for the same Coppy-hold now is hee become a good Coppy-holder without any further Admission If a Coppy-holder surrendreth his Land to the use of I. S. for life the Remainder to the use of R. N. for life and the Lord granteth the same accordingly and admitteth I. S. it seemeth this is a good admission to R. N. that is in the Remainder A Coppy-holder in Fee dyeth seised his heire may make a surrender to the use of a stranger without admission quaere But if a Coppy-holder surrender to the use of I. S. this I. S. cannot surrender to the use of a stranger without being first admitted him selfe If a Coppy-holder Surrender all use of the joyntly and they are admitted if the one of them dyeth the surviver needeth not t◠bee admitted againe for the moytie But if a Coppy-holder having Issue two daughters and they are admitted and then the one of them dieth the other must needs be admitted for the other moyty for hee takes the same by discent L'heire dun Coppy-holder part prender profits avera accion de travers et Ferra Post fratris sufficicum deveant admittance 12. Eliz. 291. et part faire lesses per ans Denby et Bullock WHAT SHAL BE SAID a forfeiture of a COPPY-HOLD THE Tenant by Coppy standeth bound by his Tenure to the Lord that if hee doth any thing to the Lords dis-inheritance or in some cases if he doth transgresse the duty of a good Tenant he shall forfeit his Coppy-hold but because all offences are not equall so likewise there are degrees of punnishment for there is a difference betweene offences done wittingly and willingly and faults ignorantly and unwillingly committed And therfore some offences are forfeitures ipso facto some are onely forfeitures when they are presented and not before and some are onely fineable Forfeitures ipso facto are offences that lye in mis-fesans be apparent forfeitures when they are presented only are offences that lye in non fesans and is not apparent nor affirmatively to bee proved without presentment Offences Finable are offences of contempt and not of dis-inheritance As if a Coppy-holder will in the presence and sitting of the Court Baron say 〈…〉 extort and exact un-due 〈…〉 his Tenants or such 〈…〉 this is onely Fineable But 〈…〉 and there say being called forth to bee sworne of his homage that hee is none of the Lords Tenant this makes a Forfeyture of his Coppy-hold But if hee will there say that hee will shortly demise away that hee will bee no longer of any of the Lords Coppy-holders this is neither cause of Forfeyture not Fine If a Coppy-holder Sendente curia doe strike an other Coppy-holder or any other stranger this is onely Finable and maketh no Forfeyture If the Steward sheweth forth a Court Role to proove that I. S. is a Coppy-holder and this not withstanding hee will in the Court say that hee is a Free holder and sheweth forth a Free deed and claime thereby and teareth in peeces the Court Role and publisheth the free deed this a cause of Fine and Forfeyture But if the said Tenant will there upon some Colourable doubt and question which may arise whether hee bee a Free holder or a Coppy-holder say to the Steward because hee knowes not whether the rent that hee should pay bee Free rent or Coppy-hold rent he will pay it with protestation that the rent may be recorded as it shall fall out and with like protestation offer and do his service though in truth hee bee a Coppy-holder yet this deserveth neither Fine or Forfeyture If a Coppy-holder cannot pay his rent and will not doe his service this offence is on the Negative and maketh no forfeyture till it be presented Tenant per Coppie ne poet facere wast ne couper bois per vender mes pro reperacontantum 9 Hen 4. 12. 43. Ed. 3. 32. 80. But if a Coppy-holder doth Alien his Land by Free deed or will commit waste or demise his Coppy-hold contrary to the Custome or will sue a replevin against the Lord for a Distr lawfully taken for his Rent or service due or disclaime in the Land being summoned to the Lords Court or will there claime it as his free hold or will in any other Court untitle any other Lord unto it or bee attainted of treason or felonie or continue out-lawd or excommunicate during the Lords Court or refuseth to goe with his Lord or other commissionours for that purpose in the service of the prince to suppres Rebells riots or unlawfull assemblies All these offences be apparent mis-fesance and forfeiture ipso facto without any presentment But if a Coppy-holder being of the grand Inquest at the Assizes or Sessions shall indit his Lord of any manner of offence committed against the Prince or Lawes of this Realme or shall upon proces Compulsary give evidence against his Lord which is in any cause betweene his Lord and an other Common person or betweene the prince and his Lord without compulsary proces or shall make any bodily arest of his Lord by the commandment of the Shriefe or other lawfull authority or shall bring any Action or Suit against his Lord in any of the Queens Courts except a Replevin case aforesaid All these last recited be cause of neither Fines or forfeitures of any Coppy-hold Also a Coppy-holder not claiming his Coppy-hold after the death of his Ancestor within a yeare and a day at the Court if any bee it is a forfeiture for ever per. opin Catline Slowelle Case 372. ct c. il pesse dee bone custome in plusors Mannors If Coppyholders being on a Jury will not finde the waste committed or will not present things presentable this is a forfeituer of their Tenures if they be Coppy-holders by the opinion of Catlin Dier and Bracton 4. Eliz. Dier 211. pe 31. 