Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol II).djvu/155

 Ch. 9. as when they were little better than tenancies at the will of the landlord.

etate which mut expire at a period certain and prefixed, by whatever words created, is an etate for years. And therefore this etate is frequently called a term, terminus, becaue it's duration or continuance is bounded, limited, and determined: for every uch etate mut have a certain beginning, and certain end. But id certum et, quod certum reddi potet: therefore if a man make a leae to another, for o many years as J. S. hall name, it is a good leae for years ; for though it is at preent uncertain, yet when J. S. hath named the years, it is then reduced to a certainty. If no day of commencement is named in the creation of this etate, it begins from the making, or delivery, of the leae. A leae for o many years as J. S. hall live, is void from the beginning ; for it is neither certain, nor can ever be reduced to a certainty, during the continuance of the leae. And the ame doctrine holds, if a paron make a leae of his glebe for o many years as he hall continue paron of Dale; for this is till more uncertain. But a leae for twenty or more years, if J. S. hall o long live, or if he hall o long continue paron, is good : for there is a certain period fixed, beyond which it cannot lat; though it may determine ooner, on the death of J. S. or his ceaing to be paron there.

have before remarked, and endeavoured to aign the reaon of, the inferiority in which the law places an etate for years, when compared with an etate for life, or an inheritance: oberving, that an etate for life, even if it be pur auter vie, is a freehold; but that an etate for a thouand years is only a chattel, and reckoned part of the peronal etate. Hence it follows, that a leae for years may be made to commence in futuro, though a leae for life cannot. As, if I grant lands to Titius to hold from Rh