The Crown Lands, or Folcland.

2.—Saxon Land Tenures.

There was a distinction as to land in England before the Conquest too important to be passed over; the division, viz., of land into "folcland" and "bôcland." When the Saxons had obtained possession of a territory, after appropriating certain portions to individuals, they considered what remained as belonging to the State, or community at large, and called it "folcland" which is translated by Spelman "terra popularis," that is, the land of the public ^c. When a particular portion of land was severed from the folcland and appropriated, it received the name of "bôcland," provided the conveyance was made by a written instrument. At the same time it is to be borne in mind that these two kinds of land, distinguished by the respective names of "folcland" and "bôcland," did not comprehend all the land of the Anglo-Saxons, since at an early period conveyances were made by the delivery of a staff, a spear, an arrow, &c. ^d.