Legal Definitions - wainage

Definition: Wainage (way-nij) refers to the plow, team, and other tools used by a person, especially a villein, to cultivate the soil. It also refers to the cultivated land or the profits from it.

Example 1: The farmer used his wainage to till the soil and plant the crops.

Example 2: The lord of the manor demanded a portion of the villein's wainage as rent.

Example 3: The wainage of the village was divided among the peasants according to their status.

These examples illustrate how wainage was an important aspect of medieval agriculture. It refers to the tools and land that were necessary for farming, and it was often a source of conflict between lords and peasants. The term is not commonly used today, but it provides insight into the history of agriculture and feudalism.