is that which is called Tenure of land in which reservation he had four serviceable Institutions suitable to the state of a Conqueror 1. Marriage of the Wards Male and Female 2. Horse for service 3. Homage and Fealty And fourthly Primer Seisin Bacons uses f. 30. vide ibidem plura But Sir John Davis is of opinion Davis 21. f. 41. that though William the Conqueror made a more absolute and entire Conquest of England then Henry the second did of Ireland yet he did not seise all and had not the actuall possession of all the lands within the Realm of England vested in him by the Conquest yet he acknowledged that the book of Domesday which is an exact discription of all the Realm was made in the time of the Conqueror and that by it appeareth that the Conqueror had certain lands in Demesne which lands were in the hands of Edward the Confessor and are intituled Terrae Edwardi regis and other lands which himself had seised upon the Conquest and are entituled terrae regis and called them the ancient Demesnes of the King and of the Crown of England but he maketh no mention of the lands which he conferred on the Normans which without doubt were very great and whom by Mannors as well as by Honours he made predominant in England as to Hugh Lupus the son of his Mother Lotte and one Hoclewin a Noble man of Normandy whom she had married he gave the Earldome of Chester to hold of him as freely by his sword as he held the Crown of England by vertue of which Grant the said Hugh ordained under him four Barons B. Cr. f. 34. such an honour as no Subject in England ever enjoyed the like which also is manifest by the Grant he made to Warren a Norman of principall qualitie of the Castle of Shirburn in Norfolk B. cr f. 33. which afterwards he restored to the Heir because he had never born Armes against him by which this consequence may probably be inferred that notwithstancting his universall Conquest he had such a moderate respect to those who were neither Actors nor Opposites to his atchievement of the Crown that though upon suspitious informations he had by Grants deprived them of their estates yet in consideration of their submissive homage and fealty he gratiously restored them But to the point in hand upon this Conquest the ancient Lawes did seem to be silent Co. l. 3 71. ad lectorem for he abrogated many of them and in their stead brought in other Lawes which Sir Edward Coke confesseth efficacissima ad regni pacem tuendam were effectuall and forcible to maintain the peace of the Kingdome commanding them to be written in French and also that all causes should be pleaded and all matters of form dispatched in French thereby intending to make the Normans Language as predominant as their persons and therein intimating the Romans who upon their Conquest of any Country as well as England introduced and used their Language in all matters of state and Courts of Judicature both which are altered and changed by our Parliaments as an ancient badge of conquests and servitude So Edward the first made a Conquest of the Dominion of Wales and changed their Lawes and Customs as he hath expressed in his Charter as the Statute of Rutland whereas to their Lawes and Customes he saith Quasdam illarum de consilio procerum regni nostri de levimas quasdam correximus ac etiam quasdum alias adjiciendas faciendas decrevimus c. Some of them by the advice of the Nobles of our Kingdome we have abolished some we have corrected also some we have decreed to add and make Optimi ducis est Scire vincerâ— cerdere prudenter tempori Coke com f. 71. a. It is the part of an excellent Captain to know and to overcome and wisely to yeild unto the time Men must not fight onely with War-like Weapons and Engines but with the force of his wit and ingeny for dolus cunning and policy is much used in military affaires and standeth in equall ballance with strength and might according to the poeticall sentence Nil refert armis contingat palma dolove Nam dolus an virtus surit quis in hoste requiret By might and slight to conquer yea or no It is no matter for either in a foe Who doth require Nay often times prudent subtlety prevaileth more in such War-like enterprises then might and strength of hand and therefore are Stratagems more commonly more commodious then plain and equall encounters which a compleat Generall will alwaies practise upon a convenient occasion as Vegetius prescribeth Boni duces non aperto morte praelium in quo est commune periculum sed ex occulto semper attentant ut integris suis viribus quantum possint hostes interrimant certe vel terreant Good Captains will not fight in open field in which the danger is common and equal but will invade them unawares that with all their forces in what they can they may either destroy the enemy or otherwise put them into a fear and fright And therefore the Lacedominans when they over-came the enemy by Stratagem did sacrifice to Mars an Oxe but when by open strength a Cock of which Plutarch giveth the reason that so they might accustome their Leaders that they should not onely be valiant but also by subtle wiliness which is requisite in an Emperor they should excell in Stratagems And which by the Law of God is more to be desired for God commanded Joshua Josh 8. to lye in ambush for the City of Aye behind it and so did David when he was to fight with the Philistims Thou shalt not go up but fetch a compass behind them and come upon them over against the Mulberry Trees So it is a cunning policy in the besieged that they pretend to abound in those things which they most want So the Romans when the Capitall was besieged by the French and were pressed with the extream necessity of famine did cast down loafes of bred among their enemies Val. Max. l. 7. c. 4. that they might seem to abound in provision by which device the enemy was induced by compact to leave the siege And so in such a siege it is a commodious thing to a Captain to move in treaty of agreement and to make truce with the enemy for certain daies which usually maketh the enemy more negligent so as he may the more easily get out of their hands By this way Sylla delivered himself twice from the enemy and by the same deceit Asdruball in Spain got out from the force of Claudius Nero who had besieged him Match l. 6. f. 89. vide ibidem plura Lib. II. MISCELLANEA or an Hotch-pot Or divers scattered grounds concerning the reasonable construction of the LAW SECT I RAtio est anima legis Coke com f. 394. b. Reason is the life of the Law for then we are said to know the Law
Court 34. H. 6. 43. And a maihme may be tryed by the inspection of the Court 28. Ass 38. If question be made whether they be summoners and viewers which appeare it shall be tryed by the examination of the Justices 33. H. 6. 10. So whether an Earle be an Earle or a Baron a Baron or no shall not be tryed by the Country nor by the Justices but by the writ of the King Coke l. 5. in the Countesse of Rutlands case And in Plea of an alien borne the league between the King and the Soveraign of the alien borne shall be tryed by the record of Chancery for every league is of record and generally all matters of record shall be tryed by the record it selfe and not by the Country or otherwise Coke l. 9. f. 31. vide de hoc plura ibidem And when a man is found an idiot from his nativity by office he who is so found may come into the Chancery before the Chancellor and pray that before him or such Justices or sages of the Law he may be examined whether he be an idiot or no or by his freinds may sue a Writ out of the Chancery retornable in the Chancery to bring him into the Chancery there before us or our counsell to be examined and if he be found upon that examination not to be an idiot the office so found c. is utterly void without any traverse or monstrans de droit or otherwise F. n. b. 233.10 E. 3. Title Livery 30. An Apostate shall be certified by the Abbot or other religious governor to whom he oweth obedience F. n. b. 232. In an appeale or upon an approvement the Defendant may pleade not guilty and try it with the Plaintiff by combat or battaile in person before the Justices 9. Ass Pl. 1. But the Defendant is restrained from choice of battle if there be any notorious presumption of the fact in him Finch Nomoâ— f. 422. vide ibidem plura And in a Writ of right the tenant may joyne issue upon the meere right and try it by combat or battaile by his champion with a free-man the champion of the demandant and not in person before the Justices 9. E. 4.35 If it be in question which of the Sheriffs made such a retorne it shall be tryed by the Sheriff 9. H. 4.1 If question be made if such a one be Sheriff it shall be tryed by the examination of the Sheriff himselfe 10. H. 4.7 Yet is he made by Letters Patents on record and therefore it also may be tryed by record 32. H. 6.27 A retorne made by the under Sheriff if it be denied shall be tryed by the under Sheriff and the Sheriff cannot disavow it if he confesse him to be his under Sheriff 10. H. 4.7 If an approver say that he commenced his appeale before the Coroner by duress that shall be tryed by the Coroner and if the Coroner deny it he shall be hanged 12. Ass 29. Tryall if the Statute shewed forth be a true Statute or no shall be tryed by the examination of the Mayor and Clerk of the Statutes who took the Statutes F. N. B. 104. H. In Assize the Tenant saith that the Lands are taken into the hands of the King it shall be tryed by the examination of the Escheator 9. H. 4.1 To a petit Cape the Tenant saith that he was in Prison three dayes before and three dayes after it shall be tryed by the examination of the Attorny 13. R. 2.22 Not attached within fifteen dayes in an assize shall be tryed by the examination of the Bayly So that the tenant was not summoned according to the Law of the Land shall be tryed by Law-gager and the Law-gager doth countervaile a Jury for the tenant shall make his Law duodecima manu to wit by eleven besides himselfe unlesse it be against a Corporation for then it shall for necessity be tryed by the Country because it cannot wage Law In a Writ of deceit upon a Recovery by default the tryall shall be if the judgement was given upon the petit capit by the Summoners if upon a grand Cape by the Summoners Pernors and Viewers 48. E. 3.11 So if a Recovery by default in a reall action be pleaded and the other saith not comprised it shall be tryed by the Summoners and Viewers 10. H. 4.7 and yet their is no remedy if they speake falsly and therefore ubi majus periculum ibi cautius est agendum where there is a greater danger there we ought to be more wary The cause of challenge shall be tryed by two tryers to be appointed by the Justices 9. E. 4.5 But the tryall of any one of the grand Jury shall be taken by foure Knights Tryall may be in debt upon a simple contract detinue c. either by Law gager by the Defendant himself or by the Country at the election of the Defendant 30. Ass P. 19. Coke l 9. f. 32.33 And Coke com f. 74. If a Subject of the King be killed by another of his Subjects in a forraine Country the wife or heire of the dead may have an appeale for that murder or homicide before the Constable and the Marshall whose sentence is upon testimony of witnesses or combat and their proceedings according to the civill Law and not by the oath of twelve men and so was it resolved in the twenty fifth of Elizabeth in the case of Sir Francis Drake who struck off the head of Dowty in partibut transmariuis that his Brother and Heire might have an appeale but the Queen would not constitute a Constable of England and therefore the appeale was dormant And Coke com f. 261. b. By the Statute of 25. E 3. De proditionibus it is declared that it is Treason by the common Law to adhere to the Enemies of the King within the Realme and without if he thereof be proveablement attaint of overt-fact and that he shall forfeit all his Lands c. But least the common Law declared by Parliament should be illusory and that the Delinquent might not be attainted thereof for necessities sake the adherency without the Realme must be alledged in some place within England and if upon evidence they shall finde any adherency out of the Realme they shall finde the Delinquent guilty but most commonly they endited him if he had Lands in some County where the Lands did lye that were to be forfeited and so it is declared by the Statute of 35. H. 8. And that it shall be tryed by twelve men of the County where the Kings Bench shall sit and determined before the Justices of that Bench or else before such Commissioners and in such Shire of the Realme as shall be assigned by his Majesties commission and this Statute for this point remaineth in force at this day and so was it resolved by all the Judges 33. Eliz. in Orurks case and 34 Eliz. in Sir John Perots case for Treasons done in Ireland for that it is out of the Realme
