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

One of his tenants died and his bailiffs seized the best thing he had, to wit, an ox, as heriot due to the lord.

From Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln A Short Story of One of the Makers of Mediaeval England by Marson, Charles L. (Charles Latimer)

The second burden on the villeins was the tax on change of property by death or transfer; the heriot and fine on alienation.

From Pictures of German Life in the XVIIIth and XIXth Centuries, Vol. I. by Freytag, Gustav

On the expiration of each of the three lives £1 was payable as a fine or heriot, and £10 was to be paid on nominating the life in reversion.

From Practical Politics; or, the Liberalism of To-day by Robbins, Alfred Farthing

Through the manor court he also received certain payments due to him from all free and unfree tenants, in particular those connected with the transfer of land, the heriot and the fines already mentioned.

From Medieval English Nunneries c. 1275 to 1535 by Power, Eileen

On many manors heriot was not paid by free tenants, but only by those of lower rank.

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