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international law. The instruments which authorize and establish a public minister in his character with the state or prince to whom they are addressed. If the state or prince receive the minister, he can be received only in the quality attributed to him in his credentials. They are, as it were, his letter of attorney, his mandate patent, mandatum manifestum. … [Read more...] about CREDENTIALS

Worthiness of belief. To entitle a witness to credibility, he must be competent. Vide Competency. 2. Human testimony can seldom acquire the certainty of demonstration. Witnesses not infrequently are mistaken or wish to deceive; the most that can be expected is that moral certainty which arises from analogy. The credibility which is attached to such testimony, arises. from the … [Read more...] about CREDIBILITY

In Pennsylvania practice. This is the name of a plea to the action of covenant whereby the defendant, upon informal notice to the plaintiff, may give anything in evidence which he might have pleaded. With the addition of the words "absque hoc" it amounts to a denial of the allegations of the declaration; and the further addition of "with leave," etc., imports an equitable … [Read more...] about COVENANTS PERFORMED

A liberty to use a crane for drawing up goods and wares of burden from ships and vessels, at any creek of the sea, or wharf, unto the land, and to make a profit of doing so. It also signifies the money paid and taken for the service. Tomlins. … [Read more...] about CRANAGE

A contraction, in the old books, of the word "convent." … [Read more...] about COVENT