6. et 7. Eliz. 233. b. 9. Hen. 6. 44. b. If a Coppy-holder will not be sworne to present such offences as are forfeitures this is a forfeiture of his estate so if he alien or make Coppy-hold free for tenne pound the Lord may enter for they are willfull acts for which the Lord may enter without presentment but for negligent offences as for not doing of services or not acceptance of a Coppy-hold after the death of his ancestor the Lord cannot seise without presentment of the homage And if an infant within the yeare after the death of his ancestor will not after the Court holden and proclamation made pray to bee admitted it is no forfeiture unlesse the Custome of the Mannour be that an infant ought to forfeit his estate by such negligence for it is but a claime at Common Law which bars not an infant which hath not discretion Betweene Hautrey and Buckshire and one of his Coppy-holders 12. Eliz. Rot 96. If thirteene Coppy-holders bee sworne in a base Court and twelve agree to give Verdict the thirteenth will not it is not a forfeiture for it is a good verdict
Prescriptions must be according to Common right that is to prescribe that is to have such things as is their right and reasonto have and not by Custome of Prescription to claim things by way of extortion or thereby to exact Fines of other things of his Tenant without good cause or consideration If the Lord will prescribe to have of every of his Coppy-holders for every Court that shall bee kept upon the Mannour a certaine sum of money this is no prescription according to common right because he ought for Justice sake to doe it gratis And so it is if the Shriefe will prescribe to have a certaine Fee for keeping his Turne this is not a good prescription But if the Lord will prescribe to have a certaine Fee of his Tennants for any extraordinary Court purchased onely for the benefit of one Tennant as for one Tennant to take his Coppy-hold or such like this is a good prescription according to the common right If the Lord will have of any of his Tenants that shall commit a pound Breach a hundred shillings for a Fine this is good Prescription but to challenge of every stranger that shall commit a Pound Breach a hundred shillings this is no good prescription If the Lord will Prescribe that every of his Coppyholders within his Mannour that shall marry his Daughter without licence shall pay a Fine to the Lord this is no good Prescription according to common right THAT A CVSTOME must be upon a good Consideration and what shall bee said such a Custome and what not COnsideration is a great effect in all Lawes and Customes and hath as great an an operation as any one thing belonging to the Law for in most causes it onely guideth and directeth Rights properties uses and estates sometimes according to the limitation and sometimes contrary to the limitation as well in cases of Custome as in cases of common Law for consideration is the beginning of all Custome the ground of all uses the reason of all rights and the cause of all duties For without Consideration no Custome can have continuance nothing is wrought by any conveyance no interest transferred no right remooved no propertie changed nor duty accrewed As if the Lord of a Mannour will prescribe that whosoever passeth the Kings high way which lyeth through his Mannour shall pay to the Lord of the Mannour twelve-pence for his passage This prescription is not upon good Consideration But if hee prescribe to have a penny of every one that passeth over such a Bridge which the Lord of the Mannour doth use to repaire this is good prescription upon good consideration If the Lord will prescribe to have a Fine at the Marriage of his Copy-hold Tenants in which the Custome doth not admit the husband to bee Tenant by curtesie nor the Wife to be Tenant in Dowre or have her Widdowes estate the prescription of such a Fine is not good But in such Mannour where the Custome doth admit such particular estates there a prescription for a Fine at the Marriage of his Coppy-holders is upon good consideration If a Coppy-hold surrender his Land to the use of I. S. so long as I S. shall serve him in such an Office if I S. refuse to serve his estate doth cease If a Coppy-holder doth surrender his Land to the use of a stranger in consideration that the same stranger shall marry his daughter before such a day if the marriage succeeds not the stranger takes nothing by the Surrenderer But if the Surrender bee in consideration that the stranger shall pay such summe of money at such a day though the money bee not payed yet the Surrenderer standeth good If the Coppy-holder in consideration of twentie pounds to bee payd by I. S. doth make a Surrender of his Lands to N. R. this Surrender is to the use of I. S. because of the Consideration expressed in the Coppy and not to the use of N. R. But if in the Coppy the use be expressed to N. R. and no consideration mentioned the use expressed shall stand against any consideration to be averred THAT A CVSTOME