Cancelling

The defacing or obliterating a deed, will, or other instrument, so as to destroy its legal effect. This was anciently done, as it still frequently is, by drawing lines diagonally over it, and crossing them with other similar lines, in the form of cancelli, or lattice work. 2 BL Com. 309. See Cancelli. But it has been late- 23 ly held in England, under the statute 1 Yict. c. 26, that cancelling a will in this way does not amount to a revocation or destruction of it. 2 Curt. 468. TFortkington on Wills, 560.