It was in the thirteenth century that the practice of keeping strict and minute accounts became general, and the accounts of the bailiff of those days would be a revelation to the bailiff of these.

At the same time we must not forget that the earliest improvements in English agriculture were largely due to the monks, who from their constant journeys abroad were able to bring back new plants and seeds; while it is well known that many of the religious houses, the Cistercians especially, who always settled in the remote country, were most energetic farmers, their energy being materially assisted by their wealth.  It is said that the great Becket when he visited a monastery did not disdain to labour in the field.

Among other benefits that the landed interest gained at this time was the more easy transference of land provided, inter alia, by the statute of Quia Emptores, which led to many tenants selling their lands, provided the rights of the lord were preserved, and to a great increase consequently of free tenants, many of whom had quite small holdings.[77] The amalgamation of holdings by the more industrious and skilful has, as we should expect, been a well-marked tendency all through the history of English agriculture, and began early.  For instance, according to the records of S. Paul’s Cathedral, John Durant, whose ancestor in 1222 held only one virgate in ‘Cadendon’, had in 1279 eight or ten at least.  At ‘Belchamp’, Martin de Suthmere, one of the free tenants, held 245 acres by himself and his tenants, twenty-two in number, who rendered service to him; one of them being de Vere, Earl of Oxford, who held 17 acres under Martin.  To such a position had the abler of the small holders of a century or so before already pushed their way, in spite of the heavy hand of feudalism, which did much to hinder individual initiative.  At this period and until Tudor times England, as regards the cultivated land, was essentially a corn-growing country; the greater part of the lord’s demesne was arable, and the tillage fields of the villeins largely exceeded their meadows.  For instance, in 1285 the cultivated lands at Hawsted in Suffolk were nearly all under the plough; in seven holdings there were 968 acres of arable and only 40 of meadow, a proportion of 24 to 1.  No doubt there was plenty of common pasture, but we cannot call this cultivated land.  The seven holdings were as follows:[78]

Acres.

Arable.  Meadow.  Wood.

Thomas Fitzeustace, lord of the manor    240        10        10
William Tallemache                       280        12        24
Philip Noel                              120         4         7
Robert de Ros                             56         3         5
Walter de Stanton                         80         3         1
William de Camaville                     140         6         8
John Beylham                              52         2         3
—–­        —­        —­
968        40        58

These were the larger tenants; among the smaller several had no meadow at all.