Charter of pardon which is allowed he may haue an action of Trespas against the offendor for the assault batterie made before the Outlawrie for the said outlawrie shall not extinguish his action nor cause that offence which before was punishable to be vnpunished And if the partie beaten should not haue his Action the iniurie done vnto him should be vnpunished for the King shall haue no remedy to recouer damages for this batterie done to the person of him that was outlawed 29. Ass p. 47 63. as he might haue had if any debt had béen owing or any goods had béen taken from the outlaw before his outlawrie And the Law doth expect that for the peace broken and the wrong done to the partie grieued the same partie shall vpon his action of Trespas brought be recompenced by the recouerie of his dammages and the king satisfied for his peace broken by a fine 11. H. 4. 65. 9. H. 6. 60. 27. Ass p. 57 33 In an action of Trespas of assault and batterie A man first indicted of batterie and after sued for the same trespas the defendant pleaded not guiltie the plaintife replied that the defendant was before that time indicted before the Iustices of Peace of the same Countie of the said assault and batterie and thereupon proces was awarded against him for the kings fine who then appeared and pleaded that the hurt which the plaintife receiued was by his owne assault and thereupon they were at issue and before the verdict the defendant appeared and confessed the Trespas and submitted himselfe to the Kings fauour and made his fine and demaunded iudgement if he should be allowed to plead not guiltie contrarie to his owne confession and this was adiudged a good Replication and an Estoppell of the said plea in barre And then the defendant pleaded that the hurt which the plaintife receiued was by his owne assault vpon which plea the plaintife demurred séeing the defendant before had pleaded that plea against the King And then he also waiued that plea and confessed the trespas whereupon a writ was awarded to inquire of dammages And so for this assault and batterie the king was first intituled to a fine by the Indictment and after the partie grieued recouered dammages by an action of Trespas 34 Imprisonment is where a man is arrested by force against his will and is restrained of his libertie What imprysonment is and put in a common Gaole or other gaole Lib. Intrac fol. 319. in a cage or in the stockes or otherwise kept in the high streete or open field if he be in restraint and cannot go at libertie when he will but is bound to become obedient to the will of the Law and is in the custodie of the Law And in all the cases aforesaid the partie so restrained is said to be a prisoner so long as he hath not his liberty fréely to go at all times when he will without baile mainprise or other restraint And therefore if one person do arrest imprison or otherwise restraine an other person of that libertie without sufficient and lawfull cause the partie grieued may haue an action of False imprisonment or an action of Trespas against him that doth so arrest An action of False imprysonment or imprison him and recouer damages against him And the King shall also haue a fine of him for that his law is contemned and his peace is broken in that one of his subiects presumeth to imprison an other without sufficient warrant of him or his law seeing imprisonment of an other by only act will or commaundement without offence of the Law is one of the kings most royall prerogatiues and only annexed to the maiestie dignitie and imperiall Crowne of this Realme For by the Statute of Magna charta it was specially ordeined Stat. 9. H. 3. 29. That no man shall be taken or imprisoned or disseised of his fréehold or liberties or frée customes or be outlawed or exiled or any other wayes destroyed neither shall any passe or fit in iudgement vpon him but by lawfull iudgement of his Péeres or by the Law of the land And by the statute of AnÌ„ 28. Ed. 3. it was enacted Stat. 28. Ed. 3. 3. That no man shall be put out of his land or tenement nor imprysoned nor disherited nor put to death without being brought in aunswere by due proces of the Law And therefore whereas the Maior and Burgesses of a towne corporate being before authorized by the Kings letters patents to make ordinances for the good gouernment of the same Towne did condiscend amongst themselues Co. Lib. 5. 64. to leuie a summe of money for the charges of a lawfull and necessarie act to be done in the same Towne and did further agrée that if any of them did refuse to pay his part of that contribution money so assessed to be paied that then he should be committed to pryson vntill he had paid it and after one of the Burgesses of the Towne which before had agréed to the same assessement ordinance Voluntarie consent no cause of imprysonment refused to pay the money which he was by the residue assigned and assessed to pay whereupon the Maior of the same Towne committed him to pryson against whom the same Burgesse brought his action of False imprisonment and recouered dammages against the same Maior for though the same Burgesse all others of the same Corporation might haue submitted himselfe to haue paid a summe of money to haue béen leuied by distresse or action of debt if he or they had not performed the same order paid his part of that contribution yet the libertie or impriâ—onment of his bodie resteth in the censure iudgement of the Law and not in his owne disposition As if B. do promise C. or be bound by Obligation vnto him that if he do not paie vnto the same C. xx li. within sixe monethes that then C. shall take and impryson him vntill he hath paid it notwithstanding B. do not pay to C. the same xx l. at the time assessed C. may not imprison B. for it though it was his owne promise agréement or bond for that B. is not iudged by his péeres or condemned by the law of the land according to the foresaid statute of Magna Charta Neither is he brought to answere by due Proces of the law according to the purport of the before specified statute of An 28. E. 3. 35 But in many cases one person may arrest ImprisonmeÌ„t by the commaundment of the King his Iustices c. imprison and restrayne an other of his libertie and no action of false imprisonment action of Trespas or other remedie will be had against him As first it is a lawfull imprisonment which is done by the absolute commaundement of the King the chiefe Soueraigne head of the common weale by his owne mouth or by the priuie Councell which speake and direct by his Authoritie or by
shall haue like Proces vpon the same as in cases of trespas at the common law Or may at his pleasure take his suite against any such offendors in any the premisses by Bill in the Kinges Bench or in the Exchequer In which sutes no Essoine Iniunction or Protection shall be allowed for the party Defendant Not twice impeached for one offence 6 If the Defendant shall be conuict for any of the offences aforesaid St. 5. Eli. 14. according to the order and forme aboue limited and shall haue receiued thereupon punishment corporall according to this Act then he shall not eftsoones be impeached for the same offence The plaintifs release shal only discharge his owne remedy 7 Although the partie or parties plaintife in any such Action St. 5. Eli. 14. or Bill to be sued as is aforesaid shall after verdict past against the Defendant or Defendants happen to release or discharge the iudgement or execution vpon the same or otherwise suffer the same to be discontinued yet neuerthelesse the same release discharge or discontinuance shall extend onely to discharge such costs and dammages as the same plaintife should haue had against the defendant And the Iudges before whom the said action or suite shall be taken shall and may prrcéede to iudgement of and vpon the residue of the said penalties and forfeitures and commaund execution vpon the same the saide release discontinuance or other discharge had made done or suffered by the partie plaintife in any wise notwithstanding 8 If any person or persons being hereafter conuicted St. 5. Eli. 14. or condemned of any of the offences aforesaid by any of the wayes or meanes aboue limited shall after any such his or their conuiction or condemnation eftsoones commit or perpetrate any of the said offences in forme aforesaide The punishment for the second offence Then euery such second offence or offences shall be adiudged felony and the parties being conuicted or attainted according to the lawes of this Realme shall suffer paines of death losse and forfeiture of their goods cattels lands and Tenements as in cases of felony by the common lawes of this Realme ought to be lost or forfeited The right of others saued without hauing any aduantage or benefit of Clergie or Sanctuarie Sauing to euery person and persons body politique and corporate their heires and successors other than the said offendors and such as claime to their vses all such rights titles interests possessions liberties of distresses leases rents reuersions offices and other profits and aduantages which they or any of them shall haue at the time of such conuiction or attainder of in or to any the lands tenements or hereditaments of any such person so as is aforesaid conuicted or attainted or at any time before in as large ample maner to all intents and purposes as if this Act had neuer bin made Prouided alwayes that any such conuiction or attainder of felony as is aforesaid No forfeiture of Dower or corruption of blood or any forfeiture by reason of the same shall not in any wise extend to take away the dower of the wife of any such person attainted nor to the corruption of blood or disherison of any the heire or heires of any such person or persons so attainted This Act or any thing therein contained or any other statute law or custome notwithstanding 9 All and euery Iustices of Oire and Determiner St. 5. Eli. 14 and Iustices of Assise Iustices of Oire and Determiner and Iustices of Assise in their circuits and euery of them shall haue full power and authoritie in euery of their open and generall Sessions to inquire heare and determine of all and euery of the offences aforesaid committed or done within the limits of their Commission and to make Processe for the execution of the same as they may do against any person beeing indicted before them of Trespasse or lawfully conuicted thereof Stat. 5. El. 14 10 If any person or persons whatsoeuer hath of his or their owne head Forging of deeds before the statute or by false conspiracie or fraud with any other wittingly subtilly and falsly forged or made or shall before the first day of Iune next comming forge and make any false déed charter or writing sealed or the will of any person in writing or any court roll to the intent that the estate of Freehold or inheritance or the right title or interest of inheritance or freehold of any persons of in or to any Mannors lands tenements or hereditaments being freehold or copihold Or that by any such forged déed charter court roll or writing before the said first day of Iune shall or may be molested troubled or defeated of any of the said estates of any lands tenements or hereditaments being fréehold or Copihold Or if any person or persons haue heretofore published or shewed foorth in euidence or before the said first day of Iune shall publish or shew in euidence for the proofe of any title any false and forged déed charter writing will or Court Roll as true knowing the same to be false and forged as aforesaid to the intent aboue remembred and shall be thereof attainted or conuicted according to the order of the law either in an Action of forger of false faits or in an Action vpon the case at the sute of the party grieued his heirs executors or assignes Then the party so conuicted shall yielde and pay dammages and costs of sute to the plaintife as shall be assessed according to the law of the Realme in any such like Action or sute and shall suffer imprisonment and pay fine and ransome at the pleasure of the Quéene her heires or Successors Pleading a forged deed made before the statute And if any person or persons shall after the said first day of Iune next comming pleade publish or shew foorth in euidence or otherwise for the proofe of any title any false and forged déed charter writing will or Court Roll heretofore falsly made and forged or to be falsly made and forged before the said first day of Iune as true knowing the same to be false and forged to the intent to haue or claime thereby any estate of inheritance fréehold or lease of yeares in or to any mannors lands tenements or hereditaments or any annuitie rent or profit foorth of any mannors lands tenements or hereditaments Or to the intent to alter defeate molest trouble charge or recouer the estate of inheritance fréehold or lease for years of any person in any mannors lands tenements rents or hereditaments Then euery person and persons that so shall offend and shall be thereof conuicted in forme first aboue remembred shall pay vnto the partie grieued double costs and dammages and shall haue imprisonment losse of Eares slitting and searing of Nose and forfeiture of lands in the same maner and forme as aboue is limited for any person that shall offend by forging or publishing of any
