Middle English Dictionary Entry
feffement n.
Entry Info
| Forms | feffement n. Also feoff(e)ment, feefement. |
| Etymology | AF fe(o)ffement. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The investing of a person or persons with an estate in land, tenements, rents, etc.: (a) as a mode of direct conveyance for full possession and use; (b) as a mode whereby an estate was held temporarily in trust subject to further conveyance as part of the settlement of a will or marriage contract.
Associated quotations
a
- (1394) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.3257 : We..han maad a feffement to sir John Deuereux.
- (1432) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xxviii : The feoffament of the saide Manoir of Dullyngham..and the forsaide Manoir of Langdon..were made by the saide Lowys Johan.
- (1459) Will Fastolf in Nrf.Archaeol.2232 : The said Sir John Fastolff..did make a state and feffement and liuery of the seisin of the maner of Castre aforesaid.
- (1461) RParl.5.480b : Yf any of the seid persones..have made any astate, feoffement, or discontynuance of any Londes, Tenementes, Rentes, Possessions and other Inheritements.
b
- (1424) EEWills59/15 : Diuerce feffementes þat I haue mad to diuerce men..to þe entent þat þey shulde do my wylle.
- (1426) Indent.Hawarden in Chs.Sheaf (1891)14 : For whech weddyng feffement and refeffement the same John shall gyf to the same Nicolas ye forsaid M'geret, convenable arayet to bed & to body.
- (1447) RParl.5.135b : That noo persone that hadde made to his use any Feoffement or estate to the said Duke and Alianore..of any Londes and Tenementis..be hurt or prejudised in any wise be this Acte.
- (1450) RParl.5.185a : That all Londes and Tenementes..of which eny persone or persones enfeffed or graunted you soole, or joyntly with other, to the use of them that made the feffement, or to the use of ony other, thanne to youre use, be not comprised in this said Acte.
- (1455) Lin.DDoc.82/16 : I..haue enfeoffed, vppon grete faith and truste..Thomas Bourchiere..and other..in and of my Manoiers..my wille and entent of the said feoffament..is..that my said feoffies anon after my decesse make astate in and of the said maners..to William my secunde sone.
- (c1462) Paston (Gairdner)4.63 : The seid Paston..shuld not be put out of the seid maner, for who som evir had titell therto by feffement or by executrie, Paston shuld be on that had title.
2.
The written instrument by which such conveyance of estates and settlements in marriage were recorded; chartre (dede) of feffement.
Associated quotations
- ?a1425 LChart.Chr.A (RwlPoet 175)42 : To mak a charter of feffement [vrr. fefment, feoffament].
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)2.58 : Now Simonye and Siuyle stondeþ forþ boþe, Vn-Foldyng þe Feffement þat Falsnes made.
- (1394) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.3257 : The chartre of the feffement by me and my forsaid confeffes maad to sir Guy de Briene.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.249 : Þei brouht..þe olde chartres & titles..þei said..Of Inglond suld þei hold..so wild þe feffementes ald, & þei granted þertille.
- (1422) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.61 : He schewde a dede of feffement mad be him to William Clopton.
- a1425 PPl.C (Lond-U V.88)3.78 fn. : The feoffament of Meede.
- (?1462) Will York in Sur.Soc.30256 : The dede of feffement afore made.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)484/7 : The charter of feffement that Alise..made..to the forsaid Religious women.
3.
Possession of an estate by such conveyance; also, an estate so conveyed.
Associated quotations
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.254 : Edward..salle gyue Philip..Alle holy Gascoyn..After þe forty dayes of þat feffement [AF feffement] Philip..salle gyue þat ilk tenement Tille Edward & tille Blanche.
- (1412) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.50 : Als mekyll valu of hys lande..as thys forsayde Adam and Mergeret hade in Harrewode in dowere or in feffement.
- (1439) EEWills122/15 : That she clayme no dower nor Ioyntfeffement..contrarie his will, nor that she claime no Iointestate in none other of his londes.
- (1439) RParl.5.8a : Yat ye said Revenus of ther Feffementz myght be emploied for paiment apart for the dispenses of his said Houshold.
- (1440) Paston (EETS)3.7 (934/8) : Touchyng þe chartre lond of William Paston, justice .. whiche lond þe seid Paston hath sued to enterchaunge with copiehold lond withinne þe seid tounshipes of Paston and of Edithorp .., my lettres .. wer directed to yow .. for to enquere .. if ony hurte shuld growe to þe Kyng .. or on-to vs of þe seid feffement by þe seid enterchaunging or not.
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1400 : Monee in the hands of ye Receyuere of the feffement of the duchie of lancastre.