beneficium

bĕnĕfĭcĭum (better than bĕnĭfĭcĭ-um), ii, n. [beneficus].

• A benefaction, kindness, favor, benefit, service, εὐεργέτημα (sunt qui ita distinguunt, quaedam beneficia esse, quaedam officia, quaedam ministeria. Beneficium esse, quod alienus det: alienus est, qui potuit sine reprehensione cessare: officium esse filii, uxoris et earum personarum, quas necessitudo suscitat et ferre opem jubet: ministerium esse servi, quem condicio sua eo loco posuit, ut nihil eorum, quae praestat, imputet superiori, Sen. Ben. 3, 18, 1);—(in prose freq.; in poetry, for metrical reasons, only in play-writers; most freq. in Ter.).
• • A In gen.: nullum beneficium esse duco id, quod, quoi facias, non placet, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 12 (638): beneficium accipere, Ter. Ad. 254: pro maleficio beneficium reddere, id. Phorm. 336: immemor beneficii, id. And. 44: cupio aliquos parere amicos beneficio meo, id. Eun. 149: beneficium verbis initum re comprobare, id. And. 824: nec enim si tuam ob causam cuiquam commodes, beneficium illud habendum est, sed feneratio, Cic. Fin. 2, 35, 117; id. Off. 2. 20, 70: beneficio adligari: beneficio victus esse, Cic. Planc. 33, 81; cf.: Jugurtham beneficiis vincere, Sall. J. 9, 3: collocare, Cic. Off. 1, 15, 49 al.; 2, 20, 69: dare, id. ib. 1, 15, 48; id. Fam. 13, 8, 3; deferre, id. Off. 1, 15, 49: conferre in aliquem, id. ib. 1, 14, 45: quia magna mihi debebat beneficia, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 12, 1: in republicā multo praestat benefici quam malefici immemorem esse, Sall. J. 31, 28: senatus et populus Romanus benefici et injuriae memor esse solet, id. ib. 104, 5; Petr. 126, 4: in iis (hominibus) beneficio ac maleficio abstineri aecum censent, Liv. 5, 3, 8: immortali memoriā retinere beneficia, Nep. Att. 11, 5 al.—Of the favor of the people in giving their vote: quidquid hoc beneficio populi Romani atque hac potestate praetoriā possum, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 24, 69, and 71.—
  • B Esp.
  • • 1 Beneficio, through favor, by the help, aid, support, mediation: beneficio tuo salvus, thanks to you, Cic. Fam. 11, 22, 1; 13, 35, 1: nostri consulatūs beneficio, by means of, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 6: servari beneficio Caesaris, Vell. 2, 71, 1: hoc beneficio, by this means, Ter. Heaut. 394: sortium beneficio, by the lucky turn of, Caes. B. G. 1, 53 Herz.: longissimae aetatis, Quint. 3, 1, 9: ingenii, id. 2, 11, 2; 5, 10, 121: eloquentiae, Tac. Or. 8 al.; cf.: fortunae beneficium, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 4, 2.—
    • • • β In gen., by the agency of: quod beneficio ejus contingit, Dig. 39, 2, 40, § 1: beneficio furis, ib. 47, 2, 46 pr.—
    • 2 Alicujus beneficii facere (habere, etc.), to make dependent on one’s bounty or favor (post-Aug.): commeatus a senatu peti solitos benefici sui fecit, Suet. Claud. 23: ut munus imperii beneficii sui faceret, Just. 13, 4, 9; cf.: adeo quidem dominis servi beneficia possunt dare, ut ipsos saepe beneficii sui fecerint, Sen. Ben. 3, 18, 4: sed nihil habebimus nisi beneficii alieni? Quint. 10, 4, 6.—
• II Transf. to political life.
• • A A distinction, support, favor, promotion (esp. freq. after the Aug. per.): coöptatio collegiorum ad populi beneficium transferebatur, Cic. Lael. 25, 96; id. Phil. 2, 36, 91: quibus omnia populi Romani beneficia dormientibus deferuntur, id. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 180: in beneficiis ad aerarium delatus, among those recommended to favor, id. Arch. 5, 11 Halm. ad loc.; id. Fam. 7, 5, 3: cum suo magno beneficio esset, under great obligation to his recommendation, id. Phil. 8, 6 Wernsd.; Flor. 4, 2, 92; cf. Suet. Tit. 8.—So,
  • • 2 Esp. freq. of military promotions (whence beneficiarius, q. v.): quod scribis de beneficiis, scito a me et tribunos militaris et praefectos... delatos esse, Cic. Fam. 5, 20, 7: ut tribuni militum... quae antea dictatorum et consulum ferme fuerant beneficia, Liv. 9, 30, 3: beneficia gratuita esse populi Romani, id. 45, 42, 11; Auct. B. Afr. 54, 5: per beneficia Nymphidii, promoted, advanced through the favor of Nymphidius, Tac. H. 1, 25; 4, 48 Lips.: beneficii sui centuriones, i.e. his creatures, Suet. Tib. 12: Liber beneficiorum or Beneficium, the book in which the public lands that were bestowed were designated, Hyg. Limit. Const. p. 193 Goes.; Arcad. ib. p. 260.—So, SERVVS. A. COMMENTARIIS. BENEFICIORVM., Inscr. Grut. 578, 1.—
  • B A privilege, right (post-Aug.): anulorum, Dig. 48, 7, 42: religionis, ib. 3, 3, 18: militaris, ib. 29, 1, 3.—Hence, liberorum, a release from the office of judge, received in consequence of having a certain number of children, Suet. Claud. 15; Dig. 49, 8, 1, § 2.—
  • C Personified, as a god: duos omnino (deos credere), Poenam et Beneficium, Plin. 2, 7, 5, § 14.

