Cotarius and Cotellus, according to Spelman and Du Fresne, are servile tenants; but in Doomsday-book and other ancient manuscripts, there appears a distinction, as well in their tenure and quality as in their name; for the cotarius had a free socage tenure, and paid a stated firm or rent in provisions or money; with some occasional customary services; whereas the cotellus seems to have held in mere villenage, and his person, issue, and goods, were disposable at the pleasure of the lord.