Extracted From:
  A LAW DICTIONARY ..., SIXTH EDITION, 1856
  by John Bouvier, CHILDS & PETERSON, PHILADELPHIA

MAY To be permitted; to be at liberty; to have the power. 

Whenever a statute directs the doing of a thing for the sake of justice or the
public good, the word may is the same as shall. For example, ... the sheriff may
take bail, that is construed he shall, for he is compellable to do so....

The words shall and may in general acts of the legislature or in private
constitutions, are to be construed imperatively ... but the construction of
those words in a deed depends on circumstances.

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