MVST be compulsary and what shall be said such a Custome and what not CUstome or Law must be Compulsary and not at the liberty of a man whether he will performe it or not for then it were of no force for all Customes and Lawes have their effect in two poynts That is in bidding that which is just and in forbidding the contrary So that Lawes and Customes are refrainers of liberties and do demaund execution of Justice not that every man should have or doe what they would but that which by Justice they ought whereunto by duty of Law and Custome hee is compellable for otherwise it were Voluntary in him which were to the infringing of the Law and good order As the Poets Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae If the Lord will prescribe that every of his Tenants shall give him ten shillings a moneth to beare charges in time of Warre this is no good Prescription But to prescribe that they ought to pay ten shillings a moneth c. this is good For payment is compulsary but gift is Voluntary If a Coppy-holder doe Surrender his Land to the use of S. so that the sayd I. S. do pay him twenty pounds at such a day If I. S. please to pay the same this is an absolute Surrender and not conditionall because the compulsary But many Customes there are which at the beginning were Voluntary and now by continuance are growne Compulsary According to the Civill Law Quae initio fuerunt voluntatis ex post fact fuerint necessitatis which also agreeth with the Common-Law in many cases as I have partly touched before THAT A CVSTOME MVST be without preiudice to the King and by what prescription the King shall be bound and what not THE King hath that Prerogative over his Subjects that hee is not tyed to time as a common person is for though a common person may loose his right by non claime within a certaine time the Kings right is still to be preserued for Nullum tempus occurrit Regi Yet in speciall cases where the King is not Intituled agaynst such prescription by matter of Record there such Customes shall bind the King As for example if a Coppy-holder prescribeth that he holdeth of the King by Coppy this is good and by fine certaine and not arbitrable to have Waife and Strayes and Wrecke but not Cattalla feloni fugitorum and vtlagatorum without Charters The Kings Advowson shall never fall into lapse for not presenting within sixe moneths THAT A CVSTOME OVGHT to consist of perdurablenesse of Estate and of an able capacity TO those former parts whereupon I have declared a good Custome to consist may be added to eyther parts viz. That he which will claime by Custome must have a sufficient and perdurable estate to prescribe and also in his owne
right or in some others a sufficient ability or capacity to prescribe Touching the first it is to be understood that hee which will prescribe must have a certaine and indefeazable estate and not otherwise As if a Tenant at Will or at Sufferance after hee hath occupied the Land for ten yeares will prescribe to have the same for ten yeares this is not good But a Tenant at Will after the Custome although he came in at the first by the Lords will yet doing and paying that which hee ought hee may prescribe to hold the Land whether the Lord will or no And although a Coppy-holder may prescribe in this forme against his Lord yet against an Estranger for a common or such like kind of profit hee cannot prescribe bâ—t in the right of the Lord neyther yet can a Tenant for life or for yeares prescribe in the right of their owne Estate onely because it lacketh continuance to make a custome or prescription except in some cases of necessity the Lord of a Mannour or of a Patronage for yeares or life may grant a Coppy in perpetuity or presentation for a longer time then the estate of the Grantor doth continue and this is admitted causa necessitatis and not Iure prescriptionis To the second Capacity must be in himselfe that doth prescribe which Ability and Capacity must consist in the person of him that doth prescribe For as prescription may be sometimes in respect of estate Mannour Lands or Offices so may prescription sometimes be in respect of person which person is not to be understood of a private person but of a body Politicke not that many persons may prescribe except the same be incorporate and to prescribe in respect of their incorporate Capacity and not in respect of their private Capacity As if the Inhabitants of Dale will prescribe to have Common in the Soyle of S. this is no good prescription for that they be not Incorporate they must prescribe that H. Lord of the Mannour of Dale for him and his Tenans within the said Mannour have used to have Common within the sai Soyle so is it for Coppy-holds for they must prescribe in the name of their Lord in such a case If a man prescribe that hee and his Ancestors have had such an Annuity this is not good But if a Bishop doe prescribe that hee and his predecessors have had such an annuity this is good The pleading of Prescription must bee used in forme of Law as other matters that be pleadable and forme must be used likewise in pleading of Coppy-holds and other Customary Titles for avoyding of confusion and discord as well as in other cases of the Common Law the forme of pleading prescription doth differ as the quality of the