FIRST FRUITS

A fme paid to the king, as head of the church, by one promoted to an ecclesiastical benefice, and supposed to amount to one year's value of that benefice. This, however, is evaded by a uming as the basis of the valuation that made in 1535, and contained in what is termed the " Liber Regis." In England, first fruits go to the augmentation of Queen Anne's bounty. ANNE A' [s. 67]