vill3-第59章

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ion　of　it。　I　shall　not　revert　to　my　positive　arguments　in　favour　of　the　existence　of　ancient　freehold　by　the　side　of　tenements　that　have　become　freehold　by　exemption　from　servile　duties。　But　I　may　be　allowed　to　point　out　in　this　place；　that　negatively　the　appearance　of　free　elements　among　the　peasantry　presents　a　most　powerful　check　to　the　theory　of　a　servile　origin　of　the　community：　it　throws　the　burden　of　proof　on　those　who　contend　for　such　an　origin　as　against　the　theory　of　a　free　village　feudalized　in　process　of　time。　　　　　In　a　sense　the　partizans　of　the　servile　community　are　in　the　same　awkward　position　in　respect　to　the　manorial　court。　Its　body　of　suitors　may　have　consisted　to　a　great　extent　of　serfs；　but　surely　it　must　have　contained　a　powerful　free　admixture　also；　because　out　of　serfdom　could　hardly　have　arisen　all　the　privileges　and　rights　which　make　it　a　constitutional　establishment　by　the　side　of　the　lord。　The　suitors　are　the　judges　in　litigation；　the　conveyancing　practice　proceeds　from　the　principle　of　communal　testimony；　and　in　matters　of　husbandry；　custom　and　self…government　prevail　against　any　capricious　change　or　unprecedented　exaction。　And　it　has　to　be　noticed　that　the　will　and　influence　of　the　lord　is　much　more　distinct　and　overbearing　in　the　documents　of　the　later　thirteenth　and　of　the　fourteenth　century；　than　in　the　earlier　records；　one　more　hint；　that　the　feudal　conception　of　society　took　some　time　to　push　back　older　notions；　which　implied　a　greater　liberty　of　the　folk　in　regard　to　their　rulers。　　　　　Whichever　way　we　may　look；　one　and　the　same　observation　is　forced　upon　us：　the　communal　organisation　of　the　peasantry　is　more　ancient　and　more　deeply　laid　than　the　manorial　order。　Even　the　feudal　period　that　has　formed　the　immediate　subject　of　our　study　shows　everywhere　traces　of　a　peasant　class　living　and　working　in　economically　self…dependent　communities　under　the　loose　authority　of　a　lord；　whose　claims　may　proceed　from　political　sources　and　affect　the　semblance　of　ownership；　but　do　not　give　rise　to　the　manorial　connexion　between　estate　and　village。