with such persons as he shall call to him which are here too long to set downe particularly and therefore are referred to the said Articles Answer The certainty whereof may be knowne by the Articles themselves XXV Question Hee hath used before the uniting of the sayd Court of augmentation and the first fruits and tenths in all great matters of the Courts sometimes to confer with the Chancellor and under Treasurer alone and some times with them and the Barons and sometimes with them and the Kings learned Councill and some times with them all and the two Remembrancers and Clerke of the Pipe about the same what were best to be done But since the uniting of the sayd Court according to the Articles of uniting the same he hath used much to conferre and joyne with the Chancellor and Vice-Treasurer upon all forraine matters Causes and Actions of the Court that stand not in plea Suits or Judgement before the Court but come in question order and determination by the sayd union and shall call such Officers as shall please them to consider and determine upon the same Answer I have seen no written direction for this course but undoubtedly he may and will call any Officer unto him to conferr with for his Majesties service and determine of matters according to Justice XXVI Question Hee alone and he and the under Treasurer by his discretion as I take it do survey and order all the Receits and all the Officers and matters thereof and of the Treasury and do direct payments and stayes of payments by their discretion and do examine all receits coming in and going out of the receit but can suffer no penny to go out but by privy Seal or great Seale from the Prince or by decree or Writ from the Court that sometime cometh so about by the Judgement of the same He hath divers other authorities by old and new Statutes both alone and with others which are referred to be found out by learned Counsell that have abridged the same Answer I have not much experience in the Receipt but I do hold it for certainty that none of the Treasure may be payed out without good warrant from the King And I have seen by record and otherwise that some misdemeanors there committed have examined and ordered in Superiori S. Here I was required as I understood by the Messenger to set downe by what Warrant and authority the things before specified were done I have endeavoured to performe that according to my best understanding as before appeareth And where I was required also to set down what other authorityes be in this Lord so it is that I Authorities in the Lord Treasurer have observed by reading of the Records of all Kings times that he hath been taken for a very great Officer and chief of the Exchequer amongst which concerning his ancient generall Authority and Duty I finde these words written of him Adquem spectat de commodis domini Regis curare ut ejus disdendia viteut prospicere By which and by his oath his generall duty and authority may be conveniently and reasonably conceived and gathered And touching his other authorities that be not before mentioned I thinke there be some by Statutes and some by Commissions or privy seales concerning his Office in the Exchequer which I do not take upon me to set downe least I by forgetfullnesse should omit some of these I know and might omit diverse others having not beene made acquainted with them and to my best remembrance they be most of them joynt with others and am of opinion that if when any thing shal be offered unto him or required of him to be done It will please him first to require the sight and understanding of his Warrant in that behalfe his Lordship shall in short time finde and know his authorityes that hee will require in such cases whether it be by Act of Parliament or any other way and I for my part will be ready to declare my simple knowledge and experience in every case And what hath beene done by the two last Lord Treasurers I suppose that the next hath seene either already or heard himselfe or shall by some other hear of it And if his Lordship shall finde just cause to understand by what Warrants and Authority they did so he may easily understand of it by some of his Majesties Officers The Chancellor HE is an Officer thought by many to have beene placed in the Exchequer to have qualified all matters of extremity and rigour between the Prince the Subject and the party with Conscience and equitie But yet I never saw nor have heard of any Record ever made in the Exchequer in that case by order direction or qualification He hath in Court the proper place of the Bench above the Lord Treasurer He in the Lord Treasurers absence doth in Court in the Exchecquer Chamber all things to the Kings most benefit and furtherance He in the Lord Treasurers absence if the Barrons and learned Counsell of the suitor doe much presse any matter against the King or that he findeth there is some learning in the case doth pray that it may stay untill the Lord Treasurer be made privie and the Kings learned Councell may be conferred with and the