1. beneficium (benificium), ī, n. (bene u. facio), die Guttat, das Verdienst (Ggstz. maleficium, iniuria), bes. die Wohltat, die gütige Vermittelung, Begünstigung, Vergünstigung, Gunstbezeigung, der Liebesdienst, Freundschaftsdienst, I) im allg.: in re publica multo praestat benefici quam malefici immemorem esse, Sall. Iug. 31, 28: senatus et populus Romanus benefici et iniuriae memor esse solet, ibid. 104, 5: ut maleficii quam beneficii potius immemores essent, Liv. 7, 20, 8: beneficii et maleficii occasione omissā, Liv. 9, 12, 2. – beneficium id est quod quis dedit, cum illi liceret et non dare, Sen.: sunt qui ita distinguant, quaedam beneficia esse, quaedam officia, quaedam ministeria: beneficium esse quod alienus det; officium esse filii, uxoris etc.; ministerium esse servi etc., Sen.: nec enim si tuam ob causam cuiquam commodes, beneficium illud habendum est, sed feneratio, Cic.: beneficium alci dare, b. alci tribuere, tribuere et dare, b. in alqm conferre, b. deferre, Cic.: b. ponere, collocare, b. bene ponere, b. bene collocare apud alqm, Cic.: alqm beneficio afficere, Cic.: alqm beneficiis obstringere, Cic.: b. fenerari, Cic.: beneficia fenerare, Sen. – b. accipere, b. accipere ab alqo, Cic.: qui b. dedit taceat, narret qui accipiat, Sen. – beneficio se obligatum putare, Cic. – b. tueri (im Herzen bewahren, dankbar anerkennen), Cic. u. Plin. ep. (s. Döring Plin. ep. 2, 13, 9). – alcis beneficia in alqm, Verdienste um jmd., Caes. u. Sall. – in beneficii loco (petere), Cic., od. in beneficio (relinquere), Liv., als eine Gefälligkeit: in summo beneficio impetrare, als eine große Wohltat, Cic.: ähnl. beneficii causā od. per beneficium, Cic. – dah. beneficio, durch Vermittelung, Einwirkung, Einfluß, Bemühung, Verwendung, Hilfe, Beistand, tuo beneficio, Cic.: deorum beneficio, Caes.: sortium beneficio, vermittelst der L., Caes.: nostri consulatus beneficio, Cic.: anuli beneficio, Cic.: silvarum beneficio, unter dem Schutz der W., Hirt. b. G.: hoc beneficio, durch dieses Mittel, Ter. – II) im Staatsleben, A) die (vom Staate od. Volke od. von einer einzelnen Staatsperson herrührende) Auszeichnung, Begünstigung, Vergünstigung, Wohltat, Verleihung, Beförderung, in beneficium recepti, in die Verleihung (des Bürgerrechts), Ggstz. auctores beneficii, Vell.: tabula alicuius beneficii, Cic.: cooptatio collegiorum ad populi beneficium transferebatur, Cic.: cum suo magno beneficio esset, da er seiner Empfehlung viel verdankte, Cic.: centuriones sui beneficii, seine Kreaturen, Suet.: ut munus imperii beneficii sui faceret, die Befehlshaberstellen zu einem Gnadengeschenk von seiner Seite machte, Iustin.: in beneficiis (unter den zu verleihenden Vergünstigungen) ad aerarium delatus est a L. Lucullo consule (vgl. defero a. E.), Cic.: tribuni militum... quae antea dictatorum... fuerant beneficia, Beförderungen von seiten der Diktatoren gewesen waren, Liv. – liber beneficiorum, das Buch, in dem die verliehenen Staatsäcker verzeichnet waren, Gromat. vet. p. 203, 1; 295, 12; vgl. Rudorff im Vol. 2. p. 406. – B) das Vorrecht, Privilegium, b. militare, b. anulorum, b. religionis, ICt.: b. liberorum, das durch eine bestimmte Kinderzahl erlangte Befreitsein vom Richteramt, Suet. Claud. 15, 1. – ➳ In der Volksspr. synk. benficium, Plaut. u. Ter.; s. Ritschl opusc. 2, 716 ff. – Auch benificium geschr., zB. Corp. inscr. Lat. 1, 587; 5, 5050. lin. 30 u. 34. Sall. Iug. 31, 28 u. 104 Iordan. Vgl. Ritschl opusc. 2, 561.

