Villainage in England: Essays in English Mediaeval History

"Villainage in England: Essays in English Mediaeval History" by Sir Paul Vinogradoff is a historical study from the 1800s that looks closely at the lives of peasants in England during feudal times. It focuses on villainage, a type of servitude, and explains the rights, difficulties, and living conditions of the villains. The author explains his reasons for studying English social history and highlights the importance of examining historical documents to understand the relationships between lords and peasants. He stresses the significance of the legal rules that governed villainage, arguing that they are key to understanding the larger story of how farming and society developed in medieval England, setting the stage for an exploration into the legal and economic positions of the peasantry.