PURCHASE-MONEY. The consideration which is agreed to be paid by the purchaser of a thing in money. It is the duty of the purchaser to pay the purchase-money as agreed upon in making the contract, and, in case of conveyance¹ of an estate before it is paid, the vendor² is entitled according to the laws of, England, which have been adopted in several of the states, to a lien³ on the estate sold for the purchase-money so remaining unpaid⁴. This is called an equitable⁵ lien. This doctrine⁶ is derived⁷ from the civil law. Dig. 18, 1, 19. The case of Chapman v. Tauner, 1 Vera. 267, decided⁸ in 1684, is the first where this doctrine was adopted. 7 S. & R. 73. It was strongly opposed, but is now firmly established in England, and in the United States. 6 Yerg. R. 50; 4 Bibb, R. 239 1 John. Ch. R. 308; 7 Wheat. R. 46, 50 5 Monr. R. 287; 1 liar⁹. & John. 106; 4 Har. & John. 522; 1 Call. R. 414; 1 Dana, R. 576; 5 Munf. R. 342; Dev. Eq. R. 163 4 Hawks¹⁰, R. 256; 5 Conn. 468; 2 J. J. Marsh¹¹, 330; 1 Bibb. R. 590.

2. But the lien of the seller exists only between the parties and those having notice that the purchase-money has nut been paid. 3 J. J. Marsh. 557; 3 Gill & John. 425 6 Monr. R. 198.

PURE DEBT. In Scotland, this name is given to a debt actually due, in contradistinction to one which is to become due at a future day certain, which is called a future debt: and one due provisionally, in a certain event, which is called a contingent¹² debt. 1 Bell's Com. 315, 5th ed.

PURE OR SIMPLE OBLIGATION. One which is not suspended by any condition, whether it has been contracted without any condition, or when thus contracted, the condition has been performed. Poth. Obl. n. 176.

PURE PLEA, equity¹³ pleading. One which relies wholly on some matter dehors the bill as for example, a plea of a release or a settled account.

2. Pleas not pure, are so called in contradistinction to pure pleas; they are sometimes also denominated negative pleas. 4 Bouv. Inst. n. 4275.

PURGATION. The clearing one's self of an offence charged, by denying the guilt¹⁴ on oath or affirmation.

2. There were two sorts of purgation, the vulgar, and the canonical¹⁵.

3. Vulgar purgation consisted in superstitious¹⁶ trials by hot and cold water, by fire, by hot irons, by batell, by corsned, &c., which modes of trial were adopted in times of ignorance and barbarity, and were impiously called judgments¹⁷ of God.

4. Canonical purgation was the act of justifying¹⁸ one's self, when accused of some offence in the presence of a number of persons, worthy¹⁹ of credit, gen-erally twelve, who would swear they believed the accused. See Compurgator; Wager²⁰ of Law.

5. In modern times, a man may purge²¹ himself of an offence, in some cases where the facts are within his own knowledge; for example, when a man is charged with a contempt of court, he may purge himself of such contempt, by swearing that in doing the act charged, he did not intend to commit a contempt.