the poor and the twenty pounds to the Queen and therefore doth the Statute of 3 Jac. c. 4. give a more speedy remedy for the said twelve pence yet shall they not be punished but upon one of them Yet when the latter affirmative Statute is contrary to the precedent Statute in matter the former abrogateth the latter as by the Statute of 33 H 8. c. 23 it is enacted that if any person being examined before the Councell of the King or three of them shall confess any Treason misprision of Treason or Murther or be to them vehemently suspected he shall be tried in any County where the King pleaseth by his Commission and after by the Statute of 1 2 P. M. c. 10. it was enacted That all trialls hereafter to be had for any Treason shall be had according to the course of the Common Law and not otherwise That latter act and though the latter words had not been had abrogated the first because they were contrary in matter But that doth not abrogate the Statute of 34 H. 8. c 2. of the triall of Treasons beyond the Seas notwithstanding the words are in the negative because it was not contrary in matter for it was not triable by the Common Law Dyer 132. Stanf. 89. 90. So the Statute of 1 E. 6. of Chanteries being in the affirmative doth alter the Statute of H. 2. c. 41. which giveth a Cessavit cantaria also in the affirmative for the one is contrary to the other in matter vide plura Coke l. 9. f. 63. a. But whensoever Lawes are contrary in quality that is where the first is a materiall or express affirmative and the latter an express or materiall negative and when the first is a materiall or express negative and latter affirmative there the latter Law doth abrogate the former As the Statute of 5 E. c 4. which prohibiteth every person to use or exercise any craft mystery or occupation unless he hath been an Apprentice for seven years doth alter the Common Law by which any one may in any manner worke in any lawfull Trade without any service precedent for without an Act of Parliament no man can be restrained to worke in any Trade Coke l 11. f. 54. a. in the Taylors of Ipsiches case And to conclude to this Argument with the generall ground given by Sir Edward Coke l. 1. 11. f. 67. a. That for that Acts of Parliament are established with such gravity and wisdome and the universall consent of all the Realme they ought not through any strained construction out of the generall and ambiguous words of a subsequent Act be abrogated as where the Statute of 16. R 23 c. 5. enacteth that all the Lands and Tenements of any one attainted in a Praemunire shall be forfeited to the King in the case of one Prudgion Pasch 21. Eliz. being tenant in taile of certaine Lands and Tenements who was attainted of a Praemunire the question before all the Judges of England was whether the estate taile was a bar or no and it was resolved by all the Justices that those generall words had not repealed the Statute de donis conditionalibus but that onely he shall forfeite them for his life and that the issue in taile should inherit vide ibidem plura Lex non patetur fractiones divisiones Statuum Coke l. 1. f 87. a. The Law will not suffer fractions and divisions of estates As if a man make a lease for life upon condition that if he doth not pay twenty pounds that another shall have the Land that future limitation is void Ployd f. 25. c. M. 18. H. 8. 3. And if after the Statute of 1. R. 3. before the Statute of 27. H. 8. A man had made a Feoffment to the use of one for life or in taile and after to the use of another for life or en-taile and after to the use of another in fee they in the Remainder might not make a Feoffment nor grant their estates by the generall words of that act for then there should be a fraction and division of estates which the Law will not suffer vide ibidem plura in Corbets case Coke l. 3. f. 32. b. If a man be seised of a Mannor to which a Leet waife or stray or any other hereditament which is not of any annuall value is appendant or appurtenant there by a devise of the Mannor with the appurtenances those shall passe as incidents to the Mannor for in that the Statute enableth him by expresse words to devise the Mannor by consequence it enableth him to devise the Mannor with all incidents and appendants to it and it was never the meaning or the intention of the makers of the Statute that when the Devisor hath power to devise the principall that he shall not have power to devise it that was incident and appendant to it but that the Mannor c. shall be dismembred and fractions made of things which by legall prescription have been united and annexed together Ibidem for the Law will not permit such factions in Estates Coke com f. 147. b. If a man hath a rent-charge issuing out of certaine Land and he purchaseth any part of the Land to him and his heires the whole rent-charge is extinct because the rent is entire and against common right and issuing out of every part of the Land and therefore by purchase of part is extinct in the whole and cannot be apportioned Coke com 309. b. If the reversion be granted of three acres and the Lessee agree to the said grant for one acre this is good for all three and so it is of an Attornement in Law if the reversion of three acres be granted and the Lessee surrender one of the Acres to the Grantee this Attornement shall be good for the whole Reversion of the three Acres according to the grant Apices juris non sunt jura Coke com f. 2 83. b. nimia subtilitas reprobatur in Lege Coke l. 4. 4â— b. The Law of England respecteth the effect and substance of the matter and not every nicity of forme or circumstance and too much subtility is reproved in the Law As it was alledged for an exception in the Enditement that the Enditement was taken before I. S. Coronatore in comitatu praedicto and not de comitatu praedicto or comitatus praedicti and every Coroner of one County is a Coroner in every County of England but not of every County but it was not allowed for the Coroner in the County c. shall in all reasonable intendement be taken for the Coroner of the County and so it is used in the Writ de coronatore elegendo ibidem vide plura Coke l. 5. f. 120. 122. It is a rule in Law that Enditements ought to be certaine but there are three manner of certainties the first is to a common intent and that sufficeth in Bars which are to defend the party and excuse him the second is to a generall
Execution by Elegit or Fieri facias because the death of the Defendant is the Act of God which prejudiceth no man Nunquam prospere succedunt res humaâ—ae ubi negliguntur res divinae Cok. Com. fo 54 b. humane affaires never succeed well where divine rites are neglected And therefore doth that great Legist prescribe these Rules to the Students of the Law for their dayly practice Sex horas somno totidem des legibus aequis Quatuor orabis des epulisque â—uas Quod super est ultra sacris largire Camaenis To sleep six hours allot to the Laws twice three Four to your prayers two to your Feasts may be And what remains give to the Muse Divine Sect. 2. IN the next place the art of Grammer is to be ranked which amongst the Liberall Siences hath the Precedency for it is Janua omnium artium the portall by which we enter into the knowledge of all Arts and by which we communicate our selves and studies to others hence proceede these rules and maximes Ignoratis terminis ignoratur ars Cok. Com. 177. a. As in Schoole Divinity Civill Law Logick and other Arts there are words of Art which are more significant then Grammaticall so are there in our Law termes drawn from the Legall French which are more apt and significant to expresse the sense of our Lawes then any other Which words of Art being not conceived that Art cannot be comprehended Whence he inferreth that the significations of words in all Arts and Sciences are necessary which Mr. Littleton in his Tenures ordinarily observeth for certainly names which are instituted and imposed according to the rationall Analogy with things by wise understanding men are as Plato calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instructive instruments by which we are guided and directed to the knowledg of the thing And therefore in our discourse and disputation this ever is to be observed principium in omni re disputatione est nomen the words are first to be considered Cok. Com. 68. a. 2. Loquendum ut vulgus Coke l. 4. fo 46. a. words shall be taken according to their vulgar and ordinary construction as though a person attainted be a person convict and more Yet in the Statute of 25 E. 3. c. 2. It is said that an attaint by virdict is taken as convict by virdict so also it is taken 3. H. 7. c. 1. and oftentimes in common speech the person convict is termed Attaint for we are to speak as the people use to speak a grant of one hundred Acres of Land in such a Feild and sixty in such a Feild and twenty Acres of meadow in such a Meadow the Acres shall be taken as they are known by estimation But if I have a Close by estimation twenty Acres and by the Statute eighteene if I grant ten of these Acres he shall have them according to the measure of the Statute Popham fol. 191. And therefore saith Ployd fo 169. It is the part of Judges to know the common Language of the people and to adjudge of those onely according to the common course For he that taketh a Lease for Lands in the North Country called a tack and in Lancashire it is called a firme-holte and in Essex a Week and if he have taken it by these words used in that Country there is no reason that he should loose his Farme because he hath used no other Language then is used in his own Country But the