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Knight's Fee

Defined in 4 dictionaries — Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Black's (1910), Stimson (1881)

The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary

Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922

The word is a compound word, and may comprehend many things. And therefore by the grant of this may pass land, meadow and pasture as parcel of it. Anciently so much of an inheritance in land as was sufficient to maintain a knight; and every man possessed of such an estate was obliged to be knighted, and attend the king in his wars, or pay a pecuniary sum in lieu thereof, called "escuage." In the time of Henry II. the estate was estimated at twenty pounds a year; but Lord Coke, in his time, states it to bo an estate of six hundred and eighty acres. Co. Litt. 69, 69a. but It was as much as the Idng was pleased to grant, upon the condition of having the service of one knight Tit of Hon. part 2, §§ 17, 26.

Ballentine's Law Dictionary

James A. Ballentine · 1916

The estate essential for a knight’s maintenance.

Black's Law Dictionary

Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910

See Fee.

Defined under Knight in Black's Law Dictionary.

Glossary of Technical Terms, Phrases, and Maxims of the Common Law

Frederic Jesup Stimson · 1881

So much land as was considered tain a knight (twelve ploughlands); the estate was formerly obliged to be knighted in wars or pay escuage.