presidents of the Court may be shewed upon the same He maketh warrants to any of the remembrancers to make all manner of commissions processe and iniunctions as the case requireth aswell as the Lord Treasuror doth He by the late Lord Treasuror and Sir Richard Sackvills order and agreement had referred unto him the oversight and rule of the Court of first fruits and Tenth of all compositions bonds mattes and canses of the same He in the Lord Treasurors absence for orders and Commandements in Court for the benefit of the Prince and case of the Subject and suitors hath ever done commonly that the Lord Treasuror useth to do He hath ever used in great causes of the Court to make the Lord Treasuror privie and to confer with his Lordship about the same He being Vice-treasuror also after the death of the Lord Treasuror and while a new Lord Treasuror be made doth all things which the Lord Treasuror both in the Exchequer and Receipt doth use to do Under-Treasurer IS an Office erected of late in the time of King H. 7. And whether it was of the Kings nomination first or of any Lord Treasuror it is not known But it is said that Sir Robert Mitton Knight that was then the Lord Treasurers Remembrancer was the first Vice-treasuror that was ever made and had no patent thereof but Sir Iohn Baker when Thomas Duke of Norfolke was made Lord Treasuror in H. 8. time being nominated Vice-treasuror after Sir Robert Mitton did procure a Patent thereof under the great Seale of England and was the first that had a Patent of the same office He in King H. 7. time as I have heard say the report of the remaine of the Treasure
sums as hee will pay and charge himselfe with confessing so much due or received And to the other summs he will answer O. Ni. as confessing Onâ—retur nist exoneretur and so the said Baron goeth on in this manner questioning and asking of every Sheriff what hee saith to every sum in his summons untill he hath gone through every one of them Hee informeth the Bench and the Kings learned Councill from time to time both in Court and out of Court what the course of Exchequer is and stayeth the rest of the Barons and the Kings learned Councill from ordering any thing they go about contrary to the sayd course for the preservation of the same and to save the Kings Prerogative and benefit which the course of the Court most commonly maintaineth and respecteth Hee taketh the declaration of the ingrossed accounts of the Receivors of the late augmentation of the Revenue of the counties of Yorke Receivers of Oxon and Berks Receivers of Buckingham and Bedford Hee likewise as the two other Barons examineth the Letters and casteth up the sums of such Sheriffs forraigne Accounts Collectors accounts of Subsidies and Fifteens as are brought unto him by any of the auditors of the Court and causeth his name and the auditors name that ingrosseth it to be set with additions of the auditors and Clericus as aforesayd He taketh the Bayles of all Sheriffs Bayliffs of Liberties and Escheators that keep not their dayes of prefixions but come into the Court by attachments which is nothing else but with sureties to be sworne to account and then assesseth the Fines of all such Bayliffes Pro libertate reprehendenda and of all such Escheators for their contempts which be very small and never above five shillings but rather under as twelve pence two shillings and three shillings foure pence And for the Sheriffs Fines in is ever five pounds a day for his four next dayes after his day of prefixion that he faileth to come and to be sworne to his account The two Chamberlaines HAve their place next in Court to the foure Barons and may sit and keepe their places dayly in Court if they like to attend and hearken to the causes of the Court without any intermedling therein But at the election of the Sheriffs yearely In Cr. Animarum they are ordinarily to be there and keepe still their place and may say their opinions for preferment or stay of men to be Sheriffs as the Barons and Justices do but other dealings in the Court of Exchequer at this day I know not that they have They have in old time had great authority in the Receit as I have heard say and have kept certaine keyes of the Treasury Coffers and were ever privy to the Pells of Receit and to the Pells of Exitus of the which each of them kept a controller as at this day they do of the pell of receits and no mony issued out of the Receit without their privity as is manifestly proved because at this day every privy seal for the payment of any mony out of the Receit is directed The saurarijs Camerarijs They have the charge of the Treasury with the Lord Treasurer and keepe the keyes thereof where all the ancient leagues betweene the Kings Progenitors and other Princes and States either do or should lye and where the booke of Dooms-day and the ancient Records and Pleas De Justiciarijs itinerant and De forest is and of diverse other matters do remaine into which Treasury neither they nor their Deputies can come with their keyes untill the