burgage

noun

1. (countable, historical, uncountable)A medieval tenure in socage under which property in England and Scotland was held under the king or a lord of a town, and was maintained for a yearly rent or for rendering an inferior service (not knight's service) such as watching and warding.

   “If any burgess be appealed of a plea whereon wager of battle may issue by a villein or outdweller , let him defend himself by oath, that is to say by the 36 men, unless he is challenged in respect of a crime that the law requires him to defend by battle, in no case ought a burgess to fight against a villein if he have challenged him unless before the dispute he shall have quitted the burgage.”

   “Thomas Singleton, bailiff of the escheatery of the town of Lancaster, rendered account in 1441 of £8 4s. 7d. due from ancient rents and various burgages and plats of land which had escheated to the king as duke from various causes.”