socage

American  

[sok-ij] / ˈsɒk ɪdʒ /

Or soccage

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 British  

/ 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

---

Etymology

Origin of socage

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

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

socage

Gilbert de Segrave held the manor of Cotes in socage of the king "by paying yearly one bersethrigumnue."

From Notes and Queries, Number 234, April 22, 1854 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various

This Act provided that all lands should “be held in free and common socage according to the tenure of East Greenwich in England.”

From Ireland Under Coercion (2nd ed.) (1 of 2) (1888) by William Henry Hurlbert

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

From Legal Lore Curiosities of Law and Lawyers by Various

If the tenant was in an office about the king's person, this gave rise to sergeantry; the persons who cultivated his lands may be considered as holding by socage.

From The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 07 (of 12) by Edmund Burke

In the Stoneleigh Register the peculiar nature of socage in ancient demesne is described fully and clearly.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Paul Vinogradoff

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---