FINE, in law, is sometimes called a feoffment of record ; or, rather, it is an acknowledgment of a feoffment on re cord: it has at least the effect of a feoffi meet in conveying lands, though it is one of those conveyances at the common law, by which lands and freeholds will pass without livery or seisin. It is an amicable composition of a suit, either actual or fictitious, by leave of the King's justices, whereby the lands in question become, or are acknowledged to be, the right of one of the parties. It is now a very general mode of conveyance, by reason of its extensive and binding ef fect. There are four sorts of fines, but that most usually employed is called, fine our connsance du droit come ceo qu'il a de son done, or a fine upon acknowledg ment of the right of the cognizee, as that which he bath of the gift of the cog tnzor. The purposes for which fines are now levied are, to cut off estates tail, to bar the wife of her dower, and also to make purchasers more secure in their title ; for by virtue of the statute 4 Henry VII. c. 24, all persons not within
age, and not under disability; such as femmes coverts, persons insane, and be yond sea, are barred of their rights by a fine levied of lands, with proclamation, unless they claim within five years. The legal learning, with respect to the effect and operation and mode of levying fines, is so abstruse, that, in a general dictiona ry, it is better to consider them only, as in fact they are, a species of solemn conveyance for the barring the wife of dower when levied by her, which she is enabled to do notwithstanding coverture, or to cut off entails, &c. than to attempt an imperfect description of fines in par ticular.