some such Tenants have an Inheritance according to the custome of that Mannor yet in very deed they are but Tenants at the will of the Lord for as some men think if the Lord will expell them and put them forth they have no remedy at all but to sue unto their Lord by way of Petition desiring him to be a good and gracious Lord unto them for if they might have any remedy by the Law then should they not be called say they Tenants at the will of the Lord after the custome of the Mannor but other men of no less Learning and prudence have been of contrary judgment as Lord Brian Chief Justice in the time of King Edward the fourth whose opinion was alwayes that if such a Tenant by the custome paying his Services be ejected and put forth by his Lord without cause reasonable Action of Trespass he may very well bring and maintain an Action of Trespass against his Lord at the Common Law as appeareth Termino Hillarij An. 21. E. 4. Also Lord Danby Chief Justice likewise was of the same judgment as appeareth Termino Mich. An. 7. E. 4. where he saith That the Tenant by the custome is as well Inheritable to have his Land after the custome as is he that hath a free-hold at the Common Law but the determination of this question I remit to my great Masters which can lose the knots and ambiguities of the Law forasmuch as yet still of this matter Causidici certant adhuc sub judice lis est Also ye shall understand that the usage of some Mannor is when the Tenant will surrender his Land to the use of another that he shall take a Wand or a Rod in his hand and deliver it to the Steward of the Court and the Steward shall deliver the same Wand in name of Seisin to him that shall take the Land and such a Tenant is called Tenant by the Verge Divers other customs there be of surrendring of Copyhold Lands which here for tediousness I will omit And forasmuch as Tenants by custome of the Mannor have by the course of the Common Law no free-hold therefore they be called Tenants of base Tenure Base Tenure Also if such a Tenant letteth to farme his Copyhold Land for longer time then a twelve moneth and a day without the Lords licence it is a forfeiture of his Land to his Lord. And know ye that if this Tenant fell any Timber that groweth upon the Land but only for the reparation of the same this is Wast and a forfeiture of his Copyhold Hitherto have I treated of the first member of our division that is to wit of Chattels for as I said all Leases for terme of years and at will be accounted in the Law but as Chattels and be comprised under that name save that these be called Chattels reals whereas Kine Oxen Chattell reall and personall Horses Money Plate Corn and such like be called Chattels personals Now we will proceed to the explanation of the second member that is to say of Freeholds CHAP. VIII Of Freeholds FReeholds or Frank-tenements a man may have in sundry wise for either he is seized for terme of his own life or for terme of another mans life if he be seized for terme of his own life either he hath gotten such estate by way of Purchase or else the Law hath intituled him thereunto I call it by purchase whether he cometh unto it by his own bargaining and procurement or by the gift of his friend and I call it by the operation of intituling of the Law when a man marrieth a woman that is an inheritrix and hath issue by her Tenure by the Courtesie and she dieth now shall he have the Lands during his life by course of the Law and shall be called Tenant by the courtesie of England Likewise if a man be seized in fee-simple or fee-taile of Lands and taketh a wife and he dieth the Law giveth unto the wise the third part of her husbands Lands for terme of life Tenant in Dower and she shall be called Tenant in Dower CHAP. IX Tenant for terme of Life TEnant for terme of Life is he that holdeth Lands or Tenements for terme of his own life or for terme of anothers life howbeit the most frequent and common manner of speaking is to call him that hath an estate for terme of his own life Tenant for life and him that hath an estate for terme of anothers life Tenant for terme dauter vie that is to say Tenant for terme of anothers life Ye shall note that like as he that maketh the Lease is called the Lessour and he to whom the Lease is made is called the Lessee so he that maketh the Feoffment is called the Feoffer and he to whom the Feoffment is made the Feoffee Also if the Tenant for terme of life or Tenant for terme of another mans life doe waste Waste the Lessour or he in the reversion shall maintain very well an Action of Waste against him and shall by the same recover trebble damages Finally Ye shall understand that by an Act of Parliament made in the 27. year of our Soveraign Lord King Henry the eight it is enacted That no Freehold nor estate of Inheritance shall pass nor take effect by reason of any bargain and sale except the same be made by writing indented sealed and enrolled in one of the Kings Majesties Courts at Westminster or else within the County where the Land doth lie before the Custos Rotulorum and two Justices of Peace and the Clerk of the Peace of the same County or two of them at least of which the said Clerk shall be one and that such enrolment be made within six moneths after the date of such writing and for the enrolment of every such writing where the Land comprised therein is not above the yearly value of Fourty shillings they shall take two shillings that is Twelve pence to the Justices and Twelve pence to the Clerk and if the Land be above the yearly value of Fourty shillings then they shall take Five shillings that is Two shillings and six pence to the Justices and Two shillings and six pence to the Clerk which shall enroll and ingross sufficiently in parchment such Deed and writing and at every years end he shall deliver the same to the Custos Rotulorum of the same County to remain in his custody among other Records of the same County so that the parties resorting thither may see them provided that this extend not to any Tenements or Hereditaments lying within any City or Town Corporate wherein the Majors Records or other Officers have authority or have lawfully used to enroll any Evidences or writings within their Precinct CHAP. X. Tenant by the Courtesie TEnant by the Courtesie of England is he that hath married a Wife inherited and hath had issue by her and she is dead in this case the Law of England permitteth and
the Husband and his Heirs shall have the Rent of them in the remainder c. And in this case there needeth no atturnement by word because the Husband that ought to atturn accepteth the Grant of the Services the which acceptance is an atturnement in the Law CHAP. XXIV Of Service HItherunto have I briefly touched and overrun the sundry kinds and forms of Estates Now forasmuch as there is no Tenure but hath unto it some service knit and annexed it were very necessary to declare how many kinds of Services there be and what Service is due to every Tenure for the knowledg hereof ye shall understand that the principall and most common kind of service that the Tenant oweth to his Lord is called Knights-service CHAP. XXV Knights-service KNights-service includeth Homage Fealty and for the most part Escuage and whosoever holdeth his Lands by Knights-service is bound by the Laws of this Realm to do unto his Lord homage and fealty and to pay for the most part Escuage when it shall be assessed by authority of Parliament as hereafter more plainly shall be declared Homage is the most humble and reverent service that a man of free estate and condition can do for when the Tenant shall do homage to his Lord the Lord shall sit Homage and the Tenant then shall kneel down before him upon both knees holding his hands between his Lords hands and say in this wise I become your man from this day forward of life and of member and of earthly Honour How the Tenant shall do Homage and to you shall be faithfull and true and faith to you shall bear for the Lands that I claim to hold of you saving the faith that I bear unto our soveraign Lord the King And then the Lord so sitting shall kiss him But if an