see fit

"A History of Western Society"の19世紀のロシアの近代化が始まる前の状況についての記述です。
Serf were obliged to furnish labor services or money payments as the lord saw fit. Moreover, the lord could choose freely among the serfs for army recruits, who had to serve for twenty-five years, and he could punish a serf with deportation to Siberia whenever he wished. Sexual exploitationn of female serfs by their lords was common.
"saw fit"/"see fit" は「適当と思う」の意味だと推測できますが辞書で確認します。
・American Heritage Dictionary: Deem appropriate, as in He's entitled to divide up his property as he sees fit, or If we see fit to attend, we'll be there. This expression uses see in the sense of "view as," a usage dating from about 1325.
・Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary: to consider that some action is right, suitable etc You must do as you see fit (to do).
・Cambridge Advanced Learner's English Dictionary: If you see fit to do something, you think it is good or necessary to do it. ; She saw fit to take her son away from the school.
英語で話したり、書いたりする際に、"suitable" とか "appropriate" は直ぐに頭に浮かんできますが、この様な簡単な表現は中々頭に浮かんできません。不思議です。