is depending to giue iudgement for the plaintife then the def may haue an action of Maintenance against him for that the same iudgemēt is a thing wholly belonging to the office of a Iudge and not of a Iuror therfore he doth therin intermeddle with another mans office and another mans cause more than he hath to do or may iustifie and so hath committed vnlawfull maintenance Maintenance in a Iuror 18 If a Iurie be charged to inquire of a matter in issue 17. E. 4. 5. 18. Ed. 4. 4. one Iuror may persuade his cōpanions or any of them to passe for the plaintife or def as he conceiueth the truth of the cause to be or as their euidence doth induce them this is no maintenance but if one of the Iurors will giue or promise money to another of his fellowes to giue his verdit for the pl. or def this is vnlawfull maintenance though he doth wage him to giue his verdit according to truth and right of the cause in issue Maintenance by speaking of words 19 If a man of great authoritie in a country will in the presence of a Iurie 22. H. 6. 5. 13. H. 4. 19. and the standers by at the tryall of an issue say openly that he will spend mony in the cause in question in the behalfe of the pl. or the def or that hee will giue money to labour the Iury or wil speake other great or high words in fauor of one of the parties this is vnlawful maintenāce in him though he do spend no mony in that cause nor doth labor the Iury therin for it may be that whē the Iury do by his words know his meaning they dare not in respect of his authoritie or greatnesse in that coūtie giue their verdit otherwise thā he would haue them None shall sit with the Iust of Assise on the bench And for the preuention of that kind of maintenance by a stat made An. 20. R. 2. it was ordained That no Lord or other of the country great or small St. 20. R. 2. 13. shall sit vpon the bench with the Iust of Assise in their Sessions in any of the Shires of England vpon paine of a great forfeiture to the King neither the Iustices shall suffer the contrarie to bée done Maintenance in comming to the barre with one of the parties And in like sort if a man of great authoritie in the Countie where an Issue is to be tried hauing nothing to doe in that cause doth come to the barre with the plaintife or defendant 22. H. 6. 6. that is one of the parties to an Issue that is then to bée tryed and standeth by him this is an vnlawfull maintenance in him though hée neither doth nor yet speaketh any thing in the matter for his presence and companie with the one partie doth shew to the Iurie his particular affection to the same partie and doth ofttimes induce them to fauour as much as labour and persuasion by words could doe And though the Iurie doe not respect him but giue their verdict for the other partie to that suit according to their euidence and the truth of the cause in question yet he hath done what in him lyeth to the contrarie 21. H. 6. 15. 22. H. 6. 5. 28. H. 6. 7. Dyer fo 95. 20 And so it is if two be in suit and do ioyne in issue Maintenance by giuing of money to labour a Iurie and the Master of one of the parties to that issue or any other will deliuer money of his owne to a stranger to labour the Iurie impanelled to try that issue to giue their verdit for his said seruant or friend this is maintenance vnlawfull in the Master or other though the partie to whom the money was giuen did neuer deliuer it to the Iurie nor did not labour vnto them in such sort as hée was directed or though the Iurie did giue their verdict against his said seruant for when the Master had deliuered the money to the stranger and told him to what purpose he should vse it he had done as much as he could do in that suit to hinder the course of iustice though his direction tooke no successe according to his desire And also it is vnlawfull maintenance if one giue money to a man that is impanelled of a Iurie to giue his verdict on the one side though that partie impanelled doth not appeare or do appeare and is drawne out by challenge or otherwise 22. H. 6. 6. And it is maintenance vnlawfull if one do threaten to kill or beat a Iuror if he do not giue his verdict for the one part to that issue which hee doth name though the same Iuror do otherwise 28. H. 6. 6. 21 If a Iurie do come to a mans house What is maintenance in a witnesse and what not and desire him to informe them of the truth of a matter whereof they do doubt and he doth informe them therof this is iustifiable But if one do come to a Iurie or of himselfe do labour to informe them of the truth of a cause in question this is maintenance vnlawfull and therefore punishable And so it is if the Court be informed by the plaintife or defendant when an issue is to be tryed that there is a man at the bar or in that place who doth know the truth of the matter in issue and doth desire that the same man may be examined by the Court to testifie the truth of that cause in question to the Iurie and the Court doth cause him to be called to testifie his knowledge therein and he at the commaundement of the Court deliuereth that which he doth know in that matter this is maintenance iustifiable But if the same partie will come to the barre of his owne head and testifie for the plaintife or the defendant this is vnlawfull maintenance and hée may be punished therefore 22. H. 6. 6. 22 If one man do labour to indict another by force whereof he is indicted Maintenance by procuring of an indictment in this case hee that is indicted may haue a writ of Maintenance against the procurer of that indictment and yet this is no quarrell but it is a taking of a part St. 1. E. 3. 14. and so prohibited by the stat of anno 1. E. 3. and it is in the nature of an action betwéene the King and the partie indicted and the foresaid statute is generall that it shall not be lawfull to any person great or smal to maintain quarels or to take parts to the let or disturbance of the Common law What is maintenance in a mainpernor 23 If a man be arrested indicted or sued 34. H. 6. 25. 14. H. 6. 6. 18. E. 4. 12. so that he is compelled to become bound with mainpernors for his apparance the mainpernor may come into the Court and sée the apparance of the same partie recorded and iustifie the
the prisoner did flye for the Felony in this case the same prisoner shall forfeit those goods which hee had the day of the verdict giuen and not any goods which he had before And so it is if one be conuict by verdict 7. H. 4. 41. the goods shall be forfeited which the offendor had the day of the verdict giuen and not those which he had before And he that is outlawed of Treason or Felony shall forfeit those goods which he hath at the time of the Exigent awarded and not those which he had before and hath aliened But if a man doe commit a Treason or Felony and is arrested thereof and as he is in carrying to a Iustice of Peace to be examined or to the Gaole by the Constables or others doe breake away or in making of rescous or resistance is slaine by those which do so carry him because he will not yéeld and be iustified by the law Fi. Cor. 290 in this case those goods shal be forfeited which he had at the time of the felony committed And so it is if one commit a Felony and when the Shirife Coroner Constable or others do attempt to apprehend him he is slain because he doth resist and will not yeeld to be arrested the goods shal be forfeited which he hath at the time of the felony committed 44 It appeareth by the statute of 3. Ed. 1. St. 3. E. 1. intituled Officium Coronatoris Who shal seise and keepe Felons goods and when That if any person be found guilty before the Coroner of the death of another presently the Coroner shall goe to his house and inquire what cattell hee hath and what corne he hath in his graunge and what on the ground and if he be a Fréeman what land he hath and how much it is worth by the yeare and when they haue so inquired of all things they shall cause the land the corne and cattell to bée priced as if they should be forthwith sold and immediatly they shall be deliuered to the whole Towne to answere for the same before the Iustices And in like sort when it is found before the Coroner that one did flye for a Felony 22. Ass p. 96 the Shirife shall presently seize his lands into the Kings hands by word without Enquest and also shall seize all his goods into the Kings hands and shall appraise them by an Enquest as well of Villaines as of Freemen and the prices shalbée inrolled in the Coroners Roll and deliuered to the Towne to answere to the King for the same for by that which is found before the Coroner the goods bée forfeited without further inquiry 43. E. 3. 24 And so may another Officer of the Kings seize the goods of a Felon before attainder and if the Felon doth find surety the Officer must leaue them in his custody But whether hée doth find surety or not the Officer ought not to carry them away but must leaue them in the custodie of the Felons neighbours For if one bée indicted of Felony his goods shall not be remoued forth of his house vntill he be attainted 7. H. 4. â—1 but shal be kept by his neighbours all the time of his imprisonment and the Felon shal be maintained with them And according thereunto there is a writ in the Register Registrum viz. Quod tenementa bona taliter capta videantur imbreuiantur saluo custodiantur per balliuum ipsius capti qui securitatem Regiinueniet ei respondendi si c. saluis inde ipfi capto familiae suae necessarijs quamdiu fuerit in prisona By which writ it doth appeare and also by the assertions of Bracton and Britton that one which is indicted or imprisoned for Felony shall not bée put out of the possession of his goods vntill he be conuict of Felony but he must haue reasonable maintenance of his goods for him and his family vntill he bée conuict and then that which doth remaine shal be the kings And yet the felon must not disorderly sell or wast his goods and so this difference is to be obserued in seising of a Felons goods viz. where the goods be forfeited before the felony tried and where they be not forfeited vntill the felony tried For if they be forfeited before the felony tried they shal be presently seised vpon the forfeiture of them though there be no conuiction of felony as in the foresaid cases where one is found guilty before the Coroner of the death of another or where it is found before the Coroner that one did flie for a felony But if they be not forfeited vntill the felony tried then they shall not be seised vntill the Felon be conuicted The goods of a prisoner shal not be seised vntill he be attainted 45 And because that diuers persons were often arrested and imprisoned for suspition of Felony sometime of malice and sometime of light suspition and were kept in prison without baile or mainprise and for that sometime shirifes escheators baylifes of Liberties and others did seise and take away the goods of some persons arrested or imprisoned for Felony before the same person was conuict or attainted of the same Felony contrary to the common law Therefore partly to confirme the common law and partly to giue to the party grieued a more ample recompence for his wrong receiued then the coÌ„mon law before did viz. to giue him the double value of his goods so takeÌ„ or seised where the common law gaue him the single value and partly to giue him a speedy remedy to recouer the same there was a stat made AnnÌ„ 1. R. 3. St. 1. R. 3. 3 by the which it is ordained That no Shirife Vndershirife Escheator Baylife of Franchise or other person shall take or seise the goods of any person arrested or imprisoned before the same person or persons so arrested or imprisoned be conuict or attainted of such felony according to the law of England or otherwise that the same goods be in some manner lawfully forfeited vpon paine to loose the double value of the goods so taken to him or them which be endamaged therby by action of Debt in this behalfe to be pursued by like proces iudgement execution as is commonly vsed in other actions of Debt pursued at the common law wherin no wager of law essoine or protection shall be allowed This stat of 1. R. 3. exteÌ„deth only to those that be arrested or imprisoned for notwithstanding this statute the shirife may seise the goods of them which be at liberty and indicted of felony at the second Capias by force of the stat of 25. E. 3. St. 2â— E. 3. 14 as it appeareth Appeales 59. 46 The custody of the goods of those which be conuict of Felony Who shal haue the custody of felons goods forfeited or which be Fugitiues after they be forfeited doth belong to the Towne where the same goods be or where the
