Demesne

Domain; dominical; held in one's own right, and not of a superior; not allotted to tenants. In the language of pleading, own; proper ; original. Thus, son assault demesne, his own assault, his assault originally or in the first place.

— Demesne as of fee. A man la said to be seised in his demesne as of fee of a corporeal inheritance, because he nas a property. dominicum or demesne, in the thing itself. But when he has no dominion in the thing itself, as in the case of an incorporeal hereditament, he is said to be seised as of fee, and not in his demesne as of fee. 2 Bl. Comm. 106; Littleton. § 10; Barnet v. Ihrie, 17 Serg. & It. (Pad 196.

— Demesne lands. In English law. Those lands of a manor not granted out in tenancy, but reserved by the lord for his own use and occupation. Lands set apart and appropriated by the lord for his own private use, as for the supply of his table, and the maintenance of his family ; the opposite of tenemental lands. Tenancy and demesne, however, were not in every sense the opposites of each other; lands held for years or at will being included among demesne lands, as well as those in the lord's actual possession. Spelman; 2 Bl. Comm. 90

— Demesne lands of the crown. That share of lands reserved to the crown at the original distribution of landed property, or which came to it afterwanis by forfeiture or otherwise. 1 Bl. Comm. 286 ; 2 Steph. Comm. 550.

— Demesnial. Pertaining to a demesne.