auditors of the Receit come with the Lord Treasurers key to the same that remaineth in his keeping to my Lords use The Kings Attorney IS the speciall Officer of the Court that is made privy to all manner of pleas that be not ordinary and of course that rise upon the processe of the Court and to the Replications and Rejoynders growing upon the same on any of the Remembrancers sides He putteth into the Court of his owne name for the King all informations of concealments of Customes Subsides Seisures Receits and of Intrusions Wars Spoiles Incroachments and Anoyances done upon any of his Majesties Lands Tenements Woods Rents Rights and Hereditaments and upon any popular Actions penall Statutes Forfeitures or breach of Covenants The Kings Remembrancer THE Kings Remembrancer of the Exchequer who at certaine dayes prefixed in the Terme calleth to account in open Court by his booke yearly made and commonly called Statutus magnorum computantium c. all the great accountants as the Cofferer the Master of the Wardrobe the Master of the Horses the Keeper of the Scudry the Master of the Revells the Clarke of the Hamper the Butler of England the Treasurer of the Mynt the Lieftenant of the Tower the Constable of the Tower the Lieftnant of the Ordnance the Receiver of the Ships the Victualler of the Ships the Master of the worke and such like and by the same booke should call the Vulgars to account that are now reduced to a fee farme certain by my Lord Treasurers Bill made therefore to them for one and twenty years or more and so they answer yearly their fee farm in the Pipe And by the same booke he calleth as before at dayes prefixed all searchers Ad respondendum Domino Regi medietatem omnium foris fact urarum in Officio suo contingent c. And all collectors of Customes and Subsidies Ad computandum which book of States hath all the sayd Officers christen names and surnames with the addition of their Offices that be full and given and being not given nor full nor account at this day it hath only the Office name in the same He inrolleth and after writeth out the same according to the course of the court against all the sayd accountants that come not in at their dayes prefixed and account for their sayd Office except such as be not now accountants before the sayd Barons He calleth to account in open court by his like booke called the States of the collectors of Subsidies and Fifteens all manner of high collectors thereof granted by Act of parliament in every shire city Burrough Towne corporate and place whatsoever through England as they are appointed and certified by the commissioners every where for the assessing and levying of them and according to their dayes of payment appointed them by the Statute He inrolleth and maketh out processe against such of the sayd Collectors for their Bodies Goods and Tenements that come not in to account and pay their mony according to the grants of the same He taketh Recognizances to the Princes use before the Barons in open Court or out of Court before some one of them of all such persons for most causes with sureties and seldome without sureties as by occasion of any of the premises or from time to time for any debt day of Appearance or other commandement of Court are forced to be bound any manner of way He upon the
the uniting of the late Court of uniting of first Fruits and Tenths to the Court of Exchequer at Westminster 1 FIrst Her Highness doth ordain that all the Records of the said Court of the first Fruits and Tenths shall be hereafter placed in the said Exchequer and shall be of the same force and strength as they were in the said Courts of the said first fruits and Tenths Item her highness is pleased and ordaineth that there shall be in the said Exchequer a certain Office called the Office of the Remembrancer of the first Fruits and Tenths which Office for divers and sundry great considerations for and at the first erection only shal be exercised by two persons by her highness to be nominated which shall joyntly exercise the same office during their lives and after the death of the Survivor of them the said office to be exercised by one of them Item That all Records belonging to the same court of the first Fruits and Tenths shall be in the charge and keeping of the said Officer Item That the said Officer shall make and deliver the true values of all spirituall promotions dignities and benefits within the Realm of England and Wales and other the Queens Dominions to such persons as shall sue for them taking for the same like fees as were wont to be paid before the dissolution of the first fruits and Tenths Item The same Officer shall take composiions of the first Fruits of every Arch Bishop prick Arch-Desconry Deanry Prebendary Parsonage Vicaridge and of every other dignity office benefice promotion spirituall aforesaid 6. Item The same officer to make all writings obligatory Indentures and all other writings concerning the same first fruits and tenths and shall see the same sealed and delivered by the parties to