Attainder, Act of

Attainder, Act of
A convenient parliamentary device by which political opponents could be convicted of *treason without the inconvenience of a trial. Simply by being named in the act meant being attainted, i.e. guilty. As a result all property was forfeit, civil liberties were rendered null, and the guilty party's 'blood' was deemed corrupted. Consequently, descendants lost whatever inheritance there might have been. But just as many magnates banished by the king were forgiven and allowed to return, so also many of those attainted had the sentence reversed in parliament at a later date. [< MdEngl. attain = convict, bring to justice] -

Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases. .

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  • Attainder, Act of —    During the WARS OF THE ROSES, attainder developed as an act of PARLIAMENT whereby the faction in power could convict its political opponents of treason without bringing them to trial. By passing a bill of attainder, Parliament simply declared… …   Encyclopedia of the Wars of the Roses

  • Act of attainder — Act Act ([a^]kt), n. [L. actus, fr. agere to drive, do: cf. F. acte. See {Agent}.] 1. That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a performance; a deed. [1913 Webster] That best portion… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Act — ([a^]kt), n. [L. actus, fr. agere to drive, do: cf. F. acte. See {Agent}.] 1. That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a performance; a deed. [1913 Webster] That best portion of a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Act in pais — Act Act ([a^]kt), n. [L. actus, fr. agere to drive, do: cf. F. acte. See {Agent}.] 1. That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a performance; a deed. [1913 Webster] That best portion… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Act of bankruptcy — Act Act ([a^]kt), n. [L. actus, fr. agere to drive, do: cf. F. acte. See {Agent}.] 1. That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a performance; a deed. [1913 Webster] That best portion… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Act of faith — Act Act ([a^]kt), n. [L. actus, fr. agere to drive, do: cf. F. acte. See {Agent}.] 1. That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a performance; a deed. [1913 Webster] That best portion… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Act of God — Act Act ([a^]kt), n. [L. actus, fr. agere to drive, do: cf. F. acte. See {Agent}.] 1. That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a performance; a deed. [1913 Webster] That best portion… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Act of grace — Act Act ([a^]kt), n. [L. actus, fr. agere to drive, do: cf. F. acte. See {Agent}.] 1. That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a performance; a deed. [1913 Webster] That best portion… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Act of indemnity — Act Act ([a^]kt), n. [L. actus, fr. agere to drive, do: cf. F. acte. See {Agent}.] 1. That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a performance; a deed. [1913 Webster] That best portion… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Act of Attainder —    see Attainder, Act of …   Encyclopedia of the Wars of the Roses

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