Law. Also 4 borgage. [ad. med.L. burgāgium (OF. bourgage), f. burg-us (see prec. and BOROUGH) + -agium.]
1. A tenure whereby lands or tenements in cities and towns were held of the king or other lord, for a certain yearly rent.
In Scotland, that tenure by which the property in royal burghs is held under the crown, proprietors being liable to the (nominal) service of watching and warding; or, as it is commonly termed, ‘service of burgh, used and wont.’
1502. Gt. Charter, in Arnold’s Chron. (1811), 219. Yf ani holde of vs bi feeferme or bi socage or burgage.
1602. Fulbecke, 1st Pt. Parallel, 21. Burgage, is where the tenants of an auncient borough, do hold lands within the Borough of the King or some other person.
1676. B. W[illis], Man. Goldsm., 71. The said Tenements and Rents be held of Us in Free Burgage.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., II. 82. Tenure in burgage is … where the king or other person is lord of an antient borough, in which the tenements are held by a rent certain.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., I. viii. 94. The more ancient [boroughs] hold their lands in burgage.
b. ellipt. = in burgage.
1868. Act 31 & 32 Vict., ci. § 102. (Referring to Scotland) Seised in any lands held burgage.
† 2. A freehold property in a borough; also, a house or other property held by burgage tenure.
[1292. Britton, III. ii. § 10. Bourgage est tenement de cité ou de bourg, ou de autre lu privilegie par nous.]
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. III. 77. Þei timbrede not so hye, Ne bouȝte none Borgages.
1538. Leland, Itin., IV. 117. A. B. of Lichfield gave … certaine Free Burgages in the Towne for to sett this House on.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 121. Gif ane bond man of ane Earle … comes to ane burgh, and buyes to himselfe, ane burgage, and dwelles in that burgage ane zeare.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), III. xiii. 40. The right [to the elective franchise] sprang from the tenure of certain freehold lands or burgages within the borough.
3. Attrib. and Comb., as burgage-holder, -holding, -house, -land, -tenant, -tenement, -tenure.
1835. Blackw. Mag., XXXV. 975. A check to the abuses of the *burgage aristocracy.
1748. Lond. Mag., 32. The two Representatives [of Aldborough, Suffolk] are chosen by the Majority of the *Burgage-holders.
1754. Erskine, Princ. Sc. Law (1809), 151. *Burgage-holding is that by which boroughs-royal hold of the sovereign.
1710. Lond. Gaz., No. 4700/4. Two *Burgage Houses or Tenements.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 107. If he were possessed … of *burgage lands.
1819. Mackintosh, Parl. Suffrage, Wks. 1846, III. 213. In the reign of Edward the First … the members … for cities and towns [were chosen] by freemen, *burgage tenants, householders or freeholders.
1876. Digby, Real Prop., I. ii. § 3. 48. An important class of socage tenants … who held lands of lords by this tenure in towns … had obtained the distinctive name of burgage tenants.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, III. 321. I will change … thy *burgage tenement for an hundred-pound-land to maintain thy rank withal.
1523. Fitzherb., Surv., 12. Dyuers tenures … as … escuage, socage … *burgage tenures.
1810. in Risdon’s Surv. Devon, 402. The borough … is held … in burgage tenure.
