himselfe of any extremity that is only to be reprooued but the abetter there unto and if I wist that any Lord who shall â—â—quire the vse of my poore trauaileâ— would expect more at my hands then the performance of my duty with a good conscience I had rather leaue then take the reward for such a trauaile Neither do I find that you howsoeuer you reason of this poynt will commit any act towards any Tenants you haue that may not be iustified by the law of loue therefore I leaue further to perswade or disswade you herein And as touching the matter and manner of forfeitures I pray you vnderstand that they be of diuers kinds and diuers wayes committed for in some Mannors it is lawfull to do that as â—ath in others incurrâ—s a forfeiture Forfeitures grow either by brâ—â—ch of a custome as in Customary or copy hold Land or of a condition or promise in a Lease or graunt of which last the Tenant can not say he did not thinke it was so because the meaning is expressed in his deede but of 〈…〉 in some sort ignorant 〈…〉 them to leade them But for the most part causes of forfeitures are apparent and knowne of all within a manner as non payment of their rent not doing his seruice 〈…〉 where custome inhibits it letting his 〈…〉 to fâ—ll 〈…〉 the Lords 〈…〉 waste and such like which as I sayd before are not alike in all places and therefore it is most conuenient that the customes of euery Mannor were knowne and the Tenants made acquainted with them that when question groweth for any cause of forfeiture they may not say they knew it not for Lords commonly know better how to take aduantages of such casualties then the Tenants know how to auoyd them Lord. You speake that is reason I confesse But may a Lord enter immediatly vpon a forfayture Sur. The forfayture must be first presented to the homage at the next Court holden for the Mannor and there found recorded then hath the Lord power to shewe Iustice or mercy It were inconuenient that the Lord should bee iudge in his owne cause and â—his present caruer of things doubtfull And therefore hath the Lawe ordained in all controuersies euen in these inferiour courts a iust manner of tryall by Iury. Lord. May none but Copyhold Tenants forfayt their land Sur. I shewed you before that Tenants by deede indented for life or yeeres may forfeit their estates but that is by couenant or condition expressed in the deede according to the prescript agreement made and interchangeably confirmed betweene the Lord and his Tenant Lord. What is an Escheat for as I remember that followeth in your formerly râ—citeâ— perquisites of Court Sur. Eschete is where a freeholder of a Mannor committeth felony the Lord of whom his Land is holden shall haue his Land and that kinde of forfeyture is called escheat Lord. The Lord may then enter immediatly into this Land because the lawe hauing tried the felony it casteth the Land vpon the Lordâ— Sur. The King hath it for a yeare and a day and then commeth it vnto the Lord and his heires for euer Lord. Is this all the causes of escheats Sur. Escheat may also be where a Freeholder Tenant in ancient demeisne and a customary Tenant of inheritance dieth without heire generall or speciall none of the blood comming to claime the same it falleth vnto the Lord by way of escheat Lord. This then is immediatly the Lords and the King hath no part or time therein and without any further ceremony he may enter dispose of that his pleasure Sur. It must be also first sound and presented by the homage of the Mannor whereof it is holden and after proclamation made to giue notice vnto the world that if any can come and iustly claime it hee shal be receiued the homage then finding it cleere doth intitle the Lord therof as a thing escheated for want of an heire Lord. You speake of an heire generall or speciall what difference is there Sur. The heire generall is of the body of the deceased and the speciall of his bloud or kinne Lord. So haue you satisfied me thus farre nowe what say you to the pleas of Court for I remember it is part of that you before spake of Sur. It is true they are parcell of the Perquisites of Court Lord. Whereof commeth the word Perquisites Sur. Of the word Perquirâ— as I take it which signifieth to search for or to enquire diligently as also to get or obtaine Lor. It may well be so for these things before rehearsed vnder the name of Perquisites are all casuall and not at all times alike and therefore may be called Perquisita things gotten by diligent enquiâ—â—e And to that end so many things are giuen by the Steward to the Iury of a Court Baron Leeâ—e in charge that they should diligently enquire of them finde them and present them and yet scarcely one of forty of the seuerall things wherewith they are charged are found by the Iurie And some things happen at one Court that happen not againe in twentie Courts after and therefore are also called Casualties as happening now and then as I conceiue it hauing little experience in them Sur. Yes it seemes you haue the better part of experience namely comming in of the profite of the things where some know the same but they know them as appertaining to others not to themselues But of this nature are the profits that arise by Pleaâ— of