base-court
(ˈbeɪskɔət)
Also 5–6 basse-courte, 7–9 bass-court.
[f. base a. 3 + court; in sense 1 directly from 15th c. F. basse-court (OF. basse-cort, -curt, mod.F. basse-cour).]
1. The lower or outer court of a castle or mansion, occupied by the servants; the court in the rear of a farm-house, containing the out-buildings.
| 1491 Caxton Four Sons iii. (1885) 98 Reynawde..sawe that the basse-courte of the castell brenned. 1575 Churchyard Chippes (1817) 83 Thei laye under the rampire of the base courte, and slue sondrie of our soldiours. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Countr. Farm 38 [The farmer's wife] is tyed to matters within the House and base Court. 1759 B. Martin Nat. Hist. Eng. I. 212 Bass-Courts for Officers and Servants. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xxv, The large base-court or outer-yard of the noble Castle. |
2. An inferior court of justice, one that is not a court of record; e.g. a court baron.
| 1542–3 Act. 34-5 Hen. VIII, xxvii. §82 The returne of a write of false iudgement, out of a base court, before the sayde Iustices. 1757 Burke Abridgm. Eng. Hist. Wks. X. 438 The original manner of granting feudal property, and something like it is still practised in our base-courts. |