Heriot was a duty the lord of the manor collected at the end of a tenancy. It traditionally consisted of money or the deceased tenant’s best beast or possession, as determined by each manor’s customs.
Payment was mandatory before an heir’s admission and was distinct from the ‘entry fine’ paid by the incoming tenant, though both were typically handled in the same court session. Where property changed hands by surrender rather than death, no heriot was due, perhaps encouraging elderly tenants to surrender property before death to spare their heirs the expense.