burgage

American  

[bur-gij] / ˈbɜr gɪdʒ /

noun

Law.

1. (in England) a tenure whereby burgesses or townspeople held lands or tenements of the king or other lord, usually for a fixed money rent.

2. (in Scotland) tenure directly from the crown of property in royal burghs in return for the service of watching and warding.

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burgage British  

/ ˈbɜːɡɪdʒ /

noun

1. (in England) tenure of land or tenement in a town or city, which originally involved a fixed money rent

2. (in Scotland) the tenure of land direct from the crown in Scottish royal burghs in return for watching and warding

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Other Word Forms

• nonburgage
  noun

Etymology

Origin of burgage

1250–1300; Middle English borgage < Anglo-French borgage, burgage or Anglo-Latin burgāgium; see burgh, -age

Example Sentences

Former judge Sir Thomas Littleton wrote a legal textbook describing tenancies in dower; the tenures of socage, knight's service, serjeanty, and burgage; estates in fee simple, fee tail, and fee conditional.

From Our Legal Heritage by Reilly, S. A.

It was called a borough in 1461, when there are also traces of burgage tenure.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 3 "Gordon, Lord George" to "Grasses" by Various

"If thou wilt follow me, good fellow," said the Black Douglas, "I will change thy leathern apron for a knight's girdle, and thy burgage tenement for an hundred pound land to maintain thy rank withal."

From The Fair Maid of Perth Or, St. Valentine's Day by Scott, Walter, Sir

And the messuages and shops are worth 100s. and are held in free burgage of the king by the service of 11s. 4d. for all services.

From Memorials of Old London Volume I by Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)

The latter he acquired by purchasing the burgage tenures of Old Sarum.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various