The Search for Methods to Increase Fines in England in the First Third of the 17th Century (on the Example of Lavenham Manor, Suffolk)

Abstract

Transformation of agrarian relations in the English manor in the first half of the 17th century is still being studied in Russian and foreign historiography. The author of the article analyzes historical researches concerning the problem of entry fines in the manors in Early Modern England. The article also deals with the speech that the landlord D’Ewes gave in front of the peasants of his manorLavenham (Suffolk) in the manorial curia at the moment of his entry into inheritance in 1631. Analysis of its content reveals one of the ways to increase entry fines paid by copyholders. The uniqueness of the source allows tracing the arguments of the landlord to justify the legitimacy of raising fines and fixing them in the custom of a manor. Being an antiquarian, D’Ewes outlined in sufficient details the history of his manor, emphasizing the villain origin of current copyholders. He argues in his speech the existence of a triple connection between the landlord and the peasants of the manor (“sacred, sworn”, “servial” and “reditual” or profitable connection). The implementation of an innovation (“profitable part”) into the manorial custom and the creation of a precedent gave him a probable opportunity to change the level of the fines paid by the copyholders at his own will (as the will of the lord).