absenteeism practice of landlords and parsons habitually living away from home
Act for the Union of enacted in 1707; two kingdoms united under the name of Great Britain
act of homage personal submission of a tenant to a lord, tenant serves the lord, lord warrants his tenant
Act of Settlement secured the Protestant Succession to the throne
aisle literal meaning 'wing'; sideways extensions of the western and main body of the church
Annals of Agriculture central organ of agricultural inventors
annates payments to the pope of benefice by bishops on appointment
apse rounded or polygonal and generally eastern part of a church, transept or chapel
Arminians churchmen who reacted against rigid Calvinism, followers of Jacob Arminius
assize decision of a seated assembly; royal declaration of statutory force or judicial process
Baccalaureus Artium BA, Bachelor of Arts; university degree of medieval origin
bailiff King's representative in a district (mayor, sheriff, etc)
Bank of England est. as the first joint-stock bank of England; central bank and holder of English gold reserves
baron holder of military or other honourable service from the king; later restricted to the king's barons
benefices lands granted as a reward for past services
Bill of Rights passed by the Convention Parl.; Declaration of Rights; ancient rights and liberties of the nation; basis of constitutional settlement of the Glorious Revolution
Black Death pandemic of the lethal bubonic plague, spread by rats; invaded Britain in 1348
Book of Common Prayer official liturgy of the Church of England; Acts of Uniformity included
borough medieval combination of a trading center and defended area
Bretwalda early king of England, concept of overlordship in Old English
burgess inhabitant of a borough with full municipal rights - citizen
burh fortified dwelling, defended town, large camp
cancellarius custodian of the Great Seal, head of the chancery, prepares and issues documents for central government
castrum castle, fortress
Cavaliers nickname for Royalists during Civil War; Cavalier Parliament at Restoration
ceorl free peasant
chantry place in a church where prayers were to be said for the soul of the founder who left a fund for that purpose
chapter general meeting of members of monastic or knightly orders
charter document regarding a grant, normally permanent and of land, priviliges, etc.
choir part of the church for the use of singers between the nave and the altar's place
civitas citizens as a corporate body; the state
Clarendon Code four acts named after Charles II's minister; religious persecution
coalition temporary alliance of statesmen, political parties, etc; for a specific purpose
colonia urban settlement, Roman legionaries, lived in town, held agr. land outside, self-government
Combination Acts two acts that forbade the combining of two or more people for the purpose of obtaining a wage increase, better working conditions, etc
Common Wealth English republic est. after the execution of Charles I; ruled by the Rump and a Council of State
continental system economic warfare practiced by Napoleon against Britain, aimed at ruining British trade by excluding it from the continental trade
Conventicle unlawful secret meeting of Noncomformists
copyholder owner of land on conditions agreed with the lord of the manor; possesses a copy of the manorial court roll entry
coroner royal officer in charge of a sheriff, carries out the preliminaries of criminal justice
Crusades Christian expeditions to recover the Holy Land from Mohammedans
Curia Regis King's Court - monastic household and court
customary tenants persons holding their land by a great variety of tenure
Danegeld extraordinary tax assessed on land to buy peace from Danes
demesne land kept in lord's own hand
Deuteronomy 5th book of the Old Testament; enables the surviving brother of a man to marry his widow - Henry VIII
Diggers small group of extreme radicals founded by Winstanley; restoration of land to the people; political revolution must be based on a social revolution
Dissenters Protestants not comforming to the usages of the Church of England
divide et impera divide and conquer
duke highest hereditary title of nobility outside of the royal family
ealdorman official of noble rank placed in charge of a shire
earl originally holders of important office, ruling substantial territories; later a hereditary title
Enclosure Acts Acts of Parl. enacting the hedging or fencing-in of formerly open-field or common pasture land
enclosure of the Commons which had formerly been for the use of villagers
enclosure enclosure of open fields by gathering together scattered strips and fencing off each man's parcel
England and Scotland
engrossment adding farm to farm; steady accumulation of land
escheator royal officer administering forfeited goods and land
exchequer financial department of Curia Regis
excise customs, duties on goods for domestic consumption
Exclusion Crisis political crisis produced by Whig attempts to pass bills; in order to exclude James II from the throne; replacement being Duke of Monmouth
favourite person chosen as intimate by the king or superior and unduly favored
feudum land granted to vassals, also called fief
fief feudal benefice, territory held in fee
Fifth Monarchy Men extremist sect believing in the forecoming of the rule of Christ
flying buttress external arch springing over the roof of an aisle, supporting the upper part of the nave wall
flying-shuttle industrial invention, part of the loom
franchise originally a body of freemen in a manor, borough, etc; later rights and duties of freemen, right to vote particularly
freeholders owners of land or buildings for an unlimited time and without any conditions, paying a token rent and enjoying security of tenure
fyrd local militia
geneat 'companion', free men forming peasant aristocracy
gerefa royal executive officer - on the lookout for smugglers
glebe land held by the incumbent of a parish church, part of the endowment of a church
governor military, judicial and civil affairs of Britain, appointed by emperor
guild fraternity with religious, social and commercial functions; protected and monopolized trade within a town or region
Habeas Corpus Act passed in 1679; guarantee of right to a free trial; against improper use of the prerogative
Hearth Tax national tax imposed on a hearth
heregeld money to maintain a standing military and naval force
heriot death duty, best beast paid to the lord of the manor
housecarle specialized fighter, introduced by King Cnut, loyal to the king
hundred subdivision of the shire - in Danish areas, called wapentake
impeachment criminal trial in Parl. at the Commons' instigation
in loco parentis in place of a parent
in statu pupillari in pupillary state
Independents collective term for separatist sects, particularly Congregationalists and Baptists; liberty of thought and belief; includes Noncomformists
investiture delivery of a man's due by grant, election, etc.
