Crossword-Solution: FREEHOLDERS 11 letters, 1 clue 🏆 scrabble score: 18

From the eighth to the tenth century.--The relation between the crown and the superior dependents is broken; the latter becoming freeholders, while the smaller dependents cease to recognize the king, and adhere to the nearest suzerain.

There are left five per cent of money-renters and six per cent of freeholders,—the “Upper Ten” of the land.

Your descent from ancient freeholders, for five-and-twenty generations of good, honest men, although you bear no coat of arms, is better than the lineage of nine proud English noblemen out of every ten I meet with.

But once at least William did gather together, if not every freeman, at least all freeholders of the smallest account.

Carew in his "Survey of Cornwall," take as follows:-- "Upon Little Easter Sunday the freeholders of this town and manor, by themselves or their deputies, did there assemble; amongst whom one (as it fell to his lot by turn), bravely apparelled, gallantly mounted, with a crown on his head, a sceptre in his hand, and a sword borne before him, and dutifully attended by all the rest (also on horseback), rode through the principal street to the church.