Legal Definitions - petit serjeanty

Petit serjeanty was a historical form of land tenure in medieval England, where a person held land directly from the Crown in exchange for providing a specific, non-military service to the monarch. Unlike grand serjeanty, which involved significant personal service or military duties, petit serjeanty typically required the provision of a symbolic item or a minor, practical service. This service was fixed, honorable, and often involved supplying a particular object or performing a defined, non-military duty for the King or Queen, distinguishing it from the more burdensome and uncertain services owed by lower-status tenants.

• Example 1: Providing a Ceremonial Item

  Imagine a landowner in medieval England who held a parcel of land directly from the King. Their obligation under petit serjeanty was to provide the King with a pair of gilded spurs once a year, to be used during a specific royal ceremony or feast.

  This illustrates petit serjeanty because the service is specific (gilded spurs), non-military, and involves providing a symbolic item directly to the monarch in exchange for the right to hold the land. It's a fixed, honorable duty rather than a military or personal attendance requirement.

• Example 2: Supplying Specific Provisions

  Consider a lord who held a manor directly from the Crown. Their tenure was based on the condition that they would supply the royal household with six arrows and a bowstring annually, intended for the King's hunting expeditions rather than for warfare.

  This demonstrates petit serjeanty as it involves a fixed, non-military service (providing specific items for a royal activity) to the King in return for the right to occupy and use the land. The service is clearly defined and not a general military obligation.

• Example 3: Performing a Minor Administrative Duty

  A family might have held a small estate from the King, with the understanding that one member of their household would be responsible for maintaining a specific royal falcon, ensuring it was fed and cared for, but not for training it for battle or accompanying the King on hunts themselves.

  This exemplifies petit serjeanty because the land is held directly from the Crown, and the service is a defined, non-military, and practical duty (caring for a royal asset) rather than a significant personal or military obligation. The service is specific and limited in scope.