Judge ought to search and know the sense of these words and shall judge them according to the common usage otherwise he shall make great disturbance and confusion in the Common Wealth ib. for verba valent usu sicut nummi and Cok. l. 6. fol. 64. b. concludeth that it is well said in Hills and Granges Case 170. It is the office of Judges to take and expound the words which the common people use to express their intent according to their intent and not according to the true definition vide ibidem plura Sr. Moyle Finches Case and so Coke lib. 7. fol. 11. b. Calvins Case whereas diverse books and acts speake of the Leagiance of England all these and others speaking breefly in a vulgar manner and not pleading are to be understood of the Legiance due from the people of England to the King and therefore loquendum ut vulgus sed sentiendum ut docti for no man will affirme that England it selfe taking it for the continent thereof doth owe any legiance and faith or that any allegiance or faith should be due to that But it manifestly appeareth that the Legiance and faith of the Subject is proprium quarto modo to the King ibidem 3. Ad proximum antecedens fiat relatio Dyer fo 14. b. It is a rule in the Grammar that when a thing is dubious and may be referred to a double intent let the relation be to the next Antecedent As the Condition of the Obligation for marriage money was That if the wife dye before Michaelmas without Issue dyed adjudged the Obligation was void for then living relates to the first Antecedent that is Michaelmas and not to the death of the woman ibidem Dyer fo 46 b. A man was endicted of Felony per nomâ—n I. S. de in C m. pre serviens W. B. in eodem Com. Yeoman and for defect of a sufficient addition to I.S. he was discharged upon the Enditement for Yeoman ought to be referred to the master as the next Antecedent and not to I.S. and servant is not a sufficient addition 9. E. 4. So one Sibylla Batersby nuper de T. in Comitatu Ebor. uxor Johanis Batersby nuper Spinster was endited of Felony and murther and for defect of the addition she was discharged for Spinster being an indifferent addition for man or woman for in Norfolke there are diverse men which are worsted spinsters must be referred to Johanis Batersby the next Antecedent Tenant for life the Remaindâ—r to B. in Tayle the Remainder to C. in eadem forma this is a good estate Tayle for idem refertur proximo antecedenti Cok. Com. fo 20. b. Ad proximum antecedens fiat relatio nisi impediatur sententia Cok. l. 2. fol. 71 a. Sr. Cromwells Case and Dyer fo 13 b. although the rule be true that the relation for the most part ought to be ad proximum antecedens yet many times if it be hindred by the sense and meaning it is otherwise for sensus est anima legis Cok l. 5. f 2 sense is the soul of the Law and hath a speciall sway and rule in all Cases so a man is bound to abide the award of I. S. and he awards that the one party shall pay before such a feast ten pound to another and that then he shall make him a release Tunc shall not be referred to the Feast but to the time of the payments cleerly So I.S. bargaineth and selleth his Land to I N. for ten pound predictus Johanes Covenanteth
the obligation is good and the Obligee may declare upon a Solvendum to himselfe 4. E. 4. 29. for contraria non possunt simul esse in eodem subjecto Arist 5. Phys contraries cannot be together in the same subject Omnis privatio presupponit habitum every privation presupposeth an habit Coke com f. 341. b. and l. â—0 f. 86. b. To many purposes a Parson hath in effect but an estate for life and to many a qualified fee but the entire fee and right is not in him and that is the reason that he cannot discontinue the Fee-simple that he hath not nor ever had for every privation presupposeth an habit From authority and example ARgumentum ab authoritate firmissimum est in lege an argument from authority is the strongest in Law Coke com 254. a. our Book cases are the best proofes what the Law is and after the example of Littleton Booke cases are principally to be cited for deciding the cases in question and not any privatâ— opinion according to the rule Nulla hominis authoritas tantum apud nos valere debet ut meliora non sequeremur si quis attulerit no mans authority ought to prevaile so much with us as that we may not follow the better whosoever shall alledge it as Littleton here rejecteth the opinion of Newton and followeth the better authorities in Law Coke com f. 383. a. And whereas by the Civil Law as Sir John Davis observeth every Doctors opinion is vouched and cited of them as good authority it must needs breed distractions of opinions and variations according to which sense the logicall axiom is to be taken locus ab authoritate est infirmissimus Boethius An argument from authority is most weake and prevaileth little or nothing in resolving the question as the Poet pressely Nil agit exemplum litem quod lite resolvat to cleere a quaere example stands for nothing whereas our Law arguments are deduced from the strength of cases apt to the purpose and presidents of former times founded on the discourse of reason and consideration of the wisest and sagest Judges and are no inartificiall arguments as ipse dixit or teste me ipso but are drawn out of the termes and bowells of the issue by arguments and conclusions of reason Nullum exemplum est idem omnibus Coke com 212. a. 317. b. No example is the same to all and therefore it is the best meanes in all assurances to take counsell of learned and well experienced men and not onely to trust without advise to presidents for as the Aphorisme holdeth in the state of a mans body nullum medicamentum est idem omnibus no salve is the same to all so doth the rule in the estates and assurances of Lands no example or president is the same to all Periculosum existimo quod virorum bonorum non comprobatur exemplo Coke com f. 81. b. I deeme it dangerous that is not approved by the president of good men and therefore it appeareth how safe it is to be guided by judiciall presidents Littera scripta manet Coke com f. 115. a. A written word remaineth and therefore a record or sufficient matter in writing is a good memoriall whence it is said when we will by any record or writing commit the memory of any thing to posterity tradere memoriae and for this reason it is that regularly a man cannot prescribe a custome against a statute because it is matter of record and is the highest proof and matter of record in Law yet a man may prescribe against an Act of Parliament when by prescription and custome it is saved by an other Act of Parliament Nihil in lege intolerabilius est eandem rem diverso jure teneri Coke l. 4. f. 93 in Slades case There is nothing more intollerable in law then that the latter judgement should contradict the former and therefore 37. H. 6. f. 22. Aske said such Charters have beene allowed in the time of our Predecessors who were as sage and learned as wee and Markham 5. E. 4. f. 41. It is good for us to doe as it hath been used in former times and not to keepe one way one day for one party and another day the contrary for another party The former presidednts are enough for us to follow So 11. E 3. Title Formedon 22. It was holden that ancient formes and manner of presidents are to be maintained and observed and 34. Ass Pl. 7. That which hath not been according to usage shall not be permitted and in 2. E. 3. 29. The ancient forme and order is to be observed and 39. H. 6. 30. The opinion of Prisâ—t and all the Court was that they would not change their use notwithstanding that their opinion was to the contrary and 4. E. 4. 44. All the Justices said we cannot change the course hath been before for it should be inconvenient and it is said 3. E. 4. 1. That the course of Courts maketh a law And therefore all the Justices in ancient times and from time to time being as well in matters of forme as in deciding of doubts and questions and as well at the common law as in construction of Acts of Parliament have given great regard to the ancient presidents and judgements of the preceding judges as Ployd f. 99. b. It was advised by the Court according to the book of 7. H. 4. That an accessary shall not be arraigned as an accessary to one principall untill the other principals may be attainted because it did seeme the better way to the Court to pursue the same order that the Sages before had used And so here in Slades case in respect of the infinite presidents which the Secondary of the Prothonotaries of the Kings Bench did shew to the Court it was resolved before all the Judges of England in the Exchequer chamber that though an action of debt lyeth upon a contract yet the Bargainer may have an Action of the case or an Action of debt at his election Coke ibidem Mos retinendus fidelissimae vetustatis quae praeter consuetudinem morem majorum fiunt neque placent neque recta videntur frequentia actus multum operatur The ancient manner of the most faithfull antiquity is to be retained and what are contrary to the custome and use of the Elders doe neither please nor seem right and the frequency of acts worketh much Coke l. 4 f. 74. and therefore it was there resolved by the chief justices Popham Anderson and by Pyriam chiefe Baron and other justices that the ancient and usuall elections of Mayors Bayliffs c. by a certaine selected company of the principals of the commonalty and Burgesses commonly called the common councell c. were good and well warranted by their Charters and by their lawes also Multa ignoramus quae nobis non laterent si veterum lectio nobis fuit fâ—miliaris Coke l. 10. 73. We are ignorant of many things which would not be
