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Using the evidence of manorial court records, this paper examines in detail the developments in the relationship between the Bishop of Ely and his peasants at the manor of Brandon leading up to the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. Increasing levels of discontent among the peasantry can be observed across the period. This is expressed in rising reported numbers of various cases in the court rolls, such as non-compliance with the court, labour refusals, trespasses and cases of foot-dragging. This rising level of conflict, some open, some more hidden, can be seen as evidence both for increasing seigniorial concern to assert various jurisdictional rights, and the peasants’ increasing willingness to test the boundaries of seigniorial dominion, leading eventually to their participation in the Rising in East Anglia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses social stratification within the peasant communities of late medieval England, with particular focus given to the work of Marxist historian Rodney Hilton. The author utilizes manorial court records as a means to investigate peasants' everyday lives and whether or not the peasantry was divided or a solid social class. She investigates the various levels of rent extracted from peasants by their lords and notes how agricultural communities were influenced by urbanization. The impact of inheritance customs on peasant stratification is also examined.

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