POT-DE-VIN, French law. A sum of money frequently paid, at the moment of entering into a contract, be=yond the price agreed upon.

2. It differs from arrha, (q. v.) in this, that it is no part of the price of the thing sold, and, that the person who has received it, cannot by returning double the amount, or the other party by losing what he has paid, rescind the contract. 18 Toull. n. 52.

POTENTATE. One who has a great power over, an extended country; a sovereign.

2. By the naturalization laws, an alien is required, before he can be naturalized, to renounce all allegiance aud fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereign whatever.

POTESTAS, civil law. A Latin word which signifies power; authority; domination; empire. It has several meaning. 1. It signifies imperium, or the jurisdiction of magistrates. 2. The power of the father over his children, patriapotestas. 3. The authority of masters over their slaves, which makes it nearly synonymous with dominium. See Inst. 1, 9, et 12; Dig. 2, 1, 13, 1; Id. 14, 1; Id. 14, 4, 1, 4.

POUND, weight. There are two kinds of weights, namely, the troy, and the avoirdupois. The pound avoirdupois is greater than the troy pound, in the proportion of seven thousand to five thousand seven hundred and sixty. The troy pound contains twelve ounces, that of avoirdupois sixteen ounces.

POUND, Eng. law. A place enclosed to keep strayed animals in. 5 Pick. 514; 4 Pick. 258; 9 Pick. 14.

POUND, money. The sum of twenty shillings. Previous to the establishment of the federal currency,, the different states made use of the pound in computing money; it was of different value in the several states.

2. Pound sterling, is a denomination of money of Great Britain. It is of the value of a sovereign. (q. v.) In calculating the rates of duties, the pound sterling shall be considered and taken as of the value of four dollars and eighty cents. Apt of March 3, 1833.

3. The pound sterling of Ireland is to be computed, in calculating said duties, at four dollars and ten cents. Id.

4. The pound of the British provinces Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Canada, is to be so computed at four dollars. Act of May, 22, 1846.