Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol II).djvu/153

 Ch. 9. leap-years it conits properly of 366, yet by the tatute 21 Hen. III. the increaing day in the leap-year, together with the preceding day, hall be accounted for one day only. That of a month is more ambiguous: there being, in common ue, two ways of calculating months; either as lunar, coniting of twenty eight days, the uppoed revolution of the moon, thirteen of which make a year; or, as calendar months, of unequal lengths, according to the Julian diviion in our common almanacs, commencing at the calends of each month, whereof in a year there are only twelve. A month in law is a lunar month, or twenty eight days, unles otherwie expreed; not only becaue it is always one uniform period, but becaue it falls naturally into a quarterly diviion by weeks. Therefore a leae for "twelve months" is only for forty eight weeks; but if it be for "a twelvemonth" in the ingular number, it is good for the whole year. For herein the law recedes from it's uual calculation, becaue the ambiguity between the two methods of computation ceaes; it being generally undertood that by the pace of time called thus, in the ingular number, a twelvemonth, is meant the whole year, coniting of one olar revolution. In the pace of a day all the twenty four hours are uually reckoned; the law generally rejecting all fractions of a day, in order to avoid diputes. Therefore, if I am bound to pay money on any certain day, I dicharge the obligation if I pay it before twelve o'clock at night; after which the following day commences. But to return to etates for years.

etates were originally granted to mere farmers or hubandmen, who every year rendered ome equivalent in money, proviions, or other rent, to the leors or landlords; but, in order to encourage them to manure and cultivate the ground, they had a permanent interet granted them, not determinable at the will of the lord. And yet their poeion was eteemed of o little conequence, that they were rather conidered as the bailiffs or ervants of the lord, who were to receive and account for the Rh