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We will now resume the thread of our story. It was now the hour of eventide, and the time for "laying the board" drew near. From forest and field came in ceorl and theow, hanging up their weapons or agricultural implements around the lower end of the hall.
There was a rigorous punishment for working on Sunday: if a theow, by order of his lord, the lord had to pay a penalty of thirty shillings; if without the lord's order, he was condemned to be flogged. If a freeman worked without his lord's order, he had to pay sixty shillings or forfeit his freedom.
These were allowed to occupy land at the will of the lord, upon the condition of performing services, uncertain in their amount and often of the meanest nature. But they could acquire no property in lands or goods; and they were subject to many exactions and oppressions. The lowest class were servi, slaves; the class corresponding with the Saxon theow.
"Pardon him!" exclaimed Cedric; "I will both pardon and reward him. Kneel down, Gurth." The swineherd was in an instant at his master's feet "THEOW and ESNE art thou no longer," said Cedric touching him with a wand; "FOLKFREE and SACLESS art thou in town and from town, in the forest as in the field.
The Norman knight or lawyer however saw little distinction between these classes; and the tendency of legislation under the Angevins was to blend all in a single class of serfs. While the pure "theow" or absolute slave disappeared therefore the ceorl or villein sank lower in the social scale.
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