Forms: see the sb. Pa. pple. Sc. 6 escheit, 8–9 escheat. (See also CHEAT v.) [f. prec. sb.; cf. OF. eschaeter.]
1. trans. To make an escheat of, confiscate; to hand over as an escheat to or into. (Some apparent examples of the pass. may belong to the intr. sense 2.)
1382. Wyclif, 3 Esdras vi. 32. And the goodis ofhem to the king be eschetid [1388 ethchetid].
1474. Ld. Treas. Acc. Scotl., 67. His schip and gudis … was eschetit as the kings eschete.
1548. Bodrugan (Adams), Epit. King’s Title, 251. Locrine herupon seazed Albania … as excheated wholy to hymself.
1574. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 12 a. If it [lande] be escheted unto the king.
1641. A. Mervin, in Rushw., Hist. Coll., III. (1692), I. 215. Their Primitive and Genuine Tenures escheated by Acts of State, and strangled by Monopolies?
1687. N. Johnston, Assur. Abby Lands, 40. It was the Opinion of the Justices, that they were Escheated to the Lords of the Fee.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), V. IX. v. 275. He … escheated their estates into the hands of laymen.
1873. Dixon, Two Queens, VI. ix. His honours lost, his lands escheated, and his liberty restrained.
b. transf. and fig.
1589. Warner, Alb. Eng., V. xxviii. (1612), 141. And to his Coffres did escheate a world of wealth.
a. 1643. W. Cartwright, On Christ Ch. Building. As doubtful whether ’t should escheated be To ruine, or redeem’d to majesty.
2. intr. To become an escheat; to revert by escheat to the superior lord, king or state; const. to or simply. Also fig.
1531. Dial. Laws Eng., I. vii. (1638), 13. The land shall escheat to the Lord of whom the Land is holden.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 657/2. Landes … which should otherwise have escheated to her majestie.
1633. T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., xiv. (1821), 639. His Land should haue excheated unto her.
1698. Sidney, Disc. Govt., i. § 19 (1704), 42. A Kingdom so gotten may escheat for want of an Heir.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. viii. 168. All baronies which escheated to the Crown were under his administration.
1848. Mill, Pol. Econ., I. 261. The property, in case of intestacy, should escheat to the State.
fig. 1850. H. Coleridge, Poems, II. 13. Great nature’s waif, that must by law escheat To the liege-lord Corruption.
† 3. trans. To forfeit. Sc. Obs.
1513–75. Diurn. Occur. (1833), 83. All thair movabill guidis decernit to be escheit, at the mercat croce of Edinburgh.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), p. lii. His shirt, his doublet, or bonet to excheate.
1752. J. Louthian, Form of Process, 151. All their moveable Goods and Gear, to be escheat and in-brought to his Majesty’s Use.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., xxxvi. His moveable goods and gear escheat … to his majesty’s use.
1876. Grant, Burgh Sch. Scotl., I. i. 49. In 1509 persons were prevented from importing … Books under penalty of escheating the same.
¶ 4. Used (after Fr. échoir) for: To ‘fall’ to a person by inheritance.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, III. ix. (1632), 541. Those that have beene hereditarily escheated unto them.