out the eyes of D. this shal be adiudged a maihem 13. H. 7. 14. for that A. had an intention at the first to do some hurt in striking at B. 60 The greatnesse or smalnes of the wound in some of the cases aforesaid doth make the difference whether it be a maihem or not Examination of a maihem which is to be examined by the Iustices of the court before whom the appeal of maihem is depending and by them to be decided if they be requested by the defendant in the appeall and will condiscend to do it And they may award the Kings writ to the shirif of the countie where the fact was done to warn two expert surgeons of that Countie 28. Ass p. 5. 28. E. 3. 94. citie or towne to appeare in the same court at a day prefixed to informe the court what they thinke of the wound and whether they conceiue it to be a maihem or not And if the wound be fresh and new and thereby hardly to be discerned 41. Ass pla 27. whether it will proue a maihem or not the Iustices néed not presently to examine it though the defendant in an appeal of maihem doth desire it or notwithstanding he doth plead that it is no maihem And if in an appeall of maihem the defendant doth plead not guilty 22. Ass pla 82. without requesting that the maihem may be examined by the court by this the defendant hath allowed that it is a maihem But if in an appeall of maihem the defendant doth pray that the maihem may be examined 21. H. 7. 40. if the Iustices and the surgeons that they will call vnto them be in doubt whether it be a maihem or not the Iustices may refuse the examination and compell the defendant to put him selfe vpon the triall of the countrie And yet in that case if the defendant do praie that the maihem may be examined 6. H. 7. 1. 22. Ass p. 99 by the court if the Iustices do adiudge it a maihem it is paremptorie to the defendant for he shall not after plead not guilty or any other plea in Barre séeing by his plea he hath allowed it to be a maihem But the court can not view the wound and examin whether it be a maihem or not 28. Ass p. 8. vnlesse the defendant in the appeal will request it and referre it to their iudgement If in an appeall of maihem the defendant doe plead not guiltie 22. Ass p. 82 without requesting that the maihem may be adiudged by the court though the Iurie who are to try the issue doe desire to sée the plaintife if he be maihemed or not the plaintife néed not to shew his wound for by pleading not guilty the defendant hath allowed that it is a maihem though he hath estraunged himselfe from the committing thereof 9. H. 4. 2. 61 If seuerall men do at one time assault one man and one of them doth maihem him in one part of his body Diuers appels of maihē for one offence and an other in an other part he may haue seuerall appeals of Maihem against them for that they be seuerall maihems which he hath receiued And yet if seuerall men do murder or otherwise kill a man there may be but one appeall of murder maintained against them all for that a man can haue but one death 40. Ass p. 1. But if a man sue an appeall of maihem against seuerall persons whereof against some as principals and some others as accessories and after apparance he is nonsuit he can not pursue an other appeall of maihem against the same persons and charge those as accessories which before he had named principals nor those principals who before were suggested to be accessories Principal and accessorie in maihem 62 In an appeall of maihem the plaintife may choose to make all principals or els to make him principall that did first strike him 40. Ass p. 9. 41. Ass pla 16. and the residue accessorie The Law was holden in auncient time that the plaintife in an appeall of maihem must haue declared against all the defendants as principals But now he may choose and make some principals and some accessories for an appeall of maihem is in effect but an action of Trespas wherein the plaintife shall recouer damages Maihem is a Trespas The iudgem̄t in appeall of maihem according to the quality quantitie of the offence and the defendant shall be imprisoned 8. H. 4. 2 1. And if the plaintife do bring an appeal of maihem whereas it doth appeare to the court that by the blow which was giuen him he is not maihemed he shall paie a fine Mainprise in an appeall of maihem 63 In an appeall of maihem if it do appeare to the court that the maihem is very apparant gréeuous bloudy and extreame 6. H. 7. 1. as if a mans legs or armes be broken or that the partie maihemed is in great perill of death the defendant shall not be let to mainprise no more then he should be in an appeall of murder or burglarie But if the maihem be not apparant or that it is doubtfull and questionable whether it be a maihem or not then the defendant in an appeall of maihem may be let to mainprise And that also appeareth by the statute intituled officium Coronatoris whereby it is ordained Stat. 3. E. 1. that vpon an appeall of maihem if the wounds be mortall they which be appealled shal forthwith be apprehended and kept vntill it be knowen whether he that is hurt shall recouer or not if he die they shall be retained if he liue they shall be attached by foure or sixe pledges according to the bignesse of the wound if it be for a maihem then there shall be no lesse then foure pledges if a small wound two will serue 64 In an appeall of maihem the plaintife doth declare that the defendant did maihem him felonice vt felo domini Regis Why maihem is supposed to be done felomously 40. Ass pla 40. 6. H. 7. 1. and so it may be called felony as petit Larcenie is called felony or it may be termed felony for that the blow which caused the maihem may be a meane of his death within the yeare and day after the stroke stricken and then it will be felony or for that he which did giue the blow had then a murdring mynd and so a felonious intent 65 It is a good plea in barre in an appeall of maihem for the defendant to plead Barres in appeall of maihem that the plaintife at the place aforesaid Li. intur f. 45. and at the day and yeare aforesaid did make assault vpon the defendant and would haue beaten and killed him vnlesse the defendant had then and there quickly defended himselfe against the plaintife and so the hurt and dammage if any were that then and there did come
by the bringers hereof the bodies of the said C. D. E. F. conuicted of the said forcible holding by my record commanding you and euery of you in his Ma. name that you receiue them safely keepe them in your said Goale vntill they shall haue made their fine and ransome to the King and be deliuered thence by the order of the law Hereof faile you not vpon the perill that will fall thereof Dated at Salden the 30. day of I. in the third yere of the raigne of our soueraign Lord K. Iames c. 16 And though the words of the before rehearsed stat of 8. H. 6. be Vpō cōplaint made to the I. of P. or one of thē c. yet those words do not alwais bind a I. of P. to expect the cōplaint of the party grieued or to omit to do his duty in inquiring of repressing punishing of force because the party grieued by the forcible entry or detaining of possessiō is ignorāt in séeking lawfull redres for his receiued iniury or doth intēd to take his remedy by other means but a I. of P. hauing notice of such forcible entry A Iustice may inquire of forcible entries without complaint or detaining of possession by force though it be by others and not by the party grieued may and of duty ought to goe to the place where the same force is committed to make inquisition thereof 7. E. 4. 18. and if the force be found to make restitution to the party expelled or put out by force And so by his meanes the offendor shall be punished according to his desert the partie wronged shal be restored the king shall be intituled to a fine all which without the said Iustices diligence would be omitted An action of forcible entry 17 If a man that is seised of lands or tenements of an estate in fée simple Fitz. Na. B. 248. fée taile for terme of his owne life or for the terme of anothers life be disseised or expelled thereof by force he may haue an action of Trespas of forcible entry vpon the foresaid statute of 8. H. 6. against him or them that did so disseise or expell him thereof and so he may if he be put out 6. H. 7. 12. or disseised of his lands or tenements peaceably and after the disseisor or he that doth expell him 14. H. 6. 1. doth hold them with force And in like sort he may haue the same action 3. E. 4. 19. 10. E. 4. 11. if any doth enter into his said lands or tenements with force after doth defend and hold them by force then he which is so put out and holden out with force may haue this action though the words of the statute be in the disiunctiue viz. disseised with force or disseised quietly after holden out with force for that the intent of the statute was to punish all such forces whether it were vpon the entry disseisin made or vpon the holding and detaining of the land with force in all which cases he who is so disseised or put out may haue an action of forcible entry vpon the said statute of 8. H. 6. and shall recouer his damages and costs to the treble of that which shal be found by the Enquest that he is endammaged 19. H. 6. 6. 22. H. 6. 57. 9. H. 6. 19. hath spent in his suit The writ of forcible entry must be Vi armis as wel for the occupation as for the first entry And it is to be noted that the writ declaration in an action of forcible entry must be that the def entred vi armis and not illicite or by any other such words for if the writ be otherwise it shall abate seeing a writ of forcible entry is alwaies vi armis 37. H. 6. 23. 38. H. 6. 1. and proces of Outlawry lieth in it and the declaration must expresse the certainty of the lands whereupon the defendant did make his forcible entry and which they be and not suggest that he did enter vpon certaine lands in D. And in this action of Forcible entry 35. H. 6. 6. 49. Ed. 3. 2. Co. lib. 3. 12. and in all actions Quare vi et armis a Capias doth lie and where a Capias doth lie in the proces there after iudgement a Capias ad satisfaciendum doth lie and there the king shall haue a Capias pro fine Who may brīg an actiō of forcible entry 18 None can pursue or maintaine this action of Forcible entry Fit Na. B. 248. but he who hath fréehold at the least in the lands or tenemēts so entred vpon for tenant for terme of yéeres or a copyholder cannot maintaine this action for that the words of the said stat of 8. H. 6. be If any person be put out Sta. 8. H. 6. 9 or disseised of any lāds c. and the words of the writ grounded vpon the said statute be Expulit et disseisiuit and tenant for terme of yéeres or a copyholder cānot be disseised séeing disseisin is alwaies of a fréehold which neither of them haue in that land But if tenant for terme of yéeres or a copiholder be put out by force or put out peaceably after holden out with force of land which either of them doth hold by the said estate then vpon cōplaint made by the party grieued to a I. of peace after inquisition thereof by a Iury the same force found the said Iust may reseise the said lands cause restitution thereof to be made to the party so put out for in this case the same cōplaint may be made to the said I. of P. aswell by him in the reuersiō as by the tenāt for terme of yeres or copiholder séeing he in the reuersiō who is disseised of his fréehold by this forcible entry is may as well be termed the party grieued as the tenant for terme of yéeres or the copyholder for their said particular estates And when the Iustice of peace hath made restitution the particular tenant for terme of yeares or copyholder and also he or they in reuersion shall hold and enioy their said seuerall estates in the same lands 4. 5. P. M. Di. f. 142. in such sort as they did before the said Forcible entry made But if tenant for terme of yeares be expelled out of that land which he so holdeth for the terme of yeeres he in the reuersion cannot bring an action of Forcible entry vpon the statute of 8. H. 6. for the same although it be a disseisin to him for that the expulsion is not done immediatly to him Fit Na Br. 248. 9. H. 6. 19. 19 If a man do enter by force into lands or tenements He that hath title entreth by force wherunto he hath right or title to enter doth put out him who hath the freehold of the same lāds in this case he who is so
