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Alien-foreign born.
Alienation-transfer of property.
Alimony - allowance to a divorced or
separated wife out of the husband's
property.
Allegation-statement of facts.
Allegiance-obligation of each citizen.
Allodial-land not held of a superior.
Allotment-an assigned share.
Alluvion-increment to the bank of a

river.

Almoner-distributor of charity.
A manendo-from remaining.
Amenable-answerable; responsible.
A mensa et thoro-from board and
bed.

Armistice-cessation of hostilities.
Arraignment-calling a criminal to
answer in court.
Arson-burning another's house.
Articuli cleri-articles of the clergy.
A sequendo-from following.
Assurance-evidence of a conveyance.
Astuti-cunning.

Attachment-summary writ for contempt of court; seizure of debtor's property.

Attainder-corruption of blood.
Attaint-stained or blackened.

Attestation witnessing an instru

ment.

Attorney-in another's turn.

Amittere liberam legem-to lose free Attornment-agreement of a vassal to

law; to become infamous.

Amnesty-oblivion of past offences.

Amotion-removal; ouster.

Anarchy-without government.

A nativitate-from his birth.

receive a new lord.

Audita querela - complaint having

been heard; a writ.

Auditors parties appointed to adjust

accounts.

Ancient demesne-lands reserved to Aula regis-hall of the king.

the crown.

Aurum reginae-gold of the queen.

Animo furandi-with design of steal- Autrefois-at another time.

ing.

Animum revertendi-intent to return. Animum testandi-testamentary discretion or intent. Annuity-a yearly allowance. Annul-abrogate; make void. Antiquum ancient. A patre-from the father. Appeal-an accusation under criminal law; submission to a superior decision.

Appearance-coming into court. Appraisement-valuation of property. Apprentice-indentured employee. Approver-confessing guilt and accusing another.

Autre vie-another's life.
Averment-positive statement of fact.
A vinculo matrimonii-from the bond
of matrimony.

Avoidance-special matter in pleading.
Avowry—an admission in replevin.
Avus—a grandfather.
Award-judgment of arbitrators.

Backing warrant-endorsement by a
second justice of the peace.
Bail-surety for appearance.
Bailiff-an officer empowered to serve
writs, and to distrain.
Bailiwick-the district of a bailiff or
sheriff.

Appurtenant-belonging or incident Bailment-delivery of goods in trust.

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Battery-unlawful beating of another. | Capiatur-that he be taken.

Bench warrant writ of a criminal

court.

Benefice-an ecclesiastical preferment. Beneficiary-party benefitted. Beneficium-feud or fief.

Benefit of clergy - exemption from

death penalty. Bequest-personalty left by will. Bigamy - having two wives or husbands at the same time.

Capital punishment-death penalty. Caput lupinum-head of wolves. Caput, principium et finis-the head, beginning and end.

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Bill-plaintiff's statement of action in Caveat-that he beware; a warning. courts of equity.

Caveat emptor-let the buyer beware.

Billa vera-"true bill," endorsement Census regalis-royal revenue.

on an indictment.

Centenarius-head of a hundred.

Bill of exchange-open letter of re- Ceorl—a Saxon peasant.

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Bond-sealed obligation to pay money
or to perform some act.
Breach-violation of a duty.
Brehon-ancient Irish law.
Breve a writ briefly stated.
Brevia testata-short proofs.
Bribery-giving or taking corrupt re-
ward.

Borough an incorporated town.
Borough English-an ancient custom.
Bottomry-mortgage on a ship.
Bull-edict or rescript of the pope.
Burg-a borough; a castle.
Burgage-a tenure in socage.
Burgesses-magistrates of boroughs.
Burglary-felonious breaking into a
dwelling-house at night.

Caesarian operation-extracting the foetus through an incision made in the abdomen.

Cancelli-lattice work; cancelling.
Canon-ecclesiastical law.

Capias ad respondendum-that you take him to answer; a writ. Capias utlagatum-that you take the

outlaw.

