Itistobenotedespecially，thatalthoughinafewcasesadifferenceismadebetweenthedivisionforroyalassessmentandforthemanorialimpositions，inthegreatmajorityofcasesnosuchdifferenceexists，andthedutiesinregardtothekingandtothelordarereckonedaccordingtothesamesystemofholdings。OnthemanorsofEly，forinstance，the12acreware47*formthebasisofallthereckoningofrentsandwork。Andsoiftheroyalassessmentappearwiththefeaturesofanartificialfiscalarrangement，thesameobservationhastobeextendedtothemanorialassessment；andthuswereachbyanotherwaythesameconclusionwhichwedrewfromananalysisofthesingleholdingandofitscomponentparts。Nodoubtthewholestandsincloserelationtotherealityofcultivationandland-holding，buttherigidity，regularity，andcorrectnessofthesystempresentanecessarycontrasttothefactsofactuallife。Asthesoilcouldnotbemadetofitintogeometricalsquares，evensothepopulationcouldnotremainwithoutchangefromoneagetotheotherwithinthesameboundaries。Thusincourseoftimetheplough-landof160and180acres，whichistheplough-landofpracticalfarming，appearsbythesideofthestatutoryhideof120acres；andsoagaininsideeverysingleholdingtherecomesupthecontrastbetweenitsrealconformationanddistribution，andtheoutwardformitassumedinregardtotheking，thelord，andthesteward。
Theinquiryastotherelationbetweentheholdingandthepopulationonitis，ofcourse，oftheutmostimportanceforageneralestimateofthearrangement。Fromaformalpointofviewthequestionissoonsolved：ontheonehand，theholdingofthevillainremainsundividedandentire；itdoesnotadmitofpartitionbysaleordescent；ontheother，thewillofthelordmayalter，ifnecessary，thenaturalcourseofinheritanceandpossession；thesocagetenureisoftenfreefromthefirstoftheselimitations，andalwaysfreefromthesecond。Theindivisibilityofvillaintenementsischieflyconspicuousinthelawofinheritance：allthelandwenttooneofthesonsiftherewereseveral；veryoftentheyoungestinherited；andthiscustom，towhichmerechancehasgiventhenameofBoroughEnglish，wasconsideredasoneoftheproofsofvillainage。48*Itiscertainlyacustomofgreatimportance，andprobablyitdependedonthefactthattheelderbrothersleftthelandattheearliestopportunity，andduringtheirfather’slife。Wheredidtheygo？
Itiseasytoguessthattheysoughtworkoutofthemanor，ascraftsmenorlabourers；thattheyservedthelordasservants，ploughmen，andthelike；thattheywereprovidedwithholdings，whichforsomereasondidnotdescendtomaleheirs；thattheywereendowedwithsomedemesneland，orfittedouttoreclaimlandfromthewaste。Wemayfindforallthesesuppositionssomesupportingquotationintherecords。Andstillitwouldbehardtobelievethattheentireincreaseofpopulationfoundanexitbytheseby-paths。Ifnoexitwasfound，thebrothershadtoremainontheirfather’splot，andthefactthattheydidsocanbeproved，ifitneedsproof，fromdocuments。49*Theunityoftheholdingwasnotdisturbedinthecase；therewasnodivision，andonlytherightheir，theestiopamonastheysaidinSparta，hadtoanswerfortheservices；thelordlookedtohimandnofurther；butinpointoffacttheholdingcontainedmorethanonefamily，andperhapsmorethanonehousehold。Howeverthismaybe，inregardtothelordtheholdingremainedoneandundivided。
ThiscircumstancedrawsasharplinebetweenthefeudalarrangementofmostcountiesandthatwhichprevailedinKent。
Thegavelkindortributarytenuretherewassubjectedtoequalpartitionamongtheheirs。