BENEFICIUM (Lat.). A portion of land or other immovable thing granted by a lord to his followers for their stipend or mainte nance.
It originally meant a "benefaction" from the king, usually to a noble. The analogous English institution was the Jaen or loan ; Maitl. Domesd. Book & Beyond 301.
In the early feudal times, grants were made to continue only during the pleasure of the grantor, which were called munera; but soon afterwards these grants were made for life, and then they as sumed the name of beneAcia. Dalrymple, Feud. Pr. 199. Pomponius Laetus, as cited by Hotoman, De Feudis, c. 2, says, "That it was an ancient custom, revived by the Emperor Constantine, to give lands and villas to those and tribunes who had grown old in enlarging the empire, to sup ply their necessities as long as they lived, which they called parochial parishes, etc. But between
(feuda) fiefs or feuds and (parochias) parishes there was this difference, that the latter were given to old men, veterans, etc., who, as they deserved well of the republic, were sustained the rest of their life (public° beneilcio) by the public benefaction; or, if any war afterwards arose, they were called out not so much as soldiers as leaders (magistri militum). Feuds (feuda), on the other hand, were usually given to robust young men who could sus tain the labors of war. In later times, the word parochia was appropriated exclusively to ecclesias tical persons, while the word benedeium (militare) continued to be used in reference to military fiefs or fees.
A general term applied to ecclesiastical livings. 4 Bla. Com. 107. See BENEFICE.
In Civil Law. Any favor or privilege.