the obligee to sue the heire Executors or Administrators of the obligor and if the executors have assets in their hands yet the obligee may sue the heire if he will because he hath bound the heire as well as himselfe neither can the heire plead that there is assets in the hands of the executors day of the writ purchased as heretofore in some ancient bookes it hath beene done but he must pleade rien by descent 10. H. 7. f. 8. Ployd f. 440. Davis case For now the law is changed and it is accounted his owne debt and debt will lie against the heire of the heire to many generations as Dier affirmeth f. 868. albeit of this Mr. Ployden maketh a doubt but his plea that he had nothing at the day of the writ purchased nor ever after is good for if he before aliened the assets he is discharged of the debt Popham f. 151. But if the heire doth not confesse the Action and shew the certainty of the assets but pleadeth rien by descent is condemned by default of answer the Plaintiff shall have execution of his other Land or of his goods or of his body by capias ad satisfaciendum as he might have had for the debt of the heire himselfe if he had made the obligation vide 21. E. 3. f. 9. ibidem plura and Coke l. 3. Sir William Herberts case where the case is upon a Scire facias against the heire But otherwise if the executor in debt pleadeth rien entre mains c. and is found against him nothing shall bee put in execution but the goods of the dead because the debt is not the debt of the executor but of the testator and is charged in anothers right and hath the goods in anothers right whereas when the heire denieth assets c. and it is found that he hath assets the debt of his Ancestor is become his debt in respect of the assets which he hath in his owne right and so the property which he hath in his own right of the land maketh the debt his own proper debt and for that reason the writ shall be in the debet and detinet and the Plaintiff may have execution by elegit of the moiety of all his Lands as a fieri facias of his goods Ployd ibidem f. 441. But in Popham f. 151. it is said by Iones and Crew that a generall judgement shall be given against the heire if he doth plead falsly that he hath no assets and not upon a nihil dicit Haeres non tenetur in Anglia ad debita antecessoris reddenda nisi per antecessorem ad hoc fuerit obligatus praeter quam d ebita regis tantum Flet a. l. 2. c 55. An heire is not bound in England to pay the debt of his Ancestor unlesse it be the debts of the King Coke com f. 386. a As if a man bind himselfe by warranty and bindeth not his heire they are not bound for he must say Ego haeâ—edes mei warrantiabimus I and my heires will warrant ibidem Coke com 144 b. If a rent charge be granted to one and his heires he shall not have a writ of Annuity against the heire of the grantor albeit he hath assets unlesse the grant be for him and his heires And the heire by the grant of an Annuity by the Ancestor shall not be bound unlesse hee have assets And it is a Maxime at the common law that the heire shall never be bound to any expresse warranty but where the Ancestor was bound by the same warranty for if the Ancestor be not bound it cannot descend upon the heire as if a man maketh a feoffement in fee and bindeth his heirs to warranty this is a void warranty because the Ancestor himselfe was not bound as also if a man bind his heirs to pay a sum of money this is void Coke com f. 386. a. Exception Customary inheritances shall not be assets to charge the heire in an Action of debt upon an obligation made by his Ancestors although he bind him and his heires And for the same reason issue in taile shall never avoid things done by his Ancestor but such things which are or may be to his disadvantage and not for the benefit of the issue as T 44. E. 5. f. 21. Where tenant in taile was upon a defeasible title and to have a release of right of him that had right he granted to him a Rent-charge of twenty pound and that the charge should be levied upon the issue in taile and because the rent was for the release of right and the issue had benefit by it it was adjudged that the issue shall not avoid the grant and 46. E. 3. f. 4. If Lands be given in taile so as the Donee may alien for the profit of his issue that is a good condition or power limited to him And so if tenant in taile suffer a common recovery in which he is vouched and hath recompence the issue shall be bound and so if he alien with warranty and leaveth assets to his issue the issue shall not avoid the warranty because it is not to his disadvantage Ployd f. 437. b. in Smiths case vide Semper praesumitur pro legitimatione purorum filiatio non potest probari Coke l. 5. f. 98. b. Burys case Legitimation of Children is allwayes presumed and begetting of Children cannot be proved Bury was divorced from his first wife a vinculâ— matrimonâ—j causa frigiditatis and as he lawfully might married a second wife and had issue by her and it was adjudged that the issue of the second wife was legitimate for notwithstanding his naturall imbecility deposed before the divorce it was said that a man might be habilis and inhabilis diversis temporibus and that though the second marriage was yet it remaineth a marriage untill it is dissolved and by consequence the issue which was had during the coverture if no divorce was had in the life of the parties is lawfull for lawfulnesse of Children is allwayes presumed and filiation cannot be proved Ibidem Coke Com. 126. a. A man leaveth his wife enseint with child issue shall not be taken that shee was not enseint by her husband for filiatio non potest probari but the issue must be whether shee were ensciut at the day of her death ibidem f. 244. If the husband be within the foure Seas that is within the jurisdiction of the King of England if the wife hath issue no proofe is admitted to prove the child a bastard for filiatio non potest probari unlesse the husband hath an apparent impossibility of procreation as if the husband be but eight years old or under the age of pro-creation such issue is a bastard albeit he be born within marriage The Law supposeth that to be true which is false because it may be true as a man marrying a woman that was with-child before marriage the Law supposeth the child to be the
a fine with proclamations now by the present right he hath five years by the first favant and if after these five years A. doth dye he shall have other five years for the next remainder by the second savant which giveth them as to other persons which have a future right and if after those five yeares B. doth dye he shall have other five years by the other remainder for saith he it is the text of the civil Law when two rights meet together in one person it is all one as if they were in severall persons Ployd ibidem vide ibidem plura in the Lord Zouches case Exception Coke l. 7. Calvins case f. 14. b. This rule holdeth not in personall things that is when two persons are necessarily and inevitably required by Law as in the ease of an alien borne there is for in the case of an alien borne you must of necessity have two severall legiaries to two severall persons and no man will say that now the King of England may make a League with the King of Scotland and that because in the Kings person there concur two distinct Kingdomes it is all one as if they were in severall persons vide ibidem f. 2. Coke l. 4. f. 118. a. Though a Bishop when he is translated to an Arch-Bishoprick or a Baron be created an Earle now he hath both those dignities and as it is commonly sayd when two rights concurr in one person it is all one as if they were in severall persons yet the Act of 21 H. 8. was alwayes construed strictly against Non-residence and Pluralities as a thing much prejudiciall to the service of God and the instruction of his people and therefore within that Act an Arch-Bishop shall have no more Chaplaines then as an Arch-bishop or an Earle then as an Earle for though they have diverse dignities yet is it but one and the same person to whom the attendance and service shall be made and if a Baron be made Knight of the Garter or Warden of the Cinque Ports he shall have but three Chaplaines in all Et sic de similibus quia difficile est ut unus homo vicem duorum sustineat because it is an hard thing for one man to undergoe or sustaine the Place and Office of two persons Coke l. 4. In the case of the death of one within the Verge the Coroner of the houshold of the King and the Coroner of the County shall joyne in the Inquiry and if one be Coroner of both he shall well execute this authority Quilibet potest renunciare juri pro se introducto Coke Comment f. 99. a. Every man may renounce or refuse a Law made or brought in for himselfe as a man seised of lands may at this day give the same to a Parson Bishop c. and their successors in frank-almoigne by the consent of the King and the Lords mediate and immediate of whom the Land is holden for every one may renounce a Law brought in for himselfe and f. 223. b. The Statute of 32. H. 8. giveth power to tenant in tail to make a lease for three lives or twenty one years yet if a man make a gift in tail upon condition that he shall not make a lease for three lives or twenty one years the condition is good for the Statute doth give him power to make such leases which may be restrained by condition and by his own agreement for this power is not incident to the estate but given to him collaterally by the act according to that rule in Law Quilibet potest c. Coke l. 10. f. 101. a. In the Act of 23. H. 6. c. 10. the words upon reasonable sureties of sufficient persons are added for the security of the Sheriff and therefore if he will take but one surety be it at his perill for he shall be amerced if the Defendant appeareth not and for it the Statute doth not make the obligation void in such case for the said branch which prescribeth the forme requireth that the obligation shall be made to the Sheriff himselfe c. by the name of their office and that the prisoners shall appeare in which clause no mention is made of the sureties so as the intent of the Act was that for that it was at the perill of the Sheriff to leave it to his discretion to take one or more for his indemnity and peradventure it may be better for him sometimes to take one that is sufficient then two others and though the sureties or surety have not sufficient within the same County as the Statute mentioneth yet the obligation is good enough for those words of the Act as to that point are more for counsell and direction of the Sheriff then for precept and constraint to him and that for the safety of the Sheriff for if the Defendant cannot find two sufficient sureties having sufficient within the same County the Sheriff is not bound to let him to bail and this resolution agreeth with the ancient rule to wit Quilibet potest c. An Orphant in London exhibited a bill in the Court of request against another for discovery of part of his estate Phesant prayed a prohibition upon the custome of London but it was resolved that he might sue in what Court he would and wave his priviledge there 19. C. B. R. But this case extendeth not to any thing that is against the Common-wealth or common right Coke com f. 166. a. Summum jus summa injuria Ployd 160. b. The rigor of the Law is the extremity of injury if a man make a lease of a messuage so as he may make his profit of his houses there within he cannot abate the houses or make wast of them by the opinion of the book H. 17. E. 3. f. 7. for the intent was not such though that the words seem otherwise and sayd to pursue the words is Summum jus which the Judges ought not to doe but ought rather to pursue the intent And for the same reason the Executors of Tenant for life shall have reasonable time to remove his goods after his decease and a man shall have reasonable time wherein he shall purchase a Writ of Journys accompt Finch Nomot Jus descendit non terra 20 H. 6. 5. The right descended and not the land and Coke Inst f. 345. a. b. There is a right which includeth an estate in esse in Conveyances which he in reversion and remainder hath and hath jus in re and may be granted to a stranger with attornement or released to him in possession as if Tenant in fee-sample maketh a Lease for yeares and releaseth all his right in the Land to the Lessee and his heires the whole estate in Fee-simple passeth and also the release to him in possession with the reservation of a rent is good and there is another right which is called a bare meere and naked right and jus adrem when an estate is turned to a right
