ADVOW'SON, noun s as z. [The word was latinized, advocatio, from advoco, and avow is from advoco.]

In English law, a right of presentation to a vacant benefice; or in other words, a right of nominating a person to officiate in a vacant church. The name is derived from advocatio, because the right was first obtained by such as were founders, benefactors or strenuous defenders, advocates, or the church. those who have this right are styled patrons. Advowsons are of three kinds, presentative, collative, and donative; presentative, when the patron presents his clerk to the bishop of the diocese to be instituted; collative, when the bishop is the patron, and institutes, or collates his clerk, by a single act; donative, when a church is founded by the king, and assigned to the patron, without being subject to the ordinary, so that the patron confers the benefice on his clerk, without presentation, institution, or induction.

Advowsons are also appendant, that is, annexed to a manor; or, in gross, that is annexed to the person of the patron.