In the early modern period, socage included the totality of compulsory work that subjects (mostly peasants) were obligated to do for various superiors. The German term Fron, like Scharwerk, was used primarily in southern Germany (in the northeast, a bailiff, executioner, or knacker was called a Fron); east of the Elbe, people spoke of Hand- und Spanndienste (services rendered by hand and team), especially plowing and services at court. I…