INF 
?:t>n fer them ; for the infant is not capable of any con¬ 
tract, but for necefl'aries ; therefore fuch delivery is a gift 
to the infant; but, if an infant without any contract wil¬ 
fully takes away the goods of another, trover lies againft 
him ; alfo it is faid, that, if he take the goods under pre¬ 
tence that he is of full age, trover lies ; becaufe it is a wil¬ 
ful and fraudulent trefpafs. i Sid. 129. 1 Lev. 169. 1 Keb. 
905, 913. Alfo it fee ms, that if an infant, being above 
the age of difcretion, be guilty of any fraud in affirming 
himlelf to be of full age, or if, by combination with his 
guardian, See. he make any contrail or agreement with 
an intent afterwards to elude it, by reafon of his privilege 
of infancy, - that a court of equity will decree it good 
againft him according to the circumftances of the fraud ; 
but in what cafes in particular a court of equity will thus 
exert itfelf is not eafy to determine. See 1 Vern.' 132. 
2 Vern. 224, 5. 
All atts ofncaffity bind infants ; as prefentations to be¬ 
nefices, admittances, and grants of copyhold eftates, and 
aflenting to legacies, &c. 3 Salk. 190. So dower is de- 
snandable of an infant heir. Bull. N.P. 117. So an infant 
is compellable to pay a copyhold fine. Bur. 1717. Con¬ 
ditions annexed to lands, whether the eflate come by 
grant or defeent, bind infants ; and, where the eftate of 
an infant is upon condition to be performed by the infant, 
if the condition is broken during the minority, the land 
is loft for ever. 1 Inf. 233, 380. Though a ftatute is not 
extendible againft an infant, yet chancery will give relief 
againft infants. 1. Lev. 198. 
An infant is much favoured by law ; therefore it gives 
him many privileges above others. If an infant make de¬ 
fault in a real action, he (hall not lofe his land as ano¬ 
ther man lhall do ; one who is an infant {hall not be 
amerced, nor find pledges, like one of full age ; and, if 
he be bail, be may be difeharged by audita querela, &c. 1 
InJI, 272. 8 Rep. 61. On his default at the grand cape, the 
infant by writ of error may reverfe the judgment given 
Egainft himfelf; unlefs it be in cafe of a judgment in 
dower. Dyer 104. jfenk. Cent. 47, 319. But an infant 
may be difleifed of his lands, and a warranty that de- 
feendeth upon an infant may bar him of his entry ; fo a 
remitter upon him ; contra of a defeent ; and, if an infant 
hath franchifes or liberties, and do abuf'e or difufe. them, 
he fhall forfeit them as a man of full age may. 1 InJI. 3, 
133. 1 And. 311. Bro. 48. 
A perfon gave a note, a few days after he was of age, 
for things had during his infancy ; on extraordinary cir- 
cumfanccs equity let it afide ; though it is true, if an infant 
takes up goods, or borrows money, and, after he comes 
to age, gives his note or promife for the money, that is 
good at law ; but to prevent the ruin of infants, it may 
be convenient to give relief. Barn. C. 4. 6. 
If a trefpafs be done to an infant, and he fubmits to an 
award, it is laid the award fhall not be binding on him. 
a Danv. 770. An infant is not bound by his confent not 
to bring a writ of error ; for, though the judgment binds 
him, yet it binds butas a judgment reverfable. Rep. Hardw. 
104. Agreements, &c. made by an infant, although he 
be within a day of his full age, fhall not bind him. 
Plowd. 364. Where an infant enters into bond, pretend¬ 
ing to be of full age, though he may avoid it by plead¬ 
ing his infancy, yet he may be indicted for a cheat. 
Wood's InJI. 585. See further, as connected with this fub- 
je£t of Infancy, the articles Descent, Heir, Recovery, 
Will, See. 
IN'FANT, adj. Not mature ; in a ftate of initial im¬ 
perfection : 
Within the infant rind of this fmall flower 
Poifon hath refidence, and medicine power. Shakefpeare. 
INF'ANT, f. The title of a prinfce. Still ufed in Spain, 
and given by Sptnfer to Arthur.—To whom the infant thus. 
The infant harkened wifely to her tale. Fairy Queen. 
