Legal Definitions - alloynour

An alloynour is a historical legal term that refers to an individual who secretly takes, hides, or carries away property belonging to another. Essentially, it describes someone who commits a furtive act of theft or concealment of goods.

Here are some examples to illustrate this term:

• Imagine a scullery maid working in a grand manor house in the 17th century. She secretly pockets a valuable silver thimble belonging to the lady of the house and hides it among her personal effects, intending to keep it for herself. This maid would be considered an alloynour because she steals the thimble and conceals it, taking it furtively from its rightful owner.

• Consider a bustling marketplace in a medieval town. A customer, amidst the crowds and commotion, slips a small, unpurchased silk scarf into their cloak and quickly departs, hoping to avoid detection by the vendor. In this scenario, the customer acts as an alloynour by furtively carrying off an item, effectively stealing it through concealment.

• Suppose a villager, having illicitly taken sacks of grain from a neighboring farm, then buries them in a secluded part of their own property. Their intention is to hide the stolen goods and prevent their discovery by the authorities or the original owner. This villager would be an alloynour because they are actively concealing the stolen grain, demonstrating an intent to keep it and evade justice.