Glossary – Quaker Family History Society

General Terms
Act of Parliament	In Quaker documents it refers to the Act of 1695 which allowed Quakers to declare and affirm rather than swear an oath. Quakers said that they spoke the truth all the time and didn’t need to swear to tell the truth only on a particular occasion. (See also declared and affirmed)
Affidavit	a written statement as to the truth of the contents
Affirmant	a person, especially a Quaker, who affirmed to the truth of something
Affirmed	a statement made in public. Quakers declared and affirmed in legal matters, as they refused to use oaths.
Ale	a drink brewed from water, malted barley and a mixture of herbs. The brewing process killed off the germs found in the water and was drunk by men, women and children. Normally the mixture was made three times from the same mixture decreasing in alcoholic strength each time.
Alienation	transfer of the title or property to another person
Andirons or Firedogs	Two upright and horizontal Iron bars used to support logs in a fireplace (see also Brandirons and Cobirons).
Annoque Domini (Latin)	In the Year of Our Lord
Annuity	annual payment
Anticipation	payment of an annuity in advance
Apiece	each
Appurtances	the rights attached to a property, such as rights of way, grazing rights, or agreements relating to manorial land
Arable Land	land used for growing crops
Assigns	any person who was acting in place of the owner or had been granted legal rights by the real owner

Backsides	rear of the property, or outhouses and yard at the rear of a property
Beasts	normally cattle
Beaufet or Buffet a gift of personal property made in a will	Low domed topped stool normally upholstered
Behoof	benefit, advantage or use
Bequest (see Devise)	a gift of personal property made in a will
Betwixt	between two people or items
Bolster	a long thick pillow, normally used underneath other pillows
Bond	a written contract between the bond holder and others guaranteeing that they will carry out the obligation made inthe contract.
Boulting Mill	Mill where grain was sifted
Brandirons	an iron grid or trivet for supporting cooking pots over an open fire (see also Andirons and Cobirons)
Butt	a barrel containing around 126 gallons of liquid

Camera Obscura	the forerunner of a modern camera, an image of an external object is projected through a lens onto a surface opposite
Cattels and Chattels	any moveable personal property or effects
Caveat	a warning of specific stipulations or conditions
Caveat emptor	buyer beware
Chaise	Light two wheeled carriage normally for one or two people
Chaldron	a dry measure of coal or grain around 34 bushels
Chamber	room, often a bedroom
Charger	large flat serving dish often made of pewter
Chased metal	Normally gold or silver embossed by being worked with a small hammer on the front of the item making indentations
Close	enclosed field
Close Stool	Wooden box with lid containing a removable chamber pot
Cobirons	iron bars put over a fire to support a spit. (see also Andirons and Brandirons)
Codicil	an addition in writing made to a will and witnessed.
Coffer	wooden chest for holding clothes, papers, money or valuables
Conveyance	the legal transfer of property from one person to another
Copper	large vessel made of copper, used for storing hot or cold water
Copyhold	property or land rented from the owner, normally the Manor in which the land lay, and the transaction was recorded in the Court Rolls. The land reverted back to the owner on the death of the copyholder, and the Manor would normally admit the heir or heirs named in the will to take over the same land on payment of a fine.
Court Baron	a court set up by the Lord of the Manor or his steward to deal with Manorial business, including admitting new tenants, resolving disputes, etc.
Cousin German	a first cousin, the term “cousin” was often used for other relatives in the past
Coverlid	a coverlet or bedspread
Coverture	the legal process where a married woman’s rights were absorbed into those of her husband

Declared	to openly or publically announce (see also Affirmed and Act of Parliament)
Deed	a document or contract which gave the holder the right to a Property
Desperate debt	a debt that is likely to be irrecoverable or hopeless of being paid (see sperate debt)
Destrain	to seize a property in order to recover money owing
Devise (see bequest)	a gift of actual property made in a will
Diaper (see napkin)	a piece of cloth, normally linen or cotton, either for use at table use, or for a baby’s nappy
Dower or Thirds	the right of a wife to claim on the death of her husband one third of his land and property for her lifetime, often replaced by a bequest in the will.
Dumb Waiter	a small portable table or stand

