not Knights Service whereas the other is called Escuage uncertain Finally Escuage Uncertain ye shall understand that Escuage uncertain is alwaies adjudged to be Knights Service and draweth unto it Warde Marriage and Relief but Escuage certain is not Knights Service but is of the Tenure of Sucage as shall be hereafter more amply shewed CHAP. XXVI Of Warde Marriage and Relief EVery Knights-Service draweth unto it Warde Marriage and Relief wherefore it is now right expedient somewhat to entreat of them Ye shall therefore be admonished Warde that when the Tenant which holdeth his Lands by Knights-service dieth his Heir male being at that time within the age of twenty one years the Lord shall have the Warde that is to say the custody or keeping of the Lands so holden of him to his own use and profit till the Heir cometh to the full age of twenty one years For the Law here presumeth that till he cometh to his age he is not able to do such Service as is of his Tenure required Furthermore Marriage if such Heirs be unmarried at the time of the death of the Tenant then the Lord shall have also the Warde and the bestowing of the Marriage of him But if a Tenant by Knights-service dieth The full age of a woman his Heir Female being of the age of thirteen years or above then the Lord shall have the Warde neither of the Land nor yet of the Body of such an Heir and the reason hereof is because a woman of that age may have a Husband able to do Knights-service that is to say To wait upon the Kings Majesties Person when he goeth into Scotland with his Army Royal. But if such an Heir Female be within age of fourteen years and not married at the time of the death of her Ancester then the Lord shall have the Wards of the Land holden of him till such Heir Female cometh to the age of sixteen years by force of an Act of Parliament in the Statute of Westminster 1 Cap. 12. Note that there is a great diversity in the Law between the ages of Females Diversity of age and of Males for the Female hath these many ages appointed by the Law Age of a woman First At seven years of age the Lord her Father may distrein his Tenants for aid to marry her Secondly At nine years of age she is dowable Thirdly At twelve years she is able to assent to Matrimony Fourthly At fourteen years she is able to have her Land and shall be out of Warde if she be of this age at the death of her Ancester Fifthly At sixteen years she shall be out of Warde though at the death of her Ancester she was within the age of fourteen years Sixthly At twenty one years she is able to make alienations of her Lands or Tenements whereas the man hath but two ages the one at fourteen years to have his Lands holden in Socage The age of a man and to assent to Matrimony the other at twenty one to make Alienations Ye shall understand that by the Statute of Merton 6 Chap. it is enacted That if in case the Lord do marry their Ward to villains or others whereby is disparagement if such Heirs so married be within the age of fourteen years or such age that the said Warde cannot consent to the marriage then if the friends of this Heir complain and feel themselves grieved with this unmeet marriage the next of kinne to the Heir unto whom the Heritage cannot descend may enter into the Lands and put out the Lord which is Gardian in Chivalry And if the next Kins-man will not thus do another Kins man of the Infant may do it and shall take the Issues and Profits to the behoof and use of the Heir and yeeld account thereof unto him Account given when he cometh to his full age And there be divers other disparagements which be not expressed in the said Statute Divers Disparagements as if the Heir being within age of consent and in Ward be married to a decreped Person or Creeple as to one that hath but one foot or one hand or that is a deformed creature or having any horrible disease or continuall infirmity All these and such like be disparagements But here also ye shall understand that it shall be said no disparagement unless the Heir be so married when he is within age of discretion that is to say within the age of fourteen years For if he be of that age or above and assenteth to such marriage it is no disparagement neither shall the Lord for such marriage loose his Ward because it shall be reputed and assigned to the folly of the Heir being of age of discretion to consent to such marriage Now if the Lord then being a Gardian after to the Heir being his Ward a convenient marriage without disparagement and the Heir refuseth it Value of Marriage as he may at his choice and election very well do then the Lord shall have the value of the marriage of such an Heir when he cometh to his full age But yet if he marry himself being so in Ward against the will of his Gardein then he shall pay the double value Double value of Marriage by force of the said Statute of Merton before remembred And ye shall Note that if Lands holden by Knights-service One shall not be Ward living his Father descend to an Infant or Child within age from his Mother or from any of his Ancesters his Father being yet alive in this case the Lord shall not have the marriage of his Heir for during the life of his