Ecclesiasticall person which by his order and profession hath addicted himself to the service of God in especiall What a religious Person say when she doth Homage and do homage to his Lord he shall say I do to you homage and shall be to you faithfull and true and faith to you shall bear for the Tenements that I hold of you saving the faith which I owe unto our soveraign Lord the King Also when a woman not married doth homage to her Lord What a woman shall say she shall not say I become your woman for it is not convenient that a woman should be the woman of any other then of her Husband that she shall marry but shall say even as the Ecclesiasticall person saith I do unto you homage c. And if perchance a man holdeth sundry Lands and Tenements of sundry Lords and every of them by Knights-service then in the end of his Homage making he shall say Saving the faith that I owe to our soveraign Lord the King and to mine other Lords And none is bound to do homage to the Lord unless it be such Tenant as hath in the Tenancy an estate of fee-simple or fee-tayle either in his own right or in the right of another for if a woman have Lands or Tenements in fee-simple or fee-tayle What Tenant shall do Homage which she holdeth of her Lord by Knights service and taketh an Husband and hath Issue in this case the Husband in the life of his Wife shall do homage because he hath Title to have the Lands by the Courtesie of England if he overliveth her and also he holdeth them now in his Wives right yet before Issue had between them the Homage shall be made in both their Names but if the woman dieth before any homage made in her life and the Husband keepeth still the Lands as Tenant by the Curtesie now he shall not do homage to his Lord because he hath now an estate but for terme of life Fealty is as much to say as Fidelity Fealty or faithfulness in doing whereof the Tenants shall hold his hand upon a Book and say thus How a Tenant shall do Fealty Hear you this my Lord I to you shall be faithfull and true and faith to you shall bear for the Lands and Tenements which I claim to hold of you and duly shall do to you the Customes and Services which I owe to do to you at the termes assigned as Me help God and then he shall kiss the Book but he shall not kneel as he that doth homage nor do such humble or reverent service as is before declared in Homage And ye shall observe that Homage cannot be done but to the Lord himself Diversity between Homage and Fealty whereas the Steward of the Lords Court or the Bayliff may take Fealty for the Lord. Also Tenant for term of life shall do Fealty but Homage as I said he cannot do Now as concerning Escuage that is to say The service of the Shield Ye shall understand that he that holdeth his Lands by Escuage when the King maketh a voyage Royal into Scotland for the subduing of the Scots is bound to be with the Kings Majesty by the space of twenty daies well and conveniently arrayed and appointed for the Warre And he that holdeth his Land but by the Moity of the Fee of Knights service is bound by the force of his Tenure to be with the King by space of twenty daies and so proportionably according to the rate and quantity of his Tenure But now to our institute and purpose after this Voyage Royal into Scotland in which the King goeth in Person and after his return into England again a Parliament is wont to be summoned in which shall be prescribed and assessed what every Person that held his Land by Homage and went not with the King neither by himself nor by his Deputy shall pay to his Lord in satisfaction of his not serving and according to the taxation hereof every Tenant shall pay to his immediate Lord whether it be to the King or other after the rate and portion of his Tenure If he holdeth by an whole Fee he shall pay the whole Escuage if by a Moity the half if by a fourth part of a Fee the fourth part c. And this Money thus assessed is called Scutage or Escuage for which the Lord to whom it is due may very well for the non-payment thereof distrein But here is to be noted that some Tenants by Custom used time out of mind Distress of Escuage are bound to pay but the Moity or the third part of that which shall be assessed and limited by Act of Parliament Yea Escuage Certain and the Custom is in some place that to what summe of Money soever Escuage is assessed the Tenants shall pay never but such a certain summe of Money and this kind of Escuage is called Escuage certain that is to say Where Escuage is assessed by the Parliament to a more or less summe the Tenant to pay to the Lord five Shillings and no more nor no less c. Such a Tenure is called Socage Tenure and
by two Knights Fees and then the Heir being of full age at the death of his Ancester shall pay to his Lord for Relief ten Pounds CHAP. XXVII Service of Castle-Guard YE shall understand that a man may hold by Knights-service and yet not hold by Escuage nor shall pay any Escuage for he may hold by Castle-Guard that is to say by service to keep a Tower of his Lords Castle or some other place upon a reasonable warning when his Lord heareth that enemies will come or be already come into England This service is also Knights-service Ground in the Law and draweth to it Ward Marriage and Relief as in all Cases the common Knights-service doth CHAP. XXVIII Of Grand-Serjeanty THere is also another kind of Knights-service which is called Grand-Serjeanty that is where a man holdeth his Lands or Tenements of the King by such service as he oweth in proper person to do as to bear the Banner of our Sovereign Lord the King or his Spear or to conduct his Host or to be his Marshall or to be the lower Carver or Butler at the Feast of the Coronation or to be one of the Chamberlains of the receipt of his Exchequer or to do like service to the King in proper person Such manner of service I say is called Grand-Serjeanty that is to say A great or high Service And the cause why it is so called is because it is the most honourable and most worthy Service that is The most high Service For he that holdeth by Escuage is not appointed by his Tenure to do any other more special Service then another is bound that holdeth by Escuage but he that holdeth by Grand-Serjeanty is bound to do some speciall service to the King Also if he that holdeth of the King by Grand-Serjeanty dieth Relief of the Tenant by Grand-Serjeanty his Heir being of full age then the Heir shall pay to the King for Relief not only a 100s as he that holdeth by Escuage shall do but moreover the clear yearly value of these Lands and Tenements which he so holdeth of the King by Grand-Serjeanty Tenure by Cornage Furthermore ye shall observe that in the Marches of Scotland some men hold of the King by Cornage that is to say blowing of a Horn to the intent to warn the men of the Countrey when they hear that the Scots or other their Enemies be coming or be already entred into England which service is also a kind of Grand-serjeanty Grand-Serjeanty therefore is as much to say in Latin as Magnum-servitium Definition of Serjeanty that is to say A great or high Service Like a Petty-Serjeanty is called Parvum servitium that is to say A little or small service But to revert again to the matter Ye shall Note that if any Tenant holdeth of any other Lord then of the King by such service of Cornage then it is no Grand-Serjeanty but yet nevertheless it is Knights service and draweth to it Ward Marriage and Relief For this is a Rule infallible That none can hold by Grand-Serjeanty but of the Kings Majesty only Rule in the Law Finally Ye shall understand that all they which hold of the King by this Service called Grand-Serjeanty do hold of the King by Knights-service and by virtue of his Tenure the King shall have of them Ward Marriage and Relief but Escuage yet he shall not have of them unless they hold by Escuage of him by express speciall words CHAP. XXIX Petty-Serjeanty TEnant by Petty-Serjeanty is he that holdeth his Land immediately of our Sovereign Lord the King by this manner of service to pay to the King yearly either a Bow a Spear a Dagger a pair of Gauntlets a pair of Spurres