Executor	man or sometimes a woman who was appointed to carry out a will and named in that will
Executrix	woman who was appointed to carry out a will and named in that will
Expectancy	the possibility of future enjoyment on property or effects which were expected to be inherited

Featherbed	a mattress stuffed with feathers
Fee Simple	Unconditional inheritance
Flock mattress	a mattress stuffed with wool rather than feathers
Freebench	a right of a widow to retain control of some of her Deceased husband’s estate
Freehold	land actually owned by a person

Gig	a light carriage with two wheels, normally pulled by a single horse or pony
Going Gears	Mill gears for turning mill wheels
Guardian	a person appointed to take care of another, often a child or children under the age of 21

Harrateen	Linen or Wool fabric used for curtains or bed hangings
Heifer	young cow
Hereditament	a property able to be passed on
Herring Hang	a building used for smoking or storing herrings
Holden	held or kept
Holland	linen cloth
Homestall	Homestead
Hotch pot	A mixture of various property, money or assets

Joyned or Joynted	wooden furniture made by a joiner with mortice and tenon joints and wooden pegs

Imprimis (Latin)	in the first place
Indenture	a legal written agreement or contract
Indifferent persons	impartial people
Interlined	word or words inserted between the lines of a document
Intestate	someone who died without leaving a will
Inventory	a list of personal and household goods left by the person who had died, including their value
Issue of his/her body	children

Joint Tenants	two or more people who owned the same property or land. The survivor of them would inherit the entire estate. (see also Tenants in Common)
Jointure	an agreement made before a marriage to guarantee the bride a specific property, amount of money or goods in case her husband died before she did, thereby protecting her future
Kiver	large bowl or basin for mixing and preparing food, alternatively a cover

Leasehold	property or land rented or leased to a person for their lifetime, but not owned by themselves
Legacy	an amount of money or property left to someone in a will
Legacy duty	a tax imposed on a legacy, an inheritance tax
Letters of Administration	a grant to the person or persons who applied to administer the property of someone who did not leave a will, or a person appointed by a court to settle the estate.
Linen	items made of linen either household or clothing

Malt	sprouted and dried barley used for brewing beer and ale
Malting or Malting House	building where grain is malted. Can also be called a Malting Office
Manor	an estate, held by the Lord or Lady of the Manor, who owned an area of land, often including a village or villages, parish church and agricultural land
Mead	either a drink made from honey or a meadow
Messuage	Property or dwelling house with adjoining land and Outbuildings
Minority	under the age of 21 years (changed to under 18 in 1970)
Moiety	half part
More remote issue	descendents such as grandchildren or great grandchildren

Napkin	a square piece of cloth, normally linen or cotton used for wiping the mouth at a meal, or as a baby’s nappy
Neat	Net
Nee	maiden name
Nuncupative	will made before witnesses by word of mouth, but not Signed
Objects of Vertu	Small luxury items made of precious metals or jewels
Pannikin	Metal cup or drinking vessel
Pasture Land	land growing grass for grazing of animals of various kinds
Per Capita (Latin)	“by head” in land or property owned jointly where the share can only pass to the named beneficiary
Per Stirpes (Latin)	“by root” in land or property owned jointly where the share of the named person can be divided among their heirs if they have deceased
Pewter	a metal used for making dishes, plates, and tankards
Pillow bear, beere or bere	pillow case or covering
Plate	items made of metal especially silver
Press	tall item of furniture made of wood used for storing clothes and textiles
Probate	the process of proving the validity of the will and settling the estate
Porringer	small individual bowl often with two flats handles for porridge or soup
Press	cupboard
Purparts	a share or part of a division

Relict	Widow
Reversion	return of property to the original owner after the death of a beneficiary or when a lease has expired
Revoke	officially cancel
Rowle	a farm implement, possibly a roller of some kind