Father the Sonne shall be Ward to no man Finally it is to be known that he which is Gardian in Chivalry in right may before he hath seised the Ward grant the same either by Deed or without Deed to another man and then he to whom such a grant is made is called Gardein in Fait Now as touching Relief ye shall know that if a man holdeth his Land by Knights-service and dyeth his Heir being of full age the full age of the Male is twenty one years of the Female fourteen then the Lord of whom the Land his holden shall have of the Heir Relief Note ye that all Earls Barons or other the Kings Tenants holding of him in chief by Knights-service which die their Heir being of full age at the time of their deaths that is to say twenty one years of age they ought to pay the old Relief for their Inheritance that is the Heir or Heirs of an Earl for an whole Earldome 100l the Heir or Heirs of a Baron for an whole Barony an 100 Markes the Heir or Heirs of a Knight One 100 Shillings and he that hath less shall give less according to the old Custom of Fees Like Law is observed of all others that hold of any other Lords immediately Vt supra Also a man may hold Lands of a Lord
suffereth the husband of such a wife to receive and keep still all his wives Land that she had either in fee-simple or fee-taile so long as he liveth and this is by the curtesie and urbanity of England for this thing is used in none other Country nor Region But in this it is required that the Child be vitall that is to say be born and brought forth into this world alive and therefore the common saying is and hath been that unless the Child be heard cry the Father shall not be Tenant by the courtesie for the only proof and argument of life in an Infant born is the vagite and crying Ye shall furthermore understand that unless the husband be in actuall and reall possession of his wives Lands and seized of them in her right he shall not be Tenant by the courtesie after her death And therefore if Lands descend to a mans Wife so that she is Tenant in the Law and to every mans Actions yet if the Husband have not made an actuall entrie during coverture and matrimony between them he shall not be Tenant by the courtesie for it shall be reputed and judged his folly and negligence that he would not enter in her life time Otherwise it is of Advowsons Rents Commons and such other things which forthwith when they descend be in man or in a woman without any entrie or further ceremonie in Law Note That if a Tenant by the courtesie of England will suffer or make any waste in the Lands or Tenements that he so holdeth he is punishable therefore by Action of Waste brought by him in the reversion Also it is to be known That of things that be in suspense a man shall not be Tenant by the courtesie and therefore if a man be Tenant in fee-simple of certain Land and doth intermarry with a woman that is the Seignioress or Lady of the same and hath issue by her and she dieth yet shall he not be Tenant by the curtesie of the Lordship or Seigniory because himself is Tenant of the Land and therefore the Lordship is suspended for the time for a man cannot be both Lord and Tenant of one thing but if he had not been Tenant of Land he should have had the Lordship after the death of his wife by the curtesie of England very well Also note That of a right only a man shall not be Tenant by the curtesie as if a woman sole seized in fee of Lands or Tenements be disseized and after take a husband and they have issue and she die before any reentrie be made the husband shall not be Tenant by the curtesie Note further That of a reversion a man shall not be Tenant by the curtesie as if a woman sole seized of Land in fee make a Lease to S. for terme of life after taketh a husband and they have issue and she die living the Lessee for terme of life the husband shall not be Tenant by the curtesie CHAP. XI Of Tenant in Dower TEnant in Dower is she that hath been married to a husband that was during the matrimony between them seized of Lands or Tenements in fee-simple or fee-taile which is now dead and she seized of the third part of her husbands said Lands for terme of her life for by the Common Law of the Land Dower at the Common Law if the husband be at any time during the coverture seized lawfully whether it be by purchase or by discent either in fee or in fee-taile and die his wife shall be endowed by the course of the Common Law of the third foot Dower by custome and in some places by an ancient custome she shall be endowed of the Moitie yea and though the husband were never seized actually during the coverture yet if the Lands be cast upon him by the Law so that the Law calleth him Tenant to every mans Action it sufficeth the woman to demand her dower for it were unreasonable that the negligence and slackness of entring of the husband should hurt the wives Title Otherwise it is as it is said before of Tenant by the courtesie Tenant by the Courtesie for if Lands descend to a woman covert and the husband for slothfullness or negligence doth not enter in his wives life he shall not be Tenant by the courtesie for by all Laws the wife oweth obedience and subjection to her