Ironsides force of cavalry raised by Cromwell; yeomen, freeholders and Independents
itinerant justices justices traveling from place to place on circuit
Jacobites supporters of the claim to throne of James II, his son and grandson; all their major plots were crushed
jury body of persons summoned by a royal officer to give true and unbiased answers to specific questions, chosen from reputable locals
justices of the peace unpaid local gentlemen; take an active part in maintaining law and order by reporting violations
justiciar viceroy of Norman and Plantagenet kings, stands below the king but above the departments of government, governed in king's name when he is not in the country
knight mainstay of English medieval society; required to join the feudal army
laissez-faire economic principle encouraging free enterprise and competition
League of Augsburg directed against France; treaty signed by Holy Roman Emperor, Kings of Sweden and Spain, Electors of Bavaria, Saxony and the Palatinate and Holland
leaseholder holder of land using it on the basis of a written agreement for a certain time in return for rent
Levellers extreme democrats of Civil War and Commonwealth period; republicanism, manhood suffrage, toleration, abolition of the House of Lords
Lollards followers of John Wyclif; political movement based at the University of Oxford
Long Parliament summoned by Charles I; was made into the Rump; later became the convention parliament
longbow medieval weapon made of yew wood; capable of shooting six yard-long arrows in a minute with considerable force
Lord Protector Cromwell's title during the Protectorate; est. by the Instrument of Government
Magister Artium MA, Master of Arts; university degree higher than BA
magistrate public figure, elected by senate, dispense justice, maintain public buildings
Magnum Concilium Great Council, assembly of the king and his vassals, discussion of judicial and state affairs
marquess/marques nobleman ranking between duke and earl
martial law rule by the army, national guard or militia; military courts used instead of civil authorities
masque form of theatrical play performed in 16-17th cc for monarchs or noblemen; written in poetry with music, dancing and songs
Methodism doctrine, polity and worship of Protestant denominations; originated under John Wesley; study by rule and method
monopolies sole right to sell commodities granted to reward individuals or raise money for the crown
'mule' invention of wool and cotton industry
municipium town, rights of self-government, inhabitants almost Roman citizens
nave ship, western and main body of a church
New Leicesters new breed of sheep
New Model Army est. by Parliamentary ordinance with a majority of Independents; cavalry and artillery; led by Cromwell
Noncomformists same as Dissenters
parish district that has its own church and clergyman
parliament supreme legislature comprising of the sovereign and the Houses of Lords and Commons; emerged from the Curia Regis; assembly to settle matters of unusual importance; other functions - give advice to administration and raise taxes
patronage right to appoint to important positions, especially without regard for their ability
Pax Romana Roman peace
peer member of one of the degrees of nobility in the UK (duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron)
pier a mass of masonry from which an arch springs
pluralism holding more than one office, especially benefice, at a time
pointed arch ornamental curve, supports the vaulting
Poor Law before relief for the poor was a charitable obligation of the church; in Tudor times the responsibility was the parish'; embodied in an act because of the failure of former practices
Popish Plot supposed Catholic plot to murder Charles II and put his brother James on the throne; provoked the Exclusion Crisis
praemunire practice of taking to foreign courts any matter cognizable in English law
predestination Biblical: all things foreknown and foreordained by God; in Catholic theology: conduction of God's rational creatures to 'eternal life'
presbyter official person elected to serve on the governing body of the church
Presbyterians parliamentarian politicians in Civil War times who opposed religious toleration; sympathetic to Scots; supported a Presbyterian church
primogeniture right of succession for the first-born
privateering licensing privare ships to attack their country's enemies in return of a share of the booty
proctor principal disciplinary officer of medieval English universities
procurator provincial civil servant, collecting taxes, paying out revenues
Protectorate rule of Cromwell; ended with the abdication of Cromwell's son after his failure to secure the support of the army
Puritans extreme Protestants in the Church of England, including Presbyterians and Independents; high sense of duty and morality
