As Sir John Falstaff is, in a certain sense, always a gentleman,-that is, as he is guilty of no crime that is technically held to operate in Defeasance of his title to that name as a man of the world,-so is Don Quixote, in everything that does not concern his monomania, a perfect gentleman and a good Christian besides.
"The Function Of The Poet And Other Essays"
James Russell Lowell
Even if Queen Mary, as a drama, had many more than its actual faults, this fact alone-this extraordinary Defeasance by the poet of his familiar identity-would make it a remarkable work.
"Views and Reviews"
Henry James
The form of the mortgage is the same as that of a deed, except that it contains a clause called the Defeasance, which states that when the obligation has been met the document shall be void.
"Business Hints for Men and Women"
Alfred Rochefort Calhoun