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8 ANFENOUTREY-ENTO

and all kinds of provifions; and the inhabitants purchafed them, with their raw materials, of wool, leather, and lead, which they themfelves were then incapable of working up*.

Agriculture was for feveral centuries after the Conqueft,

without reputation, and without fupport. The lands were chiefly in the hands of the clergy, or of the great barons; they were laboured by their villains or flaves, in proportion to whom, the number of hufbandmen or focmen was very fmall over all EnglandŸ. The freemen, who occupied farms in the country, and they were but few, held no rank in fo- ciety; and befides the depredations of the banditti, with whom the kingdom in thofe days was overrun, they were opprefled by the greater legal depredation of purveyance. This originally comprehended the neceffary provifons, carria- ges,&c. which the neareft f:rmers were obliged to furnifh, at the current prices, to the Kings armies, and his houfes and caftles in time of war. It was called#he great purveyance, and the officers who collected thofe neceflaries were called furveyors. The fraller purveyance included the neceflary provifons and carriages for the King’s houfehold, when living at home, or cravelling through the kingdom, which the tenants in the King’s demefne lands were obliged to furnifh gratis; and the Like practice came to be adopted by the barons, and great men, in every tour which they thought proper to make in the

countryi. d

* Vide Magna Charta, K. John, cap. 50.

+ Brady’s Hift. of England, General Preface, p. 7. 8.&c. ses

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his ne m exifts now in the Æ4f Jndies,‘where the feudal fyftem is in Ed

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