2. benēficium, s. venēficium ➳ .

beneficium [CL] 1 benefit: a boon, free gift; b advantage, profit; c benefit of clergy (right of trial in ecclesiastical court); d (w. abl.) by means (of), thanks to. a caelestis ~ii munificentia Aldh. PR 142 p. 202; multi sunt qui ampliora a te ~ia quam ego et majores accipiunt dignitates Bede HE II 13; de ~iis et judiciis divinis Ib. IV 22; reor indignum benefīcia tanta latere / aetatem Wulf. Swith. prol. 351; 9‥ ~ium, i. donum, freme, gife WW; 1067 Willelmus Dei ~io rex Anglorum (Ch. Peterb.) MonA I 383; est autem assisa illa [sc. magna] regale quoddam ~ium clementia principis ‥ populis indultum Glanv. II 7 (cf. (v. 4 infra)).  b ~ium, freomo GlC B 68; hoc manerium dedit rex W. monachis pro ~io suo DB I 273 (cf. VCH Derb I 298); 1246 renunciantes ~io restitutionis in integrum super preteritis detencionibus Reg. Paisley 25; 1287 quod ‥ aque benedicte ~ia solis scolaribus assignentur Conc. Syn. 1027; 1340 ejectis a domo ‥ omne ~ium domus ‥ denegetur Deeds Balliol 293; arbitror ‥ illos in legis humane ~iis minorandos quos ‥ postponit ecclesia in ~iis suis Fortescue LLA 41 pun on 3.  c 1363 dicunt quod ipsi clerici sunt et petunt quod ~ium clericale eis allocetur Proc. J. P. 284 (cf. ib. 264, Entries 55b); ut fures et parricidae convicti, qui ~io trium literarum, hoc est, quod legere sciant, servantur, stigmatiae fierent P. Verg. XXVI 612 (= Id. Camd. 130n).  d paulatim aliorum ~io ad subtiliora consurgunt J. Sal. Pol. 437A; multiplicate majestatis ~io magni fieri possumus Gir. TH intr. p. 5. 2 (spiritual) benefit conferred by religious house. a1112 fratres Thornensis cenobii me ‥ concesserunt collegam fieri et in cunctis ~iis suis simul secum eque perpetuo participari, unde ‥ pro tanti ~ii adeptione ecclesiam de G. ‥ largitus sum MonA II 601; 1176 pro hac ‥ donatione concesserunt mihi ‥ monachi commune ~ium domus sue BM Ch. I 61; 1208 receperunt eum in singulis ~iis et oracionibus que fiunt in ecclesia sua FormA 220; 1259 abbas et conventus ipsum dominum R. et A. uxorem suam et liberos suos in ~iis spiritualibus que fiunt in ecclesia de Oseneya in perpetuum admiserunt participes Cart. Osney IV 297; 1336 ut animam ‥ Johannis, qui ‥ ab hac ‥ luce ‥ transivit, ‥ in communibus ~iis vestris recipiatis Lit. Cant. II 118. 3 benefice, salaried office or position (eccl.). b (dist. as involving cure of souls or ‘simple’, i. e. without cure). c yearly payment associated w. such office. idem Robertus habet xlij domus hospitatas in Oxeneford’ ‥ et pro j manerio tenet cum ~io S. Petri DB I 158 (cf. VCH Oxon I 413); s1108 episcopi statuerunt ‥ ut ‥ presbyteri qui ‥ preeligerent cum mulieribus habitare ‥ omni ecclesiastico ~io privati extra chorum ponerentur Eadmer HN IV 231; 1182 abbas ‥ ad vacans ~ium ‥ archiepiscopo personam vel vicarium presentabit (Ch. Hen. II) Elmh. Cant. 451; 1200 dabit ‥ Roberto ‥ dim. m. ad se vestiendum quousque assignaverit ipsi R. in certo ecclesiastico ~io c s. redditus CurR RC II 174; 1222 clericos per subtractionem ~ii et officii volumus coherceri Conc. Syn. II 117; c1239 precipimus ut omnes rectores ecclesiarum et vicarii residenciam faciant in suis ~iis