Safe	a ventilated chest for storing foodstuffs or a secure metal box for storing documents or valuables
Salt	a container for salt as well as the contents
Save harmless	protect someone against financial harm
Seal	a mark made into red wax by a metal ring or stamp, the personal property of the owner. A seal could be used by someone unable to write their names or in addition to a signature.
Shagreen	sharkskin or rough hide
Sperate debt	the debts a woman had prior to her marriage (see desperate debt)
Spinster	unmarried woman
Spit	iron bar for roasting meat over a fire
Staddle stone	mushroom shaped stone under a barn or hayrick to keep rats out.
Steer	young bull calf between 2 to 4 years old

Taster	a wide shallow cup or glass
Tenants in Common	owner of a specific share in a property whose share can be disposed of separately from the remainder of the property and without the consent of the other owners (see also Joint Tenants)
Tenement	house or other building or land
Tent bed	Bed with a fabric canopy suspended overhead
Testator	the man who made the will
Testatrix	the woman who made the will
Tester	a wooden canopy above a bed
Thrawl	a stone slab or shelf to keep food cool in a pantry or larder
Ticking	a strong material used for covering matresses
Tithe	a tenth part, Payment due by all people living within a Church of England parish payable to the Vicar Quakers’ refused to pay this and were often sent to jail for non-payment.
Trencher	a wooden plate
Trivet	a three legged iron stand to support pots of food or liquid over or near a fire
Truckle bed	a low bed designed to fit under a normal bed, often on wheels so it could be pulled out when needed.
Tumbril	an open cart which could tip backwards to empty its load

Wainscot	wood panelling on the walls of a room or a panelled chest or chair
Warming pan	a metal pan with a long handle which could be filled with hot coals to warm a bed
Wearing apparel	clothes including underwear and footwear
Will and Testament	the written document disposing of a person’s property and effects, which has been signed and witnessed. Originally the Will referred to real property and Testament referred to personal effects.

Yoting Vat	trough for soaking and fermenting barley when making beer

General Terms

Act of Parliament

In Quaker documents
it refers to the Act of 1695 which allowed Quakers to declare and affirm
rather than swear an oath. Quakers said that they spoke the truth all the
time and didn’t need to swear to tell the truth only on a particular
occasion. (See also declared and affirmed)

Affidavit

a written statement as to the truth of the contents

Affirmant

a person, especially a Quaker, who affirmed to the
truth of something

Affirmed

a statement made in public. Quakers declared and affirmed in legal
matters, as they refused to use oaths.

Ale

a drink brewed from water, malted barley
and a mixture of herbs. The brewing
process killed off the germs found in the water and was drunk by men, women and children.
Normally the mixture was made three times from the same mixture
decreasing in alcoholic strength each time.

Alienation

transfer of the title or property to another person

Andirons or Firedogs

Two upright and horizontal Iron bars used to support
logs in a fireplace (see also Brandirons and Cobirons).

Annoque Domini (Latin)

In the Year of Our Lord

Annuity

annual payment

Anticipation

payment of an annuity in advance

Apiece

each

Appurtances

the rights attached to a property, such as rights of
way, grazing rights, or agreements relating to manorial land

Arable Land

land used for growing crops

Assigns

any person who was acting in place of the owner or
had been granted legal rights by the real owner

Backsides

rear of the property, or outhouses and yard at the
rear of a property

Beasts

normally cattle

Beaufet
or Buffet a gift of personal property made in a will

Low
domed topped stool normally upholstered

Behoof

benefit, advantage or use

Bequest (see Devise)

a gift of personal property made in a will

Betwixt

between two people or items

Bolster

a long thick pillow, normally used underneath other
pillows

Bond

a written contract between the bond holder and others
guaranteeing that they will carry out the obligation made inthe
contract.

