Obs. exc. Hist. Also 5 -ur, -ure, 6 tenssar. [a. OF. *tensier = med.L. tensārius, f. OF. tense, tence defence, protection (= med.L. *tensa), f. OF. tenser = med.L. tensāre to defend, protect: cf. OF. tense-, tencement, med.L. tensāmentum, defence, protection, also a payment to a lord for his protection and defence; also OF. tenserie: see next. Ulterior etymology uncertain.] An inhabitant of a city or borough who was not a citizen or freeman, but paid a rate for permission to reside and trade; a denizen.
1444. Rolls of Parlt., V. 125/2. Yef eny Burgeys or Tenser of the seid Toun [Shrewsbury] be attached for eny accion personell, or for suerte of the pees within the seid Toun.
1467. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 383. [Ordinances of Worcester] That no maner citezen, tensur, nor inhabitaunt wtyn the seid cite … put out eny wolle in hurting of the seid cite. Ibid., 394. That euery tensure that hath ben wtyn the cyte a yere or more dwellynge,… be warned to be made citezen,… and yf he refuse that, that he shalle yerly pay to the comyn cofre xl.d.
15[?]. Early Chron. Shrewsb., in Trans. Shropsh. Archæol. Soc. (1880), III. 246. This yeare [1449–50] the burgesses and tenssars in Shrewsbury dyd varye.
1519. Corpor. Accts., in T. Phillips, Hist. Shrewsb. (1779), 168. Ordered that Tensors selling ale should pay 6d. quarterly.
1779. T. Phillips, Hist. Shrewsb., 161. Tensors fines, to be levied before the feast of St. Catharine.
1891. F. A. Hibbert, Eng. Gilds, 156. There could no longer be any invidious distinction between freemen and non-freemen … gildsmen and tensers.
So † Tenserie Obs. [corresp. to OF. tenserie protection, = med.L. tenseria, *tensāria payment for protection, tallage (Du Cange): see above], a tallage or tax exacted by lords from their vassals or tenants, in name of a payment for protection and defence; Tensership, the status of a tenser, or rate paid for this privilege.
[1151. Concilium Londin., i. (Du Cange). Ut ecclesiæ et possessiones ecclesiasticæ ab … exactionibus, quas vulgo tenserias sive tallagias vocant, omnino liberæ permaneant.]
1154. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1137. Hi læiden ʓæildes o þe tunes … & clepeden it tenserie.
[1176. Pipe Roll 22 Hen. II. (1904), 75. Baldwinus Spinc reddit compotum de .xx.s. pro tenseria [C. R. tensaria] quam accepit de Brantona].
1700. Gough, Hist. of Myddle, 128. This Richard Muckleston … commenced a suite against the Towne of Shrewsbury for exacting an imposition upon him which they call tensorship.
1747. Poll for Borough of Shrewsb., 29–30 June, in Trans. Shropsh. Archæol. Soc., III. 234. This Tensership is a ffine or acknowledgment commonly paid by persons following trade in the town that are no Burgesses.
