Stultify

i To a Jlege or prove oneself to have been non compos mentis. In the time of Henry VI (1422-61), the reasoning that a man shall notbeallowedtodisablehimself by pleading his own incapacity, because he cannot know what he did under such a situation, was adopted by the judges upon the question whether the heir was barred by his ri^ht of entry by the feoffment of his insane ancestor. And from these loose authorities the maxim that "a man shall not stultify himself" has been handed down as settled law.* The true and only rational explanation of the maxim is that it is to be understood of acts done by a lunatic in prejudice of others; as to which he shall not be permitted to excuse himself from civil responsibility on pretence of lunacy. It is not to be understood of acts done to the prejudice of himself; for this can have no foundation in reason or natural justice.^

See Insanity.