husband and therefore she cannot compel him to enter but when Lands discend to the wife the husband only hath power to enter at his pleasure And ye shall understand that unless the wife be above the age of Nine years at the time of her husbands death she shall not be endowed by the Common Law But it is to be known A Woman shall have no Dower that a woman may by divers wayes estoppe and prejudice her self of her dower as if she commit any crime for which she is attainted of Treason Murder or felony she shall have in this case no dower notwithstanding she hath obtained her pardon Allo if after the death of her husband she taketh a Lease for terme of life of the same Lands whereof she is indowable she loseth her dower of the same Moreover if she depart from her husband and lieth in adulterie with another man and is not reconciled again to her husband without cohersion of the Ecclesiasticall power she loseth her dower after her husbands death she shall be also barred of her dower if she will withhold from the heir the Charters and Evidence concerning that Land whereof she asketh dower but none other save the Heir can withhold dower for this cause No Dower It ought not to be unknown also of what things she may demand dower and of what things not of Lands Messuages Advowsons Rent-charge Rent-services or Seigniories in gross or otherwise of Villains of Commons certain of Estovers certain of Milles and Offices or of the profit of them she is dowable but of Commons and Estovers saus number also of Annuities of Homages of things of Pleasure as of Service of paiment of Roses and semblable she shall not be endowed Note There be yet two other kinds of Dower Dowment ex assensu Patris the one is called Dowment ex assensu patris that is to say by the assent of the father and the other is called Dowment de la plus beale part that is to say of the fairest part Dowment ex assensu patris is when the Father is seized of Lands in fee simple and his Sonne which is Heir apparant indoweth his Wife at the Church door when he is espoused of parcel of his Fathers Lands with the assent of his Father in writing testifying the same assent if in this case her Husband die she may forthwith enter into the Land so assigned unto her without further procurement of process of Law although the Father of her said Husband be yet alive and in actuall possession of the Land but if she thus do 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
discontinuance but shall hold now by the vulgar and accustomed Homage CHAP. XXXI Of Liveries WHen one dieth which held of the King by Knights-service in Capite that is to say in chief Tenant in chief of the King his Heirs being within age the King as before is declared shall have the wardship and custody as well of the Lands as of the body that is to wit the marriage if he be unmarried but if the Heir be of full age at the time of the death of such ancestor yet shall the King by his Prerogative royall have primer Seisin of all the Lands Tenements Primer seisin and other Hereditaments whereof such his Tenant was seized in his demeane as of see Intruder upon the Kings possession And if such an Heir will enter into his Lands when he cometh to his full age before he sue his Livery and receive Seizin by the King no Freehold shall accrew nor grow unto him but he shall be deemed an intruder into the Kings possession yea and if he die so seized in the mean time his Wife shall have no Dowrie of such Lands wherefore it behoveth in any wise that such Heir as well male as female coming to full age before he or she enter into their Land to sue Livery the manner and form whereof according to the Act of Parliament lately promulgated and set forth I intend briefly to recite CHAP. XXXII How Heirs ought to sue their Liveries enacted 33 H. 6. Cap. 21. NO Person or Persons having Lands or Tenements about the yearly value of five Pound Writ Diem clausit extremum shall have any Livery before Inquisition or Office found before the Eschetor or other Commissioner by virtue of the Kings Writ of Diem clausit extremum or Commission directed out of the Chancery or other Courts having authority to make such a Writ or Commission which shall not pass out of the same but by Warrant or Bill assigned and subscribed by the Master of Wards or Liveries the Surveyor Atturney and recoverer of the said Court or three two or one of them to be directed and delivered to the Chancellor of England or to any other Chancellor or Officer having power to awarde such Writs and for the writing and sealing of the same shall be paid of the accustomed Fees But if the Land exceed not the said yearly value of five Pounds then they shall pay for the Seals of every such Writ or mission eight Pence and for the Comwriting six Pence and not above And the Inquisitions and Offices hereupon found shall be returned by the said Escheters or Commissioners into the same Court from whence the Writ or Commission was awarded which done the Clerks of the Petty-bogg shall receive the same Offices and and make a Transcript thereof to the Master of the Wards and Liveries And then the said Master and the Surveyor Atturney and generall Receiver or three of