the Queens highness use and also shall make Acquittances and other discharges to such as shal pay their mony in hand without making bonds for the same taking fees accustomed of the parties for the same Lord Treasurer 7. Item The said Lord Treasuror to call such persons as shall please him to his assistance at the declaration of the foresaid accounts or any officer or auditor of the same Court that to them shal be thought meet for the passing of the same accounts 8. Item The accountant or accountants that shall not come to determin his or their accounts in form aforesaid his or their goods and lands shall be seised to the Queens use nomine districtionis and shall loose the benefit thereof and that shall have the allowance of the same in discharge of his debt according to the ancient custom of the Exchequer 9. Item all Sci. fac attachments and writs of distresses for debts or accounts concerning the premisses shal be made by the Treasurers Remembrancer from time to time as to the discretion of the Court in that be half shall be thought meet and convenient according to the ancient custom and course of the Court. 10. Item All Letters Patents of any Mannors land tenements or other hereditaments or concerning any annuities pardons or other such like shal be inrolled in such office of the said Exchequer as by the discretion of the Lord Treasurer and the said Court shal be appointed the parties to pay fines according to the ordinance and statute in that behalf provided 11. Item All recognizances of payments of any farm or any debt of or for any part of the premisses to be inrolled in the Remembrancers office and to be taken in the open Court when the Term is open if the Term be not open then by the chief Baron and in his ablence by any of the Barons and by force of a Dedim Potestat if necessity shall require taking for every such recognizince taken out of the court 6 s. 8 d. only whatsoever number of persons be bound in the same and for the entry of the same recognizance the said Remembrancer shall have and take for his fee of and for every Recognizance of 41. and upwards 3 s. 4 d and no other or more Fees to be taken for a Recognizance whatsoever number of persons be bound in the same 12 Item that the said Sheriffs or other accomptants shall yearly pay all such summes of money as shal be due to anie person or persons for any Annuities Fees pensions issueing or going out of any of the premisses according to their grants allowed and inrolled unlesse they shall have speciall Commandement by the Court to the contrarie 13. Item that the Farmors and Lesses shall be bound to the Queen and by Recognizance to performe their Covenants in their Leases in such forme as by the Court shall be ordered 14. Item all Warrants for leases to passe by the Lord Treasuror and if the yearly rent of the land to be letten shall be above the summe of forty shillings by the yeare then the same lease to passe under the great Seale of England and if the rent be above the value of 71. 13 s 4 d. then every such lessee to pay the Fees of the Signet and privy Seale as hereto fore in like Cases hath beene accustomed And if the land to be letten doe passe not the yearly rent of 40 s. then the Lease to passe the seale of the same Court of Exchequer paying 6 s. 8 d. to the Queens use 3 s. 4 d. to the Chancellor of the said Court and 4 d. to one appointed to Attend the seale for his Attendance and wax And the said Leases under the value of 40 s. to be alwayes made by the Clark of the Pipe and filed together for every yeare by themselves and there to be inrolled within the said Office as the said Clark of the Pipe may report the Indentures for the more surety of the parties taking for the inrollment as shall be ordered by the Court. 15. Item the said Lord Treasuror shall not have any Authoritie to make any lease in Reversion of any part or parcell of the premisses or of any woods or anie Mannors in grosse for the terme of certaine yeares without the Queens highnesse speciall Warrant to him to be directed in that behalfe and then Warrant to be made by the Lord Treasuror of England in forme aforesaid 16. Item the Lord Treasuror taking to him the Advice of the Chancellor under-treasuror and cheife Baron or two of them shall have Authoritie to assesse Fines for any Leases of any part or parcell of the premisses to be made by the said Lord Treasuror in forme aforesaid 17. Item the same Officer to write and make all manner of processe Commissions Entries Books Judgments and decrees of the Court with all other writings and miniments whatsoever aswell for the arrerages of such first fruits as for all Tenths and Subsidies of the Clergie due to her highnesse heires and Successors by such speciall persons their Sureties Farmers and occupiers taking therefore such Fees of the parties as were used before the dissolution of the same Court of first fruits and Tenthes 18.
