Swainmote

A forest assembly held three times a year in accordance with the Forest Charter of 1217, probably originally to enable the forest officers to superintend the depasturing of pigs in the king's woods in the autumn and the clearance of the forest of cattle and sheep while the deer were fawning in the summer; later, applied vaguely or generically to courts of attachment, inquisition, etc.

Literally a meeting of swineherds.

Swain"mote` (?), n. [Swain + mote meeting: cf. LL. swanimotum.] Eng. ForestLaw

A court held before the verders of the forest as judges, by the steward of the court, thrice every year, the swains, or freeholders, within the forest composing the jury.

[Written also swanimote, and sweinmote.] Don't spell it "swinemoot" or "swinemote": People will point at you and laugh. I guess "moot" is probably related, though.

Blackstone.

© Webster 1913.