KFLCC Kingdom Law 2nd Ed.

776

METRE

MESSARIUS

tlons for legislation, and other matters. Const U. S. art 2, i 3. MESSARIUS. In old English law. A chief servant in husbandry; a bailiff. MESSE THANE. One who said mass; a priest Cowell. MESSENGER. One who bears messages or errands; a ministerial officer employed by executive officers, legislative bodies, and courts of justice, whose service consists prin cipally in carrying verbal or written com munications or executing other orders. In Scotland there are officers attached to the courts, called "messengers at arms." An officer attached to a bankruptcy court, whose duty consists, among other things, In seizing and taking possession of the bank rupt's estate during the proceedings in bank ruptcy. The messenger of the English court of chancery has the duty of attending on the great seal, either in person or by deputy, and must be ready to execute all such or ders as he shall receive from the lord chan cellor, lord keeper, or lords commissioners. Brown. Messis sementem seqnitur. The crop belongs to [follows] the sower. A maxim in Scotch law. Where a person is in posses sion of land which he has reason to believe is his own, and sows that land, he will have a right to the crops, although before it is cut down it should be discovered that an other has a preferable title to the land. Bell. MESSUAGE. This term Is now synon ymous with "dwelling-house," but had once a more extended signification. It is fre quently used in deeds, in describing the premises. Marmet Co. v. Archibald, 37 W. Va. 778, 17 S. E. 300; Grimes v. Wilson, 4 Blackf. (Ind.) 333; Derby v. Jones, 27 Me. 360; Davis v. Lowden, 56 N. J. Eq. 126, 38 AtL 648. Although the word "messuage" may, there is no necessity that it must import more than the word "dwelling-house," with which word it is frequently put in apposition and used synony mously. 2 Bing. N. C. 617. In Scotland. The principal dwelling house within a barony. Bell. MESTIZO. A mongrel or person of mix ed blood; sometimes used as equivalent to "octoroon," that is, the child of a white per son and a quadroon, sometimes as denoting a person one of whose parents was a Spaniard and the other an American In dian. META. Lat A goal, bound, or turn ing-point In old English law, the term was used to denote a bound or boundary line of

land; a landmark; a material object, as a tree or a pillar, marking the position or be ginning of a boundary line. METAGHRONISM. An error in com putation of time. METALIiUM. Lat In Roman law. Met al; a mine. Labor in mines, as a punish ment for crime. Dig. 40, 5, 24, 5; Calvin. METATUS. In old European law. A dwelling; a seat; a station; quarters; the place where one lives or stays. Spelman. METAYER SYSTEM. A system of agricultural holdings, under which the land is divided, in small farms, among single families, the landlord generally supplying the stock which the agricultural system of the country is considered to require, and receiving, in lieu of rent and profit, a fixed proportion of the produce. This proportion, which is generally paid in kind, is usually one-half. 1 Mill, Pol. Econ. 296, 363; and 2 Smith, Wealth Nat 3, c. ii. The system prevails in some parts of France and Italy. METECORN. A measure or portion of corn, given by a lord to customary tenants as a reward and encouragement for labor. Cowell. METEGAVEL. A tribute or rent paid In victuals. Cowell. METER. An instrument of measurement; as a coal-meter, a gas-meter, a land-meter. METES AND BOUNDS. In conveyanc ing. The boundary lines of lands, with their terminating points or angles. People v. Guthrie, 46 111. App. 128; Rollins v. Mooers, 25 Me. 196. METEWAND, or METETARD. A staff of a certain length wherewith measures are taken. Sax. Speech; discourse. Mathlian, to speak; to harangue. Anc. Inst Eng. METHOD. In patent law. "Engine" and "method" mean the same thing, and may b« the subject of a patent. Method, properly speaking, is only placing several things, or performing several operations, in the most convenient order, but it may signify a con trivance or device. Fessen. Pat. 127; Horn blower v. Boulton, 8 Term R. 106. METHEIt.

METHOMANIA. See INSANITY.

METRE. The unit of measure in the "metric system" of weights and measures. It is a measure of length, being the ten-mil lionth part of the distance from the equator