Cepi corpus "I have taken the body;" return by sheriff to writ of capias. Cepit et asportavit-he took and carried away.

Certiorari-to be certified or informed

of; a writ from a higher to a lower court.

Cessante ratione, cessat et ipsa lex

the reason ceasing, the law itself

ceases.

Cestui que use or trust-one to whose use land is granted. Cestui que vie-one for whose life a grant is made. Challenge-exception to a juror. Champerty-contingent interest in a

suit.

Chance-medley-homicide in self-de

fence.

Chancellor-chief judge in chancery. Charter-a grant from a sovereign Chancery-court of equity.

power. Chase-space reserved for hunting;

acquiring animals "ferae naturae." Chattel-property other than freehold. Chaud-medley-killing in hot blood. Chicane-trickery.

Chivalry tenure by knight's service. Choses in action-things to be obtained by suit, not being in possession. Chronicon pretiosum-valuable chronicle.

Church-warden-guardian of a church. Circa ardua regni- concerning the weighty affairs of the kingdom. Circumspecte agatis-act cautiously.

Citation-order of court to appear and | Compassing-contriving, plotting.

show cause.

Civilian-one versed in the civil law.
Civiliter mortuus-civilly dead.
Civil law ancient Roman law.
Civil list-schedule of royal revenue.
Clausum fregit—“ he broke the enclo-
sure."

Clerk-one in ecclesiastical orders.
Close-enclosure; interest in the soil.
Code-a compilation of laws.
Codicil-a supplement to a will.
Coercion-constraint; force.
Coeval-of the same age.
Cognati-relations by the mother.
Cognizable-under judicial notice.
Cognizance-acknowledgement in re-

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Competency-legal fitness of the evi

dence.

Compiling-summary of the works of

others.

Composition-agreement with credit

ors.

Compos mentis-sound of mind. Compounding-unlawful settlement of a crime.

Compurgators-witnesses to clear an
accused party.
Concessi-I have granted.
Concurrent-joint and equal.

Conditor-founder.

Condonation-marital forgiveness. Confession-admission of criminal act; in pleading, admission of opponent's averment. Confirmation-making a voidable estate sure; species of conveyance. Confiscation-forfeiture of property, as punishment for a crime.

Conge d'eslire-permission to elect. Conjuration-a sworn compact. Connivance-consent to an unlawful

act.

Consanguinity-blood relationship. Consensus, non concubitus facit nuptias consent, not cohabitation, makes marriage.

Conservatores pacis-keepers of the

peace.

Consideratum est per curiam—it is considered by the court.

Consistory-ecclesiastical tribunal. Conspiracy-agreement to do an unlawful act.

Constablee-a ministerial officer. Constat de persona-there is proof of the person.

Common law-immemorial customs of Constitutions of Clarendon - under

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Coram paribus-before the peers.
Cornage-tenure, by blowing a horn for

the lord during war.
Corody-allowance for sustenance.
Coroner-a crown officer, who examines

cases of sudden death. Corporal-bodily; a military officer. Corporeal-palpable, tangible. Corpus juris civilis-body of civil law. Corruption of blood-incapacity to inherit.

coelum-whose soil it is, it is his

even to heaven.

Cum testamento annexo-with the
will annexed.

Curate a clergyman, having the care
of a church.
Curator-a guardian.

Curia advisare vult-the court will

consider.

Curia christianitas

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court. Curialitas-tenancy by the curtesy. Curia magna-great court. Curfew-Norman law, to cover fires, and retire at eight o'clock. Curtesy a husband's interest in the property of his deceased wife. Curtilage-ground adjoining a house. Custodiam comitatus-custody of the county. Custos morum-keeper of the morals.

Custuma-customs.

Cy pres-"as near as " it is possible to execute the will of a testator as to perpetuities.

Damage feasant-doing damage.

Corsned-accursed bread, swallowed Damnum absque injuria— damage

by an accused party. Couchant-lying down. Counties-palatine-four English counties with special charters. Court-leet-an ancient criminal court. Covenant-contract under seal; an action thereon.

without injury.
Dane-lage-Danish law.
Darrein-last.

