A briefe treatise of testaments and last willes very profitable to be vnderstoode of all the subiects of this realme of England, (desirous to know, whether, whereof, and how, they may make their testaments: and by what meanes the same may be effected or hindered,) and no lesse delightfull, aswell for the rarenes of the worke, as for the easines of the stile, and method: compiled of such lawes ecclesiasticall and ciuill, as be not repugnant to the lawes, customes, or statutes of this realme, nor derogatorie to the prerogatiue royall. In which treatise also are inserted diuers statutes of this land, together with mention of sundrie customes, aswell general as particular, not impertinent thereunto: besides diuers marginall notes, and quotations not to be neglected, especially of Iustinianists, or young students of the ciuil law: vvith two tables, the one analyticall ... the other alphabeticall ... By the industrie of Henrie Swinburn, Bachelar of the Ciuill Lawe.

The definition of a Legacie.

1 What is a Legacie.

2 Foure thinges to be considered in this definition.

3 Euery legacie proceedeth of the liberality of the tes∣tator.

4 Howe a legacie differeth from a gifte in regarde of death, or from other giftes.

5 Not lawfull for the legatarie to take his legacie by his owne sole auctoritie.

6 Legacies paiable aswell by the administrator as by the executor.

7 Diuers kindes of legacies in times past.

8 The distinction of legacies confounded.

§. vj.

A Legacie (otherwise tearmed of our common lawyers a Deuisea) 1.1) is † a [unspec 1] gifte lefte by the deceased, to bee paide or performed by the Execu∣tor, or administratorb) 1.2. There bee other definiti∣ons of a Legacie which I doe willingly omitte, because this one is sufficientc) 1.3. Wherein foure † [unspec 2] thinges especially are to be noted.

First, in that it is called a gifte, it argueth that it † proceedeth of the meere liberality, & free [unspec 3] good will of the dead man; and consequentlie that he is not of necessity tyed thereuntod) 1.4.

Secondly in that it is lest, it † differeth from o∣ther [unspec 4] giftes; not onely those which are called deedes of gift, effected and executed in the life

time of the Donor: but also from those giftes which be made in consideration of death, wherein the things giuē, are deliuered by the testator in his life time, to become their own to whō they are deliuered in case the testator diee) 1.5. For le∣gacies are not deliuered by the testator, but are to be payed by his Executor, or administratorf) 1.6.

And thirdly, because the legacy is to be paid by the Executor or administrator, (as appea∣reth [unspec 5] by the definition,) it is noted, † that it is not lawfull for the legatarie, to take his legacie by his owne sole auctorityg) 1.7, (onely the execu∣tor may of his owne auctority enter to the goodes and cattelles of the deceased,h) 1.8) other∣wise if the legatarie presume to bee his owne caruer, & do enter to the possession of the thing bequeathed, without deliuery or cōsent of the executor, he therby loseth his legacyi) 1.9: except in certaine cases, whereof hereafterk) 1.10. Fourth∣lie, in that here is mention aswell of the admi∣nistrator as of the Executor, the meaning is, [unspec 6] that † not onely those legacies are dew, which are left in a testament, wherin is appointed an executor, and where the party doth not die in∣testate: But those legacies also which are left in a Codicill or last will, wherein no Executor is appointed, and where the partie dyeth inte∣statel) 1.11; which Legacies as they bee due, so are they payable in both cases: in the one by the Executor; and in the other case by the admini∣stratorm) 1.12. Nay more then this; if any legacie be left in a testament, although the executor ther∣in named can not bee executor, or doe refuse

the executorship, and so the partie die in a ma∣ner intestate, and thereupon administration of his goodes graunted, according to the statutes of this realmen) 1.13. In this case also by the lawes and custome of this realme, the Legacies bee due and payable by the administratoro) 1.14, though it be otherwise by the ciuill lawep) 1.15.

In auncient time † there were foure seuerall kindes of legacies. Per vindicationemq) 1.16, per dam∣nationemr) 1.17, [unspec 7] per sinendi modums) 1.18, per praeceptionemt) 1.19. That is to say, by challenge, by condemnation, by suffering, by foretaking, being so distingui∣shed, by occasion of a certaine solemnity or for∣malitie of wordes, assigned to euery kinde of legaciev) 1.20: With seuerall actions or remedies, as∣cribed to euery such legacie, for the recouerie thereofx) 1.21. But afterwardes the † lawes beeing more fauorable to dead mens willes, this pre∣cise [unspec 8] solemnitye of wordes was taken away, and libertie graunted to make bequests by a∣nie manner of wordes(y) 1.22. (As else where more fullie(z) 1.23.) Whereby in the ende, all legacies bee came of one and the same nature, and are all at this present recouerable by like actions(a) 1.24. Which by the ciuill lawe is threefolde(b) 1.25, with

vs if the executor detaine the legacie, or doe slacke the performaunce of the testators will. The legatorie must sue the executor in the Ec∣clesiasticall courte, for the same Legacye so de∣tained or not satisfiedc) 1.26.