them whereof the Master or Surveyor to be one shall Covenant and Indent with such Persons for their Livery of the Castles Mannours Lordships Lands Tenements and Hereditaments comprized or not comprized in such Offices and shall make and set a rate and price of the same and appoint the daies of payment thereof by Obligation to be taken for the same to the King And every Bill for any speciall or generall Livery assigned by the hands of the said Master Surveyor Atturney Receiver or three of them whereof the Master or Surveyor to be one shall be Warrant sufficient to the Lord Chancellor or other Officer having power to pass Liveries under any of the Kings Seals accordingly In which case the Clerks of the Petty-bogge or other Clerks by whom the Liveries be written shall receive as well for themselves as for other such Fees as hath been accustomed Item Generall Livery Every person may sue at his pleasure a generall Livery for any Mannours Lands Tenements Rents Reversions Remainders or other Hereditaments whereof the clearly yearly value shall not exceed twenty Pounds provided that an Office be thereof found and a Warrant first obtained of the said Master and others as is aforesaid And where such generall Livery is sued if the Lands exceed the yearly value of five Pounds they shall pay for the Seal twenty Shillings four Pence and all other Fees accustomed as afterwards shall be declared But if they exceed not the yearly value of five pound they shall pay but these Fees following that is to say for the Seal of the Livery twelve Pence to the Clerks of the Petty-bogge for the writing and the inrolling twenty Pence for the respect of the Homage in the Hanapar eight Pence to the Lord great Chamberlaine twenty Pence to the Master of the Rolles twenty Pence and the Clerk of the Liveries for the Warrant and Inrolling of the Livery twenty Pence Item Respect of Homage No person or persons shall pay in the Exchequer or any other Rents for the respect of Homage for any Lands or Hereditaments not exceeding the yearly value of five Pound above eight Pence and for the entering thereof and Warrant of Atturney above four Pence And the value of such Lands and He-Hereditaments not exceeding the yearly value of twenty Pound shall be taken as it is limited in the Offices founden thereof except by the examinations and Certificate of the said Master Surveyor Atturney and Receiver or three of them It shall otherwise appear and be declared in any of the Kings Courts Also no Eschetor shall sit only by virtue of his Office for the inquiry of the Tenure Title or value of any Lands or other Hereditaments holden of the King being of the yearly value of five Pounds Paines of forfeit or above without the Kings Writ to him directed upon pain to forfeit five Pound for every time he shall so do neither shall he take for the finding of any Office of Lands Fees of Office not exceeding the yearly value of five Pound above fifteen Shillings That is to say six Shillings eight Pence for his own Fee and three Shillings four Pence for the writing of the Office and for the Charges of the Jury three Shillings and for the Officers that shall receive the Offices in any Court of Record two Shillings upon pain that the Eschetor doing otherwise shall for every time forfeit five Pound And upon like pain the Officers of every Court of Record where such Inquisitions shall be returned being offered unto them within one Moneth next after the finding thereof shall receive them the one Moity of all with forfeitures to the King and the other to the Party that will sue for the same c. And they which hereafter shall be in case to sue Livery whose Lands and Tenements exceed not the yearly value of five Pound may lawfully sue forth that general Livery by Warrant from the said Courts as is aforesaid although none other Inquisition be thereof had nor certified paying nevertheless the Fees above
this Rent is but Rent Seck because John at Stile that hath the Rent hath nothing in Reversion of the Land But if he granteth the Reversion of the Land to John at Noke for term of life and the Tenant Atturneth accordingly then hath John at Noke the Rent as Rent Service because he hath the Reversion for term of his life Likewise it is If a man giveth Lands or Tenements in tayle Rent is incident to a reversion Reserving to him and to his Heirs certain Rent or maketh a Lease of the Land for term of life Reserving certain Rent if he granteth the Reversion to another and the Tenant Atturneth accordingly the whole Rent and Service shall pass by this word Reversion because the Rent and Service in such case be Incident to the Reversion and do pass by the grant of the Reversion But if he had Granted the Rent only it had been Rent Seck CHAP. XXXIX What remedy a man hath to recover his Rent when it is behind I Shewed you before that for a Rent-service if it be behind you may distrain in the ground even of Common right though there be no such Clause of distress mentioned in the Deed of Feoffment Grant or Lease Also for a Rent-charge ye may distrain or bring your Writ of Annuity at your choice and election as before is declared But of a Rent Seck if you were never seized