INFAN'TA,/. [Spanifn.] A princefs delcended from 
the royal blood of Spain.—The infanta was only ftiown 
to her lover in public. Hume. 
VOL. XI. No. 731. 
INF S3 
INFAN'TA, a river of Africa, which runs into the 
Indian Sea in lat. 32. S. 
INFAN'TE, /. A fon of the king of Spain; a fon of 
the king of Portugal. 
INFAN'TICIDE, f. The daughter of the infants by 
Herod. 
INFAN'TILE, adj. Pertaining to an infant.—The fly 
lies all the winter in thefe balls in its infantile ftate, and 
comes not to its maturity till the following fpring. Derham. 
IN'FANTINE, adj. Suitable to an infant., 
IN'FANTLIKE, adj. Like an infant:—Your abilities 
are too infantlike for doing much alone. Shakefpeare. 
INFAN'TOS, a town of Spain, in New Caftile : twenty 
miles weft of Alcaraz. 
IN'FANTRY,/. [The word takes its origin from one 
of the infantas of Spain, who, finding, that-the army com¬ 
manded by the king her father had been defeated by the 
Moors, (life mb led a body of foot-foldiers, and with them 
engaged and totally routed the enemy. In memory of 
this event, and to diftinguifh the foot-foldiers, who were 
not before held in much confideratian, they received the 
name of infantry .] The foot-foldiers of an army.—The 
principal ftrength of an army confifteth in the infantry, or 
foot; and to make good irfantiy it requireth men bred 
in fome free and plentiful manner. Bacon. 
Heavy-armed Infantry, among the ancients, were fuch as 
wore a complete fuit of armour, and engaged with broad 
fhields and long fpears. They were the flower and ftrength 
of the Grecian armies, and had the higheft rank of mili¬ 
tary honour. 
Light-armed Infantry, among the ancients, were defigned 
for fkirmifhes, and for fighting at a diftance. Their wea¬ 
pons were arrows, darts, or flings. 
. Light Infantry, among the moderns, have only been in 
ufe fince the year 1656. They have no camp-equipage to 
carry, and their arms and accoutrements are much lighter 
than thofe of the infantry. Light infantry are the eyes 
of a general, and the givers of fleep and fafety to an ar¬ 
my. Wherever there is found light cavalry, there fliould 
be light infantry. They fliould be accuftomcd to the 
pace of four miles an hour, as their ufual marching-pace, 
and to be able to march at five miles hn hour upon all 
particular occafions. Moll of the powers on the conti¬ 
nent have light infantry. It is only of late years that 
light infantry came to be ufed in the Britifh army ; but 
now every regiment has a company of light infantry, 
whofe ftation is on the left of the regiment, the right be¬ 
ing occupied by the grenadiers. 
IN'FANTRY, f. [In fome early poets.] An infant; 
No carefull nurfe would wet her watchfull eye. 
When any pangs fliould gripe her infantry. IV. Brown. 
INFARC'TION, f. [in and farcia, Lat.j Stuffing ; 
conftipation.—An hypochondriac confumption is occa- 
fioned by an infarEtion and obftruftion of the fpleen. 
Harvey. 
INFAT'IGABLE, adj. [from in, Lat. contrary to, and 
fatigo, to weary.] Indefatigable. Philips. 
To INFAT'UATE, v. a. [from in and fatuus, Lat. in¬ 
fat tier, Fr.] To ftrike with folly ; to deprive of under- 
ftanding. The judgment of God will be very vifible in 
infatuating a people, as ripe and prepared for deftruftion, 
into folly and madnefs, making the weak to contribute to 
the defigns of the wicked ; and fuffering even thofe, out 
of a confcience of their guilt, to grow more wicked. 
Clarendon. 
May hypocrites, 
That flily fpeak one thing, another think, 
Drink 011 unwarn’d, ’till, by iiichanting cups 
Infatuate, they their wily thoughts difclofe. Philips. 
INFAT'UATING, f. The act of depriving of under- 
ftanding. 
INFATUA'TION, f The aft of ftriking with folly ; 
deprivation of reafon.—Where men give tliemfelves over 
to the defence of wicked interefts, and falfe propofitions, 
K. it 
