the Vaughans of Brechnock-shire and many other Gentlemen who are termed Tylwyth Voreiddig 1. Gwgan ap Blethin 2. Cadivor ap Blethin Gryff Gwyr from whom the Families of Brechn Glamorg and Carmatthenshires come called Tylwyth Howel-Melyn that is Howel-Melyns Posterity Owen Gethyn from whom many Gentlemen in Brechnock-shire are descended called Tylwyth Owen Gethyn that is the Posterity or Tribe of Owen Gethin Here you see this Bard hath not onely vouchsafed unto us the Tylwyths arising out of this short Pedigree but also the very meaning of the word in the English Thus were their Memorials preserved by them who the better to infix them and also for a greater stimulum to Heroick Actions in their Songs deduced from Age to Age delivered to them from their Predecessors did celebrate the Praise of their Worthy Men which Custom in some places they yet retain And of so great account were these Bards that by the Laws of Howel-dha an honorable Provision was made for the chief of them in the Court who was to reside near the Person of the Prince and of so great repute was this Place or Office that to the Dignity was annexed a particular Refugium The use of these Tylwyths was to shew not onely the Originals of Families as if their work had been meerly to run over a Pedigree but the several Distinctions and Distances of Birth that in case any Line should make a failer the next in degree which is the same with the German Proximus Gradus may make an unconfounded use of their interest according to the Rules of Partition by their Gavel I told you before how in all their Pedigrees there was a preference of Primogeniture which was onely in honor and respect and not in unequal divisions of the Patrimony for in these the better to carry a light â—â—d lustre they pointed at the Penennedl of each Family who as the Prince of their Tribe and Kindred was always had in much honor and reverence among them Which respect was like that wherewith the Jews did honor their Chiefs mentioning them with that title of respect in calling them sometimes Heads of their Father's house other-while Chief men and in other places of Scripture they are made known by this account viz. By their Generations after the House of their Fathers and in this form did they inroll their Bands of Soldiers for the War for it is written in the Chronicles 1 Chron 7. and 8 chapters that David assembled all the Princes of Israel the Princes of the Tribes c. unto Jerusalem Numb 25.44 In like manner it is recorded in Numbers that the name of the Israelite that was slain was Zimti the son of Salu a Prince of a chief House among the Simeonites And in the following verse it is remembred that The name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur he was head of a People and of a chief House in Midian Where this order of Partition was in force there is it most necessary that Genealogies should be most exactly kept and by the Mosaical Law so great care was taken in this point that the Tribes were not permitted to have mixtions together by Inter-marriages And although in many of the High-lands of Scotland they have lost this Tenure yet have they with much affection retained their respects to the Heads of their Clans calling them their Chiefs to whom in former times they gave more respect and were with more obedience commanded than by their Princes The Pedigree before recited I told you I gave to shew their manner of recording their Families of Gentry distinguished from their Pen-cennedl I have another that â—â—ows how tenaciously their Gavel was in force among them even in Regno adâ—unâ—o and how by it in process of time that Principality came to great loss and destruction Roderick the Great being Prince of all Wales had three sons among whom he divided his Territory which three sons were called y Tri Twysoc Talaethioc that is the Three Crowned Princes because every one of them did wear upon his Bonnet or Helmet a Coronet of Gold being a Broad lace or Hatband indented upwards set and wrought with precious Stones which in the British was called Talaeth by which name the Nurses do call the Head-band wherewith a Childs head is bound uppermost at this time as Doctor Powel hath critically observed But that it may be the more plain and perspicuous take it Genealogistically thus Roderick surnamed the Great Prince of Wales 1. Mervyn Prince of North-Wales 2. Cadelh Prince of South-Wales Howel-dha in whom the Territories of North-Wales and South-Wales were united and was the second Legislator of the Britans An. Christi 942. 3. Anarawd Prince of Powis After several Successions which I purposely omit to save the labour of needlesly lengthning the Line there from him proceeded one Convyn-Blethin ap Convyn who being Prince of Powis-land divided it to his two sons 1. Meredith ap Blethin who divided his appartment of Powis-land betwixt his two sons 1. Madoc who had upon the Division that part that was called Powys-Uadoc or Madoc his Powis He died Anno D. 1160. at Winchester and was called the Prince of Powys he was a true friend to the King of England Susanua daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan Prince of north-North-Wales 2. Gruffyth Prince of Powys had another share of Powys land 1. Gruffith Maelor had for his share Bromefield Yale Hopedale Chirk c. 2. Owen Vachan had Mechain-Iscoid c. 2. Cadogan ap Blethin 1 Owyn Brogynton a base son of Madoc ap Blethin had Dynmael and Edeirneon And Doctor Powel in his Additaments to the Cambrian History in those I mean that he hath set betwixt the years 808. and 810. gives a full Discourse of the Primitive use of this Tenure and also of the Modern abuse thereof For upon those great Feuds that arose betwixt the Descendants of Conan Tindaethwy upon this account of Partition He writes thus Here I think fit to say somewhat of the Custom and Tenure of Wales whereof this mischief grew viz. the Feuds betwixt Brethren the Rending the Government in pieces c. that is the Division of the Father's Inheritance amongst all the Sons commonly called Gavelkind Gavel is a British term signifying a Hold because every one of the Sons did hold some Portion of his Father's Lands as his Lawfull Son and Successor This was the cause not only of the overthrow of all the Antient Nobility in Wales for by that means the Inheritance being continually Divided and Subdivided amongst the Children and the Children's Children c. was at length brought to nothing but also of much Bloodshed and unnatural Strife and Contention amongst Brethren aâ— we have here an Example viz. the History of the Descendants of Conan Tindaethwy and many other in this History He means in Lancarvan's British History * I could wish that those Renowned English Plantations in America would examine of what avail
Britains Fol. 14 Repulsed by the Britains ibid. He Conquered not Britain ibid. Calumniare in Law what Fol. 65 Camolodunum Fol. 34 Cambria Camber Cwmrt Cwmraeg Fol. 86 Cantref what Fol. 96 Canutus his Laws of Partition Fol. 141 142 143 Caractacus Prince of the Silures Fol. 34 He asserts the British Liberty ibid. His Protestation before Battel ibid. Castles on Borders of Scotland c. Fol. 79 Cattel of more Valew than Land Fol. 28 Cattel dischaged Fines Amerciaments Fol. 29 Cerdiford in Hampshire out of Domesdey Fol. 65 Cennedl what Fol. 132 Characters of Saxon Fol. 76 Charters of Saxon signed by the Norman Kings Fol. 76 Changes from Villenage to Gavelkind Fol. 157 158 Chief Justice Fol. 69 Chiefs in Urchenfield Fol. 110 Chedder in Somersetshire Fol. 117 Children no Kindred to the Parents Fol. 131 Churle what Fol. 168 Cities their Original Fol. 7 Claudius his Temple Fol. 34 Claim and Recovery of Lands against Normans Fol. 65 Clergy-men Gentlemen by the Welsh Laws Fol. 173 Clown or Colonus what Fol. 168 177 Cohabitancia what Fol. 7 Conan Tindaethwy Fol. 26 Conquest and Conqueror what Fol. 56 Coverfeu Fol. 74 Constantine the Great Fol. 87 Common Laws Fol. 69 145 Counties not antiently in Wales Fol. 94 Competition betwixt Kent and Urchenfield Fol. 106 Cornish understand base British and Welsh Fol. 146 Cottagers and Cottages what Fol. 169 Cuntune in Hampshire Fol. 66 Customs that are antient Fol. 70 150 Customs of the Welsh Fol. 71 132 Cwmmwd what Fol. 96 Custom and Common right Fol. 152 D. D. DAvies his Welsh Dictionary Fol. 98 Danelaege what Fol. 54 57 58 Danish impression on our Laws Fol. 54 55 Daniel Samuel examined Fol. 57 Deeds for Gavelkind Fol. 124 125 126 Deeds explained produced by Mr. S. ibid. Discourses Polemical much irregular Fol. 3 Divisions intestine facilitate Conquests Fol. 16 Division of Wales Fol. 96 Domboc what Fol. 53 54 Domesman what Fol. 110 111 Donald the 5th lost Scotland to the Saxons c. Fol. 163 164 Ãâ—pihinge what Fol. 70 Druids Fol. 16 The British Judges Fol. 17 Their Learning ibid. Their judicial employments ibid. Their determinations of right ibid. Caus'd execution of penal Laws ibid Britain their Gymnasium Fol. 17 They cease Fol. 19 Dubritius Prince and Bishop Fol. 90 Dûn what it signifies Fol. 116 Dun a paix in Scotland Fol. 165 166 Dutch Landscheuten what Fol. 136 137 E. EDgar King his Laws what Fol. 54 55 Confirmed by the Conqueror Fol. 58 Edgar Etheling Fol. 60 Edlin expounded Fol. 49 Edward King his Laws Fol. 55 Confirmed by the Conqueror Fol. 58 59 Edward King his Laws concerning the Welsh Fol. 51 52 Edwin and Morchar Earls Fol. 6â— Edric Silvaticus or Salvage Fol. 7â— Eldest Son among the Britain Fol. 49 English recover Lands againsâ— the Normans Fol. 65 66 English Normaniz'd Fol. 76 England Fol. 87 English setled in Scotland Fol. 162 Engin or Urchinfield their Kings Fol. 44 45 Errors once received and taken for granted Fol. 2 Erdisley in Herefordshire Fol. 79 Escuage antiently Fol. 171 Ethelbert King his Translation of the Welsh Laws Fol. 53 Ethelred King his Laws of Tryal Fol. 64 Eubages British Philosophers Fol. 20 Exchequer when erected Fol. 74 F. FAshions Saxon and Norman Fol. 74 75 Fealty or Allegiance very antient Fol. 55 Fee feudum or feodum what Fol. 170 171. Fee-tayl its original Fol. 170 Feminine conduct amongst the Britains Fol. 33 Feofamentum vetus novum Fol. 140 Fighting forms chang'd by the English Fol. 77 For-gavel Fol. 118 Fortifications of Romans Saxons and Normans Fol. 77 78 79 Forfeiture of Lands upon what Grounds to King William Fol. 67 68 Fortalices Fol. 79 Fortified houses antient ib. Foster-children in Wales divided with Foster-brethren Fol. 28 Free-men or liberi homines what Fol. 108 French do use partition Fol. 11 French tenure of partition Fol. 12 French how used in our Laws Fol. 69 G. GAbles Gablum Gabulum what Fol. 113 114 115 Gabelle among the French Fol. 114 Gablum signifies rent Fol. 116 117 158 159 Gablatores Fol. 117 Gabella Fol. 123 Galfridus Monumethensis defended against Polydore virgil Fol. 83 Gallick customes Fol. 11 Gallick colonyes Fol. 12 Gavel as Mr. S. expounds it what Fol. 112 Gavel-Gyldam Fol. 119 Gavel-man Fol. 120 Gavelate a Writ Fol. 121 122 123 Gavel in denominations Fol. 89 90 In the British Dictionary Fol. 92 What it signifies Fol. 92 93 Not imposed by the Normans Fol. 95 Used in VVelsh subdivisions of Lands Fol. 96 Several sorts of Gavels Fol. 102 103 VVelsh Laws for Gavel-kynd Fol. 103 104 105 106 Gavel-kynd a mark of the Antient Britons Fol. 152 153 The hinge of the British Laws Fol. 155 156 Gavelkind in Scotland Fol. 159 Gavelkind Throughout the Kingdome of England Fol. 4 In all first Plantations Fol. 5 Antiquity of it Fol. 18 137 Among the Princes of VVales Fol. 24 The signification of it Fol. 26 The evill and mischief of it Fol. 27 81. The best use of it Fol. 27 That it is extra Cantium Fol. 89 151 Gavelkind in the Term owes it self to partition Fol. 149 Gavelkind in the Statute of VVales Fol. 98 Practised in Urchenfield Fol. 100 Held rent free Fol. 123 124 Gavel-kind Lands in the King Fol. 128 Granted to Hospitals how Fol. 124 128 129 Granted to Religious Societies Fol. 129 Not to be forfeited for Felony Fol. 106 107 Garrison of Normans in Hereford before VVilliam the first Fol. 78 Gentlemen by the British Laws Fol. 172 173 German Customes antiently Fol. 7 German partition in Principalities Fol. 9. 137 German partition in private Estates Fol. 9 German partition evicted by a jest Fol. 9 10 German Landscheutan what Fol. 136 137 Give-all-kynne Fol. 130 131 Gildas Camberius translated Molmutius Laws into Latine Fol. 154 Glamorganshire Conquered Fol. 94 Gothick work used by the Saxons Fol. 80 Guorongus Vice-Roy of Kent Fol. 41 Gueily-gord what Fol. 105 Gymnasium of the Druids was in Britain Fol. 17 H. HAcana and Westanheconi what Fol. 44 45 Hecanae VVulfhardus Episcopus Fol. 44 Hengist and Horsus Fol. 37 Hengists reception of Kent examined Fol. 37 c. How Hengist had Kent Fol. 45 He altered not the Kentish Laws Fol. 49 Heutland Fol. 90 Henry the first commands the observation of King Edwards Laws Fol. 61 His Laws of partition Fol. 144 Hereditary succession amongst the Britains Fol. 18 Heriot Fol. 108 Herring-gable Fol. 116 Highlanders in Scotland antiently Britains Fol. 160 Hony-gavel Fol. 118 Howeldha Fol. 25 He made not the VVelsh Laws Fol. 153 154 When those Laws ascribed to him were compiled Fol. 97 Hugo de port against Picot Fol. 66 67 I. I Arsey Isle Fol. 11. 95 No venemous Creatures therein ibid Ina King his Laws concerning the VVelsh Fol. 50 51. 64 Joseph of Arimathea Fol. 32 Irish Rhein-taloon or partition Fol. 99 Irish and VVelsh one Language originally Fol. 145 Irish and British Laws agree Fol. 153 Irish understand the Manc and Highland Languages Fol. 146 Ireland
