The Making of Domesday Book
Domesday Book nudges Magna Carta for the title of best-known official document in English history. Yet apart from its extraordinary scope and speed of compilation, much about the book has remained obscure or unnown.
Geoffrey de Mandeville holds Clapham, Thorbiorn held it of King Edward. Then it was assessed at 10 hides, now for 3. There is land for 7 ploughs. On the demesne there is 1 plough; and there are 7 villeins and 3 bordars with 5 ploughs. There are 5 acres of pasture. In the time of King Edward it was worth £10, afterwards the same, and now £7/10/-. The men say that Geoffrey holds this manor unjustly because it did not belong to the land of Asgeirr. What Geoffrey gave in alms out of this manor is worth 20/-.
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