Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The legal status or condition of a villein.
- noun The legal tenure by which a villein held land.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A tenure of lands and tenements by base—that is, menial—services.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The state of being a
villein . - noun A
feudal system involvingvilleins ;serfdom .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun tenure by which a villein held land
- noun the legal status or condition of servitude of a villein or feudal serf
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Valiant men, forsooth, shall arise in the beginning of these evil times, but though they shall die as ye shall, yet shall not their deaths be fruitful as yours shall be; because ye, forsooth, are fighting against villeinage which is waning, but they shall fight against usury which is waxing.
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Valiant men, forsooth, shall arise in the beginning of these evil times, but though they shall die as ye shall, yet shall not their deaths be fruitful as yours shall be; because ye, forsooth, are fighting against villeinage which is waning, but they shall fight against usury which is waxing.
A Dream of John Ball; and, a king's lesson William Morris 1865
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As he says, "Bondage to the land was the basis of villeinage in the old regime; bondage to the job will be the basis of villeinage in the new."
A REVIEW 2010
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This article explores the obstacles to such litigation, challenging the claim that servile villeinage acted to restrict villagers' choice of court.
Archive 2008-12-01 Mary L. Dudziak 2008
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This article explores the obstacles to such litigation, challenging the claim that servile villeinage acted to restrict villagers' choice of court.
Briggs on Villeins' "Choice of Court" Dan Ernst 2008
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Indeed, over the centuries Catholic kings and popes gradually abolished the institution of slavery replacing ancient slavery with the Feudal serf and then replacing the serf and the unfree villeins, bordars and cottars with a free, land-owning peasantry and villeinage.
The State's Obligation to Recognize and Protect the Catholic Church 2007
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Cruel reaction ensued: Richard and Parliament annulled the charters; terrible repression followed, and a deliberate effort was made to restore villeinage.
1377-89 2001
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Most men of these local villages, tied to the soil by villeinage but also by inclination, and likely to marry within a very few miles 'radius, tended to have a close clan resemblance and a strong clan loyalty.
The Holy Thief Peters, Ellis, 1913-1995 1992
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Even in villeinage we would have married and been thankful.
A Rare Benedictine Peters, Ellis, 1913- 1988
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The threat to haul him back to villeinage would be enough to make the lad take to his heels, the faster the better.
The Hermit of Eyton Forest Peters, Ellis, 1913- 1987
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