whereas there is no more in it than the plain acquisition or getting of this Realm of England after his pretences from King Edward the Confessour were made known as in the following Tract appears by the constraint and force that Harald put him unto to get his Settlement by Battel with him which word of Conquest is to this day familiarly used in Scotland to signifie Land purchased and Mr. John Skene saith upon the word that Conquestus signifies Lands quhilk ony person acquiris possessis privato jure vel singulari titulo velâ—ti donatione vel singulari aliquo contractu Quhilk is conform to the Civil Law ubi quae stus dicitur lucrum quod ex Emptione venditione locatione conductione vel generaliter ex opera cu jus descendit l. coiri 7. cum seq ff pro Socio and further writing of Lands so purchased concludes Conquestus dicitur ratione primi conquestoris cum transmittitur ad ejus haeredem exuit naturam conquestus induit naturam haereditatis Norman Conquest concerning which also we have so great a plenty of Writers that they almost extinguish the Truth with their Comments and Conceits all the alterations imaginable are father'd upon this revolution and summ'd up by Mr. Samuel Daniel in these words I come to write of a time meaning this Norman affair wherein the State of England received an alteration of Laws Customs Fashions manner of Living Language Writing with new forms of Fights Fortifications Buildings and generally an innovation in most things but Religion I make choice of this Paragraph of so Elegant an Author as Mr. Daniel who hath deserved very well from the Common-wealth of Learning for his ingenuous Observations to examine the particulars of this great mutation so generally imagined which enumeration will also afford us the method of our Discourse concerning that which hapned to the English at that time and first of all concerning the Alteration of our Laws which is the principal matter of our enquiry of which among many Mr. Camden himself hath thus written Victor Gulielmus in victoriae quasi Trophaeum antiquatis pro maximâ parte Anglorum legibus Normanniae consuetudines induxit causasque Gallicè disceptari jussit Yet presently adds propositis igitur legibus Anglicanis Merchenlage Danelage Westsaxenlage quasdam reprobavit quasdam autem approbans transmarinas Neustriae leges quae ad Regni pacem tuendam efficacissimae videbantur adjecit But to evince this let us have recourse as near as we can to the Authors that were of that Age and seriously weigh what they deliver unto us concerning this matter Mr. Selden our of the Litchfield Chronicle cited also by my very much Honoured friend and incourager Sir Roger Twysden introduceth these words Anno Gulielmus Regni sui Quarto apud Londonias consilio Baronum suorum fecit summoniri per universos Angliae comitatus omnes nobiles sapientes sua lege eruditos ut eorum leges consuetudines audiret Et licet idem Rex Willielmus leges Northfolktae Suffolkiae Grantbrigiae Deirae ubi quondam maxima pars Danorum Norwegiensium inhabitabant prius magis approbaverat eas per totum Regnum observari praeceperat pro eo quod omnes Antecessores ejâ—s fere omnes Barones Normanniae Norwegenses extitissent quod de Norwegia olim venissent Sed postea ad preces communitatis Anglorum Rex adquievit qui deprecati sunt quatenus permitteret sibi leges proprias consuetudines antiquas habere in quibus vixerant patres eorum ipsi in eis nati nutriti sunt scilicet leges Sancti Regis Edwardi ex illo die magna authoritate veneratae per universum Regnum corroboratae conservatae sunt praecaeteris Regni legibus leges Regis Edwardi Unde per praeceptum Regis Willielmi electi sunt de singulis totius Angliae Comitatibus Duodecim Viri sapientiores quibus jurejurando injunctum fuit coram Rege Willielmo ut quoad possent recto tramite neque ad Dexteram neque ad Sinistram declinantes legum suarum consuetu inum sancita patefacerent nil praetermittentes nil addentes nil praevaricando mutantes Alderedus autem Eboracensis Episcopus Hugo Londoniensis Episcopus per praeceptum Regis scripserunt propriis manibus omnia quae praedicti jurati dixerunt c. Ingulphus Crolandensis also who was Chaplain to this King William and being himself somewhat concerned in this affair and so the more to be believed as an Agent writes a little more plainly than the last did thus Attuli saith he eadem vice mecum Lundoniis in meum Monasterium leges aequissimi Regis Ewardi quas Dominus meus inclytus Rex Willielmus autenticas esse perpetuas per totum Regnum Angliae inviolabilitérque tenendas sub poenis gravissimis proclamarat suis justiciariis commendârat eodem idiomate quo editae sunt ne per ignorantiam contingat nos vel nostros aliquando in nostrum grave periculum contraire offendere ausu temerario Regiam Majestatem ac in ejus censuras rigidissimas improvidum pedem ferre contentas saepius in eisdem hoc modo and the Title of those Laws is this Ces sont les leis les Custumes que li Reis William grantut à tut le peuple de Engleterre apres le Conquest de la Terre Iceles meismes que le Reis Edward sun Cosin tint devant lui which is in English these are the Laws and Customs which King William granted to all the people of England after the Conquest of the Land and are the same which King Edward his Cousin did hold before him And the like account given by the Litchfield Chronicle is found in the Laws of King Edward which though from him receiving the Denomination yet probably were Transcripts of a Date since the Norman Conquest for that in them is found an express of the Norman Settlement of them in which is also an account of the difference of the Rate of Mulcâ—s betwixt the Saxons and Danis or Norwegians and because of the â—â—ar relation the Normans had to the Danes it is said that King William made choice of those Laws and would have had them put in Execution as the Law of England Quippe cum aliarum legibus Nationum Brytonum scilicet Anglorum Pictorum Scotorum praeponderassent he praised and liked of this Dane-laege best onely this observe if it be worth taking notice of that not onely the British Laws come into the account but also they are set in the first place But King Williams desigment had this Effect and Issue for taking that resolution it is said Quo audito mox universi compatriotae regni qui leges edixerant tristes effecti unanimiter deprecati sunt quatenus permitteret sibi leges proprias consuetudines antiquas habere in quibus vix runt patres eorum ipsi in eis nati nutriti sunt
named Lloigria or Lloiger now differenced from the other parts by the name of England Saison that is to say Saxons who together with the Jutes a third sort of Provincials that assisted in the Conquest of this part of Brytanny are now under the single Title of English-men these Twmri also call the Speech generally spoken in England Saisnaeg that is to say the Saxon tongue Somewhat doubtlesly there is of extraordinary reason in these names of distinction and difference of Cambria Loigria and Albania in case we could recover it but I am afraid the truth in this point is lost for the Denomination of places from the names of men as it is an old and fond conceit so I think it an ill one * As itis remarked by Sir J. B. and may be worth the Enquiry and for my part I had rather believe that Brytannia is derived from the Greek word BRYTON which signifies Vinum Hordeaceum that Brytish Ale a Drink how Con-natural and antiently peculiar to the Inhabitants of this Island will be now needless to Discourse than that London is the refined Issue of Luds-town or England of hengists-Hengists-land or Scotland from one Captain Scoto But this antient Triplicite division whether the effect of Brutes partition or no I will not maintain yet it is recorded by the same Pens as give us our History of Trojanism and may serve very well in answer to Mr. S's Jocular question since his question is a question taken for granted Neither will I averr or much insist upon that action of Constantine the Great who beingâ—â— Brytain and so probably experienced in the British Customs that he upon this ground or custom of partition used among the Brytains his Country-men did Divide the then intire Roman Empire between his two Sons by him I say this division and partition was made be the reasons or grounds of it what they will and upon this Division were differenced and distinguished by the Appellations of the Eastern and Western Empires which afterwards again returning into a single Person came to Theodosius whom * Procop. Bel. Vandalic l. 1. c. 1. Procopius calls a most just Prince and a great Souldier he had two Sons who after his Death succeeded in the Empire Arcadius the Elder in the Eastern and Honorius in the Western Empires which is said to have been done according to the former division viz. That which the Emperour Constantine had made so that the use or custom of partition in Empire as well as in private mens Lands is of great Antiquity I proceed now to shew that there is CHAP. VI. Gavelkind in other places of the Kingdome of England besides Kent in the Principality of Wales Gavel used in denominations of places how used among the Welsh of the word Llan of the Normans invasion of the Territory of Wales the use of Gavell in the division of that Territory and exposition thereof in the Welsh Vocabulary Mr. S. is much given to think that this Tenure of Gavelkind is a singular appurtenance to the County of Kent For in the first page of his book as the Theam of his discourse he layes down this position that Gavelkind is a property of that eminent singularity in the Kentishmens possessions so generally in a manner from great antiquity over-spreading that County as England this day cannot shew her fellow in that particular and in his 54th page For other Country-mens communicating with us of Kent in the Tenure I conceive saith he it first came up by imitation of our example in Ireland especially and amongst the Welsh-men in whose Vocabulary or Dictionary the word is sought in vain as it is also in that old statute which concernâ— them viz. Statutum Walliae To evince this besides the knowledge of several other places in England that have this Tenure eminently unto this day somewhat that Mr. S. himself doth confess in his Tract will help to cleer the contrary as in particular where he testifies pag. 48. that Socage Land in general and by the nature of it is capable of partition and by Custome may be and in many places extra Cantium is partible Now so it is that there is no County in England but have Lands held in Socage Tenure and upon that reason are capable of partition but more especially in Wales where the word is in use among them and more to a just and proper signification than in any other place or by any other Language as I shall shew anon But Mr. S. from its very denomination under the notion of it I mean would perswade us to a belief of its singularity in Kent which I cannot admit for notwithstanding he hath not found any Lands in any other place to pass under that denomination because saith he the Land in any deeds or conveyances hath not any appellations of Gavelkind yet I say use and custome hath still inviolably retained it and the manner of its partition is in several places known under the very Title of Gavelkind There are names of places that are compounded of the word in controversie only to be found among the Welsh the antient Proprietors of this Land from whose Language I shall make it my design to derive its Origine and shall begin with this part first because very much of certainty in antiquity is to be drawn from the retained names of place which if seriously remarked will afford us a great light to History There is a Village or Parish in Monmuthshire that adjoyns to the Territory of Urchinfield in the County of Hereford called to this day Llangattok feibon afel which if any one attempts to read to a Welshman let him be sure to pronounce the single f like a V consonant and then to be read by this power Chlangattok vybon avel but the common denomination thereof without the variation proper to the Welsh Tongue is Llangattok gafael meibon Llan or as it is rendred by our English writers to express the idiomatism of the British Lhan and Chlan signifies a Religious dedication or locus sacer and Doctor Davies in his Cambro-british Dictionary upon the same word saith that vulgò sumitur pro fano templo sed potius existimo he addeth significare coemeterium vel aream Templi Let it be either Church or Church-yard it doth intimate a Religious dedication and notwithstanding there are at this day many places that have the praefix of Llan unto them where no Church is to be found yet if searched into and traced to their foundation will discover some such appropriation and intendment So I find in the forem ntioned Region of Urchenfield a certain Parish called Hen-Ilan commonly Hentland which in the English Tongue signifies the Old-Church and in certain Paâ—â—ures belonging to a Farm in that Parish there is a place which to this day is called Llanfrawtwr which is as much as to say The Church or Convent of the Brethren the Site whereof was upon a small hill not half a mile distant
