Legal Definitions - farley

Term: Farley
Definition: Farley is a historical term used in the west of England to refer to money paid by a tenant instead of a chattel or heriot. A heriot is a payment made by a tenant's family after their death, usually in the form of their best animal or possession. Farley was a way for tenants to avoid giving up their best possessions after they died.
Example: John was a tenant on a farm in the west of England. When his father died, he was expected to give the landlord his father's best cow as a heriot. Instead, John paid the landlord a sum of money as farley, so he could keep the cow and pass it down to his own children.
Explanation: This example illustrates how farley was used as a way for tenants to keep their best possessions and avoid giving them up as heriots. Instead of giving the landlord a valuable cow, John paid a sum of money as farley, which was an acceptable alternative payment.