Ienny Defendant entred in Banco Regis Hillar 2. Iacobi Rot 571 where the Plaintiffe declared that the Defendant in consideration that the Plaintiffe had formerly married his Daughter at his speciall request the Defendant promised the Plaintiffe to pay him euery yéere during the life of the Defendant ten pound c. and as my report saith the Plaintiffe vpon non assumpsit pleaded had verdict and iudgement in the Kings Bench but vpon a writ of error in Exchequer Chamber the Iudgement was reuersed for that the Marriage was executed before the promise made and yet the declaration supposed that the Defendant requested the Plaintiffe to Marriage c. But let me not run so farre from my Tert as neuer to finde the way backe againe A man may sue for Marriage money in his owne name onely and so is it generally where that which is in demand or to be recouered commeth méerely and onely to the Baron Example 43. Ed. 3. fo 8. The Earle of Arundell brought a Writt of Trespasse against one for chasing in a free Chace that he held in right of his Wife and the Writt awarded good though the Wife were not named in it because nothing was to be recouered by damages Likewise is it if the Baron bring a Writt of Trespasse for strayes taken in Lands holden in right of his Wife And eod anno fo 26. for breaking of a house and carrying away of timber the Husband alone shall haue the action because hee may when hee list pull downe a house or sell timber standing vpon his Wiues Inheritance or make a release to any body vpon such manner of trespasse and the Wiues action is gone for euer There is also the same yeare fo 16. another Case wherein because a decies tantum was brought by Baron and Feme the Writt abated for though the first action concerned the Wiues Interest yet nothing is to be recoueredin a decies tantum but damages c. Sée the Booke of 20. H. 6. fo 1. a Writt of maintenance wherein nothing is recouerable but damages was brought by Baron and Feme vpon maintenance in a bill of fresh force against them by the better opinion they might ioyne c. And the Defendant passeth Ouster but not by award 41. Ed. 3. f. 9. a Writ of Champertie brought by the Baron onely vpon an assise which had passed against him and his wife was allowed good notwithstanding exceptions taken of the wiues Interest c. vpon the reasons before expressed And by Finch if a man haue a Ward in right of his Wife Dower shall be demanded against him onely because the gard is a Chattell vested But if a Writt of Wardship be to be brought it shall be against the Baron and feme c. because of voucher And in trespasse if the Plaintiffe recouer against Baron and Feme by false verdict they both must wyne in the attaint for that must be according to the record 46. Ed. 3. fo 20. a man brought a Writt of rauishment de gard declaring vpon a possession iure vxoris and the Writ held good yet in this case there is more then damages to be recouered for the Plaintiffe shall haue the Infant restored by the very words of his Writt But there againe it was agréed that an action to recouer a Ward must be against them both because of voucher though in a writt of Dower it be vt supra because therein there is no voucher c. If Baron and Feme sell the Wiues Inheritance by fine for twenty pound an action of debt for the money shall bee brought by the Baron onely for the grant was onely the Barons grant and if he die the Executors shall haue the action and not the Feme 48. Ed. 3. fo 18. And a repleâ—â—n must bee brought by the Baron onely because a Feme Couert cannot haue a propertie in any goods or Chattels But for such goods as the Wife hath as Executrix it séemeth the Baron and Feme may ioyne in ar pleuen so shall they for goods of the Wife taken dum sola fuit Fitz. in the title reception In trespasse at Common Law or vpon the Statute Anno 5. Rich. 2. the Baron alone shall haue action of trespasse and so likewise for taking away Charters concerning the Wiues inheritance So is it if he alone deliuer such Charters he alone may haue action against the Bayliffe c. But a Writt of Detinue of Charters of the Wiues inheritance must be sued by both c. because the Charters themselues are to be recouered And therefore vpon recouery of them the Baron and Feme must ioyne for recouery A quare impedit was brought 50. of Ed. 3. fo 13. and the Baron declared of an agréement betwixt thrée Sisters to present by turne to a Church whereof they had the Aduousan and this was the turne of his Wife c. The Defendant demands Iudgement of the Writt because the Wife being still aliue was not named but this Writt also was awarded good because nothing was to be recouered