false déede or writing as aforesaid after the said first day of Iune Stat. 5. El. 14 11 This Act or any thing therein contained Persons not chargeable by this statute shall not extend to charge any Ordinarie or any their Commissaries Officials Registers or any other their Officers or Ministers with any the offences aforesaid for putting their seale of office to any will to be exhibited vnto them not knowing the same to be false or forged or for writing of the said will or probate of the same Neither shall this Act or any thing therein contained extend or be hurtfull to any Proctor Aduocate or Register of any Ecclesiasticall Court within this realm for the writing setting forth or pleading of any Proxie made according to the Ecclesiasticall lawes or customes heretofore allowed and vsed by the Ecclesiasticall Courts of this Realme for the apparance of any person or persons beeing cited to appeare in any of the said Courts Ecclesiasticall Officiall Nor to any Archdeacon or Officall for putting their authentique seale to the said proxies or proxie Nor yet to any Iudge Ecclesiasticall for admitting of the same but they and euerie of them may hereafter doe in all poynts concerning the same as they and euerie of them might lawfully haue done before the making of this Act. Neither shall this Act extend to any Attourney Attourney Lawyer or Counsellor Counsellor that shall for his client plead shew forth or giue in euidence any false and forged déed charter will court roll or other writing for true being not partie nor priuie to the forging of the same for the pleading shewing forth or giuing in euidence of the same Neither shall this Act extend to any person or persons Exemplification that shall plead or shew forth any deed or writing exemplified vnder the great Seale of England or vnder the great seale of any other authentique Court of this Realme A Iudge A Iustice Nor shall extend to any Iudge or Iustice or other person that shall cause any seale of any Court to bee set to any such déed charter or writing inrolled not knowing the same to bee false and forged Any thing in this Act to the contrarie notwithstanding Forging of a customarie booke 12 If one or more tenants of a Mannor 15. Eliz. Dy. 322. wherein there bee seuerall Copiholders doe make a customarie booke or roll of the same Mannor in parchment or paper and doe insert therein diuers customes whereof some be false and doe set his or their owne seales thereunto and the seales of some other Copiholders of the same Mannour and the same customarie booke or roll is intituled and pretended to be collected renewed set forth and allowed by the Lord and all the Freeholders and Copiholders of the said Mannour where in truth it is set forth and made without the priuitie or consent of the Lord of the same Mannour or of the residue of the Copiholders thereof This is a forgerie and false making of a writing sealed to the intent to benefit themselues and to disinherit the Lord of the Mannor and therefore punishable by the open and shamefull punishment contained in the foresayd Statute of 5. Elizab. The proces to leuie costs and damages of a forger 13 Whereas the sayd Statute of 5. Elizabeth hath ordayned 15. Eliz. Dyer 323. That if any person shall bée conuicted of forging of a false deed vpon a bill or information to bee exhibited into the Court of the Starre chamber according to the order and vse of the Court hee shall pay vnto the partie grieued his double costs and dammages to bee assessed in the same Court Therefore when any man is attainted of Forgerie in the Starre chamber for the recouerie of the double costs and dammages taxed by the Court a writ in English shall bee made and directed to the Sherife of the Countie where the offendor doth dwell reciting the Statute and the conuiction commaunding the Sherife to leuie the said costs and dammages of the goods cattels and profits of the lands and tenements of the offendor and to bring the money into the Starre chamber Which writ shall bee sealed with the great Seale and vnder the Teste of the King And there by the order of the Court the money shall be deliuered to the partie grieued The kings pardon of forgerie 14 If a man be attainted of Forgerie in the Starre Chamber 15. Eliz. Dyer 323. Co. li. 5. 50. or in an action of Forger of false déeds founded vpon the said statute of 5. Eliz. the king may pardon his corporall punishment of setting vpon the pillorie flitting his nostrels and perpetuall imprisonment viz. so much of the penaltie of the sayd statute as is to be inflicted for a terrour or example to his people for that hée onely hath interest therein as hée hath in the issues and profits of the said offendors lands And as he may pardon the second offence of him who béeing once conuicted of forgerie doth eftsoones commit the same againe and thereby doth become a felon And as the plaintifes release discharge or discontinuance by the words of the said statute shall discharge the defendants iudgement or execution touching such costs and dammages as the plaintife should haue had against the defendant So may the kings pardon discharge the same defendant of any penaltie or forfeiture that the same statute doth giue vnto him which be the corporall punishments and the issues and profits of the defendants lands 23. El. Dy. 302. 15 Whereas the said Statute of 5. Elizab. hath ordained Forging of Testament That if any shall forge the will of any person in writing to the intent c. That then hée shall be punished as is aforesaid Yet if one do forge the Testament of another person whereby any lease for yeares shall bée conueyed hée is within the danger and penaltie of the said statute though no mention bee made in the statute of a Testament and he shall be charged onely in respect that hée hath forged a writing sealed But of a will concerning fréehold or inheritance there is speciall mention made in the same statute 12. Eliz. Dyer 288. 16 If a Clerke doe write the will of another man which is deadly sicke and after the Testator is become speechlesse Inserting more in a will than is directed and past memorie doth insert some article or clause in the same will which the Testator did not direct him to doe yet this is no forgerie punishable by the sayd statute of 5. El. nor within the meaning of the makers of the same For the principall déed or writing which was the wil of the Testator was not forged neither was any false déed charter writing or will though the article or clause inserted therein hauing no sufficient warrant was false and therefore not the Testators wil nor part thereof nor to be proued therewith 17 And though the said statute of 5.
Eliz. doth repeale as well the before mentioned statute of 1. H. 5. and all other statutes before that time made and prouided for forging of false deeds Lib. in t fol. 359. and hath ordained a new action of forger of false deeds to be founded vpon that Statute and other new remedies yet seeing both those statutes were made and prouided to one end viz. to auoid and punish the enormities of forgerie of false deeds to the disherison or hurt of others though vpon seuerall penalties Notwithstanding in some cases the like reason and so the same law is to be retained in the said statute of 5. Elizab. which was before in the first mentioned statute of 1. H. 5. As in action of Forger of false deeds 9. H. 6. 26. 20. H. 6. 11. 19. H. 6. 29. 21. H. 7. 15. 37. H. 6. 37. brought vpon the said statute of 1. H. 5. Pleas in bar of forgerie it is a good plea in barre for the defendant to plead not guiltie or that he did not forge that deed or to plead that he gaue to the plaintife a gallon of wine in satisfaction of the said offence which he did accept And so it is a good plea in barre in an action of forger of false deeds brought vpon the statute of 5. Elizab. and the same plea being confessed by the plaintife or found by verdict shall not onely barre the plaintife of the recouerie of his double costs and dammages but shall also discharge the defendant of all corporall punishments to be inflicted and of the forfeiture of the issues and profits of his land to the king For this is not a release or discharge after verdict but a discharge before verdict whereby the whole Action and sute is discharged and so not within the compasse of the said statute of 5. Eliz. 14. touching the plaintifes release or discharge after verdict Where one shall haue an Action of forgery though he hath but a right to the land 18 There be some cases where a man shall haue an Action of forger of false déeds though he hath neither possession reuersion or remainder but onely a title to the land As if a man die seised of certaine land and a stranger doth abate and enter vpon the same land before the entrie of the heire and holdeth out the heire and after the same abator doth forge some charter deed or other writing sealed of the same land to the intent to disturbe trouble or defeate the estate of the heire in the same in this case the heire may haue an Action of forger of false deeds against the same stranger though he hath then no possession reuersion or remainder in the same land And so it is 4. H. 6. 25. 22. H. 6. 15. 15. Ed. 4. 24. if one man doe disseise another man of land and after doth forge false deedes c. of the same land to the intent aforesaid the dissesee may maintaine an Action of forger of false deeds against the disseisor vpon the Statute of 5. Elizab. as he might haue done before vpon the Statute of 1. H. 5. for that his right and title to the same land is molested troubled defeated recouered or charged by the same forged deed And the same law is if a man doe bring a reall Action against an other of certaine land 9. Ed. 4. 37. and before iudgement one claiming a lease for the terme of yeares of the same land praieth to be receiued to saue his terme according to the Statute of Gloucester and doth shew his said lease which lease is forged Stat. 6. Ed. 1 11. In this case the Demandant in the saide Action may haue a writ of forger of false deedes against him that claimeth the said terme though he hath as yet nothing in possession reuersion or remainder in the same land but onelie a right for this lease is forged to â—he intent to defeate him of his right viz. of his present possession 19 If a man hath neither possession reuersion remainder or title of in or to land Where no Title no Action of forgerie and yet will bring against another an Action of forger of false deedes of the same land it is a good plea in barre for the defendant to pleade 21. H. 6. 51. 8. H. 6. 34. that hée himselfe is seised of the same land without that the plaintife hath any thing therein for if the plaintife hath nothing in the freehold or inheritance of the land nor any estate for yeares copihold or annuity in the same then he cannot be the party grieued in that Action neither his right title or interest of in or to the same can be molested troubled or defeated recouered or charged And the same law is if a man hath in land no mediate or immediate estate expectant vpon any lease or leases for life liues or yeares nor profit right of entry but onely a possibilitie 33. H. 6. 22. As if A. doe giue land to B. and the heires of his body lawfully begotten the remainder thereof to C. and his heires for euer If E. doe forge a deede containing that A. gaue same land to the said B. and the heires of his body lawfully begotten the remainder thereof to him the said E. and his heires for euer In this case C. cannot pursue an Action of forger of false deedes against E. during the liues of B. or of any of the heires of his body lawfully begotten for the said forgery séeing that during the said time his right title or interest into that land is not molested troubled defeated recouered No Action in respect of a possibilitie or charged for that he hath therein during that time but onely a possibilitie which possibilitie it may be shall neuer come into Esse And further C. cannot for the said forgery recouer double costs and dammages according to the said Statute of 5. Eli. for that he is not as yet a partie grieued nor damnified nor hath sustained any dammages neither peraduenture euer shall if B. and his heires doe continue from one generation to another and not die without issue of their bodies c. And of a bare possibilitie no value can be made neither single or double dammages assessed 18. H. 6. 5. 9. H. 6. 26. Kel fol. 114 20 If there be two Ioyntenants or tenants in common of land and a stranger doth forge a déede concerning the same land Forging of a déed touching ioyntenants land if one of those Ioyntenants or tenants in common doe bring an Action of forger of false déedes against the offender and the Defendant doe pleade that another hath an estate in Ioyntenancie or in common with the plaintife who is in full life this writ shall abate for séeing this Action is but in the nature of an Action of Trespas wherein the plaintifes are onely to recouer dammages Ioyntenants and tenants in common must ioyne in the same Action for though their right in
