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the decision is in favor of the plaintiff. Ersk. Inst. 5.—Decre_et of valuation of teirids. A sentence of the court of sessions, [who are now in the place of the commissioners for the valuation of tcinds, determining the extent and value of teinds ell.

Lat. In Dill English law. Decrease of the sea: the receding of the sen from the land. Callls. Sew- ers, (53,) 65. See Rnucrion.

DECREPIT. This l.erm designates a person who is disabled, incapable, or incompetent, either lrom physical or mental ‘weak- ness or defects, wiiethcr produced by age or other causes, to such an extent as to render the individual coniparzitiveiy helpless in 11 personal conilict with one possessed of ordi- nary health and strength. Hall v. State. 16 Tex. App. 11, 49 Am. Itep. 82.4.

DECRETA. In the Roman law. Judicial sentences given by the emperor as su- preme judge.

Dec)-eta conciliorum non ligant u-egos noatron. Moore, 90?». The decrees of coucnils bind not our kings.

DECRETAL ORDER. DEB.

see Dsciiss: On-

DECRETALES BONIJFACII OGTAVI. A supplemental collection of the canon law, published by Boniface VIII. in 1298, called, also, "Libor Sertus Deoretalium," (Sixth Book of the Decretals.)

DECRETALES GREGORII NONI. The decreuils of Gregory the Ninth. A collection of the laws of the church, published by order of Gregory IX. in 1227. It is composed of five books. subdivided into titles, and each title is divided into chapters. They are cited by using an X, (or ozLra;) thus "Cap. 8 X do Regulus June," etc.

DECRETALS. In ecciesiastical law. Letters of the pope, written at the suit or instance of one or more persons, determining some point or question in ecclesiastical law, and possessing the force of law. The decret.-ils form the second part of the body of can- on law.

This is also the title of the second of the two great divisions of the canon law, the first being called the "Decree," (decretum.)

DECRETO. In Spanish colonial law. An order emanating from some superior tribunal, promulgated in the name and by the authority of the sovereign, in relation to ecclesiastical matters. Schm. Civil Law, 93. note.

DECRETUM. In the civil law. A species of imperial constitution. being a judglnent or sentence given by the emperor upon

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hearing of a cause. (quad impcrutor cw- noscens decrcvlt.) Inst. 1, 2, 6.

In canon law. An ecclesiastical law, in contradistinction to a secular law, (lea) 1 Mackeid. Civil Law, p. 81, 5 93, (KaufnizLnn'I note.)

DECRETUM GRATIANI. Gr:it'inn's decree, or doc-return. A collection of ecclcz-‘Sh tical law in three books or parts. 1117111!‘ u the year 1151, by Gratian, a Benedictine monk of Bologna, being the oldest us "all Al the first in order of the collettiuns which tu- gether form the body of the Iwninu canon law. 1 Bl. Comm. 82; 1 Reeve, Eng. Law. 67.

D!-JGROWNING. I crown.

The act of depriving or

DECRY. To cry down; to deprive or credit "The king may at any time circry or cry down any coin of the kingdom, and

I1lflI\€ it no longer current." 1 Bl. (Joann. 278. DECUBIO. Lot A decurion. In the

provincial administration of the Roman empire, the decurious were the chiel men or official personages of the iurge towns. Taken as a body, the decnrions of a city were chnrg- ed with the entire control and nuluniusLuition of its internal affairs; having powers both magisterial and legislative See 1 Spence, Eu. Jur. 54.

DEDBANA. In Saxon law. homicide or manslaughter.

An actual

DEDI. (Lat. I have given.) A word used in deeds and other instruments of con- veyance when such instruments were nude in Latin, and anciently held to imply a warranty of title. Deakins v. Hollis, 7 Gill it-. J. (l\Id.) 815.

DEDI ET CONCESSI. I have given and gianted. The operative words of conveyance in ancient charters of feoffmcut, and deeds of gift and giant; the English "give,-n and urimtcd" being still the most proper. though not the essential, words by which such con- veyances are made. 2 B1. Couum. 53, 316, 317; 1 Stcph. Comm. 164, 177, 473, 474.

DEDICATE. To appropriate and seL apart oue's private property to some public use; as to make a priuite way public by acts evlncing an intention to do so.

DEDICATION. In real property law. An appropriation of land to some public use. made by the owner, and actcptnd for such use by or on behalf of the public; a deliberate appropriation of land by its owner for any general and public uses. reserving to himself no other rights than such as are compatlhle with the full exercise and enjoyment