Socage

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Socage \Soc"age\, n.[From {Soc}; cf. LL. socagium.] (O.Eng. Law)
     A tenure of lands and tenements by a certain or determinate
     service; a tenure distinct from chivalry or knight's service,
     in which the obligations were uncertain. The service must be
     certain, in order to be denominated socage, as to hold by
     fealty and twenty shillings rent. [Written also {soccage}.]


     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Socage is of two kinds; {free socage}, where the
           services are not only certain, but honorable; and
           {villein socage}, where the services, though certain,
           are of a baser nature. --Blackstone.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  socage
       n : land tenure by agricultural service or payment of rent; not
           burdened with military service

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  SOCAGE, Eng. law. A tenure of lands by certain inferior services in 
  husbandry, and not knight's service, in lieu of all other services. Litt. 
  sect. 117.