SOCAGE

Socage tenure, in England, is the holding of certain lands in consideration of certain Inferior services of husbandry to be performed by the tenant to the lord of the fee. “Socage,” in its most general and extensive signification, seems to denote a tenure by any certain and determinate service. And in this sense it is by the ancient writers constantly put in opposition to tenure by chivalry or knight-service, where the render was precarious and uncertain. Socage is of two sorts, free socage, where the services are not only certain, but honorable; and villein socage, where the services, though certain, are of baser nature. Such as hold by the former tenure are also called In Glanvil and other authors by the name of “liberi sokemanni,” or tenants in free socage. By the statute 12 Car. 2, c. 24, all the tenures by knight-service were, with one or two immaterial exceptions, converted into free and common socage.