It may sound a grand title, 'Lord of the Manor', but accompanying such a designation came a whole host of obligations. The equivalent to the 'Lord of the Manor' today would be the 'Managing Director'. The continued existence of the manor of Leeds depended on the lord managing the area as a large business enterprise. As in any business there were expenses to be paid and incomes to be generated.

The lord required that his subjects had their corn ground at his mill, their bread baked in his oven, that they work in his fields, repair the town's waterways, and numerous other devices designed to ensure the survival of all the people - and at the same time ensuring, usually, a good living for the lord.

The reeve, the area manager, was required, each year, to prepare a list of income and expenses not only for the lord but also the monarch. This was used for taxation purposes just as a tax return does in modern times - and for claiming tax exemptions.

Here is a sequence of 'returns' that give a wonderful picture of the running of a manor in the 14th century.

Reference is made to the old currency.

One pound (sterling) consisted of 240 pennies (d), or 20 shillings (s) - so a figure of 20d could be written as 20d or 1s 8d or 1/8

From which he reckons: 20d. for 2 pieces of iron and 6 bars of steel bought to renew 8 bearings in the water-mill, using this material with the old bearings;

and 6d. for renewing the shuttle of the upper mill, together with one piece of iron bought for the purpose;

and 18d. for felling and cutting 20 saplings in Seacroft Wood and making piles for the new mill-dam; and 6s. for an allowance made to 24 bondmen carrying timber to repair the same dam during one day, each receiving 4 loaves by the day (6-score loaves being made from the quarter by custom);

and 4s. for an allowance made to the same bondmen working and laying stone and repairing the said dam according to custom in respect of two days this year, each receiving one loaf as above;

and 8d. for an allowance made to the same for their companage while repairing the said dam, every six bondmen receiving one penny a day for companage according to custom;

and 25d for digging turf for the said dam, carrying it there and laying it, together with the hire of one boat to transport it, by a contract for the whole operation;

and 47s. 4d. for the hire of 7-score and 2 carts to carry timber from Seacroft Wood beyond the manor to the new mill-dam aforesaid as for one day, that is to say, at 4d. for each cart-load;

and 3s. 4d. for an allowance made to the reeve for his services during the period aforesaid

It is interesting to note that wood was brought from Seacroft. The use of wood over centuries had denuded the local area of Leeds of usable timber.

companage : whatever is eaten along with bread as an accompaniment - meat, fish, butter, cheese, &c

He reckons 13s. 10d. for the wages of 2 carpenters felling and cutting the timber needed for repairing the ruined building of the common oven, together with the carriage of the said timber to the said building, purchase of pegs and straw for the same, cutting posts for the roof and repairing the walls in places, as shown in the said roll of particulars;

and £4. 12s. 10d. for repairing and building up a breach in the water-mill;
10 perches in length, caused by a flood, with the wages of one quarryman breaking stones in the quarry near Armley and 3 carpenters felling 4-score and 10 saplings in Seacroft Wood outside the manor, trimming and cutting them, together with the carriage of stones, timber and other materials from the quarry and the wood to the said breach by the bondmen of the said manor, each receiving from the lord of the manor bread and companage when performing these services by ancient and established custom, as shown similarly;

and 6s.8d. for the purchase of a new pair of mill-stones for this same mill as shown similarly;

and 3s. 6d. for the purchase of 6 pieces of iron and 18 bars of steel bought for 8 bearings, and 2 hoops to bind the wooden mill-wheel, using the new iron and steel with the old bearings to repair the spindle of the same, together with the wages of the smith, as shown similarly;

and 13s. for remaking one wheel for the fulling-mill (apart from the axle), covering it and sawing the boards needed for this, raising and supporting the fulling-stock, with hired transport to the same, all by contract as shown similarly;

and 4s. 9d. for repairing two breaches in the mill-dam broken by flood, making and fixing hurdles and piles and carrying sand to fill up the said breaches, as shown similarly;

for the services of one reeve, levying and collecting the rents and other profits of the manor aforesaid, 3s. 4d. for the year as shown similarly.

