Dovrer

The life estate which the widow has in her husband's lands on his death; usually one third part of any lands of which he was seised in an estate of inheritance at any time during the marriage, if the husband's estate in such lauds was such that the common issue might have inherited. Dower ad ostium ecclesiae, /. (at the church door,) was anciently where the husband specifically endowed his wife with certain of his own lands; or of his father's lands. Dower ex assensu patris. If this was not done, she was asssigned her Reasonable do-wer, Dos rationabilis, /., Dower by the common law^, a third part of the husband's laud. Dower by custom: varied in amount according to local usage. Dower de la pluis belle,^r. (of the fairest part): where the wife was endowed of socage lands held by her as guardian. Writ of dower or Writ of right of dower: an old real action lying for a widow against a tenant who had deprived her of part of her dower. Dower unde nihil habet, /.: a similar writ which lay for a widow to whom no dower had been assigned.