villenage

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A copyholder without legal remedy may seem little better than a tenant in mere villenage, except in name.

From View of the State of Europe during the Middle Ages, Vol. 3 by Hallam, Henry

These are, first, the servitude or villenage of the peasantry, and their gradual emancipation from that condition; and, secondly, the continual increase of commercial intercourse with foreign countries.

From View of the State of Europe during the Middle Ages, Vol. 3 by Hallam, Henry

And when these had lasted a considerable time in any manor, the villenage of the latter, without any manumission, would have expired by desuetude.

From View of the State of Europe during the Middle Ages, Vol. 3 by Hallam, Henry

To people imbued with ideas of feudalism the way of escape from villenage seemed to be not independence, but a new reversion to it.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 8 "Chariot" to "Chatelaine" by Various

The tenements held in villenage of the lord of a manor, at least where they consisted of a messuage or dwelling-house, are often called astra in our older books and court-rolls.

From Notes and Queries, Number 19, March 9, 1850 by Various