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BONDMAN

Volume 3 · 103 words · 1810 Edition

the English law, is used for a villain, or tenant in villainage.*—The Romans had two kinds of bondmen; one called servus, who were those lain and either bought for money, taken in war, left by succession, or purchased by some other lawful acquisition; or else born of their bondwomen, and called verne. We may add a third kind of bondmen mentioned by Justinian, called adscriptiti glebea, or agricentiti; who were not bound to the person, but to the ground or place, and followed him who had the land. These in our law are called villains regardants, as belonging to the manor or place.