of Gold a Shaft or such other small things appertaining to the Warre And this service is in effect but Socage because that such a Tenant is not bound by his Tenure to go nor do any thing in his own proper person touching the Warre but only to render and pay yearly certain things to the King as a man ought to pay a Rent Wherefore this Service of Petty-Serjeanty is no Knights-service but yet ye shall note That a man cannot hold neither by Petty-Serjeanty neither by Grand-Serjeanty but of the King only CHAP. XXX Homage Ancestrell TEnant by Homage Ancestrell is he which holdeth his Land of his Lord by Homage and both he and his Ancesters whose Heir he is have holden the same Land of the said Lord and of his Ancesters time out of mind by Homage and have done unto them Homage And this is called Homage Ancestrell by reason of the long continuance which hath been by title of prescription Warranty because of Homage Ancestrel as well concerning the Tenancy in the blood of the Tenant as concerning the Lordship in the Lord. And this service of Homage Ancestrell draweth unto it Warranty that is to say if the Lord which is now in life hath once received the Homage of his Tenant he ought to warrant the same Tenant what time soever he shall be impleaded or sued for such Lands so holden of him by Homage Ancestrell Moreover such service of Homage ancestrell draweth unto it acquitall that is to say the Lord ought to acquit the Tenant against other Lords that can demand any manner of Service of the Tenancie Wherefore if in this case the Tenant which holdeth by Homage ancestrell be impleaded of his Lands and voucheth or calleth his Lord to Warrantie who cometh in by Process and demandeth of the Tenant what he hath to binde him to the Warrantie and the Tenant sheweth how he and his ancestors whose Heir he is have holden his Lands of him and of his ancestors time out of minde surely the Lord if he cannot deny this and if he hath received the Homage of such a Tenant is bound by the Law to warrant him his Land so that if the Tenant lose his Lands in default of the Lord thus vouched that is to say called to warrantie he shall recover against him as much in value of these Lands and Tenements which the Lord had at the time of calling to warranty or at any time after but if the Lord never received the Homage of his Tenant then he may very well when he is thus vouched disclaim in the Lordship or Seignory and so put out the Tenant of his warranty Wherefore ye shall note that in every case where the Lord disclaimeth in his Seigniory in Court of Record his Seigniory or Lordship is extinct and the Tenant shall hold from henceforth of the next Lord to him that thus disclaimeth Thus ye perceive that Homage ancestrell is a long continuance as well in the blood of the Tenant in respect of his Tenancy as in the blood of the Lord in respect of his Seigniory wherefore if the Tenant doth once alien his Lands to another although he purchase the same again yet he shall not hold any longer by Homage ancestrell because of his
the Feoffer held so that no man can hold in Frank-almoigne but by force of a grant made before the said Statute only the Kings Majesty excepted for he is out of the compass of the Statute Finally ye shall note That whereas a man shall hold in Frank-almoigne his Lord is bound by the Law to acquit him of all manner of service that any other Lord can have or demand out of the said Lands so that if he doth not acquit him but suffer him to be distrained then he shall have against his Lord a certain Writ called a Writ of Mesne Writ of Mesne and shall recover against him his damages and costs of his Suit CHAP. XXXV Of Burgage A Tenure in Burgage is where an antient Borough is of which the King his Lord and they which have Tenements within the same Borough Socage Tenure held the same of the King paying a certain Yearly Rent which Tenure in effect is but Socage Tenure likewise it is whereas any other Lord Spirituall or Temporall is Lord of such borough Here ye shall note Custome that for the most part such antient Boroughs and Towns have divers Customes and Usages which other Towns have not for some Boroughs have a Custome that the youngest Son shall Inherit before the Eldest which custome is commonly called Borough English Dower by Custome Also in some Borough by the Custome the Woman shall have for her Dowrie all the Lands and Tenements whereof her Husband was seized at any time during the Matrimony and Coverture Moreover Devise by Custome of Borough in some Boroughs a man may bequeath or devise his Lands or Tenements by Testament at the time of his death and by force of such devise or Legacy he to whom the bepuest is made after the death of the Testator which made such Testament may by force of this Antient Custome enter into the Land so to him bequeathed or devised without any Livery of Seisin to him made or further Ceremony of Law Howbeit how and in what manner a man may at this day devise his Lands by his last will and Testament by force of a certain new Statute it shall be hereafter declared Divers other Customes in England there be contrary to the course of the Common Law which if they be any thing probable and may stand with reason are good and effectuall notwithstanding they be against the Common Law And note That no Custome is allowable but such Custome as hath been used by Title of prescription or time out of mind CHAP. XXXVI Of Villinage or bond Service A Tenant in Villinage is properly when a Villaine that is to say a bondman holdeth of his Lord whose Bondman he is certain Lands or Tenements according to the Custome of the Manour or otherwise at the will of his Lord and to do his Lord Villane service as for to bear and carry the dung of his Lords out of the City or out of his Lords Manour and to lay it upon the Demeane Lands of the Lord or to do such like Service and Villanies Service Howbeit Free-men in some places hold their Tenements and Lands of their Lords by Custome by such sort of Service and their Tenure is called Tenure in Villinage and yet they themselves be no Villaines nor of servile condition but Freemen for the Land holden in Villinage maketh not the Tenant a Villaine but contrariwise a Villaine may make Free Land to be Villaines Land unto his Lord as if a Villaine purchaseth Land in Fee-simple or Fee-tayl the Lord of the Villaine may enter into the Land so purchased by his Bondmen and put him and his Heirs out for ever and this done the Lord if he will may Lease the same Land to his Villaine to hold of him in Villenage And here ye shall understand That Servitude or Villenage is the ordinance not of the Law of nature but of that Law which is called jus gentium by which a man is made subject contrary to nature unto another mans Dominion for he that is a Villaine or Bondman either he is so by Title of prescription that is to say he and his Ancestors have been Villains time out of mind or else he is a Villaine by his own confession in some Court of record so that all Villaines either they be born Villaines or else they be made so they be born Villaines when their Father being a Bondman himself begetteth them in Lawfull Wedlock either of a Free Woman or of a Bond Woman for so that the Father be Bond the Issues of him Lawfully begotten must needs be Bond by the Laws of England having no regard to the Condition of the Mother whereas in the Civill Laws of the Romanes it is clean contrary for there Pars sequitur ventrem that is to say the Servitude or Bondage of the Mother maketh the child Bond and not the Bondage of the Father Bastard Howbeit the Bastard Son of a Bond man shall not be Bond and the reason is because a Bastard is nullius filius in the Law that is to say no mans sonne They be made Bondmen or Villaines two waies either by their own proper act as when a Free Person being of full age will come into a Court of Record and there confesseth himself Bond to another man Or else by the Laws of Arms called jus gentium as when a man is taken prisoner in wars and is compelled to serve and become the Thrall and Bond man of him that took him the Law calleth such a Person a