Witnesses were
also required for the exchange of property and to vouch for
cattle having being born on the property of a person claiming
them. People traveled to markets on deep, sunken roads and
narrow bridges kept in repair by certain men who did this work
as their service to the King. The king's peace extended to a
couple of high roads, i.e. highways, running the length of the
country and a couple running its width.
Salt was used throughout the nation to preserve meat over the
winter. Inland saltworks had an elaborate and specialized
organization. The chief one used saltpans and furnaces to extract
salt from natural brine springs. They formed little manufacturing
enclaves in the midst of agricultural land, and they were
considered to be neither large private estates headed by a lord
nor appurtenant to such. They belonged jointly to the king and the
local earl, who shared, at a proportion of two to one, the
proceeds of the tolls upon the sale of salt and methods of
carriage on the ancient salt ways according to cartload, horse
load, or man load. Sometimes there were investors in a portion of
the works who lived quite at distance away. The sales of salt were
mostly retail, but some bought to resell. Peddlers carried salt to
sell from village to village.
Some smiths traveled for their work, for instance, stonewrights
building arches and windows in churches, and lead workers putting
lead roofs on churches.
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