MEDIEVAL TERMS
A
amerce	to punish with a fine decided arbitrarily by the court
armiger	a squire who bears a knights armor or one entitled to bear heraldic arms
C
chantry	an endowment to cover the cost of masses and prayers or an alter or chapel endowed for the saying of masses and prayers
close	typically a small piece of land surrounded by a wall or fence or hedge
copyhold	copyhold tenure was tenure of land under the rules of the manor; these rules were detailed in the manor court records with the tenant given a copy
croft	enclosed land by a house or a garden plot by a village house
curtilage	enclosed land around a house or building
D
deforciant	one who keeps the rightful owner from claiming an estate
demesne	the land associated with a manor that was retained by a lord for his own use and not granted to others
E
enfoeff	put in possession of land in return for a service
F
fine	the amicable settlement of a fictious suit enabling the legal transfer of land
M
mesne	a mesne tenant is one who holds the land of a superior, but grants a part of it to another person.
messuage	a dwelling house with adjoining buildings and land
Q
querent	claiment, plaintiff
S
seize	to put someone in legal ownership of property
suit of court	obligation to attend the manor court
T
tenement	an interest in land which may be dependent on the tenent rendering services
Y
yeoman	usually a man of lower status than a gentleman who cultivates his own land