Villaine that is to say a slave and Thrall And ye shall note Definition of Villaines That Villaines be properly called in Latin Servi because that when they be taken in warre the Captains be wont not to kill them but to sell them and so to save their lives So that they be called Servi a servendo that is to say of serving They be called Mancipia a manu capiendo because they be taken by hand and power of their enemies Now as I said by the Law of Nature we are all born free but after that by the Law of of Gentility servitude or bodage did press and invade the world then ensued the bene-of Manumission Manumission is Quasi de manu emissio that is to say Manumission a giving out of the hand or power For so long as a man is in bondage and servitude he is subject to the hand and power of another and when he is Manumissed he is made free and delivered from the said power So that a Manumission is to say a Writing testifying that the Lord hath infranchised his Villain and all his off-spring and Sequell Also if the Lord maketh to his bondman an Obligation of a certain summe of money What acts maketh Manumission in Law or granteth to him by his Deed an Annuity or yearly Pension or leaseth to him by Deed Lands or Tenements for terme of years any of these acts do imploy an Enfranchisement Likewise if
the Lord maketh a Feoffment to his Villain and maketh unto him Livery of seisin this also is an Enfranchisement and secret Manumission Briefly to speak wheresoever the Lord compelleth his Villain by the course of the Law Causes of Infranchisem to do that thing that he might otherwise enforce him to do or to suffer without the authority and compulsion of the Law he doth by implication Enfranchise his Villain as if the Lord will bring against his Villain an action of debt an action of account of Covenant or of trespass These and such like be in the eye of the Law Enfranchisments and Manumissions because that the Lord in all these cases may have the effect and purpose of his sute that is to say the Goods Chattels and correction of his bondman without the compulsion of that Law even by his own proper power and authority which he hath upon his Villain But if the Lord doth sue his Villain by an appea of Felony the Villain being lawfully indicted of the same before this is no tacite Manumission or Enfranchisement For the Lord though he have power to beat his Villain and to spoyl him of his goods yet he cannot by the Law of this Realm put him to death Ye shall also understand that if a mans bondman purchase Lands or acquit and get unto him any other thing the Lord may forthwith enter and seize the same into his own hands Wherefore if the Lord will bring against his Villain a Praecipe quod reddat by which he demandeth against his Villain any Lands or Tenements this implieth an Enfranchisement for as much as he bindeth himself to the Prescript and Authority of the Law whereas he might use his own Authority by entring and seizing the said Lands Finally Ye shall mark that some Villains be called Villains in gross and other some be called Villains regardant In gross be they of which the Lord is severally seized and not by reason of any Lordship or Mannour but they be called regardant which do belong to a Mannour of which the Lord is seized And the said Villaines have been regardant that is to say exspectant and attendant time out of mind to the Lord of the said Mannour in doing unto him such services as to a Villain appertaineth CHAP. XXXVII Of antient Demesne THere is also a certain kind of Tenure which is called antient Demesne and these Tenants which hold by their service be Fee-holders and by Charter and not by Copy or Court-Roll or by the Verge after the Custom of the Mannour at the will of the Lord And these Tenants be such as hold of those Mannours which were S. Edwards the King or which were in the hands of King William the Conqueror and these Mannours be called the antient Demesnes of the King or the antient Demesnes of the Crown of England And to such Tenants which hold of such Mannours be many and divers Liberties given and granted by the Law as to be quit of tolé and passage and such like Impositions which be demanded of men for their Goods and Chattels sould or bought in Faires and Markets by them also to be quit and free of Tax and Tollage granted by Parliament except that the Kings Majesty do Tax antient Demesne as to him only appertaineth when he thinketh good for great and urgent Considerations Tenants also of antient Demesne ought to be quit of payments to the Expences and Charges of the Knights which came to the Parliament Also they ought not to be impannelled nor put in Juries and Enquests in the County out of their Mannours or Seigniory of antient Demesne for the Lands which they hold of such Mannour unless they have other Lands at the Common Law for which they ought to be charged And if such Tenants or any of them which hold of the Mannour of antient Demesne bedistreined to do unto their Lord other Services or Customes then they or their Ancesters have used to do Writ of Monstraverunt then may they sue a certain Writ called a Monstraverunt directed to the Lord commanding him that he distrein them not for to do other service or Customes then they have been accustomed to do And for further knowledg hereof you shall understand that in the Exchequer there is a Book called Dooms-day which Book was made in the time of the said S. Edward and all the Lands that were in the Seisin and in the hands of the said S. Edward at the time of the making of the said Book by antient Demeane But the Lands which then were in other mens hands Frank-fee though they be written in the said Book be frank Fee and no antient Demesne Finally It is to be noted that Tenants of antient Demesne shall not be impleaded for their said Lands out of the Mannour whereof they so hold and if they be Abatement of Writ they may shew the matter and abate the Writ But if they once Answer to the Writ and Judgment given then the Lands have lost the nature and benefit of antient Demesne and are become frank Fee that is to say Pleadable at the Common Law for evermore And thus have we spoken of the Diversity of Tenures CHAP. XXXVIII Of Rents FOr as much as upon every Tenure there is commonly reserved one Rent or other therefore I think it good somewhat to treat of Rents but ye must understand that there be sundry sorts of Rents There is one kind of Rent which is called Rent-service Division of Rent-service another which is called Charge and the third which is named in French Rent Secke that is to say in Latine Redditus siccus a drie Rent Now Rent-service is so called because it is knit to the Tenure and is as it were a service whereby a man holdeth his Lands or Tenements or at the least way when the Rents be unseverably coupled and knit with the service As for an example where the Tenant holdeth his Land of the King or of any other Lord by Fealty and by certain Rent or by any other sorts of services and by certain Rent this Rent is called Rent-service Distress of common right And here ye shall note That if this Rent-service be at any time when it ought to be paid behind and unpaid the Lord of whom the Land or Tenement is so holden whether it be in fee-simple fee-tayl for term of life for years or at will may of common right enter and distrein for the Rent though there be no mention at all nor cause of distress put in the Deed or Lease I said before that the Nature of this Rent-service is to be coupled and knit to the Tenure For where no Tenure is there can be no Rent-service And therefore if at this day I be seized of Lands of Fee-simple and make a Deed of Feoffment of the same to another in Fee-simple reserving by the same Deed a Rent this can be called no Rent-service because there can be now no Tenure between