here but onely the Presentment and not the Aduousan And if a Writt should be awarded to the Bishop against the Baron the Wife thereby should not be out of possession because she is not partie to the Iudgement besides that she is ayded by West 2. cap. 3. And for a generall rule where the Husbands release is good the action may be brought in his name onely as vpon cutting of trées grasse Corne c. And such actions may be brought in the name both of the Husband and the Wife An assise of â—arraigne presentment is a mixt action and the Aduousan it selfe shall be recouered in it therefore of necessity it must be brought both by Baron and Feme 15. Ed. 4. fo 9. The Baron Seignior in right of his wife ioyned in a writt of rescous and it was argued that he alone ought to haue brought the writt But it was awarded well brought by them both Though per Littleton it were good enough in nosme le Baron tantum And per Pigot when an obligation is made to Baron and Feme the Baron alone may haue the action or they may ioyne â—adem lex in trespasse c. maintenance c. for alwayes where the action may suruiue to the wife the wife may ioyne in the writt They which shall read these two last Cases argued 50. Ed. 3. and 15. Ed. 4 in the yeares at large shall not néed to repent it SECT XLII When a Wife may sue or be sued alone IT is seldome almost neuer that a marryed woman can haue any action to vse her writt onely in her owne name her husband is her sterne her primus motor without whom the cannot doe much at home and lesse abroad But if her Huusband commit felonie take the Church and abiure the Realme she is now in case as a Widdow inabled to make alienation of her owne land as a Feme sole or to bring a cui in vita for
a man and his wife be bound by Obligation a Writ against them both vpon that Obligation shall abate car fait del Feme couert est void See 15 Ed. 4 fol. 10. that if an Obligation bee made to Baron and Feme and the husband dieth the wife or husbands Executor which of them shall hap to haue the Obligation shall sue c. as it is said by Bryan And Detinue of Charters shall bee brought by Baron and Feme for Charters concerning her ioynt possession 38. H. 6. fol. 25. If Baron and Feme make a Lease for yeares of the wiues lands they must ioyne in an action of waste or else the Writ shall abate 7. H. 4. 15. yet 3. H. 6. fol. 53. a Writ of waste so brought was doubted of because forsooth a Feme couert cannot make any Lease But at the last the Writ was holden good for the wife might accept the rent or distraine for it and make auowrie after the husbands death at what time and not before shee hath power to agree or disagree but during the Couerture the lease was the Act of them both baron feme tenants for yeares may ioyne in an Action of couenant against the Lessor that outeth them for the wife suruiuing shall haue the terme if the husband doe not aliene 47. of Ed. 3. fol. 12. And where a remainder is to bee executed to a Feme couert by force and conueyance of a fine c. the Baron and Feme may haue a Scire facias to shew why the land should not remaine to I. S. and to N. his wife for the land cannot remaine to one of them but it must remaine to them both But a Formidon in Discender or Reuerter or a Writ of Escheat differeth 11. H. 4. fol. 15. 44. Ed. â— fol. 10. a Writ of Dower was brought by Baron and feme and the tenant pleaded that the former baron had neuer any thing in the land during the espousals which the Demandants did not deny therefore the Tenant prayed they might be barred and their confession recorded but it would not be granted because it should bee preiudiciall to the wife yet at the request of the Tenant they were receiued to acknowledge their right by fine and the woman was examined Quod nota for she shall not be examined vpon confession of an Action SECT XLVI Actions against Baron and Feme AS Actions are rightly puâ—sued by Baron and Feme when right is withholden from her or wrong done to her selfe her interest or possession so when the wife is or is supposed a wrong doer or her husband doth wrong vnder pretext of her interest writs must be sued against them both for as it hath béene shewed already if a Feme couert bee condemned in any ciuill Action without her husband she and her husband may haue a Writ of error Therefore if a woman which is indebted take a husband an Action of Debt shall be against her and her husband in the Debent 9. E. 4. fol. 24. 7. H. 7. fol. 2. agréeth and if any thing were owing to the Feme before marriage the Writ of such a debt shall bee Quasâ—is debet If a man baile goods to a Feme sole which marrieth afterward an Action of Detinue shall be against her and her husband for these goods per curiam 39. Ed. 3. 