DAMAGE FEASANT

damage   feasant   (dam-ij   fez-<<schwa>>nt   orfee-z<<schwa>>nt),   n.[fr.   French   faisant dommage]  Hist. Doing  damage. • This  phrase  usu.  refers to  injury  to  a  person’s  land  caused  by another person’s animals’ trespassing on the property and eating the crops or treading the grass. By law, the owner of the damaged property could distrain and impound the animals until compensated by the animals’ owner. But the impounder had to feed the animals and could not sell or harm them. The term was introduced during the reign of Edward III. — Also spelled damage faisant. — Also termed damnum facientes. [Blacks Law 8th]