Court which because they are diuers and doe diuersly arise there needâ— no long relation of them Lor. Are there no other Perquisites of Court but such as you haue already remembred nor other 〈…〉 Mannor Sur. There be many other profiâ—s that may grow also vnto a Lord of a Mannor yet they not certaine nor in all Mannors alike Lord. Then are they also casuall and may â—e called also Perquisites of Courts 〈…〉 Sur. Casuall But noâ— perquisites of Court yet foâ—â—e of them may be called perquisâ—â— in some sence because they bee gotten by search and inquitie as those that are hidden in the earth as Treasures which as long as they lie vnknowne benefit not the Lord but when they are found they are called Treasure troue as Siluer Gold Plate Iewels and such like before time hidden which appertaine vnto the Lord. So doe minerals of Lead Tiâ—â—e Copper and such like And quarries of stone Free-stone Sâ—aâ—e-stones Marking-stones and all such which may long lie vndiscouered As may also Colâ— Lime Chalke and such for which search being made are haply found yet because the benefite is vncertaine vpon the present and what continuance and vent it may afford they may passe vnder the name of Perquisâ—â—es and Casualties as may also Fishing and Fowling vnlesse the Lord can bring the same to bee a certaine conâ—â—â—uing rent Then are they no more casuall during the graunt
Sir because I say you are in some sort the Lords I tell you that I mistake it nothing at all for as the King is Supreme head and Prince and defendour of all his Subiects so vnder the King is euery Lord of a Mannor chiefe and head ouer his Tenants namely 〈◊〉 such as hold of him And he hath a kinde of commaund and superior power ouer them as they are his Tenants and for that cause he is called and they doe acknowledge him to be their Lord. And what doth the word Lord import but a Ruler or Gouernor If he be your Lord then are you his to be gouerned in causes determineable within the Mannor and as I will heereafter prooue the Lord of the Mannor may commaund his Tenants to accompanie him into the Field against the enemyes of the King by reason of some tenures and they are to follow and be commanded and directed by him and if they refuse the seruice the Lord may distraine for it or may enter vpon their Lands and resume it as his owne in some case so that I may well say that in a sort euen your lands and your selues are the Lords The vse and occupation iâ— yours but if the land were so yours as were none aboue you you might then call it yours but so is none but the Kingdome which the King holdeth of none but of God And no man is so absolute within the Kingdome but he holdeth his land of some Mannor or person or of the King And of whom such land is holden the same is called the Lord of that land after a sort because it is held of him by some kind of 〈◊〉 or seruiâ—â— and by possibility this land may come vnto and by law be cast vpon the Lord 〈◊〉 whom it is holden as if you be so willing as you seeme to talke of these mysteries you shall anon perceiue And therfore you can not but say that the land and your selues are in some sort the Lords And therfore is it not lawfull for the Lord of the Mannor to enquire and examine of the things in those kinds belonging vnto him And if there be cleane and plaine dealing among tenants they need not feare who looke into their lands and estates But if there be deceits and wrongs against the Lord policie willeth you to banish any man and to barre all the meanes that may discouer them though equitie and honestie be contented to discouer all things to the manifestation of truth Are not these the matters of chiefe importance that disquiet you The measuring of your lands the obseruation of the quality and estimating the value of your lands Farm It is true for these are the causes that our rents are increased and our fines raysed and this would the Lord neuer do if such as you did not inkindle the Lords desire by your soo seuere scrutations examinations impositions imputations for were the Lords of Mannors ignorant of these things us in former times poore tenants might haue things at the rate they had in former times Sur. My friend if I compare you to a dead Image be not offended for I perceiue you haue eyes to see and yet you see not you haue a heart to vnderstand and yet your vnderstanding is amisse Farm I am beholden to you Sir to make me worse then a beast for a beast hath the things you say I want how prooue you what you haue sayd Sur. Because you impute your great impositions vnto the acte of an honest Surueyor when I will assure you and prooue that the cause is in and of your selues Farm Then in déede you might account vs brutish if we would worke our owne woe Sur. I perceiue though you may be a good worldly Farmer you are but a meane obseruer of the course and carriage of things passing dayly vnder your nose He that hath seeing eyes and an vnderstanding mind may easily see and perceiue that there is no Mannor nay no Farme be it great or little farre off or neere hand but hath bin and dayly is discouered by priuate intelligencers lurking in or neere the same prying into estates â—yming at the quantity wide short or ouer seldome hitting right