He reckons 6s. 11d. for felling one oak tree in Rothwell park after Michaelmas (September) to shore up and support Leeds mill through the winter until it could be reconstructed, cutting the said oak into 260 planks and carrying the said planks, together with other timber from another oak brought from Leeds Park to the said mill, and sawing one perch of planking from that timber for the same purpose, as shown in the said roll of particulars;

and 2s. 11d, for the wages of a carpenter for 4 days, cutting a post to support tbe said mill, stopping up and repairing the defects in the said mill and partly covering its walls on the water side with boards, each receiving 4d a day by agreement, together with pegs purchased for this work, as shown similarly;

and 3d. for the wages of 4 men breaking stones and collecting stones in the river for one day in order to repair a breach in the old dam of the said mill, as shown similarly;

and 16s. 3d. for the purchase of 2 quarters, 3 pecks of rye and baking it into bread for the sustenance of 24 bondmen for 10 and a half days while they took stones in harrows from the river to the said breach, dug earth and turves to fill and stop it up and laid the stones and turves in position, each receiving one loaf a day (6-score loaves being made from the quarter of corn by custom.), together with 3s. 6d. for companage (every 6 of them receiving one penny), as shown similarly;

and 2s. 10d. for the wages of 2 carpenters repairing the goyt of the fulling-mill there, each receiving 4d. a day, of 4 women collecting stones to repair the dam on one day, each receiving one penny to hire a cart to take the said stones to the said dam on 2 days, together with 2d. for the wages of one man laying and building up the said stones on the dam during one day, as shown similarly;

and 3s. 4d., for the year, for the wages of one reeve there, levying and collecting the rents and
other profits of the said manor, as shown similarly.

That must have been some oak tree - 260 planks!. It appears the common oven is up and running, which is just as well with 6-score loaves to be baked.

harrow : a heavy frame, usually of timber, dragged along the ground - a sled

goyt : a water channel, sluice

He reckons 74s. for felling 41 oaks and saplings in Seacroft Wood (outside the manor) and Leeds Park, cutting and splitting them into piles and other timber used to make a cut in the old mill-dam to divert the water course towards the said mill, sawing planks for the bottom of the cut and for rag-stones to make the dam, together with the hire of carpenters, as shown in the said roll of particulars -;

and 20d. for 4 pieces of iron bought to fit on to the piles for the same purpose, together with the wages of the smith doing this work, as shown similarly;

and 72s. 6d. to buy 6 and a half bushels and one peck of rye, at 3s. 4d. a quarter, for 26 bondmen and cottars there carrying timber from Seacroft Wood (beyond the manor) and stones from Headingley Moor to the said dam for repairs during 17 days, putting piles in the said dam and carrying stones to fill up the breach in it during 13 days, together with companage for them during the same period, as shown similarly;

and 11s, for the wages of one mason and one man breaking stones in the quarry and laying them in the said dam during 4 weeks, of whom one received 15d. a week and the other 18d., as shown similarly;

and 6s. 8d. for one pair of millstones bought for the same mill, as shown similarly;

and 5s.11 & half penny for 16 pieces of iron and 16 bars of steel to bind the spindle of the mill to the axle, and for making and repairing the bearing of the said mill, together with the wages of a smith making the said binding of the spindle and the bearing, as shown similarly;

and 12s. 7d. for felling one oak and 30 alder-trees in Leeds Park to repair and mend a breach in the new dam, making them into piles and rag-stones and placing them in the said breach, together with the wages of masons and other workmen digging turves and collecting stones, carrying them, and filling and blocking up the said breach with them in order to divert the course of the water to the lord's mill, as shown similarly;

and 3s. 4d. for the wages of the reeve there, collecting and levying rents and other profits of the manor, according to custom, as shown similarly.

