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 A HISTORY OF RUTLAND An interesting case of the abuse of wardship occurred at the manor of 'Wode- heved,' when the friends of the heir of Thomas Gredlay complained that the king's son Edmund, to whom the king (Henry III) had granted the wardship, 'had distributed the same among his friends {familiares), who neglect to furnish the heir as is fitting.''* Besides the gain arising from rent, services, and the various money pay- ments already noticed, lords of manors had profits from the tolls of mills, markets, and fairs, and from the pleas and perquisites of court. These profits of course varied according to the place. Thus at Oakham, in 1285, two mills (a water-mill and a windmill) were placed that year at farm for ^8.*^ In a later document *" we read that these mills were farmed in common by the tenants, the lord finding large wood for necessary repairs. In another it is distinctly stated that the mills were farmed by the neifs" (nat/vi). It is inter- esting to note that the same sum was paid both before and after the Black Death. The actual profits of the mills must have been very much reduced owing to the decrease in the population, but the farm was not lowered on that account. At Langham the farm of a windmill was ^^4.*^ At Greetham** the windmill was worth 20s. per year, and the water-mill loj. At Ashwell, in the year 131 5, the windmill was worth 20s.,** but in the year 1370 the value is given as 43J. 4.^.*^ These were large values, as compared with those of mills in some other manors, as in Essendine, where the water-mill was worth IOJ-. a year, and ' no more because ruinous and broken down,' " in Barrow,*^ where the windmill was worth i 3^. 4^., and at Barrowden,** where the water- mill was also worth i 3J. 4^'. Markets and fairs were not very numerous in Rutland during this early period. Overton and Oakham appear to have been the only market towns during the reign of Henry III, Richard Earl of Cornwall receiving in 1252 a grant of a market and two annual fairs at Oakham, and Gilbert de Umfra- ville Earl of Angus in 1267 a grant of a market and fair at Overton.*** In 1 28 I Peter de Montford was granted a market at Uppingham.*"' Emping- ham had a grant of a market and fair in 131 8, and Belton, Barrowden, and Burley during the reign of Edward III.*' The farm of the tolls and fines of Oakham market and fair amounted to £22, the market being worth ^18 and the fair loos.^" These sums included the profits of the 'portmot'" and of the assize of bread and ale. It is evident that the portmot took the place of the pie-powder court, the town not being of sufficient importance to have a special pie-powder court at its annual fair. In Rutland the three-field system was the prevailing system of agricul- ture. In various documents dealing with manorial details it is distinctly " Inq. p.m. Hen. Ill, file 40, no. 19 ; Ca/. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Com.), i, 786. " Mins. Accts. bdle. 964, no. I. " Inq. p.m. 14 Edw. Ill (2nd nos.), no. 67. " Ibid, file 49, no. 29. " Ibid. 8 Edw. II, no. 40. " Rentals and Surv. R. (P.R.O.), 806, m. I. " Inq. p.m. 8 Edw. Ill (ist nos.), no. 66. " Ibid. 9 Edw. II, file 47, no. 49. *' Ibid, file 49, no. 30. «"' Ibid. 9 Edw. I, no. 46. " Rtp. on Market Rights and Tolls, 1 889. '" Mins. Accts. bdle. 964, no. 2 ; Inq. p.m. 14 Edw. Ill (2nd nos.), no. 67. " The town court. 216
 * " Inq. p.m. 14EJW. Ill (2nd nos.), no. 67. *' Mins. Accts. bdle. 964, no. 4..
 * ^ Ch.irt. R. 36 Hen. Ill, m. 10 ; ibid. 51 Hen. Ill, m. 2.