ALIEN, in Law, implies a person born in a strange country, not within the king's allegiance; in contradistinction to a denizen or natural subject. The word is formed from the Latin alius, "another;" q. d. one born in another country. An alien is incapable of inheriting lands in Britain till naturalized by an act of parliament. No alien is entitled to vote at the election of members of parliament: nor can he enjoy any office, or be returned on any jury, unless where an alien is party in a cause, when the inquest is composed of an equal number of denizens and aliens. The reasons for establishing these laws were, that every man is presumed to bear faith and love to that prince and country where he received protection during his infancy;
Alien. cy; and that one prince might not settle spies in ano-
Alienation. ther's country; but chiefly that the rents and revenues
of the country might not be drawn to the subjects of
another. Some have thought that the laws against
aliens were introduced in the time of Henry II. when
a law was made at the parliament of Wallingford, for
the expulsion of strangers, in order to drive away the
Flemings and Picards introduced into the kingdom by
the wars of King Stephen. Others have thought that
the origin of this law was more ancient; and that it
is an original branch of the feudal law: for by that
law no man can purchase any lands but he must be
obliged to do fealty to the lords of whom the lands are
holden; so that an alien who owed a previous faith to
another prince, could not take an oath of fidelity in
another sovereign's dominions. Among the Romans
only the Cives Romani were esteemed freemen; but
when their territories increased, all the Italians were
made free under the name of Latins, though they had
not the privilege of wearing gold rings till the time of
Justinian. Afterwards all born within the pale of the
empire were considered as citizens.