APPROPRIATION

APPROPRIATION, the Act of appropriating, or applying a Church-Benefice, which of its own Nature is jus divini, and no Person’s Patrimony, to the proper and perpetual Use of some Religious Community. See APPROPRIATE.
Appropriation is where the Advowson of a Parsonage is given or belongs to any Bishopric, religious House, College, etc., and to their Successors; so that the House or Body is both Patron and Parson, and some one of the Members officiates as Vicar. See PARSON, ADVOWSON, etc. It is called Appropriation, because the Profits of the Living are appropriated to the use of the Patrons; so that Parishes, though they are not ordinarily accounted Domini Utiles or Usufructuarii, having no right of Fee-simple; yet, by reason of the Perpetuity of their Succession, are reputed Owners of the Fee-simple, and are therefore called Proprietors. See PATRON and PATRONAGE.



To make an Appropriation, after Licence obtained of the King in Chancery, the Consent of the Diocesan, Patron, and Incumbent, is necessary, if the Church be full; if it be void, the Diocesan and the Patron, upon the King’s Licence, may conclude it. To dissolve an Appropriation, it is enough to present a Clerk to the Bishop, and he to institute and induct him: for that once done, the Benefice returns to its former Nature.

APPROPRIATION