Definitions

Amerce - To impose a fine. Also to publish by fine or penalty.


Assize - A court, usually but not always, consisting of twelve men, summoned together to try a disputed case. They performed the functions of jury, except the verdict was rendered from their own investigation and knowledge and not from upon evidence adduced.


Burage - One of three species of free socage holdings. A tenure where housesd and lands formerly the site of houses in an ancient borough are hld of some lord by a certain rent.

Chattel - Personal property as opposed to real property. A personal object which can be transported.


Darrein Presentment - Writ of Assize when a man or his ancestors under whom he claimed presented a clerk to a benefice, who was instituted, and afterwards, upon the next avoidance, a stranger presented a clerk and thereby disturbed the real patron.


Distrain - The act of taking as a pledge anothers property to be used as an assurance of performance of an obligation. Also a remedy to ensure a court appearance or payment of fees etc.


Disseise - To dispossess or to deprive.


Escheat - Right of the lord of a fee to re-enter upon the same when it became vacant by the extinction of the blood of the tenant.


Intestate - To die without a will.


Mort d'Ancestor - Real action to recover a person's lands of which he had been deprived on the death of his ancestor by the abatement of intrusion of a stanger.


Novel Disseisin - Writ of Assize for the recovery of lands and tenements.


Praecipe - An original writ drawn up in the alternative commanding the defendant to do the thing required.


Scutage - Tax or contribution raised by someone holding lands by knight's service used to furnish the King's army.


Socage - A species of Tenure where the tenant held lands in consideration of certain inferior services of husbandry by him to the lord of the fee.