THE PRACTICE OF THE EXCHEQUER COURT With its severall OFFICES and OFFICERS Being a short Narration of the Power and Duty of each single Person in his severall Place Written at the request of the Lord Buckhurst sometime Lord Treasurer of England By Sr. T. F. Whereunto are added the Rules and Orders of Proceedings by English Bill LONDON Printed by T. R. for Tim. Twyford and W. Place and are to be sold at their Shops within the Inner Temple gate and at Grays Inne gate in Holborne 1658. To the Reader I Have neglected ordinary flatteries least I might seem to beg an applause not merit it Let it not seem a work of supererrogation to publish this Tract since t is hoped the Work it self is bonum utile else had not that great and wise Lord Buckhurst taken such care to command it to writing had he not known that bonum quo communius eo melius And therefore I hope my self very worthy of excuse from blame by any inasmuch as hereby present generations may learn past Polity and by the Rule thereof square their actions And if any thing herein fall short of expectation t is my request That you will rather look at it as an escape then a crime since the whole ayme is both thy pleasure and profit which if you attaine I have the accomplishment of my hope otherwise Si quid noristi rectiusistis Candidus imperti si non his uters mecum Farewell What every of the Officers of the EXCHEQUER usually do by virtue of his Office in England The Lord Treasurer Questions concerning the Lord Treasurers Office with severall Answers to every Question made by Mr. F. Or rather a Declaration of his Opinion touching the same written at the Request of the Lord Buckhurst I. Question THE Lord Treasurer is sworne and admitted in open Court by the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper for the time being Answer Sir I have seen the Records of the like Admittance and yet the Lord Treasurer that was last was sworne in the Chancery II. Question Hee is appointed by Statute co be at the election of the Sheriff yearly In Cr. Animarum Answer By the Statute of Anno 14 Ed. 3. cap. 6. The Chancellor Treasurer and cheife Baron calling others to them are to name Sheriffs in Cr. Animarum yearly and by the Act 12 R 2. cap. 2. they must be sworne to do as is there limited III. Question Hee nominateth after the Sheriffs be chosen all the Escheators in England Answer Escheators ought to be nominated by virtue of the sayd Statute of Anno 14 E. 3. cap. 8. but by what reason he doth it alone I know not IV. Question He giveth by Statute all the Offices of the Customers Conmptrollers and Searchers through England during pleasure by his Warrant under his hand directed to the Lord Chancelor or Lord Keeper for the time being Answer This he doth by virtue of a Statute made 31 H. 6. cap. 5. V. Question Hee granteth by Statute and Custome for the accustomed Rent Custodiam of the ancient Crown Lands and Escheated Lands and Firman ulnagij in all the shires in England c. Answer I cannot speake certainly of this I know not how to informe my self so as I would saving that I thinke the Alnage is let to Farme by the Statute of Anno 4 H. 4. cap. 13. and 4. E. 4. cap. 5. VI. Question He granteth Firman terrarum seis pro Domino Rege quamdiu in manu dicti Domini Regis fore contigerint to any that sue for it by his Warrant made of late to the Clarke of the Pipe and in old time directed to the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper for the time being Answer Neither do I know this certainly but I have beene told that the Leases made under the Exchequer seale be not good VII Question He sitteth in Court or in the Exchequer Chamber and ordereth with the Chancellor under Treasurer and the Barons of the Court the matters offered before them to the Princes most benefit as they can by the law course or equity but the Judgement is only Per considerationem Baronum Answer Hee sitteth in the Court and ordereth with others as is declared in this Article when it pleaseth him and the oftner the better for the profit and service of the King and the dispatching of suits and suitors VIII Question Hee may call upon the Kings learned Councell and the Officers of the Court to consider by the law and Presidents any matter sore pressed against his Majesty at the Barre and desire the Court to stay proceedings in it while they may be better informed Answer There is no doubt but hee may and will do all this when hee shall see others negligent or any other good causes so to do XI Question Hee and the Barons may by Statute shall debts of three hundred pound and under to be payd at dayes Answer This they may do by the Statute of 1 vel 2 E. 3. cap. 4. X Question The Treasurer the Chancellor the Vice-Treasurer and Barons of the Court may and do use to make Orders and Decrees of Allowances of Pensions Portions Rents Payments Fees and Considerations thought good by the Court and upon intricate matters and matters of equity in the Court betweene the King and the party to bring them to a finall end as best for all parts and not well able to be determined by the ordinary pleading or otherwise of the Court. Answer They may and do use to make Orders