of the stat of 18. El. 14 Maintenance Champertie buying of titles Embracery haue bin accounted so offensiue professed enemies to the iustice peace of the realm that though by the stat of an 18. El. it is ordained Stat. 18. El. 5 That euery informer vpon any other penall stat shal exhibit his suit in proper person pursue the same onely by himselfe or by his Atturney in court and that none shal be admitted to pursue against any person vpon any penall stat but by way of information or originall writ and not otherwise nor shall haue any deputy at all And that vpon euerie such information which shal be exhibited a speciall note shall be made of the very day moneth yere of the exhibiting therof into any office or to any officer which lawfully may receiue the same without any maner of antedate to be made thereof And that vpon euery such proces shal be indorced aswel the parties name that pursueth the same proces as also the stat vpon which the information in that behalfe made is grounded and that no Informer or plaintife shall compound or agrée with any person that shall offend or shal be surmised to offend against any penal statute for such offence but after answer made in court vnto the information or suit in that behalfe exhibited or prosecuted nor after answer but by the order or consent of the court in which the same information or suit shal be depending Yet in the said stat of 18. El. there is a prouiso That it shal be lawfull for any person or persons grieued by means of any maintenāce chāpertie buying of titles or other embracery to pursue vpō any stat prouided against maintenance champerty buying of titles or embracery as he or they might haue done before the making of the said act Which prouiso was made to the end that all persons grieued by reasons of any maintenance champertie buying of titles or embracery should be left at libertie to pursue chasten the offendors therin by all such means as former laws haue authorised thē not be restrained by any of the ordinances or articles before rehearsed for that the said offēces were by the makers of the said stat adiudged to be greater impedimēts obstacles to the execution of iustice than other penal stat were 15 As the policie of the realme hath deuised the foresaid popular actions and suits to enable euery person that will Assurances to haue mainte void in diuers cases to pursue prosecute maintainors champertors buyers of pretenced rights c. to the intent the sooner to root out extirpat those offendors who indeuor to wrest the execution of lawes out of their due course to subuert iustice thereby to hinder the peace of the realme so hath it in some cases gone further ordained that some assurances made for maintenance shal be presently void as it appeareth by the stat of an 8. St. 8. H. 6. 9 H. 6. wherby it was enacted Lands gotten by force assured to haue maintenance That if any person after his entry into lands or tenements holden with force do make a feoffement or other discontinuance to any Lord or other person to haue maintenance or to toll defraud the possessor of his recouerie in any wise If alter in an Assise or other action thereof to be takē or pursued before the Iust of Assise or other the kings Iustices whatsoeuer they be by due inquiry therof to be taken the same feoffements and discontinuances may be duly proued to be made for maintenance as is aforesaid that then such feoffements or other discontinuances so as before made shall be void St. 4. H. 4. 8. holdē for none And by the stat made an 4. H. 4. it was established That if any man great or small of what estate or condition they be Lands forcibly gotten by maintenance make any forcible entry in his own right or to his own vse or in anothers right to his vse by the way of maintenāce therof is attained at the suit of the party grieued he shal be one yere imprisoned pay to the partie grieued his double dammages And also he shall answer to the partie grieued damages for his goods cattels if vpon the said forcible disseisin he tooke away any 16 As by the before mentioned stat maintenance champerty What maintenance is punishable and what iustifiable embracerie buying of titles be in generall termes deciphered together with their seuerall penalties so haue the learned Iudges Sages of the law expounded the particular branches of euery of those stat as they grew in question were prosecuted in suit before them also resolued what maintenance is punishable and what iustifiable who may pursue an action writ bill or information c. of maintenance champerty c. against whom the same is to be brought for what offēce or cause the same is maintenable what pleas are to be pleaded to the writ or in bar of the said actions writs informations c. what iudgemēt shall ensue thereupon As euerie champertie is an vnlawful maintenāce prohibited by the foresaid stat of West 1. West 2. 9. H. 6. 64. St. 28. E. 1. 11. and punishable according to the before rehearsed stat of An. 28. E. 1. and euerie chāpertie is a maintenance the partie grieued may haue aswel a writ of Maintenance as of Champertie for by that meanes the champertor hauing bargained to haue part of the land or thing in question doth ofttimes moue further the suit suborneth witnesses corrupteth the Iurie and so subuerteth iustice but there must be a suit depending before it can be adiudged maintenance in any sort for if one man wil giue money to another to beginne and prosecute a suit against a third person 3. H. 6. 55. 8. H. 5. 8. 10. Ed. 4. 19. 30. Ed. 3. 3. this is no maintenance for that this mony was giuen when there was no suit depending and if there be a writ brought and neuer returned it is no maintenance No maintenance in a Iuror for giuing his verdict 17 If there be a suit depending betwéene two and they do ioyne an issue 18. E. 4. 2. 28. H. 6. 6. which is tried by xij men found for the plaintife in this case the defendant cannot haue an action of maintenance against the said Iurors or any of them for this verdit giuē for that they gaue their verdit according to their euidence and their knowledge of the truth of the matter and besides they did not thrust thēselues into that cause but were compelled to appeare by an ordinarie course of law being impanelled returned by the Sherife or some other lawfull officer Maintenance by a Iuror suing for iudgement but if after the verdit giuen any of the Iurie wil solicit or labor to the Iudge or Iudges of the court where the said suit
dispose or otherwise imploy or suffer or cause to be paid disposed or imploied to any of the foresaid vses or to any of the like vses aboue the terme of 20. yeares next after the first making and beginning of any such vses shal be vtterly voide But for the preuenting of collusion and fraud which might bee deuised for the further establishing or corroboration of such vses by the said Statute of an 23. H. 8. Collaterall conueyaunces to defraud the assurance to Churches it was moreouer prouided That if any person or persons in defraud of the said Statute doth bind or ordaine any of their heirs or successors or any other persons that they shall suffer such vses intents or purposes to continue contrarie to the said statute vpon paine of losse of any other lands or of any other thing or doe deuise by any colour craft or meanes any thing to make such vses declared contrarie to the meaning of the said Act to continue for any longer time then is aboue limitted for the same Then euerie such penaltie craft colour and euery other thing that is made or deuised in defraud of the said act shal be voide for the said Statute shal be interpreted as beneficiallie as may be to the destruction or vtter auoyding of the vses aboue remembred and of all other like other then such as are before expressed Co. lib. 1. 26 Notwithstanding the foresaid Statute of An̄ 23. H. 8. To what vses lands may be giuen it is lawfull for any person at this day to giue his lands tenements or hereditaments to any person or persons to his or their heirs for to find a preacher for the maintenāce of a Schoole for the reliefe of maihemed souldiers for the sustentation of poore people for the reparation of churches highwayes bridges cawseis for the discharge of the poore inhabitants of a towne of cōmon charges for to make a stock for poore labourers in husbandrie poore apprentices for the mariage of poore maids or for such other charitable vses for the said stat was made onely to restraine the assuring of lands to superstitious vses and not to charitable vses And in this case it shal be expedient that the feoffor which doth assure his land to any of the vses aforesaid doe reserue to himselfe some annuall rent or take some money of the feoffées at the first for then the feoffement or assurance shal be good to the feoffées and their heires though the vse be vnlawfull And it appeareth by the stat made an 43. Stat. 43. El. 4. El. that they be accounted good and charitable vses no superstitious vses to giue lands tenements rents annuities profits hereditaments goods chattels money and stocks of money for the reliefe of aged impotent and poore people or for the maintenance of sicke and maihemed souldiers mariners schooles of learning frée schooles schollers in Vniuersities or for repaire of bridges ports hauens cawseys churches sea-bāks high waies or for education or preferment of orphans or for or toward reliefe stocke or maintenance for houses of correction or for mariage of poore maids or for supportation helpe ayd of yong trades-men handicrafts-men and persons decaied or for reliefe or redemption of prisoners or captiues or for aid or ease of any poore inhabitants concerning paiment of fifteens setting out of souldiers and other taxes For the said Stat. of 43. El. doth giue authoritie to the L. Chauncelor the L. Kéeper c. to the Chauncelor of the Duchie to award commissions from time to time into all or any parts of this Realme to certaine persons to enquire of al singular such gifts assignments appointments and of the abuses breaches of the truce negligences misimployments not imploying concealing defrauding misconuerting or misgouernment of any lands tenements rents c. goods chattels money c. heretofore giuen or assigned or which hereafter shal be giuen limited or assigned to or for any the charitable or godly vses before rehearsed And after such enquiry hearing and examining thereof to set downe such orders iudgements and decrées as the same lands tenements rents goods money c. may be duly and faithfully imployed to and for such of the charitable vses and intents aforesaid respectiuely for which they were giuen or appointed by the donors and founders thereof 26 Because when tenants for terme of life tenants in dower or by the curtesie of England or tenants after possibilitie of issue extinct were impleaded they would often be of couin with the demandants that the tenemēts demanded should be recouered against them they would not pray in ayde nor vouch to warrantie them in the reuersiō but plead in chiefe such a plea wherby they knew the tenements should be lost for the preuention and eschewing of which couin St. 13. R. 2. 16. by a stat made an 13. R. 2. it was ordained That if any such tenant be impleaded and he in the reuersion come into the Court and prayeth to be receiued to defend his right at the day that the tenant doth plead to the action or before he shal be receiued to plead in chiefe to the action without taking delay by voucher ayd-prayer nonage or other delay whatsoeuer Couin by a particular tenant to defraud him in the reuersion so that after such receipt he shal haue no delay by protection essoine of the Kings seruice or common Essoine but the sute shal be hastened as much as it may be by the lawe And dayes of grace shal be giuen by discretion of the Iudges betwixt the demaundant and him which is receiued and not the common daies giuen in pleas of land except the demaundant will thereunto assent to the intent the demaundant shal not be too much delaied which must plead with two aduersaries And he in the Reuersion which praieth to be receiued shall finde sureties for the issues of the Land aswel where the receite is counter-pleaded as where it is grauted Stat. West 2. 13. Ed. 1. 3 And by the Statute of Westminster 2 it was established That if by default or yeelding of such tenant in dower or c. iudgement shal be giuen then the heyres or they which haue the reuersion shal recouer after the death of such tenants by a writ of Entrie ad communem legem The wiues receit vpon the husbands default And by the same Statute of Westminster 2. it is also ordained That if in an Action brought against the husband and the wife of lands which bee the right of the wife the husband will absent himselfe and will not defend his wiues right or will against his wiues consent yeeld the land If the wife wil come before iudgement and be ready to answere to the demaundant and to defend her right she shal be thereunto admitted And for the further auoiding of Couin in Recoueries suffred by particular tenants by the Statute of Anno 14. Eliz. it was enacted Stat. 14. El. 8.
