Vauderie

Sorcery; witchcraft; the profession of the Vaudois. 3 Hallam, Mid. Ages, c. ix., pt. 2, p. 386, note. VAVASOR or VAVASOUR (Law Lat.)

In old English law. The vassal or tenant of a baron; one who held under a baron, and who had also tenants under him. One who in dignity was next to a baron; a title of dignity next to a baron. Camd. Brit. 109. See "Valvasors." Bracton, in enumerating the various ranks of persons under the king, mentions them in the following order: Dukes, counts or earls, barons, magnates or vavasors, and knights {duces, comites, barones, magnates sive vavasores, et milites). Bracton, fol. 5b. And again, immediately after describing barons, as powerful men under the king {potentes sub rege), he proceeds to a description of vavasors as men of great dignity {viri magnae dignitatis), adding the following etymology of the word: Vavasor enim nihil melius did poterit quam vas sortitus ad valetudinem, for a vavasor cannot be better described than a vessel or pledge (vas) chosen for strength. Id. The term vavasor first came into use in England after the Conquest, being another form of valvasor, which was employed in the feudal law of the continent. LL. Gul. Conq. 1. 24. As a title of dignity, it occurs as late as the time of Chaucer, but afterwards fell into disuse, and is now wholly antiquated. 1 Bl. Conun. 403. The etymology of the word given by Bracton seems to present vas (a vessel), validus (strong), and sortitus (chosen), as its constituent elements, which is very different from that given of valvasor (q. v.)

Witchcraft.