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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Queen Anne's Bounty
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A quick definition of Queen Anne's Bounty:
Queen Anne's Bounty: A long time ago, when someone who owned a lot of land died, the king or queen would get the profits from the land for one year. This was called "first fruits." Later on, when the king or queen didn't get this money anymore, it became a fund to help poor people. This fund is now called "Queen Anne's Bounty." It helps people who need it.
A more thorough explanation:
Queen Anne's Bounty is a historical term that refers to the revenue collected from the first year's profits of a clergyman's benefice. In the past, this revenue was paid by the incumbent to the Pope or the Crown, but later it was converted into a fund to benefit the poor.
Another meaning of first fruits is the one-year profits from the land of a tenant in capite, which were payable to the Crown after the tenant's death. This was also known as primer seisin.
For example, if a clergyman received a benefice that generated £10,000 in the first year, he would have to pay a portion of that amount to the Crown or the Pope. Later, this revenue was used to create a fund that would help the poor.
Similarly, if a tenant in capite died, the Crown would collect the first year's profits from their land as primer seisin or first fruits.
Overall, Queen Anne's Bounty was a way to collect revenue from the Church and the tenants in capite, which was later used to help the poor.