feoffee Law.
(fɛˈfiː)
Forms: 5–6 feffee, 5 fefee, -i(e, 5–7 feoffe, 5–8 feofe(e, 7 feofy, 9 feeoffe(e, 6– feoffee.
[ad. AF. feoffé, pa. pple. of feoffer: see prec.]
1. The person to whom a freehold estate in land is conveyed by a feoffment.
| 1542–3 Act 34–5 Hen. VIII, c. 5 §17 The donees, feoffes, lessees, and deuisees therof. 1660 Bond Scut. Reg. 92 The Feoffee his title is only from the Feoffor. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) IV. 427 In this case..the feoffee hath an estate upon condition. 1876 Digby Real Prop. i. 49 The grantor is called the feoffor, the grantee the feoffee. |
2. spec. a. (More fully
feoffee in or of trust.) A trustee invested with a freehold estate in land. Now chiefly applied in
pl. to certain boards of elected or nominated trustees holding land for charitable or other public purposes. Also in
feoffee to uses: see
feoff v. 1 b.
| [1275 Stat. Westm. i. 3 Edw. I, c. 48 Et si lenfaunt seit aloingne ou destourbe par le gardein ou par le feoffe ou par autre par quei il ne puisse sasise suire.] 1411 E.E. Wills (1882) 19 Tenementes.. stondynge in feffies handes. 1491 Act 7 Hen. VII, c. 2 §5 They and their feoffes to the use of every of theym. 1593 Norden Spec. Brit., M'sex. i. 22 The schole is in the disposition of sixe governors or feffees. 1596 Spenser State Irel. (1633) 19 Desmond..conveyed secretly all his lands to Feoffees of trust. 1631 T. Powell Tom all Trades 145 In the gift of the Executor, Heire, or Feofee of such Donor. 1647 Digges Unlawf. Taking Arms ii. 21 As children who have lost a father, and whose fortunes by his care are left to Feoffees in trust. 1655 Gouge's Comm. Heb., Life, He was chosen a Trustee or Feofy. 1680 Evelyn Diary (1827) III. 26 A meeting of the feoffees of the poore of our parish. 1735 H. Greswold Let. to Walmesley in Boswell Johnson an. 1736, It takeing up some time to informe the feoffees [of the school] of the contents thereof. 1861 W. S. Perry Hist. Ch. Eng. I. xii. 417 The attempt which the Puritans were..making to strengthen their party, by means of a Corporation of Feoffees to buy up impropriations. |
| fig. 1655 W. Gurnall Chr. in Arm. xl. (1669) 392/1 Art thou not God's feoffee in trust to take care of their souls? |
† b. (More fully
feoffee in mortgage.) A mortgagee.
Obs.| 1590 Swinburne Testaments 93 In this case..the feoffee cannot deuise the corne growing vpon the said lande. 1628 Coke On Litt. 209 b, The Feoffee in morgage. |
Hence
ˈfeoffeeship, the office of a feoffee.
| 1652 Gaule Magastrom. 239 Whether you shall waxe rich by..offices, places, executorship, feoffeship, &c. |