Some Plain Reasons Humbly Offer'd Against the Bill, Now Depending..

1736. Restraining the "Dead Hand" of the Church and Charities [Great Britain]. Some Plain Reasons Humbly Offer'd Against the Bill, Now Depending in Parliament, To Restrain the Disposition of Lands, By Which the Same Become Unalienable. London: Printed for J. Roberts, 1736. 22, [2] pp. With a half-title; final leaf blank. Octavo (7-1/2" x 4-3/4"). Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet. Light soiling to exterior, leaves starting to separate at ends but secure, light foxing and soiling to a few leaves of text. $450. * Only edition. The Charitable Uses Act, enacted in 1736, was designed to prevent deathbed bequests to the church or charities, which would benefit perpetually and inalienably from the gifts without paying taxes under the feudal principle of mortmain. It prohibited testamentary bequests of land to charitable organizations and voided gifts made by a living donor within twelve months of the donor's death. This was meant to prevent coercion or abuse of donors, particularly by the church. The act had a sweeping effect on charitable gifts of land for over a century. This pamphlet argues that the act goes too far and may have unintended consequences, particularly on universities. OCLC locates 3 copies of this scarce title in North America (Huntington Library, Yale University, UC-Berkeley Law School). English Short-Title Catalogue T108904.