Free Bench
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"Free bench" is a legal term relating to an ancient manorial custom in England whereby a widow could retain tenure of the land until she remarried.
"Free Bench (Lat. francus bancus). The widow's right to a copyhold. It is not a dower or gift, but a free right independent of the will of the husband. Called bench because, upon acceding to the estate, she becomes a tenant of the manor, and one of the benchers, i.e. persons who sit on the bench occupied by the pares curiæ. (Peers of Court)"
The Widow of a tenant was allowed her free bench, so long as she preserved her chastity. But if any evidence appeared against her she was immediately deprived of her lands, unless she submitted to the penalty of riding into court upon a black ram holding its tail in her hand repeating the following lines as recorded in No. 614 of The Spectator:
"Here I am,
Riding upon a black ram,
Like a whore as I am;
And for my crincum crancum
Have lost my bincum bancum,
And for my tail's game
Have done this worldly shame;
Therefore I pray you, Mr Steward,
Let me have my land again."
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[edit] Legrewite
A similar practice to freebench applied to the children, who had to follow the conditions of their father. The lord had to look narrowly after the morals and marriages of the daughters of his farmers. A case of female incontinence was punished by a fine called 'Legrewite' or 'Leyr-wite' , and the birth of an illegitimate child was followed by another called 'childwite' , which in one of the manors of Bury Monastery was fixed at 2s. 8d.: it was due from the guardian, who might be the father or the brother, of the unfortunate damsel. In some cases the young woman went through a grotesque act of penance. At Farringdon, a tenant's daughter, on being convicted of incontinence, forfeited forty pence (no small sum) in the reign of Henry III, to the lord of the manor; which was only remitted on condition of the offender's appearing in the lord's court, carrying a black sheep on her back, and making confession of her shame.[1] [2]
[edit] Manors where this custom is recorded
- Chaddleworth, Berkshire.
- Enborne, Berkshire
- Talskiddy, Cornwall.
- Cardinham, Cornwall.
- Torre, Devon.
- Kilmersdon, Somerset
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=deEuAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA33&dq=tolskedy
- ^ Quiet roads and sleepy villages (page 161) by Allan Fea (1860-1956). (1913) page
- The Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
- Richard Carew's Survey of Cornwall.
- http://www.exclassics.com/newgate/ng281.htm
- http://www.btinternet.com/~coppinhomepage/
- Berkshire History
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