Law. Also 5 fourme doon, 5,–6 form(e)downe, 6–7 formdon(e.
[AF., f. Law Lat. phr. forma dōnī form of gift.] A writ of right formerly used for claiming entailed property (see quot. 1628).
[1485, 1523, 1598, 1768: see DESCENDER1.]
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 60 § 1. The seid Hugh … [may] pursue for the recovere of the same londes by fourme doon or otherwise.
1523. Fitzherb., Surv., xi. (1539), 17. The Kynges writte of Formdone.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 326 b. There be three kinde of Writs of Formedon, viz. The first in the Discender to be brought by the issue in taile, which claime by discent Per formam doni. The second is in the Reuerter, which lieth for him in the reuersion or his heires or Assignes after the state taile be spent. The third is [in] the Remainder, which the Law giueth to him in the remainder, his Heires or Assignes after the determination of the estate taile.
1680. Filmer, Patriarcha, iii. § 17. 55. In the Case of Sir Thomas Ogthred, who brought a Formedon against a poor man and his Wife.
1741. T. Robinson, Gavelkind, vi. 106. The Writ of Formedon brought by Daughters.
1876. Digby, Real Prop., iv. § 3. 193, note. This was called the writ of ‘formedon (forma doni) in the descender,’ and was the appropriate remedy when the heir of tenant in tail, upon whom the estate tail had descended, sought to recover against the alienee of a preceding tenant in tail.
