Chapter 338 - 245: Lord and Vassal

Eric wasn’t surprised. He knew that woman was hiding something.

The Lord of Chippenham continued, "The very way I’ve described the status of this Knight’s heir shows my respect for his father. According to established custom, serf status is inherited from the mother. If the mother is a serf, then regardless of whether the father is a freeman or something else, the child is still considered a serf.

John Giffard was an excellent Knight, but he made a grave error when it came to marriage. He insisted on marrying a Saxon serf. To that end, he even fabricated a false identity for her, having a merchant adopt her so that others would believe she was a freewoman.

I have pursued them all the way here precisely to prevent my Lord from being deceived by such people." Chippenham bowed to Eric once more.

"I am not a serf! I’m a freewoman!" the woman retorted.

"This woman is a serf from my manor. For you, my Lord, I have brought my land register, which has her name recorded within it. She is my property. Furthermore, according to custom, serfs require their lord’s consent to enter into a marriage contract.

John Giffard married my property without my consent. This marriage was never legal. Therefore, their offspring can at most be considered a bastard—a serf bastard." As Chippenham spoke, he waved to a nearby attendant. The attendant stepped forward and presented a thin register to Eric.

Then Chippenham turned to the woman. "You say you’re a freewoman? Then where is your town community? If you were a freewoman, the other freemen of your community could come forward and vouch for you. Even if you were unprepared the first time, you had every opportunity to prove your status to me when I came to Glastonbury Manor a second time. But you did not.

Because you are a serf."

"I am not," the woman said defiantly.

Eric looked at the woman. "For a freeman, the most effective way to prove one’s status is to have the freemen of your community come forward. They must testify that you have always lived as a freeman, not as a serf."

"I..." The woman lowered her head. "I am a freewoman. My lord, I... I really am a freewoman, but I... I couldn’t..."

Eric suspected he knew what was going on.

’This Saxon woman didn’t look like a peasant. Her hands showed no signs of hard labor. If what she said was true, she was likely a freewoman before the Norman Conquest. But the chaos following the Conquest had likely left her legal status in a gray area.

And a man like Chippenham had found a loophole to exploit.’

"My esteemed Lord, this land register has her name in it." When Chippenham saw that Eric made no move to take the register from the attendant, he stepped forward, took the volume from his attendant’s hands, and offered it to Eric himself.

Eric still didn’t take the thin volume. Emma, however, took it, flipped through a few pages, and found the woman’s name.

But it was just her name. There was no record of the land she leased, the rent she paid, or the village activities she attended.

"What’s the difference between a record like this and just scrawling a random name on a page?" Emma said angrily, tossing the land register back at Chippenham.

"She is an escaped serf. I would have liked to add more details, but it wasn’t possible, Miss Emma." Chippenham, not the least bit angered, handed the land register to his attendant.

"An escaped serf, and you’re only reclaiming her now?" Emma frowned. "There’s a time limit for reclaiming serfs, usually about a year. And her child is already eight years old."

"Miss Emma, you needn’t remind me. I know. I know that ’city air makes one free,’ but she was on a manor, and manors have no such absurd rules. Therefore, she remains my property.

Furthermore, I have already convened my manor court regarding this matter and received the unanimous approval of all jurors present.

I know that my Lord, the great Earl of Gloucester, is ever just. I have always admired my Lord’s wisdom and Universal Love.

When I learned that the great charter of the Kingdom originated from your proposal at the Royal Court, I was filled with sincere pride and admiration.

There was not a moment I didn’t wish I could have been at that meeting to voice my support for my Lord. Alas, though I am past forty, I remain a man of little importance and lack the standing to attend such an assembly. I regret this deeply.

But I always keep the charter you established in mind, and the clause concerning the inviolability of the manor court remains fresh in my memory." Chippenham bowed to Eric again, speaking in a ’humble’ tone.

"Since you find me so just, I imagine there was no need for you to come all the way to this castle," Eric said with a smile. "A just man will make a just ruling. Surely you wouldn’t reject the ruling of a Lord whom you consider just?"

"I have never questioned your fairness, my Lord. But you are also known for your Universal Love and mercy, much like our current King, who basks in the ’fame of Universal Love,’ a reputation that has spread throughout all of Gaul.

God teaches us Universal Love and mercy, and there is nothing wrong with that. But we are ultimately not God, for only God can perfectly balance Universal Love and justice. Perfection belongs to God alone.

No mortal, however excellent, would dare claim to be God’s equal. A man’s character is subject to many influences; only God is immune." Then, Chippenham turned to Emma and bowed. "Miss Emma, your beauty is renowned throughout Herefordshire, like the light of dawn, like a summer rose.