obseruing also the quallity and glauncing at the value of euery mans land and therefore secretly and vnder-hand do informe the Lords of the Farme and they being credulous ouermuch and not a little couetous build their demaunds both of rents and fines vpon these most deceiueable informations whereby the Lord is abused and the Tenant wronged whereas were the things seeme viewed and surueyed by a iudicious and faithfull Surueyor who vpon due consideration and discreet obseruation of all particulars giues in a true and indifferent certificate vnto the Lord vsing rather his vttermost indeuour to moderate and mitigate the Lords excessiue demands then aggrauating the validity beyond reason or a good conscience you would be of another minde and I protest I hold that Surueyor a very bad man that will either for affection or bribe carry a parciall hand betweene the Lord and his Tenants yee sith he holdeth as it were the beame of the â—â—â—tance he should rather giue the better waight to the weakest respecting nothing but a charitable course to be held by the Lord for whom he trauaileth with the Tenant against whom if he speake not he shall be often suspected of the Lord to be parciall But if there be equall consideration on all sides the Lord will beleeue the Surueyor deales iustly and the Tenant rest satisfyed willingly to leaue or râ—dely to accept as his owne iudgement agreeth or disagreeth with the things propounded For this haue I obserued that oftentimes Tenants consider not when they are kindly vsed neither see they at all times when they are abused Farms Truly I beléeue you in part for indéede there are euen amongst vs to y e Mannor wherein I dwell officious fellowes that to procure the Lords good opinion will pry into mens estates indéede as you say into y e quantity quality value of mens lands and giue false information oftentimes and I know it is a foule abuse and of the two I rather allow a true suruey then a false report for such fond fellowes as are thus busy in other mens causes are of all meÌ„ least to be beléeued for they speake always for affection or gaine for they wil 〈◊〉 the value of them they loue or haue gaine by and aggrauate the same as their hope is of the Lords reward all this I know without your report But what is that to the thing you charge poore tenants withall that they art the cause of their owne hard measuree 〈…〉 Sur. That can 〈…〉 and I thinke I shall haue the whole world to witnes it for your further satisfaction who can not your selfe be ignorant of the same thing for you haue in part 〈…〉 of whom you â—ast spake 〈…〉 case theÌ„ not all nay I â—â—cuse none in particular for
to vtter them Sur Things of themselues lawfull by the lawes of the Land where they be iudiciously and carefully handled as they are by the lawes intended and by the chiefe disposers meant namely the mariages of Wards and disposition of their lands in their minorities and the presentations of benefices in the gifts of priuate men Lord. For the first I haue yet no occasion to make proofe how or what they are but the second I haue had some power to bestow wherin I was not so remisse as that I presented such as were not fit for y e funâ—tion which I thinke is your meaning therefore let that passe awhile learne me what a Ward is and how he and his land is to be disposed by the lawe that I may learne it against the time I may haue vse Sur. The word Ward is as much as guard which signifieth tuition or defence and he that is in ward is vnder some mans gouernment and keeping and the word hath a passiue signification as it is vsed in our common speech and yet the same word is also vsed in the actiue sence as they that watch or attend for the defence of any are called the ward or guard of that person or thing they do protect But the wards whereof we are now to speake of are the sonnes or daughters heires to some person that held his land either of the king in chiefe or of some inferior person by knights seruice whose heire male being vnder the age of 21. yeeres and the female within the age of 14 yeeres the Lord shall haue the ward guard or custodie of the bodie and of the lands so holden of him to his owne vse vntill they come to these ages without making account to the heire when he or she comes to age as law bookes will tell you Lord. Then me thinkes the word as it is commonly vsed is improper namely to call â—uch an heâ—â—e a ward it is more proper to say he is in ward or as the Lawâ—er sayes a ward Sur. I take it as yâ—u do Lord But what is the reason that the Lord shuld haue the land to his owne vse why rather do not y e profits redound to y e vse of y e heire in his minority Sur. This kind of wardship had some reason for it in the beginning For you must vnderstand that he whose sonne or daughter is to be thus guarded and his land to be disposed by the Lord was in his life time bound by the tenure of his land to do manly and actuall seruice in person in the time of warre or to keepe a castle â—ith some kind of warlike weapon in the time of war and peace And these kinds of capital seruices were called either tenures in capite as holden of the king who is the chiefe Eâ—â—nage vncertaine grand seriâ—â—â—tie or some other like seruice