ATTORNMENT, in Law, a transferring of Duty and Service to another Lord; or an Acknowledgment which a Tenant makes of Homage and Service to a new Lord. See LORD and TENANT. Thus, when one is Tenant for Life, and he in Reversion grants his Right to another; it is necessary the Tenant for Life agree thereto, which is called Attornment; and without which nothing passes by the Grant.—If the Grant be by Fine, in Court of Record, he shall be compelled to Attourn. Stat. 27 Hen. VIII. The Words used in Attournment are these; I agree me to the Grant made to you, or more commonly, Sir, I Attourn to you by force of the same Grant; or, I become your Tenant, or deliver to the Grantee a Penny by way of Attournment, Littl. Lib. 3. Attournment is either by Word, or by Act; voluntary, or compulsory; by the Writ, Per quae servitia, or by Distress—It may be made to the Lord himself or to his Steward in Court. There is Attournment in Deed, and Attournment in Law. Coke. Attournment in Law is an Act, which though it be no express Attournment, yet in Intendment of Law it is of equal Force. Coke on Littl.