Days of grace-three days additional
time given to pay notes and bills.
De avo-from the grandfather.
Dean-ecclesiastical officer.

Coverture-state of a married woman. De bene esse-conditionally.

Covin-fraud.

Cozening-cheating.

Creamus, erigimus, fundamus

create, erect, found.

Crepusculum-twilight.

we

Crimen falsi-crime of forgery.
Crimen laesae majestatis-the crime
of high treason.
Criminal conversation-adultery.
Criteria-standards of judging.
Cross-bill-cross action by defendant
in chancery.
Cucking-stool-for ducking common
scolds.

Cujus est divisio, alterius est electio
-whoever has the division, the
other has the election.
Cujus est solum, ejus est usque ad

Debet et detinet-he owes and de

tains.

De bonis non-of the goods not" ad-
ministered.

De bono et malo-of good and evil.
Debt-a special form of action.
Decedent a deceased person.
Decem tales -a tales of ten.
Decemviri-ten Roman legislators.
Declaration - written statement of
the plaintiff's case.
Declaratory-explanatory.
De credulitate-on their belief.
Decree-judgment of an equity court.
Decretals canonical epistles.
De debitore in partes secando-of
cutting the debtor into pieces.
Dedi et concessi-I have given and
granted.

Dedimus potestatem-we have given | De prerogativo regis-king's preroga

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De proprietate probanda - proving ownership.

De rationabili parte bonorum-of the
reasonable part of the goods.
Derelict-land left by the sea; aban-
doned goods.

De religiosis-of religious persons.
De retorno habendo-" of having a
return;" writ issued after a judg-
ment in replevin.

Dernier resort-the last resort.

Defeasance-a deed to defeat another De son tort-" of his own wrong;

deed.

Defeasible-may be defeated.

Deforcement-wrongful detention of realty.

having no authority to act. Detainer-detention of person or property.

Determine-to end or terminate.

De heretico comburendo-burning a Detinue-action to recover chattels. heretic.

De homine replegiando-of replevy

ing a man.

Dehors-out of; foreign to.
De idiota inquirendo

idiocy.

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De jure-by right or law.

inquiry of

De la plus belle-of the most beautiful.
Delegated-chosen or empowered.
Demagogue-factious popular leader.
De medietate linguae "as to a

De uxore rapta et abducta-for seiz-
ing and abducting his wife.
Devastation-waste.

Devenio vester homo-" I become
your man;" feudal investiture.
De ventre inspiciendo-for inspecting
pregnancy.
Devisavit-he devised.
Devise-gift of realty by will.
Dies juridice-court days.
Diet-an assembly of officials.

moiety of the language; " jury part-Digests-compilations; works of Jus

ly of foreigners.

De mercatoribus-of merchants.
Demesne-land retained by the lord.
De militibus-of soldiers.

De minimis non curat lex-the law

cares not for small things. Demise-death; a conveyance. Demissio regis-demise of the king. De modo decimandi-manner of tithing.

Demurrer an objection in pleading.

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Diocese a bishop's district.
Disclaimer-renunciation of claim.
Discontinuance-an interrupted suit;

wrongful enlargement of an estate
tail.

Disfranchise-deprivation of rights.

Denizens-aliens made English sub-Disherison-disinheritance.

jects.

Dispensation-permit or immunity.

Dissenters-seceders from the established church.

De non decimando-exempt from Disseisin-ouster of the freehold. tithes.

De novo-anew.

Deodand-" gift to God," forfeited in- Distraint-making a distress.

strument which caused death.

De odio et atia-of hatred and ill-will.

Distress-seizure of chattels for a debt, as for rent.

De pace et legalitate tuenda-for Distribution-division of the estate of

maintaining peace and law.

Depose-to testify by deposition.

Deposition-written testimony.

an intestate.

Districtio-a distress.

Distringas-that you distrain.

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