of his saide houses or buildings to fall downe or runne in decay and after doe make any déede of gift alienation or other conueyance of his moueable goodes or cattells in his life time to the intent after his death to defeate his successors of such iust Actions and Remedies as otherwise they might haue had for the same against their executours or the administratours of their goods Then the Successours of him which shall make such déede c. shall and may commence sute and haue such remedy in any Court Ecclesiasticall within this Realme competent for the matter against him or them to whom such déed of gift or alienation shall be so made for the amending and reparation of such Dilapidations or iust recompence for the same as hath hapned by his fact or default in such sort as he might should or ought lawfully to haue if he or they to whom such déed of gift were made were executor of him that made such déede c. or administrator of his goods c. 36 For the auoiding and preuenting of couin or collusion in suing of Actions popular which haue bin ordained from time to time to restraine and punish seuerall sorts of offenders and to the intent that the penalties of those Statutes might indéede be imposed vpon the transgressors thereof and the same offences might not be shadowed and the meaning of the makers of those Statutes might not be deluded by the couenous deceitfull and fraudulent sutes of the same offenders friendes whose practises haue béene to couer and not to punish the same offences by a Statute made Anno 11. H. 7. St. 11. H. 7. 20. it was established That if an Action popular be sued against any man by cellusion An Action popular sued by Collusion and the plaintife in the same doe recouer against the defendant or be barred any other person may after sue against the same defendant another Action popular with good faith and shall in the same recouer and haue execution if the Recouerie or barre in the first Action be found to be by couin And the defendant beign attainted of Couin shall haue two yeares imprisonment by processe of Capias and Vtlarie to be sued within the yeare after iudgement giuen or at any time after vntill the defendant be had and imprisoned and that aswell at the Kings suite as at euery other persons that will sue in that behalfe And no release of any common person made to any partie before or after an Action popular or indictment hanging shall be auaileable to let or surcease the said Action indictment processe or execution Prouided alwaies No couin shal be auerred where there hath béene triall by verdict that no plaintife or plaintifes be in any wise receiued to auerre any couin in any action popular where the point of the same Action or else collusion haue béene once tried or lawfully found with or against the plaintife by triall of twelue men and not otherwise St. 13. Eli. 7. 37 By the Statute made Anno 13. Elizab. intituled An Act touching orders for Bankerupts Fraudulent possessing of Bonkerupts lands goods or debts amongst other things it is enacted That if at anie time before or after that any such person viz. a Bankerupt departeth the Realme or shall kéepe his house or otherwise absent himselfe or take Sanctuarie or suffer himselfe to be arrested outlawed or yéelde his body to prison any person doe fraudulently by couin claime demaund recouer possesse or detaine any debts dueties goods cattels lands or tenements by writing trust or otherwise which were or shall be due or appertaine to any such offendor other than such as hée can and doth prooue to be due by right and conscience for money paid wares deliuered or other iust consideration to the iust valew thereof before the Commissioners thereunto authorized or the more part of them and the same to procéed bona fide without fraud or couin Then euery such person so craftily demaunding claiming hauing or possessing any such debt shall forfeit double as much as he shall so claime demaund detaine or possesse which said forfeiture shall be recouered leuied and imployed for the payment of the Creditors debts 38 Forasmuch as it was oftentimes put in vre to the defrauding of Creditors that such persons as were to haue the administration of the goods of others dying intestate committed vnto them if they require it would not accept the same but suffer or procure the administration to be graunted to some stranger of meane estate and not of kinne to the intestate from whom themselues or others by their meanes did take déedes of gift and authorities by letter of Atturney whereby they obtained the estate of the intestate into their handes and yet stood not subiect to pay any debts owing by the said intestate and so the creditor for lacke of knowledge of the place of habitation of the Administrator could not arrest him nor sue him and if they fortuned to finde him out yet for lacke of abilitie in him to satisfie of his owne goods the valew of that hée had conueied away of the intestates goods or released of his debts by way of wasting the creditors could not haue or recouer their iust and due debts For reformation whereof by a Statute made Anno 43. Fraudulent administratiō of intestates goods Elizab. it was ordained St. 43. El. 8. That euery person and persons that héereafter shall obtaine receiue or haue any goods or debts of any person dying intestate or a release or other discharge of any debt or duety that belonged to the intestate vpon any fraud as is aforefaid or without such valuable consideration as shall amount to the valew of the same goods and debts or néere thereabouts except it be in or towards satisfaction of some iust and principall debt of the valew of the same goods or debts to him owing by the intestate at the time of his decease shall be charged and chargeable as Executor of his owne wrong and so farre onely as all such goods and debts comming to his hands or whereof he is released or discharged by such Administrator will satisfie Allowance of iust debts and other lawfull payments deducting neuerthelesse to and for himselfe allowance of all iust due and principall debt vpon good consideration without fraud owing to him by the intestate at the time of his decease and of all other payments made by him which lawfull Executors or Administrators may and ought to haue and pay by the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme 39 By a Statute not imprinted made Anno 27. H. 8. it was enacted St. 27. H. 8. That all craftie and fraudulent Recoueries feoffements estates giftes grants and leases and euery of them made by any of the chiefe gouernours of such religious houses Fraudulent conueiances of Abbey lāds as were giuen to the King by that Statute viz. of such as had not in lands aboue two hundred pounds by the
their owne vse and in the said Lands and Tenements did commit wast and destruction to the disheritance of them in the reuersion For the restraint and punishment of which said offence being both an oppression and also a fraud and deceit St. 11. H. 6. 5 Fit N.B. 59 by a Statute made Anno 11. H. 6. it was ordayned That they in the reuersion in such case may haue and maintaine a writ of Wast against the said Tenants for terme of life anothers life A termor alieneth his estate occupieth the land coÌ„mitteth wast or for yeares and so recouer against them the place wasted and their treble dammages for the wast so by them done as they ought to haue done for the wast done by them before the said Graunt and Lease of their estate Prouided That this Ordinance shall not hold place but where the first Tenants before the Graunt and Lease of their estates in the manner and forme abouesaid were punishable of wast and also where after the said Graunt and Lease the said first Tenants of the said Landes and Tenements do take the profits at the time of the wast done to their owne proper vse And though the wordes of the said Statute doe giue an action of Wast in the case aforesaid but onely to him in the reuersion Co. li. 5. 77. yet he in the remainder also being in the like mischiefe shall or may take the benefit thereof and maintaine an action of Wast in this case against his particular Tenant for life or yeares if eyther of them doe commit wast to his disheritance And whatsoeuer the intent of the Grauntor is in the case aforesaid yet if the Grauntée doe assigne his Lease take the profits thereof and commit Wast he is punishable according to the sayd Statute for his intent shall not be issuable nam exitus acta probat viz. the taking of the profites doe sufficiently expresse his intent and euery assignée of the first Tenant mediat or immediat is within the compasse of this Statute for the Statute was made to suppresse Fraud Wast and Oppression And so was the Statute of Westminster the second béeing made and prouided to restraine Wast and Oppression committed by one Tenant in common to the preiudice and disheritance of another by which it was ordayned St. 13. E. 1. 22 That whereas two or more doe hold Wood Wast coÌ„mitted by a tenant in common Turbarie Fishing or such like things in common wherein none knoweth his owne seuerall and one of them doth commit Wast against the will of the other an action of Wast may lye and when it is come vnto iudgement the defendant shall chuse eyther to take his part in a place certaine by the assignement of the Shirife and by the view and oath of his neighbours sworne and tryed for the same intent or els he shall grant to take nothing from thenceforth in the same Wood 3. E. 1. Wast 25. 50. Ed. 3. 3. Turbarie and such other but as his parteners will take And if he doe chuse to take his part in a place certaine the place wasted shall be assigned for his part according as it was before he committed the Wast And because the before rehearsed statute of Marlebridge doth expresse in generall termes in what thinges Wast may be committed as in Houses Woods and Men and the words of the writ of Wast in the Register be Quare fecit vastum venditionem seu destructionem de terris domibus Boscis Gardinis and the foresaid Statutes of Anno 6. Edw. 1. 13. Edw. 1. and 11. H. 6. doe declare who are forbidden to doe that Wast and séeing Wast in Lands Houses Woods or c. is a great wrong and oppression to him or them in reuersion or remainder of the same therefore I will somewhat particularly explaine which the Law doth construe and expound to be Wasts prohibited and punishable by the foresaid Statutes or either of them to the intent that both he that hath the inheritance and also the particular Tenant may know what is due to either of them in respect of their seuerall estates and what to take and what to leaue And to begin with the words of the Writ touching Wast in Land Wast in land If one person doe demise or conuey to another for the terme of yeares life or c. Land 22. H. 6. 18 2. H. 7. 14 17. E. 3. 7. 9. Ed. 4. 35. Co. li. 5. 11. Fit Nat. Br. 149. Lib. in t 6â—6 where there is included in the bowels of the earth Tynne Yron Lead Coale Stone Grauell Morter Sand Chalke or Marle if the Myne or Pit thereof be not open when the Lessées estate or terme doth begin the said Tenant may not open the ground make a new Myne and take the same Coale Stone Grauell or c. for if he doe it is Wast of the land and he in the reuersion or remainder may punish him therefore by an action of Wast For whereas there was assured to the Tenant but Vesturam terrae and the annuall profit of the Land hée hath digged and carried away the Land it selfe and impaired the inheritance thereof for euer But if there bée a Myne or Pit open in any part of the ground so demised or assured at the time of the Lease or assurance thereof or at the time when the estate of the Tenant did begin then the Tenant may digge there and take and carry away so much of the Coale Stone Grauell as shall be necessarily vsed or imployed for or towards the repaire or maintenance of the House Land or other commodities therewith demised and it is no Wast But if he do giue sell 41. E. 3. Wast 82. or otherwise dispose the same to any other person place or vse sauing as is aforesaid then for so much as he shall so mis-imploy it is Wast If one person doe lease or assure his Land to another and all the Mynes or Pits therein for yeares life Co. li. 5. 11. or c. the Lessée may open and digge the ground for Coale Morter Stone c. and take and carry away the same though there was not any Myne open at the time of the Lease or estate made For by the assurance it doth appeare that the Lessor was contented that wast should be made in any part of the ground leased by myning or digging and in this case the Lessée may sell or otherwise dispose the same Coale Stone Marle or c. at his pleasure 17. Ed. 3. 7 for it is as much as if the Lease or assurance had béene made to the Tenant without impeachment of any manner of Wast to be committed by Mynes Pits or diggings If the Tenant for yeares life or c. doe eyre plough vp and conuert into Tillage or Wood ground an auncient and vsuall mâ—wen Meddow it is Wast and so it is 15. H. 3. Wast 131. 46. Ed. 3. Wast 91. if he doe drowne or
