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BONDMAN

Volume 3 · 108 words · 1815 Edition

in the English law, is used for a villain, or tenant in the villenage*.—The Romans had two * See Vills kinds of bondmen; one called servi, 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 verna. We may add a third kind of bondmen mentioned by Justinian, called adcriptiti gleber, 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.