BONDMAN, in Old English Law, a villain, or tenant in villenage. The Romans had two kinds of bondmen; one, called servi, who were those either bought for money, taken in war, left by succession, or acquired by some other lawful title; the other, born of their bondwomen, and called
verne. We may add a third kind of bondmen mentioned by Justinian, called adscriptitii glebe, or agricensiti, who were a species of serfs or boors, not bound to the person, but to the ground or place, and who followed him who had the land. These in our old law are called vilains regardants, as belonging to the manor or place.