on the feoffees behalf as when I infeoff you of Lands or Tenements upon Condition that you shall do such an act as to pay unto me or mine Heirs such an annuall Rent on the feoffors behalf as when I make a feoffment unto you upon Condition that if I pay or cause to be paid unto you before such a day such a summe of money then it shall be lawfull for me to enter again and retain my Lands in my former estate Tenants in Mortgage in this case he that is the feoffee is called Tenant in Mortgage which is as much to say as dead-gage and it seemeth that the cause why it is so called is forasmuch as it is doubtfull whether the feoffor will pay at the day limited and prescribed such a summe of money for the redemption of his Lands or not for if he do not his Title or interest in the Lands thus gaged and oppignorate is utterly extinct and gone without all hope of renewing Ye shall also note That if the mortgager dieth before the day of payment his Heir may redeem the Land very well even as well as his Ancestour that mortgaged the Land might have done although there be no mention made of Heirs in the writing Also if when the money is lawfully by the mortgager or his Heir tendered and profered and the Lessour refuseth to receive the same the feoffour or his Heir may enter and then hath the feoffee no remedy for his money at the Common Law Ye shall understand also that some conditions be utterly void in the Law and of none efficacy Conditions void vertue or strength As if a feoffment be made of Lands in fee-simple upon condition that the feoffee shall not alien or put away the same to none other this condition I say is void because the feoffee is restrained of his whole power that the Law giveth in such case unto him and with power and liberty is manner included in every feoffment yet I may abridg him of part of his power as to condition with him that he shall not alien the Lands to such a person or such but of Gifts in Tayl otherwise it is for if I give Lands to a man and to the Heirs of his body lawfully begotten Gift in Tayl upon Condition upon condition that he nor his Heirs shall alien the Lands to none other person this Condition is good and effectuall in the Law and if he or his Heirs contrary to the Condition do alien them then the giver or his Heirs may very well enter and retain the Lands for ever because this Condition shall stand with the forenamed Statute of Westminster the second which prohibiteth such alienations to be made Hitherunto have I spoken of Conditions in Deed now will I shew what be Conditions in Law that be annexed to any Estates Know ye therefore Estates upon conditions in Law that if the Office of a Parker Steward Constable Bedle or Baliff or such like Office be granted to a man for term of his life though there be no condition at all mentioned in the grant yet the Law speaketh of a condition in this case which is that if the party to whom such Office is given shall not execute all points appertaining unto his Office accordingly by himself or his Lawfull Deputy it shall be Lawfull for the grantor to Enter and discharge him of his Office and this condition is called a condition in Law There be also three other manner of Estates upon Condition that is to say Conditions against the Law Conditions Depugnant and Conditions Impossible First Estates upon Conditions against the Law be as if a man make a Feoffment gift grant or Lease upon Condition that if the Feoffors Donours Grantours or Lessours kill J. S. which is not the Kings enemy or burn his house that then it shall be Lawfull to the Feoffors Donours c. To re-enter this Condition is void and the Estate good And like Law is Conditions against the Land if such Conditions be to be performed of the part of the Feoffee Grantee c. But if it be that a Lease for term of years be made of Land upon Condition that if the Lessees kill J. S. that then he shall have fee simple although that he in his case perform the Condition his Estate is nothing thereby inlarged because the Condition is against the Law And ye shall understand that where an Obligation is Indorsed with a Condition which is against the Law both the Obligation Conditions Repugnant and also the Condition be clearly void in the Law Estates upon Conditions Repugnant be as if a Feoffment or a gift in tayle be made upon Condition that the Feoffee or Donee shall take no profit or shall do no wast and such other like such Conditions be void and the State good and effectuall in the Law notwithstanding Also if a Lease be made for term of life upon Condition that he shall not doe Fealty that is as a void Condition Likewise it is if a man that hath nothing in the Manour of Sale granteth a Rent-charge going out of the same upon Condition that the person shall not be charged this grant is good and the Condition is void Estates upon Conditions impossible be as if a Feoffment be made upon Condition that if the Feoffee goeth not through the Sea on foot to Calice in one day Conditions Imposble then it shall be Lawfull to the Feoffor to re-enter this is a frustrate and void Condition and yet the estate is good Like Law is of a Lease made for term of years c. or an Obligation with a Condition impossible ut supra the Obligation or Lease is good and the Condition void to all purposses CHAP. XXII An Act how strangers shall take advantage of Conditions made An. 32. H. 8. IT is enacted that as well persons which have or shall have any gift or grant of the King by his Letters Patents of any Lands Personages Titles or other Hereditaments or any reversion of the same which did belong to any Monastry or other Ecclesiasticall House disolved or otherwise come into the Kings hands since the fourth day of February in the twenty eight Year of our Sovereign Lord King Henry the Eight or which at any time heretofore did belong to any other Person and after come into the Kings hands as also all other Persons being Graunters or Assigns to the King or to any other Person their Heirs Executors Successors and Assigns shall have like advantage against the Farmours and their Executor Administrators and Assigns by Entry for Non-Payment of the Rent or for doing wast or other forfeiture and also shall have the same advantage by Action only of not performing of other Conditions Covenants or Agreements contained in the Indentures of their Leases or Grants against the said Farmours and Grantees their Executors Administrators and Assigns as the said Lessors or Granters themselves might have had at any time
and again Mutually and on the other side the said Farmours and Grantees for term of years life or lives their Executors Administratours and Assigns shall have like advantage against them for any Condition Covenant and Agreement contained in the said Indenture as they might have had against their said Lessors and Granters their Heirs Successors all benefits and advantage of recoveries in value by reason of any warranty of deed or in Law by voucher or otherwise only except Provided that this Act shall not extend to charge any Person for Breach of any Covenant or Condition comprised in any such writing but for such as shall be broken and not performed after the first day of September in the 32. Year of this King and not before CHAP. XXIII Livery of Seisin and Atturnement IN all Feoffments gifts in tayle Leases for term of anothers life of Lands or Tenements there can be no Alteration Transmutation of Possession by the Antient Laws of this Realme unless there be a certain Ceremony Adhibited and Solemnized in the presence and sight of neighbours or others which Ceremony is called Livery of Seisin And ye shall understand The manner Livery of Seisin that this Ceremony of Livery of Seisin is done when the Feoffour Donour Lessour or other Deputy come with the Neighbours Solemnly to the Lands or Tenements and they put the Feoffe Donee or Lessee in possession of the said Lands or Tenements by delivering to him a Clod of Earth or the ring of the Door or some other thing in the name of Seisin and for this self cause this Ceremony of Law is called Livery of Seisin that is to say a Tradition or giving of Seisin But this Ceremony is not required in Leases for term of years Diversity between Possession and Seisin or in Leases at will For as much as the Lessour in such Lease remaineth still seized and the Lessee only hath possession without any Livery of Seisin and therefore the terms of the Law be that such a man is