Law. Forms: 4–7 essoyn(e, 4 essonie, Sc. essonȝe, 5 esson, 6–9 essoine, 7–8 essoign(e, 7 (Sc.) essonȝie, 6– essoin, 7– essoign. See also ASSOIN sb. [a. OF. essone, essonie, essoine, essoigne, essoyne (mod.F. exoine), vbl. sb. f. essoigner: see next.]
1. Law. The allegation of an excuse for non-appearance in court at the appointed time; the excuse itself. Also in phrases To cast, make, challenge essoin. Day of essoin: the day when excuses were received, the first day of term.
Essoins were admitted on various grounds, pilgrimage, the king’s service, illness, etc. The practice is now obsolete.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 249. Þat non eft mad essoyn, þe kynges right to clame. Ibid., 291. I may not cast essoyn, bot felow my somons.
1483. Act 1 Rich. III., c. 3 § 1. Non esson or proteccion be allowed in any suche accion.
1514. Fitzherb., Just. Peas (1538), 89 b. No protection, essoyne, nor wager of lawe to be allowed.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., xvii. Notes 270. The XL. daies in the essoine of Child-birth allowed by the Norman Customs.
1620. J. Wilkinson, Hundred Crt., 169. Whosoever will cast any essoine in these courts, he must come at the beginning of the court.
1702. Royal Proclam., 29 March, in Lond. Gaz., No. 3797/2. The First Day of the said Quindena Paschæ, commonly called the Day of Essoigns.
1713. Swift, Cadenus & Van., Wks. 1824, XIV. 475. But, with … Demur, imparlance, and essoigne The parties ne’er could issue join.
a. 1734. North, Ld. Guildford, in Ld. Campbell, Chancellors (1857), IV. xciv. 284. Observing him reason the country people out of their pence for essoines.
1885. L. O. Pike, Year-bks. 12 & 13 Edw. III., Introd. 31 The essoin was fraudulently cast without his knowledge.
b. Clerk of the essoins: ‘an officer of the Common Pleas, who keeps the Essoin-rolls, delivers them to every officer, and receives them again when they are written’ (Phillips 1678–1706).
1657. Howell, Londinop., 368. The Officers of this Court [Common Pleas] are many; viz. Custos Brevium, three Protonotaries, Clerk of the Essoins [etc.].
1678–1706. in Phillips.
1721–1800. in Bailey; and in mod. Dicts.
2. In general. An excuse, exemption, making of conditions, parleying, delay; also in phr. without essoin.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 136. He gaf a þousand mark, withouten essoyne.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, Julian, 181. To fynd sume essonȝe for-quhy Þai mycht frely pase forby.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron., ccxxvi. ii. The duke then of Burgoyn, Kepte Fraunce full well without any essoyn.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. iv. 20. From everie worke he chalenged essoyne, For contemplation sake.
¶ 3. The alleged sense ‘one who is excused’ (= ESSOINEE) is app. due to a misunderstanding, Cowell’s explanation of AF. essonié having been taken by later lexicographers as referring to essoin.
(If the sense were authenticated, the word as so used would be a distinct sb., repr. AF. essoiné, as ASSIGN sb.2 represents AF. assigné.)
1607. Cowell, Interpr., Essoine (Essonium) cometh of the French Essonié or exonnié .i. causarius miles, he that hath his presence forborne or excused vpon any iust cause…. It signifieth in our common lawe an alledgement of an excuse.
4. Comb. essoin-day (see quot.); essoin-roll, the list containing the names of the essoinees.
1679. Trials of White, etc. 8. Monday is the Essoign Day.
1765–9. Blackstone, Comm., III. xviii. (1783), 278. Thereon the Court sits to take essoigns … wherefore this is usually called the essoign day of the term.
1848. Wharton, Law Lex., s.v., Formerly the first general return day of the term was called essoign day, because the court sat to receive essoigns.
