The word for today is…

homage (noun) – 1. Formal acknowledgment by a vassal of allegiance to his lord under feudal law.

  1. (a) Special honour or respect shown or expressed publicly.
    (b) Something created or done in honour, admiration, or celebration of someone or something.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : The root of homage is homo-, the Latin root meaning “man.” In medieval times, a king’s male subject could officially become the king’s man (or vassal) by publicly announcing allegiance to the monarch in a formal ceremony. In that ritual, known as homage, the subject knelt and placed his hands between those of his lord, symbolically surrendering himself and putting himself at the lord’s disposal and under his jurisdiction. A bond was thus forged between the two; the vassal’s part was to revere and serve his lord, and the lord’s role was to protect the vassal and his family.

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Peter is a fourth-generation New Zealander, with his mother's and father's folks having arrived in New Zealand in the 1870s. He lives in Lower Hutt with his wife, some cats and assorted computers. His...