CoÌ„missioners of that CoÌ„mission wherevpon suche writynges shal be there than to be certified with diuisions of the hundredes wapentakes wardes tithynges or other places to and among suche Commissioners of thesame CoÌ„mission with the names of thesame CoÌ„missioners where suche seperacions deuisions shal be with the grosse suÌ„mes of money aswell of for the sayd Relief taxed or set of or within the sayd hundredes wardes wapeÌ„takes or other places to him or them deuided or assigned that shall so certifie the sayd first writyng as of fynes amerciamentes penalties and other forfaitures if any happen to be within thesame limittes whereof the same writynges shal be certified And after suche writyng indented which as is aforesayd shal be certefied and not contayne in it the whole and full sommes set and taxed within the limyttes of thesame Commission the other Commissioners of the same euery of the sayd thre yeres before the day of paiment of the sayd Relief at the sayd receipt limitted and appoincted by this act shal certifie into the sayd Exchequier by their writyng or writynges indented to be made as is beforesayd the grosse and seuerall summes set and taxed within the places to them limitted for the sayd subsidie and other fynes amerciamentes penalties and forfaytures with the names of the hundredes wardes wapeÌ„takes and other places to them assigned or els by their sayd writynges indented to certifie at the sayd place before the day of payment therof at the sayd receipt as is aforesayd resonable causes for their excuses why they may not make suche certificat of and for the sayd Relief with fynes amerciamentes penalties and other forfaitures growyng or set by reason of the causes of their lettâ—s or of their non certifiyng as is aboue sayd or els in default therof proces to be made out of the Kynges Exchequier against the sayd Commissioners and euery of theim not makyng certificat as is aforesayd by the discrecion of the Thesaurour Barons of the sayd Exchequier Prouided alwayes that if any person or persones chargeable to this Relief of payment for his goodes shal happen at any tyme duryng the sayd thre yeres to be set or presented in two or mo places then one and the same beyng certified into the kynges court of Exchequier that then the partie or parties so set or preseÌ„ted certified takyng a corporal other before the Barons of the kynges Exchequier or before any two of theÌ„ or before any person or persones beyng aucthorised by coÌ„mission to be directed from the sayd Barons or any of theim whiche commission or coÌ„missions the sayd Barons or ii of them shal be authorised haue full power aucthoritie to make by this act that he or they is or be the same selfe person or persons so set and that he or they is or be set or presented in two or mo places then one And that he or they haue then been by the space of one yere nexte before the takyng of the sayd othe more conuersaunt and dwellyng in any one of the same places where he or they shal so happen to be set or presented then in the other that then the partie of parties so set or presented in two or mo places then one and so takyng his othe without any other plee in writyng shal be clerely discharged against the kyng his heyres successours or euery of the sayd assesementes and presentmentes sauyng onely of the assesement and presentment in the place where he or they was or were moste conuersaunt dwellyng as is before sayd And be it also enacted by the aucthoritie aforesayd that the Barons of the kynges Exchequer or two of theim for the tyme beyng shal not onely haue full power aucthoritie to receiue and take the othe of suche partie or parties as shal be so set or presented in any mo places then one but shall also vpon the same othe or othes so taken discharge the partie parties of all suche summes of money as he or they should bee in any wise charged with sauyng onely of suche summes of money as the same partie or parties were so sessed at in suche place and places where he or they were most conuersaunt and dwellyng as is aforesayd And to the intent the kynges maiestie may be truly iustly answered of the sayd relief of the polle of shepe before by vs grauÌ„ted to his highnes be it ordained and enacted by the aucthoritie aforesayd that yerely duryng thesayd iii. yeres before the first day of May there shal be a CoÌ„mission with ten cedules containyng in them the tenor of this acte to be annexed to suche commission directed vnder the kynges great seale of England into euery couÌ„tie shyre ridyng citie borough toune corporat and the Isle of Wight and into all and euery other place within this realme and other the kynges dominions that is or shal be chargeable to the paiment of the sayd Relief of the polle of shepe to suche persones as the same yere before were Commissioners for the assesement and taxacioÌ„ of the value of euery persons goodes and substaunce in the same shire or other place or to as many of them as shal be then liuyng and to suche other persones as the sayd lorde Chauncelor and other with him before named shall name and appoinct By the whiche commission the Commissioners shal haue full power and aucthoritie to enquire by the othes of the Person Vicar or curate iiii or as many honest persons of euery parish village and hamlet within the limittes of their coÌ„mission wherof the Constable Tithyngman or Borsolder