thing whereof prescription is made and somtimes doth differ as the persons doe differ which make the prescription As if a Coppy-holder makes his Title to his Land by prescription he must plead that the same Land is and hath bene time out of minde Demised and Demiseable by the Coppy of Court Role according to the custome of the Mannour wherof it is holden If two men as yonger brethren will make their Title to Land in Gavell-kinde they must say that the same Land is of the Tenure and Nature of Gavell-kinde which time out of minde have bin parted and partable between Heires males So if the yongest Sonne maketh his Title to Land in Borough English he must plead that time out of minde the Custome of the said Mannour hath bin that when or at what time soever a Coppy holder dyeth Seised of any Coppy-hold Lands in the same Mannour having divers Sonnes that the same hath used Iure Hereditario to descend unto the youngest Sonne c. And as the forme doth differ in the things wherof the Prescription is commonly made so doth it differ as the Persons do differ which prescribe as a private person shall prescribe in him and his Ancestors whose estate he hath An Incorporate person in him and his Predecessors A Lord of a Mannour in him and them which were Lord of that Mannour A Sheriffe in him and those which have beene Sheriffes of the same County A Steward of a Mannour in him and those which have beene Stewards there A Free holder in him and them which have beene Stewards to the said Lord. A Coppy-holder shall Prescribe against an Estranger that the Lord of the Mannour for him and his Tennants at will have used the like c. WHAT NECESSITY A Court Baron is of whereof it doth Consist how it is defined and what shall bee said a sufficient Court Role to make a Coppy-hold EVery Mauour hath a Court Baron incident to it of common right and common necessity and this Court Baron consisteth of foure speciall parts viz. The Lord the Steward the Tennants and the Bayliffe A Court Baron is defined to bee an assemblie of these partes together within the said Mannour to take Councell care and enquire of causes concerning the same Mannour to see justice duely executed the acts and ordinances there done to bee recorded in the Roles of the same Court which Roles are the evidence of all ordinances dutyes customes and conveyances the Lord and Tennants of the said Mannour and are to bee entred by the Steward or an Officer indifferent betweene the Lord and his Tennants and the same Roles to remaine with the Lord thereby to know his Tennants his Rents and his Fines his Customes and his services And the particular grant of every Coppy-hold to bee coppyed out of the Roles the coppyes thereof to bee delivered to every particular Tennant neither can they make any other Title to their said Tennements but by their said Coppy If the Lord of the Mannour having Coppy-hold Lands Surrendred into his hands will in the presence of his Tennants out of the Court grant the same to an other and the Steward entreth the same into the Court Booke and maketh thereof a Coppy to the grantee and the Lord dye before the next Court this is no good Coppy to hold the Land But if the same Surrender and grant bee presented at the next Court in the life of the Lord and the grantee admitted Tenant and a Coppy made to him this is good Coppy If the Lord of a Mannour having ancient Coppy-hold in his hands will by a deed of Feofment or by a Fine grant this Land to one to hold at the will of the Lord according to the Custome yet this cannot make a good Coppy-hold If the Lord in open Court doth grant a Coppy-hold Land and the Steward maketh no entry thereof in the Court Roles this is not good though it bee never so publicke done nor no Collaterall proofe can make it good But if the Tenant have no Coppy made unto him out of the Role or if hee loose his Coppy yet the Roles is still a sufficient tytle for his Coppy-hold if the Roles bee also lost yet it seemeth that by proofe hee can
without his assent and perhaps it is not agreeing to his conscience and therefore it is not properly a not doing or deniall to doe his duty Quaere If there be 12. and 11. agree and the twelfth will not for it is not a full Jury Pasche 20. Eliz. Co. Bank ve 3. Ed. 3. Verdict 10. ou 11. 29. Ed. 3. ibid. 45. 12 Hen. 4. 10. Sherne WHAT OFFICE OR POWER entirely or dividedly the Lord Steward Free-holders Coppy-holders and the Bayliffs have in the Court Baron ALthough the Lord the Steward the Free-holders the Coppy-holders and the Bayliffes of every Mannour have an intermixt and joynt office and authority in some cases and to some purposes yet to other purposes their office is distinct and divided and every of them doth occupy severall places persons and parts The Lord is chiefe to command and appoynt to the Steward to direct and record the Free holder affirre and judge the Coppy-holders to enfirme and present the Bayliffe to attend and execute c. And all these together make a perfect execution of Justice and Judgements in a Court Baron and without all these a Court Baron cannot be holden in his proper nature in respect of all causes belonging to the perfect jurisdiction of a Court Baron And yet a Court Baron may be held by use and custome for some Coppyhold causes though it want one of