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Simple English definitions for legal terms
villein service
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A quick definition of villein service:
Term: Villein Service
Definition: Villein service was a type of work that a villein, a person who was not free, had to do for their lord. This work usually involved working on the lord's land for a few days each week, usually two to four. This type of work was considered lowly and not suitable for someone who was free and honorable. It was also known as villein servitium. See week-work for more information.
A more thorough explanation:
VILLEIN SERVICE
Villein service refers to the base service that a villein, a person who was legally tied to a lord's land, performed. This service usually involved working on the lord's land for a certain number of days each week, typically two to four days. These services were considered inferior and unsuitable for a person of free and honorable rank. Villein service is also known as villein servitium.
An example of villein service would be a villein working on the lord's land for two days a week, plowing the fields, planting crops, and harvesting them. Another example would be a villein providing labor for the lord's construction projects, such as building a castle or a church.
These examples illustrate how villein service was a form of labor that was required of villeins in exchange for their right to live on the lord's land. Villeins were not free to choose their own work or to leave the lord's land without permission. Instead, they were bound to perform these services as part of their obligation to the lord.