possessed whereas in Feoffments gifts in tayle and Leases for life he is called seized Wherefore if a Feoffment or Lease for life be made of Lands or Tenements and before that the Livery of a Seisin be made the Feoffour dieth the Heir of the Feoffour shall have Lands Per summum jus that is to say by the Rigour of the Law Notwithstanding that the Feoffee have paid to the Feoffour the price of the Land and although the Feoffee be in possession but otherwise it is of a Lease for term of Years A like Ceremonie is used Atturnment when Rent-charge Rent-service Rent in gross a Villain in gross common in gross common for Beasts certain Estovers and such other things as pass by way of grant be granted for it is no full and perfect grant till it be consignat and sealed as it were with the Ceremonie of Atturnment this Atturnment is nothing else but when the Tenant of Land of which a Rent granted is granted or out of which a Rent is granted doth make some evident signification and token that he accepteth the person to whom the grant is made to be in the same respect unto him that the granter was as for an example if the Tenant of the Land after he have heard of the grant cometh to the grantee that is to wit to the person to whom the grant was made and say in this wise or in like effect I agree unto the Grant made unto you by such a man How attu nment shall be made or I am well apaid and contented of the Grant that such a man hath made unto you but the most usuall frequent form of Atturnment is to say Sr I atturn unto you by force of the said Grant or I become your Tenant or to deliver unto the grantee a Peny or a Halfpeny by way of atturnement If a man maketh first one grant to one person and after another to another person that grant shall stand to which the Tenant will atturn although it be to the later grant And ye shall note That if a man be seized of a Mannour which is parcell in demean and parcell in service and doth alien the same Mannour to another unless the Tenant of the Mannor do atturn the Service shall not pass only Tenants at will excepted for it needeth not to cause them to atturn Note furthermore Diversity there is a great difference between giving a Peny in name of Seisin and giving by way of Atturnement for when it is given by the Tenant to the Grantee in the name of Seisin it doth not only imply an Atturnment Assize but also it giveth him such a seizin that if the Rent afterward were behind and not paid he may now upon the seisin of the Peny after a lawfull distress taken and after Rescous made Writ of Rescous bring an Assize of Novel Disseizin whereas if it were given only by way of Atturnement he could not bring the Assize but his Writ of Rescous only if Rescous were made Also ye shall understand That where Lands be deviseable by Testament by the custome of any ancient Borough or City if the reversion of any Lands be by Testament bequeathed to a man in fee and the Testator which we call the devisor dieth the devisee that is to wit he to whom the devise was made hath forthwith the reversion in him without further ceremonie of Atturnement Atturnment likewise it is if a man by testament doth bequeath a Rent-charge that he is seized of or of a Rent-service there needeth none atturnement at all If two Joyntenants of Land and the Lord granteth the services to another if one of the Joyntenants atturneth it is enough Finally If a Lease be made for terme of life the remainder to another in tayl the remainder over to the right Heir of the Tenant for terme of life in this case if the Tenant for terme of life will grant his remainder in fee to another by his deed this remainder passeth forthwith without any atturnement For if any Atturnement were requisite it should be made of the Tenant for terme of life Not Requisite which in this case is the granter himself And in vain it is that the granter should be inforced to atturn sith an atturnment is adhibited and had to none other purpose then to have the consent and agreement of the particular Tenant to the intent that it may appear that he hath notice and knowledg of this grantee but here where the particular Tenant himself is the granter an atturnement were superfluous and more then needed Note furthermore That where there is Lord and Tenant and the Tenant leaseth his Tenements to a woman for life the remainder over in fee the woman taketh a Husband and after the Lord granteth the services c. to the Husband in this case during the coverture the services be put in suspence Suspence but if the Wife die leaving the Husband
for the Defendant or the Plaintiff be non-suit or otherwise barred the Defendant shall recover such Dammages and Costs as the Plaintiff should have had if he had recorded Both Parties shall in such Writs have like pleas aid prayers and Joynder in age as at the Common Law notwithstanding this Act Pleas in Avoury Pleas of Disclaymer only excepted 2 H. 8.19 CHAP. XLI For the Assurance of Farmers made ALl Leases hereafter to be made of any Lands or other Hereditamens by writing indented under Seal for term of years or for term of life by any persons being of the age of twenty one years having any estate of Inheritance either in Fee-simple or in Fee-tayl in their own right or in the right of their Charges or Wives or joyntly with their Wives shall be good and effectual against the Lessors their Wives Heirs and Successors according to the estate comprized in such Indenture of Lease Surrender of the old Lease This Statue shall not extend to any Lease to be made of Lands in the hands of any Farmer by force of any old Lease unless such old Leases expired within a year after the making of the new nor to any Grant to be made of any Reversions of Mannours Lands c. nor to any Leases of such Mannours Lands c. which have not been lett to Farme or occupied by Farmers twenty years before such Lease made nor to any Lease to be made without impeachment of wast nor to any Lease to be made for above twenty one years or three lives from the day of the making thereof and that upon every such Lease there be reserved so much yearly Rent as hath been usually paid for the Lands so lett within twenty years next before such Lease made and the Reversioners of the Mannours Lands c. so lett after the death of such Lessor or his Heirs may have such remedy against such Lessee his Executors Assignes as such Lessor might have had against such Lessee Provided that all Leases made by the Husband of Mannours Lands The Wife shall be party to the Lease c. being the Inheritance of the Wife shall be made by Indenture in the name of the Husband and Wife and she to seal to the same and the Rent shall be reserved to the Husband and Wife and the Heirs of the Wife And here the Husband shall not alien or discharge the Rent or any part thereof longer then during the Coverture unless it be by fine levied by Husband and Wife Provided furthermore that this Act extend not to give liberty to take more Farmes or Leases then might have been taken before this Act Vide Stat. 25. H. 8.13 Sheepe nor to any Parson or Vicar to make any Lease otherwise then they might have done before It is furthermore enacted What grant by a Corporation is good that the Grant Lease or gift or Election of the Governour or Ruler of any Hospitall Colledge Deanry or other corporation with the assent of the more part of such of the same as have voice thereunto shall be good and effectuall any Rule or Statute made by any Founder to the contrary notwithstanding 32 H. 8. CHAP. XLII Of falsifying of recoveries by Farmers 21. H. 15. A Termer for yeares may falsifie a feigned recovery had against them in the reversion and shall retain and enjoy his Term against the recoverer his Heirs and Assigns according to his Lease Also the recoverer shall have like remedy against the termer Avowry or Action of Debt his Executors or Assigns by Avowry or Action of debt for Rents and Services reserved upon such Lease and due after such recovery and also like Action for wast done after such recovery as the Lessor might have had if such recovery had never been No Statute of the staple Statute Merchant