quadrivium four medieval university courses - Arithmetic, Geometry, Music and Astronomy
quarter session hearing of criminal charges by justices of the peace four times a year
reeve local representative and officer of his lord
regency delegation of one or more people in the case of illness, minority or absence of a monarch
rib vault archer roof supported and adorned by long raised pieces of thicker material
Rocket locomotive built by George Stephenson, operated by steam power
Romanesque prevailing style in 11-13th cc Europe, mainly eclesiastical
rotation in agriculture growing of different grains in regular order to avoid exhausting the soil
Roundheads name applied to Puritans and Parliamentarians during and after Civil War times; originally a derogatory meaning
royal absolutism political principle stating that complete power should be in the hands of the monarch
royal prerogative recognized rights and privileges, undefined powers of the monarchy; mostly used by Tudors
Royal Society society founded by eminent scientists including Boyle and Wren; experimental center
Royalists supporters of the monarch and the Anglican church during Civil War
Rump remaining members of the Long Parliament; originally included 60 members, later more populous
scholasticism study of general questions starting from ancient Greek writings and Christian teaching
scutage financial composition for knight service; assessed at a fixed sum for each knight's fee
senate supreme council of state
servita debita obligations owned by the vassal to the lord
servus slave in Latin
sheriff administrator of royal demesne in a shire, key figure of admin., directly responsible to king
shire main unit of local government in Old English times
sokeman freemen of 9th century Danish armies settling in England, part of the court of a lord
South Sea Bubble wild burst of speculation; takeover of 3/5 of national debt by the South Sea Company for monopolies
Speenhamland System system of poor relief
spinning-jenny invention that revolutionalized yarn-production
Star Chamber court that existed by statute with full authority of asserting both criminal and civil jurisdiction; enabled to proceed and act without regard for common law
statute fixed, written declaration reforming old or establishing new rights, procedures, laws, departments, etc
steward person in charge of another's property management; paid manager of a great house or estate
tallage tax; manorial: paid by villeins; royal: paid by ancient demesne, notably towns and boroughs
tenant-at-will holder of land on the lord's terms at the lord's pleasure
tenure right or title by which property is held, frequently involves military service
Test Act passed in 1673 by the Cavalier Parl.; directed against Roman Catholics; required holders of military and civil offices to be Anglican; taking an oath of allegiance and supremacy
Test Act passed in 1678 after the Popish Plot; excluded all Roman Catholics, except the Duke of York, from Parliament
the enclosure of land which had formerly been waste- or moorland
thegn person holding land in return for services, hereditary status
theory of dominition Wyclif's doctrine; made to enforce responsibility; suggests that true worship was derived from God and is lost by deadly sin
Tories supporters of non-resistance who upheld the hereditary succession and prerogative; supported the Church of England; opposed Noncomformists and Catholics
tracery ornamental pattern formed by the tracing or interweaving of the vertical members in the head of a window
transept part of a cruciform church which projects at right angles to the main building
transubstantiation change or conversion of one substance into another - bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ
tripos course of study and set of examinations for the BA degree at Cambridge, where the examinee stands on a three-legged stool
trivium three medieval study courses - Logic, Latin grammar and Rhetoric
tunnage and poundage custom duty on a tun (252 gallons) of wine and a pound of merchandise
vassal holder of land by feudal tenure
vikings Danes, Norwegians, Swedes - raided overseas btw 8th-11th centuries
villa farm-complex: owner's dwelling, dependant's quarters, farm buildings, land
villein unfree peasant who is bound to his lord, providing services and dues
viscount nobleman ranking between earl and baron
wapentake territorial subdivision of a county under Danish influence
water-frame spinning machine worked by machine power
wergeld compensation paid to the family of a murdered member by the murderer or his family
Whigs mainly aristocratic party; parliamentary supremacy and toleration for Noncomformists; victorious in the Glorious Revolution
witan 'one who ever knows'; king's councillor
writ administrative letter authenticated by witnesses and a seal; three types - letters close, letters patent, charter
yeoman servant of high rank in a royal or noble house
