D E T 
If a man delivers goods to A to deliver to B, B may 
Lave detinue, for the property js in him: and where he 
delivers them to B, and after grants them to D, lie (hall 
not have detinue after the grant, but the grantee (hail 
have it. Yclv. 241. \Bulfl.<A). When goods are delivered 
to one, and he delivers them over to another, adtion of 
detinue may be had again ft the fecond perfon, and if lie 
delivers them to one that has a right thereto, yet it is 
laid he is chargeable : alio if a perfon to whom a thing 
is delivered dieth, detinue lieth againft his executors, &c. 
or againft any perfon to whom a thing comes. 2 Danv. 
Abr. 511. A man may have a general detinue againft 
another that finds his goods : though if I deliver any 
thing to A to re-deiiver, and he lofes it, if B finds it and 
delivers it to C, who has a right to the fame, he is not 
■chargeable to me in detinue, becaufe he is not privy to 
my delivery. qHen.Vl. 22. 9 Hcn.Vl. 58. 
In adtions of detinue, the thing nntft be once in the 
poffeflion of the defendant; which poffeflion is not to be 
altered by adt of law, as feifure, &c. And the nature 
of the thing mu ft continue, without alteration, to intitle 
one to this adtion. If I find goods, and before the owner 
brings his adlion, I fell them ;■ or they are recovered out 
of my hands upon an execution, or outlawry againft the 
owner, &c. he cannot have detinueagainftme. 12 Edw. IV. 
8. 27 Hen. VIII. 13. Bu-adtion of detinue will lie againft 
him that finds goods, if they are wafted by wilful negli¬ 
gence. A man buys cloth or other things of another, on 
a good and perfedt contradl; if the feller keeps the 
things bought, detinue lieth. Dyer 30. 203. Where one 
takes my goods into his cuftody to keep them for me, 
and refufes to reftore them, although he have nothing 
for the keeping of them, this adtion will lie. 4 Rep. 84. 
If I deliver to one a trunk that is locked, with things in 
it, and keep the key myfelf, and fomething be taken out 
of it; writ of detinue lieth not for this : but if the trunk, 
and all that is in it, be taken aw r ay, there it lies. 11 Rep. 89. 
This adtion will not lie, where a man delivers goods to 
me, and I bid him take them again, if he refufes to do 
it: or where one takes my goods or cattle by wrong as a 
trefpaffer, or by w'ay of diftrefs for rent, or as damage 
feafant, &c. Nor for a horfe fick, when it is taken or 
lent; if he dies of that ficknefs. yi Edw.lW. 21. And 
if it be a ring that is delivered to another, and he breaks 
it, it is doubted whether adtion of detinue may lie; be¬ 
caufe the thing is altered, and cannot be returned as it 
was; but adtion on the cafe lieth. And although, where 
goods are found, and fold, &c. detinue lies not : yet ac¬ 
tion upon the cafe of trover and converfion may be 
brought. 12 Edw. IV. 8. 
Detinue of Charters. A man may have detinue 
for deeds and charters concerning land ; but if they con¬ 
cern the freehold, it mult be in the common pleas, and 
no other court. Adtion of detinue lies for charters which 
make the title of lands ;.and the heir may have a deti¬ 
nue of charters, although he hath not the land : if my fa¬ 
ther be difteifed, and dieth, I (hall have detinue for the 
charters, notwithftanding I have not the land ; but the 
executors (hall not have the adtion for them. Ncza Nat. 
Br. 308. If a man keep my charters from me, concern¬ 
ing the inheritance of my land, and I know the certainty 
of them, and the land ; or if they be in a cheft locked, 
&c. and I know not their certainty, I may recover them 
by this writ: fo where lands are given to me and J. S. 
and my heirs, and he dies, if another gets the deeds, and 
if tenant in tail give away the deed of entail, and then 
die, his ilfue may bring a writ of detinue of charters. Co. 
Lit. 286. But if the tenant in fee-fimple give away his 
deeds of the land, his heir may not have this adtion ; and 
in cafe a woman great with child by her deceafed huf- 
band keeps the charters from his daughter and heir that 
concern the land, during the time (he is with child, this 
writ will not lie againft her. 41 Edw. III. 11. 