and Decrees as is there declared and for that purpose do sit both in the Court and often in the Exchequer Chamber to heare English suits which they do by virtue of the Statute 33 H. 8. cap. 39. See the Statute booke at alrge fol. 92. H. 4. XI Question Hee in giving judgement with the assistance of the Court doth order stay examine heare debate prolong and end all causes of the Exchequer either by Judgement order or decree by privy seale from his Majesty when otherwise it will not be done Answer It is certaine that hee and the Court or to say more plainly the Court whereof he is cheife may do all lawfull things that are there to be done either by virtue of Law or of the Kings Warrant which I take to be the meaning of this Article XII Question He alone punisheth reformeth directeth and ordereth all the Officers of the same that by Law are not to be brought into the Court of Exchequer Answer All the punishments which I have found in any Record have beene done as by the Court and all their Accounts and Concealments Informations and sundry other things have been taken examined and ordered as by the Court And yet his Lordship hath great Authority over them by the Statute of 17 R. 2. cap. 5. where it is enacted that those Offices should remaine in the Kings hands under the governance of the Lord Treasurer for the time being with the assent of the Counsell where need shall be XIII
as he had done before and so declareth all the said Counter bookes halfe yearly before my Lord Treasuror when it is his pleasure He keepeth the black book of the Receit and the Lord Treasurors key of the Treasury both where the ancient leagues of the Realme and all the Perambulations of the Forrests and the Records of Justice Itinerant and divers other Records do lie Both in the old Court of wards and in the old Parliament house in the Cloister at Westminister where no search can be made without that key come with both the Chamberlaines keyes thereof He doth now of late se every Tellers money locked and sealed up in the new Treasurie made for that purpose when it is my Lord Treasurers pleasure or order so to have it to be and keepeth or delivereth the key as he Commandeth The two under Chamberlains BE both the Chamberlaines deputies for the Receit and when the Tallies are written upon as before is declared unto them one of them doth Cleeve the same even in the middest between the double letter of the Tallie mentioned before and then the Cleever taking the stick and the other foile and the Clerk of the Pell and his controller the Book where the said Tellers bills were recorded the Cleever saith Examinatur and readeth the stock aloud and so his fellow The Clerk of the Pell and his two Comptrollers seeing the stock to agree with them all the same is by and by delivered to the partie and the foyle straight cast into the Chamberlaines Chest where they keep all their foiles together with their knives and the Book of Doomesday while the Joyners fetch them away from time to time as they be occupied In which Chest also be kept the keyes of the Treasurie under three locks whereof the auditor of the Receit hath one key and the two Chamberlaines another key and the Usher of the Receit that is in the Kings guift another key who doth now attend by his deputie and is to do all things there besides that that other Ushers use to do and keepeth the Receit as the Usher by Inheritance doth the Exchequer They make all searches in the Treasurie for any Record at the suite of the parties and Exemplifications of the same whereof the Fees are divided betweene them and the keeper of my Lord Treasurors key as of long time hath beene accustomed The Fower ordinary Messengers of the Receit BE the Pursevants only Attendant upon my Lord Treasuror to carry his Lordships letters and percepts to all the Customers Controllers and Searchers through England and to ride and goe where it is his Lordships pleasure to Command The Articles of the late Court of Augmentations and Revenues of the Crowne annexed to the Court of Exchequer at Westminster The Lord Treasuror 1 FIrst all Honers lands tenements possessions amd all other hereditaments which are within the survey rule and order of the Augmentations of the Crowne and the Arrerage of the same shall be received leavied and gathered form hence forth by the Sheriffs of every Shire and Countie within the Realme of England where the said Honers Castles Mannors lands Tenements other heredizaments do lye or by any other person or persons that shall be appointed by the Lord Treasurer and the Court thereafter which Receit the said Sheriff of every countie or other accountant so appointed shall content and pay the Revenue thereof at the Receit of the Exchequer in manner and forme as hereafter shall be declared 2 Item the Revenues in wales shall be yearly received by the Chamberlaine there or by any other person or persons that shall be appointed by the said Lord Treasuror and the Court as is aforesaid the same to pay at the receit aforesaid and to be bound by Recognizances for the payments thereof according to the direction of the Court. 