BOCLAND

bocland, bockland or bookland (from a.s. _boc_, book), an original mode of tenure of land, also called charter-land or deed-land. bocland was folk-land granted to individuals in private ownership by a document (charter or book) in writing, with the signatures of the king and witenagemot; at first it was rarely, if ever, held by laymen, except for religious purposes. bocland to a certain extent resembled full ownership in the modern sense, in that the owner could grant it in his lifetime, in the same manner as he had received it, by _boc_ or book, and also dispose of it by will. (see also folkland.)