17. And 1. H. 4. fol. 31. a Writ of trespasse sur le case was brought for not repairing certaine bankes vpon lands which the defendant had in Dale by reason wherof the plaintiffes ground was surrounded and because the Defendants whole interest in Dale was only jure vxoris which wife was not named in the Writ it abated for they ought to haue béen ioyned 3. H. 4. fol. 1. Upon a Lease made to Baron and Feme for yeares rendring rent the Lessor brings a Writ of Debt c. against Baron and Feme and Iudgement was asked of the Writ because it was not brought against the Baron onely Thiâ—â—ing holdeth the Writ good aswell as an Action of waste shall bee against both Baron Feme vpon such a Leafe and so doth one other Iustice but some pleaders argued contra And in Actions against Baron and Feme the woman must be named wife 42. Edw. 3. fol. 23. A writ of trespasse is brought against Iohn and Alice with others Alice saith shee was and is the wife of Iohn iour del briefe purchase iudgement del briefe and this is a good plea in abatement of the writ So if a writ be against Iohn and Alice his wife Alice if shée be single may plead not the wife Iudgement del briefe But Iohn shall not haue that plea per totam curiam for none as Brooke maketh the reason shall plead Misnosmer but the partie 7. H. 6. fol. 9. In Assise against Baron and Feme the Uicount returned that hee had attached the Baron per centum ones matrices but the wife had nothing to be attached of within his Bâ—â—liwicke heâ— eâ—â— in eádem inuenta the best opinion is that the returne is not good for he was commanded to attach the wife which the Law would neuer command if the thing were impossible but it is possible enough for the wife to be attached by her husbands goods and by him shee must bee brought into the Court. Babington saith an Attachment must bee by a meere chattle which shall be forfeited by Default but not by any Chattell reall as a Lease for yeares or a ward or by appartell c. Now note it hath béene said that in an Action of debt or trespasse or other personall Actions if the Baron appeare and the wife make default or if the wife appeare and the baron make default they shall not answer the one without the other 44. Ed. 3. fol. 1. A writ of debt was brought against Baron and Feme the wife outlawed the Baron rendred himselfe at the Exigent at returne whereof hee appeared in ward and the Plaintiffe prayed because the Processe was determined against the wife that the husband might answer sed non alocatur But sée in the next lease a writ of trespasse pursued against Baron and Feme to the Exigent the Uicount returned that hee had taken them at the day the Baron came inward without the wife c. The Plaintiffe declared against him he was compelled to answer and pleaded not culpable le Vicont fuit charge de le corps le Feme amercâ—e and a writ went out to haue the wife at Westminster at a certaine day with a Venire facias betwixt the Plaintiffe and the husband returnable the same day sée 34. H. 6. fol. 29. A writ of trespasse against Baron and Feme and the Baron as seruant to the Chancellor brought a Superâ—edeas for himselfe and his wife Littleton said it was to be allowed for neither of them no more than where trespasse is brought against one of the Chancery and another man c. Nay not so much saith Prisot for in that case the
the Statute of 21. H. 8. hath béene taken A sonne of Charles Duke of Suffolke by a second venter hauing certaine goods by his fathers Will dyed intestate and without wife or issue his mother who was daughter to the Lord Willough by tooke Administration which was afterward reuoked after great argument in the spirituall Court as well by common Lawyers as Ciuilians in the behalfes of the said mother Dutchesse of Suffolke and Lady Francis wife to the Marquis Dorset sister of the halfe â—loud to Henry the Intestate which sued to reuerse the Administration and obteined it her selfe though shee were but sister de demy sanke for the mother is not next of kin to her awâ—e sonne in thiâ—â—aâ—ter but must descend and not ascend either by one Law or the other and children be â—â— sanguine patris matris â—â—â— pater mater non sunt de saâ—gâ—ine puerorum Contrary it is of brethren and sisters 5. Edw. 6. 