admit But to run over some more of his Gables That which he discourses of in his 30th page is a For-gavel which is rightly rendred foris Gabulum and is defined to be quasi extra vel praeter Gabulum quod Domino capitali debetur and this corresponds with what before I have said that it was a Rent or a Duty besides over and above or beyond the Original contract or bargain The like is in Mete-gavel which is Cibi Gablum a Rent of meat or food Swine-gavel which is porcorum Gablum a Rent of Swine Werke-gavel and Werke-gabulum which is operis Gablum Hunig-gavel which is Gabulum mellis * For before that Sagar was from the Indies brought among us the use of Honey was frequent instead thereof So that I have observ'd in some very antient Rentals as great a proportion of Honey as there would be required of Sugar to seâ—ve such a Family and much reserved to the King in most Counties as appears by Domâ—sdey Rent Honey of which sort in Domesdey you may find much and in the 60. Law of King Ina we find a bere-gafol which is a Rent of Beer or rather Barley as Mr. Lambard expoundeth it For in some Countries of England and in Scotland they to this day call Barley Beer There is also in the 66. of King Ina's Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of a yard of Land which Mr. Lambard renders to signifie Mercede conductam that is hired for Rent or Wages So is it in the Covenants betwixt King Alured and Guthrun the Dane In the second Article where it is said bu tan ðaem câ—oâ—le de on gafollande rit which Mr. Lambard renders thus Siquidem is Rusticus censum annuum impendens non fuerit which I think in English is provided that that Country-man doth not sit on Rented Land for But in the old English as well as to this day in the present Scotch signifies without or wanting c. There I find gafollande is turned into Census which is as much as I have need to make use of or take notice of In the Laws of King Aethelstan it is thus Æ¿ealisc monnes c. ê§ He ðam cyng gafol-gyldan maeg which is thus Translated Wallus si in eas opes creverit c. ut annuum Regi censum pendat which is if a Welsh-man increaseth so in Riches c. that he can or might yield a yearly Rent to the King Such a one perhaps as we call a Subsidy man or a Man in the King's Books So in the sixth of King Ina's Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is if any one Fights in the House of one that payes Rent and in the 22. of the same King that so often recited Law Æ¿ealH gafolgylda Hund tÆ¿ lftig â—cill which is turned into Latin thus Mr. S. pag. 33. Wallus censum pendens annuum c. in the same sense is the word Gavel-man cited by * Many there are that with Mr. Selden account gafol to signifie several things as tributum c. but not in the least with reference to the Tenure he cites the Aâ—â—ales Anglosaxoas In Bibliotheca Cottoniana Anno 1012. Ãa ê§ gafol gelaest sae frið aþas asporene Æ¿aeson þa to ferde se Here Æ¿ide sÆ¿a He aer gegaderode Æ¿as Ãa bugon to þam cynge of þam Here fif feoÆ¿ertig scypa Him beHeton ê§ Hi Æ¿oldon þysne eard Healoan He Hi fedan sceolde scÆ¿ydon id est Tributo soluto amicitiae juramentis praestitis excrcitus ut ante erat congregatus late dispergitur Maneb vit vero cum Rege ex ipso exercitu quadraginta quinque naves ipsique side datâ promiserunt se Terram hanc dâ—fensuros modo eos aleret vestiret Rex Danorum Rex tunc Swanus crat quorum ita pepigit Ethelredus Utrumque autem praestationis quam diximus genus Danegeld Danegeldum seu Danageldum id est Tributum Danicum dicebatur Seld. Mar. claus l. 2. c. 11. Here we may observe that geld is most properly Tribute though in the former part of this Saxon citation Mr. Selden renders gafol by Tributum and properly it doth signifie a payment Mr. S. which hath no more in signification than one that payes a Rent and relates not at all to the Tenure and I believe if seriously looked into that many of these compounds who have this similitude of sounds do not hold under or by the Tenure of partition which if so here were nomen sine re and this last may be a Term as significant for any one that payes a rent in Cumberland as in Kent In this recited page it is that Mr. S. hath rightly fixed his Gavel for saith he one thing more I have to note before I leave Gable Gavel c. that with Mala it fignifies Rents Services or Customs and in his 35th page he addeth by this time the Reader is satisfied I hope saith he touching the true construction of Gavel Gafol Gable or how ever else he shall chance to find it written in each importing Cens i. e. a Rent either in Money Provision or Works To conclude I am of the same opinion with Mr. S. that these intermixtures and compounds do all hold a reference to gafol Gablum or Gabulum that all of them have one and the same exposition yet that none of them have any relation to the Tenure of partition or to any other Tenure besides the Renting or paying of a Rent for Land c. There is only one thing more left to be considered which may seem to have in it some strength and that is in the 31. page of Mr. S. where he cites this postea per quandam consuetudinem quae vocatur Gavelate usitatam in Comitatu isto viz. Kanc de terris tenementis de Gavelkynde pro redditibus servitiis quae à retro fuerint de eisdem per plures annos devenerunt eaedem terrae in manus cujusdam Abbatis c. Now this consuetudo de Gavelate used in the Lands and Tenements held in Gavelkind seems the one to have relation to the other for Mr. S. in the beginning of that Paragraph tells us that this Gavelate was not a Reut or a Service but betokeneth a Rent or a Service with-held denied or detained causing the Forfeiture of the Tenement to the Lord and whereas that Record saith it was used in that County upon Lands and Tenements held in Gavelkind Sir Edward Coke as Mr. S. himself cites him saith Gaveletum is as much as to say as to cease or let to pay the Rent Breve de Gavelleto in London est Breve de cessavit in Biennium c. pro redditu ibidem quia Tenementa fuerunt indistringibilia So that this Brief lay in London as well as Kent and Minshew in his Dictionary upon the word Gavelet exemplifies it by a Case That if any Tenant in Gavelkind with-hold his Rent and his Services of the Tenement which he holdeth of
Hawisia so that sibi in the singular number has not relation to any else but to the infirm Wibert To him it was that the two pence was to be paid and the profits of the Lands in common to all the infirm of that house in perpetual Almes And to Gavel-kind that is to say that all the Brethren of that Hospital should have the like share and propriety in that Acre and the Half as the Sons of any one could have in their Fathers Land of that nature and if not by this way I can find no other to make any sense of it for this clause And to Gavel kind hath reference clearly to the concession and Habendum and not to the Reddendum and if so who are those that should hold it in Gavelkind The Infirmes no for they were a body though sickly that could not dye Nor the Sons or Grand-children of Wibaldus for they had divessed themselves of this Land and invested their decrepit brother Wibert with the rest of the infirmes of that Hospital with it Nor could the Tenant claim any right by this Deed for that it hath not relation to any Tenancies besides Hospitals in those dayes did not use to create unprosetable Tenures to themselves and where Land is said to be held in Gavel-kynd there is an Estate of Inheritance they are Syncategorematical or relatives In the like sense is that Deed which Mr. S. makes his Script 〈◊〉 pag. 184. where RaduÌ„s From wadidit concessit 〈◊〉 Fratribus Hospitalis Sancti Laurentii juxtà Gantunriam by his Deed septem acras terrae meae saith he tenendas in Gavel-kynde de me heredibus meis â—â—berâ— quiâ—â—â— reddendo inde annuatim mihi vel beredibus meis XLII denarios c. pro hac donatione confirmatione dederunt mihi praedicti fratres heredibus meis quinque Marcas â—ierlingorum All that I can gather out of this is that Ralph Erone sold to the Brethren of St. Lawrences Hospital seven Acres for five Mark and reserved a Rent of two and forty pence the Land to be held of him and his Heirs in Gavel-kind which as in the other of Herbaldune so was this to be understood to be to the common land 〈…〉 and behalf of all the Brethren for if not so I desire 〈◊〉 informed how it could ruâ— into the Tenuâ—e of Glaver-lâ—ynd amongst them any other way and here alsoâ—eâ— me caution you to observe that in the first Deed it is saiâ— to be granted in perpetuam Eleemosyndm And 〈…〉 and then comes in with the Reddendum so like wise in the second Deed where the Tenondum and the Reddendum are at a distance that by means thereof it is not probable at all that Gavel-kynde should have any relation to the Reddenda in either and seriously considered doe plainly contain a different use from either Rents or Purchase But to proceed to those several grants produced by Mr. S. in relation to the Term as that of R. dei gratia Sancti Augustini Cantuar Script 4. shere somewhat is wanting I believe it should be 〈…〉 ejusâ—am loci conventus made to Jordanus â—e Sâ—res much his Heirs of XL. acres of Marsh-land be longing to their Mannour of Cistelet Script 6. and that of Alan the Prior and the Convent of Christ-Church in Canterbury unto Theb. de Einesford and his Heirs of fourscore Acres of Land in their Lordship of Northocholt by them to be holden by rent and Sute of Court at Orpinton ad Gavilikende Script 7. as also that of the same Prior and Convent to Stephen de Kinardentone of 〈◊〉 Acres and to his Heirs ad Gaveliâ—hinde Again that Deed of Gaufridus the Prior and the Convent of Christ-Church Canterbury to Joni and his Heirs of a Sheep Pasture in Osmundeseye Tenend Script 8. say they de nobissuccessivè ad Gavel-kynde by Rent and that his Heirs successively shall give de relevio LVIs. and Sute of Court at Leysdum All these Grantees had by the vertue of these several Grants an instatement into the Tenure of Gavel-kind which was an Estate of Inheritance and was to runn in a Parallel line with Lands of the like nature that is that the Sons or Children of the Possessor when Deceased should hold those Lands according to the Rule of partition in Gavel-kynd and there is no difficulty in them as I can perceive all that I find is that the Granters have Created an Estate of the Tenure of Gavel-kind in case there had been none before none of them to my apprehension carry with them any notable Antiquity Least of all to the purpose is that Script 5. in pag. 178. where it is said Predecessores Dni Regis concesserunt Manerium de Wells in com Cant. postea concessum erat in puram perpetuam Elcemosynam nunquam partitum fuit nec est portibile that is it was never parted nor is partible to which all that I can say is that it never was nor is like to be so holding Gavel-kynd-land But the passed discourse in this Chapter only shews the Nature and Tenure of such Lands And makes nothing at all to the Etymology or the investigation of the true derivation of the word in contest To conclude Mr. S. in page 150. draws from his several discourses a double Consectary as he is pleased to term it 1. That the King may hold Land in Gavel-kynde I must needs approve of it and in case the King doth hold such Lands and at his decease leaves several Sons behind him they must part it and that Princes have so done I have already proved by the several examples of the Princes of Wales and of the German Empire 2. That the King holding Land in Gavel-kind in case he shall grant it away to any Religious House in puram perpetuam Eleemosynam in frank Almoign it remaineth notwithstanding partible as before it came to the Crown in their hands at least whom the Religious men shall infeoff with it The first part of this I grant for if such Lands be given to any Religious society they remain partible as to the profits of them that is to say among the Society and so doth Land of any other nature whatever in the same manner being vested pass into a partible Quality that is the whole body having an Interest all members of that body receive part and share of the benefit but for any other sort of partition I cannot fancy how it should be among them And then again it doth not necessarily follow that those that are by this Society interessed with the holding of those Lands under them should hold them in the Tenure of Gavelkind for by such a Grant as I said before in this Tenure of Gavel-kind the said Society or body divest themselves of the fee-simple and invest the taker with an estate of inheritance And again this must have a full reference to the Society their manner of granting it and then it may
