WADSET, Scotch¹ law. A right, by which lands, or other heritable subjects, are impignorated by the proprietor² to his creditor³ in security of his debt; and, like other heritable rights, is perfected by seisin.

2. Wadsets, by the present practice, are commonly made out in the form of mutual⁴ contracts, in which one party sells the land, and the other grants, the right of reversion. Ersk. Pr. L. Scot., B. 2, t. 8, s. 1, 2.

3. Wadsets are proper or improper⁵. Proper, where the use of the land shall go for the use of the money. Improper, where the reverser agrees to make up the deficiency; and where it amounts to more, the surplus profit of the land is applied⁶ to the extinction⁷ of the principal. Id. B. 2, t. 8, s. 12, 13.

WADSETTER, Scotch law. A creditor to whom a wadset is made.

TO WAGE, contracts. To give a pledge or security for the performance of anything; as to wage or gage⁸ deliverance; to wage law, &c. Co. Litt. 294. This word is but little used.

WAGER⁹ OF BATTEL. A superstitious¹⁰ mode of trial which till lately disgraced the English law.

2. The last case of this kind was commenced in the year 1817, but not procceded in to judgment¹¹; and at the next session of the British parliament an act was passed to abolish appeals of murder, treason, felony or other offences, and wager of battel, or joining issue or trial by battel in writs¹² of right. 59 Geo. III. c. 46. For the history of this species of trial the reader is referred to 4 Bl. Com. 347; 3 Bl. Com. 337; Encyclopedie, Gage de Bataille; Steph. Pl. 122, and App. note 35.

WAGER OF LAW, Engl. law. When an action of debt is brought against a man upon a simple contract, and the defendant¹³ pleads nil¹⁴ debit¹⁵, and concludes his plea with this formula, "And this he is ready to defend against him the said A B and his suit, as the court of our lord the king here shall consider," &c., he is said to wage his law. He is then required to swear he owes the plaintiff nothing, and bring eleven compurgators who will swear they believe him. This mode of trial, is trial by wager of law.

2. The wager of law could only be had in actions of debt on simple contract, and actions of detinue; in consequence of this right of the defendant, now actions on simple contracts are brought in assumpsit, and instead of bridging detinue, trover has been substituted.

3. If ever wager of law had any existence in the United States, it is now completely abolished. 8 Wheat. 642. Vide Steph. on Plead. 124, 250, and notes, xxxix.; Co. Entr. 119; Mod. Entr. 179; Lilly's Entr. 467; 3 Ch it. Pl. 497; 13 Vin. Ab. 58; Bac. Ab. h. t.; Dane's Ab. Index, h. t. For the origin of this form of trial, vide Steph. on Pl. notes xxxix; Co. Litt. 294, 5 3 Bl. Com. 341.