that from the times of Athelwolf, the possession of a certain
quantity of land, with gatehouse, church, and kitchen, converted
the ceorl (churl) into a thane.

It is difficult to estimate the effect which the Tudor policy had
upon the landholding of England. Under the feudal system, the land
was held in trust and burdened with the support of the soldiery.
Henry VII., in order to weaken the power of the nobles, put an end
to their maintaining independent soldiery. Thus landlords' incomes
increased, though their material power was curtailed. It would not
have been difficult at this time to have loaded these properties
with annual payments equal to the cost of the soldiers which they
were bound to maintain, or to have given each of them a farm under
the Crown, and strict justice would have prevented the landowners
from putting into their pockets those revenues which, according to
the grants and patents of the Conqueror and his successors, were
specially devoted to the maintenance of the army. Land was released
from the conditions with which it was burdened when granted. This
was not done by direct legislation but by its being the policy of
the Crown to prevent "king-makers" arising from among the
nobility. The dread of Warwick influenced Henry. He inaugurated a
policy which transferred the support of the army from the lands,
which should solely have borne it, to the general revenue of the
country. Thus he relieved one class at the expense of the nation.
Yet, when Henry was about to wage war on the Continent, he called
all his subjects to accompany him, under pain of forfeiture of
their lands; and he did not omit levying the accustomed feudal
charge for knighting his eldest son and for marrying his eldest
daughter. The acts to prevent the landholder from oppressing the
occupier, and those for the encouragement of tillage, failed. The