in Law, an oath taken on the admittance of any tenant, to be true to the lord of whom he holds his land. By this oath the tenant holds in the freest manner, on account that all who have fee hold per fidem et fiduciam, that is, by fealty at the least.

This fealty, at the first creation of it, bound the tenant to fidelity, the breach of which was the loss of his fee. It has been divided into general and special; general, that which is to be performed by every subject to his prince; and special, required only of such as, in respect of their fee, are bound by oath to their lords. To all manner of tenures, except tenancy at will, and frank-almoign, fealty is incident, though it chiefly belongs to copyhold estates held in fee and for life.

FEAR is defined an apprehension of impending evil, attended with a desire of avoiding it. Fear in the extreme is called terror. Fear, in Scripture, is used in various senses. The fear of God is either filial or servile. Filial fear is a holy affection or gracious habit in the soul, by which it is inclined to obey all God's commandments, and to hate and avoid evil. Slavish or servile fear is the consequence of guilt; a judicial impression produced by sad thoughts of the provoked majesty of heaven; an alarm within that disturbs the rest of a sinner. Though this fear be in wicked men, yet it is often preparative to faith and repentance. Fear is likewise used for the object of fear. God says that he will send his fear before his people; that is, a dread wrought by him, in order to terrify and destroy the inhabitants of Canaan.

Fear was devised by the Pagans. Tullius Hostilius brought the worship of this deity to Rome. The Ephori of Sparta erected a temple to Fear, near their tribunal, in order to strike awe into those who approached it. Fear was likewise worshipped at Corinth.