is had to the condition and quality of the Land in saying * Pag. 374. Sicut de Gavel-kynd vel alibi ubi terra partibilis est ratione terrae then would I be informed what they mean by this ratione terrae for if the ratio rei signifies the Tenure then the ratio terrae should have relation to the nature of the Soyl for sure it cannot have relation to the distance or difference by the Caelestial degrees I cannot I confess apprehend the nicety of the distinction and therefore pass to that which Mr. * Pag. 44. S. saith that that property alone of the Lands being Gavel-kynd or so called doth not suffice to render it Partible if the question be so farr obtained and granted that Gavel-kind signifies natura redditus and that that is the genuine Etymology thereof then must it be true and conceded But on the contrary I know much Gavel-kynd Land that is not subjected to Rent how will it then answer the Tenures derivation and signification whereas in this exposition of the â—erm that I have given viz. Tenura progenici aut familias Division significantly resides in its name and nature I am sure the inference is so strong that where there is Gavel-kynd there is Partition and it may as properly be said that the Tenure of Burgh-English by the intrinsecal Valew of its Name doth not import the youngest Son should Inherit the Land as that Gavelkind doth not inferr a regular participation upon Partition by the Parceners which to strengthen it the more is now become an antient Custom and this Sir * Lib. 2. Sect. 165. Edward Coke saith is one of the main Triangles of the Laws of England these Laws being divided into Common-law Statute-law and Custom of the last of which he addeth out of Bracton that Consuetudo quandoque pro lege servatur in partibus ubi fuerit more utentium approbata vicem leg is obtinet long ae vi enim tempor is usus consuetudinis non est vilis Autoritas longa possessio sicut ejus parit jus possidendi tollit actionem vero Domino So that its continuance for so long a time to be a Custom gives it a Privilege without any Impropriety of Speech to be called a Law notwithstanding the several usages in this Tenure and although Mr. S. seems startled at what is before cited out of Bracton Sicut de Gavel-kynd vel ALIBI ubi terra est partibilis c. there is no reason that this Alibi should so offend him as to call it an improper expression for I believe there is scarce a County in England but hath this Tenure more or less besides what places I have already cited in this discourse I know there is much in Shropshire yet take one more upon the other side of the Kingdome in the County of Norfolk which is thus Recorded in the Chamberlains Office of the Exchequer Placita coram Rege Anno 20. Edw. 3. Term. Hillar Norfol. 97. Asss. in qua Johs Buxkyn chr profert scriptum relaxationis Johis de Pickering Willielmi fratris ejus Gallicè factum de medietat vi Mess c. iiii Tercellorum in Clipesby Billokby c. In hoc placito patet quod Tenementa quae sunt de feodo de Pickering sunt partibilia inter Masculos So that turn into what part of the Kingdome you please I believe you will find Gavel-kind But Mr. S. proceeds by way of wonder saying We are told that this Custom of Gavelkynd Partition takes place hath done at least in other Counties and Sir Edward Coke in the same manner hath lapsed into the like mis-apprehension for upon these words of Littleton En le Countie de Kent he makes this note for that saith he in no County of England Lands at this day be of the nature of Gavel-kind of common right saving in Kent only But yet he presently adds in divers parts of England within divers Mannours and Seigniories the like Custom is in force for my part I must acknowledge I am to seek as to the neatness of the distinction first saying that no County of England hath Land it is not said all the Land of the County of the nature of Gavel-kind of common right and yet that in divers parts of England within divers Mannours and Seigniories the like Custom is in force if the Salvo lyes in this word viz. of common right I would willingly be satisfied whether Lands in Gavel-kind do not pass both according to common Right as well as common Law Certain it is that the common Law of that County Hundred or Seigniory where Gavel-kynd is in force makes the Children Participants of that Land by common Right and it is the common Law by which that common Right is or can be claimed In Pages 53. and 54. Mr. S. speaking of what Littleton instanceth in north-North-wales that this Custom of Gavel-kind partition taketh place besides Kent he introduceth it from that Authority not as his faith and belief but with a We are told But let not the Scruple be so great when I declare what before I have shew'd that it is in South-wales as well as North-wales and in other places as well as there But then he proceeds to question thus What custom I pray if you enquire of Littleton he will tell you it is the Custom of Gavelkind partition or enquire of the Customers you will find them no Strangers to the Denomination of Gavel and the word in use among them even to express the Tenure Littleton's words are these Auxy tiel custome est en autres Lieux Dengleterr auxy tiel custome est en North-gales c. which is as much as to say Also such Custom he writes of Parceners by Custom which is Gavel-kind there is in other places of England and also such Custom is in North-wales c. and the like Custom as our Author mentions to be in North-wales he saith was also in Ireland for there he adds the Lands also which is one mark of the antient Brittons mark this were of the nature of Gavel-kind for that by their Brehon-law the Bastards inherited with their Legitimate sons but as to the Bastards that Custom was abolished Agreeing with Littleton in this point see an old Statute Aliter usitatum est in Wallia quam in Anglia quo ad successionem haereditatis eo quod haereditas partibilis est inter haeredes maseulos à tempore cujus non extitit memoria partibilis extitit Dominus Rex non vult quod consuetudo illa abrogetur sed quod haereditates remaneant partibiles inter consimiles haeredes sicut fieri consuevit fiat partitio illius sicut fieri consuevit To that which Sir Edward Coke wonders at which is the Participation of Bastards by the Brehon-law in the Lands that are partible I have already shewn it was a Law or a Custom among the Britains But Sir Edward concludes that Gavel-kynd Custom in Ireland is
Board or Table and Cotarii were Cottagers such as dwelt in a Cottage * Anno 4. Ed. 1. Stat. 1. that is to say a House without Land belonging to it and comes from the Saxon word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with Tugurium and Tectum in Latin a â—egendo so as this is in signification a Cover or Shelter because those small Habitations were only made to cover them from the Sun and Weather I am not ignorant of that great mistake the whole Current of Writers have run into those whose Works have been published within these last 300 years where they generally endeavour to load all the indignities of Tenures of Servility and Vassalage upon this Norman change I deny not but that some were at that time introduced especially many Jocular Tenures which were the effects of private contracts betwixt the Lord and his Tenants and not of any general concernment but hence I cannot yield to conclude that all Tenures of Servility were of their introduction Mr. S. continues in his opinion in the 104th page where he writes That Fee-simple Fee-tayl Fee-farm Grand petit Serjeanty Escuage Burgage Villenage c. being all of the Norman plantation and we by them saith he at least since their Conquest of us brought acquainted with them c. perhaps those compounds might be the effect of the consultations of some of the Kings of the Norman race but for the word Fee Minshew discourseth very well upon it for saith he our antient Lawyers either not observed from whence the word grew or at least not sufficiently expressed their knowledge what it signified among them from whom they took it Feudum whence the word Fief or Fee commeth signifieth in the German Language * In like manner doth Mr. S. labour to deduce it from a Saxon original p. 107. Beneficium cujus nomine opera quaedam gratiae testificandae causa debentur and our of Hotoman saith that by this name go all Lands and Tenements that are held by any acknowledgment of any superiority to any higher Lord so is all the Land in England except the Crown land held that is of Feudum or Fee for he that can say most for his Estute sayeth but this Seisitus inde in Dominico meo ut de seudo which is I am seised of this or that Land or Tenement in my demain as of Fee which is no more than if he should say It is my Demain or proper Land after a sort because it is to me and my Heirs for ever yet not simply mine because I hold it in the nature of a benefit from another and Fee-tayl as distinguished was not an introduction of the Normans for that Minshew observes it to have its Original from the Statute of Westm. 2. c. 1. which was made Anno 13. Edw. 1. The word Feud is used familiarly to this day in the Higher and lower Germanyes For what concerus grand petit Serjeanty I believe the words to be French and so introduced by the Normans to express those Services that were due to the Kings of England before the Conquest such Services being reserved by the Saxon Kings The service of Escuage was before the Norman Conquest though not known by that name the like was of Burgage which is no more than a yearly Rent whereby men of Cities and Burrows held their Lands or Tenements of the King or any other Lord which was in use before the Conquest Concerning Villenage Mr. S. doth cite out of Mr. Lambards Perambulation of Kent in Mepham under the Term of Agenes-land this as a very antient passage which had been enough to have convinced me that there had been Villains before the Norman Conquest and it is this Et si Villanus ita crevisset sua probitate quod pleniter haberet quinque hidas de suo proprio alledio c. and in his 114. page citeth an old Version of the 19. and 21. of King Ina's Laws of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is made thereby to signifie Villanus or Colonus and it is convicted by Domesdey Book Survey in Sudsexe thus Radulfus tenet de Willielmo viz. de Warene BRISTELMESTUNE Brictric tenuit de dono Godwini Comitis T. R. E. modo se defendit pro V. hid dim TraÌ„ est III car In dniÌ„o est dimid car XVIII villiÌ„ IX Bordarii cum III car uno servo De gablo IV milia alletium In eadem villa tenet VVidardus de Willo VI. hid unam Vs. proâ—tanto se defendit Tres Aloarn tenuerunt de Rege Edwardo potuerunt ire quolibet Unus ex eis habuit Aulam Villani tenuerunt partes aliorum Duorum Here is an express of a Servus and also of the Villani who held this Land in the time of Edward the Confessour Besides this I could allege many more but Sir Edward Coke upon Littleton saith that Villani in Domesday are not there taken for Bond-men but had their name de Villis because they had Ferms and there did works of Husbandry for the Lord and they were ever before named Bordarii which is contrary to Mr. S. in what I cited before of him concerning Bordmanni which I believe is one and the same thing with Bordarii and such as are Bond-men are called Servi Thus Sir Edward Coke But I believe the Normans found these Villains here even by their name by which I believe they were of a very antient standing for that I find them known by the Britains by that Title as they are often mentioned in the Laws of Howel-dha in a Law which before in this 〈◊〉 I mentioned is notice taken of a King's Villain and of a Nobleman's Villain and then another that gives a right to the Foster-children of dividing Land with the Children of the Villein but a little more plainly to bring the proof in those Laws it is Demonstrated how that Tres homines promoveri possunt uâ—a die that is to say as I guess it they are made Gentlemen in one day here you must take the Latine as I found it Captivus si movetus in Swyd de XXIV officialibus Swyd is dignitas dignity so that the sense of it is this if the Prince bestows upon a Caprive the dignity of being one of the twenty four Chief officers of his Court it is an advancement peculiar or he becomes by it a Gentleman Secundus filius villani si sit clericus our common Law doth differ from the Civil Law which saith Partus sequitur ventrem where as the Common Law hath it partus sequitur Patrem but here provision is made that the Son of a villain being a Clergy man should become a Gentleman which is somewhat explained by the next Tertius Homo ex captiva villa si villa habeat à Domino patrie licentiam Ecclesiam aedificare in Cimiterio ejus corpora sepeliri tunc villa siâ— omnes homines de ea postea sunt liberi that
