DESCENT, or Succession, in the Law of Scotland. See LAW INDEX.
DESCENT of the Crown. See SUCCESSION.
DESCENT of Dignities. A dignity differs from common inheritances, and goes not according to the rules of the common law: for it descends to the half-blood; and there is no coparcenerhip in it, but the eldest takes the whole. The dignity of peerage is personal, annexed to the blood; and so inseparable that it cannot be transferred to any person, or surrendered even to the crown; it can move neither forward nor backward, but only downward to posterity; and nothing but corruption of blood, as if the ancestor be attainted of treason or felony, can hinder the descent to the right heir.