Adscriptitii
Defined in 3 dictionaries — Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Burrill (1850)
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary
Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922
ADSCRIPTICIUS, or adscriptitius (Lat. from adscriptus).
In the civil law. United, annexed, or bound to. Adscriptitii (q. v.) were a class of cultivators who were annexed to the land, without the power of leaving it, and whose earnings or peculium belonged to their owners or masters. Code, 11. 47. 19. There was very little difference between them and slaves. See Code, 11. 47. 21.
Ballentine's Law Dictionary
James A. Ballentine · 1916
A New Law Dictionary and Glossary
Alexander M. Burrill · 1850
Adscripiidus, Ascriptitius. L. Lat. [from ascriptus, q. v.] United, annexed, or bound to. Adscriptith glehce; annexed, bound, or adstricted to the soil; employed in cultivating it, and in performing other rural services for the owner. Uaargr. Co. Liit. Note 1, to lib. 2. A term applied to tenants by villein socage, and commonly supposed to denote a condition approaching nearer to that of slaves than of freemen. Id, ibid. But, according to Bracton, they were so called because, so long as they did the appointed services, they had the privilege not to be removed from the soil, (gaudentprivilegio quod a gleba amoveri non poterunt,) and were in fact freemen. Bract. fol. 7 a. 209 a. Id. fol. 4 b.