v. Forms: α. 5 enfeffe, enfefe, 6 enfeoffe, 5– enfeoff. Also 5 enfeffee. β. 5–7 infeof(f, 6 infeffe, 7 infeft. Also 6 infeoffee. See also ENFIEF. [a. OF. enfeffer, enfieffer (AF. enfeoffer), f. en- (see EN-1) + fief FIEF. In Anglo-Lat. infeoffāre.]
1. trans. To invest with a fief; to put (a person) in possession of the fee-simple or fee-tail of lands, tenements, etc. Also absol. Const. in, of, † on, later with; also simply.
α. 1400–50. Alexander, 2793. [Alexander] enfeffid þaim belyue, In palais, in prouince, in principall regnes.
1411. Sir T. Langeford, in E. E. Wills (1882), 18. Y pray alle ȝow þat bene enfeffeed in my londes … þat ȝe fulfylle my forseyd wylle.
1426. E. E. Wills (1882), 71. Þay wolde enfeffe Philippe Dene on vj marces of rente.
1467. Mann. & Househ. Exp., 172. Karowe and I withe oder waren enfefed in a howese and land.
1531. Dial. Laws Eng., II. xvi. (1638), 86. The grantor enfeoffeth the grantee of one of the said acres.
c. 1590. Greene, Fr. Bacon, x. 14. I will enfeoff fair Margaret in all.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. ix. (1632), 598/1. The Scottish King claimed that County from King Iohn, who by his deed enfeoffed him thereof.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., III. vi. § 13. We … shall take such tenements into our hand, and shall enfeoffe others therein.
1785. Burke, Sp. Nabob Arcot’s Debts, Wks. IV. 308. A criminal … is … enfeoffed with an estate.
1818. Cruise, Digest, I. 43. If the lord enfeoffs another of the tenancy, this makes the land frank fee.
a. 1845. Barham, Ingol. Leg. (1877), 337. The veteran was enfeoffed in the lands and Manor.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U. S., I. xiii. 433. Charles II … enfeoffed his brother, the Duke of York, with the counties between Pemaquid and the St. Croix.
β. 1491. Act 7 Hen. VII., c. 12 § 5. Tenementes whereof they by this Acte be infeoffed.
1590. H. Swinburne, Treat. Test., 93. If a man seased of lande in fee doe infeoffee a straunger.
1592. Nashe, P. Penilesse (ed. 2), 33 b. The sonne seeks the death of the father, that he may be infeoffed in his wealth.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 42 b. Whosoeuer is disabled by the Common Law to take, is disabled to infeoffe.
1640. R. Baillie, Canterb. Self-Convict., 99. They set up a rubrick, feafing and infefting the officiating Priest in the halfe of all the oblations.
1662. Fuller, Worthies, Westmorl., III. 141. Richard Gilpin … was infeoffed … in the Lordship of Kent-mire-hall by the Baron of Kendal.
1752. Carte, Hist. Eng., III. 566. He should infeofe her in a jointure of 40,000 crowns a year out of the dutchy of Berry.
b. transf. and fig.
α. 1407. Will. Thorpe’s Exam., in Arb., Garner, VI. 57. This office that ye would now enfeoff me with.
1460. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 64. For strengthe, ner force, may nat atteyne certayne a wille þat stant enfeffyd in Fraunchise.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T. (1613), 179. The Fathers of our earthly bodies … cannot … enfeofe vs in glory perpetuall.
1638. Penit. Conf., viii. (1657), 247. The Charge is ours, but the commodity is yours, for whose good we are enfeoffed with this power.
1834. H. Miller, Scenes & Leg., xvii. (1857), 251. The fish in which they had enfeoffed themselves at the expense of Nannie Fizzle.
β. a. 1626. Bp. Andrewes, Serm. (1886), I. 43. To set before us this flesh; and … to infeoffe us in it.
1684. Charnock, Attrib. God (1834), II. 431. Infeoffing them in a land flowing with milk and honey.
2. To hand over as a fief; to surrender, give up entirely. fig.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. ii. 69. The skipping King … Enfeoff’d himselfe to Popularitie.
1610. Histrio-m., V. 251. Hee that is most infeoft to Tyrannie.
1833. H. Coleridge, Poems, I. 46. The choicest terms are now enfeoff’d to folly.
1880. Blackmore, Mary Anerley, I. ii. 12. The weak lot which is enfeoffed to popularity.
