Irish Hist. [a. OIrish termonn (Annals of Ulster, 810, 830), mod.Ir. tearmann, ‘church-territory or -liberties, privilege, sanctuary, protection,’ ancient adaptation of L. terminus ‘limit, bound’; cf. the use of Ir. crich ‘finis, terminus,’ in the sense ‘territory,’ L. fines.] Anciently in Ireland, Land belonging to, or forming the precinct or liberties of a religious house, which was free and exempt from all secular charges or imposts; church land. Hence termon-land, church land; Termoner, termon-man (Ir. tearmannach), a tenant of church land.
1533. St. Papers Hen. VIII., II. 164. That no Inglish lorde make any bande or covenaunte with any Irishman to have right ought of him, or bering of men of warre, or termons, to his awne use.
1537. Calr. Carew MSS., 116. Termoners.
1607. Davies, 1st Let. to Earl Salisbury, Tracts (1787), 233. The rest of the spiritual lands, which the Irish call Termons, they were granted to sundry servitors. Ibid., 247. Termon doth signify, in the Irish tongue, a liberty, or freedom, and … all Church-lands whatsoever are called Termon-lands by the Irish. Ibid., 248. Glebe-lands, the tenants … whereof were called Termon men, and had privilege of clergy.
1764. W. Harris, trans. Ware’s Antiq. Ireland, II. I. xxxv. 233. To him (the Erenach or Herenach) also and to his Family were antiently appropriated Lands called Termon-Lands, as being Lands freed and discharged from all Secular Impositions, but which were liable to certain Pensions and refections, payable yearly to the Bishop.
1848. O’Donovan, trans. Ann. Irel., 1229 All the termoners of the province.
1890. J. Healy, Insula Sanct., 275. He plundered Clonmacnoise and its termon lands three times.
