law, an alien made a subject by the king's letters-patent; otherwise called donaifon, because "his legitimation proceeds ex donatione regis, from the king's gift."

A denizen is in a kind of middle state between an alien and a natural born subject, and partakes of both of them. He may take lands by purchase or devise, which an alien may not; but cannot take by inheritance; for his parent, through whom he must claim, being an alien, had no inheritable blood, and therefore could convey none to the son; and, upon a like defect of blood, the issue of a denizen born before denization, cannot inherit to him; but his issue born after may. A denizen is not excused from paying the alien's duty, and some other mercantile burdens. And no denizen can be of the privy council, or either house of parliament, or have any office of trust civil or military, or be capable of any grant of lands, &c. from the crown.