The Domesday Boroughs. By Adolphus Ballard. (The Claren- don Press.
6s. net.)—Mr. Ballard analyses with much care the returns made by the Domesday Commissioners, who, as he reminds us, were appointed for Revenue purposes, as to the boroughs of England. He makes out a distinction between "composite" and " simple " boroughs. The "composite," again, are divided into "county" and "quasi-county." Of the first the most important characteristics are (1) that they are not described as "holden" of any one, whether King or Earl; (2) that the tenures are not homogeneous,—some of the houses are in the King's demesne, others belong to the owners of rural estates. There are also interesting characteristics, some of them common
Bwtoaalsbol ahrotdhmpocogl aiensntsseoe sou,ustt. that All that towhnhec concern r narnegmilitary acquaintedact uyservices,ieew itvhe
Domesday Book
idnimemormieth:thEmies, :hut*: The "simple" boroughs were far less numerous. H re e tenure was
remember that again and again the value tempore Regis Edwardi is given as more than the value of the time; but Mr.
estimated amount. If houses were waste —and in Oxford between four and five hundred were so—then the others, it would seem, had to make it up.
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