that all men may kill him without punishment and specially if he defend himselfe or flie away in such sort that he may be hardly apprehended But if he doe not flie or defend himselfe then he that killeth a man so taken shal answere for him as for any other man for that life and death be in the kings hands vnlesse there be a custome to the contrary as in the Counties of Hereford and Glocester And he shal forfeit the benefit of Law for he which being outlawed will be so bold as to returne without the kings licence shall die without law or further examination in iudgement And he cannot appeale others for he hath lost the benefit of law and carieth with him his iudgement vpon his head he can haue no defence so long as the Outlary standeth in force It is vpright iustice that he shal perish without law and iudgement who refuseth to liue according to the law And he shall forfeit his right and possession of all things that he hath gotten or may get And all bonds obligations homages fealties oathes and other contracts made with him be dissolued which can neuer be reuiued but vpon a new contract though he be restored And he shal forfeit all his tenements and hereditaments from him and his heires and euery action that was due to him before his Outlary though he be after restored by the kings pardon And Outlary of felony and euery other iudgement of felony doth dissolue all the gifts sales of land that he made sithence the time of the felony committed The outlawes goods shal be the kings for he cannot be outlawed in any other place but in the kings Court as in the Country Court or in the Hustings of London ⧠Corruption of Blood 1 BY attainder of Treason or Felony commeth corruption of Blood that is to say that the offendors children cannot be heires to him that is attainted nor to any other auncestor Corruption of blood salued by Parliament only And if the offendor were a Nobleman or a Gentleman before by this attainder he is become ignoble and not onely he himselfe but also all his children hauing respect to the Nobilitie which they had by their birth And this corruption of Blood is so grieuous that it cannot bee salued otherwise then by authoritie of Parliament But if the King will pardon the offendor it will cleanse the corruption of blood of those children which be borne after the pardon and they which be borne after the pardon may inherite the land which their auncestor purchased at the time of the pardon or after but so cannot they which were borne before the pardon And also he that is attainted of Treason or Felony shall not bee heire to his father but his disabilitie shall hinder others to be heire so that during his life the land shall rather escheat to the lord of the fée 27. Ed. 3. 77. Fi. Petit. 20 then discend to another But if he that is attainted doe die without issue of his body during the life of his auncestor then his younger brother sister or cousin shall inherite for if the eldest sonne be hanged Fi. Discēt 6. 26. As p. 2. or doth abiure the Realme for Felony during the fathers life it is no impediment but that the youngest sonne may inherite 29. As p. 11 13. H. 4. 8. Fit Discent 17. And if he which is attainted of Treason or Felony in the life time of his auncestor doe purchase the Kings pardon before the death of his auncestor yet he shall not be heire to his said auncestor but the land shall rather escheat to the lord of the fée But if the eldest sonne be a Clerke conuict in the life of his father and after his father dieth in this case he shall inherite his fathers land because he was not attainted of Felony for by the common Law hée should haue inherited after hée had made his purgation And now by the Statute of Anno 18. Eliz. hée shall bee forthwith enlarged after burning in the hand Fi. Cor. 382 St. 18. Eli. 6. and deliuered out of prison and not committed to the Ordinary to make his purgation and so he is in case as if he had made his purgation Where corruption of blood shall preiudice tenant by the courtesie 2 If a man that hath land in the right of his wife haue issue 13. H. 7. 17 and doth commit Felony for the which he is attainted and the king doth pardon him in this case if his wife doe die before him he shall not be tenant by the courtesie for the corruption of blood of that issue But it is otherwise if he hath issue after the pardon for then he shall be tenant by the courtesie although the issue which he had before the pardon be not inheritable The eldest sonne attainted of felony during his fathers life 3 If a man seised of lands hath issue two sonnes 32. H. 8. Dyer 48. and the eldest is attainted of Felony in the life of his father and is executed for the felony or otherwise dieth during the life of his father and after the father dieth seised of the land the land shal discend to the youngest sonne as heire to his father if the eldest sonne hath no issue then liuing But if the eldest sonne that was attainted hath any issue in life which should haue inherited but for the attainder the land shall escheat to the lord and not discend to the younger brother for that the blood of the eldest brother is corrupted Where an attainder but n◠corruption of blood 4 S. Forfeiture 27 That the attainder of Treason or Felony in certaine cases shal not extend to make any corruption of blood the disinheritance of any heire forfeiture of any dower nor to preiudice the right or title of any person other then of the offendor or offendors during his or their naturall liues only ⧠Restitution of stolne goods 1 HAuing written of Robberies and other Felonies and declared how Felons are to be prosecuted by Arrest Appeale Indictment Arraignment Tryall and Iudgement and what they shall forfeit I meane now to shew how true men whose goods were robbed stoln or feloniously taken from them by such Felons shall be restored to their goods againe As it is necessary for the Commonwealth that Felons should be punished least the impunity of some should incourage them and also allure others to commit the like offences so is it fit that they chiefely whose goods were taken from them and therby haue tasted the smart and receiued the losse by the Felons and are more likely to know who they be and where they be then others are should doe their vttermost endeauor to procure those Felons to be apprehended brought to their answers and to haue them punished according to their demerits that is to say he that was robbed What is fresh suit or whose goods were stolne from him ought presently after the
6. 28 for then was not the plaintife lawfully acquit according to the Statute of Westminst 2. Iudgement in conspiracie 12 When any is conuict in a writ of Conspiracie at the suit of the partie the iudgement is none other but that the plaintife shall recouer his damages 43. E. 3. 33. and that the defendants shall bée taken But if one be indicted and conuicted of conspiracie at the Kings suit the iudgement is more grieuous for then the iudgement is That they shall loose their frée law to the intent 27. As p. 59 46. As p. 11. 24. E. 3. 34. that they shall not after that time be put in Iuries or Assises nor otherwise produced as witnesses to testifie truth and if they haue to do in the Kings Court they shall make their Attourney to sue for them and that they shall not approach within twelue miles of the Kings Court and that their lands goods and cattels shall bée seised into the Kings hand and their houses wasted and their wiues and children thrust out of doores and their trées pulled vp by the rootes and their bodies taken and imprisoned And this is tearmed a villainous iudgement because it bringeth villanie and shame to him that receiueth it 13 And because that wicked offence of conspiracie should bee inquired of and punished as well by indictment as by writ there was a Statute made Anno 28. Ed. 1. called Articuli super chartas whereby it was ordayned St. 28. E. 1. That in right of Conspirators false informers and imbracers of Enquests Assises and Iuries the King hath prouided remedie by a Writ out of the Chauncery And from henceforth the King will that his Iustices of the one Bench the other and the Iust assigned to take Assises Inquirie of Conspiracies by Iustices when they come into the countrey to do their office shall make enquiry thereof at any mans plaint without writ Register fo 118. and shall without delay do right to the plaintifes And the Iustices may be commaunded by a writ directed vnto them out of the Chancery to execute the same statute although the statute of it selfe is a sufficient warrant and authoritie for them so to doe which remedie mentioned in the foresaid statute was intended to be ordained by another statute called the statute of Conspirators St. 20. E. 1. made Anno 20. Edw. 1. at Berwike vpon Tweed which doth prouide a writ of Conspiracie against conspirators maintainers of false quarels and champertors and expresseth the forme of that writ St. 28. Ed. 1 14 But because the foresayd Statute of Articuli super chartas did prouide onely a remedie at the plaint of the partie and did not giue the Iustices in the sayd Statute mentioned power to enquire of heare and determine conspiracies at the suit of the King neither did it giue authoritie to the said Iustices to adiourne the suit if for shortnesse of time it could not be determined in the countrey St. 4. E. 3. 11. Therefore by a statute made Anno 4. Edw. 3. Inquirie of conspirators at K. or parties suit the same enormities were redressed by these words viz. Where in times past diuers people of the Realme as well great as other haue made alliances confederacies and conspiracies to maintaine parties pleas and quarels whereby diuers haue béene wrongfully disherited and some ransomed and destroyed and some for feare beeing maymed and beaten durst not sue for their right nor complaine nor the Iurors of Enquests giue their verdicts to the great hurt of the people and slaunder of the Law and common right Therefore it is agréed that the Iustices of the one Bench and of the other and the Iustices assigned to take Assises whensoeuer they come to hold their Sessions to take Enquests vpon Nisi prius shall enquire heare and determine as well at the Kings suit as at the suit of the partie of such maintainers bearers and conspirators and also of champertors and of all other things contained in the sayd Article as well as Iustices in Eire should doe if they were in the same Countie And that which cannot be determined before the Iustices of the one Bench or of the other vpon the Nisi prius for shortnesse of time shall be adiourned into the places whereof they be Iustices and there shall be determined according to right and reason 15 Notwithstanding the foresaid Statutes there were such deuises and practises to execute malice and reuenge and desire to put others in perill of their liues lands and goods that some would frame indictments or appeales against others of the K. good and obedient subiects of Treason Felony or trespas in seuerall forrein counties liberties and franchises where the said persons did neuer dwel nor conuerse and there they were pursued to the Exigent and sometime outlawed before that they could know of it For the remedie whereof there was a stat St. 8. H. 6. 10 made Anno 8. H. 6. wherein amongst other things it was enacted That if any person shall be indicted or appealed of felony Procurers of an indictment or appeale in a forrein county treason or trespas in a forein county he shal in an action vpon the case recouer treble damages against euery procurer of such indictment or appeale after hee is duly acquited by verdict And the like proces shal be in the same as in an action of Trespas vi armis S. Appeales 61. An offence supposed to be in a place where there is none such 16 Because diuers people vpon malice enuie and desire of reuenge did ofttime cause the K. liege people to be appealed or indicted in diuers counties of Treasons or Felonies supposing by the said appeals or indictments that the said Treasons or Felonies were committed in one certaine place whereas there is no such place within the said county where the said indictmēt is found nor any such place in the county as is declared by the said Appeale Therefore by the stat made anno 7. H. 5. anno 9. H. 5. anno 18. H. 6. it was ordained St. 9. H. 5. 1. St. 18. H. 6. 12. That the said Appeals and indictments and the proces thereupon shal be void and adiudged of no force And that the said Appellées and Indictées may haue their writs of Conspiracie against their indictors procurors and conspirators and recouer their damages And that the indictors procurors and conspirators shal be punished by imprisonment fine and ransome for the K. aduantage by the Iustices discretion ⧠The Coroner and his Authoritie and dutie in Felonies c. 1 A Coroner is an antient officer of trust in this realm The Coroners Office ordained to be a principall preseruer and kéeper of the peace to make record of the pleas of the Crown and of his owne view and of abiurations and of outlawries and of Appeales and accusations of felons made before him and of nonsuits of plaintifes in Appeales and of all