3 Item the said Sheriffs or other accomptants to have a tallie of reward yearly according to the Rule of their severall charges if it shal be thought fit by the Lord Treasuror Chancellor Chamberlaines and Barons or by three of them whereof the Lord Treasuror to be one 4 Item that every Sheriff of England or other accomptant shall be charged with the Revenues aforesaid in his account from Michalmas to Michelmas according to the Ancient lawes and Customes of the said Exchequer 5 Item all such summes of money as shal be due at the Feasts of the birth of our Lord The annunciation of our Lady or at the Feast of Easter for the said Revenues with the Arrearage depending upon all former accounts shall be charged in to the said Sheriff or other Accomptants in their views and shall make the said view before the Feast of the Ascention of our Lord yearly and to pay all such summes of money as shal be found due upon the same before the Feast of Penticost then next ensueing and where they be payable at Penticost those rents to be payed before the Nativitie of Saint John the Baptist then next following 6. Item if any former accomptant or debtor hath paid any summes of money at the receit aforesaid before the making of the view aforesaid that then the said Sheriff or other accomptant shall be discharged by the payment thereof being of Record without any further suite or Charge in the said view of account 7. Item that all such summes as shal be due for the said Revenue at the Feast of Michaelmas and Saint Martin with the Arrerages due upon all former accounts shal be paid at the receit of the Exchequer by the Sheriffs or other receivers or accomptants that is to say as much as shal be due at Michaelnsas before the Feast of the Nativitie of our Lord God And asmuch as shal be due at Saint Martin to be paid into the receit before the twentieth day of February then next insueing or otherwise make declaration unto the said Court of Exchequer of the payment thereof by vertue of sufficient Warrant 8. Item that every Sheriff and other Accomptant shall appeare to his account in his owne proper person or by his sufficient Deputie Authorised in writing under his hand and seale in Hillary Terme and there to take an Oath according to an Ancient usage of the said Exchequer and the same Warrant in writing to be delivered into the Treasurors Remembrancers office and there shall be filed and entred of record without taking any Fee or reward for the same 9. Item the said Sheriff or other accomptant or Accomptants or his or their lawfull Deputie or Attorney after his or their Appearances to make their accounts for the said Revenues before the twentie fourth of February then next after and the Auditor taking the said accounts shall deliver the same accounts ingrossed in parchment Authorised and allowed by the hands subseribed of the Lord Treasuror Chancellor Vice-treasuror and Barons of the said Exchequer or by three of them at the least whereof the Lord Treasuror or Vice-treasuror to be one And with the hand
he likewise maketh stay and Supersedeas by Warrant and Award of the Barons as aforesaid He entreth Judgment according as the Lord cheife Baron and Barons of the Court Commandeth him of all Pleas dependingon his side both for the king and the partie though the Kings learned Councell would willinglie have the Judgment goe otherwise He entreth Judgement of his owne Authoritie by the Ancient Course of the Court of Pleas of Course and whereof there are dayly Presidents which were not able otherwise to be overcome if they should be read and followed openly in the Court He sendeth the red Book by one of his Clerkes with the fourth Baron most Commonly and in his absence with the next Baron into the Kings Bench and Common Pleas in the Terme time to remove any matter sued there against any Officer Minister Servitor or any of their men or any Accomptant there that prayeth his priviledge in time of any of the same Court upon which said red Booke shewed and the parties soe testified by the Baron to be of the Court as aforesaid his Priviledge is ordinarily allowed He receiveth into his Office all the Certificates of the Subsides Fifteens Tenths granted to the Prince by Parliament and certifieth unto the Exchequer whereupon he maketh his two Bookes called The States of Subsidies and the State of Fisteens in which is entred the Collectors names and for what places with the summe totall of every Certificate as they doe come in with their payments agreeable thereunto soe are they trossed and entred cleere that otherwise stand open while the money is payed and discharged He sendeth every Hillary and Trinitie Tâ—râ—e severall parchment Bookes to all the Customers Controllers Survaiors and Searchers of the Parts and Creekes through England to make the first and second halfe yeares Entries in the same of the Kinges Majesties Customes and Subsides and the Cocketts thereof according to certaine late orders in the