shal be one if any Constable Tithyngman or Borsolder be dwellyng in the same parishe village or Hamlet and by the othes of as many other honest discrete persons as they shall thynke coÌ„uenient or otherwise by suche meanes and pollicies as they shal thynke best wherby the truth may appeare of the nomber and natures of all and synguler sheepe beyng within the limittes of their commission whose they be in what toune or parish the owner dwelleth and of what state or degree he is and whether for the moste part of the yere they be kept in seuerall pastures or seuerall marshes or in commons or groundes commonly vsed to be tylled the tenor of whiche othe hereafter foloweth ¶ Ye shall diligently enquire and iustly and truly present and certifie vs the kynges Commssioners what nomber of Ewes Wethers other shere shepe be within the limittes of your charge whose they be in what toune or parishe the owner dwelleth of what condicion and degre he is whether for the moste part of the yere they be kept in seuerall pastures or seueral Marshes or in coÌ„mons or grouÌ„des comenly vsed to be tylled as ye trust to be saued by the merites of Christes passion And it is also ordained and enacted by the aucthoritie aforesayd that yerely duryng the sayd thre yeres on the Tuesdaye after the feast of the Natiuitie of sainct Ihon Baptist there shal
or officer so ther being warned appering before the sayd commissyoners shal be sworne yerely during the said thre yeres vpon a boke openly before the commissioners in fourme folowing I shal truly enquire with my fellowes that shall be charged with me of the hūdred wapentake warde toune or other place of the best most value of the substaunce of euery parson dwellyng abiding within the limites of the places that I and my fellowes shal be charged with of other whiche shal haue his or their most resort vnto any of the said places chargeable with any some of money by this acte of this said relief of al other articles that I shal be charged with touching the sayd acte and accordig to the entent of the same and there vpon as nere as it may or shal come to my knowlege not only truly to present and certefye before you the names surnames additions and the best and vttermost substaunce and values of euery of thē of there goodes cattalles dettes other things chargeable by the sayd acte and how many straūgers denisens or not deriysens beyng aboue the age of .xii. yeres be resiaūt and dwellyng wtin the lymytes of my charge of what value in goodes and other thinges chargeable to the payment of this relief they be whether they be housholders or seruaūtes or otherwise vnder the rule gouernmēt of ther parentes without any conceilement fauour loue affeccion dread feare or malyce so helpe me God and the holy contentes of this boke AND euery other persone that shall appere there yerely by the sayd preceptes shall make like othe and vpon the othe so taken as is before sayd by the inhabitaūtes officers of euery hundred ward wapentake toune or other place the said cōmissioners shal yerely openly there read or cause to be read vnto them the sayd rates opēly declare the effect of their charge vnto them in what maner fourme they ought should make there certifycates according to the rates sommes therof abouesaid and of al maner of persōs aswel of Aliens straūgers denisens or not denysēs inhabyted within this realme as of such persones as be borne within the kynges obeysaunce chargeable to this acte of the goodes cattalles of fraternities guildes corporacions brotherhedes misteriers cōpainies and cominalties other as is aboue said and of persons being in the parties of beyond the sea hauing goodes or catals within this realme as is before sayd of all goodes being in custody to the vse of any other as is aboue said by the which informaciō shewing the sayd persons shal haue such playn knowlege of the true entent of this present acte of the manour of ther certificat that the same persons shall haue no reasonable cause to excuse them by ignoraūce And after such othes the statute of the said relief and the maner of the said certificat to be made in writting conteining the names surnames and additions of euery persone whether he be borne without the kinges obeisaunce or within and the best value of euery persone in euery degre of the value of goodes and cattals dettes and euery thing to their sayd certificat requisite and necessarye to them declared the sayd commissioners ther beyng shall by ther discretions appoinct limite vnto the said persones an other daye place to apere before the sayd commissioners charging the sayd persones that they in the meane tyme shal make diligent enquiry by al waies meanes of the premisses then ther euery of thē vpō paine of forfaiture of .xx. shelīgs to the king to appere at the said new prefixed daie place ther to certifye vnto the said cōmissioners in writing according to there said charge accordīg to the true entēt of the said graūt of relief as to thē in maner aforsayd hath ben declared shewed by the commissyoners at which daye place so to them prefixed if any of the sayd persones make default or appere refuse to make the sayd certificat that then euery of thē so offēding to forfayte to the king fortye shyllynges Except only a reasonable excuse for his default by reason or sycknes or otherwise by the othes of two credyble persones there witnessed be had of