Historic%20Yorkshire

24
LEEDS UNDER THE NORMANS.
This charter had for its fundamental purpose the
granting of " free burgage " to the inhabitants; and the
conditions and regulations springing from it, slavish as
they may seem now, would be considered light by the
burgesses compared with the uncertainty of previous
arrangements. Theadministration ofnearlyall the affairs
of the town wasin the hands of an individual appointed
by the feudal lord,and who, as his delegate and representative,
had to see to the collection of all rents and
revenues, and to make the same over to the lord at
Pentecost yearly. The office was an annual one, and
must have had some advantages in addition to the
honour of acting as a " Prætor" (translatedinto Mayor),
for the charter mentions that " the burgesses shall have
the nearest claim, provided they will give as much for
the office as another." This gives the appearance ofthe
appointment being given to the highest bidder. The
lands, which are described as " tofts "— that is, homesteads,
gardens, orchards, etc. — might be sold by the
newly-created burgesses to any except religious fraternities;
and in all cases the buyers were to be as
subservient to the lord and amenable to the charter, as
had been the original holder, a condition which was
secured by the selling burgess transferring the property
into the hands of the Prætor, together with a penn)'; and
likewise the buyer was to pay a penny, upon which he
receivedthe lands, etc., as though it werea free gift,with
a warrantto maintainhis right " against allmen."
That the populationof Leeds was increasing is shown
by a clause permitting the burgesses to dispose of part of
their tofts for building purposes, the proportion of one
house to each toft being already insufficient. These
part-owners had all the privileges of burgess-ship,while
also had part-tenantsupon the payment of fourpenceas a
yearly fine to the Prætor. The same functionary also
presided in most cases of offences by the inhabitants,or
within the town; and curious details of legislation are
laid down for his guidance. If a charge was brought