DEMISE (OF. fem. of dcmis, from Lat. de millerc, to hand down). In the most general sense, a transfer or conveyance of an interest in land. Technically the term is employed in two distinet senses: First, to denote a lease or letting of land for a term of years; second, to describe the transmission of the royal authority, dignity. and estates from one sovereign to his successor. The phrase "demise of the erime does not signify the death of the sovereign. but the transfer or devolution of the kingdom. wheth er that ',emirs as the result of the death or of the voluntary abdication of the sovereign. Prob ably, however, it would be restricted to the ease of a normal transfer of the crown in the succes sion established by law. and not to a change in the smeession hy revolution or otherwise. 11 ow• ever this may Ice. the phrase 'demise of the crown' is the legal expression of the notion in volved in the popular phrase, 'The king never dies.' It indicates that the government. does not
come to a full stop on the (teat], or abdication of its head, but that the royal authority is con tinuous and permanent. passing- at once, without it break or jar to him who is to exercise it next. This conception of the matter. so important to I he welfare of the kingdom and the stability of the I ively modern. the Ile•t of the (bath t the smereign in Em.dand haring torn bi•cil to paralyze for the time inativ at the functions of government. in cluding the administration of justice. The l'e,ice had to lie proclaimed anew by each s(oe• scign at his accession. and the administration cf goNernment newly constituted. these in •onveniences linIc been remedied by a ,cries of statute. enacted the accession of ‘Villiani and Nlary. an 1 the principle of the immediate hinise of the sumo, as above described, firmly (—I:ill-died. See -‘11,U11, Laic and Custom of the ( 'foist it at ion (I)xf ord. 18912).