of Magna Charta c. 11. might enter into anothers Woods and cut the Trees for reparations of Castles but by that Statute he did restrain himself so to do Ployd 3. 22. b. vide ibidem plura A Mil-stone that is lifted up to be picked and beaten cannot be distrained for it remaineth parcel of the Mill which is a thing for the Common-weale weale 14 H. 1 25. Things brought into an Inn Faire or Market shall not be distrained 22 E. 4. 49. No more shall Cloath lying in a Taylors Shop or an Horse that is a shooing shall not be distrained for the rent issuing out of the Shop Coke Com. f. 47. a. When a man and a woman are riding on a horse or Axe in a mans hand cutting of wood and the like they are for that time priviledged and cannot be distrained Valuable things shall not be distrained for rent for benefit and maintenance of Trade which by consequence are for the Common-weale and are there by authority of Law as an horse in the Hostrey nor the materials in a Weavers Shop for making of cloath nor sacks of Corn or meal in a Mill nor in a Market nor any thing distrained for damage feasant for it is in custody of the Law and the like So Beasts belonging to a Plow averia carucae shall not be distrained and no man shall be distrained for the Instruments of his Trade or profession as the Axe of a Carpenter or the Books of a Scholar whilest Goods or other Beasts may be distrained ibidem Coke l. 10. f. 139. b. An action of the case was brought against D. and counts that D. was seised of certain lands in Kent by reason of which his ancestors and all the Ter tenants from the time whence c. have made and repaired when it shall be materiall so many perches of the walls of the Sea in K. c. and for default of repairing c. the water entred and over-flowed the lands ef the Plaintiff the Defendant traversed the Prescription and it was found for the Plaintiff and that there was a default in the Wall for not repairing by which the Plaintiff recovered Damage and a Writ awarded to the Sheriff to distrain B. to repair the wall there where it was materiall Note this judgment in an action of the case and the reason is pro bono publico for Salus populi est suprema lex and therefore is that part of the judgment in this action of the case that the Defendant shall be distrained to repair the wall ibidem Publica utilitas privatorum commodis est praeferenda Reg. I. C Publicum bonum privato est praeferendum the publick utility and good is to be pâ—eferred before private gaine and profit and therefore shall be more favourably expounded by the Law then when it is onely for private Coke comm f. 181. b. As the Tenant holdeth of the Lord by fealty and one grain of wheat c. and the Lord purchaseth part the whole shall be extinct because it is entire but if an entire service be pro bono publico as Knights-service Castle-guard Cornage c. for defence of the Realm or to repair a Bridge or a way or to keep a Beacon or to keep the Kings Records or for advancement of Justice and Fence as to aid the Sheriff or to be Constable of England though the Lord purchaseth part the service remaineth and so it is pro opere devotionis pietatis for works of devotion and piety Coke comm f. 149. a. Coke l. f. 63. a. In the Chamberlain of Londons case the Inhabitants of a Village may make Ordinances or by-Lawes for the reparation of a Church or of an high-way or any such thing as is for the publick good generally and in such case the greater part shall bind all without any custome So Corporations cannot make Ordinanccs or constitution or By-lawes without custome or charter unlesse it be for things which concern the publick good as reparations of Churches common-waies or the like So in Corporations such Ordinances or Bylawes are allowed by Law which are made for the due execution of the Lawes and Statutes of this Realm and for the good or due government of the body Corporate And the Ordinance of the Mayor Aldermen and Comminalty of London that all Citizens Free-men and strangers shall not put any broad cloath to sale within the City before it be carried to Blackwell Hall to be viewed and searched so that it may appear to be vendible and that hallage be paid for it to wit 1 d. was good and allowable by Law because it was for the better execution of the Statutes made in that behalf without deceit and also that the assesment of the said peny for hallage was good and reasonable because it was pro bono publico vide ibidem plura Coke comm f. 181 b. If a Charter of Feoffment be made and a Letter of Attorney to four or three joyntly and severally to deliver Seisin two of them cannot make Livery because it is neither by the four or three joyntly nor any of them severally but if the Sheriff upon a Capias directed to him make a Warrant to foure or three joyntly and severally to arrest the Defendants two of them may arrest him because it is for the execution of Justice which is pro bono publico jura publica privato promiscue decidi non debunt and publick Lawes ought not promiscuously to be decided by the private ibidem Coke com f. 165. a. If a Castle that is used for the necessary defence of the Realm descend to two ot more Coparceners this Castle might be divided by Chambers and Rooms as other houses be but yet that it is pro bono publico defensione regni for the publick good and defence of the Realm it shall not be divided for the right of the Sword as Britton saith which suffereth not division that the force of the Realm do not fail so much but Castles of habitation for private use and that are not for the necessary defence of the Realm ought to be parted between Coparceners as other houses ib. And for the same reason a woman shal not be endowed of a Castle that is maintained for the necessary defence of the Realm because it ought not to be divided and the publick shall be preferred before the private but of a Castle that is for private use and habitation she shall be endowed Co. com f 31 b. vide ibidem plura So a protection cum clausula volumus is of two sorts the one concerneth services of War as a Kings Souldier c. the other wisdome and counsell as the Kings Ambassador and Messenger pro negotiis regni both these being for the publick good of the Realm private mens actions and suits must be suspended for a convenient time for the publick is to be put before the private but the cause of granting the protection must be expressed in the protection to the end
after be demised by Custome as a Copyhold for as continuance maketh custome discontinuance destroyeth it for unum quodque dissolvitur eodem modo quo ligatum est ibidem But a Title being once gained by prescription or custome cannot be lost by interruption of possession for ten or twenty years but by interruption in the right As a Modus decimandi was alledged by prescription time out of mind for tyth Lambs and thereupon issue joyned and the Jury found before twenty years last past there was such a prescription and that for these ten years he paid tythe Lambs in specie and it was objected that the party by payment of tythes in specie had waved the custome but it was adjudged for the Plaintiff in the Prohibition for albeit the modus decimandi had not been paid by the space of ten years yet the prescription being found the substance of the Issue is found for the Plaintiff Mich. 43. 4. Eliz. betwixt Nowell and Hicks Coke comm f. 114. b. vide ibidem plura Vbi non est gubernator dessipabitur populus Ployd 177. b. Where there is no governor the people will be dispersed and where there is no King or governor every one will doe what is right in his own eyes that is where there is no Magistrate fearing God there is no true religion or civill order for when the reignes of government are let loose to the many headed multitude an ataxy of all things will ensue and every one by rapins and robberies and as Cicero per caedem Cicero orat pro pub Sestio de jure magistratus f. 15. vulnera by wounds and slaughters will snatch and catch what they can to themselves so as one truly totum genus humanum periret si magistratus non constituerentur qui boâ—os tuerentur improbos vero coercerent all man kind would perish if Magistrates were not constituted which may protect the good and restrain the evill for government and obedience are the two Pillars of a Society without which it cannot subsist government is the office of a Prince and obedience in the duty of a Subject which are not onely necessary but profitable as the Phylosopher to rule and obey is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 1. Pol. c. 3. necessary that impious and rebellous persons may be coerced by the sword and profitable that the upright and peaceable be encouraged by rewards and therefore as Tacitus L. 1. Histo praestat esse sub malo principe quam sub nullo it is better to be under an evil Prince then none and as Kekerman Polit. f. 21. a Tyrany is better then an Anarchy for where there is no governor the people will be out of all good order for though in the multitude of people is the honor and strength of a King yet are they murmuring gaine-saying stifnecked and rebellious if they be not by a Moses powerfully ruled and as Florus in the like case of the Romans saith F. l. 3. f. 68. Regum gentium arbiter populus ipse se regere non potest though the people be the Umpires of all Kings and Nations yet cannot they rule themselves And therefore have the Lawes of this Realme utterly exploded the election of the supreame governor because after the fate of one before another can be elected usually the seeds of dissention are sown whereby the peoples mindes are dissipated and divided the Hydra of which evills yet remaineth in the memories of men wherewith the Nobles and people of Poland were greiviously distracted concernining the election of their governour some demanding the Arch-Duke of Austria and others Sigismund for their King which at this day are revived by the valorous and just sword of the King of the Swedes But our Law to prevent such factions mischeifes and many other dis-commodities have excluded interreguum Coke l. 4. Ep. ad lectorum Com. 177. and introduced hereditary succession and such a King as Mr. Ploydon saith whose name is a name of continuance which shall last allwayes as the head and governor of the people so long as the people shall remaine and the King in that name shall never dye for as Sir Edward Coke it is a maxime in our Law Coke f. 4. Ep. ad lectorem Ployd 177. b. Regem Angliae nunquam mori that the King of England never dyeth and therefore the death of such a person as is the King is called in Law the demise of the King because that by it he demiseth his Kingdome to another and leaveth another to have the function and so the dignity continueth allwayes whichs certainly is true in respect of his politicall capacity which allwayes endureth and never dyeth And as Sir Edwaâ—d Coke Coke l. 4. Ep. ad lectorem the State of our Kingdome is monarchicall and from the beginning by the right of inheritance hath been successive which is the most absolute and perfect forme of government and therefore as Mr. Ploydon the Heir and Successor may have the terme of Soverain Lord and may be called our Soverain Lord ibidem and for this same reason the guift of a King without saying more trencheth to his Successors Finch Nomot f. 83. Yet sometimes have our Kings whâ—n as it might be upon reasonable ground presaged that in case of succession and descent of the royall issue or for some other States suspicions civil dissentions might arise to avoid future combustions have conferred their principalities to whom they pleased counting it as lawfull to appoint their Successors after them as substitutes under them Ba. Cron. 4. 27. So Edward the confessor appointed the Crowne after his decease sometimes to William the conqueror sometimes to Edgar Atheline and sometimes to Harold and Harold after his decease upon the title and appointment of King Edward was Crowned by the Arch-Bishop of Yorke and so shortly after William Duke of Normandy when he had defeated Ibidem f. 31. and slaine Harold at the battaile of Hastings claimed the Kingdome by the nomination of Edward the confessor as well as by his conquest and in these latter times the Duke of Northumberland prevailed with King Edward the sixt to appoint the Lady Jane Daughter to the Duke of Suffolke by his Letters Patents to succeed him Ibid. 451. which were suddenly vacuated by Queen Mary but the most authenticall and legall way and course in such cases was the nomination and appointment of Henry the eighth to whom the Parliament granted power by his last Wil and Testament in writing signed with his hand to make conditions limitations what he would concerning the inheritance of the Crowne who by his last Wil and Testament took order that his Son Edward should succeed him in the Crown he dying without â—ssue his Daughter Mary and she dying without issue his Daughter Elizabeth who all succeeded one another in the same order Rex est vicarius minister Dei in terra omnis quidem
