APPENDIX В.

120, because it is probable that such instances may have led to
that calculation : but it is necessary to bear in mind that the Hid
is exclusively arable land, and that in the case where the number
of hides equalled the whole acreage, there could have been neither
forest, nor meadow nor pasture. The notes on some of the entries
will show how erroneous any such calculation would necessarily
be. And lest this assertion that the hid is exclusive of unbroken
land should appear unsupported, I wish the following data to be
considered. But first we must see how the hid is distributed into '
its component parts. In Domesday the hid consists of four yard-
lands, virga or virgata : and the virga of four farthings or farlings,
ferlingus, ferlinus, ferdinus, fertinus : thus

1 fertin.

4 fertin =1 virg.

IC fertin.=4 virg. = l hide,

whatever may have been the number of acres in the ferling. Again
in Domesday, the amount of an estate held by any one is given,
together with the amount of wood, meadow and pasture in his
hands. If these bo included in the amount of the hid, or its parts,
which the tenant held, we shall arrive at the following results ;
which (even for a moment taking the hid at 120 acres) are a
series of reductiones ad absurdιιnι. In the Exeter Domesday,
fol. 205^b (vol. iii. 187) I find an estate valued at 11 acres : the
pasture etc. mentioned as belonging to it is counted at 20 acres :
these, it is clear, could not be comprised in the eleven. But let us
take a few examples Iabularly.

THE HI'D.

Now it is particularly necessary to bear in mind that these ridi-
culous amounts are the minimum ; that in every case the arable
land remains to be added to them, and in some cases whole square
miles of forest and moorland. I conclude then that the wood,
meadow and pasture were not included in the hid or arable, but
were appurtenant to it. Sometimes indeed they bear a very small
proportion to the arable, and to the number of cattle owned—a
fact perhaps to be explained by the existence of extensive com-
mons.

Let us now endeavour to settle the amount, as well as the pro-
portions of the hid and its several parts. As I have said the hid
consisted of four virgates, the virgate of four ferlings^l. I do not
give examples, because they may be found in every other entry in
Domesday ; but I may add that the gyld or tax payable to the
king from the land, is based upon precisely the same calculation :
the hid paid 6 shillings (worth now about 18s. 6rf.), the virgate
Is. Qd., and the ferling J₃-⁸- or 4⅜<Z. Thus (Exon. D. f. 80, 80, b.
vol. iii. p. 72) in the hundred of Meleborne, the king had
£18 18s. 4^<7. as geld from 63 hides and 1 ferling of land :

now 63×6s =378s.

1 ferl. ×4∣rf∙= Os. 4⅛cZ......378s. 4⅛rf, or 18/. 18s. 4⅛rf.

Again (fol. 80, b. iii. p. 73) the king had £9 10s. 8,∣d. for 31 h.
3 v. j ferl.

i. e. 31 × 6s.     = 186s.

3 X Is. Qd. = 4s. Qd.

i× 4⅛rf.= Os. 2⅜rf......190s. 8jrf. or 9/. 10. 8⅛rf.

in which passage, ferlingus is used for the coin as well as the mea-
sure of land. Again (fol. 81, b. vol. iii. p. 74) the geld for
60 h. 3 v. I^ ferl. was £18 5s. 0∣rf. (“ unum obolum et unum
ferling ”).

i. e. GO X 6s.    =360s.

3 × Is. Qd. = 4s. Qd.

1⅜ × Os. 4 ⅞√.= Os. Gjrf......365«. Ojrf. or 18/. 5s. Ojrf.

Or to test it another way ; the hid= 16 ferlings, .∙. 60 h. 3 v. l∣ferl.

¹ From feower_i four. Feorling or FeoriSing are similar formations, and de-
note a fourth, or farthing in money or land : also in corn (a quarter of corn),
and in the wards of a city. Ellis, Introd. p. 1. note.

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