Legal Definitions - firme

The term firme is an older, less common spelling of the legal term farm. In a legal context, farm does not primarily refer to an agricultural property, but rather to a fixed annual rent or payment, often for land, a franchise, or a privilege.

Historically, when one "farmed" something, it meant they paid a fixed sum for the right to collect revenues or use property, keeping any surplus for themselves. Therefore, firme refers to this specific fixed payment or rent.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Medieval Land Tenure

  Imagine a medieval peasant who holds a plot of land from a lord. Instead of performing labor services, the peasant might agree to pay a firme of five shillings each year for the right to cultivate and live on that land. This fixed annual payment, regardless of the harvest's success, represents the firme.

  This example illustrates firme as a fixed annual rent paid for the use of land, a common arrangement in historical land tenure.

• Example 2: Royal Charters and Privileges

  In the past, a town might petition the monarch for a charter granting it the right to hold a weekly market and collect tolls from merchants. In exchange for this valuable privilege, the town corporation might agree to pay a yearly firme of twenty pounds to the Crown. This fixed sum secures their exclusive right to operate the market.

  This demonstrates firme as a fixed annual payment made to secure a specific privilege or franchise granted by a higher authority.

• Example 3: Farming of Revenues

  Consider a historical scenario where a local official, such as a sheriff, would pay a fixed annual firme to the central government for the right to collect all taxes and revenues within their shire. The sheriff would then be responsible for collecting these funds, keeping any amount collected above the agreed firme as their profit, but also bearing the risk if collections fell short.

  Here, firme represents a fixed payment made for the right to collect and administer revenues, with the payer assuming the risk and potential profit.