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In the English law of descent. A term applied to males, expressive of the preference given to them over females. See 2 Bl. Comm. 234-55-10.

WORTHING OF LAND. A certain quantity of land so called in the manor of Kingslnnd, in Heielord The tenants are called "wurthies." Wharton.

WOUND. I.n criminal mses, the definition of a "wound" is an injury to the person by which the skin is hroken. State v. Leonard 22 M0. 451; Moriarty v. Brooks, 6 Car. & P. 684.

"in legml medicine, the term ‘wound’ is used In a much more cotnprehenslve sense than in surgery. In the latter, it means strictly a solution of continui- ' in the former. injuries of every description that al- fect either the hard or the soft parts; and accordingly under it are comprehended bruises, contusinns, fractures, luxatjons," etc. 2 Beck, Med. Jnr. 106.

WOUNDING. An aggravated species of assault and battery, consisting in one person giving another some dangerous hurt. 3 Bl. Comm. 121.

Wreccum mnris Iignificat Illa hona qune nnnfragio ad tor:-am pellnntnr. A wreck of the sea signifies those goods which are driven to shore from a shipwre_ck.

WEI-‘JG K. At common law. Such goods as after a shipwreck are cast upon the land by the sea, and, as lying within the territory of some count do not belong to the jurisdiction of the ad iraity, but to the com- mon law. 2 inst. 167; 1 Bl. Comm. 290.

Goods cast ashore from a wrecked vessel, where no living creature has escaped from the nrccls nlive; and Vi hith are forfeited to the crown, or to persons having the fran- (Lbise of wreck. Cowell.

In American law. Goods cast ashore by the sea, and not clztiined by the owner uitbin a year, or other specified period: and which, in such case, heconie the property of the state 2 Kent, Comm. 322.

In maritime law. A ship becomes a wreck when, in consequence of injuries re celvetl. she is rendered absolutely unnavi;.:a- me or unable to pursue her voyage, without rcpairs exceeding the haif of her value. Wood v. Insurance Co., 6 Mass. -179, 4 Am. Dec. 103; Collard v. Eddy, 17 Mo. 35’; Baker v. Hnag, 7 N. Y. 558. 59 Am. Dec. 431; Pccle v. Insurance \"o.. 19 Fed. Cas. 104; Lacave v. State. 1 Arltl. (Pm) 99.

—Wrech commissioners are persons appomtctl by the English lord rlmuccllor under the merch-mt shipping act. 1876, (section 29.) to hold investigations at the request of the board of trade into losses, aluanzionmeuts, damages,

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WRIT

and casualties of or to ships on or near the coast of the United Kingdom, whereby loss of life is caused. Sweet.

WRECKFREE. Exempt from the forfeiture or shipwrecked goods and wssels to the king. Cowell.

WRIT. A precept in writing, couched in the form of a letter, running in the name of the king, president; or state issuing from a court of justice, and sealed with its seul, addressed to a sheriff or other officer of the law, or directly to the person whose action the court desires to command, either as tho commencement of a suit or other proceeding or as incidental to its progress, and requiring the performance of a specified act, or giving authority and commission to have it done.

For the names and description of various particular writs, see the following titles.

In old English law. An instrument in the form of a letter; a letter or letters of attorney. This is a very ancient sense of the word.

In the old hooks, "writ" is used as equiv- alent to "action;" hence writs are sometimes divided into real. personal, and mixed.

In Scotch law. A writing; an instru- ment in writing, as a deed, bond, contract, etc. 2 Forh. inst pt 2, pp. 175-179.

—Alias writ. A second writ issued in the same cause, where a former writ of the some kind has been issued without el'Eect.—Close writ. In English law, I. name m'ven to certain letters of the sovereign, sealed with his great seal and directed to particular persons and for particular purposes, which. not being proper for public inspection, were closed up and sealed on the outside; also, a writ directed to

sherilf instead of to the lord. 2 Bl. Comm. %i. 3 Reeve, Eng. Low, -15.—Concarrent writs. Duplicate originals, or several writs running at the same time for the same purpose, for service on or arrest of a person, when it is not known where he is to be found; or for service on several persons, as when there are several defendants to an action. Motley & Whitley. —JndiciaI writs. In English practice. Such writs as issue under the private seal of the couits, and not under the great seal of England, and are tested or witnessed. not in the king's name, but in the name of the chief judge of the court out of which they issue. The word "ju:l' 'al is used in contrazlistinction [0 "orig- inal; original writs being such as issue out of chnncery under the great seal, and are witnr-ssed in the king's name. See 3 lil Comm. 2.5.’. Pullman's Palace-Car Co. v. Washhurn (C. C.) (36 Fed. —Jnnior writ. One which is issued, or comes to the officefs hands, at a later time than a similar writ, at the suit of another party, or on a rlillcrpnt cl ', against the same deEendant.—Origin.s.l wri In English practice. An original writ was the process formcrly in use for the cnmmrnremrnt of personal actions. It was a mandatory letter from the king, issuing out of chancery. sealed with the great seal, and directed to the sheriff of the county whernln the injury was comnuttml. or was supposed to have been committed requiring him to command the wrong-doer or accus ed party either to do justice to the plaintiff or else to appear in court and unsvicr the accusation against him This writ is now disused, the writ of summons being the process prescribed by the nufiformity of procas act for commenting