or execution by Elegit shall be avoided by such feigned recovery but such Tenants shall also have such remedy to falsifie such recoveries as is here provided for the Lessee for years CHAP. XLIII Of Tythes and how they shall be recovered 33. H. 8.7 ALl Persons shall duely set forth and pay all Tythes and offerings according to the custome of the places where they grow due If Tythes or offerings be not so set out and paid the party grieved may convent him that so detain them before the Ecclesiasticall Judg who hath power to hear and determine the matter in question Ordinarily or Summarily according to the Ecclesiasticall Lawes and to give sentence thereupon accordingly Here if any of the parties appeale the Judg upon such appeale shall adjudge to the other party reasonable cases and compell the Appealant to satisfie them by process and censures Ecclesiasticall taking surety of the other party to whom the costs shall be adjudged to restore the costs in case the principall case pass against him If any Person after such sentence given refuse to pay Tythes or Summes of Money so adjudged then two just of P. 1. Qu. shall upon Certificate thereof from the Judge commit the Party so refusing the next Goale there to remain till he have found Sureties to be bound by Recognisance or otherwise before the same Judge to the King to performe the said Sentence Howbeit none shall be thereby compelled to pay Tythes for Lands or other Hereditaments which by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm are discharged and not chargeable with the payment of Tythes neither shall it extend to the City of London or the Suburbs thereof In all cases where any Person who hath any Estate of Inheritance Free-hold Term right or interest in any Parsonage Vicarage or other Ecclesiasticall profit which now be or hereafter shall be made Temporall and admitted to be and abide in Temporall hand and to lay uses by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm shall happen to be hereafter outed or otherwise wronged from or concerning the same he or she shall have remedy for the same in the Kings Temporall Courts or other Temporall Courts as the case shall require by Writs of precipe quod reddat Assize of novell disseisin Mordancester quod ei defoveat Writs of Dower and other Originall Writs as the case shall require in like manner as for Lands Tenements and other Hereditaments in such manner to be demanded Also Writs of Covenant and other Writs for Fines to be Levied and all other assurances to be had and made of Parsonages Vicarages and other profits called Spirituall shall be devised and granted in Chancery as hath been used for Fines and Assurances of other Land Likewise all Judgements given and Fines Levied for and of such Parsonages c. shall be of like effect as judgments given and Fines levied of other Lands 32. H. 8. CHAP. XLIII Of Mortuaries 21. H. 8.6 NO Spirituall Person his Bayliffe or Lessee shall take or demand more for a Mortuary then as is hereafter expressed nor shall convent any Person before any Ecclesiasticall Judge for the recovery of more for the same then
reversion or remainder so that such assent and agreement to appear of record in the Kings Court. CHAP. XLVII How wrongfull Diseisin is no discent in the Law Enact Anno 32. H. 8. WHere divers persons have by strength and without title entered into Lands and Tenements and wrongfully diseised and dispossessed the rightfull owners and possessors thereof and so being seized by diseisin have died seized thereof by reason of which dying seized the Parties that were so diseized and dispossessed or such other persons as before such descent might have lawfully entered into the said Lands and Tenements be thereby clearly excluded of their entry into the Land and put to their Action for their remedy and recovery thereof It is enacted that the dying seized hereafter of any such diseisour having no right or title therein shall not be deemed any such discent in the Law as to take away the entry of such persons or the Heirs which at the time of the same discent had good title of entry into the same Except that such diseisor had the peaceable possession of his Lands or Tenements whereof he shall so die seized by the space of five years next after the diseisin by him committed without entrie or continuall claim by such as have lawfull title thereunto CHAP. LXVIII The Limitation of Prescription Enacted Anno 32. H. 82. SEisin in a Writ of Right shall be within sixty years before the teste of the same Writ Limitation of years In a Mordancester Cosenage Ayel Writ of Entry Sur diseisin Limitation of 50 years or any other possessory Action upon the possession of his Ancester or Predecessor it shall be within 50 years before the teste of the Original of any such Writ In a Writ upon the Parties own seisin or possession Limitation of 30 years it shall be within 30 years before the teste of the original of the same Writ In an Avowry or Cognizance for rent sute or services of the seisin of his Ancester Predecessor or his his own or of any other whose estate he pretends to have it shall be within 40 years befor the making such Avowry or Cognizance Avowry Formedons in reverter or remainder scire facias upon fines shall be sued within 50 years after the title or cause of Action accrued and not after The Party Demandant Plaintiff or Avowant that upon traverse or deiner by the other Party cannot prove actuall possession or seisin within the times above limitted shall be for ever after barred in all such Writs Actions Barre Avowries Cognizance Prescription c. Provided that in any of the said Actions Attaint upon false Verdict Avowries Prescriptions c. the party grieved may have an Attaint upon a false Verdict given CHAP. XLIX Of Fines FInes have their Names because they make a finall end and determination of all sutes strifes and debates between men For the due levying whereof it was enacted in the fourth year of King Henry the seventh That every Fine after the engrossing shall be proclaimed in the Court the same Term and the three next four severall daies in every Term and in the mean time all Pleas shall cease The Proclamation being so made they shall conclude all Persons both Princes and strangers except women covert persons under age in prison out of the Realm or of none sane memory being not Parties to the Fine The right and interest that any person or persons other then Parties hath or have at the time of the Fine ingrossed is saved so that they or their Heirs pursue such the r right or interest by Action or Lawfull entry within five years after the Proclamations so made so also is the right and interest saved which accrues after the ingrossing of the Fine so that the parties having the same pursue within five years after it so accrues and in this case the Action may be brought against the pernor of the profits If at the time of the Fine ingrossed or of such accruer as aforesaid the persons be covert and no parties to the Fine under age in prison out of the Realm or of none sane memory they or their Heirs have time to pursue their Actions within five years after such imperfection removed The exception that none of the parties nor any to their use had any thing in the Lands at the time of the Fine levied is saved to all persons except parties and Princes Fines at the Common Law have the same force that they had before the making of this Act and a Fine may be levied this way or at the Common Law at the pleasure of the parties ☜ Furthermore in 32. Year of _____ for the avoiding of certain doubts and ambiguities it was enacted that all Fines levied of any person or persons of full age of Lands intailed before the same Fine to themselves or to any of their Ancestors in possession reversion remainder or use shall immediately after the Fine ingressed and Proclamations made be a sufficient barre against them and their Heirs claiming only by such En-tayle and against all others claiming only to their use or to the use of any Heir of their bodies Howbeit this Act shall not barre the interest of any persons accrued by reason of any Fine levied by a Woman