[a. OFr. agistement, f. agiste: see AGIST and -MENT.]
1. The action or process of agisting; the taking in of cattle or live stock to feed at a rate of so much per head; the opening of a forest for a specified time to live stock.
[1304. Year books of Edw. I., 23. Q’il ad agistement a deus cents bestis.]
1611. Cotgr., Glandage … th’ Agistment, or laying of swine into Mastie woods.
1695. Kennett, Par. Antiq., ix. 219. To take pannage which was one farthing for the agistment of each hog.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., II. 452. If a man takes in a horse, or other cattle, to graze and depasture in his grounds, which the law calls agistment.
1813. Vancouver, Agric. Devon, 82. Depending upon casual and agistment stock for the consumption of his herbage.
2. The herbage of a forest, or the right to it.
1598. [See under 3].
1611. Cotgr., Paisson, th’ Agistment, or Herbage of woods, or forests; feeding for cattell therein.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 15. The feed or herbage of the cattell is called Agistment.
3. The rate levied or profit made upon the pasturing of another’s cattle.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., an. 1198 (R.). Aduantages and profits … as in pannage and agistements.
1598. Manwood, Lawes of Forest, ix. § 1. Agistment is most properly, the common of Herbage, of any kind of ground … or the money that is received or due for the same.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v. Agistment is likewise the profit of such feeding in a ground or field; and extends to the depasturing of barren cattle of the owner, for which tithes shall be paid to the parson.
4. Agistment Tithe: ‘The tithe of cattle or other produce of grass lands … paid to the vicar or rector by the occupier of the land, and not by the person who may put his cattle there to graze at a certain rate per head.’ Encycl. Brit.
1527. quoted in Hutchins’ Hist. Dorset (1774), I. 280. The rector … shall have all the tithes of hay and agistments in the mead called Shetewel in Bradepole.
1779. in Ann. Reg., 221/2. A claim made by the former [the rector] of agistment tithe in kind.
1808. Syd. Smith, Plymley’s Lett., Wks. 1859, II. 174/2. The abolition of agistment tithe in Ireland by a vote of the Irish House of Commons.
5. By extension, Any rate or charge levied upon the owner or occupier of (pasture) lands.
1618. Pulton, Coll. Stat., tr. Act 6 Hen. VI., v. So that no tenants of lands or tenements … shal in any wise be spared in this and for agistments vpon the sea banks for preseruation of the said parts.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v., There is agistment of sea-banks, where lands are charged with a tribute to keep out the sea.
