What were early 18th century England inheritance laws like?
Jason, Under English Common Law the early 18th Century was still controlled by “The Canons of Descent.” These seven canons generally are abbreviated as such: 1. Inheritances shall lineally descend to the issue of the person who last died actually seized in infinitum, that is, idefinitely, but shall never lineally descend. 2. The male issue shall be admitted before the female. 3. Where there are two or more males in equal degree, the eldest shall only inherit, but the females all together. 4. The lineal descendant, in infinitum, of any person deceased shall represent his or her ancestor, that is, shall stand in the same place as the person would stand, if he or she were living. 5. On failure of lineal descendants, or issue, of the person last seized, the inheritance shall descend to his or her collateral relations, being of the blood of the first purchaser; subject to the three preceding rules. 6. The collateral heir of the person last seized must be his or her next collateral kinsman o