and was called seruiciâ—m miâ—â—tare seruice of a soldier now called knights seruice These seruices were not to be discontinued for to that end were the lands first giuen by the king and other inferior Lords of MaÌ„nors that they might haue the continuall seruice of their tenants And therefore whensoeuer the tenant of such a tenure died hauing none to supply the place of like manly seruice the heire being vnder age and not of power the Lord was and is supposed to be bound for the defence of the Realme to performe the seruice by a person for whom he must answer in the heires minoritie And because the charge was in former times great and dangerous and the land giuen onely for that cause the Lord was to keepe the heire and to see him trained vp and to be made fit for the same seruice and for his maintenance supply of the seruice to haue the vse profit of his land vntill he became able to performe the seruice himselfe in person Lord. I thinke this to stand with great reason for if it had not bene thought reasonable the lawes would not haue prouided in that case as they haue done as it appeareth by your relation Sur. Many Statutes indeed haue bene made touching Wards Mag. cart ca. 4.7 28. Maâ—l cap. 6.7.8 c. Westm. 1. Westm. 2. and many Statutes since to which I refer you too long here to relate Lord. What néeded you then giue such a strict caueat touching Wardes Sur. Truely to put Lordes and others into whose hands they often happen in mind to be carefull of their education and disposing because many incoâ—ueniencâ—s follow if their Guarders be not faithfull and prouident for their wel bestowing Lord. How in bestowing Sur. In mariage For the Lordes haue the mariage both of the Male and Female if they bee vnmaried at the time of their ancesters decease And it falleth out many times that partly for their land and partly for their mariage they are bought and sold and marryed yong and sometimes to such as they fancie not when they come to riper iudgement they bewray their dislikes too late And sometimes their education is so slenderly regarded that when they come to gouerne themselues and their familyes their estates and patry monies they discouer what their education was good or euill Lord. There bée thrée especiall ends whereunto the good education of such an Infant should send The 〈◊〉 and principall is the feare of God in true Religion the second is the benefite that the Common-wealth shall reape by his vertue and sufficiencie the third and last the abilitie by which hee may gouerne his familie and manage his patrimonie for his best maintenance But what can you now say touching the second of these chiefe points Namely the presenting of Clarkes vnto Ecclesiasticall 〈◊〉 and how it commeth to passe that our Lay man as he is called may nominate and present a Clarke to a Parsonage Uicarage or 〈◊〉 Chappell whose function is high and diuine Sur. The reason why these Lay-lords of Mannors do presâ—nâ— as aforesaid is in right of the Parsonage Vicarage or free Chappell belonging to their Mannors where the Lord of the Mannor is very and vndoubted patron of such an Ecclesiasticall gift hee may make his choice of the parson or vicar Alwayes prouided by diuine ordinance humane instituâ—ions he must be Idoneus fit for the place Lord. But lye thâ—t in the Lords power onely to nominate and present such a one and is it then sufficient if hee deeme the partie fit Sur. No he must be approued fit by his Ordinarie the Byshop of the Diocesse by whom he must be instituted and 〈◊〉 Lord. Then is the Lord in his nomination and presentation cleared of offence to the Church if the partie prooue after insufficient Sur. He is in some sort But he is bound in conscience to be very circumspect in his choice For iâ— any carnall consideration mooued him to the partie he standeth not cleare before God into whose steade he intrudeth himselfe after
the land cannot inherit 〈◊〉 hareditario but by conueyance Neither if he purchase land in his owne name can any inherite it after him of his supposed bloud vnlesse he be maried and haue children lawfully begotten to inherite Because it is contra formam Ecclesia as appeareth more at large Merton cap. 9. For a Bastard is no mans or euery mans sonne 7 What Demeysne lands hath the Lord within or belonging to this MaÌ„nor what how much woods vnderwoods medow pasture arable moores marshes heathes wastes or sheepe walkes And what is euery kind woorth yeerely by acre how many sheepe may the Lord keepe vpon his walke winter and sommer and what is a sheepe-gate woorth by yeere and what is euery acre of wood woorth to be sold Although this Article and sundry other hereafter mentioned be in substance enacted by a Statute made Anno g. Ed. 1. called extenta Mannerii to be inquired of by the tenants yet it is the part and office of a Surueyor to see examine iudge by his own experience knowledge euery particular comparing the Iuries presentment with his own opinion so shall he more truly attaine to the true vnderstanding of the things he seeketh and the more if he discreetly feele the minds of forraine inhabitants that are ignorant of the cause of his inquisition 8 What demeisne Lands hath the Lord lying in the common fields of