Mortmain acts

These acts had for their object to prevent lands getting into the possession or control of religious corporations, or, as the name indicates, in mortua manu. After numerous prior acts dating from the reign of Edward I., it was enacted by the statute 9 Geo. II. c. 36, (calied the "Mortmain Act" par excellence,) that no lands should be given to charities unless certain requisites should be observed.

Brown. Yates v. Yates, 9 Barb. (N. Y.) 324.