If a tenant for life be impleaded, and judgment given against him for the lands or tenements, then the person to whom the reversion or remainder belongs at the time of such judgment, his heirs or successors, may have an appeal as well in the lifetime of the tenant as after his death. If the judgment be reversed, the tenant, if living, shall be restored to the possession of the lands or tenements, and the party prosecuting the appeal shall be entitled to the arrearages of rent for the same. If the tenant be dead at the time of judgment given on the appeal, then restitution of the lands or tenements shall be made to the party prosecuting the appeal, together with the arrearages of rent. If the party prosecuting the appeal allege that the judgment first obtained against the tenant was by covin or assent, then restitution shall be made to the party prosecuting such appeal with arrearages of rent, although the tenant be living; but in such case the tenant may have a scire facias against the party appealing if he deny and traverse the covin or assent, but not otherwise.
