They who were born in villainage, were born to an inheritance of labour, but not of inevitable depravity and wretchedness.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 14, No. 397, November 7, 1829] Reference

Men had been freed from villainage in individual cases by various means.    From Wordnik.com.  [An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England] Reference

It is extremely difficult to afcertain the time when villainage ceafed in £ng«.    From Wordnik.com.  [An Estimate of the Comparative Strength of Great Britain, During the Present and Four Preceding ...] Reference

The duty of filling such offices when elected by the tenants and approved by the lord or his steward was, as has been said, one of the burdens of villainage.    From Wordnik.com.  [An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England] Reference

The sense of constant homage and continual service is irksome and galling to us; and we rejoice in being emancipated from it, as from a state of base and servile villainage.    From Wordnik.com.  [A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians, in the Middle and Higher Classes in this Country, Contrasted with Real Christianity.] Reference

So long as a villain was anywhere else than on the manor to which he belonged, he was practically a free man, but few of the disabilities of villainage existing except as between him and his own lord.    From Wordnik.com.  [An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England] Reference

With their labor services commuted to money and the other conditions of their villainage no longer enforced, they became an indistinguishable part either of the yeomanry or of the body of agricultural laborers.    From Wordnik.com.  [An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England] Reference

In any suit against his lord the proof of his condition of villainage was sufficient to put him out of court, and his only recourse was the local court of the manor, where the lord himself or his representative presided.    From Wordnik.com.  [An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England] Reference

The lord of the manor could still of course enforce his claim to the various payments and restrictions arising from the villainage of his tenants, but their position as payers of money was much less servile than as performers of forced labor.    From Wordnik.com.  [An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England] Reference

A great part of them were serfs, and lived in a state of absolute slavery or villainage; the other inhabitants of the country paid then rent in services, which were in a great measure arbitrary; and they could expect no redress of injuries in.    From Wordnik.com.  [The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.I., Part A. From the Britons of Early Times to King John] Reference

"There shall be never any bond slaverie, villainage, or captivitie amongst us, unless it be lawfull captives taken in just warres and such strangers as willingly sell themselves or are sold to us.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Conflict with Slavery, Part 1, from Volume VII, The Works of Whittier: the Conflict with Slavery, Politics and Reform, the Inner Life and Criticism] Reference

Thus Birmingham, now rising towards the meridian of opulence, was a dependant upon Dudley castle, now in ruins; and thus an honourable family, who had enjoyed a valuable freehold, perhaps near 500 years, were obliged to pay rent, homage, suit and service, attend the Lord's court at Dudley every three weeks, be called into the field at pleasure, and after all, possess a precarious tenure in villainage.    From Wordnik.com.  [An History of Birmingham (1783)] Reference