Ib. 273; s1265 legatus J. episcopum Wynton’ ab officio et ~io suspendit Leg. Ant. Lond. 84; c1280 ecclesie parochiales seu ~ia prebendalia (Dip Doc. E 1576) DocExch 358; s1305 papa ‥ ~ia pinguia in Anglia ei [sc. nepoti suo] dedit Graystanes 27; 1342 omnes domus rectorie sunt pro statu ~ii competentes Vis. Totnes 111; 1358 ~ium ecclesiasticum non potest licite sine institutione canonica obtineri Reg. Glasg. I 621; 1372 quorum [beneficiorum] quatuor sunt dignitates, viz. decanatus, cantoria, cancellaria et thezauraria, quintum vero, viz. archidiaconatus, officium est; ‥ et ista quinque ~ia tanquam incompassibilia cum aliis iis nuncupantur Reg. Brechin 19; s1377 [J. Wiclif] juste privatus exstiterat per archiepiscopum Cant’ quodam ~io ‥ in universitate Oxon’ situato Chr. Angl. 115; ut nos ‥ possessiones ipsas modo sacerdotia modo ~ia vocemus P. Verg. XIV 257; 1585 pro primitiis spiritualium suorum ~iorum DocCOx 134.  b 1242 quod ‥ fratres [de Bello Loco] ‥ decimas ‥ infra parochiam de Abertarf ‥ habeant ‥ nomine simplicis ~ii in puram et perpetuam eleemosynam ‥ sicut aliquod simplex ~ium in diocesi nostra (Cart. Beauly) RHS Trans. IV 36; c1260 nomine simplicis ~ii in ecclesia de H. Melrose I 327; a1300 de aliquo ~io ecclesiastico competenti cum cura vel sine cura Chr. Peterb. 47; c1357 si homicide ‥ concederet [papa] facultatem plura ~ia curata retinendi Ric. Armagh Def. Cur. II 1404; 1403 ~ium curatum et non curatum (Pat) Foed. VIII 293.  c a1200 concessimus ‥ ecclesie ‥ de Gipeswic’ et canonicis ibidem Deo servientibus ‥ ~ium vj marcarum argenti per annum in ecclesia de Gretingheham, salva nobis ‥ presentacione et electione clerici qui ‥ instituetur, qui securitatem prestabit quod jamdictum ~ium ‥ persolvet AncD A 3347; 1220 E. fuit inde persona ‥ reddendo ‥ per annum eidem abbati dim. m. nomine ~ii BNB II 255 (cf. ib.: reddendo annuatim nomine pensionis dim. m.); 1222 dedimus ‥ ecclesie ‥ Malmesbyri et monachis ibidem Deo servientibus omnes decimas in parochia ecclesie de C. nomine perpetui ~ii possidendas Ch. Sal. 119; W. ‥ admissus est in ea [ecclesia] canonice persona institutus salvis lx s. annuis priori et canonicis [de Huntingdon] de eadem ecclesia nomine perpetui ~ii per manum dicti W. et successorum suorum percipiendis Reg. Linc. II 112. 4 royal grant of land etc., fief (not normal usage in England). †858 (12c) ego Æðelbald ‥ rex ‥ concedo ‥ ipsam terram ‥ episcopo ‥ Wentanae aecclesiae; ‥ et nullus jam licentiam ulterius habeat ‥ terram predictam alicui dandi ‥ neque ‥ rogandi in ~ium CS 495; c1030 (1309) concedo ‥ medietatem insule que dicitur Gener’ [Guernsey] ‥ et ex altera medietate quam ‥ fidelis noster nomine Nigellus in ~io tenet omnia quecunque ex ipso ~io meis usibus proveniunt (Ch. Duc. Norm.) PQW 829a; a1087 (1247) in cujus regis W. carta continebantur hujusmodi libertates, viz. quod ‥ abbas et monachi Fiscann’ habeant terram de Staninges [Steyning, Suss] ‥ cum omnibus ‥ liberis consuetudinibus, quia hoc totum regale ~ium est ChartR 39 m. 6; precepit rex ut ‥ civitas Cantuaria, quam Lanfrancus ‥ in ~io a rege tenebat, ‥ in alodium ecclesie Christi Cant’ ‥ transiret Eadmer HN 43.

