[528] _Northumberland County History_, vol. viii. p. 238.
[530] _Northumberland County History_, vol. viii. pp. 238?-239.
[531] _Ibid._ For conditions on the Crown estates under Elizabeth see _S. P. D. Eliz._, vol. xii. pp. 69?-70: "Abstract of the Commission to the lord Chancellor ... for letting the queen's lands and tenements in Northumberland within 20 miles of the border and in the seigniories of Middleham and Richmond, Yorkshire and Barnard Castle, Bishopric of Durham," June 24, 1565.
[532] The manors are West Lexham (Holkham MSS., West Lexham, No. 87, Map), Sparham (_ibid._, Sparham Bdle., No. 5), East Dereham (R.O. Parliamentary Surveys, Norfolk, No. 1), Wighton (R.O. Special Commissions, Duchy of Lancs., No. 839), Stockton Socon (R.O. Parliamentary Surveys, Norfolk, No. 14), Aldeburgh (R.O. _Misc. Bks. Treas. of Receipts_, vol. clxiii.), Chatesham (R.O. _ibid._, vol. clxiii.), Dodnash (R.O. _ibid._, vol. clxiii.), Falkenham (R.O. _ibid._, vol. clxiii.), Stratford iuxta Higham (R.O. Duchy of Lancaster, Rentals and Surveys, 9/13), St. Edmund (R.O. Parliamentary Surveys, Suffolk, No. 14), Mettingham (_Victoria County History_, Suffolk), Mark Soham (_ibid._).
It will be seen that the degree of security enjoyed by copyholders varies very greatly. When the copyhold is one of inheritance, it is legally complete, unless the tenants incur forfeiture by breaking the custom. An estate for life with right of renewal is virtually as good as a copyhold of inheritance. Estates for life or lives are precarious. Copyholds for years without right of renewal are scarcely distinguishable from leases. On the whole, when these examples are added to those of Dr. Savine, it would appear that copyholds for life or lives were more usual than copyholds of inheritance, while fixed fines were the exception and variable fines the general rule.
(c) _The Undermining of Customary Tenures_