▪ I. advowson, n.
(ædˈvaʊzən, -z(ə)n)
Forms: 3–4 avoweisoun, avoweson, voweson; 6 avoson; 7 aduouson, advouson, aduowsion, advousen, advowzen; 6– advowson.
[a. OFr. avoëson (in Anglo-Fr. advoeson, advowëson, advowson):—L. advocātiōn-em: see advocation (a doublet of advowson). Avoweson, beside being refashioned as advowson after L., was aphetized in 4 to voweson.]
The ‘patronage’ of an ecclesiastical office or religious house; the right of presentation to a benefice or living. (orig. The obligation to defend its rights or be its ‘advocate’; see advowee.)
| 1297 R. Glouc. 471 Eni striuing..betuene a lewede & a clerc, vor holi churche thing, As vor voweson of churche. c 1300 Life of Beket 575 As for an Avoweisoun of churche. 1502 Arnold Chron. (1811) 183 All such landis, tenementis, rentys, aduousons or other poscessions. a 1556 Cranmer Wks. II. 239 Mine old suit for the receipt of Mr. Benet's advowson of the Benefice of Barnabe. 1571 Act 13 Eliz. xxix. §3 in Oxf. & Camb. Enactmts. 30 Services, annuyties, advousons of Churches. 1574 tr. Littleton's Tenures 4/1 Such thinges that lye not in manuell occupacion as..avowson of a churche. 1595 Errington in Wills & Invent. N. Counties (1860) 253 The avoson of the rectorie of Elton. 1602 W. Fulbecke 1st Pt. of Parallele 10 It is fructus aduocationis, and not the aduouson it selfe. 1634 Peacham Compl. Gent. iv. 31 To be set off in hope of the next advouson (which perhaps was sold before the young man was borne). 1652 Needham tr. Selden's Mare Cl. 342 Our Lord the King was seised of the aforesaid Advousen in time of Peace. 1663 Butler Hudibras i. i. 236 As if Hypocrisie and Non-sence Had got th' Advowson of his Conscience. 1691 Blount Law Dict. s.v., Advowzen (advocatio), a right to present to a Benefice; as much as Jus Patronatus in the Canon Law. 1713 Steele Englishm. No. 6. 37 He has lately named me for a Living, of which he had the Advowson. 1836 Hor. Smith Tin Trum. I. 18 Advowson, the purchaseable right (purchaseable even by a Jew, Pagan or Mahometan) of controlling the souls of a whole parish. 1865 Reader 9 Sept. 279/2 The traffic in advowsons has never been actually prevented in any country. |
Comb. advowson-monger.
| 1660 Quarles Div. Fanc. iii. lxxxii. 134 [The church] sustains th' extremes of cold and hunger, To pamper up the fat Advouson-monger. |
▪ II. † adˈvowson, v. Obs. rare—1.
[f. the n. Cf. to provision.]
To invest with the advowson.
| 1597 Bp. Hall Sat. ii. v, Thou servile fool, why couldst thou not repair To buy a benefice at steeple fair? There moughtest thou, for but a slender price, Advowson thee with some fat benefice. |