登陆注册
5247300000057

第57章 XI. (5)

And hence it came to pass, that not only by the Customs of Normandy, but also according to the Customs of other Countries, those honorary Fees, or Infeudations, became descendible to the Eldest, and not to all the Males. And hence also it is, that in Kent, where the Custom of all the Males taking by Descent generally prevails, and that pretend a Concession of all their Customs by the Conqueror, to obtain a Submission to his Government, according to that Romantick Story of their Moving Wood: But even in Kent itself, those ancient Tenements or Fees that are held anciently by Knights Service, are descendible to the Eldest Son, as Mr Lambard has observed to my Hands in his Perambulation, Page 533, 553. out of 9 H. 3. Fitz. Prescription 63. 26 H. 8.5. and the Statute of 31 H. 8. cap. 3. And yet even in Kent, if Gavelkind Lands escheat, or come to the Crown by Attainder or Dissolution of Monasteries, and be granted to be held by Knights Service, or Per Baroniam, the Customary Descent is not changed, neither can it be but by Act of Parliament, for it is a Custom fix'd to the Land.

But those honorary infeudations made in ancient Times, especially shortly after the conquest, did silently and suddenly assume the Rule of Descents to the Eldest, and accordingly held it; and so altho' possibly there were no Acts of Parliament of those Elder Times, at least none that are now known of, for altering the ancient Course of Descents from all the Sons to the Eldest, yet the Use of the Neighbouring Country might introduce the same Usage here as to those honorary Possessions.

And because those honorary Infeudations were many, and scattered almost through all the Kingdom, in a little Time they introduced a Parity in the Succession of Lands of other Tenures, as Socages, Valvasories, &c. So that without Question, by little and little, almost generally in all Counties of England (except Kent, who were most tenacious of their old Customs in which they gloried, and some particular Feuds and Places where a contrary Usage prevailed) the generality of Descents or Successions, by little and little, as well of Socage Lands as Knights Service, went to the eldest Son, according to the Declaration of King Edw.

I in the Statute of Wales above mentioned, as will more fully appear by what follows.

In the Time of Hen. I as we find by his 70th Law, it seems that the whole Land did not Descend to the eldest Son, but begun to look a little that Way, viz. Primum Patris Feudum, Primogenitus Filius habeat. And as to Collateral Descents, that Law determines thus: "Si quis sine. Liberis decesserit Pater aut Mater ejus in haereditatem succedat vel Frater vel Soror si Pater & Mater desint, si nec hos, habeat Soror Patris vel Matris, &deinceps in Quintum Geniculum; qui cum propinquiores in parentela sint haereditario jure succedant; & dum Virilis sexus extiterit &haereditas ab inde sit, Foeminea non haereditetur."By this Law it seems to appear;

1. The eldest Son, tho' he had Jus Primogeniturae, the principal Fee of his Father's Land, yet he had not all the Land.

2. That for want of Children, the Father or Mother inherited before the Brother or Sister.

3. That for want of Children, and Father, Mother, Brother, and Sister, the Land descended to the Uncles and Aunts to the fifth Generation.

4. That in Successions Collateral, Proximity of Blood was preferred.

5. That the Male was preferred before the Female, i.e. The Father's Line was preferred before the Mother's, unless the Land descended from the Mother, and then the Mother's Line was preferred.

How this Law was observed in the interval between Hen. I. and Hen. 2. we can give no Account of; but the next Period that we come to is, the Time of Hen. 2. wherein Glanville gives us an Account how the Law stood at that Time: Vide Glanville, Lib. 7.

Wherein, notwithstanding it will appear, that there was some Uncertainty and Unsettledness in the Business of Descents or Hereditary Successions, tho' it was much better polished then formerly, the Rules then of Succession were either in Reference to Goods, or Lands. 1st, As to Goods, one Third Part thereof went to the Wife, another Third Part went to the Children, and the other Third was left to the Disposition of the Testator; but if he had no Wife, then a Moiety went to the Children, and the other Moiety was at the Deceased's Disposal. And the like Rule if he had left a Wife, but no Children. Glanv. lib. 7. cap. 5. & Vide lib. 2. cap. 29.

But as to the Succession of Lands, the Rules are these.

First, If the Lands were Knights Service, they generally went to the eldest Son; and in case of no Sons, then to all the Daughters; and in case of no Children, then to the eldest Brother.

Secondly, If the Lands were Socage, they descended to all the Sons to be divided; Si feurit Soccagium & id antiquitus divisum;only the Chief House was to be allotted to the Purparty of the Eldest, and a Compensation made to the rest in lieu thereof: "Si vero non fuerit antiquitus divisum, tunc Primogenitus secundum quorundam Consuetudinem totam Haereditatem obtinebit, secundum autem quorundam Consuetudinem postnatus Filius Haeres est."Glanville, lib. 7. cap. 3. So that altho' Custom directed the Descent variously, either to the eldest or youngest, or to all the Sons, yet it seems that at this Time, Jus Commune, or Common Right, spoke for the eldest Son to be Heir, no Custom intervening to the contrary.

Thirdly, As the Son or Daughter, so their Children in infinitum, are preferred in the Descent before the Collateral Line or Uncles.

Fourthly, But if a Man had two Sons, and the eldest Son died in the Life-time of his Father, having Issue a Son or Daughter, and then the Father dies. it was then controverted, whether the Sou or Nephew should succeed to the Father, tho' the better Opiuion seems to be for the Nephew, Glanvil. lib. 7. cap. 3.

Fifthly, A Bastard could not inherit, Ibid. cap. 13, or 17.

