Dewnizen

In English law

A person who, being an alien born, has obtained, ex donatione reyis, letters patent to make him an English subject,—a high and incoismn- @nicable branch of the royal prerogative. A denizen is ina kind of middle state between an alien and a natural-born subject, and partakes of the status of both of these.

1 BI.

Comm. 374; 7 Coke, 6.; The term is used to signify a person who, being an alien by birth, has obtained letters patent making him an Englishsubject. The king may denize, but not naturalize, a man; the latter requiring the consent of parliament, as under the naturalization act, 1870, (33 & 34 Vict. c. i4.) A denizen holds a position milway between an alien and a naturalborn or naturalized subject, being able to take lands by purchase or devise, (which an alien could not until 1870 do,) but not able to take lands by The word is also used in this sensg in South Carolina. See 1 Mc Cord, Eq. 352, A denizen, in the primary, but obsolete, sense of the word, is a natural-born subject ofacountry.

Co. Litt. 129a.

DENMAN’S (LORD) ACT. An English statute, for the amendment of thelaw of eyidence, (6 & 7 Vict. c. 85,) which provides that no person offered as a witness shall thereafter be excluded by reason of incapacity, from crime or interest, from giving evidence. DENMAN’S (MR.) ACT. An Engiish statute, for the amendment of procedure in criminal trials, (28 & 29 Vict. c. 18,) allowing counsel to sum up the evidence in criminal as in civil trials, provided the prisoner be defended by counsel.