Frank-marriage

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Frank-marriage \Frank"-mar"riage\, n. [Frank free + marriage.]
     (Eng. Law)
     A certain tenure in tail special; an estate of inheritance
     given to a man his wife (the wife being of the blood of the
     donor), and descendible to the heirs of their two bodies
     begotten. [Obs.] --Blackstone.


     [1913 Webster]

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  FRANK-MARRIAGE, English law. It takes place, according to Blackstone, when 
  lands are given by one man to another, together with a wife who is daughter 
  or kinswoman of the donor, to hold in frank-marriage. By this gift, though 
  nothing but, the word frank-marriage is expressed, the donees shall have the 
  tenements to them and the heirs of their two bodies begotten that is, they 
  are tenants in special tail. It is called frank or free marriage, because 
  the donees are liable to no service but fealty. This is now obsolete, even 
  in England. 2 Bl. Com. 115.