advowry

Noun

avowry (countable and uncountable, plural avowries)

1. The act of avowing and justifying in one's own right the distraining of goods.
   • Every avowant, and other person, that makes avowry or conusance, or justifies as baily, in replevin or second deliverance, for rent, custom or service, if the plaintiff be barred, shall recover damages and costs.1764, Timothy Cunningham, A New and Complete Law-dictionary
2. (historical) A form of medieval patronage in which colonial tenants, often from criminal backgrounds, were guaranteed protection by an English lord in exchange for the payment of a tax.
   • It would not be accurate to assume that the whole of the income from the avowries represented sums of 4d., though that seems to have been the standard annual payment, for there were, we know, other fees and income arising from avowry.1914, Ronald Stewart-Brown, “The Avowries of Cheshire”, in The English Historical Review, volume 29, number 113, pages 50–51
3. Advowson, the right to appoint to a benefice or office.
   • But it is as plain that before those Statuts, if the Rectors of two Churches of severall Auowries, had controuerted the right of a fourth part (or of the value of either of their Churches more) in Tithes, by suit commenced in the spirituall Court, the Patron of the Rector-defendant might haue had...1618, John Selden, The Historie of Tithes […], page 428
4. (obsolete) Avowal (open affirmation or admission).
   • In the avowry of my Assumption, I will proue three things.1629, Thomas Spencer, Maschil Vnmasked […], page 67
5. (obsolete) A protector, especially a patron saint.
   • All the said table, Crucifixe, Mary and John, and other Ymages of our advouries and xii Apostellis, to be of tymbre, covered and wrought with plate of fyne golde.1509 March 31, Henry VII of England, “Extract from the Will of King Henry the Seventh”, in John Britton, editor, The Architectural Antiquities of Great Britain […], volume 2, published 1809, page 18