after her Husbands death contrary to the Statute of V. H. 7.20 A Fine levied by him who is restrained by any express Act of Parliament so to do shall be void notwithstanding this Act. This Act shall not extend to any Fine heretofore levied of Lands now in suit or heretofore Lawfully recovered in any court by Judgement or otherwise Nor to any Fine of Lands entayled by the Kings Letters-patents or any Act of Parliament the reversion thereof at the time of such fine levied being in the King CHAP. L. Of Testaments or last Wills TEstamentum in Latin is as much to say as mentis Testatio Division that is a Declaration or witnessing of a mans mind And there be two sorts of Testaments The other is called Testamentum Scriptum Written Testament that is a written Testament or last Will by writing and the other is called Testamentum Nuncupaticum The Testament Nuncupative a Testament Nuncupative which is when a man doth express by Mouth his last Will and Testament without writing by calling before him certain of his Neighbours in whose presence he doth signifie by words of his last mind and Will And this for the most part men use to do when for fear of suddenness of death they dare not abide the writing of their Will And this Will unless it be in certain cases is as strong and as sure as is a Testament or last Will put in writing and Sealed with the Seale of the Testator Also though a Testament by writing be not Sealed with the Seale of the Testator yet is the Testament good and effectuall in the Law And ye shall also mark That where a man maketh once his Testament
taken had and sued out of the Kings hands by the person or persons to whom they shall be so disposed willed or devised in like manner as hath been used by any Heir or Heirs before the making of this Statute Every person having Mannours Lands c. of Estate in Inheritance holden of the King in chief by Knights-service or of the nature of Knights-service in chief hath power by his last Will in writing or by any other Act executed in his life to give dispose will or assign two parts thereof in three parts to be divided or else so much thereof as shall amount to the yearly value of two parts thereof in three parts to be divided in certainty and by speciall divisions that it may be known in severalty for the advancement of his Wife preferment of his Children and payment of his debts or otherwise at his pleasure Here also the custody Wardship and Primer Seisin or any of them as the case shall require of as much of such Mannours Lands c. as shall amount to the clear yearly value of the third part thereof as also all fines for Alienations upon such alteration of the Free-hold or Inheritance are saved to the King Every person having Mannours Lands c. of Estate of Inheritance holden of the King in chief by Knight-service and having other Mannours Lands c. holden of the King or any other by Knight-service or otherwise hath power to give dispose or will or assign by Will in writing or otherwise by Act executed in his life two parts thereof in three parts to be divided or so much thereof as shall amount to the yearly value of two parts thereof to be severed as aforesaid for the advancement of his Wife preferment of his Children and payment of his Debts or otherwise at his pleasure Here likewise the Custody Wardship Primer Seisin and Fines for Alienation are saved to the King as before Every person having Mannours Lands c. of estate of Inheritance holden of any other Lord by Knight-service and other Lands in Socage or of the nature of Socage may give dispose assure by will or otherwise by Act executed in his life two parts of the Knight-service Land or so much thereof as shall amount to the yearly value of two parts as aforesaid and also all the Socage Land at his pleasure saving to such Lord for his Custody and Wardship so much of the Knight-service Land as shall amount to the yearlyly value of the third part thereof Every person having Mannours Lands c. holden of the King by Knight-service and not in chief or any Mannours Lands c. holden of the King by Knight-service and not in chief and other Mannours Lands c. holden of any other person by Knight-service and also other Mannours Lands c. holden of any other person in Soccage or in the nature of Soccage may give dispose will devise and assure by his last Will or otherwise by Act executed in his life two parts of the said Knight-service Land or so much thereof as shall amount to two parts of the yearly value thereof as aforesaid all the Soccage Land at his will and pleasure Howbeit here also the Custody and Wardship of so much of the said Knight-service Mannours Lands c. as shall amount to the yearly value of the third part thereof are saved to the King and other Lords respectively and if the King or other Lord have not in this case a full third part set out for them they may respectively take into their possession so much of the other two parts as will make it a full third part Provided that all persons shall sue Liverie for Possessions Reversions or Remainders and pay Reliefs and Heriots as they did before the making of this Act. Fines for Alienations shall be paid in Chancery upon Writs of Entry in the Post for common Recoveries suffered of any Mannours Lands c. holden of the King in chief in like manner as upon Alienations of such Mannours Lands c. by Fine or Feoffment Howbeit no other Fine shall be paid there for any such Writs but only such Fines for Alienations Where two or more hold any Mannours Lands c. of the King by Knight-service joyntly to them and their Heirs of one of them and he that hath the Inheritance dieth his Heir being within age the King shall have the Ward and Marriage of such Heir the life of Free holder or Free holders notwithstanding saving to every Woman her Interest of Dower in such Lands to be assigned out of the two parts thereof severed from the third part as abovesaid and not otherwise and saving also the King the Reversions of all such Tenants by joynt-Tenure and Dower after the death of such Tenants in case they happen to die during the Nonage of the Kings Ward CHAP. LIV. Matrimony and Marriage ALl Marriages shall be adjudged lawfull which are not prohibited by Gods Law What marriages shall be lawfull Spirituall persons may marry 32 H. 8.38 All Laws Canons Constitutions and Ordinances which prohibit Marriages to spirituall Persons who by Gods Law may marry and all forfeitures therein shall be void 2 3. E. 6.21 Bigamus is Felony A Bigamus shall suffer death as a Felon unless he or she have had no notice that the Husband or Wife was living within seaven years before or the Marriage be severed by Divorce This Felony shall cause no corruption of blood Bigamy causeth no corruption of blood c. or loss of Dower or inheritance 1 Jac. 11. CHAP. LV. Of Voucher VOucher is when a Praecipe quod reddat of Land is brought against a man What Voucher is and another ought to Warrant the Land to the Tenant then the Tenant shall Vouch him to Warranty and thereupon he shall have a Writ called Summoneas ad Warrantizandum And if the Sheriff return that he hath nothing by the which he may be Summoned then there shall go forth a Writ called Sequatur sub suo periculo and when he cometh he shall plead with the Demandant and if he come not or if he come and cannot barre the Demandant then the Demandant shall recover the Land against the Tenant and the Tenant shall recover as much Land in value against the Vouchee and thereupon shall have a Writ called Capias ad valentiam against the Vouchee CHAP. LIV. Voucher and Connter-Plea of Voucher WHen any demandeth Land against another A Tenant impleaded voucheth the vouchee denieth the Warranty and the party that is impleaded Voucheth to Warranty and the Vouchee denieth his Warranty in this case like as the Tenant should loose the Land in Demand in case where he Vouched and the Vouchee could discharge himself of the Warranty In the same wise shall the Vouchee loose in case where he denieth his Warranty and if it be found and tryed against him that he is bound to Warranty And if an Enquest be depending between the Tenant and the