The original method of transferring land under the common law was by what was known as livery of seisin,2 without any written deeds, these only coming in at a later period. Five forms of original land conveyances were recognized by the law writers: Feoffment, gift, grant, lease, exchange and partition.

Feoffment was used to create estates in fee-simple; gift to create estates in fee-tail; grant to create an incorporeal hereditament; lease to create an estate less than fee-hold.