a general sense, is used in opposition to whatever is constrained or necessitated. When applied to things endowed with understanding, it more peculiarly relates to the liberty of the will.

Free Bench, signifies that estate in copyhold which the wife, being espoused a virgin, has after the decease of her husband for her dower, according to the custom of the manor.

In regard to this free bench, different manors have different customs: and in the manor of East and West Enborne in the county of Berks, and in other parts of England, there is a custom, that when a copyhold tenant dies, the widow shall have her free bench in all the deceased husband's lands, dum sola et capa fuerit, "while she lives single and chaste;" but if she is found to be guilty of incontinency, she shall forfeit her estate. Nevertheless, upon her coming into the court of the manor riding backwards on a black ram, with his tail in her hand, rehearsing a certain form of words, the steward is bound by custom to restore her to her free bench. The words are,

Here I am, Riding on a black Ram, Like a whore as I am; And for my crincum crancum Have lost my bincum bancum, And for my tail's game Have done this worldly shame: Therefore, pray Mr Steward, let me have my land again.

Free or Imperial Cities in Germany, are those not subject to any particular prince; but governed, like republics, by their own magistrates.

There were free cities (libere civitates) even under the ancient Roman empire: such were those to whom the emperor, by the advice or consent of the senate, gave the privilege of appointing their own magistrates, and governing themselves by their own laws. See City.

Free Fishery. See Free Fishery.

Free Warren. See Warren.

Free Mason. See Mason.

Free Stone, a whitish stone, dug up in many parts of Freebooter of Britain, which is hard and durable, and of excellent use in building, &c. It is a kind of the grit stone, but finer sanded and smoothed; and is called free, from its being of such a constitution as to cut freely in any direction.

The qualities of the several kinds of free stones used in the different parts of Europe are very different. They all agree in this general property indeed, that they are softer while in the quarry than when they have been some time exposed to the air: but even this general property differs greatly in degree. There is a sort of gray free stone in use at Paris (of which we do not yet seem to have met with any in this country), which has the above mentioned quality in so great a degree, that the expense of working it is in a great measure saved.

This stone lies everywhere on the south side of the river Seine, and is of a coarse and large grit. It is so soft when newly taken out of the strata, that they fashion it very conveniently with a sort of broad axe, and form as many stones for building in this manner in an hour, as an equal number of our people do in a day or two. Though this stone is as soft as dry clay when first taken up, it is found to harden considerably in the air, that it becomes more than equal to our ordinary free stone.

The Portland free stone of Britain of the finest kind, which is white, and of a close grit, is very fit for hewing and carving; but it will neither refuse water nor fire, which is a very singular instance in so dense a stone; while the free stone of Kent, which is less beautiful to the eye, and is of a grayish colour, and considerably closer, though of a larger grain, refuses the air and water very well. The free stone of Derbyshire, on the other hand, is so brittle as to be unfit for any fine working; and so coarse and open in its texture, that it lets water through: yet it bears the fire extremely well, and is fit for ovens, hearths, &c.