in law, is a tenure of service, whereby the tenant is bound to perform some noble or military office to his lord; and is either regal, when held only of the king; or common, such as may be held of a common person as well as the king; the former is properly called sergeantry, and the latter escutchee.

A statute of Charles II. abolishes all tenures by chivalry, in capite, &c., and ordains that all tenures shall be construed to be free and common socage.