Notes

• a) 1.1

  Tearms of law, verb. de vise.
• b) 1.2

  §. j. Instit. de lega.
• c) 1.3

  Constat plures esse Legati definitiones, a∣liam Florentini, aliam Modestini, aliam Iusti∣niani, quarum nulla est, quam vnus aut al∣ter nō tentauit euerte∣re, sed frustrà quidē su∣darunt omnes; quippe quorū fractis argumē∣tis nullā hatum nō per se iustam, legitiméque traditam, clarissimè o∣stendit D. Gentilis Oxoniens. hodie Legistarum decus. lib. 1. Lection. & epistol. c. 14. 15. 16.
• d) 1.4

  Minsing. in d. tit. de legat. instit. §. j.
• e) 1.5

  §. j. Instit de Donac.
• f) 1.6

  L. j. Quorum lega. ff L. non dubium. de l••ga C. & ibi DD. Pa••kins. tit. testa. c. 7. fol. 94. b.
• g) 1.7

  d. L. non dubium & Sichar. ••bid. n. 2.
• h) 1.8

  Infr. 6. § j. & iij.
• i) 1.9

  d. L. non dubium. C. de lega.
• k) 1.10

  Infr. part. 7. §. 22. in fin.
• l) 1.11

  §. non autem Instit. de Codicil.
• m) 1.12

  Eod. §. non autem. & L. ab intestat. ff. de iure codicil.
• n) 1.13

  Stat. H. 8. an. 21. c. 5.
• o) 1.14

  Brooke Abridg. tit. testa. n. 20. inf. par. 7. §. 19.
• p) 1.15

  L. j. in sin. de Iniust. testa. L. fidei commis. de Leg. j. L. Imperator. de Leg. 2. ff. Grass. The∣saur. com. op. §. legatū. q. ••8.
• q) 1.16

  §. sed olim. Instit. de lega.
• r) 1.17

  Alij legunt per ven∣dicationem, vt Porci∣us, & Minsing. in d. §. sed olim.
• s) 1.18

  i. obligationem, vel condemnationem.
• t) 1.19

  i. ante captionem. Minsin. in d. §. sed olim,
• v) 1.20

  Accipe singulorum legatorum exempla, 1. Titius rem illam ha∣beto. 2. Haeres meus damnas esto dare. 3. Haeres meus sinito Titium rem illam su∣mere, sibíque habere. 4. Haeres praedium il∣lud praecipito. gloss. in d. §. sed olim.
• x) 1.21

  Legato videlicet per vindicationem relicto, actio realis: per dam∣nationem verò personalis nascebatur. Sinendi modo relictum, sola legatarij autoritate sine vitio capitur, legatum per praeceptionem actione familiae Herciscundae exigebatur. Minsing. & alij in d. §. sed olim.
• (y) 1.22

  L. j. C. com. de lega. §. nostra Instit. de lega.
• (z) 1.23

  Infr. part 4. §. 4.
• (a) 1.24

  d. §. nostra. Instit. de lega.
• (b) 1.25

  Iure ciuili tres actiones Legatarijs compe∣tere dignoscitur, personalem, realem, Hypothecariam. Iure autem quo nos vtimur, quin prima actio qua executor ex quasi contractu teneatur, etiamnum vigeat, nulla est dubi∣tatio. Secunda etiam qua rem Legatam persequimur competit quidem Legata••io pri∣mo aduersus executorem, seu administratorem pro re tradenda, deinde adepta possessio∣n••, aduersus quemlibet possessorem conceditur actio transgressionis. Tertiae verò actio∣ni qua res testatoris legatarijs pignorari dicitur, suspicor nullum in hoc regno locum esse relictu••.
• c) 1.26

  Tract. de repub. Ang. lib. 3. c. 9. Bracton. de legib. & cons. Angl. lib. 2. c. 26. in En. Brook A∣bridg. tit. de vise. n. 27. 45. Fitzherb Nat. Bre••. fol. 50. in Br. de consul∣tac. in princ. Plowd. a cas. inter Paramor & Yardley. Termes of law, verb. deuise.