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enaissance was rather the last stage of the Middle Ages, emerging from ecclesiastical and feudal despotism, developing what was original in mediæval ideas by the light of classic arts and letters. J. A. Symonds (Encyc. Brit. ).

A fief held of a superior feudatory; a fief held by an under tenant. Blackstone.

foul-mouthed wretch; a lewd fellow. Spenser. Pope. Ribald was almost a class name in the feudal system . . . He was his patron's parasite, bulldog, and tool . . . It is not to be wondered at that the word rapidly became a synonym for everything ruffianly and brutal. Earle.

In Japan, under the feudal system, a samurai who had renounced his clan or who had been discharged or ostracized and had become a wanderer without a lord; an outcast; an outlaw.

(Fr. & Canadian Law) A feudal tenure of lands by one who has no privileges of nobility, but is permitted to discharge all his obligations to his feudal lord or superior by a payment of rent in money or kind and without rendering any personal services.

A person who is not of noble birth; specif., a freeman who during the prevalence of feudalism held allodial land.

In the former feudal system of Japan, the class or a member of the class, of military retainers of the daimios, constituting the gentry or lesser nobility. They possessed power of life and death over the commoners, and wore two swords as their distinguishing mark. Their special rights and privileges were abolished with…

e Smoked his true person, talked with him. Chapman. He was first smoked by the old Lord Lafeu. Shak. Upon that . . . I began to smoke that they were a parcel of mummers. Addison.

exist in a state of suppressed or smothered activity; to burn inwardly; as, a smoldering feud.

again. Bacon. Out of suits, having no correspondence. [Obs.] Shak. -- Suit and service (Feudal Law), the duty of feudatories to attend the courts of their lords or superiors in time of peace, and in war to follow them and do military service; -- called also suit service. Blackstone. -- Suit broker, one who made a tr…

A superior lord, to whom fealty is due; a feudal lord; a lord paramount.

in chief, by the laws of England, one who holds immediately of the king. According to the feudal system, all lands in England are considered as held immediately or mediately of the king, who is styled lord paramount. Such tenants, however, are considered as having the fee of the lands and permanent possession. Blacksto…

ngs practically alike; -- a phrase coined by John Byrom (1692-1793) in his satire "On the Feuds between Handel and Bononcini."

slands, where udal designates land held in fee simple without any charter and free of any feudal character.

toad (Bombinator igneus). Its back is dark; its belly is marked with crimson. Called also feuerkröte.

The grantee of a fief, feud, or fee; one who holds land of superior, and who vows fidelity and homage to him; a feudatory; a feudal tenant. Burrill.

The state of being a vassal, or feudatory.

A blood feud; private revenge for the murder of a kinsman.

riginally represented the bishops, but later erected their offices into fiefs, and became feudal nobles.

One who holds lands by a base, or servile, tenure, or in villenage; a feudal tenant of the lowest class, a bondman or servant. [In this sense written also villan, and villein.] If any of my ansectors was a tenant, and a servant, and held his lands as a villain to his lord, his posterity also must do so, though accident…