the said parties viz the Free holders and there in Coppy-hold cases the Steward doth supply the place of a Judge But no other of the parts aforesaid except the Free holders can be missed or spared in a Court Baron But to make some more particular demonstration of their distinct authorities and offices And first the Lord as hee is chiefe in place so is hee in Authority and occupieth three severall Romes the one of a Chancelour in cases of equity the other of a Justice in a matter of right the third of himselfe in Cases proper and particular to himselfe The Steward doth occupie the parts of severall persons that is to say Judge and order in cases of Coppy-hold and also a Minister and Register to enter things into the Court Roles and in both these to bee indifferent betweene the Lord and his Tenants The Free holders doe likewise fulfill two parts that is to effect judge amercemetns and also to returne and certifie judgements The Coppy-holders also doe hold two severall roomes viz. to enforme offences committed against the Lord within that Mannour and to present such things as shall be given Charge by the Steward The Bayliffe doth also occupie two parts that is to say to execute the proces and Commandments of the Court and also to returne into the Court the Execution of the same proces 6. Ed. 6. Bract. No. case 84. pli 387. the under-steward in Court without authority of the L. or of the high-steward may demise Copy-hold it is a good grant for it is in full Court but contrary it is if it bee out of Court Quaere if the high steward without authority may demise out of Court Finis Lecturae Calthrop A Coppy-holder being indebted doth surrender to his creditor upon trust that hee shall have the Land to satisfie himselfe of the debt and then to be surrendred backe againe unto him And after the debt levied the creditor wil not surrender whereby according to the custome of the Mannour the Tenant pursues an English Bill to the Lord in his Court by which the trust is prooved by deposition the Lord seiseth the Land to the use of the first Coppy-holder until c. And Wray was of opinion that hee may well so doe for he hath no other remedy for the Lord cannot imprison him as the Lord Chancelour of England may doe and that the custome of deposition is good though some doe doubt but Gawdy agrees but hee saith that the Lord cannot retaine and keepe the Land and if hee should so doe the other shall have a Subpena whereunto Wray agreeth that hee cannot retaine the Land but seise it and grant it over which without seising hee cannot doe 25. Eliz. B. upon the motion of Cooke who said that 14. Hen. 4. 39. and Fitz. B. 1â— are according to their opinions For a Coppy-holder shal not have a Writ of Error not false judgement upon a judgement against him in Court of the Lord but hee shall sue by bill and thereupon the Lord shall reseise the Land upon false judgement given by the Steward and shall make restitution If one recover a debt by plaint in Court Baron those of the Court have not power to make execution to the Plaintiffe of the defendants goods but they may distraine the defendant and after the judgement retaine the distres in their hands in safegard untill the Defendant hath satisfied the Plaintiffe of that wherein hee is condemned by the Court 46. Hen. 6. 17. See the booke of Entrees Fol. 166. 7. Hen. 4. 27. In replevin the defendant said that one Edward Besall brought a writ of Droit close against the plaintiffe and one other in the Lords Court in ancient demeasne and declared in nature of Assize and it was found against the plaintiffe and damages were taxed whereby the defendant being then under-Bayliffe by the Stewards commandement takes the beasts for execution of the damages and takes and sells them and delivers the monies to the plaintiffe in Assize this is a good plea and yet this is but a Court Baron And Fol 29. by Hull A man recovers ancient Demeasne-Lands and damages in a Court of ancient Demeasne the Bay liffe may take the beasts of him against whom the recovery is c. for execution of Damages in every parcell of the Land holden of the Mannour although that Land bee Frank-fee and it is not denyed 22. Assise 72. agrees with 4. Hen. 6. mes Kitch 115. where it is used to make execution by levari facias that is a good Custome 38. Ed. 3. Custome 133. upon a recovery in Court Baron the defendants Cattle were delivered in execution WHERE A TENANT BY Coppy may plead a speciall Custome which is onely proper to him and his predecessors before him NInth Eliz. Taverner was sued by the Lord Cromwel for that he had committed waste upon his Coppy-hold he pleads by the advice of Manwood that he and those who before him had the house wherein hee dwelt had such a Custome by Prescription that they might fell Timber trees c. And many arguments were against that Custome in as much as other Tenants of that Mannour had not such a Custome but were punishable and had forfeited their Lands for such waste also that Custome was against common right and not reasonable and after long deliberation of the Judges it was adjudged that a Tenant may plead a particular Custome as if one prescribe to have a way in the Lords Land c. And 19. of Eliz. one prescribed that he those of that Tenement his predecessors had used to have