Now Hist. Also 4–6 sokage, 6 socadge, 6– soccage. [a. AF. socage, sokage (Anglo-Lat. socagium), f. soc SOC- + -AGE.
By early writers (Bracton, etc.) supposed to be derived from soc plough: see Coke Inst. (1628), II. v. § 117. The view now generally accepted is that the original distinctive feature of socage was attendance at the court held by the superior in virtue of his right of soc.]
1. The tenure of land by certain determinate services other than knight-service.
α. a. 1325. MS. Rawl. B. 520 lf. 41. Þoru suuche dede sokage is ibore out in to fre tenement.
1485. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 324/1. [She] entred into the same Meses, Lands and Tenements, in the right of the same David her Son, as his Gardyne in Socage.
a. 1500. Brome Book, 155. Þan must ȝe enquere be what seruyce he helde of this lordscheppe, whether he hylde be skwage or be sokage.
1596. Spenser, St. Irel., Wks. (Globe), 674/1. By what services he holdeth his land, whether in cheif or in socadge, or in knightes service.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 86. Euery tenure which is not tenure in chiualrie is a tenure in socage.
1661. J. Stephens, Procurations, 47. As the Tenants in Socage after the said change paid their rents yearly to the Lord.
1766. Blackstone, Comm., II. 79. Socage, in it’s most general and extensive signification, seems to denote a tenure by any certain and determinate service.
1845. Polson, Eng. Law, in Encycl. Metrop., II. 824/1. The guardianship of a minor inheriting an estate in lands of the tenure of socage, devolves on the next of kin, on whom the inheritance cannot possibly descend.
1875. K. E. Digby, Real Prop., i. ii. § 3. 47. There can be little doubt that tenure in socage is the successor of the alodial proprietorship of early times.
β. 1538. Sel. Cases Star Chamber (Selden Soc.), II. 67. Thomas Knyght … Surrenderyth into the lord hands in Soccage … a mese.
1562. Richmond. Wills (Surtees), 151. Hereditaments holden in soccage or of the nature of socage tenure.
1638. Sir R. Cotton, Tower Rec. (1642), 14. For no man will buy quillets but in soccage.
1700. Tyrrell, Hist. Eng., II. 815. Nor will We have the Wardship … of the Fee-Farm, Soccage, or Burgage.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. xi. 239. He also holds lands of the crown by soccage or any other tenure.
fig. 1658. Culpepper, Astrol. Judgem. Dis., 190. Dame Nature … holds by tenure by Soccage of Almighty God.
1834. Taylor, Philip van Artevelde, II. v. ii. If he be not the devil’s feudatory He holds in soccage of a fiend that is.
b. With distinguishing epithets, esp: free or common (also free and common) socage, the ordinary form of this tenure.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 486. There be two sortes of Socage, the one Free, the other Base…: the Free Socage descending to the eldest alone.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 31. Als meikill of his lands, halden in frie soccage; as the samine sonne will get … be reason of succession.
1671. F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., 167. Before that late unhappy conversion of those Tenures into free and common socage.
1764. T. Hutchinson, Hist. Col. Mass., v. (1765), 447. They held their lands, as of the manor,… in free and common socage.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 148. All lands in Upper Canada are to be granted hereafter in free and common soccage.
1832. C. M. Goodridge, Voy. S. Seas, 255. Land thus disposed of without purchase, is to be … held in f[r]ee and common socage.
1874. Green, Short Hist., ix. 607. The conversion of lands held till then in chivalry into lands held in common socage.
c. An estate held in socage. rare.
1464. Rolls of Parlt., V. 521/2. In the Maners,… Tounes, Wapentaches and Socage of Wyrkesworth.
1768. Ann. Reg., Hist. Europe, 78*/2. At a certain small reserved rent … viz. 50l. per ann. for the soccage of Carlisle.
d. A payment made to the superior by one holding land in socage. rare.
1859. C. Barker, Associative Principle, i. 26. The rents and soccage of two mills were applied to the purchase of sheep-skins.
1883. Century Mag., XXVI. Aug., 545/1. The payment of free socage came, in time, to be attended with some ceremony.
2. attrib., as socage freehold, land, roll, service, tenant, tenure.
1467. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 376. The charter of the seid cite, with the ij. Socage Rollez, shullen be putt in the comyn cofour.
a. 1500. Brome Bk., 155. And althow it be sokage lond, ȝet þe eyur [= heir] schall pay a releffe and do his sewte.
1562. Socage tenure [see 1 β].
1628. Coke, On Litt., 121. He may deuise by his Will all his Socage Lands.
a. 1658. Cleveland, Rustic Rampant, Wks. (1687), 442. Considering the Incertainty of things under that Iron Socage Tenure.
1741. T. Robinson, Gavelkind, i. 3. Under this Term were comprehended all Socage Services.
1747. Carte, Hist. Eng., I. 423. The taillages that the king had it in his power to levy upon the soccage tenants in his own demesnes.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages (1872), I. 203. Many of them rather answer to our socage freeholds.
1890. Athenæum, 4 Jan., 12/2. Owners of land held in England by socage tenure.