47 in Brooke titulo Administraton There is also this Case William Rawliâ—s Clericus died inteâ—â—ate administration was committed to Sir Humphrey Browne who had married Rawlins his sister William Shelton and Iohn Shelton sonnes to the Lady Browne by her first husband reuersed the administration and obteined â— for themselues But sée in Sir Edward Cokes 3. Rep. in Ratcliffs ca. fol. 40. it is said that the booke of 5. Edw. 6. haue beene often times resolued to bée no Law and that the goods of the sonne or daughter ought to be granted to the father or mother as the next of bloud and there is Littleton â—ited who saith that although the sonnes lands goe to the vncle yet the father is next of bloud SECT II. Areâ—sonâ—ble part of the goods IF there bée a will proued the widow must take such goods as were bequeathed her by deliuery from the Executors but whether here were a will or none in some places she shall haue a third part of all her late husbands goods For this there is an ordinary writ to the Sheriffe where she cannot haue a third part of that which remaines after funerals discharged and legacies payd and performed to summoâ— the Executors to appeare and make answer why she should not haue as the custome of the Court is that women ought to haue rationabilem partem de bonis caâ—alâ—â—s virâ—rum The like writ is for children whether they be sonnes or daughterâ— or both And this writ speaketh of a custome in the County that children which are not heires nor promoted in the fathers life time shall haue their reasonable part 3. Edw. 3. A Writ of debt was brought by a man Alice his wife against the Executors of his wiues father declaration was vpon custome of the Shire that children not aduanced should haue their reasonable part of their fathers goods the Executors said that Alice was married by her father in his life time iudgement si action c. It is no answer said one to say that she was married by her father except you say also by or with her fathers goods and to her conueniable aduancement and here the husband at time of the marriage or after had neuer any land The Executors said still shée was conueniently married by her fathers procurement c. And in the end the Baron and Feme offered to auerre not married by the father on which point the issue was ioyned Fiâ—zh Dett 156. 40. Edw. 3. In a rationabili parte bonorum brought by a daughter counting on the custome of the Towne that euery son and daughter should haue a reasonable part the defendant pleaded a reuersion discended to her which she might sell for her aduancement in marriage iudgement si action c. Mowbray said the Lords in Parliament would not agrée that this action is maintenable by any common custome or Law of the Realme Doctor and St. fol. 132. a. by the custome of some Country the children the dâ—bts and legacies payd shall haue a reasonable part of the goods of the dead 39. Edw. 3. fol. 9. 10. One brought a Writ of Detinue for certaine goods shewing the custome of Sussex That where the father dyed intestate his heire should haue a reasonable part of his Chattels and vpon this custome hee demanded goods come to the Defendants hands It was argued whether the custome were good or no. Morris such a custome hath béene allowed in Eyre 21. Hen. 6. fol. 1. 2. In fine â—asus a woman brought a Writ of detinew against her husbands Executors for a â—â—ity of his goods as for her reasonable part by custome and the Defendant was compelled to answer 7. Edw. 4. fol. 20. 21. Iâ— a raâ—ioâ—abili parte boâ—â—rum iudgement was asked of the declaration because the custome was that where the Baron dyed sans issue the wife should haue a moity of his goods after debts and â—uâ—erals discharged but if there were issue shee should haue but a third part and here the Plaintiffe had a demanded moity without alleaging that the baron died sans issue c. The Plea was amended by permittance of the Iustices for Daâ—by said the widow had as good title to the goods as to lands at the common Law But Cat. by spied another fault in the Count viz. Continuance of the custome not alleaged 18. Hen. 6. fo â— in a rationabili parte bonorum one Executor appearing confessed the action and the others made default whereupon the Plaintiffe recouered presently by equity of the Statute 9 Edw. 3. cap. 3. by which the Executor comming first must answer Like or the same learning is in the former Booke 7. Ed. 4. where Choke said that alwayes if ne vnques executor ne vnques administrat coÌ„e executor be a good plea vt hic the Executor first appearing must answer I see that many tunes in stead of this writ de rationabili parte bonorum a writ of debt sometimes and many times of detinue hath serued and you may finde further 52. and 56. titulo Detinue in Fitzâ— And the great variance is in this that the action is founded on a custome sometime of the Towne sometime of the County and sometime of the Realme for indéed many haue holden that it is generall