Forms: 4 avoerie, 4–7 auowrie, avowrie, 5–6 -rye, 5–7 auowry, advowry, 6 advoury, -uowry(e, 6–7 avourie, -ry, 5– avowry. Aphet. 4–5 vory. [a. OF. avoerie, avouerie, avourie, avorie, AF. avowerie, f. avoueur, OF. avoeor, n. of agent f. avouer (see AVOW v.1 and -RY); the office of the avoueur, avoué, or patron. In 15–16th c. F. frequently spelt by clerks advouerie (see Cotgrave), whence in 16th c. Eng. commonly advowry, esp. when = advowson; but in the senses retained in 18–19th c., the influence of AVOW v. has made avowry the current form.]
† 1. The function of an avoué, ADVOWEE, advocate, or patron; patronage, protection. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 260. Saue condite vs gyue, Þorgh þi lond to go in þin auowrie.
2. Advocacy, protection or authority personified: a protector, a patron; esp. a patron saint, chosen for one’s advocacy in heaven. (Rarely attrib.)
1387. Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. IV. 219. Julius Cesar þat was his [Catiline’s] patroun and his vorie, and pleded for hym.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 328/4. Thankynge to almyghty god and to Saynt Johan his avowry.
1528. Roy, Satire (1845). S. Frances their advowry.
1549. Latimer, 7 Serm. Edw. VI. (Arb.), 193. Awaye with these auowryes. Let god alone be oure auowry.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VII. ii. (1632), 198. These Germanes that worshipped Herthum the Mother-earth for their Auowrie Goddesse.
1849. Rock, Ch. of Fathers, II. vii. 489. Close to the corpse were carried the four banners of the dead person’s ‘avowries.’
† 3. Patronage or right of presentation to a benefice; advowson. Obs.
1660. R. Coke, Power & Subj., 204. Benefices … which were of the advowry of people of the holy Church. Ibid., 205. The Archbishopricks and other dignities elective … of his avowry.
† 4. Avowal or acknowledgement as one’s own.
1340. Ayenb., 101. His zone be adopcioun, þet is be avoerie, zuo þet he ssel bi yhealde vor his zone avoud.
5. (From Eng. vb. AVOW1, in its legal sense): The answering for or avowal of an act done; esp. the plea whereby one who distrains for rent avows the act and justifies it.
1531. Act 21 Hen. VIII., xix. Alleaging in the said auowrie … the same manors, lands and tenements.
1662. Sir A. Mervyn, Sp. Irish Aff., 37. The Law will allow an Avowry without Atturnment, where he hath no means to compel the Test to atturn.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 234. Here the tenant cannot in an avowry avoid the lord’s possessory right.
1876. Digby, Real Prop., vii. § 1. 316, note. He is said to make avowry if he justifies in his own right … and to make cognisance if he justifies in the right of another.
† 6. (Due to the confusion between the two verbs AVOW): A vowing, swearing, solemn declaration, or oath. Obs.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1020/1. All which their promises and auowries they performed.
1593. Bilson, Govt. Christ’s Ch., 204. I convent your owne consciences, which of our auowries standeth on the surest ground.