and Thule called Britain Fol. 145 Italian partition Fol. 12 13 Juryes Fol. 61 62 63 Juryes among the VVelsh Fol. 64 Jus Angliae both in Socage and Knights-fee Fol. 139 K. KEntish-British Laws not altered by Hengist Fol. 46 Kent invested in Hengist Examined Fol. 37 Kent changes her Gavelkind Fol. 81 Kenneth King of Scots expels the Picts Fol. 163 Kent had four Kings at one time Fol. 45 Kingsland Fol. 44 King Ethelmund ibid King Pibanus of Ergin Fol. 44. 91 Kings Gorvodius Milfrith c. Fol. 45 Kings-Bench Fol. 69 Kindred what it is Fol. 130 131 Knave whence and what Fol. 176 Gods-cnave ibid Knight-service in VVales Fol. 103. 107 Knights-fees descended to the Eldest Fol. 138 Kynd Fol. 27. 130 131. 133 L. Land-scheutan German Tenure Fol. 135 136 137. Land-shifting Landskistan Fol. 136 The Saxon denomination of partition Fol. 143 The proper Kentish appellation Fol. 144 145 Land antiently not valuable Fol. 6. 28 Languages Of Scotland Fol. 76 Saxon English and French Fol. 75 76 English not changed by the Norman Conquest Fol. 75 Welsh the remains of the Gallick and British Fol. 17 Laws of King Edward confirmed by the Normans Fol. 58 59 Lawes-common not written Fol. 69 Law-cases ibid. Laws of England overthrew Norman intruders Fol. 65 Learning of the Druids Fol. 17 Legales homines or Yeomen marg Fol. 63 Lieutenants of the Saxon shores in Britain Fol. 39 Lempster from a Church of Nunns Fol. 44 Lewes in Sussex Fol. 71 Lesley Bishop of Ross in Scotland an Historian Fol. 163 Lewis Island in Scotland hold Gavelkind Fol. 160 Liberty of English-men Fol. 81 Liberi Sokemanni what Fol. 148 Llâ—â— what Fol. 90 Llanfrawtwt a College antiently founded Fol. 90 Llangattock Gafael Meâ—bon ibid Litthfield Chronicle Fol. 58 Loager Loegria Fol. 86 Lonaâ—â— Fol. 87 London a Memorial of Troy Fol. 83 London its Laws very antient Fol. 55 Lower Germany uses Partition Fol. 11 M. MAiles Fol. 120. 133 Mannours or Circuits in Wales antiently Fol. 96 Marquâ—ses Lords Marchers Fol. 42 Mayor whence derived Fol. 49 Menavians understand VVelsh and Irish Fol. 146 Merewoldus a King Fol. 43 Merimnus a King Fol. 44 Mercelin a King ibid. Merchenlaege what Fol. 54 57 Mate-gavel Fol. 118 Mickel-gemote Fol. 65 Military fees Fol. 149 Morgan Fol. 132 133 Monmouthshire Conquered Fol. 93 Mortimer Radulf Fol. 78 Mulcts different in rate in England Fol. 59 Mulmuâ—us Dunwallo British Legisâ—tor Fol. 154 His Laws Translated into Saxon Fol. 54. 154 N. NEifes what antiently Fol. 169 Normans Of their Conquest Fol. 56 57 Of their Alterations ibid. They altered not the English Laws Fol. 57 Of their Laws in Normandy or Neustria ibid. Employed in England before VVilliam the first Fol. 78 Their entring into VVales Fol. 93 Their original from Norway Fol. 58 O. OAth of Allegiance Fol. 55. 61 Oate or Oale-Gavel Fol. 113 Doin what Fol. 174 Ollavintone in Berkshire Fol. 73 Offa's Ditch a limit Fol. 43 Opinions received hardly removed Fol. 1 Ostorius Publius Fol. 34 P. PAganus Pagan what Fol. 168. 175 176 Palatinates Cheshire and Glamorganshire Fol. 94 Pandeborn in Berkshire Fol. 68 Parliament Fol. 65 Parceners per le Custome Fol. 147 148 Partition Used in first Plantations Fol. 6 Used by the Israelites Fol. 8 Antiquity of it by sacred and profane Authority Fol. 9 10 Made use of by Brute to his Sons Fol. 15 16 The Custom of VVales Fol. 28. 103. 156 Among Males and Females Fol. 100 101 Used by the Saxons Fol. 141 142 143 Used by the English Normans Fol. 144 Not in the Term Gavelkind Fol. 147 148 Whether ratione rei aut ratione Terrae Fol. 149 Continued in Wales by Statute Fol. 153 The manner of it among the VVelsh Fol. 156 Pencennedl's or chiefs among the Britains Fol. 23. 97. 132 Jews Fol. 23 Scots Fol. 24 Irish Fol. 97 Pelagian Heresie set against Fol. 90 Penda Pibanus King of Urchenfield Fol. 44. 91 Piben what Fol. 174 Picts They injure and repulse the Britains Fol. 36 The Picts wall ibid. Planters at first the condition of them Fol. 5 Placita what and Pleadings antiently Fol. 68 69 Pleadings in French Fol. 69 Pluntune Fol. 116 Powisland Divided Sub-divided and Parcell'd Fol. 25 26 Polydore Virgil examined Fol. 83 Privileges of Urchenfield Fol. 108. 156 Primogeniture preferred Fol. 82. 138 Price Sir John his defens Hist Brit. Fol. 84 Pride-gavel what Fol. 112 113 Primogeniture in Scotland wâ—y Fol. 166 R. Read-gavel Fol. 119 Reguli or petty Kings Fol. 15 45 Regulus and Rex Fol. 42 Referrees of Howel-dha what they did Fol. 155 Relief Fol. 108 Rents reserved Fol. 7 Rent how to be understood Fol. 115 116 Rents several sorts Fol. 117 Rented Land what antiently called Fol. 119 Rhandir what Fol. 96 Rodeley in Gloucestershire Fol. 112 Roderic the Great Fol. 24 Rogerus Deus salvet Dominas Fol. 177 Rochborn in Hampshire Fol. 66 Roturier of France Fol. 11 95 Rowena Hengist's Daughter Fol. 39 41 Roman Empire parted Fol. 87 88 Romans Altered not the British Laws or Customs Fol. 29 Greedy of Conquests Fol. 30 Their proceedings in the Conquests of Judaea Fol. 30 Of Greece ibid. Of Britain Fol. 30 31 They used words of the British Language Fol. 31 Set up a false Will for the Emperour Fol. 32 The effects of it Fol. 32 33 They desert Britain Fol. 35 S. Saisson and Saisnaeg how to be understood Fol. 86 Saxons They Co-inhabit with the Britains Fol. 37 They defended the Picts wall Fol. 38 Whether they extirpated the Britains or no ibid. They break their Article with the Britains Fol. 38 Their Piracies Fol. 41 They fail in their trust Fol. 42 They expell'd not the Britains Fol. 47 They borrowed many British words Fol. 48 49 They used British Laws and Customs Fol. 49 They intermix their Saxon with British Fol. 50 Their Laws provide for the British Inhabitants Fol. 50 51 52 They used Partition of Lands Fol. 141 Their Nobility who and what Fol. 70 Concerning their Characters Fol. 76 They wrote Latin antiently in Roman Letters Fol. 76 They change their forms of Fighting Fol. 77 Sand-gavel what Fol. 113 Sealing and signing of Charters Fol. 72 73 Serjeanty Grand and Petit Fol. 171 Servi what antiently Fol. 169. 172 Servitude not in England Fol. 81 Scotish Language Fol. 76 Scot and Lot what Fol. 78 Scotland Fol. 87 scotish-socage-Scotish-Socage-Land Fol. 159 160 Scotish with their Language had the Saxon Customs Fol. 161 Scotish tongue before William the Conquerour ibid. Scots receive the English temp Willielmi primi Fol. 162 Scotish Tongue when first received Fol. 162 163 Scotish bounds in Scotland Fol. 165 Sherborn against Warren Fol. 65 Shires not antiently in VVales Fol. 94 Soc and Sac what Fol. 177 178 179 Socage Land changed Fol. 139 Socage Land antiently partible Fol. 89 139 Spersold in Berkshire Fol. 73 Surnames when first used Fol. 176 177 Sute and Doom in Urchenfield Fol. 111 Swyddog a Magistrate in Welsh Fol. 93 173 Swine-gavel what Fol. 115
this in probability and policy may be to them and in particular to the most famous Plantation of Virginia the most fertil and most consonant to English bodies of any whatsoever and will â—ove of greatest use in time to the English Nation This kind of Partition Dr. Powel adds is very good to plant and settle any Nation in a large Country not Inhabited but in a populous Country already furnished with Inhabitants it is the very Decay of great Families and as I said before the cause of Strife and Debate The reading of this passage was it which many years since first set my thoughts at Enmity with the Saxon Parentage of Gavelkind I mean that of gip-eal-cynne give all Kyn This it was that gave me not only some examples of the use of it among the Welch but also an interpretation of half the name for I find the Doctor himself in these Additaments to this Welch History even in this passage I have made use of startled at the latter part of the Composition for he hath written Kind in small different Letters whereas Gavel is wrote in great But to return to the Pedegree by which you plainly perceive the use and the effects of this British Gavel and not only so but the partition as to descent also to the Legitimate Children for the Continuator of Lancarvan's History hath this note upon Owen Brogynton viz. his having such an Apportionment of his Father's Lands being a Bastard That base Sons were not basely esteemed but with the other had part of their Father's Inheritance and so had others through Wales especially if they were stout and of noble Courage I confess this passage did at first stumble me with some others of the like nature till seriously observing and comparing together the Laws of Howel-dha I had as to the British History a great deal of light administred which inforced me from my Incredulity to admire the Observer or Continuator I gather'd from this Law of Howel-dha Si villanus Regis filium vel optimatis ex licencia Regis alendum fusceperit filius ille particeps erit Haereditatis cum filiis Villani post mortem ejus That a Bastard may as probably receive a part in his Father's Estate by Law as that a Foster-child should have a right to a Division of his Foster-father's Land But in these you see by what means the Prinoipality of Wales crumbled to nothing who gave as much opportunity to the Saxons and Normans by this division to Conquer them as by the like Fractions their Ancestors did give facility and occasion to the Romans But to return to our purpose This last division of Roderick the Great mentioned in our Discourse is said to be done According to the custom of Wales which being so then certainly Partition is according to the custom of Wales And this I further Collect that it was not altogether the Land which in former times was so much desired which I gather from that vast proportion of waste Land at this day in that Territory or was aequivalently considered with the Cattel and Stock wherewith that Land was to be managed for those Mulcts and Impositions of Fines and Amerciaments mentioned in the Laws of Howel-dha were very severe because then they were imposed and did proceed from such things as were their greatest Riches and was not only in Money but principally in Cattel of all sorts which was their Stocks and this leads me to examine whether and to shew that CHAP. 3. Neither the Romans nor the Saxons altered our antient Laws Of the antient honour and use of the Reguli Danelaege Merkenlaege and Westsaxonlaege what they were MR. S. saith p. 61. For my part I conceive it viz. Gavelkind may carry an Antiquity far greater than the time of the Norman Conquest c. If this be conceded I shall then go a little further with my Conceptions in this point and labour to make it probable that the Laws and Customs of the Britains were not altered at least so much as by the general current of Writters is commonly received by either the Conquests of the Romans or Saxons Not that I deny but that each of them made some sort of Impression upon them in relation to their Manners Laws and Customs though the main Body of them stood firm and unshaken and first for the Romans who in those times were much Diseased with that Itch of Conquest and too too great a desire of Glory by it being carried out sometimes to attempt divers great things upon the account of Fame that were even unprofitable yet was it not their Manner or Custom when they subdued any Country to alter the Customs or Laws thereof but rather to settle the Conquered upon a Foundation of enjoying their Liberties only being subject to the Title of Conquest so was it in Jury with the Jews to whom in Holy writ you find allowed many things according to their Customs both in permitting of the Ceremonies of their Religion and also in Judicial Affairs In the like manner dealt they with some of the Graecian Common-wealths The Roman Conqueror shewing to one of them a better Division of their Country in relation to the more orderly Existency of their Republick than ever they themselves had before taken notice of and not only so but told them being at that time assembled and expecting some severe Doom that if they would proceed in their antient way of Government they should have their Liberty provided they owned the Romans their Superiors in right of Conquest who only desired such a power over them by their Garrisons the burden and charge whereof should not be considerable to them that in case they Rebelled those they would keep as Doors and Inlets by which they would pour in such Forces as should reduce them to their peace But that such a Defection should be the occasion of the loss of their Freedome And after this manner was the common practice observed by the Romans in their Conquests But to return home I find not that either Caesar in his Commentaries Lucan or Tacitus mention or point out any Alteration in the Religion or in the Customs or so much as the Ceremonies of the Druids and though I must yield that from the Romans the Britains had most part of their Civility in the use of Habits manner of Warring Buildings Baths c. yet can I not Collect any innovation as to their Laws and can boldly affirm that in the midst of these Alterations as we had the Terms of Art and Appellations of things from them so again the Britains left some reliques of their Language among the Romans for what the Inhabitants of this Island had that to the Romans were reputed Rarities to them did they accept of British appellations smoothing them into their own Idiom The Britains at that time were famous for their Art in Contexture of Baskets being things very much by the Romans desired who hearing the Britains calling them in their Language