enacted That the wife or heire of any person murdered or slaine Iudges in appeale of murder or manslaughter as case shall require may commence their Appeale in proper person at any time within the yere after the felony done before the Sherife Coroners where the said felonie and murder was done or before the King in his Bench or Iustices of Gaole deliuerie 9 To the intent to inable the Iust Iustices of Nisi prius Iudges in felonie treason of Nisi prius to giue iudgement of such persons as be either attainted or acquit of treason or felonie by a stat made an 14. H. 6. it was established St. 14. H. 6. 1 That the Iust before whom Enquests Inquisitions and Iuries shal be taken by the K. writ of Nisi prius according to the form of the stat thereof made shall haue power of all the cases of felony and of treason to giue iudgement Though this stat of 14. H. 6. doth giue authoritie to Iustices of Nisi prius to giue iudgement as wel vpon acquital 10. Ed. 4. 14 as vpon attainder of treason or felonie notwithstanding if in an Appeale the defendant bée acquit before them they cannot award damages against the plaintife Awarding of damages and inquiring of abettors nor inquire of abettors for their power by this stat extendeth but to treason and felonie onely wherof they may giue iudgement and of nothing else for the awarding of damages and inquiring of abettors doth yet remaine as it was at the common law St. 33. H. 8. 23. 10 By the stat of Anno 33. H. 8. it is ordained Iudges of murders by speciall commission That if any person or persons being examined before the K. Counsell or thrée of them vpon any maner of murders do confesse any such offences or that the said Counsell or thrée of them vpon such examination shall thinke any person so examined to bée vehemently suspected of any murder then in euery such case by the kings commandement the K. Commission of Oyer and Terminer vnder the great Seale shal be made to such persons and to such Shires or places as shal be appointed by his Highnesse for the spéedie tryall conuiction or deliuerance of such offendors which Commissioners shall haue authoritie to inquire heare and determine all such murders within the Shire and places limited by their Commission by such good and lawfull persons as shall bee returned before them by the Sherife his minister or other hauing power to returne writs proces for that purpose in whatsoeuer other Shire or place within the K. dominions or without such offences were cōmitted But Péers of the realme being indicted of the said offence shall be tried by their Péeres This stat was also made for the triall of treasons and misprision of treasons by speciall commission But by the stat St. 1. 2. P. M. 10. of an 1. 2. P. M. it was enacted That all trials to bee made for any treasons shal be only vsed according to the course of the common law 11 Where Traitors Pirats Théeues Robbers Murderers and confederators vpon the Sea many times escaped vnpunished because the tryall of their offences hath heretofore béene ordered iudged and determined before the Admirall or his Lieutenant or Commissarie after the course of the Ciuile lawes the nature whereof is that before any iudgement of death can be giuen against the offendors either they must plainly confesse their offences which they will neuer doe without torture or paines or else their offences must be so plainely and directly prooued by witnesses indifferent such as saw their offences committed which cannot bée gotten but by chaunce at few times because such offendors commit their offences vpon the Sea and many times murder and kill such persons being the ship or boat where they commit their offences which should bée witnesse against them in that behalfe and also such as should beare witnesse bee commonly Mariners and shipmen which because of their often voyages and passages vpon the Sea depart without long tarrying and protracting of time to the great costs and charges as well of the King as such as would pursue such offendors For reformation whereof by a Statute made Anno 28. H. 8. it was enacted That all Treasons St. 28. H. 8. 15. Felonies Robberies Murders and Confederacies committed in or vpon the Sea or in any other Hauen Riuer Créeke or place where the Admirall or Admirals haue or pretend to haue power authoritie or iurisdiction shall bee inquired tryed heard determined and iudged in such Shires and places in the Realme as shall bée limited by the Kings Commission or Commissions to be directed for the same in like forme and condition as if any such offence or offences had beene committed or done in and vpon the land And such Commissions shall bee had vnder the great Seale directed to the Admirall or Admirals Iudges in piracie where the Admirall hath iurisdiction or to his or their Lieutenant Deputie and Deputies and to three or foure other such substantiall persons as shall bee named or appointed by the Lord Chauncellor for the time being from time to time and as oft as néed shall require to heare and determine such offences after the course of the common lawes of this land vsed for Treasons Felonies Robberies Murders and Confederacies of the same done and committed vpon the land within the Realme And such persons to whome such Commission or Commissions shall bee directed or foure of them at the least shall haue authoritie to inquire of such offences and euerie of them by the othes of twelue good and lawfull inhabitants of the Shire limited in their Commission in such manner and forme as if such offences had beene committed vpon the land within the same Shire And euerie Indictment found and presented before such Commissioners of any Treasons Felonies Robberies Murders Manslaughters or such other offences committed or done in or vpon the Seas or in or vpon any Riuer Hauen or Creeke shall be good and effectual in the law And if any person or persons happen to be indicted for any such offence done vpon the Seas or in any other place aboue limited then such order Proces Iudgement and execution shal be vsed had done and made to and against euerie such person and persons so being indicted as against traitors felons and murderers for treason felonie robberie murder or other such offences done vpon the land as by the law of this Realm is accustomed And the trial of such offence or offences if it be denied by the offendor or offendors shal be had by xij lawfull men inhabited in the Shire limited in such commission which shall be directed as is aforesaid No challenge for the hūdred and no challenge to be had for the Hundred And such as shal be conuict of any such offence or offences by verdict confession or proces by authoritie of any such commission shall haue
And Stewards and Bailifes of great Lords who by their seigniory office or power doe vndertake to maintaine or vphold other quarrels or suites then such which concerne their Lords or themselues A conspiracie must be by more then one 7 The foresaid statute doth define conspirators to be those St. 33. E. 1. which bind themselues by oath c. By which words it doth appeare that a conspiracy cannot be committed by one person alone but by two at the least and therefore this Writ of Conspiracy will not be maintained against one alone though it were begun against diuers for as soone as it shal appear 28. Ass p. 12 22. Ass p. 77 11. H. 4. 162 that all but one be discharged therof by their discharge that one shal also be discharged But this discharge ought to be such a one as may be a discharge to all intents as acquitall of all by verdict sauing one is an acquitall of that one also And so it is if al but one be discharged by matter in Law as if they plead that they were indictors or such like matter in Law which will discharge them for in those cases they be acquit of the conspiracie to all intents But if in a writ of Conspiracie sued against two 14. H. 6. 25. one of them is attainted and the other doth barre the plaintife by a demurrer in law yet that shall not discharge the other which is attainted Where one only charged in Conspiracy if the barre both not containe matter to proue that he did not conspire or could not conspire And so it is if in a writ of Conspiracy brought against two the one doth appeare plead and his plea is found against him in this case iudgement may be giuen against him 24. E. 3. 34. though the other be not attainted and yet in that case some doe affirme 27. E. 3. 80. that in a writ of Conspiracy against two one of thē shall not answere vntill his companion doth appeare for the inconueniency which may ensue viz. that the one may be foūd guilty and the other after may be acquit of the same conspiracy But if he that did first appear wil plead without his companion though the law doth not inforce him thereunto and that the verdict do passe against him and he found guilty of the conspiracy iudgement shal be giuen against him as is aforesaid though after his companion be acquited of the same conspiracy Nam volenti non fit iniuria 8 As a writ of Conspiracy will not lie against one person only no more wil it be maintained against two who do represent but one person No writ of Conspiracy against the husband and wife as the husband and wife 40. Ed. 3. 19. 38. E. 3. 3. for a writ of Conspiracy is not to be brought against them séeing the husband and wife by common intendment ought to haue but one will which will of the wiues is or should be subiect to the will of the husband So that when they conferre and speake together all shall be intended the spéech and act of the husband and nothing of the wife But it is otherwise if she do any act alone without her husband as if she doe commit Treason or Felony c. But a writ of Conspiracy will lye against the husband Fi. N.B. 116. L. his wife and a third person 9 The common forme of the writ of Conspiracy in the Register is this The forme of the writ of Conspiracie viz. Register fo 134. Rex vice comiti N. Salutem c. Si A. fecerit c. tunc pone c. B. C. quod sintcoram nobis c. ostensuri quare conspiratione inter eos apud M. praehabita praefatum A. de quodam equo furtiue apud R. capto abducto indictari ipsum ea occasione capi in prisona nostra N. quousque in curia nostra coram dilectis fidelibus nostris I. S. iusticiarijs nostris ad Gaolam nostram N. deliberandam assignatis secundum legem consuetudinem regni nostri acquietauts fuisset detineri falso malitiose procurauerunt ad graue damnum ipsius A. contra formam ordinationis in huiusmodi casu prouisae Et habeas ibi nomina plegiorum hoc breue Teste c. Which foresaid writ is founded vpon a verdict but if it be a writ of Conspiracy founded vpon the plaintifes Nonsute in an appeale then the words of the writ be these viz. Quousque idem A. per considerationem curiae nostrae inde quietus recessit Though in the Writ of Conspiracie it is not alledged 35. H. 6. 46 that the place where the Conspiracie was deuised was within the Countie and within the iurisdiction of those Iustices before whom the plaintife was acquit yet the writ is good notwithstanding the omission of that allegation for it shal be intended to be made within the same county vntil the contrarie shal be shewed But it must néeds be expressed in the writ before which Iust the acquitall of the pl. was 3. H. 6. 52. but not the manner of the acquitall nor how hée was acquited And neither in this writ nor in other writs of Conspiracie mentioned in the Register all the indictment néed not to be rehearsed 19. H. 6. 34. 47. Ed. 3. 16. but briefly the substance thereof and it is sufficiently in forme if the writ of Conspiracie doe agrée with the indictment which it ought to do 10 In the Register there is a writ of Conspiracie for the Accessorie A writ of conspiracy for the accessorie in felonie when hée is acquit by verdict and another writ for him vpon the acquital of the Principall if his life were put in ieopardie by the same Enquest that acquited the principall but yet these two writs doe differ in forme for the first is Quousque coram praefatis Iusticiarijs nostris inde secundum legem consuetudinem nostram acquietatus fuit And the other is Quousque principal ' secundum legem c. acquietatus fuisset idem accessorius quietus recessit And it is sufficient 33. H. 6. 1. if in the writ brought by the accessorie hee make mention of his owne imprisonment and not of the principals And this forme of quietus recessit is vsed also when a writ of Conspiracie is brought vpon an acquitall in an Appeale at the Kings suit after the parties nonsuit 22. H. 6. 49. In a writ of Conspiracie the plaintife may suppose that the conspiracie was made in two Townes Conspiracy in two townes because in one day the Conspirators may meete in seuerall Townes Barres in conspiracie 11 In a writ of Conspiracie it is a good plea for the defendants to plead in barre of the Action a concord betwéene the plaintife and them And so it is to plead any matter which will proue the acquitall of the plaintife erronious 21. H.