CONTENTS
General Preface page v
Author's Preface vii
Dedicatory Letter xvii
Prologue A faire felde ful of folke 1-26
Difficulties of the subject—An imaginary picture of medieval England—A
June morning, 1320—In the fields—Preparations for Church—The church*
yard—Within the Church—The Mass—After the service—Sunday at home—
The village green—-The " love-boon '*—Haymaking scenes—The evening
meal—Daily tasks—Further boons—The "mat! sheep"—The sporting
chance—The Manor Court—After the Court—The countryside
Chapter I The Church 2?~37
Importance of the Church—The Church militant—The fear of death—The
Poor Man's Bible—The village priest—"The Devil and all his works"—
Superstition—Magic—Popula r beliefs
Chapter II The Manor and its Cultivation 39-60
Rural England—Manor and village—The manorial "web"—The "common
fields"—Communal operations—Complicated holdings—Subdivision, of the
fields—Difficulties of cultivation—Village by-laws—Assarts—The meadows
—"Right of common"—The commons—The wastes
Chapter III The Manorial Population 61-73
Subdivisions of the peasantry—The undermannt-—JYhe village craftsmen-
Village names and nicknames—Need for the small tenants—Their character-
istic duties—The life of labour—The manorial system
Chapter IV The Peasant's Year 75-96
Difficulties of medieval agriculture—Thejwfaldae—Lack of manure—The
"exhaustion" theory—The fallows—The common fields—The yearly round
— Sowing—Harrowing — Haymaking — Harvesting —Winter work —Wet
weather occupations—Loss and gain—The livestock—Oxen, cows and sheep
—Pigs and poultry—Wild life—The peasant's resources
Chapter V Rents and Services 97-* 25
Servile burdens—" The custom of the manor "—-The customals—'* The power
of the lord'1—Week-work—A day's work—Works not demanded—Types of
services—"Boon" work—The "mad sheep"—Negligent services—Excuses
for absence—Observance of holy-days—Military service—The peasant and
war—Compulsion—A nation at arms