granteth a lease for life or yeares he hath the reversion in him which he may lawfully grant but the Law requireth in this case that he be not deceived in his estate and to grant the possession of the Land whereas he hath but a reversion and therefore when he granteth the Land notwithstanding that it be in lease for life or for yeares of Record or otherwise the grant is good When the words of a grant are not sufficient ex vi termini to passe the thing granted but the grant is utterly void there any non obstante cannot make the grant good vide ibidem plura Davis f. 75. In the case of Commendams By our Law what is wrong and malum insert and against the Law of God cannot be dispensed with and therefore 11 H. 7. 12. a. It is said that the King cannot dispense with any that doth nusance in the High-way and if he doth it that such a dispensation is void 8 H. 6. 19. The King cannot grant that if a man doth a trespasse to me that I shall not have an action against him or that a man shall be his own Judge and therefore it is often said in our Books that the prerogative of the King shall doe no wrong to the Subject 13 E. 3. 8 So though the King may dispense with a Statute which prohibiteth an indifferent thing to be done yet he cannot change the common Law by his Patent 37 H. 8. Patent 110. And as to the Pope it is often said in the Bishop of St. Davis case that the Bulls of the Pope cannot change the Lawes of England Notwithstanding the word non obstante was first invented and first used in the Court of Rome which as Sir John Davis observeth f. 69. b. was a mischeivous precedent to all the common Weales of Christendome for the temporall Princes perceiving that the Pope dispensed with his Canons in imitation of him have used their prerogative to dispense with their penall Lawes and Statutes and whereas before their Lawes were religiously observed as the Lawes of the Medes and Persians Davis f. 77. The Law which ordaineth that the first benefice shall be void by the acceptance of the second may be dispensed with and so is it of the Law that ordaineth that when a man is made a Bishop that his other Benefices shall be void as Thrining saith 11. H. 4. 213. b. For those Laws were made by Ecclesiasticall policy and therefore the same policy may dispense with those Laws permissio non est officium legis quia lex ad fert necessitatem Reg. I. C. permission is not the office of the Law for the Law bringeth necessity As by the Statute of W. 2. Lands were permitted to be entailed and usury also by many Statutes yet can they not properly be termed Lawes and Statutes Confessus in judicio pro judicato habetur quodam modo sua sententia damnatur Coke l. 11. f. 30. He who confesseth in the Court of Justice is holden adjudged and in a certaine manner is condemned by his own mouth or sentence And therefore the Attainder in confession is the strongest attainder may be for the vehement presumption it hath of truth for it should be absurd to say that he hath not done such a Felony since the party himselfe hath confessed it to the distruction of him and all his off-spring And the case of confession is a stronger case then guiltinesse by verdict for though he be found guilty by verdict yet may he be innocent and therefore at the common Law he may have his Clergy and make his purgation but if he had confessed the offence upon record he shall not have his Clergy at the common Law because he could not make his purgation when the Court findeth his confession on Record for in the intendement of the Law he cannot contrary his expresse and voluntary confession in Court vide ibidem plura In praesentia majoris cessat potentia minoris Manhood in Ployd f. 498. a. In the presence of the greater power the lesser power ceaseth All the Justices agreed that the Ordinary the Patron and King ought to agree in making an impropriation and the Ordinary is the principall aagent in it in that he hath the spirituall jurisdiction and the act of appropriation is a thing spirituall and what the Ordinary of the Diasis might doe that the Pope used to doe in the Realme as supreame Ordinary and was a long time suffered so to doe and did use to make appropriations without the Bishop which were taken to be good and the Bishop never contradicted but accepted them as good for in the power of the greater the power of the lesser ceaseth and in all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction his authority was taken as absolute and did bind the Bishop as his inferior in all acts now such authority and jurisdiction as the Pope used within this Realme was acknowledged by the Parliament 25. H. 8 and other Statutes to be in the King and that he might lawfully doe all that the Pope was accustomed and used to doe within this Realme and from him it descended to his Son Edward who as superame Ordinary did make the appropriation of his own authority and jurisdiction without the Bishop and did put these words in his Charter authoritate nostra regia ecclesiastica qua fungimur vide ibidem plura Vectigal ab origine ipsa jus caesarum est patrimoniale lex imperatoria Custome from the beginning is the right and patrimony of Caesar and Emperors and are called vectigalia a mercibus evectis invectis from Merchandizes exported and imported for custom is a prerogative and benefit to which Kings and Princes are by the Law of Nations intitled And as the Law Nations were before Kings so Kings were made by the Lawes of Nations ex jure gentium originem suam traxerunt Baldus and as soone as they were made Kings presently the Law of Nations did annex the prerogative of custome to their severall Crownes so saith Baldus cum creatus fuerit Rex omnia regalia ei conceduntur competit omnibus regibus jus imponendi vectigalia when a King was created all royall incidents were granted to him and the right of imposing customes appertained to all Kings Wherein the rules of our Law as Davis observeth f. 12. are agreeable with those of the imperiall Law for we also say that custome is the ancient inheritance of the Crowne of England and that inheret sceptro and is as ancient as the Crowne it selfe and is due by common right and by prescription and not by the grant and benevolence of Merchants or by Act of Parliament Dier 165. b. And whereas by the imperiall Law Primaria vectigalium causa ac ratio fuit ut plana tutaque mercatori praetereunti itinera praestarentur Plin. l. 19. c. 4. The first cause and reason of customes was that plaine and safe voyages should be exhibited and assured to the Merchants and in our
Law Wafrages and protection to the passing Merchants of the Sea was one of the principall causes of the payments of those duties Davis ibidem f. 12. And Dyer f. 43. Putteth a difference between a custome and a subsidy and saith that the custome for Merchandizes to be transported out of the Realme is an inheritance of the King and by the common Law and not given by any Statute and that appeareth by the Statute of 14. E. 3. which was the first Statute which maketh mention of any custome and that Statute doth not give or limit any Custome to the King but abridgeth and abateth the custome which was paid for Wool or Leather but a subsidy saith he is a Tax assessed by Parliament and granted to the King by the Commoners during the life of every King only which is made cleer by the case reported by Dyer 1 Mar. f. 92. where King Edward the sixth had granted a Licence to a Merchant stranger to transport all Merchandizes paying pro custumis subsidiis tot tantas denariorum summas quot quantas any english Merchant and Denizen should pay and no more And it was resolved by all the Judges after the death of Edward the sixth the grant was good for the Customes but void tor the Subsidies because the King had an Inheritance in the Custome as a Prorogative annexed to the Crown but in the Subsidies he had an estate only for life by act of Parliament But there is a third kind of duty payable for Merchandizes which are called Imposts or Impositions and these were sometimes rated and assessed by Parliament and then were they of the nature of Subsidies and sometimes were imposed by the Prerogative Royall to support the necessary charges of the Crown and then as the ancient Senator of Rome said Nihil magis justum est quam quod necessarium est There is nothing more just then that which is necessary Davis f. 12. vide ibidem plura The Impost upon Wines was first assessed by Parliament and limited to be paid for certain years which being expired is now continued by Parliament ibidem Opoâ—tet patrem familias vendacem esses non emacem Cato major Davis f. 10. The Master and Father of a Family ought to be a buyer and not a seller By the Grecians Kings were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastors of the people and Emperors by the Romans Patres Patriae Fathers of their Country for their vigilant and Paternal care they were to take for the preservation and provision for the people for he is the publique Pater familias and is to bend his thoughts to the utility and commodity of the publique and as he is reputed a provident Father of a Family who hath more commodites to sell then occasions to buy so ought he to be a seller rather then a buyer and to provide that more native commodities be exported for sale and the less forrein Merchandizes imported to the buyer And therefore the little custome of forrein Commodties was then accepted of the King when but a little quantity of such forrein Wares were imported into England For in the time of Edward the first and after that in the times of Edward the third the native Commodities of England exported were of greater quantity and value by two parts of three at the least