suche as appere redy to make certificat as is afore said the sayd cōmissioners ther being shal take and receiue the same certifycat euery parte therof and the names values and substaunce of euery persone so certifyed And if the same cōmissioners se cause reasonable they shal examine the said presentoures therof there vpon the sayd commissioners at the sayd dayes place by there agrement among them selfes shall yerely during the sayd thre yeres openly ther prefyx a daye at a certain place or places with in the lymites of there commission by their discrecion for their further proceding to the sayd asscssyng of the same relief and there vpon at the sayd daye of the said cettifycat as is before sayd taken the same commissioners shal make their precept or preceptes to the constables subconstables bailiffes or other officers of such hundredes wapentakes tounes or other places afore sayd as the same commissioners shal be of cōprysyng conteyning in the same precept the names surnames additiōs of all persones presented before them in the sayd certificates of whome if the sayd commissioners or as many of them as shal be therunto appoincted by the kinges commission shal then haue vehemēt suspect to be of more greater value or substaūce in goodes cattals or sōmes of money owing to them or other substaunce before said then vpon such person or persones shal be certefyed the same cōmissioners shal make there precept or preceptes directed to the constable bailyffes and other offycers commaunding the same constables bailiffes other officers to whō such precept shal be directed to warne such persones whose names shall be comprised in the said precept at there mancions or to their persones that the same persones named in such preceptes euery of them shal personally appere before the said commissioners at the same new prefyxed day and place ther to be sworne examined by al wayes and meanes by the said commissioners of ther greatest substaunce and best value and of al and euery sommes of money owing to them and other whatsoeuer matter cōcerning the premisses or any of them accordīg to this acte At which daye and place so prefyxed the sayd commissioners than there beyng or as many of them as shal be therūto appoincted by the kynges cōmissiō shall cause to be called the sayd persones whose names shal be comprysed in the said precept as it is before said for their examinaciō And if any of the persones whiche should be warned as is before sayd to be examined whiche at any tyme after the warning and before the prefyxed day shal be within such place wher he may haue knowlege of the sayd apperaūce to be
made make default appere not ▪ onlesse a resonable cause or els a reasonable excuse by the othes of two credyble persones before the sayd commissyoners be truely alleged for his discharge that then euery of them so makinge default to be taxed and charged to the king with at the double sōmes of the rate that he should or ought to haue ben set at for and after the best value of his goodes substaunce vpō him certefied if he had appered by the discrecion of the cōmissioners there being And in like maner if any of them suspected as is before sayd appere refuse to be sworne in fourme folowing then euery suche offender to be taxed and charged to the king with and at the double somme of the rate that he should or ought to haue ben set at for after the best value of his substaunce vpon him certefied by the said persones that made the certificat as is before said by the discrecions of the cōmissioners ther than beyng euery of the persones so ther then apperyng Whose names shal be expressed in the said precept or preceptes in whom any vehement suspect was or shal be had in fourme aboue sayd shall trauell with the same persone so suspecte by all suche waies meanes they can And further the sayd Commissioners or as many of them as shal be hereunto appoincted by the said Commission by ther discrecion shall openly swere the same person in this maner and fourme folowing ¶ I shall faythfully truly and plainly according to my knowlege shew vnto you the kinges Commissioners and to other by you assigned the best and greatest value or aboue of all my goodes Cattals somes of money to me owing accordīg to the graūt of this acte of relief truly aunswer to that I shal be examined of touchīg the premisses without couyn or deceipt so helpe me God the holy cōtentes of this boke And if any persone that shoulde appere be excused in fourme aforesaid by witnes of credyble persones the same persones shal be examyned by their othes of his or their greatest and best value and substaunce so lacking and excused and by the best of ther certifycat or knowlege or of the other first certifycat vpon him or thē made the same persone so lacking and excused of his apparaunce to be set and rated by the said Cōmissioners or otherwise to be set and rated in this case as shall seme best by the discretions of the said Commissioners And if it happē to be proued by witnes his owne cōfessiō or other lawful waies or meanes withē one yere after any such othe made that the same person so taxed and sworē was of any greater or better value in goodes or other thinges aboue specifyed at the tyme of his said othe then the same persone so sworne did declare vpō his othe That thē such persone so offending shal lose forfayte to the king foure tymes so much in lawful money