This work was primarily to gather the harvest and to
plough with oxen, using a yoke over their shoulders, and to sow in
autumn and Lent. They threshed grain on barn floors with flails
cut from holly or thorn, and removed the kernels from the shafts
by hand. Work lasted from sunrise to sunset and included women and
children. The older children could herd geese and pigs, and set
snares for rabbits. The young children could gather nuts and
berries in season and other wild edibles, and could pick up little
tufts of wool shed by sheep. The old could stay in the hut and
mind the children, keep the fire going and the black pot boiling,
sew, spin, patch clothes, and cobble shoes. The old often suffered
from rheumatism. Many people had bronchitis. Many children died of
croup [inflammation of the respiratory passages]. Life expectancy
was probably below thirty-five.
The villein retained his customary rights, his house and land and
rights of wood and hay, and his right in the common land of his
township. Customary ways were maintained. The villeins of a manor
elected a reeve to communicate their interests to their lord,
usually through a bailiff, who directed the labor. Sometimes there
was a steward in charge of several of a lord's manors, who also
held the manorial court for the lord. The steward held his land of
the lord by serjeanty, which was a specific service to the lord.
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