A weighty series of manorial and church taxes fell upon all serfs. Although most of these taxes were not particularly high, they nonetheless were a burden and a constant reminder to the serf of his servitude. The head or capitation tax was a general tax payable every year. Payment was made in money or kind, usually little more than a few pence or a few pounds of butter. Another annual tax was the taille, a direct tax levied against whatever property the serf managed to accumulate during the year. The heriot, or inheritance tax, was collected whenever a serf's son inherited the right to work his father's land. The heriot was perhaps the most expensive tax of all; the required payment was either a valuable possession of the serf or his best head of livestock. Finally, a tithe, paid annually to the church, was required of...