heriot

American  

[her-ee-uht] / ˈhɛr i ət /

noun

English Law.

1. a feudal service or tribute, originally of borrowed military equipment and later of a chattel, due to the lord on the death of a tenant.

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heriot British  

/ ˈhɛrɪət /

noun

1. (in medieval England) a death duty paid by villeins and free tenants to their lord, often consisting of the dead man's best beast or chattel

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Etymology

Origin of heriot

before 900; Middle English heriot, heriet, Old English heregeate, heregeatu, heregeatwa war gear, equivalent to here army + geate, etc., equipment; cognate with Old Norse gǫtvar (plural)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

heriot

The value of this heriot fixed by Canute's laws, Sec.

From The History of England, Volume I by Hume, David

And if any one depart this life intestate, be it through his neglect, be it through sudden death; then let not the lord draw more from his property than his lawful heriot.

From Popular Law-making by Stimson, Frederic Jesup

Of their articles he approved of two only, that demanding the right to choose their pastors and that denouncing the heriot or death-duty.

From The Age of the Reformation by Smith, Preserved

As to the amount of the relief the same fluctuations may be traced as in the case of the heriot.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Vinogradoff, Paul

The required relief was there assessed, and the heriot from the property of the deceased recorded.

From An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England by Cheyney, Edward Potts