The freemen, like the man here, paid the knights/nobles to farm land. They moved wherever/whenever they pleased.
The Nobles & Lords
The serfs were linked to thier current lord, unable to leave. They made up most of the pesants, but were not enslaved. Serfs got food, protection, & shelter to farm the land & pay rent. They also had the oportunity to farm their own land 4/7 days of the week.
The Kings
The knights got feifs, another word for plots of land, & serfs in return for homage & military service.They respected women & their lords & went to church often. The serfs lived in villages, but the knights got to live in thier own manors & castles.
The Feudal System Pyramid
The lods/nobles were the ones with the greatest power, other than the king. They owned lots of land, & got feifs & pesants for loyalty & military aid. They were masters to knights & many serfs, & had the most land of the three.
The king gave 3/4 of his land to churches & lords/nobleswho swore an oath to be forever loyal to him.
This is the Feudal system. Now you know how hard/easy it must have been to live in the Medieval Times.