TENURE

The feudal relation between lord and va al in respect of lands. Tenures in capite, or in chief, were those by which land was held immediately of the crown; mesne tenures, of mesne or inferior lords. English tenures under the feudal system are reduced by Black stone to four: knight-service, or chivalry; free socage; pure villenagc; and villein-socage. See Feudal System, Socage, Villen [s. 1245]