the Mannor howe much in euery field and euery furlong And what is an acre of field arable land worth by yeere The like you are to present touching demeisne meddow lying in any common meddow within the Mannor 9 Also you are to present the names of all your common fields and howe many furlongs are in euery field and their names and the common meddowes and their names And what beasts and sheepe euerie Tenant ought to keepe vpon the same when the corne and hay is off And what a beast gate and sheep gate is worth by yeere Also at what time your field and common meddowes are layd open and howe are they or ought to be vsed And whether is it lawfull for the Tenants to inclose 〈◊〉 part of their common fields or meddowes without the licence of the Lord and consent of the Tenants This Article is duly to bee considered first in setting downe in certainty what euery man is to keepe vpon the fields and common meddowes because iniury is daily done by some of greatest abilitie to the meaner sort in oppressing the fields with a greater number of Cattle then according to a true proportion will fall vnto their share which is very eâ—tortion and a punnishment is to be inflicted vpon the offenders Also inclosures of common fields or meddowes in part by such as are most powerfull and mighty without the Lords licence and the Tenants 〈◊〉 is more then may be permitted the reason is that the rest of the Tenants loue 〈◊〉 much right 〈…〉 the same when the corne is off as he hath that encloseth the same Bayly But Sir if they lay it open at Lammas or at such time as custome requireth I think he doth neither Lord nor tenants wrong Sur. Yes for first be depriueth theÌ„ both of the feed of as much as his hedges ditches and enclosures take besides whether is it as conuenient for passe and repasse for cattle at one little gappe or two as when there is no estoâ—ell at all Bayly You like not enclosures then Sur. I do and I thinke it the most beneficiall course that tenants can take to increase their abilities for one acre inclosed is woorth one and a halfe in Common if the ground be fitting thereto But that it should be generall and that Lords should not depopulate by vsurping inclosures 10 What Commons are there within the Lordship which do properly belong to the Lord and tenants of this Mannor and how are the tenants stinted whether by the yard-land plow-land oxegang acres or rent how many may euery tenant keepe after either proportion or rate In this the like consideration is to be had as of the former but that this kind of pasture is called in the Statute of extenta Manerii 3. E. 1. pastura forinsica forraine herbage or pasture because no part of it is proper in any sort to any peculiar tenaÌ„t no not to the Lord himselfe as are the common fields coÌ„mon meddowes This kind of Common or pastura forinsica is in three sorts the one is where a Mannor or towne-ship hauing and holding their land in seueraltie haue by consent lymited a certaine parcell of ground to lie common among them and from the beginning haue stinted euery man according to a proportion betweene them agreed and that is commonly by the acre which the pasture containeth Another maner of such kind of common pasture is where certain waste grouÌ„ds one two or more lie within the MaÌ„nor or township and the Heard of the whole Towne is guided and kept by one appointed by the Tenants and at their generall charge to followe their Cattle in which kind of pasture there is also a limitation or stint both of the number and kinds of Cattle A third kind of this pasture or common feeding is in the Lords own woods that lie common to the Tenants as also common Moores or heathes that were neuer arable In all the former coÌ„mons of pasture there should bee a certaine stint and allotment both to the Lord and his Tenants but in this latter it seemeth that the Lord should not be limited because all these latter commons are supposed his owne and the Tenants haue no certaine parcell thereof layd to their holdings but only bit of mouth with their Cattle But the Tenants ought to bee stinted in all sorts of common lest as I sayd before the rich deuour the poore for the one can prouide sheepe and other Cattle for the summer and haue inclosed pasture for the winter or can sell againe when the forraine pasture is gone but the poore cannot doe so 11 Whether hath any man to your knowledges incroched any part of the Lords waste by inclosure or adding any part thereof to his owne land present who hath so done where how much and how long it hath continued This kind of incrochment is not rare especially where great wastes and mountanous grounds are where the Lord nor his officers walke not often and where Tenants for fauour or affection will wincke at euill doers or for their owne priuate lucre commit the same error themselues with hedges ditches pales walls shed is c. 12 Whether hath the Lord any Parke or demeisne wood which by stocking may turne to the Lords better benefite by pasture Arable or meddowe and what is an acre worth one with another the stocking and how many acres is the wood and what will an acre of the wood be woorth and what will an acre of land be worth by the yeere to be let when the ground is stocked