like an action of the Case against an Hostler or an action deâ—igne custodiendo So teacheth Glanuil and so Fitzh who relieth vpon magna Charta cap. 18. which prescribiâ—g how the Kings debts shall bée leuied of his goods that is dead willeth the surplussage to remaine for the Executors ad testamentum defuncti pimplend saluis vxori pueris eius partibus rationabilibuâ— which being of a reasonable part may be restrained to places where custome yéeldeth it for ought that I perceiue Bracton in this passage is like a péece of Romane ancient coyne that time hath rusted and defaced If a man saith he make a Testament he ought to remember his Lord of whom hée holdeth his land with the best thing he hath and the Church with the next
by the better opinion 3. Ed. 4. â— 9. 10. such a partition is good enough if it be vpon the ground but see the bookes of 2. Eliz. Dyer 179. 18. Eliz. Dyer 350. There is also a prety case of a mill parted betwéen two brethren ioynt-tenants by an award of a third that one should repaire the mill on the one side of a certaine poste and the other on the other side imperpetuum c. which was awarded a good partition without any writing 47. Ed. 3. 24. â—9 Assi p. 1. It hath béene also much doubted whether iudgement may be giuen to hold in seuerall when in assise of nouell disseisin brought by one ioynt-tenant or tenant in common against another it is found for the plaintiffe as it is cleare it may be if the action were betwixt partners 7. assi p. 10. Herle would not haue giuen iudgement to hold in seueraltie had the parties beéne ioynt-tenants But 10. Assi p. 17. such a iudgement is giuen and no bones made of it yet 28. assi p. 35. R. Thorp in like case would giue no iudgement but generally to hold a moity per my per tont though he were besought in the Country at the assises at West again and again for Iudgement to hold seuerally 7. H. 6. fo 4. Weston glanceth on such a iudgement and Strange denyeth that it may be for it destroyeth the suruiuor But Chine saith that it may be and hath béen often the reason why the Law was more scrupulous in those points betwéene tenants in Common and ioynt-tenants then betwéen partners was as I guesse because coheyres haue their estate by course of law and the other are in either by the act of some body which made the estate or by their own doing so that though for necessity they may alien that which belongeth to them or charge it yet otherwise the Contract made by consent may not without manifest assent be vndone Bract. saith fo 206. sufficit femel voluisse nec dissoluitur mutua voluntas nisi mutua voluntare contraria It is perceiued how the law was before the Statutes 31. 32. H. 8. a summarie of which is set downe already now that it may the better in part be vnderstood how the law hath béene taken since those Statutes obserue the causes following out of my Lord Dyers Reports The puisne of thrée Coparceners of a reuersion vpon estate for life gauel-kind alieneth by a fine the lessée dieth the eldest parcener entreth into all his Inheritance the middlemost and the Alienée bring a ioynt Writt of partition vpon the Statute the eldest pleadeth the generall issue non tenent insimul pro indiviso the case appearing by the euidence it was holden vpon a demurrer cleere that the action was not maintainable for the one ought to haue her Writt by the Common Law and the other by the statute but ioyne they could not Quaere saith Dier if the entry of the eldest giue seisin to the rest that it should giue it to the stranger were hard 2. 3. Phi. Ma. fol. 12. 8. One of three Coparceners alieneth that which to her belongeth one of the other two bringeth a Writt of partition against her fellow parcener and the alienée vpon the statute because in this case she might haue had a Writ by the Common Law this Writ vpon the statute abated But if the two Coparceners had ioyned against the alienée and the one had beene at non-suite she should haue been summoned and seuered and her part beene diuided as well as the others quaere by the Register when the husband vnto one of thrée partners purchaseth one part c. he and his wife may haue a speciall Writt against the third euen so it séemeth if one of thrée Coparceners purchase a fellowes part the purchaser may haue a speciall writt against the third parcener 7. ct 8. Eliz. 243. in Dyer by Anthony Browne and Dyer ioint-tenants cannot at this day make partition by paroll out of the countie where the land lieth for 31. and 32. c. change not the law in this point But the partition must bee by Writt out of Chancery Humfrey Browne and Weston 2. Eliza. Dier 179. a man deuised socage