order their own Lands and Tenements one part they kept in their own hands and in them stately Houses and Castles were erected and made for their Habitation and defence of their Persons and the Realm also Forests and Parks were made there for the Pleasures Solace and Delight some were of a round Building of Stone for the most part Built upon a round pile of Earth either Natural but most commonly Cast up by man's Industry others upon a small rising or a plain Ground seldome more Capacious than to receive about twenty or thirty Men and were made rather to preserve the Persons and Goods of the Owners and his Servants and Tenants than to endure a long Siege of which sort there are many in Ireland because of their Antient intestine feuds but more upon the English and Scotish Borders many of which I have seen but with this difference as I said before that those the English did antiently Build were round and these for the most part square with one round Tower at one of the Angles both sorts of which were antiently called Fortalices and seldome made use of for Habitation because I find their mean dwelling Houses were made commonly under it or very near adjoyning to it And I discern a difference made betwixt those for Habitation and those I spake of that were only for a Safe-guard against sudden Inroads and Incursions for in Domesdey Book in the Survey of Erdisley in Herefordshire it is there recorded that ibi est domus defensabilis that is to say there is a dwelling House fortified which is now called the Castle of Erdisley and was Builded because of its Vicinity to the Welsh Borders and was intended by that Denomination to signifie more than one of those small Casties or Fortalices I lately spoke of these were the Strengths and Fortifications of those times most frequently in use I come lastly to speak of their Buildings in which there was something of an advantagious or at least an honourable change by the difference that was in the Mode of them I must confess the Norman manner was very noble and magnificent which by their Churches may be observed for the Saxons made theirs with Descents into them the Normans with Ascents the first made their Lights small and mean the second made them high and large these made their Arches stately with heights proportionable the others had their Arches and Coverings low and made their Walls of so great a thickness that they were a great Dammage and Impediment to the pleasure of their Lights when the Normans made use of no greater thickness or breadth in their Walls than would but well serve to bear their Height and Covering In the antient form of the Saxons before mentioned I have observed several Churches and pieces of other Architecture their entrances especially in their West-ends by Descents inwardly with Arches formed to correspond with those gradual Declensions and Steps all which shortning towards the greatest Door at the bottom of the Stairs over which for the most part was a finishing of a Semicircular piece of Gothick work and together made a kind of an artificial Perspective I have hitherto endeavoured in this tract to make it appear that for the space of 1700. years past we received no considerable Mutations or Alterations in our Laws and Customs That this our Tenure the subject of our present Discourse hath had the fortune to continue here from our British aborigines the first Planters of our Isle through those several changes and revolutions of Affairs and Governments that have hapned to it since that time and although in this Discourse preceding I may be thought to have walked a little beside the path yet I am perswaded I have not missed the way but kept and preserv'd the Goal in my eye Those alterations that are now found as to the general usage of this Tenure which was the Super-eminent custom of this Nation proceed not at all from any Enforcement or Coercion by reason of any of these forementioned Intrusions or Conquests but clearly by the consent and desire of the Proprietors and Persons therein concerned for in the County of Kent where Mr. S. saith this Tenure did generally over-spread there I say in the time of Hen. 8. several Lordships were discharged of this Tenure by Act of Parliament I have not all this while pleaded for the settlement or goodness of the Tenure to be used in this Age where Lands are well Peopled and fully Inhabited for it would be the destruction both of Lands and Linage but my business hath been to enquire into the state of the question the true Original Etymology and Use thereof The people of England by degrees have inextricated themselves from much servitude in their Customs and are now instated into a great privilege of Liberty and more particularly from those heavy pressures of Villenage the Slavery of which Custom hath received its Deaths wound in favorem libertatis for Sir Edward Coke out of Fortescue hath this note Impius Crudelis judicandus qui libertati non favet and gives this as the reason of it Angliae jura in omni casu dant favorem libertati the sense of Liberty was of so great force and power and the favour due unto it according to Law and Right of so great respect that those and the like pressures have received change and alteration and by the same power and equity joyned with the consent of the Proprietors it is so come to pass also that this our Gavelkind in most places of England is turned into the preference of Primogeniture for the preservation of Houses and Lands the next Chapter shall enquire though it seems to return far back whether we have any ground to believe that the CHAP. V. Trojan Brytains used the Tenure of Partition I Could not pass by without taking notice of a Marginal question that Mr. S. makes in pag. 54. and it is this By the way saith he how do our Britains claim descent from the Trojans Sith with them the eldest Son by Prerogative of primogeniture Monopolized the whole Inheritance I know not what Authors Mr. S. hath met with that he affirms so positively with our Britains the eldest Son did Monopolize all if his Sith with them relates to the Trojans I have nothing then left to answer to it nor do I think it worth the while to concern my self therein believing that neither Dares Phrygius nor Dictys Cretensis nor Homer nor any other pretended Trojan writer did intermeddle in the relation of Descent But I am perswaded it must have reference to the Brytains and that to them it is that he saith Sith with them the eldest Son Monopolizeth c. and notwithstanding I have some inducements to believe that Mr. S. asketh the question how our Britains claim Descent from the Trojans in Merriment and Jest yet in their defence to that very question there may so much be said which will carry a greater probability than any
one that rejects it is able to produce of another original I told you before what King Edward the Confessour writes concerning the City of London that Fundata erat olim aedificata ad instar ad modum in memoriam veteris Magnae Trojae he calls it veteris Magnae Trojae as if there were a younger Troy for perhaps that Age had the conceit also of its being called Troinovant founded and built in the memory of the other old Troy which in case it should prove to be so called what reasons had the first Founders to make it ad modum and in Memoriam thereof unless they had been related thereunto I am not ignorant that the City of London had its site in the Country of the Trinobantes the sound of which name might very probably administer much to the conceit but my design now is to weaken the Vulgar opinion begun by the secret Distast of Polydore Virgil and followed by very many imputing it to be the Fiction of Galfridus Monumethensis who was the Translator only of a History out of such a Language as Polydore did not understand notwithstanding his being a Canon of Hereford and so consequently Living very near to Wales who setting out his English History in the time of Henry the eight in which as much as in him lay he laboured to disparage the British Antiquities and not only so but under the Patronage of King Henry having power to search all Records is reported to have seised the most Antient thereof that were in beeing in the Treasury of Landaf and to have Destroyed them something of which nature I have also seen for in a Register book compiled by * Bishop of Hereford St. Thomas de Cantilupe I found three leaves cut out which by a constant and consident Tradition of the Registers of the Diocess of Hereford in whose Custody that Book was it is averr'd that this was done by Polydore But as soon as his History was made publick he was encountred by Sir John Price in his Book entituled Defensio Historiae Brytannicae contra Polydorem Virgilium unto his labours I shall referr the Desirous Reader but among other things well worth the View he shews the probability of the first British Planters here their Extraction and Derivation from the Graecians back'd with many considerable Arguments and unvulgar Observations upon Antiquity taken from their Language Letters Names c. But here we may observe that the Conjecture of Trojanism was far more antient than the Virgilian opinion would make it to be not only by what I have gathered out of that Discourse newly cited of King Edward the Confessour concerning the exemplar of the Foundation of the City of London but also long before this from an Expression of * M.S. peâ—es Authorem citat à Joanne Prisaeo in Defensione sua Histor. Brit. c. Of whom Balaeus among his antient Writers saith Teliesin Claruit Anno salutis humanae 540. Arthurâ— adhuc in Brytannia regnante Mr. Wheelock out of an antient M.S. in Trinity Coll. Camb. in his Comments upon â—ede cites this of Him com þe gode Bruigt Æ¿at Æ¿as þe furste man Ãat louerd Æ¿ar in Engelond that is of him viz. Dardan came the good Brute that was the first man that was Honoured in England or Lorded there Sir Edw. Biss my honoured Friend in his Notes upon Vpton writes p. 41. Joannes Hantvillensis sive Hantwillensis Nostras Claruit anno 1200. regnante Joanne libros de Bruto XVI quemadmodum in Gesnerianae bibliothecae Simleriana legitur Epitome sed Pitseus ait poëmâ—t id libris IX constare ludebat Archithrenium autem appellavit c. atqui hinc ipse etiam Archithreniâ—â— nominatus Eum laudat Petrarcha Giraldus Vives Vossius Textor Balaeus Textor Ambrosius Telesinus a Monk of Bangor who lived in the first Age of the Saxons enterprize upon Brytain and by the Welsh is honoured with the Title of Penbeird i. e. princeps Bardorum he in one of his Cants largely discoursing of the Saxons their Violence and Rapine by an Apostrophe reverting from them to give comfort to his Country-men the Brytains in the midst of such Disasters expresseth himself thus Now will I return y Weddilion Trojon to the reliques of Troy plainly by the ensuing Discourse intending the Brytains whom he supposed to be the off-spring of the preserved remainder after the Siege of Troy and those that have endeavoured the reducement of British Words and Denominations to an Original from the Greek have done it with good success and without any such force as many Etymologists of other Languages have laboured under and perhaps the Antient name of this our Island will with more probability be found from that Language than from any other for surely the latter part of it seems to be a Greek Termination as in several Appellations believed to be by them imposed upon places is to be perceived like as in Lusitania Mauritania Tingitania c. which is taken to signifie Regio a Region But to Mr. S's question strengthned with this position viz. That with them the eldest Son by prerogative of Primogeniture Monopolized the whole Inheritance I answer that if our Brytains do claim Descent from the Trojans those that had but looked into the Trojan British History might with small labour have found that Brute the Trojan had three Sons Camber Loeger and Albanact and having the whole Island at his dispose Divided it amongst them from whose names it is affirmed by those that write this Story that the Triplicite division of Cambria Loegria and Albania first took their Original and it is observable that the Brytains the antient Proprietors and Inhabiters of this Land know not themselves under the Denomination of Welsh * North-Gales Wales Wallia cometh of the Saxon word Wealk which signifieth Peregrinus or Exterus for the Saxoas so called them because in troth they were Strangers to them being the remain of the old and antient Britains a wise and warlick Nation inhabiting in the West-part of England These men have kept their proper Language for above these thousand years past and they to this day call us English-men Saisons that is Saxons Coke upon Littleton that Word being as much a Stranger to them as in its own Natural signification it is unto it self for by it do the Dutch call the Bordering French and Italians unto this day and is that Appellation which the Saxons imposed on the Brytains who like unmannerly Guests called their Land-lords or Hosts the true Proprietors even as I may say in their own Houses the Strangers But the Brytains did antiently and still do call themselves Cwmri their Language Cwmraeg and this fancied to be from Camber the same Brytains call England in their own Language Lloiger upon the same fancy as before supposed to be denominated from Loeger another of the Sons of Brute yet notwithstanding they call such Inhabitants as live in this part and division by them
