▪ I. essoin, essoign, n. Law.
(ɛˈsɔɪn)
Forms: 4–7 essoyn(e, 4 essonie, Sc. essonȝe, 5 esson, 6–9 essoine, 7–8 essoign(e, 7 (Sc.) essonȝie, 6– essoin, 7– essoign. See also assoin n.
[a. OF. essone, essonie, essoine, essoigne, essoyne (mod.F. exoine), vbl. n. f. essoigner: see next.]
1. Law. The allegation of an excuse for non-appearance in court at the appointed time; the excuse itself. Also in phrases to cast essoin, make essoin, challenge essoin. day of essoin: the day when excuses were received, the first day of term.
Essoins were admitted on various grounds, pilgrimage, the king's service, illness, etc. The practice is now obsolete.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 249 Þat non eft mad essoyn, þe kynges right to clame. Ibid. 291, I may not cast essoyn, bot felow my somons. 1483 Act 1 Rich. III, c. 3 §1 Non esson or proteccion be allowed in any suche accion. 1514 Fitzherb. Just. Peas (1538) 89 b, No protection, essoyne, nor wager of lawe to be allowed. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. xvii. Notes 270 The xl daies in the essoine of child-birth allowed by the Norman customs. 1620 J. Wilkinson Hundred Crt. 169 Whosoever will cast any essoine in these courts, he must come at the beginning of the court. 1702 Royal Proclam. 29 Mar. in Lond. Gaz. No. 3797/2 The First Day of the said Quindena Paschæ, commonly called the Day of Essoigns. 1713 Swift Cadenus & Van. Wks. 1824 XIV. 475 But, with..Demur, imparlance, and essoigne The parties ne'er could issue join. a 1734 North Ld. Guildford in Ld. Campbell Chancellors (1857) IV. xciv. 284 He reasoned the country people out of their pence for essoines. 1885 L. O. Pike Year-bks. 12 & 13 Edw. III, Introd. 31 The essoin was fraudulently cast without his knowledge. |
b. clerk of the essoins: ‘an officer of the Common Pleas, who keeps the Essoin-rolls, delivers them to every officer, and receives them again when they are written’ (Phillips 1678–1706).
| 1657 Howell Londinop. 368 The Officers of this Court [Common Pleas] are many; viz. Custos Brevium, three Protonotaries, Clerk of the Essoins [etc.]. 1678–1706 in Phillips. 1721–1800 in Bailey; and in mod. Dicts. |
2. In general. An excuse, exemption, making of conditions, parleying, delay; also in phr. without essoin.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 136 He gaf a þousand mark, withouten essoyne. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints, Julian 181 To fynd sume essonȝe for-quhy Þai mycht frely pase forby. c 1470 Harding Chron. ccxxvi. ii, The duke then of Burgoyn, Kepte Fraunce full well without any essoyn. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. iv. 20 From everie worke he chalenged essoyne, For contemplation sake. |
¶ 3. The alleged sense ‘one who is excused’ (= essoinee) is app. due to a misunderstanding, Cowell's explanation of AF. essonié having been taken by later lexicographers as referring to essoin.
(If the sense were authenticated, the word as so used would be a distinct n., repr. AF. essoiné, as assign n.2 represents AF. assigné.)
| 1607 Cowell Interpr., Essoine (Essonium) cometh of the French Essonié or exonnié .i. causarius miles, he that hath his presence forborne or excused vpon any iust cause..It signifieth in our common lawe an alledgement of an excuse. |
4. Comb. essoin-day (see quot.); essoin-roll, the list containing the names of the essoinees.
| 1679 Trials of White, etc. 8 Monday is the Essoign Day. 1765–9 Blackstone Comm. iii. xviii. (1783) 278 Thereon the Court sits to take essoigns..wherefore this is usually called the essoign day of the term. 1848 Wharton Law Lex. s.v., Formerly the first general return day of the term was called essoign day, because the court sat to receive essoigns. |
▪ II. essoin, v. Law.
(ɛˈsɔɪn)
Forms: 5–7 essoyne, 6–8 essoign(e, 6–7 essoine, 7 (Sc.) essonyie, -zie, 7– essoin. See also assoin v.
[a. OF. essoignier, essoinier, essoyner, f. essoyne:—med.L. ex-soniāre, f. ex out + sonia, sunnis lawful excuse, f. OHG. sunna, sunnia, corresp. to OS. sunnea doubtfully explained as ‘want, lack’, ON. syn refusal, denial; the OTeut. type coincides in form with that of Goth. sunja truth; the OHG. sense must have existed in Goth., which has the derived vb. sunjôn to excuse.]
1. trans. To offer an excuse for the non-appearance of (a person) in court; to excuse for absence. Also, to essoin one's attendance.
| 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 5 The defendaunt..be not essoyned. 1607 Cowell Interpr. s.v., The causes that serue to Essoine any man summoned be diuers and infinite: yet drawne to fiue heads. 1609 Skene tr. Acts Will. (an. 1165) c. 26 §1. 7 Gif ane man is essonyied at the fourt day, be reason of seiknes..or being beȝond Forth: he sall have respit, or ane continuation of fourtie days. 1642 Perkins Prof. Bk. xi. 332 The Plaintiffe is essoined so that I cannot answer unto him. 1651 tr. Kitchin's Courts Leet 272 The Tenant was Essoyned and at the day made default. 1738 Hist. Crt. Excheq. ii. 23 They might excuse or essoign their Attendance, and attend by Deputy. 1885 L. O. Pike Year-bks. 12 & 13 Edw. III, Introd. 30 The tenant..caused himself to be essoined. |
2. To accept an excuse from, let off (a person).
| 1620 Quarles Jonah Div. Poems (1717) 30 Away with wings of time, (I'll not essoin thee). |