He accounts for 13d. for the purchase of 2 pieces of iron to repair the spindle-housing of the water-mill at Leeds, together with the wages of the smith who carried out the repair;

and 2s. for 4 pieces of iron bought for the renewal and repair of 2 shuttles of the said mills using the old iron as well, together with the wages of the smith

and 8d. for 2 pieces of iron bought for an iron band to bind the axle of the upper mill which was partly broken, together with the wages of the smith who made the said band and put it on the axle;

and 22s. for 4 pieces of iron (each at 2 and a half d.) and 16 bars of steel (each 5d.) purchased to renew 8 bearings for the said mills, together with the wages of the smith who made and constructed them out of the old bearings and the iron and steel aforesaid

and 6s. 8d for one pair of mill-wheels purchased for the other mill.

And 20d. for the wages of the reeve who collected the rents, farms and other issues of the said manor during the time of the account.

....holds one messuage and one bovate of land in bondage, paying 4s. 9d. a year in equal portions at the Martinmas and Whitsuntide terms and 4 hens at Christmas, value 6d., and 40 hens-eggs at Easter or 2d.

Also, he owes ploughing-service for a day at the winter sowing and 3 days at the Lent sowing, receiving each day 2 loaves of rye bread (such that 6-score loaves are made from a quarter of rye) and 4 herring, and the service is worth 5d. over and above what he receives.

Also he owes harrowing-service with one man and one horse for 2 days at the winter sowing and 3 days at the Lent sowing, receiving each day one loaf of the same size and 2 herring, and the service is worth 5d. over and above what he receives.

Also he must mow the lord's meadow which is called the Hall lng with the other bondmen, spread, lift and carry the hay until the work is fully done, receiving each day one rye loaf of the same size and 2 herring, pottage and his share of 15d., for all the meadow services aforesaid, in common with his neighbours; and the services are worth 3d. over and above what he receives.

And he must reap the lords corn in autumn for 6 days with 2 men, receiving one rye loaf of the size aforesaid and 2 herring for each man on each day; and the service is worth 12d. over and above what he receives.

And he must carry the lord's corn for 3 days in autumn, receiving one rye loaf of the size aforesaid and 2 herring each day, and the service is worth 9d. over and above what he receives.

Also he must repair the dam of the water-mill when necessary, receiving one loaf of rye bread of the size aforesaid and 2 herring from the lord; and this service is not valued because it occurs irregularly, though he must always be ready to do it.

Also he must fence the park with the lords timber when necessary in company with his neighbours, that is, from the Hall Flatt to Margaretholmes and this service is not valued because it occurs irregularly.

Also he must serve as reeve when he is chosen, receiving from the lord, in the time of wainage, 4 bushels of wheat in Lent and 4 bushels of wheat in autumn, the right to pasture 4 beasts in the meadow between the feasts of the Invention of the Holy Cross and Michaelmas;

his son may not be tonsured nor his daughter married without the lord's licence, and if his daughter is deflowered he must pay leirwite to the lord according to such assessment as may be made;

and he must attend the lord's court as often as he is summoned. And when he dies his tenement remains in the lord's hands until his wife or his nearest blood-relation shall have paid for entry.

The same Robert Rnostrop pays 2s. a year, at the same terms, for one toft and one bovate of land, with meadow and pasture in Knostrop.

harrowing : a heavy frame, usually of timber, set with iron teeth or tines, which is dragged over ploughed land to break clods, pulverize and stir the soil, root up weeds, or cover over the seed.

wainage : cultivation - harvest

tonsured : joined a religious house - this exempted the son from lay jurisdiction - hence the lord would lose an asset

leirwite : a general fine for unchasteness. The law was intended to protect the Lord of a manor from losing a tithe, that which he received on the marriage of one of his peasant's daughters. In areas where jurisdiction was overseen by both church and lord, the church collected the bulk of the fines. After the church had fleeced the offenders, there probably wasn't much left for the lord to collect anyway. Church owned lands seem to have collected the stiffest fines. Of course, they had the inside track as to what unmarried women were having babies, a pretty sure sign of a lapse in chastity.