PRIVILEGED

Possessing or enjoying a privilege; exempt from burdens; entitled to priority or precedence. Privileged communications. See Communication. Privileged copyholds. See Copyhold. Privileged debts. Those which an executor or administrator may pay in preference to others; such as funeral expenses, servants’ wages, and doctors’ bills during last sickness, etc. Privileged deed. In Scotch law. An instrument, for example, a testament, in the execution of which certain statutory formalities usually required are dispensed with, either from necessity or expediency. Ersk. Inst. 3. 2, 22; Bell. Privileged villenage. In old English law. A species of villenage in which the tenants held by certain and determinate services; otherwise called “villein socage. H Bract, fol. 209. Now called “privileged copyhold,” including the tenure in ancient demesne. 2 Bl. Comm. 99, 100. Privilegia quse re vera sunt in prse judicium reipublicae, magis tamen ha bent speciosa frontispicia, et boni public! praetextum, quam bonse et legales concessiones; sed praetextu liciti non debet admitti illictum. 11 Coke, 88. Privileges which are truly in prejudice of public good have, however, a more specious front and pretext of public good than good and legal grants; but, under pretext of legality, that which is illegal ought not to be admitted.