Legal Definitions - haspa

Definition: Haspa (pronounced has-puh) is a legal term that refers to the hasp of a door. In the past, when property was transferred from one person to another, a ceremony called "livery of seisin" was often performed in the doorway of a building on the property. The hasp of the door was an important part of this ceremony.

One example of the use of haspa might be in a historical document describing the transfer of property from one person to another. The document might say something like, "The livery of seisin was performed in the doorway of the house, with the grantor handing over the haspa of the door to the grantee."

Another example might be in a historical novel set in medieval times. The author might describe a scene where a lord is transferring land to a vassal, and the two men perform the livery of seisin ceremony in the doorway of the lord's castle, with the haspa of the door playing a key role in the proceedings.

These examples illustrate how the haspa of a door was an important symbol in the transfer of property in the past. By handing over the hasp of the door, the grantor was symbolically transferring ownership of the property to the grantee. This practice was common in medieval times and continued into the early modern period.