may leave the property only to her children by the present husband. If she has none, she cannot make a will. On the death of the husband, the widow enters upon her share of the property: on the death of the wife, not having made a will, the husband enters upon the whole. Previously to 1777, the testament of the wife was not restricted to her husband and children; but she might leave her moiety of property to whom ever she pleased, which practice, as the act asserts, frequently occasioned the utter ruin of the widower. A difference formerly prevailed between the southern and northern districts, respecting the wife's or widow's right; but it does not exist at present. In cases of treason or felony, only the criminal's share becomes forfeited.

A father is obliged to maintain his children till they attain the age of fourteen years. At this period terminates all legal obligation between them. A child at this age may demand any legacy and depart; but, if he is entitled to any inheritance from the mother, and, nevertheless, remains at home, the father is entitled to the interest or use of the money as a compensation for his maintenance. Children, entering upon

their property, of whatever sort it is, are not permitted to dispose of any part of it till they are twenty-one years old, except in cases of absolute necessity, approved of by the Governor. A child is not considered to be disinherited, unless the legacy of sixpence be left to him.*

I have been speaking of legitimate children only others cannot inherit; but the intermarriage of the father and mother, within three years of the birth of a natural child, will render that child legitimate.

A father may appoint a guardian. If he neglects to do so, and leaves a widow and one child, the father's kindred have the custody of the child till it is fourteen years old. If there are two children left, the mother takes care of the eldest, and may, by will, appoint a guardian: the second child is to be taken care of as an only one would be. A guardian must not, except in cases of extremity, let the lands of a minor for a longer term than his minority.†

There are no bodies corporate in the Isle of Man, except those which are necessarily so in virtue of the office, and are sole corporations:

* Statute-book, Anno 1525, 1577, 1704.
Statute-book, Anno 1586.

R

as, the bishops, parsons, vicars, churchwardens, and some others. They are rendered so by holding, in perpetuity, a trust inseparable from the office...

Very few differences between natives and aliens exist. One we mentioned in the last chapter; the others will be spoken of as occasion offers. Formerly there was a great prejudice against the Scotch, and all of that nation were obliged to leave the island, by the first vessel that sailed, on the forfeiture of goods and liberty. A foreigner might not, without special leave, proceed further into the country than the nearest parish church.

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CHAPTER IV.

On Property.

PROPERTY seems to be divided naturally into things real or landed estates, and things per sonal, or whatever does not come within the first division.

All the lands of Man belonged formerly to the. Lord. Even so lately as the sixteenth century no person could sell, or in any manner alienate his land, by whatever title acquired, without a licence, either from the Lord, or from three of his principal Officers. The occupiers of the soil were termed the Lord's tenants, and all were subject to the payment of a fine or rental.

James, Earl of Derby, endeavoured, in the year 1643, to make all the tenures leasehold, either, for three lives, or twenty-one years; and appointed four commissioners to compound with the holders, and make agreements, in the best manner they could. His conduct gave rise to a warm contest between the sovereign and the landholders, which terminated in 1703, the former

agreeing for himself and successors to give up all title to the land, so long as the latter paid him the fines and rentals, agreed between them individually and the Earl's commissioners, in and after the year 1643. The Lord's dues were thus made incontrovertibly fixed, however much the land might at any future time be improved, and the value of it increased. The term of a lease must not exceed twenty-one years; and a mortgage, if not redeemed within five years, renders the parties liable to the fine of alienation.

In 1777 an act was passed, confirming this act of settlement, the preamble of which breathed an air of greater freedom than had till then prevailed.

Estates became, on the death of the owner, the property of the eldest son; or, if there was no son, of the eldest daughter and herein did the law of Man differ from that of other feudal nations. The courage of the female inhabitants, to whom a signal victory was once attributed, was perhaps the foundation of this custom, extant at the present time for estates remaining entailed, and for those of persons dying intestate.

Estates of inheritance might be sold by special leave of three of the Lord's principal officers.