then the forrein Merchandizes imported by which King Edward the third raised so great a revenue out of the Native Commodities of his Dominions that it was noted for good Husbandry in that King for a Father of a Family ought rather to be a buyer then a seller but now it is altogether contrary for at this time the Out-gate is lesser then the In-gate and the forrein Commodities imported are of greater quantity and value by two parts then our native Commodities exported which is a great shame to our Nation to be so enamoured with Mercery and Grocery Wares imported by strangers and to expend upon those more then the value of all the Staple Commodities of our Country which will be in the end the decay and ruine of the Common-weale Davis ibid. Thesaurus regis est pacis vinculum bellorum nervi Coke l. 3. f. 12. b. The treasure of the King is the bond of peace and the sinewes of war And therefore the Common Law preferreth and advanceth the right of the King insomuch as Sir Henry Finch observeth you shall find it to be Law almost in every case of the King that is not Law in case of the Subjects and that with an intention to inhaunce the Kings Treasure and to replenish his Coffers whereby he may in time of peace advance the glory and honour of the Nation and in time of War be enabled to protect the Common-wealth against forrein incursions and invasions for the Kings Treasure is the bond of peace and sinewes of war And therefore in the case of the King which is not so in the case of a common person the body the lands and the goods of the Accomptant or Debtor of the King at the Common Law were liable to the execution of the King Dyer 234. before the Statute of 33 H. 8. c. 38. Coke ibidem and upon the same reason is this principall grounded Quando jus domini regis Subditi in simul concurrunt jus regis preferri debet Coke l. 9. 3. 129. b. when the right of the King and the Subject concur together the right of the King ought to be preferred As in Dame Hales case Ployd 262. Baron and Feme were Joynt-tenants of a term for years the Baron is selo de se he shall forfeit all and yet till the Office it surviveth but after the Office it hath relation before or at the least at the time of the death vide ibidem plura in Quicks case So Ploâ—d f. 263. b. If a Feme take husband and hath Issue and the land descend to the Feme and the Baron enter so that he is intituled to be Tenant by the Curtesie and then the Feme is found an Ideot and her Estate in the land is also found the King shall have the land and if the Feme dye the Baron shall never have the land by Curtesie for by the first possession of the Feme the Baron was entituled to be Tenant by Curtesie and when the Office is found the Title of the King shall have relation also to the first possession and so both the Titles commence at the same time but the King shall have the preheminence and because the Title of the King is in this case to the Frank-tenement of the land in that that he shall have the custody of it during the life of the Feme it shall utterly take away the Title of the Baron which before the Office found was vested in the Baron and therefore after the death of the Feme he shall not be Tenant by courtesie but the Issue shall have the lands out of the hands of the King if it be not
holden of the King and if it be the King shall have it for the Wardship of him during the nonage and upon the same reason was this principall also founded Thesaurus competit domino regi non domino libertatis nisi sit per verba specialia Fitz. Coro 281. 436. It is a firm conclusion in the Common Law that Treasure belongeth to the Lord the King and not to the Lord of the Liberty unlesse it be by speciall words Adrianus Caesar made a Law that if any man found treasure in his own ground himselfe should have it if in another mans ground he shall give the half to the owner of the Soil if in a publick place he shall devide it equally with the Treasury but now and long time ago the Civill Law hath transferred it to the Prince which is thus defined by Justinian Vetus depositio pecuniae vel alterius metalli cujus non extat modo memoria ut dominum non habeat An ancient deposition or hiding of money or some other metall of which for the present no memory is extant that it may have a Lord or owner Wherein the Common Law of this Realm accordeth with the Civill Law which holdeth that Treasure hid in the earth not upon the earth nor in the Sea and Coyne though not hidden being found is the Kings which we call Treasure trove Stanf. f. 10. 27 Ass pl. 19. 10. Eliz. Ployd 322. And Mr. Stanfords reason why such Treasure should belong to the King is un-answerable and it is this Quia dominus rei non apparet ideo cujus sit incertum est because the Lord and Owner of the thing doth not appear therfore whose it is it is uncertain 22 Ass pl. 19. And it is a currant rule in all Nations In ambiguis casibus semper praesumitur pro rege and in doubtfull cases it is alwaies presumed and taken for the King Many other benefits and prerogatives there be which the Common Law of England giveth to the King in regard of the exceeding charge and cost he is at in the defending and governing the Common-wealth of which I may plainly say as Cicero said of the Romans That all the Revenue and Treasure is scarce able to Lips de Mag. Rom. l. 1. c. 4 5. maintain the Army both by Sea and Land and therefore hath need of many Prerogatives and benefits It were tedious to touch them all and will onely name some which I deem pertinent to the precedent principle As the Mines of Gold and Silver which by the Law of Nations as well as the Common Law belong to the King and Prince for to whom should Gold and Silver appertain but to him that hath authority to coyne it as his own according to the answer of our Saviour Matth. 22. v. 20. Date quod est Caesaris Caesari and therefore moneta dicitur a monendo quia impressione nos monit cujus est Moneta Davis f. 19. And therefore the Judgment given in the case between the Queens Majesty and the Earle of Northumberland seemeth to be sound and grounded upon invincible reason although the Grant was Omnium singularum Minerarum of all and singular Mines for the diversity is there well taken by Wray that there be two sorts of Mines Mines royall and base Mines and Mines royall may be sub-divided into two other kinds those which contain in them Silver or Gold entirely or which have Brass or Copper in them and have some veines of Gold intermixt both these belong to the Prince for the Gold as the more worthy draweth to its self the less worthy But such as have in them meerly Brass Copper or Lead may belong unto a Subject by a special Title And that in such case the Proprietor of the land and Soil shall have the Ore and Mine and not the King by his Prerogative which was the opinion of all the Judges and they all also agreed that a Mine royall be it of base Mettal or pure Gold or Silver may by grant of the King be severed from the Crown and granted to any other for it is not an incident inseparable to the Crown but the King may sever it by apt and precise words but not by the words of all and singular Mines Ployd f. 333. 335. vide ibidem plura in the case of Mines There is another speciall Prerogative which the King hath in the Sea for the Sea is not onely under the Dominion of the King as it is said 6 R. 2. Fitz. protection 46. The Sea is of the legiance of the King as of the Crown of England but is also his proper Inheritance and therefore the King shall have the land gained out of the Sea Dyer 226. Also the King shall have the great possessions of the Sea as Whales Sturgeons c. which are royall Fishes and no Subject can have them without special grant of the King Prerog regis c. 10. Stanf. 37 38. And the King shall have wild Swans as volatilia regalia upon thâ— Sea and the Braches of the Sea Coke l. 7. f. 17. in the case of Swans So the wreck of the Sea is a perquisit royall Coke l. 5. 107. Sir Henâ—y Constables case And upon this reason before the Statute of 18 E. 3. no Subject might pass beyond the Seas without speciall licence of the King but there it is enacted that the Sea shall be open to all Merchants And all Havens and Ports quae sunt ostia Janua regni appertaine to the King because he is custos totius regni F.N.B. 113. a. And the King ought by right to save and defend his Subjects against the Seas as against his Enemy And therfore the Commission of Sewers was awarded by the King by vertue of his Prerogative royall before any Statute made in such case extendeth not only to the walls and banks of the Sea but also to all navigable Rivers and Fresh-waters F. N. B. 113. a. And in the Statute of 25 H. 8. c. 10 The King by reason of his Prerogative royall ought to pâ—ovide that navigable streams be made passable And the City of London by the Charter of the King have the River of Thames granted to them and purchased another Charter by which the King granted to them solum fundum of the said River by force of which Grant the City receiveth the rents of them which fix posts or make Wharfs or other Edifices upon the Soil of the said River so as the King hath the same Prerogative in the Braches of the Seas and navigable Rivers and fresh-waters so high as the Sea floweth and refloweth in them as he hath in Alto mari And though the Civillians say that Flumina portas publica sunt ideoque jus piscandi omnibus commune est in portu fluminibusque that Rivers and Havens are publick things and therefore the right of fishing is common to all in Rivers and Havens which rule is found in Bracton l 2. c. 12. Yet by the
