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 kind of land tenure requiring some service to the land's chief lord—other than military service—as an obligation to maintain possession.

   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