serjeanty

English

Alternative forms

• sergeanty, sergeantry
• serjanty, serjeantry (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English sergeauntie, serjaunte, from Old French serjantie, sergantie and Medieval Latin serjantia, sergantia. Compare sergeancy.

Noun

serjeanty (countable and uncountable, plural serjeanties)

1. (law, historical) A land tenure in which a tenant provided his liege with some kind of personal service, as opposed to nonpersonal service, such as paying tax (socage)

   The manor of Scrivelsby in England, has since the Middle Ages, been held by the Marmion family in grand serjeanty in exchange for their service as King's or Queen's Champion.

Hyponyms

• grand serjeanty
• petit serjeanty

Coordinate terms

• knight's fee, knight service

References

• Pollock, Frederick, The History of English Law Before the Time of Edward I