Crosslé abbreviations and definitions

Crosslé abbreviations and definitions

Assizes: The Courts of Assize, or Assizes, were periodic criminal courts held around England and Wales until 1972, when together with the Quarter Sessions they were abolished by the Courts Act 1971 and replaced by a single permanent Crown Court. The Assizes heard the most serious cases, which were committed to it by the Quarter Sessions (local county courts held four times a year), while the more minor offences were dealt with summarily by Justices of the Peace in petty sessions (also known as Magistrates' Courts). The word assize refers to the sittings or sessions (Old French assises) of the judges, known as "justices of assize", who were judges of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice who travelled across the seven circuits of England and Wales on commissions of "oyer and terminer", setting up court and summoning juries at the various Assize Towns.

Capias - This word, the signification of which is 'that you take,' is applicable to many heads of practice. Several writs and processes commanding the sheriff to take the person of the defendant are known by the name of capias. For example: there are writs of capias ad respondendum, writs of capias ad computandum, writs of capias ad satisfaciendum, etc., each especially adapted to the purposes indicated by the words used for its designation.

Cartron: a measure of land, somewhat like an acre.

Demesne: Old French, all the land, not necessarily all contiguous to the manor house, that was retained by a Lord for his own use—as distinguished from land “alienated” or granted to others as freehold tenants.

Demise: To transfer or transmit by succession or inheritance; to grant or bestow by will; to bequeath. ``Power to demise my lands.'' --Swift.

Devisee: A person or entity who inherits real estate under the terms of a will.

Distrained: 14th century, to force or compel to satisfy an obligation by means of a distress.

Elegit (Latin for he has chosen) was, in English law, a judicial writ of execution, given by the Statute of Westminster II (1285), and so called from the words of the writ, that the plaintiff has chosen (elegit) this mode of satisfaction.

Fee Farm: land held of another in fee, in consideration of an annual rent, without homage, fealty, or any other service than that mentioned in the feoffment; an estate in fee simple, subject to a perpetual rent. –Blackstone

Inter alia: among other things; "the committee recommended, inter alia, that he be promoted"

Messuage: (from Anglo-French mesuage, probably a corruption of mesuage, menage, popular Lat. mansionaticuni, from mansio, whence mod. Fr. maison, from manere, to dwell) , in law, a term equivalent to a dwelling-house

Replevin - An action to recover personal property said or claimed to be unlawfully taken. 2) The writ or procedure of such an action.

Writ: In law a writ is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction. In modern usage, this public body is normally a court. Warrants, prerogative writs and subpoenas are types of writs, but there are many others.


Abbreviations commonly used by Crosslé

Al.: Alias (usually used to denote a woman’s maiden name)
Ans.: answer
Conson: consideration (line usually drawn above this word by Crossle)
Clke.: Clerke
Decd.: Deceased (usually with line over abbreviation
Deft.: defendant
Dept.: deponent
Dio.: diocese
D.S.P.: Decessit sine prole (DSP) - Died without issue/children.
Esq.: Esquire
Exr (or some variation thereof): Executor
Exex: Executrix
Gent.: gentleman
Gtd: granted
m.: married
Mich’s Term: Michaelmas Term: In English law, the legal year is the calendar during which the judges sit in court. The years is divided into four terms: Michaelmas from October to December, HILARY from January to April, EASTER from April to May and TRINITY term from June to July. Between terms the Courts are in vacation and no trials are heard.
Per Ann.: per annum
Plt.: plaintiff
Posson.: possession (usually with a line drawn over top of abbreviation)
Psh.: Parish
Pub. Not.: Public Notary
Sd: said
Sett’nt: Settlement
Unm.: unmarried

Notes on handwriting:
Crosslé’s lower case r, s, n and e tend to look a lot alike. It is often difficult to distinguish between a lower case a, o and u (he often leaves the tops of a’s and o’s open so that they resemble the letter u). Crossle’s capital B’s often resemble R’s (he often does not close the bottom of the B). Crossle frequently does not cross the first “t” in a “tt.” Often words appear to run together i. e. “to go” looks like “togo.” Another easy word to miss: “my” often looks like “any” because his lower case “m’s” have a long loop at the beginning.

Irish Place names

The spelling of Irish place names has changed over time and sometimes it can be quite difficult to locate a place name from an old deed or other record.

A wonderful reference book for Irish place names is General Alphabetical Index to the townlands and towns, Parishes and Baronies Of Ireland, Dublin 1861, reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co. [currently available for purchase, 968 pages long]

An on-line version of this book is available free at
http://www.ireland.com/ancestor/placenames/
This has a search engine that allows you to search by county and use wildcards.