Page:Wills Act 1837.djvu/5

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
1° VICTORIÆ, Cap. 26.
217

the Case of Freehold Land in Fee Simple; and in case there shall be no special Occupant of any Estate pur autre vie, whether Freehold or Customary Freehold, Tenant Right, Customary or Copyhold, or any other Tenure, and whether a corporeal or incorporeal Hereditament, it shall go to the Executor or Administrator of the Party that had the Estate thereof by virtue of the Grant; and if the same shall come to the Executor or Administrator either by reason of a special Occupancy or by virtue of this Act, it shall be Assets in his Hands, and shall go and be applied and distributed in the same Manner as the Personal Estate of the Testator or Intestate.

No Will of a Person under Age valid;VII. And be it further enacted, That no Will made by an Person under the Age of Twenty-one Years shall be valid.

nor of a Feme Covert, except such as might now be made.VIII. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That no Will made by any Married Woman shall be valid, except such a Will as might have bene made by a Married Woman before the passing of this Act.

Every Will shall be in Writing, and signed by the Testator in the Presence of Two Witnesses at one Time.IX. And be it further enacted, That no Will shall be valid unless it shall be in Writing and executed in manner herein-after mentioned; (that is to say,) it shall be signed at the Foot or End thereof by the Testator, or by some other Person in his Presence and by his Direction; and such Signature shall be made or acknowledged by the Testator in the Presence of Two or more Witnesses present at the same Time, and such Witnesses shall attest and shall subscribe the Will in the Presence of the Testator, but no Form of Attestation shall be necessary.

Appointments by Will to be executed like other Wills, and to be valid, although other required Solemnities are not observed.X. And be it further enacted, That no Appointment made by Will, in exercise of any Power, shall be valid, unless the same be executed in manner herein-before required; and every Will executed in manner herein-before required shall, so far as respects the Execution and Attestation thereof, be a valid Execution of a Power of Appointment by Will, notwithstanding it shall have been expressly required that a Will made in exercise of such Power should be executed with some additional or other Form of Execution or Solemnity.

Soldiers and Mariners Wills excepted.XI. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That any Soldier being in actual Military Service, or any Mariner or Seaman being at Sea, may dispose of his Personal Estate as he might have done before the making of this Act.

Act not to affect certain Provisions of 11 G. 4. & 1 W. 4. c. 20. with respect to Wills of Petty Officers and Seamen and Marines.XII. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall not prejudice or affect any of the Provisions contained in an Act passed in the Eleventh Year of the Reign of His Majesty King George the Fourth and the First Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King William the Fourth, intituled An Act to amend and consolidate the Laws relating to the Pay of the Royal Navy, respecting the Wills of Petty Officers and Seamen in the Royal Navy, and Non-commissioned Officers of Marines, and Marines, so far as relates to their Wages, Pay, Prize