Legal Definitions - East Greenwich

East Greenwich refers to a historical royal estate, or manor, located in the county of Kent, England. Its name holds significant legal importance because it was frequently used in royal legal documents, such as grants or patents, to define a specific type of land ownership known as free socage.

When a royal grant stated that land was to be held "as of the Manor of East Greenwich," it served as a legal shorthand. It meant the land was held under free socage tenure, a common form of landholding in England where a tenant owed fixed, non-military services (like rent or agricultural duties) to the Crown or a lord, rather than military service. This type of tenure was considered relatively secure and "free" compared to other feudal obligations.

• Example 1: Colonial Land Grant

  Imagine King Charles II granting a vast tract of land in the newly developing American colonies to a colonial proprietor, establishing a new province. The royal charter for this grant might specify that the land is to be held "in free and common socage, as of Our Manor of East Greenwich."

  Explanation: By including this phrase, the King was legally defining the terms under which the colonial land was held. It meant the proprietor would hold the land under a non-military, rent-based tenure, similar to how land was held within the English manor of East Greenwich itself. This provided a clear, established legal framework for land ownership in the distant colony, ensuring stability and predictable obligations without imposing feudal military duties.

• Example 2: Private Land Acquisition in England

  Consider a wealthy merchant in 17th-century England who purchases a parcel of land directly from the Crown, perhaps land that had previously belonged to a dissolved monastery. The legal document, or patent, confirming the merchant's ownership would likely state that the land is held "by fealty only, in free and common socage, as of Our Manor of East Greenwich."

  Explanation: This clause in the patent explicitly clarifies the nature of the merchant's ownership. It signifies that the merchant owes loyalty (fealty) to the Crown but is not subject to military service or other burdensome feudal obligations. Their tenure is stable, involving fixed payments or services, mirroring the secure and non-onerous conditions associated with land held within the original East Greenwich manor.

• Example 3: Charter for a New Town or Corporation

  Suppose Queen Elizabeth I issues a royal charter to establish a new borough or town, granting it certain lands and privileges to encourage its development. The charter might contain a provision stating that the lands granted to the new borough are to be held "in free and common socage, as of Our Manor of East Greenwich."

  Explanation: This legal phrasing ensures that the corporate body of the new town, and by extension its citizens, holds its land under a stable, non-military form of tenure. It provides a foundation for civic and economic development without the uncertainties or burdens of military service that might have been associated with other feudal tenures, thereby promoting the growth and prosperity of the new settlement.