FRANK-TENEMENT

FRAN;K, v. To send matter through the public mails free of postage, by a personal or official privilege.. FRANK, wd-j. In old English law. Free. Occurring in several compounds. -Frank-almoigne. In English law. Free alms. A spiritual tenure whereby religious corporations, aggregate or sole, held lands of the donor to them and their succe ors forever. They were discharged of all other except religious services, and the t.-inoda 11ece itas. It differs from tenure by divine service, in that the latter required the performance of certain divine services, whereas the former, as its name imports, is free. This tenure is expre ly excepted in the 12 Car. II. c. 24, § 7, and therefore still subsists in some few instances. 2 Broom & H. Comm. 203.-Frank bank. In old English law. Free bench. Litt. § 166; Co. Litt..ll0b. See FREE-BENca-Fran.k-chase. A liberty of free chase enjoyed by any one, whereby all other persons having ground within that compa are forbidden to cut down wood, etc., even in their own demesnes, to the prejudice of the owner of the liberty. Cowell. See CB:AsE.-Frank-fee. Freehold lands exempted from ·all services, but not from homage; lands held otherwise than in a.ncient demesne. That whic'h a mau holds to himself and · his heirs, and ilot by atlch service u is required in fi ancient demeS I1e; acc'o~ing to, the cµstom o~ ~he ',_ l lllaDo:r..eow,~aak-1 ·term.,, DI. Ei:urHsh [s. 526]