late Queens time sent unto them thereof And likewise every Michelmas and Easter Terme he receiveth the same by the Oath again of the said Officers in open Court or before some one of the Barons out of the Court that they have made all true Entries in the same and as they ought to have done He receiveth from some one of the three Barons and of the Auditors of the Court Attending on them all Sheriff forraign accounts Collectors accounts of Subsidies and Fifteens and the Cofferers accounts which he taketh the Accomptants name with his addition of account and the summe totall and the debts of the same and so putteth every of them ever by himselfe or one of the Clerks of his Office to the Treasurors Remembrancers side to be entred there in like sort both which Remembrancers should likewise receive all the great accounts taken now before the Auditors of the Prests and the Receivours and Ministers accounts of the late Augmentation Revenue taken before the Auditors of the Shires to make like Entries thereof in both their Offices and to be conveyed in the viewes of every yeares Remembrance and that he to whome it did appertaine might make processe upon the same where any cause should so fall out and so noe Super or debt thereupon by that meanes should be behind and to be out of Processe every Terme while they were discharged He sendeth commission of Nisi prius by the kings Attorneys Warrant onely upon tryall of any matters within his office at the Assizes in the countrie Adtenorem Recordi under the Exchequer Seale with it But at the Nisi Prius in London at Guildhall he hath the very Record of his Office brought thither and it is without commission because my Lord cheife Baron sitteth thereon and the Kings Attorney and his Majesties learned Councell either be or appoint to be there for his Highnesse Hee hath other speciall Authorities preheminences and matters appointed to his Office by the Articles of the uniting of the said Court of Augmentations to the Exchequer which are referred thither for breifeness and for more certaintie at large of the same The Lord Treasurors Remembrancer IS the second Remembrancer of the Exchequer and belike of old time was so called for that it was then in the Lord Treasurors gift or that he had some speciall service appointed to him by the Lord Treasuror to remember him of or to be kept in Record He hath his Office cheifly established upon the execution of the originall save for the great accounts the Customers controllers and searchers that is yearly streated to him out of the Chancerie and is otherwise called Extractus Cancellarioe being the yearely streate Verbatim as they passed under the great Seale of England from time to time of all Sheriffs and Escheators Pattents of all Customers Controllers and Searchers Patents of all Receivers Reeves Beadles Bayliffs Collectors and Stewards Pattents of all grants of lands and Tenements for life in see simple see taile generall or speciall of all denizonships Creations of Arch bishops and Bishops erections of any Abbies Priories Colledges Chauntries Hospitalls Schooles and Corporations of all custodies of any Honers Castles Lordships Mannors Chaces Forrests Parkes speciall and generall after the Course of the Chancerie ousteâ—lemanes of all Licenses of Alinations going over sea transportations Introductions Retaines imparkings and Inclosures of all pardons Alienations intrusions trespasses utlegaries felonies murders misprisions treasons and forfeitures of all restitutions of blood goods and Chattells lands and Tenements of all leases for Terme of life or for yeares of all Fines grosse and small of all Writts of restitutions of Temporalities of any Abbey Priorie Archbishopprick wards and seized lands and Tenements of all Diâ—m Cl. Extremum Mandamus Melius inquirendum et qu. plura He out of the said Originall maketh his Booke called the Roll of Prossers which is a record and a part of the remembrance of every yeare of the comming of every Cro Michalis and Cro ' Claus pasch into the receipt of all Sheriffs Bayliffs Farmers Escheators and men of certaine Townes within the realm and of putting in a Warrant of their proffer made of the issues of their Offices at which if any of the Sheriffs made default by himselfe or their Attorneys or pay not into the receipt there by Tallie infra mensâ—m following they forfeit their recognizance and the Bayliff Farmers and Escheators that come not then to appeare either by themselves or their Attorneys are amerced at halfe their proffer And if they pay not their proffer infra mensem following then doe they loose their proffer and pay it unto the receipt without having any Allowance of the same upon their account He when the said proffers are done maketh Proclamation in the receit before they arise That all Sheriffs Bayliffs of liberties and Escheators do pay their proffers as they are accustomed infra mensem and keepe their dayes of prefixion for their Accounts in the Exchequer according as by the Court they are appointed upon paine and