there were often special franchises granted, growing out of the geographical situation of the laud itself, or other special circumstances of a local nature, such as franchises to establish ferries, bridges, fairs and markets ; and for the tenants to meet and choose assessors and other local officers, and elect representatives of the Manor in the General Assembly. The latter, a very high franchise, was conferred upon three only out of the great number of Manors in New York. These were the Manors of Cortlandt, Livingston, and Rensselaerswyck, of which the former, the first iu which the franchise was granted, was the only one in Westchester County. All three of them bordered upon the Hudson River, and eventually embraced within their territorial limits large numbers of inhabitants.

All these franchises were what the law terms " incorporeal hereditaments," which are rights and profits arising from, or annexed to, land. Among them was that of advowson and church patronage. An advowson is a right of presentation to a church, or any ecclesiastical benefice. It existed in New York, during the Colonial period. The word is derived from the Latin advocatio, which means receiving in ciientship, because in England originally the one possessing this right was termed udvocutiiK ecclesice, as he was bound to defend and protect, both the rights of the church, and the clergyman in charge, Irom oppression and violence. Hence the right of presentation to a church acquired the name of advowson, and he w ho possessed the right was called the patron of the church. The origin of the right was this: -- In the early days of Christianity the nomination of all ecclesiastical benefices belonged to the Church. When the piety of some rich and prominent men, or great lords, induced them to build churches, near, or upon, their own estates, and endow them with land called a glebe, or to appropriate the rent or tithes from neighbouring lands of their own, to their support, the bishops, (non-episcopal church organizations did not then exist) desiring to encourage such pious undertakings, permitted these rich men to appoint what person they pleased to officiate in such chlirches, and receive the emoluments annexed to them ; reserving to themselves only the power to examine, judge of, and pass u])on, the qualifications of the persons so nominated.