Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: socman
Definition: A socman is a person who owns land by socage tenure. This means they hold the land in exchange for certain services or payments to their lord. Socmen were common in medieval England and were also known as sokemen or sockmen. They were also called socagers or gainors.
See also:socage
Definition: A socman is a person who owns land through socage tenure.
Explanation: In the past, land ownership was often tied to a system of feudalism. Socage was a type of feudal land tenure where the tenant would provide a service to the lord of the manor in exchange for the right to use the land. A socman was someone who held land through this system.
Example: John inherited a small piece of land from his father, who had been a socman. John now holds the land through socage tenure, which means he must provide a service to the lord of the manor in exchange for the right to use the land.