The Land and it's Tenancy An occupier of five aces or lesss was generally designated as a cottier or laborer. He held his house and land "from year to Year". Rent was frequently set by the landlord at an auction to the highest bidder among those seeking a holding. Ofter the laborer paid his rent by working on the landlord's land at 5 to 6 pence a day rather than paying with hard cash. Five acres or less of inferior soil were rented to these occupiers to raise food for their families, since landlords were often unwilling to let good land to a laborer An occupier holding between five and thirty acres was considred to be a "small" or "medium" farmer who usually paid his rent in cash. Small farmers frequently rented "from Year to Year", while medium farmers often had a lease for bettetr quality land. An occupier who held thirty or more acres was a "strong" farmer or grazer of livestock who held a favorable lease on the land. The majority of leases for a stated period of time were either for thirty-one years or a "lease of lives". A lease of lives set its length by the number of years remaing in the lives of three individuals names in the lease and agreed upon by the landlord and the tenant. Although not required, the three lives usually included the lessee, his youngest child and a third person. It was not unheard of for the third person to be teh reigninh monarch or royal child. The lease remained in force and the rent agreement unchanged until the death of the last person named.