of wherein he affirms that the tâ—tm Gavelkind is not to be found though the Castom of partition is there in mentioned which without any great trouble all things considered might argue it to be a British custom yet confesses that the Parliament in the Statute of 34 Hen. 8. can 26. did make use of the word Gavelkind But how saith he questioning and then resolving it only as bâ—rrowed to help to Describe and Illâ—strate that partible quality of the Lands in Wales therein mentioned and that it was transmitted by our Lawyers who borrowed the term to make use of it foâ— Illustration sake But with pardon I shall â—ence â—â—ferr that it passed there as a most natural and genuine Expression and is properly a peculiar of their own upon the grounds before set down As for the antient Customs of the Kingdome of Ireland I am informed by the Irish that their Rhein-ta-loon which is their parting of Land is generally among the Comminalty and is like that oâ— the Country of Flanders where Daughters share as well as the Sons and spreads all over that Country also the like to which I shall shew you in Wareham in Dorsetshire in the next Chapter Râ—ein in the Irish is to part and I believe comes from the British Rhannu I have little to say except it be that when King John overthrew the Brehon Law Anno Regni sui 12. and then setled the English Laws that this Tenure of partition might probably receive a great abatement of its common usage and force among them who it seems have the foot-steps and remainders thereof very Visible unto these our days But in this I shall desire to be excus'd as not having informed my self sufficiently so as to make a satisfactory Discourse thereof confessing my self much ignorant in that History and shall proceed in the Discourse CHAP. VII Of soveral Customs of Descent of Lands of the welsh Laws of Partition of Knights-sâ—rvice and warâ—ship among them STill it is that Mr. S. goes about to confine the Knowledge of Gavelkind to the Circuit of Kent and will not allow it Gavelkind in any other Country but that For in pag. 49. he saith thus what else where I mean in other Shires and Counties they properly call by the name of Socage whether free or base we here in Kent are wont to call by the name of Gavelkind or if you please in Mr. Lambards expression all Socage-service here properly so called is cloathed with the apparel of Gavelkind and under it in a large acception is understood all such Land within the County as is not Knights-fee or Knights-service-Land the term serving here to Contra-distinguish it from Knights-service-Land But let a man go into Urchinfield in the County of Hereford and inquire of an Inhabitant thereof in what manner Lands there are held he will readily and speedily resolve him that they are subject to Gavelkind and as fully inform you of the nature of that their Tenure viz. that by it their Lands are all partible among the Males and in defect of them among the Females as other Lands of Inheritance are throughout England I have met with another kind and fort of Partition which I dare venture to call Gavelkind and is very unusual because by the Custom of the place both Males and Females have a right equally in the Partition I think it may not prove displeasing to insert the Record as it was shewn to me by my Industrious friend Mr. Falconbridge to whom for this and many others favours I must acknowledge my self with much-gratefulness Indebted and thus it is in the Office of the Chamberlains of the Exchequer of Receipt being the like as I find it in Flanders and the same with that in Ireland Dorset Placita de jurat is Assiss Anno 16. Edw. 1. Metingh Edwardus Kaynel Maria filia Roberti de Camma The Irish have the same manner of Partition Davies-Irish reports Jobannes Bereset Matill uxor ejus Johanna soror ejusdem Matill petunt versus Johannem Alfrith de Warham unum Toftum cum pertinentiis in Warham de quo Johannes Gerard. consanguineus predictorum Edwardi Mariae Matill Johannae cujus heredes ipsi sunt fuit seisitus in Dominico suo ut de feodo die quo obiit c. unde dicunt c. Et Johannes venit dicit quod Tenementa in Warham sunt partibilia inter Mascuâ—os Femellas dicit quod predictus Edwardus habet quasdam Gunnoram Matill Christianam Albredam Eufemiam sorores participes ipsius Edwardi aliorum petentium que tantum jus habent in re petita sicut c. que non nominantur in Bâ—evi unde petit judicium de Brevi c. Edwardus alii non possunt hoc dedicere Ideo consideratum est quod praedictus Johannes eat inde sine die c. This though it may seem strange yet may properly enough be called a Gavelkind for let the Custom of any place be according to the usual or unusual way of Partition it is but the Tenure of that place and will come well enough under that Denomination and that which Mr. S. brings in his 49th page as a Solution to an Objection viz. That it is no other than a Custom generally spreading it self throughout the whole Country in Land of that nature should have been thus laid down without confining it to the County of Kent viz. throughout any Country or all Countries in Land of that nature for so indeed it is In the Villages round the City of Hereford Item Lou per Custonie aâ—pel Burgh-English en ascun Burgh le fits puisn inherita touts les Tenements c. Littleton Lib. 2. Sect. 211. I find their Lands are all held in the Tenure of Borough-English where without difficulty I conclude that it is a Custom spreading it self throughout those Parishes and Villages in Land of that nature neither can it be otherwise but that the youngest Son ought to be and must by Law be found Heir so long as that Land remains under the same Services and Copy-holdings of their respective Mannours and the Suters here do as much stand upon their Customs as in Urchenfield they insist upon their Custom of Partition among the Males or as Wareham in Dorsetshire among both Males and Females another sort of usage in the Tenure of Burgh-English is mentioned by Sir Edward Coke upon * Lib. 2. Cap. 11. Sect. 211. Littleton in these words within the Mannour of B. in the County of Berk there is such a Custom that if a Man have divers Daughters and no Son and Dyeth the eldest Daughter shall only Inherit and if he have no Daughters but Sisters the eldest Sister by the Custom shall Inherit and sometime the youngest and divers other Customs there be in like Cases And brings in Britton to strengthen him and to confirm what I have said saying De terres des ancienes
even as well if it were formerly Gavelkind-land by their grant receive an extinction of its Tenure for that in such cases where it is I say so vested it is wholy depending upon the force of the contract betwixt the persons concerned and again this same specifical Land may so fall out as to be made the very site of the house and the gardens of this religious Society or body and how in such a case it will be capable of partition except as I before have spoken in the members their participation of an equal benefit I know not The progress exhibits CHAP. XI Some offers at the termination Kind affixed in Composition to the word Gavel MR. S. in his 37th page saith that Gavelkynd is a word compounded of Gavel and Kynd the latter Syllable whereof commeth and is contracted of the Saxon word gecynde which by several good Authors is rendred Nature Mr. S. in his 10th page saith that Gavel is the main part of the word Which if so then I hope I have dispatched the main part of my work and could willingly joyn with Mr. S. in his Exposition of the latter part for in what I shall declare my self in this Chapter shall be only Scepticism But I am confident of my opinion in the first and main part and here I must take notice of and give to Mr. S. his due honour for his ingenuous Ratiocination upon the common received Interpretation of Mr. Lambard and all those that follow him concerning the latter part of it which he would have to signifie Kindred and that the whole word together is of a Saxon Original and is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is give to all the Kindred which flatly opposeth the very nature of the Tenure because where such Lands are that are subject to this partible quality the Kindred do not share nor are they partible at all among them but in the common case of the failer of Issue then the next of Kindred in the nearest Line And in this pretended interpretation the word Kyn supposed to be Kindred doth seem to nullifie by it the known use of the Tenure for if the Kindred be to part those Lands then must it so fall out that either the Children part them with the Kindred or the Kindred without the Children for if the Title by this Denomination be in the Kindred it must be one of the two and upon serious consideration I would think that it deserves a Censure for any to affirm that Children are of Kyn to the Father for that Kyndred or Kin betokens a more distantial relation than a Son is to the Father which should it take place in that Notion would carry with it the confusion of Alliances In Latin Kindred is called Cognatio quia Cognati quasi una communiter nati vel orti ab eodem progenitore These Cognati or Kindred that are so distanced may be said to be Sanguine conjuncti and Consanguinei be cause they proceed from one Progenitor yet are well known not to participate of the same privileges with the Children For the Children of one Brother do not divide or part Lands with the Children of another Brother by this our Tenure but if the Land should thus pass then by what Right or Title can the Children expect any part of it for that according to this interpretation it should pass to the Kindred and so as I said before being eminently implanted in them it doth plainly seem to Debarr the Children and Vacate the common use of Partition among the Sons which is the more plainly Evicted by this in that Daughters in case it be insisted upon in relation to Kindred are as much of Kindred to the Father as the Sons are and yet in this Tenure of Partition the Daughters have commonly no share when there be Sons existing Mr. Verstegan who would willingly observing some inconveniences in the Latitude of Mr. Lambards exposition restrain it would make Kynd to signifie Sons or rather Children which if in the last then I say that Daughters as well as Sons at the same time are very rarely participants in the Partition of Lands together except in those cases I formerly shew'd Doctor Powel in his Additaments to the Cambrian History which I cited fully before saith Here I think fit to say somewhat of the Custom and Tenure of Wales c. that is the Division of the Father's Inheritance among all the Sons commonly called Gavel-kynd the Doctor writes Gavel in great and large Characters and Kynd in small as being Dubious of the Connaturality of them Gavel he affirms to be British but not knowing what to make of Kind passeth it over in silence I shall be farr from Peremptoriness in my own sentence concerning it One while I thought it might have been derived from the British word Tennedl which signifies generatio aut familia as in that commonly used word Pen-cennedl which is received and expounded to signifie Princeps Generationis aut familias the chief of a Kindred or Blood who among the Welsh are reverenced and observed as I told you the Lords or Chiefs of Clans were in the High-lands of Scotland and so Gavel-kennedl might signifie Tenura familias aut Generationis Which that I may bring it a little nearer to the ringing of the pronunciation is by some reported to have been sounded Tennedh which with great case in the composition may retreat into Gavel-kynd and is of the same use in that signification Somewhat of that manner was antiently observed among the Britains though it seems to be lost for Morgan was a name of great use among them heretofore as it is at this day which signifies Got of the Sea Mergan signifies got of the Sea as some Criticks in that Language do report and was thought to be the proper name of that Arch Heretick who in imitation of this his name was by the Greeks called Pelagius which termination GAN in the Welsh name I mean is the fruit of Genned from whence with a soft mutation may come the latter part of our word enquired after viz. Kynd The other imagination was this That the Saxons upon their first Co-habitation with the Britains did borrow many of their words by which they expressed the Denominations of places and things I have already shewed several of them in this Tract and could produce so many as that by themselves they would fill a Volume and not only is there to be found this intermixtion with the Saxon tongue but also much of the reliques thereof in the very French being the remainders of the antient Gallick which at this day is the most entirely kept by the Brytains of North-wales for all things that related to Nobility to Propriety to terms of Law to Customs to Offices c. are in British carried through many ages from the Brytains by the Saxons down to us The Saxons call some rents Mailes the same word the Scots use to this day Pag. 34. and is as Mr. S.
