The form of taxation known as scutage, in the law of England under the feudal system, allowed a knight to "buy out" of the military service due to the Crown as a holder of a knight's fee held under the feudal land tenure of knight-service. Its name derived from shield (in Latin: scutum). The term sometimes loosely applies to other pecuniary levies on the basis of the knight's fee, and also to taxes levied for war but not in lieu of military service.