NEIFE

neife (neef), n.[Law French] Hist. A person born into bondage or serfdom; specif., a female

serf. β€” Also spelled naif; neif; niefe.

β€œFor the children of villeins were also in the same state of bondage with their parents; whence they were called in Latin, nativi, which gave rise to the female appellation of a villein, who was called a neife.” 2 William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England 93–94 (1766).

[Blacks Law 8th]