Butts

[L. Lat. butta, from Fr. bouts, ends.] In old English law. Short pieces of land left unploughed at the ends of fields, where the plough was turned about, (otherwise callea headlands,) as sidelings were similar «un ploughed pieces on the sides.* See Caputia, Headlands, Sidelings. This word is very obscurely defined in the old books, "the ends or short pieces of lands in arable ridges and furrows."

Cowell.

A case in Littleton's Reports, however, clearly illustrates its meaning. A libel was filed in the court christian for tithes of hay, and the defendant showed that the hay was growing upon headlands and butts in cornfields. A prohibition was applied for, and allowed, the court holding that the defendant was discharged of lithe in this case by necessity, for it was relin« qoished by the turning of the plough.

Litt. R, 13.

Butts seem to have been untilled slips of land in the ends of fields, just as hc Uks (a term still used,) were similar untilled slips in the body of fields or commons.

2 Steph, Com. 9, note.

Brande, voc.

Comfrum

Both words have the radical sense of a stopping, and fuming off, or around.

See Butts and hounds.