knight’s fee – historically, the amount of land that gave rise to the obligation of knight service

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knight’s fee:
(14c)

1. Hist. The amount of land that gave rise to the obligation of knight-service. * The amount varied from less than a hide to more than six hides.

hide:
Hist.
n. (bef. 12c)

1. English law. In England, a measure of land consisting in as much as could be worked with one plow, variously estimated as from 30 to 120 acres but probably determined by local usage. * A hide was anciently employed as a unit of taxation. Cf. CARUCATE.

2. As much land as would support one family or the dwellers in a mansion-house. — aka (both definitions) hide land.

3. A house; a dwelling-house. [1]

References:

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[1]: Black’s Law Dictionary Deluxe Tenth Edition by Henry Campbell Black, Editor in Chief Bryan A. Garner. ISBN: 978-0-314-61300-4

[2]: Ballantine’s Law Dictionary with Pronunciations Third Edition by James A. Ballantine (James Arthur 1871-1949). Edited by William S. Anderson. © 1969 by THE LAWYER’S CO-OPERATIVE PUBLISHING COMPANY. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 68-30931

[3]: Ballantine’s Law Dictionary Legal Assistant Edition
by Jack Ballantine (James Arthur 1871-1949). Doctored by Jack G. Handler, J.D. © 1994 Delmar by Thomson Learning. ISBN 0-8273-4874-6.