Legal Definitions - a me

A ME

A me (ay mee) is a Latin phrase that means "from me." It was used in feudal grants to show that someone held tenure directly from the chief lord. The phrase is short for "a me de superiore meo" (ay mee dee s[y]oo-peer-ee-or-ee mee-oh), which means "from me of my superior." This phrase is similar to "de me," which means "from me."

Example 1: John received a grant of land from the king. The grant stated that John held the land "a me." This meant that John held the land directly from the king, without any intermediaries.

Example 2: Mary inherited a piece of land from her father. Her father had held the land "a me" from the lord of the manor. This meant that Mary now held the land directly from the lord of the manor.

These examples illustrate how the phrase "a me" was used in feudal grants to show the direct relationship between the tenant and the lord. In both cases, the tenant held the land "a me," which meant that they held it directly from the superior lord, without any intermediaries.