Insulae Britannicae quae sunt XII post haec ab inhabitationibus elongatur quo procedat ignoratur for the difference betwixt the two Languages is not so great but that we may upon good reason believe they were one and the same antiently nor so great a Dissonancy at this day between them but that the footsteps of a former union may easily be observed and * Mr. Selden observes a little of the use in the Defusedness of the antient Language saying Corwallensea in Anglia linguâ semper usi sunt Cambro-britannicâ saltem velut Dialecto variatâ uti etiam Aremorici in Galliis Manniae item Insulae incolae Hibernicâ unde tamen nemo est hominum qui velit sequi aut hanc Angliae Regibus quâ Hiberniae sive Domini sive Reges fuerint parere aut illos ex Cambro-Britannici principatû jure aliqâ— principibus suis subjacere Marc Claus lib. 2. cap. 19. the progress of Languages is a thing very well worth the observat on For by sundry discourses with several intelligent persons concern'd in the Languages and somewhat upon my own Observation I can make it out that if one of Base Brytany meets a Cornish-man that speaks the Cornish they with small difficulty will each understand the other the very Denomination of that Country being British for Armorica is derived from At Mor which hath no signification but from the Welsh and is upon or near the Sea with which the situation also agrees let a Cornish-man pass into Wales he will understand the Welsh and be understood of them A Welsh-man meeting with an Inhabitant of the Isle of Man that speaks the Manc-language both of them will understand one the others meaning An Inhabitant of this Isle a Menavian meets in Ireland among the Irish an agreeable Intelligence and the Irish with great facility communicate with the High-land Scots in their several Dialects intelligibly So that animadverting this Progression as I have linked them much may be inferred of Originals Customs and Manners among all of them having found the foot-steps of Gavel-kind by the Saxons deduced to the Normans and not altered by them Concerning which I have been larger before and in my next Chapter shew CHAP. XV. That in the Term Gavelkynd is not Partition Of free Socage and other Customs concerning Gavelkynd extra Cantium of the Antiquity of the Laws of Howel-dha THat in the Term viz. Gavel-kynd there is not any Partition is plain both by what Mr. S. apprehends of it thinking it to be derived from Rent and to signifie Genus Gabli vel redditus nor by what I have given in and exhited for my sentence that it signifies Tenura the â—enure per eminentiam of the Family or Genus Tenurae and so consequently may serve for an answer to one part of the question put by Mr. S. in his 42d. page where he saith Our next enquiry shall be whether Partition owe it self to Gavelkind either ex vi Termini or ratione rei and gives his opinion with me that ex vi Termini partition doth not owe it self to Gavel-kynd and in some considerable cases it is not enforced in the very use of it for in case a Father Dyes possessed or seised of such partible Gavel-kynd-land and leaves but one Son behind him this Land is not then to be parted which if it had been ex vi Termini it must have either ceased its use and force or else there must have been found out some other near Relations with whom the sole Heir had been constrained to a Partition the like whereof I could never read or hear was ever done This was very well understood by Littleton Lib. 3. Sect. 265. and explained by Sir Edward Coke in that Chapter of Parceners per le Custome for Sons saith Sir Edward are Parceners in respect of the Custom of the Fee or Inheritance and not in respect of their persons as Daughters and Sisters be c. And out of Bracton citeth this Et sunt participes quasi partem capientes c. ratione ipsius rei quae partibilis est non ratione personarum quae non sunt quasi unus haeres unum corpus sed diversi haeredes ubi tenementum partibile est inter plures cohaeredes petentes qui descendunt de eodem stipite semper solent dividi ab antiquo for such Lands belonging to a Family relate only to the Males in case of their existency but if not then to the Females So also we have it observed by Glanvil who denominates such as hold by this Tenure of Partition Liberi Sokemanni of whom he writeth quibus mortuis dividetur hereditas inter omnes filios si fuerit Socagium id antiquitùs divisum salvo tamen capitali messuagio primogenito pro dignitate Aesneciae suae ita tamen quod in aliis rebus satisfaciet aliis ad valentiam Si vero non fuerit antiquitùs divisum tunc primogenitus secundùm Quorundam consuetudinem totam haereditatem obtinebit secundùm autem quorundam consuetudinem postnatus filius heres est I shall not enforce any thing from the Custom of preference of Primogeniture to Socage Lands which were such as were non antiquitùs divisae and those to be but secundùm consuetudinem Quorundam which expression signifies a diminution both in respect of Age and Community nor of the Tenure which we call Burgh-English which whether brought in by the Saxons because of its name I cannot tell But concerning that which Glanvil setteth down as the most common Custom of the Kingdome and most antient as in his time it was received to be and the intent of his Paragraph which is to Counter-distinguish the Tenure of this partible Land from the Tenures of the Military fees where the eldest Son in England still Inherits of which sort there were not so many when William the Conquerour took his Survey of the Kingdome as after times did bring them unto when that no Land was permitted to be held free from the Military tenure not excepting the very Lands of the Church But he being so plain I shall not trouble you with a Comment and return to the subject of this Chapter which is that Partition ex vi Termini doth not owe it self to Gavelkind no rather Gavel-kind to Partition for I believe when at first this Partition was used and received into a common Custom those Users were enforced and obliged to find and invent a word by which their Custom might be intelligibly expressed rather than to make a Custom to the signification of the word but where the Custom of Dividing under the Title and Term of Gavel-kind was once received and setled with its appurtenances there it inferrs Partition and passeth as a common Law not only in Kent but in Christendome also To what Mr. S. saith by way of objection out of Bracton that he is express for a Partition ratione rei vel ratione Terrae if by it Relation
properly called villein-services have been as they still are intermitted or rather quite ceased insomuch as all our Gavel-kynd-land in point of service now differs nothing from free Socage being such ubi fit servitium in denariis That there were changes out of Villenage Tenures into others more free and less servile is frequently to be found but by that to lay any force upon the in erpretation or Etymologye of the word or that upon the account of those citations brought in by Mr. S. it should signifie Genus gabli aut redditus because there was a tent fixed upon the change I cannot yield unto it To what he observes in his 59th page out of the Customal of Eastry Mannour in Kent of the changing Octo Cotarii pro Gavel-kende since that Gavel-kind in Kent is received as a Tenure far less servile than their ordinary Villenage this change I say was very considerable and did well deserve a sum of money in Gersum to the Lord for that these Cotarii before this change being by Tenure Villeins and so consequently their Lands not descendable to their Children their persons not scarce their own their acquisitions got by the sweat of their brows at the will of the Lord by this change these cotarii being invested into a propriety of this Land and this Land made to descend as in Gavelkind the mutation was very advantagious to the occupant But yet there appears somewhat further to me to confirm my affirmation and 't is thus to be considered Mutati sunt octo Cotarii Pro Gave-kende Medleferme tenet unum messuagium tres acras quae solent esse cotar modo reddit XL. den de Gablo These Cotarii had their Lands changed into Gavel-kend Medleferm tenet unum messuagium que solent esse Cotarii modo reddit XL. den de Gablo They are changed into the Tenure of Gavelkind and pay rent XL. den de Gablo this last notwithstanding the propinquity of sound cannot have any relation to Gavel-kende for then it had been a Tautologie but Gavel-kind and Gablum are set forth into different and distinct uses The Tenure was changed into Gavel-kind with the reservation of an annual Rent of XL. den de Gablo that is to say upon the account of that imposition made at the agreement by way of acknowledgement for creating this Land Gavel-kind-land The last hath relation to the rent reserved and the acknowledgement the other to the manner of holding in relation to the change and to the future descent So likewise is that other citation out of the Archbishops accompt-roll in the year 1230. where it is thus entred dâ— XIIIs. IVd. de fine Cotariorum ut Coteriae suae ponerentur adredditum that is to say that their Cotages may be fixed and certain in relation to their Gables or Reat for which they paid a fine whereas the first citation had relation both to Tenure and Rent I shall now take my progress northward and inform you that there is also as the remainder of the antient planters CHAP. XVII Gavel-kind in Scotland when the English tongue and the Customes were first planted in Scotland MR. S. in his 53d. page reports That the Tenure of Gavel-kynd in other Countreys besides Kent is a custome indeed but yet like to that in Scottish Socage Land to which he produceth as a Test. Skenaeus I find by Mr. S. that Gavel-kind shall be permitted in other Countreys to be like unto that in Wales like that in Ireland like to Scottish Socage-land rather than like to it self or to the same * Yet Mr. John Skene saith in his Chapter de linea recta descendentium thus Gif ony man deceasis leavis behind him maa Sons nor ane either he is Succomaanus haldis not his Lands be service of Ward and then his Heretage is divided amangst all his Sonns or he is miles la the quhilk case the eldest Sonne succeedis in the haâ— Lands quhilk heretably perteined to his father c. What the manner of the Scottish-Socageland is or hath been antiently in Scotland I am not certain but of this I am assured that there are sevcral Maâ—nours heretofore belonging to certain Bishops of Scotland where there is the same usage of partition of Lands as in Gavel-kind which shews that those Lands belonging in those antient times to the Church did not feel the severity of the War but enjoyed this Custome and Tenure from their most antient proprietors Which is also plainly to be perceived by the retention of this Tenure yet in force amongst the antient Britains of the Isles who by reason of their site were most free from the fury of the War I call them Brytains though now they are called High-landers because upon tryal of words and denominations of places I find that Language and the British so cohaerent as that there is not much difference between them to a serious observer as I have before treated consideration being had to such words as have suffered by the Saxon converse For this Island at its first plantation did certainly upon the increase of families who first setled in the Easternmost parts thereof remove their increase Westward and Northward till such time as by this means both Cornwall and the Orcades were also planted and then the Saxons in process of time inforced the Brytains to leave these their antient Seats in the Eastern parts of the Isle yet not all as I shewed before who retired by their force either into Cornwall Wales the Scottish Highlands or Base Britainy in France where they in their off-spring do occupye these places with Ireland also unto this day There lyes a large Island named Lewis belonging to the Earl of Seaforth between the Hebrides and the Orcadâ—s which wholy holds by this Tenure of partition by what name there called I could not understand for their Language there is Irish-British but if according to Mr. S. the name were Saxon in its original what hinders but that all Countreys where the Saxon Language is in use should have the knowledge of the word and upon this ground it is that I may with moroprobability è contra inferr that because it is not so universally known in those places where the Saxon tongue is spoken it administers more reason to believe and conceive it should have another origine than to be so easily lost among the very users of the Language and in no such place to be found as Mr. S. would have us believe but within the Septs of Kent The time of planting the Saxon Customes in Scotland is difficult to be known but if the planting the Language argues any probability of the planting of Customes then we had best make the time of the planting the Saxon tongue the matter of our enquiry thence being able probably to deduce that at that time the Customes were received for it was far otherwise in the Saxon settlement in Scotland than in England For here they planted and setled with the