LIFE-ESTATE. Vide Estate for life, and 3 Saund. 338, h. note; 2 Kent Com. 285; 4 Kent, Com. 23.; 1 Hov. Suppl. to Ves. jr. 371, 381; 2 Id. 45, 249, 330, 340, 398, 467; 8 Com. Dig. 714.

LIFE-RENT, Scotch¹ law. A right to use and enjoy a thing during life, the substance of it being preserved. A life-rent cannot, therefore, be constituted upon things which perish in the use; and though it may upon subjects which gradually wear out by time, as household furniture, &c., yet it is generally applied² to heritable subjects. Life-rents are divided into conventional and legal.

2. - 1. The conventional are either simple or by reservation. A simple life- rent, or by a separate constitution, is that which is granted by the proprietor³ in favor of another. A life-rent by reservation is that which a proprietor reserves to himself, in the same writing by which he conveys the fee to another.

3. - 2. Life-rents, by law, are the terce and the courtesy. See Terce; Courtesy.

LIGAN or LAGAN. Goods cast into the sea tied to a buoy⁴, so that they may be found again by the owners, are so denominated. When goods are cast into the sea in storms or shipwrecks⁵, and remain there without coming to land, they are distinguished⁶ by the barbarous names of jetsam, (q. v.) flotsam, (q. v.) and ligan. 5 Rep. 108; Harg. Tr. 48; 1 Bl. Com. 292.

LIGEANCE. The true and faithful obedience⁷ of a subject to his sovereign, of a citizen to his government. It signifies also the territory of a soverqign. See Allegiance.

LIGHTERMAN⁹. The owner or manager of a lighter⁸. A lighterman is considered as a common Carrier. See Lighters¹⁰.

LIGHTERS, commerce. Small vessels¹² employed in loading and unloading larger vessels.

2. The owners of lighters are liable, like other common carriers for hire; it is a term of the contract on the part of the carrier or lighterman, implied by law, that his vessel¹¹ is tight and fit for the purpose or employments for which he offers and holds it forth¹³ to the public; it is the immmediate foundation and substratum of the contract that it is so: the law presumes a promise to that effect on the part of the carrier without actual proof, and every principle of sound policy and public convenience requires it should be so. 5 East, 428; Abbott on Sh. 225; 1 Marsh¹⁴. on Ins. 254; Park on Ins. 23; Wesk. on Ins. 328.

LIGHTS. Those openings in a wall which are made rather for the admission of light, than to look out of. 6 Moore, C. B. 47; 9 Bingh. R. 305; 1 Lev. 122; Civ. Code of Lo. art. 711. See Ancient Lights; Windows.

LIMBS. Those members of a man which may be useful to him in flight, and the unlawful deprivation¹⁵ of which by another amounts to a mayhem at common law. 1 Bl. Com. 130. If a man, se defendendo, commit homicide, he will be excused; and if he enter into an apparent contract, under a well-grounded apprehension¹⁶ of losing his life or limbs, he may afterwards avoid it. 1 Bl. 130.