from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
DEATH'S PART, English law. That portion of the personal estate of a deceased
man which remained after his wife and children had received their reasonable
parts from his estate; which was, if he had both a wife and child or
children, one-third part; if a wife and no child, or a child or children and
no wife, one-half; if neither wife nor child, he had the whole to dispose of
by his last will and testament; and if he made no will, the same was to go
to his administrator. And within the city of London, and throughout the
province of York, in case of intestacy, the wife and children were till
lately entitled to their reasonable parts, and the residue only was
distributable by, the statute of distribution; but by the 11 G. I. c. 18, s.
17, 18, the power of devising was thrown generally open. Burn's L. Dict.,
See this dict. tit. Legitime, and Lex Falcidia.