De Donis

See "Estates." DE pONIS, THE STATUTE (more fully, de bonis conditionalibus, concerning conditional gifts). St. Edw. I. c. 1. The object of the statute was to prevent the alienation of estates by those who held only a part of the estate in such a manner as to defeat the estate of those who were to take subsequently. By introducing perpetuities, it built up great estates, and strengthened the power of the barons. See Bac. Abr. "Estates Tail"; 1 Cruise, Dig. 70; 1 Washb. Real Prop. 271. DE DOTE ASSIGNANDA (Lat. for assigning dower). A writ commanding the king's escheator to assign dower to the widow of a tenant in capite. Fitzh. Nat. Brev. 263c. DE DOTE UNDE NIHIL HABET (Lat. of dower in that whereof she has none). A writ of dower which lay for a widow where no part of her dower had been assigned to her. It is now much disused; but a form closely resembling it is still much used in the United States. 4 Kent, Comm. 63; Stearns, Real Actions, 302; 1 Washb. Real Prop. 230. DE EJECTIONE CUSTODIAE (Law Lat.; Law Fr. ejectment de gard). Writ of ejectment of ward. A writ which lay where a guardian had been forcibly ejected from his Wardship. Reg. Orig. 162.

Concerning gifts, (or more fully, de donis conditionalibus, concerning conditional gifts.) The name of a celebrated English statute, passed in the thirteenth year of Edw. I., and constituting the first chapter of the statute of Westm. 2, by virtue of which estates in fee-simple conditional (formerly known as "dona conditionalia") were converted into estates in fee-tail, and which, by rendering such estates inalienable, introduced perpetuities, and so strengthened the power of the nobles. See 2 Bl. Comm. 112.