同类推荐
  • THE TALISMAN

    THE TALISMAN

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 厘正按摩要术

    厘正按摩要术

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 道门十规

    道门十规

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金光明经文句记

    金光明经文句记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 警寤钟

    警寤钟

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 深海霸主:金主有颜又有钱

    深海霸主:金主有颜又有钱

    金牌佣兵突遭背叛,醒来却发现自己身处异世,并且还是一个人人厌恶的废柴?!向来手段狠辣,眦睚必报的贺碧水冷眸微闪,嘴角噙着一抹轻蔑的冷笑。皇家公主前来找茬?管你是什么身份,到我这统统打出去!未婚夫协同白莲花扔退婚书前来挑衅?装弱,演戏,跳湖自尽!将你们的好名声败坏了先!就算我已至十八地狱,也将徒手爬上,将那些害我之人拖至地狱岩浆。未料途中妖孽泛滥,一波接着一波,桃花泛滥,个个非她不娶。贺碧水:喝你一口茶你就要追我,以后还是别联系了吧。
  • 说林下

    说林下

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 笑话中的经济学

    笑话中的经济学

    经济学是研究人的行为活动的学问。具体说来,就是研究如何以最小的代价,取得最大的效果,如何在各种可能的选择中,在各种主观与客观、自然与人际条件的制约下,选取代价最小而收效最大的那种选择。本书可谓是雅俗共赏。对于普通读者而言,可以借助一个个笑话所蕴涵的道理,轻松地理解原本“深奥”的经济学原理,满足“学点几经济学知识”的愿望;对于经济学的专业人士来说,读这本书则可以增加一个新的认识角度——原来经济学也可以如此“演义”,如此“娱乐”,权当闲暇之余的休闲阅读。
  • 精灵勇者2:迷宫之战

    精灵勇者2:迷宫之战

    从异世界之门回来后,烟菲的手臂上出现了洗不掉的黑点,昼夜时间失去平衡,黑夜开始笼罩大地,这时新的火龙宝宝出现并开始大肆破坏校园……新的挑战即将来临!面对拥有复制精灵使者能力的恶魔对手,勇者们毅然接受迷宫挑战,去赢取精灵王的祝福与勇者荣耀。傲娇任性的火龙宝宝、优雅温柔的冰河鱼姬、萝莉身大叔心的百药大王、“一个萝卜一个坑”的铁头萝卜精灵、胃洞直通异世界的草菇精灵、审美奇异的南方灵将凤……众多性格各异的精灵使者们出现,与勇者们并肩作战。只要微笑就有希望!伙伴是我们*的勇气和能量来源,“恶之花”终敌不过希望之光!卖得了萌打得了怪,快来跟史上第一“萌帅”精灵勇者少年团一起战斗、踏上梦想与力量的征途吧!
  • 卡夫卡致奥特拉及家人的信

    卡夫卡致奥特拉及家人的信

    卡夫卡,现代派文学的奠基人之一,生前鲜为人知,死后震撼世界。他终身未婚,与父亲关系紧张,他的妹妹奥特拉·卡夫卡或许就是他最为亲近的人。卡夫卡的书信集中,《致蜜伦娜情书》、《致菲丽斯情书》和《致父亲》都已经有了中译本,而《致奥特拉及家人的信》尚无中译。通过卡夫卡与家人的书信,可以看到这位孤独一生的作家难得的温情。
  • 快穿之魔道小姐姐教你做人

    快穿之魔道小姐姐教你做人

    桑月是修仙界难啃的一块硬骨头,结果一时不慎,被一群老东西联手坑了,魂飞魄散之前,她绑定了一个女配委托系统,桑月眉头微挑,女配?我?呵呵,只做女主不做女配。系统:……行吧N个快穿故事,有无cp看剧情需要,大概率走无cpps:拒绝写作指导,谢谢理解
  • 守护人生

    守护人生

    脾气不好、浑身公主病,还喜欢惹事……算了,看在你家这么不穷的份上,我叶枫暂且忍了!
  • 再见亦是别离

    再见亦是别离

    若干几年前,在一个落后的小山村里,有一个调皮的男孩子,由于父亲早故,缺少管束,不慎落入洪水之中,所幸有惊无险,得一位好心人舍命相救,自此小男孩便给了这个好心人一个承诺——有朝一日,他一定要报答恩人的救命之恩,十几年过去,当年顽劣不堪的男孩大学毕业啦,这日就在男孩回校领取毕业证书之际,他终于再次遇见了自己一直苦苦追寻的恩人,而此刻,这位昔日舍命相救的恩人已经成为这所城市最成功的房地产开发商,男孩隐藏来历,脱胎换骨,成为恩人公司里的一名普通员工。男孩儿短短两年时间便成为恩人事业上的左膀右臂,岂料阴差阳错,造化弄人,男孩为报答恩人的恩情,兑现当初的承诺,只能忍痛入赘豪门,成了恩人的乘龙快婿。
  • 快穿:反派女配不好当

    快穿:反派女配不好当

    “主人,欢迎绑定快穿系统,我是您的机器人小白。”原本正睡得正香的一只小精灵脑中突然出现……
  • 妻势汹汹

    妻势汹汹

    【本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿】别人穿越非后即妃,唯她云端却成为乔府倍受冷落的大少奶奶。婆婆不疼,妯娌不爱,好不容易相公死而复生,偏偏又引得小三纠缠不止。她欲脱身而去,却奈何生若浮云,不能逆风而动,放荡不羁的三叔、腹黑专情的相公、神秘妖孽的九王……每人都有神秘背景,却偏与她纠纠缠缠。待雨停风住,她又该云归何处?!