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Simple English definitions for legal terms
pure villeinage
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A quick definition of pure villeinage:
Pure villeinage is a type of feudal system where a tenant is obligated to do whatever their lord commands them to do, without knowing what they will have to do in advance. This type of tenure is considered unfree because the tenant's services cannot be fully defined without frequent reference to the lord's will. It is different from privileged villeinage, where the services to be performed were certain, though still of a base and servile nature.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Pure villeinage is a type of feudal tenure where a tenant holds property through servitude to a feudal lord. The tenant is obliged to render base services to the lord, but the services are not certain. The tenant must do whatever they are commanded whenever the command comes.
Examples: A tenant in pure villeinage does not know in the evening what they will have to do in the morning. The lord's will counts for much, and the tenant cannot predict what work they will be doing. For example, they may be threshing, ditching, or carrying. The uncertainty of the amount or kind of agricultural services makes the tenure unfree.
Explanation: Pure villeinage is a type of unfree tenure where the tenant is at the mercy of the lord's commands. The tenant's services are not fixed, and they must do whatever they are told whenever they are told. This lack of certainty and control over their work makes the tenure unfree. The examples illustrate how the uncertainty of the tenant's work and the lord's will make pure villeinage a servile type of tenure.