ii4 RENTS AND SERVICES
allowed the sick man, "but no more even though he is (still)
sick! "* The test of sickness is sometimes stated: the man has to
be so ill that he is unable to leave his house, or he is confined to
his bed,2 or even has to have the Sacrament before he can obtain
relief.3 These wide limits are evidence enough that no very clear
rule can be laid down. Every manor had evolved its own custom
in this matter; but common sense had realised that some con-
sideration must be shown to the sick, and the arrangements in
each manor were probably the result of common agreement be-
tween lord and serfs, and but seldom the autocratic decision of
the lord. Hence, on the various manors of the Abbot of Ramsey,
for example, we find the variety of arrangements outlined above.
Other causes such as bad weather, or attendance at some court
in the lord's interests, also exempted men from work at times;
but, in general, the custom seems to have operated more in
favour of the lord than of his serf. Often the work is only post-
poned : he has to come at another time when summoned to do his
share in the ploughing or reaping. As the customal on a manor of
the Bishop of Winchester runs: " If they (the serfs) be hindered
by rain, or in any other way, from doing their day's work, they
shall come on the morrow; and if they be hindered on the morrow
also, they shall come the day following, and so from day to day
until they have fully completed one day's work.''4 It may be
that this severity is only due to the urgency of getting in the
crops, or of ensuring that the ploughing is done in good time, as
there seems little clear evidence as to how the ordinary week-
work at other times was regulated. On the whole it seems that
the lord was far less strict outside the harvest season, as we may
see by noting the general arrangements about attendance at
courts and on holy-days.
Attendance at court, whether it was the ordinary manorial
court or that of the sheriff, excused a man his day's work; but if
the court day fell upon a holy-day some lords took advantage of the
1 Sussex Rec. Soc. xxxi, 15; cf. 17, 23, 35, 83, 108. Cf. also Camb. Antiq.
Soc. Proc. xxvn, 168 (15 days excused only), 171 (no excuse admitted).
2 Ramsey Cart. I, 300, 457.
3 Sussex Rec. Soc. xxxi, 53, 61, 65, 108; Ramsey Cart. I, 477.
4 Reg. Pontissara, 659; cf. Ramsey Cart. I, 46, 312, 346, 393; Battle Cust.
29, where carting in autumn is discussed. If three loads had been carried
before rain came on they could cease for the day: if less than three they were
forced to thresh, or perform any other work.