forfeiture

In England, confiscation of an outlaw's property, usually divided between the crown and the criminal's lord. In cases of treason all property went to the crown, but in most cases the criminal's land would go to his lord and his chattels to the crown. In the case of great lords, however, a portion of the confiscated lands would usually be restored to the heirs to avoid creating a potentially dangerous resentful family. Forfeiture was much used by parliament during the Civil War, and a special Commission for Forfeited Estates was set up after the Scottish rebellions of 1715 and 1745.