I hope Tarn won't mind my posting this explanation of Feet of Fines. Taken from the Dictionary of Genealogy:
Feet of Fines The word ‘fine’ is derived from the Latin finis, meaning ‘an end’. It came to mean a judgement or Final Concord regarding a title to land after a form of legal action, nearly always collusive, and intended to provide a record of title, often after a purchase. It was written out three times in the same words on the same side of a single sheet of parchment, two copies being written vertically and back-to-back, and the third along the foot of the sheet. The word ‘Cyrographum’ was sometimes written in large letters above the foot copy and between the other two, and the three copies were then cut apart along wavy lines and through the cyrograph. The back-to-back parts were given to the two parties, and the Foot was filed among the rolls of the Court of Common Pleas, now at the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London, under references CP 25 and 27. This procedure made forgery virtually impossible, and it was only abolished as late as 1834.
Until 1733 (except under the Commonwealth) the records were in Latin. The rolls, from 1182 to 1638, are arranged under counties. The date shown is that on which the writ summoning the parties to appear was due to be returned into court, and so gives only an approximate idea of the date of the actual agreement. The person whose right (jus) is admitted is the purchaser or recognised title-holder. A fine often contains a ‘clause of warranty’, in which certain persons, often relatives of the vendor or person of whom the land is held, warrant against him, i.e. pledge themselves to stand by the agreement if the title to the holding is questioned later. Other persons may be named as co-deforciants, but this is merely to bar any right they might claim in the future. Contemporary calendars are available for the period 1509—1798. For several counties the Feet of Fines have been printed. In many cases there also exist Notes of Fines, an additional record, and Concords, which are duplicates of the Fines.
It does take some working out!
Nell