or England as the same persone so sworne was set taxed at to paie for the sayd Relief And if any person certefied or rated by vertue of this acte be he commissioner or other to any maner of value do fynd him selfe greued with the same presentmēt sessyng or taxing ther vpon complain to the Commissyoners before whō he shal be rated sessed or taxed or before two of them that then the said Commissioners shall by all wayes and meanes examine particularlye distynctlye the persone so cōplainaunt other his neighbours by their discrecion of euery his goodes cattalles debtes aboue mencioned and after due examinacion and perfect knowlege therof had and perceiued by thesaied Commissioners ▪ whiche shall haue power by aucthoritie aforesaid thesaid Commissioners or two of theim to whom any suche complaint shal bee made by their discrecions vpon the othe of thesaid person so complainyng maie abate defalke encrease or enlarge thesame assessement accordyng as it shall appere to theim iust vpon thesaid examinacion and thesame somme so abated defalked encreased or enlarged by theim to bee streated in forme as hereafter ensueth so that he come before the extreates of thesaid assessyng be deliuered by thesaied Commissioners into the kynges Exchequer And if it be proued by witnes his awne confessiō or other lawfull waies or meanes within a yere after any suche othe made that thesame persone so taxed sworne was of any greater or better value in goodes or other thynges aboue specified at the tyme of his saied othe then thesame persone so sworne did declare vpon his saied othe that then euery suche persone so offendyng shal lose forfaite to the kyng .iiii. tymes so muche in lawful money of Englande as thesame persone so sworne was set at or taxed to paie And all persones sette rated and taxed as is aforesaied shal bee bounde and charged by thesame and the somme or sommes vpon hym set to bee due towardes the paiment of this relief and to bee leuied as hereafter shal be specified AND it is also enacted by thesaid aucthoritie that euery person yerely duryng thesaid .iii. yeres as is aforesaid shal be rated taxed and set and the some on hym set to be leuied at suche place wher he his family at the time of thesame presentmēt to be made shal kepe his house or dwellyng or where he then shal be moste conuersaunt abidyng or resiaunt or shall haue his moste resort and shal bee best knowen at the tyme of thesaied certificat to bee made and no where els And that no Commissioner for this Relief of goodes shal be rated or taxed for his goodes but in the shire citie or other place where he dwelleth and is Commissioner And if any persone chargeable to this Acte at the tyme of thesaid assessyng happen to be out of this realme and out of Wales or farre from the place where he shal be knowen then he to bee set where he was last abidyng in this realme or within Wales and best knowen And after the substaunce and value of euery persone knowen by the examinacion certificat and other maner of wise as is aforsaid thesaied Commissioners or as many of theim as shal be appoyncted by the kynges Commission shall after the rate aforesaid set and taxe euery person accordyng to the rate of substaunce and value of his goodes and cattalles whereby the greatest and moste best somme accordyng to his moste substaunce by reason of this act ought or maie be set or taxed BE it also ordeigned by thesaid aucthoritie that no persone hauyng twoo mancions or twoo places to resort vnto or callyng hymself housholde seruaunt or waityng seruaunt to the kynges highnes his graces sisters or to any noble man or woman shal be excused vpon his saiyng from the taxe of thesaied relief in neither of the places where he maie bee sette onlesse he bryng a certificat in writyng from the Commissioners where that he is so set in deede at one place And if
assigned to be commissioner in any place to and for thexecuciō of this act of reliefes in any of thesaid .iii. yeres be or shal be assigned or named hed collector in any of thesame thre yeres of thesaid reliefes neither of any part there of And that euery suche persone or persones whiche shal be named and appoyncted as is aforesaid to be hed Collectors in and for one of thesaied thre yeres shall not be compelled to be Collector for the other and last yere And thesaied Collectors whiche shal be assigned for the colleccion of thesaid reliefes or for any part therof and euery of them be and shal be acquited and discharged of all maner fees rewardes and of euery other charge in the kinges Exchequer or els where of them or any of theim by reason of that colleccion paiment or accomptes or any thyng concernyng thesame to bee asked And that if any persone receiue and take any fees rewardes or pleasures of any suche accomptant that then he shall forfeit to the kyng for euery peny or value of a peny so taken .xx pence and suffre imprisonment at the kynges pleasure AND after the taxyng assessyng of thesaid yerely reliefes as is beforesaid had made and thesaied estreates therof in parchement vnto the Collectors in maner forme before rehersed deliuered thesaid Cōmissioners whiche shall take vpon them the execucion of this act within the limites of their Commission by their agrementes shall haue metynges together at whiche metyng euery of thesaid commissioners whiche then shall haue taken vpon thē thexecucion of any part of