Legal Definitions - primitive

Definition: Primitive refers to the first fruits or profits from land or a clergyman's benefice that were paid to the Crown or Pope in the past.

• One example of primitive is the first year's profits from a tenant in capite's land, which were payable to the Crown after the tenant's death.
• Another example is the first year's whole profits of a clergyman's benefice, which were paid by the incumbent to the Pope or Crown.
• After the break with Rome, this revenue was later converted to a fund to benefit the poor and was called "Queen Anne's Bounty."

These examples illustrate how primitive refers to the initial profits or fruits that were paid to the Crown or Pope in the past. These payments were later converted to a fund to benefit the poor.