Demesne

^ Own, one's own; original.

Demesne land

Land reserved by the lord of a manor for the use of himself and household.' Ancient demesne. Tenure of manors belonging to the crown in the days of Edward the Confessor and William the Conqueror, and referred to in Domesday book.s Demesne lands of the crown. Reservations of the crown at the original distribution, or such as came to it afterward by forfeiture or other means.' Comprised divers manors, the tenants of which had peculiar privileges.^ Seised in his demesne as of fee. Formal words expressing the highest estate a subject can have in land. It is his property or dominicum, since it is for him and his 1 Demond v. Bumham, 133 Mass. 341 ( 2 Hitchings v. Edmands, 133 Mass. 339 ( ' [Hall V. Unger, 4 Saw. 677 (1867), Field, J. * Dennett v. Dennett, 44 N. H. 637 (1863), Bell, C. J. See 2 Eedf. Sur. 133; 3 Wash. 680; 4 id. 262; 3 Am. L. Reg. 449; 2 Abb. C. C. 511. » 1 Redfleld, Wills, 63, 94. Owing's Case, 1 Bland's Ch. 389 (1828). * F.: L^ dominium, ownership. Cf. Domain;.Assault, Son, etc. ' 2 Bl. Com. 90. heirs forever, not al)solute, but in a qualified or feudal sense; and as of fee, because not purely and simply his own, since it is held of a feudal superior.i The owner of an incorporeal hereditament is. said to be "seised as of fee." and not "in his demesne; " since he has no property in the thing itself, but something derived out of it.' " Seised in his demesne as of tee " is an allegation that the person is seised in fee-simple.'