thesaid commission shall by hymself or by his sufficient deputie truely certifie and bryng furth vnto thother commissioners named in thesaid Commission the certificat and presentment made before hym suche other commissioners as wer limited with him in one limite so that thesame certificates may be accōpted and cast with other certificates of thother limites with in thesame commission and then thesaid commissioners and euery nomber of thē vnto two at the least as is a foresaied if thei be in life or their executors or administrators of their goodes if thei bee then dedde shall ioyntly seuerally as thei wer deuided within their limites vnder their seales yerely duryng thesaid .iii. yeres by their discreciō make one or seuerall writynges indented conteinyng in it aswell the names of thesaied collectors by the cōmissioners for suche colleccion accompt in thexchequer and paimēt in thesaid receipt deputed assigned as the grosse and seuerall sommes written vnto euery suche Collector to receiue thesaied reliefes also all fines amerciamentes other forfaitures if any suche by reason of this act happen to be within the precinct limite of their cōmission to be certified into the kynges Exchequer by thesaid commissioners yerely duryng thesaid .iii. yeres before the daies of paiment therof at thesaied receipt limitted appoyncted In whiche writyng or writynges indented so to be certified shal be plainly declared expressed aswel the whole intier somme and sommes of thesaid relief seuerally limited to the colleccion of thesaied Collectours as the names of thesaied Collectours seuerally deputed and assigned to the Colleccion of thesaied Sommes so that none of thesaied Collectours so certified in thesaied Exchequer shal bee compelled there to accoumpt or to bee charged but onely to and for the sommes limited to his Colleccion and not to or for any somme limited to the Colleccion of his felowes but that euery of theim shal bee seuerally charged for their partes limited to their Colleccion And if thesaied Commissioners ioyned in one commission emōgest theimselfes in that matter cannot agree or if any of theim bee not ready or refuse to make certificat with other of thesame Commissioners that then thesame Commissioners maie make seuerall Indentures in fourme aforesaid of their seuerall limites or seperacions of Collectours within the limites of their Commission vpon in the Hundredes Wardes Wapentakes Lathes Rapes or suche other like diuisions within their said seuerall limites of their commission as the places there shall require to bee seuered and deuided and as to thesame Commissioners shall seme to make diuisions of their limites or Colleccions for the seuerall charges of thesame Collectours so that alway one Collectour shal bee charged and accoumpt for his parte to hym to bee limited onely by hymself and not for any somme limited to the parte of any of his felowes And the charge of euery of the Collectours to be set and certified seuerally vpon theim and euery suche Collectoure vpon his accoumpt and paiment of the sommes of money limited within his colleccion to bee seuerally by hymself acquited and discharged in thesaied Exchequer without paiyng any maner of fees or rewardes to any persone or persones for thesame vpon the pein and penaltie last aboue said and not to bee charged for any porcion of any other Collectours And if any Commissioner after he hath taken certificat of thē that as is aforesaid shall before any suche Commissioner be examined and the sommes rated and set and the bokes and writynges therof beyng in his handes or if any Collector or other person charged with any receipt of any part of any of thesaid reliefes or any other person taxed or otherwise by this act charged with and for any parcell of thesaid relieffes or with any other sōmes for fine amercement penaltie or other forfeiture happen to dye before suche Commissioner Collector or other whatsoeuer persone or persons haue executed accomplished satisfied sufficiently discharged it whiche to euery suche persone shall appertein or belong to do accordyng to this act then the Executors and Heires of euery suche persō and all other seazed of any landes or tenementes that any suche person beeyng charged by this acte and deceassyng before he be discharged thereof or any other to his vse onely had of estate of inheritaunce at the tyme that any suche person was named Commissioner Collectour or in any otherwise charged with for any maner of thyng to be done satisfied or payed by reason of this act and all those that haue in their possessions or handes any goodes or cattalles that were to any suche person at the tyme of his death landes or tenementes that wer thesame persones at the tyme that he was as is aforesayd charged by this acte shal be by thesame compelled and charged to do accomplishe in euery case as the same person so beyng charged should haue done and might haue been compelled to do if he had been liuyng after suche rate of the landes goodes of the sayd Commissioner or Collectour as the partie shall haue in his handes And if thesame Cōmissioners for causes reasonable them mouyng shall thynke it not cōuenient to ioyne in one certificat as is before sayd then the sayd person or persones that shall first ioyne together or he that shal first certifie the sayd writyng indented as is aforesayd shal certifie all the names of the