SERVICE, in law, is a duty which a tenant, on account of his fee, owes to his lord.
There are many divisions of services; as, 1. Into personal, where something is to be done by the tenant in person, as homage and fealty. 2. Real, such as wards, marriages, &c. 3. Accidental, including heriots, reliefs, and the like. 4. Entire, where, on the alienation of any part of the lands by a tenant, the services become multiplied. 5. Frank-service, which was performed by freemen, who were not obliged to perform any base service, but only to find a man and horse to attend the lord into the army or to court. 6. Knight's service, by which lands were anciently held of the king, on paying homage, service in war, &c.