Liege

In Feudal Law. Bound by a feudal tenure; bound in allegiance to the lord paramount, who owned no superior. The term was applied to the lord, or liege lord, to whom allegiance was due, since he was bound to protection and a just government, and also to the feudatory, liegeman, or subject bound to allegiance, for he was bound to tribute and due subjection. 34 & 35 Hen. VIII. So lieges are the king’s subjects. Stat. 8 Hen. VI. c. 10; 14 Hen. VIII. c 2. So in Scotland. Bell, Diet. But in ancient times private persons, as lords of manors, had their lieges. 1 Bla. Gom..307. Liege, or ligius, was used in old records for full, pure, or perfect; e. g. ligia potestas, full and free power of disposal. Paroch. Antiq. 280. So in Scotland. See Liege Pous-

In feudal law. Bound by a feudal tenure; bound in allegiance to the lord paramount, who owned no superior. In old records. Fuil; absolute; perfect; pure. Liege widowhood was pure widowhood. Coweli.

— Liege homage. Homage which, when performed by one sovereign prince to another, included fealty and services, as opposed to simple homage, which was a mere acknowledgment of tenure. (1 Bl. Camm. 367; 2 Steph. Comm. 400.) Mozley & Whitley.

— Liege lord. A sovereign ; a superior lord.

— Liege ponstie. In Scotch law. That state of health which gives a person full power to dispose of, mortis causd or otherwise, his heritable property. Bell. A deed executed at the time of such a state of health, as opposed to a death-bed conveyance. The term seems to be derived from the Latin "legitima potestas."

In feudal law. Bound; bound in fealty to a lord; bound to that kind of fealty which was without any saving of the rights of other lords; bound to serve the king as lord paramount Full; perfect; pure. Liege homage: homage due to the sovereign alone, as supreme lord. Liege lord: a sovereign lord; the sovereign. Liege man: a subject Liege widowhood: pure widowhood.

In Scots law. Lawful. Liege ponstie: lawful power; a state of health which gives a person lawful power of disposition by will or deed.

See Allegiance; Feud; Lord, 1.

Bound in fealty; in simple fealty, without services; sovereign. V. Homage. Liege poustie, sc.: a state of health which gives one lawful power of disposition; the reverse of death-bed.

A term of the feudal law ■which is differently explained. Upon the whole, it seems probable that it was originally used as a noun, with the meaning of a bond or tie. Then it came to be used as an adjective, signifying bound, united by the reciprocal tie of allegiance, in the expressions liege lord, the sovereign or lord paramount, who was bound by the feudal relation to protect the vassal; and liege man, who was reciprocally bound for obedience and service. At last, by elision of " lord " and "man " from these phrases, it again came to be used as a noun; meaning either a sovereign or a subject, a lord or a vassal, according to context and circumstances. My liege is said to have been a usual expression in addressing the sovereign. The king's lieges was a term equivalent to subjects. Liege, in old records, signifies full, absolute, perfect, pure. Liege widowhood was pure widowhood. Cowef. Liege is a word borrowed from the feudists, and hath two significations in the common law; sometimes being used for liege lord, by which is meant the king, who acknowledgeth no superior, and to whom allegiance is due. Sometimes it is used for liege man, who is one that oweth allegiance to his liege lord. (Skene; Cowel; 1 Bl. Com. 367; 2 Steph. Com. 400.) Moz Uy ^ W. Liege homage. Homage which, when performed by one sovereign prince to another, included fealty and services, as opposed to simple homage, which was a mere acknowledgment of tenure. (1 Bl. Com. 367; 2 Steph. Com. 400.) Mozley ^ W. Liege poustie. A Scotch law term, derived from the Latin legitima potestas, and meaning a state of health implying a lawdispositions being formerly void by the law of Scotland. Bell.

Engl. law. This word is used in connexion with others, as liege-lord, who is one who acknowledges no superior; liege-man, is one who owes allegiance to a liege-lord.