copyhold Law.
(ˈkɒpɪhəʊld)
For forms see copy n.
[f. copy n. 5 + hold: cf. freehold.]
1. a. A kind of tenure in England of ancient origin: tenure of lands being parcel of a manor, ‘at the will of the lord according to the custom of the manor’, by copy of the manorial court-roll (see copy n. 5). (By Part V of the Law of Property Act 1922, all copyhold land was enfranchised.)
| 1483 Act 1 Rich. III, c. 4 §1 Lands and Tenements holden by Custom of Manor, commonly called Copyhold. 1493 Newminster Cartul. (1878) 195 Which y⊇ said Alexandr' helde be copy holde of y⊇ riall & noble Raufe Erle off Westmorlande. 1551 Crowley Pleas. & Payne 471 Let the pore man haue and enioye The house he had by copyeholde. 1641 Termes de la Ley 84 Copyhold is a tenure for which the Tenaunt hath nothing to shew but the copies of the Rolles made by the Steward of his Lords Court. 1765 Blackstone Comm. (1778) I. 218 The queen is of ability to purchase lands, and to convey them, to make leases, to grant copyholds, and do other acts of ownership, without the concurrence of her lord. 1848 Wharton Law Lex., Copyhold, a base tenure founded upon immemorial custom and usage..Because this tenure derives its whole force from custom, the lands must have been demisable by copy of court roll from time immemorial..No copyhold estate can..be created at the present day. 1875 Maine Hist. Inst. i. 7 A rule of which there are plain traces in our English law of copyhold. |
b. fig.
| 1641 Milton Reform. ii. (1851) 58 Set free..from the meere vassalage and Copy-hold of the Clergie. a 1659 Cleveland Gen. Poems (1677) 69 T' enjoy a Copyhold of Victory. a 1713 T. Ellwood Autobiog. (1765) 17 What he said did touch..my Father's (religious) Copy-hold, as the Phrase is. |
2. An estate held by this tenure; a copyhold estate.
| a 1529 Skelton Agst. Scottes 125 Wks. (1843) I. 186 Ye bare yourselfe somwhat to bold, Therfore ye lost your copyehold. a 1618 Raleigh Maxims St. (1651) 58 To provide that the richer men place in their Farms and Coppie⁓holds, such decayed Citizens. 1846 M{supc}Culloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) II. 173 The lord of a manor, in which there are copyholds..holds a distinct court for that species of tenants, for the purpose both of determining pleas of land between them and for the alienation of their copyholds. 1884 Gladstone in Standard 29 Feb. 2/5 By the voter in respect to property I mean the man who votes in respect to freehold, copyhold, or leasehold. |
3. attrib. or adj. Held by copyhold; relating to or of the nature of copyhold.
| 1511–2 [see copyholder]. 1527 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) V. 235 All my landes, as well copiehold as freehold. 1677 A. Yarranton Eng. Improv. 27 The Mannor of Taunton Dean in Somersetshire is..but a Copy-hold Mannor. 1765 Blackstone Comm. Introd. §3 (1778) 75 The special and particular customs of manors..which bind all the copyhold and customary tenants that hold of the said manors. 1846 M{supc}Culloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) I. 450 Copyhold estates are held of a subject as part of a royalty, honour, or manor, and are liable to fines on account of deaths, transfers, and other such circumstances, according to the customs of the royalty, honour, or manor of which they form a part. 1876 Digby Real Prop. v. §6. 257 note, Land held by copyhold tenure is always parcel of, and included in, a manor. |