Boulting
Mill

Mill
where grain was sifted

Brandirons

an iron grid or trivet for supporting cooking pots
over an open fire (see
also Andirons and Cobirons)

Butt

a barrel containing around 126 gallons of liquid

Camera Obscura

the forerunner of a modern camera, an image of an
external object is projected through a lens onto a surface opposite

Cattels and Chattels

any moveable personal property or effects

Caveat

a warning of specific stipulations or conditions

Caveat emptor

buyer beware

Chaise

Light
two wheeled carriage normally for one or two people

Chaldron

a dry measure of coal or grain around 34 bushels

Chamber

room, often a bedroom

Charger

large flat serving dish often made of pewter

Chased
metal

Normally
gold or silver embossed by being worked with a small hammer on the front of the
item making indentations

enclosed field

Close
Stool

Wooden
box with lid containing a removable chamber pot

Cobirons

iron bars put over a fire to support a spit. (see also Andirons and Brandirons)

Codicil

an addition in writing made to a will and witnessed.

Coffer

wooden chest for holding clothes, papers, money or valuables

Conveyance

the legal transfer of property from one person to
another

Copper

large vessel made of copper, used for storing hot or
cold water

Copyhold

property or land rented from the owner, normally the
Manor in which the land lay, and the transaction
was recorded in the Court Rolls. The land reverted back to the owner on the
death of the copyholder, and the Manor would normally admit the heir or heirs
named in the will to take over the same land on payment of a fine.

Court Baron

a court set up by the Lord of the Manor or his
steward to deal with Manorial business, including admitting new tenants,
resolving disputes, etc.

Cousin German

a first cousin, the term “cousin” was often used for
other relatives in the past

Coverlid

a coverlet or bedspread

Coverture

the legal process where a married woman’s rights
were absorbed into those of her husband

Declared

to openly or publically
announce (see also Affirmed and Act of Parliament)

Deed

a document or contract which gave the holder the
right to a Property

Desperate debt

a debt that is likely to be irrecoverable or
hopeless of being paid (see sperate debt)

Destrain

to seize a property in order to recover money owing

Devise (see bequest)

a gift of actual property made in a will

Diaper (see
napkin)

a piece of cloth, normally linen or cotton, either
for use at table use, or for a baby’s nappy

Dower or Thirds

the right of a wife to claim on the death of her
husband one third of his land and property for her lifetime, often replaced
by a bequest in the will.

Dumb Waiter

a small portable table or stand

Executor

man or sometimes a woman who was appointed to carry
out a will and named in that will

Executrix

woman who was appointed to carry out a will and
named in that will

Expectancy

the possibility of future enjoyment on property or
effects which were expected to be inherited

Featherbed

a mattress stuffed with feathers

Fee Simple

Unconditional inheritance

Flock mattress

a mattress stuffed with wool rather than feathers

Freebench

a right of a widow to retain control of some of her
Deceased husband’s estate

Freehold

land actually owned by a person

Gig

a light carriage with two wheels, normally pulled by
a single horse or pony

Going
Gears

Mill
gears for turning mill wheels

Guardian

a person appointed to take care of another, often a
child or children under the age of 21

Harrateen

Linen
or Wool fabric used for curtains or bed hangings

Heifer

young cow

Hereditament

a property able to be passed on

Herring Hang

a building used for smoking or storing herrings

Holden

held or kept

Holland

linen cloth

Homestall

Homestead

Hotch
pot

A
mixture of various property, money or assets

Joyned or Joynted

wooden furniture made by a joiner with mortice and
tenon joints and wooden pegs

Imprimis (Latin)

in the first place

Indenture

a legal written agreement or contract

Indifferent persons

impartial people

Interlined

word or words inserted between the lines of a
document

Intestate

someone who died without leaving a will

Inventory

a list of personal and household goods left by the
person who had died, including their value

Issue of his/her body

children

Joint Tenants

two or more people who owned the same property or
land. The survivor of them would
inherit the entire estate. (see also Tenants in
Common)

Jointure

an agreement made before a marriage to guarantee the
bride a specific property, amount of money or goods in case her husband died
before she did, thereby protecting her future

Kiver

large bowl or basin for mixing and preparing food,
alternatively a cover

Leasehold

property or land rented or leased to a person for
their lifetime, but not owned by themselves

Legacy

an amount of money or property left to someone in a
will

Legacy duty

a tax imposed on a legacy, an inheritance tax

Letters of Administration

a grant to the person or persons who applied to
administer the property of someone who did not leave a will, or a person
appointed by a court to settle the estate.

