This week it’s all about words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter C.
CADDOWS – Bedding or blankets
CALENDAR – Catelogue of documents, with summaries of their contents
CALIVER – Light type of muskt
CAMPIPARS – to pay rent of land with a propertion of the crop
CAMPUS – (Latin) field, open field
CANON – Cleric possession a prebend for his support in a Catherdral or collegite church
CANON LAW – Law of the Church
CAPIAS – (Latin) writ/warrant for arrest
CAPITAL MESSUAGE – Manor house
CAP MONEY – fine levied on a township and paid by the constable for bearch of the 1571 Act outlawing the wearing of woollen caps on Sundays and Holy Days
CAR. – Low unenclosed land, subject to flooding
CARR. – common land, especially marchy land
CARRE. – Hollow place which is moist and boggy/ a wood of alder or other trees in such a place
CARRIAGE – water-course, a meadow drain
CARTA – (Latin) Charter, deed
CARTULARY – Collection of Charters relating to a particular estate
CARUCUTE/CARACUTE – measure of land, as much as could be ploughed by one plough and eight oxen in a year (amount varies dependant on the type of soil)
CATALLUMCATELLUM – (Latin) Chattell, cattle
CATMALLISON – Cupboard round or near a chmney where dried beef and provisions were stored
CAUSEY – Causeway/path
CAZZONS – dung of cattle, dried and used as fuel
CELEBS – bachelor, unmarried
CENSUS – a count, which names and varying personal details, of every resident in the country taken every 10 years since 1801 (in the UK)
CESS. – Rate, tax or assessment
CHADFARTHING – Farthing paid as part of the Easter dues to hallow the font for christenings
CHAIN – a unit of measurment specifially length, being 66 feet or 22 yards
CHAISE MAYREZ – cart of transporting fresh fish
CHAMBER – any room in a property except the hall and kitchen
CHANCERY (COURT OF) – Court of the Lord Chancellor established in the 15th century to provide remedies in civil law cases not covered by the courts of common law
CHANTRY – Endowed Chapel
CHAPLAIN – Preist of a Chapel
CHARWOMAN – Cleaner or domestic worker usually employed by the house (as oppsed to a ‘live in’ domestic servant)
CHATTELS – Moveable goods and belonings including animals
CHATTLE LEASE – Leasehold farm or holding
CHEMINAGE – Toll charged on roads in royal forests during the calving season
CHEVAGE – Annual payment of the Lord of the Manor by each non-free tenant
CHIRCHELOFE – Bread given on Christmas day in Church to the poor
CHURCH RATE – tax imposed by the church on parishioners to pay of the upkeep of the church
CHURCHWARDEN – annually elected representative of parishioners responsible for the upkeep of the church
CIRCUMQUAQUE – (Latin) on all sides
CITATIO – (Latin) summons, citation (legal)
CITRA – (Latin) on this side, apart from, except, before, since
CIVIL REGISTRATION – the legal obligation to register of births, marriages and deaths since 1 July 1837 (in England and Wales)
CLAUSUM / CLAUSURA – (Latin) close, enclosure; right to enclose
CLERKS OF THE PEACE – responsible for record keeping in the Quarter Session courts
CLOSE – piece of land which is hedged, fenced or walled (known toady as a field)
CLOSE ROLLS – mandates, letters, writs etc of a private nature written to individuals in the Sovereign’s name which were folded or closed and sealed on the outside with the Great Seal
COFFER – wooden box or chest used for storing clothes and other valuable items, including money
COGNATUS – (Latin) kinsman, relative
CONATE – from the same maternal origin, related by blood or birth on the mother’s side
COMBE – Corn measure for four bushels or one sack
COMMON FINE – Fine payable to the Lord of the Manor
COMMON LAND – Manorial wasteland or land over which tenants had common rights to graze cattle etc;
COMMON OF TURBARY – Commonw right of cutting turf or other fuel
COMITATAS – (Latin) County
COMPOTUS/M – (Latin) account
COMPURGATION – Practice of acquiting an accused person on the oath of 12 or more persons testifying to the truth of his statement
CONSISTORY COURT – Court of the Bishop
COOCH HANDED – left handed
COPYHOLD – Manorial tenure when lend is held by copy of the manorial court roll
CORDWAINER – shoe maker
CORN RENT – cash annuity whose value depended on the price of corn locally
CORSELET – Body armour
COTTAGER – owner/occupier of a tenement which also had a croft, acommon right and a little land usually nor more than 8 or 10 acres
COURT BARON – Manorial court usually held three weekly to state the customs of the manor, to deal with and record deaths of tenants, surrenders of copyhold and leasehold property, admissions to such property, enforce payment of fines, heriots and other dues owed and performance of other services owed to the Lord of the Manor
COURT LEET – Manorial court usually held half yearly to deal with petty offences and civil affairs, incorporated the view of frankpledge under which the inhabitants of tithings where held responsible for any breaches within their tithing (a tithing being a group of 10 or 12 householders who were responsible for vouching for the good behaviour of their fellow members over the age of 14 years)
CROFT – piece of enclosed land for tillage or pasture, usually arable close to a house
CURTILAGE – court, yard or ground attached to or enclosed within a house
CUSTOMAL – written details of the custom so a Manor
I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk