = 13 3 I (1086) 1 3 9 4 = 26 2 3 LANGENHOE Lord's Men's V. B. S. Total teams teams (1066) 5 7 12 = 24 5 I* (1086) 9 7 8 = 24 3 2 It is a safe generalization to say that the typical Essex manor exhibits a marked increase of bordars, at the cost of the classes above and below 1 Domes Jay Book and Beyond, p. 3 5. 360