In medieval law, an open admission and justification of an action; the act of avouching one's conduct.
From 'avow' plus the legal suffix '-ry' (action or practice). Used in Middle English and Early Modern English legal terminology.
Avowry was a brilliant legal move—instead of denying you took something, you'd say 'Yes, I took it, AND I had the right to take it!' It shifted the argument from guilt to justification, a tactic still used in modern law.
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