Linen

items made of linen either household or clothing

Malt

sprouted and dried barley used for brewing beer and
ale

Malting or
Malting House

building where grain is malted. Can also be called a Malting Office

Manor

an estate, held by the Lord or Lady of the Manor,
who owned an area of land, often including a village or villages, parish
church and agricultural land

Mead

either a drink made from honey or a meadow

Messuage

Property or dwelling house with adjoining land and
Outbuildings

Minority

under the age of 21 years (changed to under 18 in
1970)

Moiety

half part

More
remote issue

descendents such as
grandchildren or great grandchildren

Napkin

a square piece of cloth, normally linen or cotton
used for wiping the mouth at a meal, or as a baby’s nappy

Neat

Net

Nee

maiden name

Nuncupative

will made before witnesses by word of mouth, but not
Signed

Objects of Vertu

Small luxury items made of precious metals or jewels

Pannikin

Metal
cup or drinking vessel

Pasture Land

land growing grass for grazing of animals of various
kinds

Per Capita (Latin)

“by head” in land or
property owned jointly where the share can only pass to the named beneficiary

Per Stirpes (Latin)

“by root” in land or
property owned jointly where the share of the named person can be divided
among their heirs if they have deceased

Pewter

a metal used for making dishes, plates, and tankards

Pillow bear, beere or bere

pillow case or covering

Plate

items made of metal especially silver

Press

tall item of furniture made of wood used for storing
clothes and textiles

Probate

the process of proving the validity of the will and
settling the estate

Porringer

small individual bowl often with two flats handles
for porridge or soup

Press

cupboard

Purparts

a share or part of a division

Relict

Widow

Reversion

return of property to the original owner after the
death of a beneficiary or when a lease has expired

Revoke

officially cancel

Rowle

a farm implement, possibly a roller of some kind

Safe

a ventilated chest for storing foodstuffs or a
secure metal box for storing documents or valuables

Salt

a container for salt as well as the contents

Save harmless

protect someone against financial harm

Seal

a mark made into red wax by a metal ring or stamp,
the personal property of the owner. A
seal could be used by someone unable to write their names or in addition to a
signature.

Shagreen

sharkskin or rough hide

Sperate debt

the debts a woman had prior to her marriage (see
desperate debt)

Spinster

unmarried woman

Spit

iron bar for roasting meat over a fire

Staddle stone

mushroom shaped stone under a barn or hayrick to
keep rats out.

Steer

young bull calf between 2 to 4 years old

Taster

a wide shallow cup or glass

Tenants in Common

owner of a specific share in a property whose share
can be disposed of separately from the remainder of the property and without
the consent of the other owners (see
also Joint Tenants)

Tenement

house or other building or land

Tent
bed

Bed
with a fabric canopy suspended overhead

Testator

the man who made the will

Testatrix

the woman who made the will

Tester

a wooden canopy above a bed

Thrawl

a stone slab or shelf to keep food cool in a
pantry or larder

Ticking

a strong material used for covering matresses

Tithe

a tenth part, Payment due by all people living
within a Church of England parish payable to the Vicar Quakers’
refused to pay this and were often sent to jail for non-payment.

Trencher

a wooden plate

Trivet

a three legged iron stand
to support pots of food or liquid over or near a fire

Truckle bed

a low bed designed to fit under a normal bed, often
on wheels so it could be pulled out when needed.

Tumbril

an open cart which could tip backwards to empty its
load

Wainscot

wood panelling on the walls of a room or a panelled
chest or chair

Warming pan

a metal pan with a long handle which could be filled
with hot coals to warm a bed

Wearing apparel

clothes including underwear and footwear

Will and Testament

the written document disposing of a person’s
property and effects, which has been signed and witnessed. Originally the Will referred to real
property and Testament referred to personal effects.

Yoting Vat

trough for soaking and fermenting barley when making
beer