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Simple English definitions for legal terms
chevage
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A quick definition of chevage:
Chevage: A long time ago, some people were not free and had to work for a lord. They had to pay a special payment every year to their lord, called chevage. They had to pay this money if they wanted to get married or work outside of their lord's land. It was like saying thank you to their lord for letting them do these things. Sometimes, people also paid money to someone who was very powerful to protect them, and this was also called chevage.
A more thorough explanation:
Chevage was an annual tribute payment made by a villein to their lord in medieval times. The payment was made in exchange for permission to marry or work outside of the lord's domain.
It was a way for lords to acknowledge their power over their villeins and to maintain control over their labor and movements.
For example, if a villein wanted to marry someone from another lord's domain, they would have to pay chevage to their own lord for permission. Similarly, if a villein wanted to work outside of their lord's land, they would have to pay chevage for the privilege.
Another example of chevage was when a man paid a sum of money to another person of power for their protection and support, similar to a leader or head.
These examples illustrate how chevage was used as a means of control and power over villeins in medieval society.