Forms: 6 estreppement, 7 estrepment, -ipament, 7–8 estrepament, 8– estrepement. Also 7 aphet. strepment. [a. AF. estrepement, f. estreper: see prec.]
1. ‘Wasting’ of lands, esp. ‘Any spoil or waste made by tenant for life, upon any lands or woods, to the prejudice of him in reversion; also, making land barren by continual ploughing’ (Wharton). Writ of estrepement (see quot. 1768: this was abolished by 3 and 4 Will. IV. c. 27).
1503. Will of Copynger (Somerset Ho.). Wt oute eny estreppement or wast.
1607. Cowell, Interpr., Estrepement or Estripament.
1736. Bailey, Estrepament.
1741. T. Robinson, Gavelkind, II. i. 151. Without doing any Estrepement, Waste, or Exile.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 225. And the writ of estrepement lay at the common law … to stop any waste which the vanquished party might be tempted to commit.
1847. in Craig; and in mod. Dicts.
† 2. (See quot.) Obs.
In cases of felony and Petit Treason the king had the right of estrepement, i.e., of enjoying the felon’s lands for a year and ‘wasting’ them to his heart’s content. This being to the injury of the lord of the fee, it became customary to compound with the king for the right of estrepement, which came to be represented merely by a fine.
c. 1640. J. Smyth, Lives Berkeleys (1883), II. 435. Estrepments, goods of fugitives and of convict, attainted, outlawed, and wayved persons.
