Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol II).djvu/309

 Ch. 19. it, or even if he actually conents, the feme-covert herelf may, after the death of her huband, waive or diagree to the ame: nay, even her heirs may waive it after her, if he dies before her huband, or if in her widowhood he does nothing to expres her conent or agreement. But the conveyance or other contract of a feme-covert (except by ome matter of record) is abolutely void, and not merely voidable ; and therefore cannot be affirmed or made good by any ubequent agreement.

cae of an alien born is alo peculiar. For he may purchae any thing; but after purchae he can hold nothing, except a leae for years of a houe for convenience of merchandize, in cae he be an alien-friend: all other purchaes (when found by an inquet of office) being immediately forfeited to the king.

, latly, and perons profeing the popih religion, are by tatute 11 & 12 W. III. c.4. diabled to purchae any lands, rents, or hereditaments; and all etates made to their ue, or in trut for them, are void. But this tatute is contrued to extend only to papits above the age of eighteen; uch only being abolutely diabled to purchae: yet the next protetant heir of a papit under eighteen hall have the profits, during his life; unles he renounces his errors within the time limited by law.

II. are next, but principally, to enquire, how a man may aliene or convey; which will lead us to conider the everal modes of conveyance.

conequence of the admiion of property, or the giving a eparate right by the law of ociety to thoe things which by the law of nature were in common, there was necearily ome means to be devied, whereby that eparate right or excluive property hould be originally acquired; which, we have more than once oberved, was that of occupancy or firt poeion. But this po- Rh