Lat. In the civil law. A coming in place of another, on his decease; a coming into the estate which a deceased person had at the time of his death. This was either by virtue of an express appointment of the deceased person by his ivill, (ex testamento,) or by the general appointment of law in case of intcstacy, (ab intestato.) Inst 2, 9, 7; Ileinecc. Elern. lib. 2, tit 10.