PUNISHMENT OF DEATH. The deliberate killing1, according to the forms of law,, of a person who has been lawfully3 convicted of certain crimes. See Capital crimes.
PUPIL, civil law. One who is in his or her minority. Vide. Dig. 1, 7; Id. 26, 7, 1, 2; Code, 6, 30, 18; Dig. 50, 16, 239. One who is in ward4 or guardianship5.
PUPILLARITY, civil law. That age of a person's life which included infancy6 and puerility7.
PUR. A corruption8 of the French word par9, by or for. It is frequently used in old French law phrases; as, pur autre vie. It is also used in the composition of words, as purparty, purlieu, purview10.
PUR AUTRE VIE, tenures. These old French words signify, for another's life. An estate is said to be pur autre vie, when a lease is made of lands or tenements11 to a man, to hold for the life of another person. 2 Bl. Com. 259; 10 Vin. Ab. 296; 2 Supp. to Ves. Jr. 41.
PURCHASE. In its most enlarged and technical sense, purchase signifies the lawful2 acquisition of real estate by any means whatever, except descent. It is thus defined by Littleton, section 12. Purchase is called the possession of lands or tenements that a man hath by his own deed or agreement, unto which possession he cometh, not by title of descent from any of his ancestors or cousins, but by his own deed.
2. It follows, therefore, that not only when a man acquires an estate by buying it for a good or valuable consideration, but also when it is given or devised to him be acquires it by purchase. 2 Bl. Com. 241.
3. There are six ways of acquiring a title by purchase, namely, 1. By, deed. 2. By devise. 3. By execution. 4. By prescription12. 5. By possession, or occupancy. 6. By escheat. In its more limited sense, purchase is applied13 only to such acquisitions of lands as are obtained by way of bargain and sale for money, or some other valuable consideration. Id. Cruise, Dig. tit. 30, s. 1, to 4; 1 Dall. R. 20. In common parlance14, purchase signifies the buying of real estate and of goods and chattels15.
