In Norman Times (_Cont._)
The king, then, granted manors to his followers, and to such Saxon
eorls and thanes as were willing to hold their lands on the same
conditions as the Normans. If they objected, as from time to time a
good many of them did, they had to go.
Now, though every manor had a lord, where the lord held many manors
it was quite impossible for him to be living in the manor-house of
each of them, and looking after his estate himself. He could, if
he chose, let out some portions of these manors to a man beneath
him in rank, on exactly the same conditions as the king had
granted to him. The man must swear to be his vassal, and appear,
when required, with his proper number of men, to fight his lord's
battles. He, in his turn, might let parts of the lands to others
under him.
By this means the king could command a pretty large army. He would
summon his great vassals, they would summon their vassals, each of
whom would in turn summon his followers; and so from every manor
men would be called to fight. It was something like the old nursery
tale: "The fire began to burn the stick; the stick began to beat
the dog; the dog began to worry the pig; and so the pig began to
get over the stile".
[Illustration: _Domesday Book. From the original in the Public
Record Office, London._ (_1/8 original size._)]
If the lord was not living in the manor-house there was someone
there to represent him and to look after his interests. In scores
of manors the people never set eyes on their overlord; but they
felt the grip of his power through the steward of the manor. Now,
though the steward could not go against the customs of the manor
openly, there were many ways in which he could make himself very
disagreeable to the people under his care. He was there to grind
what he could out of the tenants for the lord, and he took care to
grind for himself too. It seems to have been quite an understood
thing that he was to get what he could out of the manor for
himself, so that very often villeins and tenants had anything but
an easy, pleasant life.
The Norman Conquest did not interfere with the customs of the
manors, and the life of an ordinary manor went on very much the
same in King William's reign as it had done under King Edward
the Confessor. About twenty years after King William I had come
to the throne, that great survey, recorded in Domesday Book, was
made. Learned men who have studied the Domesday Book closely have
discovered many things connected with the life of people in England
at this period. We can even see what parts of the country suffered
by opposing King William, and which districts had submitted quietly
to him.