In law, avowry is where one takes a distress for

rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...

or other thing, and the other sues

replevin Replevin () or claim and delivery (sometimes called revendication) is a legal remedy, which enables a person to recover personal property taken wrongfully or unlawfully, and to obtain compensation for resulting losses. Etymology The word "replevi ...

. In which case the taker shall justify, in his plea, for what cause he took it, and if he took it in his own right, is to show it, and so ''avow'' the taking—which is called his ''avowry''. If he took it in the right of another, when he has shown the cause, he is to make conusance of the taking, as being a

bailiff A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offi ...

or servant to him in whose right he did it.

References

Property law Pleas {{law-stub