Castle Quest - Reply to Topic

Forum:	Medieval Life And Culture
Topic:	free and unfree villeins

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T O P I C R E V I E W
SusanWriter My name is SusanWriter, and I am a published author finishing up a novel set in Pleshey Castle, Essex, England, 1290. I am seeking information on what fee or obligation an unfree villein (serf on the Continent) would have to pay to his lord in order to obtain free status. I need to know the name of the fee and a monetary amount as well as a bibliographic source for the information. I thought I read this somewhere in my research over the past year, but now I am unable to find it. Thank you for your consideration of this question. SusanWriter
Peter Hi Susan,
I recall your request for pic's on Pleshy (I think !).
If no one else comes up with anything, give me a few days. I'm sure there may be something in Domesday Book to Magna Carta - 1087 - 1216, from the Oxford History of England.
SusanWriter Yes, Peter, I was seeking pics on Pleshey two months ago. Thanks for your research once again! Best regards, SusanWriter
Peter Phew, that covered some wordage, and I hope this gives you plenty of poetic leeway.
Okay, to quote from page 47 (Manumission of Villeins) of the forementioned book;
" Although commutation of services did not give a villein his freedom, there were several ways by which this could be aquired. The lord could give hin his freedom by charter, sometimes in return for a small quir-rent, or the villein might purchse it; but technically at least this must be done not with his own money (which was deemed the property of his lord) but through an intermediary" ... requote ... " The manumission was performed publicly in the presence of witnesses and ceremoniously. The lord taking the liberated serf by his right hand presented him to the sheriff in full county court, claimed hin quit of servitude, and furnished him with the arms of a freeman.. There were also less conventional methods of enfranchisement, A peasent could gain his freedom by assuming holy orders, but after 1164 he might only do so with the consent of his lord. He might also escape to a town where, if he remained unclaimed for a year and a day, he became free. The German proverb 'Stadtluft macht frei' ('town air enfranchise') applies to England no less than the continent." ... end of quote ... " Nevertheless it is no less evident that the lords made efforts to recapture them; if, however they failed to do so within four days, they could only recover their fugitive villeins by an appeal to the courts." end of quotes.
and much, much more which made resdort to a slight drink.
Okay !
SusanWriter Peter,
Forgive my deliquency in thanking you for the "verbage." I had a baby on the day you replied and am just getting back to the computer. The information was very helpful! Many thanks! SusanWriter
Peter Hi Susan,
you had a baby for the day,or, you really had a bundle of joy ?
If it is the last .... Brilliant !!!!!!!
Congratulations are certainly in order.
Our 'baby' was 34 today, she never has liked being an April Fool baby .. poor thing !