obvention

plural obventions

1. obsoleteThe act of happening incidentally; that which happens casually; an incidental advantage.

   Tithes and other obventions.

   1596 (date written; published 1633), Edmund Spenser, A Vewe of the Present State of Irelande […], Dublin: […] Societie of Stationers, […], →OCLC; republished as A View of the State of Ireland […] (Ancient Irish Histories), Dublin: […] Society of Stationers, […] Hibernia Press, […] [b]y John Morrison, 1809, →OCLC

   1 more example

   Legacies bequeathed by the deaths of princes and great persons, and other casualities and obventions.

   1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI)

2. A church revenue, especially one of an occasional or incidental character.

   His altarage is worth 10s. a year, which is capable of proof, because he leases half of it for 5s., reserving to himself obvention bread.

   1825, Hugh Owen, John Blakeway, A History of Shrewsbury, volume 2, page 268; quoted in R. B. Upton, “Obvention Bread”, in Notes and Queries, 20 August 1910

   1 more example

   The profits of the churches of London were formerly the oblations and obventions; for which a remedy is given by law: but the Tithes and Profits of the London clergy are now settled and appointed by Act of Parliament.

   1733, Giles Jacob, “Obventions”, in A New Law-Dictionary, 2nd edition; quoted in “Obvention Bread”, in Notes and Queries, 10 September 1910