Law. 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. Bonde, Scut. Reg., 92. The Feoffee his Title is only from the Feoffor, though he had not had it but by the means of the Atturny.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), IV. 427. In this case, without any more saying, the feoffee hath an estate upon condition.
1876. Digby, Real Prop., i. ii. § 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, be sold.
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 of All Trades, 7. In the gift of the Executor, Heire, or Feoffees 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, Lett. to Walmesley, in Boswell, Johnson, an. 1736. It takeing up some time to informe the feoffees [of the school] of the contents thereof.
1861. G. G. Perry, Hist. Ch. Eng., I. xii. 417. The attempt which the Puritans were quietly making to strengthen their party, by means of a Corporation of Feoffees to buy up impropriations.
fig. 1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., xl. (1669), 392/1. Art thou not Gods feoffee in trust to take care of their souls as well as of their bodies?
† 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 Feoffeeship, the office of a feoffee.
1652. Gaule, Πῦς-μαντία, the Mag-astro-mancer, 239. Whether you shall waxe rich by … offices, places, executorship, feoffeship, &c.