bĕnĕfĭcĭum, (6) ĭī, n. (bene facio), ¶ 1 bienfait, service, faveur : monumentum scelerum, non beneficiorum Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 139 un monument qui rappelait des crimes, non des services rendus ; accipere beneficium Cic. Off. 1, 56, etc., recevoir un bienfait ; dare, reddere Cic. Off. 1, 48, accorder, rendre un bienfait (referre Cic. Mur. 70) ; apud aliquem ponere Cic. Fam. 13, 26, 4 ; (13, 54) ; collocare Cic. Off. 2, 71, etc., placer un bienfait sur qqn, obliger qqn ; in aliquem conferre Cic. Off. 1, 45, rendre un service à qqn, obliger qqn ; aliquem beneficio obligare Cic. Q. 3, 1, 16, lier qqn par un bienfait (adligari Cic. Planc. 81, être lié par un bienfait) ; complecti Cic. Planc. 82, sʼattacher qqn par des bienfaits ; adficere Cic. Off. 2, 63, obliger qqn ; beneficio alicujus uti Cic. Att. 15, 10 ; (15, 12, 1), accepter les bienfaits (les services) de qqn, profiter des faveurs de qqn || beneficium erga aliquem Cic. Cæl. 7, etc., in aliquem Cic. Fl. 25, etc., bienfait (service) à lʼégard de qqn || in beneficio aliquid petere Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 44, demander qqch. à titre de faveur ; hoc vix ab Apronio in summo beneficio impetratum est Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 115, on lʼobtint à peine dʼApronius comme une insigne faveur || meo beneficio Cic. Cat. 2, 18, grâce à moi ; beneficio populi Romani Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 163, par la faveur du peuple romain ; anuli beneficio Cic. Off. 3, 38, à la faveur de lʼanneau (grâce à lʼanneau) ; sortium Cæs. G. 1, 53, 7, grâce aux sorts ¶ 2 [officiel^t ] faveur, distinction : beneficium populi Romani Cic. Mur. 2, la faveur du peuple romain [= le consulat] ; summis populi beneficiis usus Cic. Par. 38, ayant obtenu les plus hautes faveurs du peuple ; conservate populi Romani beneficium, reddite rei publicæ consulem Cic. Mur. 90, ne détruisez pas lʼeffet de la faveur du peuple romain, rendez à la république son consul ; cooptatio collegiorum ad populi beneficium transferebatur Cic. Læl. 96, au droit des collèges sacerdotaux de se compléter par cooptation se substituait la nomination par la faveur du peuple ; beneficia petere Cic. Off. 2, 67, solliciter les faveurs (les places) ; commeatus a senatu peti solitos beneficii sui fecit Suet. Claud. 23, il fit dépendre de sa faveur lʼoctroi des congés, quʼon demandait dʼhabitude au sénat || faveurs, gratifications, avancement : in beneficiis ad ærarium delatus est Cic. Arch. 11, au titre des gratifications, son nom fut envoyé au trésor, cf. Fam. 5, 20, 6 ; huic ego neque tribunatum neque præfecturam neque ullius beneficii certum nomen peto Cic. Fam. 7, 5, 3, ce que je te demande pour lui, ce nʼest ni un grade de tribun militaire ni un commandement ni aucune faveur spécifiée || [jurisc.], faveur, privilège : Dig.

