Feudal Services

Feudalism and feudal services dominated the life of a medieval peasant. The whole social structure of Medieval England was based around feudalism which essentially gave a lot to the lords of the manor with seemingly nothing being given to the peasants in return. Feudal services and the whole concept of feudalism kept the peasant poor. One of the causes of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 was the desire by the nobility to re-instate feudalism in its purest form back into English society. The most common forms of feudal services were:

Labour Service  The work you were expected to do for your lord on his land.
Heriot This was the giving your best animal to your lord of the manor in exchange for the right to hold land.
Mortuary  
Merchet  
Tallage This was a tax paid each year by the serfs to the lord of the manor
Toll Tax This was a tax paid to the lord of the manor when an animal had been sold by its owner.
Boon-work These were extra days villagers had to work for the lord at a busy time of the year such as harvests and ploughing
Week-work These were days during the week when you had to work for your lord.