socage

Or soc·cage

[sok-ij]

noun

Medieval English Law.

1. a tenure of land held by the tenant in performance of specified services or by payment of rent, and not requiring military service.

socage

/ ˈsɒkɪdʒ /

noun

1. English legal history the tenure of land by certain services, esp of an agricultural nature

2. English law the freehold tenure of land

Other Word Forms

• socager noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of socage¹

1275–1325; Middle English sokage < Anglo-French socage, equivalent to soc soke + -age -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of socage¹

C14: from Anglo-French, from soc _soke

Example Sentences

Not in free and common socage, but in this amphibious subordinate class of villein socage.

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As a classification of tenures the passage would not be complete, of course, since neither the important species of free socage recognised by Domesday nor the ancient demesne tenure appears.

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This, of course, is but socage in effect, for it is no personal service, but a certain rent.

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Burgage, bur′gāj, n. a tenure in socage for a yearly rent: a tenure in Scotland in royal burghs under nominal service of watching.

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It is more correctly described as socage tenure, subject to the custom of gavelkind.

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