➳ la forme benificium se trouve dans des inscriptions et chez certains auteurs, par ex. Sall. C. 9, 5 ; 31, 7 ; 54, 2.

beneficium , ii. n.
恩。贈。陞官。養廉。 Meo beneficio 托我之恩。 — facere vel dare ei 施恩與彼。 Eum beneficio complecti vel afficere 施恩與彼。Centuriones beneficii sui 以己恩陞之把總？。Beneficio ejus contigit 以其罪有此事。

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beneficium ī, n

• bene+2 FAC-, a favor, benefit, service, kindness: Pro maleficio beneficium reddere, T.: alcui dare: apud bonos beneficium conlocare, lay under obligation: Iugurtham beneficiis vincere, S.: in regem: erga me: Abs quivis homine beneficium accipere, T.: adfici beneficio: beneficio sum tuo usus, have received from you: benefici memor esse, S.: beneficio tuo salvus, thanks to you: nostri consulatūs beneficio, by means of: hoc beneficio, by this means, T.: sortium beneficio incolumis, by the lucky turn of, Cs.: alqd per beneficium civitatibus concedere, as a favor: (alqd illis) in benefici loco deferendum, offered as a kindness: coöptatio collegiorum ad populi beneficium transferebatur, i. e. the power to choose was vested in: in beneficiis ad aerarium delatus est, i. e. among those who had done service to the state: ne qua tabula benefici figeretur, no man posted as privileged. —An honor, distinction, office, promotion: beneficio populiR.ornatus: vestris beneficiis praeditus: quae antea dictatorum fuerant beneficia, in the gift of, L.: beneficia vostra penes optumos forent, S.

BENEFICIUM

BENEFIC´IUM, BENEFICIA´RIUS. The word beneficium is of frequent occurrence in the Roman law, in the sense of some special privilege or favour granted by the praetor or the emperor to a class of persons on some special ground of equity: e. g. beneficium abstinendi, beneficium divisionis ex epistola Hadriani, beneficium competentiae, beneficium aetatis, beneficium inventarii. But the word was also used in other senses, and the meaning of the term in feudal law, where it is equivalent to feodum or fief (see below), is clearly derivable from the signification of the term among the Romans of the later republican and earlier imperial times. In the time of Cicero it was usual for a general, or a governor of a province, to report to the treasury the names of those under his command who had done good service to the state: those whose names were entered in such report were said in beneficiis ad aerarium deferri (Cic. pro Arch. 100.5, ad Fam. 5.20, and the note of Manutius). It was required by a Lex Julia that the names should be given in within thirty days after the accounts of the general or governor. In beneficiis in these passages may mean that the persons so reported were considered as persons who had deserved well of the state, and so the word beneficium may have reference to the services of the individuals; but as the object for which their services were reported was the benefit of the individuals, it seems that the term had reference to the gratuity in the form of money or presents given for such services. The honours and offices of the Roman state, in the republican period, were called the beneficia of the populus Romanus.

Beneficium also signified any promotion conferred on or grant made to soldiers, who were thence called beneficiarii: this term was a common one, as we see from inscriptions in Gruter (51.4, 130.5), in some of which the word beneficiarius is represented by the two letters B. F. In this sense we must understand the passage of Caesar (de Bell. Civ. 2.18) when he speaks of the magna beneficia and the magnae clientelae of Pompeius in Citerior Spain. Beneficiarius is also used by Caesar (de Bell. Civ. 1.75) to express the person who had received a beneficium. It does not, however, appear from these passages, what the beneficium actually was. It might be any kind of honour, or special exemption from service (de Bell. Civ. 3.88; Sueton. Tib. 12; Vegetius, de Re Militari, 2.7).

Beneficiarius is opposed by Festus (s. v.) to munifex, in the sense of one who is released from military service, as opposed to one who is bound to do military service.

Grants of land and other things made by the Roman emperors were called beneficia, and were entered in a book called Liber Beneficiorum (Hyginus, de Limitibus Constit. p. 193, Goes.). The secretary or clerk who kept this book was called a commentariis beneficiorum, as appears from an inscription in Gruter (dlxxviii. 1).

It was the practice of the kings and leaders of the tribes which took possession of the western provinces of the Roman empire to grant lands to their nobles to be held generally for life on condition of special personal service. Lands so granted were called beneficia. From about the end of the 9th century, when beneficia became hereditary and subject to subinfeudation, they were also called feoda or feuds (Feud. lib. 2, tit. 1), the two words being used indifferently to denote the same condition of landed property. (Guizot, Histoire de la Civilisation en France, vol. 3. p. 247.) The beneficiarius is he who has a beneficium. Grants made for the purpose of endowing churches were called beneficia: hence the word benefice came to be applied to an ecclesiastical preferment. (Ducange, Gloss.)

[G.L] [E.A.W]