VADIUM MORTUUM, contracts. A mortgage or dead-pledge; it is a security given by the borrower of a sum of money, by which he grants to the lender an estate in fee, on condition that if the money be not repaid at the time appointed, the estate so put in pledge shall continue to the lender as dead or gone from the mortgagor. 2 Bl. Com. 257; 1 Pow. Mortg. 4.

VADIUM VIVUM, contracts. A species of security by which the borrower of a sum of money, made over his estate to the lender, until he had received that sum out of the issues and profits of the land; it was so called because neither the money nor the lands were lost, and were not left in lead pledge, but this was a living pledge, for the profits of the land were constantly paying off the debt. Litt. sect. 206; 1 Pow. on Mort. 3; Termes de la Ley, h. t.

VAGABOND. One who wanders about idly, who has no certain dwelling. The ordonnances of the French define a vagabond almost in the same terms. Dalloz, Dict. Vagabondage. See Vattel, liv. 1, §219, n.

VAGRANT. Generally by the word vagrant is understood a person who lives idly without any settled home; but this definition is much enlarged by some sta-tutes, and it includes those who refuse to work, or go about begging. See 1 Wils. R. 331; 5 East, R. 339: 8 T. R. 26.

VAGUENESS. Uncertainty.

2. Certainty is required in contracts, wills, pleadings, judgments, and indeed in all the acts on which courts have to give a judgment, ana if they be vague, so as not to be understood, they are in general invalid. 5 B. & C. 583; 1 Russ. & M. 116 1 Ch. Pract. 123. A charge of "frequent intemperance" and "habitual indolence" are vague and too general. 2 Mart. Lo. Rep. N. S. 530. See Certainty; Nonsense; Uncertainty.