avowry

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
   • The system of “avowries”, probably intended originally as a means first and foremost of colonizing a sparsely-populated land, created “a useful military reserve” composed in part at least of hardened criminals; […]1952, Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, volume 103, page 42
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
   • […] there is a reference to the Charter, and an enactment again, that as to those ecclesiastical dignities, which were of the avowry of the Crown, that the elections should be free, saving the rights of the Crown as the patron and founder of those benefices.1840 June 11, William Follett, edited by Ralph Barnes, Report of the Case of The Queen v. The President and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, in Exeter, […], published 1841, page 55
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
   • To this I answer, To will is of our own power, but to will what we should and do it, is of God […] But my last avowry prefers a quere to be discust, and tels us, even man in the state of grace, who hath a will to do good, findes no means to finish the work, he hath willed.1654, James Harwood, The Lord’s Prayer Unclasped […], pages 124–25
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
   • And first I bequeth my soule to the infynite mercy of oʳ. savioʳ. Ihū Crist, and to the prayers and tuycion of his moost blissed moder our Lady seynt Mary, blissed seynt Cristoffer myn advowry, and to all the glorious company of heven […]1511 July 11, Robert Fabyan, “[Will of Robert Fabyan]”, in Robert Fabyan, edited by Henry Ellis, The New Chronicles of England and France: In Two Parts […], published 1811, page iii