Common Law of England every navigable River so high as the Sea floweth and refloweth in it is flumen regale and the Piscary of it is also royall Piscary and belongeth to the King as his Prerogative but in any other river not navigable In the Piscary of such River the Ter-tenants of either side of the water have an interest of common right and the reason why the King hath interest in such navigable Rivers so high as the Sea floweth and refloweth in it is because such River participateth of the nature of the Sea and is said to be a brach of the Sea so far as it floweth or refloweth 12 Ass pl. 93. And though the King permitteth his people for their ease and Commodities to have common passage yet he hath the sole interest in the soil of such Rivers as also in the Piscary although the profit of it is not commonly taken by the King and appropriated by the King unless it be of extraordinary and certain annuall value So the King granted to Strangewaies totam illam liberam piscarim all that free Priscary called the Fleet in Abboesbury which is a bay and creek of the Sea And though the Abbot had the Piscary before the dissolution it is to be understood that the Abbot at the beginning had it by grant of the King it being a severall piscary upon the brach of the Seas and therefore by consequent royall piscary vide Ployd 315. b. And therefore in the case of the royall piscary of Bann Davis 57. It was resolved that the River of Bann so far as the Sea did flow and reflow in it is a royall River and the fishing of Salmon there a royall piscary which belongeth to the King as a severall piscary and not to those which have the soile ex utraque parte aquae on either side of the water vide ibidem plura Tributum est victoriae praemium Cicero in vere poenabelli Tribute is the reward of victory and penalty of Warr. A Conqueror may command tribute and all that comes in under the Conqueror by the Law of Nations and therefore the Roman Generall said unto the French men Tac. l. 4. histro Deut. 20.11 jure victoriae tributum vobis addidimus by the right of victory we have imposed tribute upon you and tribute for the same reason is due by the Law of God which cleerly appeareth by the answere of our Saviour to the Iewes who because they would have Christ to have challenged their earthly Kingdome by that meanes to draw him into hatred with Caesar demanded of him whether it were lawfull to give tribute to Caesar but he that allwayes professed that his Kingdome was not of this World Matt. 22. gave them a bone to gnaw saying give unto Caesar all the things which are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods for indeed tribute are allowed by the Law of God So William the Conqueror after his universall conquest was the first that commanded and imposed tribute in England and not unjustly which as yet is continued as a remembrance of a conquest yet doe the English seeme rather to offer a tribute to their Monarch then the Monarch to command it for the courtesy of England is great and the clemency of their Princes greater and as Fulbeck protesteth sithence the conquest of England tribute and subsidy have been as justly by the Law of God and the Law of Nations paid England as in Jury Fulb. Pand. c. 10. f. 99. In republica maxime conservanda sunt jura belli Coke com f. 10. b. In a Common-wealth the Laws of Warr are principally to be preserved for to invert the position of Justinian and yet to retain the sense imperatoriam Majestatem non solum legibus oportet esse armatam Just Institutes sed etiam armis decoratam ut utrumque tempus bollorum pacis recte possit gubernari the imperiall Majestie ought not only to be armed with Laws but also adorned with armes that the time of War and peace may be rightly governed for experience the mistresse of all Arts and Sciences teacheth us that there is nothing more necessary for the observation of peace and Administration of Justice then the conservation of the Lawes of armes and that in consideration of the ambition of the world and factions of people it is impossible for any Realme to continue in peace and tranquility where the protection of the Sword is not eminent and iminent and therefore Cicero summus illo administrandae reipub Magister Buchan de Cicerone propoundeth the cheifest Master of the administration of a common wealth propoundeth this sentence to be practised as a State Aphorisme Ideo suscipienda sunt bella ut in pace sine injuria vivamus therefore are Wars to be undertaken that we may live in peace without injury Tullys Offi. for without the assistance of the Militia and Sword a State cannot be constantly cleered and freed from publick or private injuries and it was Catos sage advice by which the continuall rebellions of the Spaniard might surely be suppressed id uno modo caveri potest si effectum erit ne possint rebellare that by one onely meanes may be prevented if such course be taken that they cannot rebell and the very like course did Lentulus prescribe against the Perfidious Carthaginians quoniam illoram Persidiam non possumus tollere ideo debilitemus potentiam because we cannot eradicate their persidiousnesse therefore let us debilitate their power both which by continuance and force of armes was effected Mavult princeps domesticos milites quam stipendiarios bellicis apponere casibus Coke com f. 69. a. A Prince will rather imploy Domestick and Native Souldiers then Stipendiaries and Forreners It was the wisdome of the antient Kings of England to be served in the Wars by their own Subjects and therefore did give Lands to their Subjects to hold of them by Knights services that when the King did make a royall voyage to Scotland Wales c. according to their severall tenures they ought to be with the King for a certaine time limited conveniently arrayed for the War and though they onely who held immediately of the King were to doe this service yet every man by his tenure is bound to defend his Lord and he and his Lord the King to which the military rule of Galba is consonant optimum est militem deligere non autem emere it is the best course to choose a Souldier but not to buy him and then are Princes said to choose their Souldiers when they conscribe their own Subjects and to buy them when they purchase strangers with their pay And as another satius est erudire suos quam conducere alienos it is better to instruct your own people in armes then to procure expert strangers for which Machavell that subtil Secretary of State extolleth the King of England that when he invaded France for many years agoe would not accept any
intent which is required in Inditements Counts and Replications c. for that they are to excuse or charge the party the third is a certaine intent to every particular and this certainty is rejected in Law for nimia subtilitas in jure reprobatur and such certainty confoundeth certainty vide ibidem plura in Longs case Coke l. 8. f 56. b. Whereas the Queen granted a Mannor to B. and his heires to have and to hold the said Mannor to B. and his assignes omitting the words heires in the Habeâ—dum it was resolved in Auditor Kings case by the whole Court that the fee of the Mannor passed by the Premisses of the Letters Patents and that the Habendum was void for the Premisses were certaine enough to passe the Fee-simple and the omission of his heires in the Habendum shall not subvert it was certaine in the Premisses for the intention of the Queen appeareth to passe the Fee-simple by the Premisses and her grant ought to be interpreted in intentionem non in deceptionem Regis and when as a litterall and strict construction is made to make his grant void contrary to the intention of the King it soundeth in deceite of the King and it is a great indignity to him for nicities in Law to make his Charter under the great Seale of England of things which may be lawfully granted void and of none effect for Apices juris non sunt jura and it was said by Coke Lord cheife Justice and affirmed by the other Justices that of latter times such nice and strict constructions have been strayned by some of Letters Patents to subvert the force and effect of them that many good Letters Patents are drawn into question to the dishonor of the King and disinherison of the Subject contrary to the true reason and ancient rule of Law for as it is said Co. l. 4. f. 5. b. Simplicitas legibus amica Coke l. 10. f. 125. b. In the Mayor c. of Lynns case it is said that untill these latter times it was never read in any of our Books that any body politick or corporate did endeavour or attempt by any suite to avoid any of their Leases Grants and Conveyances made to them by the misnaming of the very name of the Corporation but God forbid that their Leases and Grants should be defeated for every curious and nice misnomer vide ibidem plura in the Mayor c. of Linns case where it was adjudged that a bond made to the Mayor and Burgesses of Linn was good though therein was omitted the Burrough of Kings Linn which was their name given them by their Patent because it was idem re sensu though not idem litteris Syllabis Fortior potentior est dispositio Legis quam hominis Coke com f. 224. a. The disposition of the Law is of more force and stronger then the disposition of man If a man grant to another by his deed the office of a Parkship of a Park to have and occupy the said office for terme of life he hath an estate in that office upon condition in Law to wit that the Parker shall well and lawfully keep the said Parke and shall doe that which to such office appertaineth to doe or otherwise it shall be well lawfull to the Grantor and his heires to oust him and grant it to another and such a condition in Law annexed to a thing is as strong as if the condition had been put in wrting Littleton ibidem If a man hath title to enter upon tenant in taile if he maketh a claime to the land then is the estate taile defeated for this claime is an entry made by him and is of the same effect in Law and if the tenant in taile after such claime continueth his occupation that is a disseisin to him that made such claime and as often as his adversary doth wrong and injury to him so often may he bring a Writ of Trespasse or a Quare clausum fregit for the wrong disseisin Littleton whereby it appeareth that continuall claime which is an entry in Law is as strong as an entry in deed Coke com f. 236. b. Coke com f. 338. a. A surrender in Law in some cases is of greater force then a surrender in deed as if a man maketh a lease for yeares to begin at Michaelmas next this future interest cannot be surrendred because there is no reversion wherein it may be drowned that by a surrender in Law it may be drowned as if the Lessee before Michaelmas take a new Lease for yeares either to begin presently or at Michaelmas this is a surrender in Law of the former lease and in this case Fortior aequior est dispositio legis quam hominis Coke l. 10. f. 67. b. 37. H. 6. 16. And if the Lessees be a corporation aggregated of many so as they cannot make an expresse surrender without deed in writing under their seale yet they can by act in Law surrender their terme without any writing So if the Prior by consent of the Covent maketh a Lease for yeares rendring rent if the prior by Deed expresly releaseth the rent and dyeth the Successor shall recover the arrerages but if the Prior oust the Lessee and dyeth that discharge in Law shall discharge the rent which incurreth during the ouster against the Successor 34. H. 6. 21. Coke l. 10. f. 67. If an heire within age assigne more dower then he ought to have done yet the guardian in right may have a Writ of Admeasurement of dower but if he grant over his estate his Assignee which is guardian in faire shal not have the Writ because it was a thing in action given to the Lessor F. N. B. 149. 9. Coke l. 6. 38. b. When a Deed is requisite ex institutione legis it ought to be shewn though it be collaterall and convey nothing as a Mayor and Comminalty Tenant Pur autre vie if he attorne to the Grantee in reversion the Law requireth that it be done by deed and that in pleading the deede of Attornement be shewen but when it is requisite ex provisione hominis not as when a man maketh a Lease for yeares of Land to A. upon condition that he shall not assigne it over but by deed onely and not by word in this case ex provisione hominis the Assignement ought to be by deed but because ex institutione legis the Deed is not necessary to the Assignee he may plead the Assignement without shewing of the Deed and in quo minus by the fermor of the King he ought to alledge that he is a fermor of the King to enable him to sue there but he need not shew it to the Court because a collaterall action ibidem So the Collector shall not shew it 22. H. 6. 42. neither shall the Sub-Collector shew it 21. E. 4. 50. And the Devisor shall not shew the Testament for it appertaineth to the Executor 4. Ass 20. One Parcener