CARRYING SERVICES 109
Apart from all this, which was mainly work round about the
village, the serf was liable to render carrying services both in or
out of the manor if required. On many manors it was necessary
to carry the corn and other produce either to the lord's residence
(often in another manor or part of the county), or else to the
nearest market town where it could be sold. This carriage was
performed by the serfs—those with large holdings being obliged
to lend their horses and carts for the purpose, while the smaller
holders were forced to carry on their backs (super dor sum). In
some surveys we find it stated clearly that so many days of such
work are required, and also the distances or places are named.
For example, on one Ramsey manor a man might be forced to
carry to a distance of twenty leagues,1 while on another Ramsey
manor he could stop after going only twelve.2 On yet another
of these manors a serf was obliged to carry to Ramsey, London,
Ware or Cambridge as required, but he was compensated by
food and relaxation of other works for his journeys to London
and Ramsey.3 Again, the serf on some manors only carried when
his turn came round,4 or after he had had a day off to get his cart
ready.5
On manors such as those of the Canons of St Paul's, or the
monks of Battle, these carting services outside the manor were
peculiarly heavy, since an old system still prevailed whereby each
manor had the duty of sending its produce from time to time to
the lord's residence. On the St Paul's manors, for example, this
was carried by the peasants secundum quantitatem tenement^ and
several times a year by cart, or sometimes by boat, they had to
bring food to London.6 Even the smaller holders were not
exempt, for they were compelled to help load the boats, or drive
the swine to London.7 Similarly on the Battle manors, or those
of the Bishop of Durham and elsewhere, the peasants were con-
tinually moving to and fro in order to provide food and corn for
the use of their lords,8 since these large households, with their
1 Ramsey Cart. I, 50; cf. Glas. Rentalia, 165 (20 leagues).
2 Op. cit. I, 56; cf. Glas. Rentalia, 136 (15 leagues).
8 Op. cit. i, 46. * Glas. Rentalia, 161.
5 Op. cit. 83. 6 D.S.P. 17, 34, 47, 68.
7 Op. cit. 27, 68.
8 Battle Cust. 122; Hatfielfs Survey, 4, 8, 38, 99, etc. And cf. Oust. Roff.
2, 9.