of it nor of any Parcell thereof ye be without remedy by course of the Common Law for ye cannot distrain for it nor yet bring your Writ of Annuity but if you were once seized of it or of Parcell thereof and it is eft-soones behind then your remedy shall be this ye must go either by your self or by your Deputy to the Land or Tenement out of which the Rent is coming Disseisin of Rent Seck and there demand the Arrerages of the Rent which if the Tenant denyeth to pay this deniall is desesin of the Rent Also if the Tenant be not then ready to pay it this countervaileth a deniall which is a disesin Moreover if neither the Tenant nor no other man be remaining upon the ground to pay the Rent when ye demand they Arrerages this also is a deniall in the Law Assize and is in very deed a diseisin And for these diseisins you may have an Assize of Novel diseisin against the Tenant and shall recover seisin of the Rent and the Arrerages and your Dammages and Costs of your Writ and of your Plea And if after such Recovery and Execution had In Rediseisin double damages the Rent be again at another time denied you then you may have a Writ of Rediseisin and shall recover your double Dammages It shall therefore be wisdom for a man Therecauses of disseisin of Rent service when a Rent is granted by any person unto him to take of the Tenant of the Land a Penny or half Penny in name of seisin of the Rent and then if at the next day of payment the Rent be denied him he may have an Assize of Novel diseisin And ye shall note That there be three Causes of diseisin of Rent-service that is to wit Rescous Replevin and Inclosure Rescous is when the Lord upon Land holden of him distraineth for his Rent behind and the distress be rescued from him or if the Lord cometh upon the Land to distrein and the Tenant or any other man for him will not suffer him that is called Rescous Replevin is when the Lord hath distrained Replevin and Replevin is made of the distress by Writ or by Plaint Enclosure is where Lands or Tenements be so enclosed Enclosure that the Lord cannot come within the Lands or Tenements for to distrain And the chief case why such things so made be diseisin to the Lord is forasmuch as the Lord is by this way disturbed of the mean and remedy whereby he ought to come and have his Rent that is to wit by distress And there be four Causes of diseisin of Rent-charge Four Causes of Diseisin of Rent-charged that is to wit Recous Rplevin Enclosure and Denier For Denier or deniall is as well a diseisin of a Rent-charge as it is of a Rent-secke Finally You shall understand that there be two cases of deseisin of Rent-secke that is deniall and Inclosure And it seemeth that there is yet another cause of diseisin of all the three Rents aforesaid that is to wit And two of Rent-secke this when the Lord cometh to the Land holden of him or when he that hath a Rent-charge or a Rent-secke cometh to the Land to distrain for the Rent behind or to demand the Rent and the Tenant hearing this encountreth him and forestalleth him the way with force and Arms and menaceth him in such sort as he dare not come to the ground for to distrain for his Rent behind for fear of death or mutilation of his members This is a Diseisin because the party is disturbed of his mean and lawfull remedy whereby he ought to come to his Rent Finally Ye shall observe and mark That by an Act of Parliament made in the 22th year of our Sovereign Lord King Henry 8 it is lawfull for the Executors and Administrators of Tenants in Fee-simple Tenants in Fee-tayl Tenants for terme of life of Rent-services Rent-charges Rent Seckes and of Fee-farmes for Arrereages of such Rents as were due to the Testators in their lives either to distrein for the same or at their Election to bring an Action of debt except in such Lordships in Wales Distress or Action of Debt or in the Marches thereof whereas the Tenants have useed time out of mind to pay unto every Lord at his first entry into the Lordship any summe of Money for the redemption of all manner of Outcries and Penalties incurred at any time before their Lords entry Also by force of the said Act the Husband which was seized in the right of his Wife may after the death of his Wife either distrein or bring an Action of Debt for the Arrerages of such Rents as were due and unpaid in her life Likewise it is of him that hath a Rent for the term of another mans life if he for term of whose life he hath the Rent dieth yet by vertue of the said Act he or his Executors and Administrators may either distrein or bring an Action of Debt for the Arrerages due before the death of him for term of whose he had the Rent CHAP. XL. How Recoveries ought to be made of Rents and Services UPon a Replevin sued an Avowry may be made by the Lord or Conusance and Justification by his Bayliff or Servant upon the Land holden of the said Lord without naming any person certain to be Tenant thereof The like Law is also upon every Writ sued of second deliverance In any Replegiare or second deliverance for Rents Customes Services or dammage Feasant if the Avowry Conusance or Justification be found
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