Page:Wiltshire, Extracted from Domesday Book.djvu/25

[ xix ] at leat, trebled, ince the commencement of the lat century, in this kingdom, even though we hould uppoe no variation in the value of money; and that the tenants, though their rents have increaed in the ame proportion, have, notwithtanding, much better bargains at this time; live more comfortably; acquire more profits, and even pay their rents better, than they did at any prior period.

I hall endeavour to illutrate this aertion, by extracting a particular manor from Domeday; and, as I hall etimate the meaures and the preent value of it, by the rules above adopted, they will, if they hould be well founded, not only acertain the modern wrorth of the manor, but will alo prove the preciion, with which the urveyors, employed by William the Conqueror, executed their commiions.

I hall extract for this purpoe, the manor of Odtock, near Salibury, now the property of the Earl of Radnor; becaue, till within thee four years (ince which time a bill for incloing the manor has paed) it probably exhibited the ame appearances, as it did at the original urvey, and could not, from it's local ituation be otherwie benefited, except by the advantages it has received from an improved hubandry, and from the con-