Legal Definition and Related Resources of Beneficium

(Lat. beneficere). A portion of land or other immovable thing granted by a lord to his followers for their stipend or maintenance. A general term applied to ecclesiastical livings. 4 Bl. Comm. 107; Cowell. In the early feudal times, grants were made to continue only during the pleasure of the grantor, which were called munera, but soon afterwards these grants were made for life, and then they assumed the name of benefida. Dalr. Feud. Prop. 199. Pomponius Laetus, as cited by Hotoman (De Feudis, c. 2), says “that it was an ancient custom, revived by the Emperor Constantine, to give lands and villas to those generals, prefects, and tribunes who had grown old in enlarging the empire, t6 supply their necessities as long as they lived, which they called “parochial,” parishes, etc. But between fiefs or feuds (feuda) and parishes (parochias) there was this difference, that the latter were given to old men, veterans, etc., who, as they deserved well of the republic, were sustained the rest of their life (jpuhlico beneficio) by the public benefaction; or, if any war afterwards arose, they were called out not so much as soldiers as leaders (magistri militum). Feuds (feuda), on the other hand, were usually given to robust young men who could sustain the labors of war. In later times, the word parochia was appropriated exclusively to ecclesiastical persons, while the word beneficium (militare) continued to be used in reference to military fiefs or fees.” In Civil Law. Any favor or privilege.

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This definition of Beneficium Is based on the The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary . This definition needs to be proofread..

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“Benefice; beneficia. Also a right, privilege, profit, or advantage in general.”