Lat. In the civil law. A testament; a will, or last will. In old English law. A testament or will; a disposition of property made in con- templation of death. Bract, fol. 60. A general name for any instrument of conveyance. including deeds and charters, and so called either because it furnished written testimony of the conveyance, or because it was authenticated by witnesses, (testes.) Spelman.