Detinue was brought for a deed, and tire plaintiff had 
a verdict, that the defendant detained the deed, and the 
Vol V No. 313. 
D E T 7% 
jury gave twenty pounds damages, but did not find the 
value of the deed ; and then there iffued out a diftringas 
to deliver the deed, or the value, and aftervVards a writ 
of inquiry was awarded for the value ; whereuponthe jury 
found a different value from what the firft verdidt found ; 
and it was adjudged good. Raym. 124. In detinue of 
charters, if the iflue be upon the detinue, and it is found 
that the defendant hath burnt the charters, the judgment 
fit all not be to recover the charters, which it appears can- 
notbe had ; but it is faid it (hall be fop the plaintiff to re¬ 
cover the land in damages. 2 Danv. Abr. 511. For de¬ 
taining of deeds and charters concerning the inheritance 
of lands, or an indenture of leafe, the defendant (hall 
not wage his law, as he may ima common adtion of deti¬ 
nue. 1 Inf. 295. 
Detinue of Goods in Frank-marriage, Ison a 
divorce between a man and his wife; after which, the 
wife (hall have this writ of detinue for the goods give.9 
with her in marriage. New Nat. Br. 308. 
DET'MOLD, a town of Germany, in the circle of 
Weftphalia, and county of Lippe, the feat of the tribu¬ 
nals of the country, and the ordinary refidence of the 
reigning counts; (ituated near the mountain of Teut- 
berg, or Ten ten berg, where Varus was defeated : twenty- 
four miles north-north-eaft of Lippftatt, and twenty-five 
fouth-fouth-weft of Minden. Lat. 33. N. Ion. 25. 56. E. 
Ferro. 
DETONA'TION, f. [detono, Lat.] A noife produced 
by the explofion of nitrous fubftances. See the article 
Chemistry, vol. iv. p. 189, 250. 
To DE'TONIZE, v. a. [from detono, Lat.] To calcine 
with detonation. A chemical term.—Nineteen parts in 
twenty of detonized nitre is deftroyed in eighteen days. 
Arbuthnot. 
DETOR'SION, f. [from detort.'] A turning or bend¬ 
ing away*or afide. 
To DETO'RT, v.a. [ detortus , of detorqueo, Lat.] To' 
wreft from the original import, meaning, or defign.— 
They have affumed what amounts to an infallibility in 
the private fpirit, and have detorted texts of (cripture to 
the fedition, difturbance, and deftrudtion of the civil go¬ 
vernment. Dry den. 
DETOU'R des ANGLOIS, or English Turn, a 
circular diredtion of the river Miflifiippi, in North Aiiie- 
rica, fo very confiderable, that veffels cannot pafs it with 
the fame wind that condudfed them to it, and mil ft either 
wait for a favourable wind, or make faft to the bank, and 
haul clofe ; there being fufficient depth of water for any 
veffel that can enter the river. The two forts and bat¬ 
teries at this piace, on both fides the river, are more than 
fufficient to ftop the progrefs of any veffel whatever. 
Dr. Cox, of New Jerfey, aicended the Miffiffippi to this 
place, in 1698, took poffeffion, and called the country 
Carolina. It lies eighteen miles below New Orleans, 
and eighty-feven above the Balize. The banks of the 
river are fettled and well cultivated from this to New 
Orleans, and there is a good road for carriages all the way. 
To DETRA'CT, v.a. [detraction, Lat. detracler, Fr.] 
To derogate; to take away, by envy, calumny, or cen- 
fure, any thing from the reputation of another: with 
from. —No envy can detrad from this : it will thine in hif- 
tory, and, like fvvans, grow whiter the longer it endures. 
Dryden. —To take away; to withdraw.—The multitude 
of partners does detraEl nothing from each private (hare, 
nor does the publicnefs of it leffen propriety in it. Boyle. 
DETRACTA'TION, f. A drawing back; a denial 
or refufal. 
DETRACT'ER, f. One that takes away another’s 
reputation ; one that impairs the honour of another in- 
jurioufly.—I am right glad to be thus fatisfied, in that I 
yet was never able till now to choke the mouth of fuch 
detraders with the certain knowledge of their fianderous 
untruths. SpcnJer. 
Away the fair detra&ers went, 
And gave by turns their cenfures vent. Swift. 
9 K DETRACTION, 
