This week it’s all about words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter E.
ECCLESIASTICAL COURT – heard matters relating to wills, defamation, divorce, failure to attend church, drukeness and undesireable behaviour before 1853
EDITUS – proclaimed, enacted
EIUS – his, her, its,; of him, her, it, this
EIUSDEM – of the same
EIUSDEM DIE – of the same day
EIUSDEM PERTINEN – belonging to the same
ENCLOSURE – conversion of open fields, common or waste land into enclosed areas of land
ENFEOFFMENT – a grant of land, forming a FIEF or HONOR according to its size by a LORD to his VASSAL to be held in return for FEUDAL SERVICE.
ENFRANSHISE – convert copyhold land into freehold tenure
ENTAIL – until 1833 real property could be “entailed” specifying how property would be inherited restricting it to particualr heirs
ENTRY FINE – a payment due when a new customary tenant entered land
EORUM – of them (m.)
EORUNDEM – of the same (m. plural)
EPISCOPAL – of a Bishop
EQUES – Knight
EQUITY (LAW OF) – the body of law which developed in the English Court of Chancery to provide a remedy for situations where the law is not flexible enough for the usual court system to deliver a fair resolution to a case
ESCHEAT – Reversion of land held in fee simple to the lord, typically when a tenant died without an heir, had committed an offence (i.e., a felony) which incurred forfeiture of his estate, or sometimes where the heir was a minor
ESPOUSAL – archaic word for marriage or engagement
ESSION – payment made in lieu of attending court in person
ESTRAY – domestic animals or swan whose owneer is unknown and which stayed onto another persons property becoming the temporary property of the Lord of the Manor
ESTREAT – collective term for fines and amercements imposed in the manorial court
ETAS – age
ETIAM – also, even, furthermore
EXAMINATION – sworn statement made before one or more magistrates as to a persons settlement, with a veiw to removing them from the parish
EXCHEQUER (COURT OF) – Court introduced in the time of Henry II originally to deal with matter of royal revenue but later dealt with many other kinds of business
EX NUNC – hereafter
EX TUNC – thereafter
EXTENT – Summary valuation of the manor and tenancies, including land, buildings, services and other income
I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk