est acy ▁was ▁finally ▁abol ished . ▁According ▁to ▁B ede , ▁the ▁custom ▁in ▁North umb ria ▁reserved ▁a ▁substantial ▁birth right ▁for ▁the ▁el dest ▁son ▁even ▁before ▁the ▁Norman ▁con quest ▁and ▁other ▁local ▁custom s ▁of ▁inheritance ▁also ▁gave ▁certain ▁additional ▁benefits ▁to ▁the ▁el dest ▁son . ▁After ▁the ▁Norman ▁con quest , ▁male ▁prim ogen iture ▁became ▁w ides p read ▁throughout ▁England , ▁becoming ▁the ▁common ▁law ▁with ▁the ▁prom ul g ation ▁of ▁the ▁Mag na ▁Cart a ▁in ▁ 1 2 1 5 , ▁only ▁slightly ▁later ▁than ▁in ▁Scotland . ▁After ▁ 1 5 4 0 , ▁a ▁test ator ▁could ▁dispose ▁of ▁its ▁imm ov able ▁property ▁as ▁he ▁saw ▁fit ▁with ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁a ▁test ament , ▁but ▁until ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁it ▁was ▁still ▁inherited ▁sole ly ▁by ▁the ▁el dest ▁son ▁if ▁he ▁died ▁int est ate . ▁However , ▁although ▁the ▁gent ry ▁and ▁the ▁nob ility ▁in ▁England ▁pract iced ▁a ▁relatively ▁strict ▁form ▁of ▁male ▁prim ogen iture , ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁clearly ▁pre val ent ▁inheritance ▁pattern ▁among ▁pe as ants , ▁giving ▁rise ▁to ▁a ▁sort ▁of ▁" proto - cap ital ist " ▁rural ▁economy , ▁the ▁" absolute ▁nuclear " ▁family . ▁During ▁Late ▁Med ieval ▁Times ▁male ▁ult im ogen iture ▁(" B or ough - English ") ▁was ▁the ▁pre domin ant ▁custom ▁in ▁England , ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁custom ary ▁rule ▁of ▁inheritance ▁among ▁un