Elizabethan Statute of Wills

The Elizabethan Statute of Wills, enacted in 1540, was a law that standardized how individuals could legally leave their possessions after death. It required people to explicitly state their wishes in a written will, ensuring clarity and reducing disputes. The law also set out formal requirements for making a valid will, such as being witnessed, and aimed to prevent landowners from dying intestate (without a will). Overall, it established a clearer legal process for the distribution of estates, helping to protect both testators' intentions and heirs’ rights.