VILLAGE NAMES 67
found plenty of work for a skilled man who could repair and
build the ploughs, carts, harrows and other agricultural imple-
ments, as well as oversee, and carry out the more difficult pieces *
of joinery needed for the medieval house. Contemporary account-
rolls almost universally contain entries of payments made to both
the smith and the carpenter for work of this kind.1 Similarly,
on these Sussex manors, we find many other small holders who
were of some consequence to the easy working of the village. We
have Robert of the Mill, holding three acres about the mill as
well as one acre he has assarted, for which he makes an annual
cash payment, but also has to attend the harvest boon work as
one of the officials.2 Such names among these smaller men as
Robert Mason (cementarius), Adam Baker (pistor) or Geoffrey
Weaver (teoctor) are indicative of the way in which these men
found a living for themselves.3
These detailed accounts of the conditions on one or two
manors are confirmed by a recent extensive examination of the
Hundred Rolls.
Names and nicknames of the villagers suggest that they did not all
live on the yield of the land (writes Professor Kosminsky). Crafts con-
nected with the manufacture of textiles are indicated by such names as
Draper, Comber, Fuller, Napper, Cissor, Parmentarius, Tailur,
Tinclor, Textor, Textrix; with metal-work, by such names as Faber,
Ironmonger, le Ferrour; with leatherwork, by such names as Tannur,
Sulor, Corduanarius; with woodwork, building and carpentry, by
such names as Carpentaria, Couper, Cementarius, Masun, Pictor;
or with food-production, by names such as Cornificus, Cocus,
Braciator, Baker, Pistor, Espicer----Rural pursuits other than agri-
cultural are indicated by such names as Bercarius, Gardiner, Grazier,
Porker, Vaccarius, Piscator, Venator. Of course, not every Taylor
engaged in tailoring, and not every Cooper made vats.4
Nevertheless these names are indicative of the occupations which
1 Sussex Rec. Soc. xxxi, 100; Neilson, Ramsey, 79.
2 Ibid, xxxi, 65; cf. 21, 38.
3 Ibid, xxxi, 38, 97; cf. Knoop and Jones, The Medieval Mascm, 107, 108.
A great deal of evidence on these lines is available in any of the Cartularies or
Rentals. See, for example, Glastonbury Rentaliat 34 (R. Carpentaria holds
only two acres of assarted land); 93 (R. Taillur, J. Textor and W. Pistor all
have small holdings and few duties). Ramsey Cart. I, 329 (Smith and
Carpenter); 351 (Carpenter); 391 (Cooper and Carpenter) etc.
4 Kosminsky, "The Hundred Rolls of 1279-80", Econ. Hist. Rev. vol. in,
No. i, p. 36. Or see for one occupation only the wide distribution of bakers
in Wore. Hist. Soc. Collectanea, 1912,
5'*