lands to his two daughters and to the heyres of their two bodies loyally engendred and died the two daughters tooke husbands and at full age c. partition was made by paroll one husband had issue by his Wife and shée dyed By the opinion of the whole Court the other Husband and his wife shall haue the whole Land by suruiuor for partition by word onely betwixt ioint-tenants or tenants in Common of estate of Inheritance is voyd yet of a tearme peraduenture saith Dier such a partition is good enough fo 350. in Dier If ye doubt now of any thing somthing more then you did before yée are the better learned and warned to worke surely The manner of partition by Writ c. THe Iudgment vpon a writ de partit faciend if that diuision be made betwéene the parties and that the Viscount in proper person going to the lands and tenements by the oath of 12. loyall men of his Countie make the partition deliuering one part to the plaintiffe or to one of the plaintiffes and another part to another parcener c. making no mention in the iudgement more of the eldest then the youngest Sister The Sheriffe must giue notice to the Iustices of the partition which he hath made aswell vnder the seale of the 12. men as vnder his owne seale And in this partition there is no primer election giuen to any but the second may haue liuery before the eldest or the younger before either of them euen as it pleaseth the Sheriffe And this difference is betweene partition by Writ here and the other partition which is by agreement In the first the Viscount shall make to euery partner her distinct share but in the other they may agrée that one shall hold in seueraltie and the rest shall occupie that which remaineth in common Thus farre Littleton Bractons partition THere is in Bracton a large discourse of partition which I sée not why for the forme at this day should not be good if not of all other the best And this partition is by commission to men either chosen by the parties or appointed by the King as Iustices or extenders with commandement to the Sheriffe to make them come before those Commissioners or extenders tam milites quam alios legales homines nulla affinitate attingentes per quos negotium melius expedire poterit He hath also a precept to the Coroners where the Sheriffe is negligent Tepidus remissus in executione preceptorum domini Regis with a rule for valuation of an aduowsan viz. that a marke annuall to the parson shall be rated a shilling to the parcener to whom the aduowsan shall be alotted And when the extent and diuision is made euery part being written by
Iudge ought to command execution presently for this benefit shall bee claimed but once If the Iudge inquire further of it it must be but to set a fine on the Marshall or Sheriffe for looking no better to her Stanford lib. 3. ca. vlâ—imo And by the bookes which he citeth the obiection must be not priuiment ensoint but enâ—â—int de viue enfant SECT XLIV Of Treasons ANd this obiection of enseintment is aswell to delay execution for treason as for felony A woman for committing either grand or petty treason shall be burned The latter part of the Statute 25. of Ed. 3. ca. 2 is That if any seruant kill his Master any woman kill her husband or any man secular or religious person kill his Prelate to whom he owes obedience this is treason and euery Lord shall haue the Escheates for such treasons of his owne proper fée the Statute is but declaration of the common law titulo Coronae in Fitzh A woman compasseth with her Adulterer the death of her husband they assailed him riding on the high way beating wounding leauing him for dead and then they fled The husband got vp leuied hue and cry came before the Iustices they sent after the offendors which were gotten arraigned and the matter found by verdict the adulterer was hanged the woman burned to death the husband liuing voluntas reputabitur per facto 15. E. 2. A woman seruant conspired to rob her Mistris and brought a stranger to the bed-side where the Mistris lay asleepe the stranger killed her the seruant silent nothing doing but holding the Candle the two chiefe Iustices and Hâ—re thought the seruant a Traytresse and a principall 2. 3. Eliz. Dyer 128. yet Mistris is not verbatim in the Statute Stanford was one of them against the chiefe Iustices opinion in this case yet in his owne booke he teacheth that abettors procurers are within the meaning and intent of the Law The seruant and the wife conspire the husbands death he is killed by the seruant in absence of the wife this is petty treason in them both by opinion of diuers Iustices otherwise it is if the murtherer be no seruant Dyer 16. Eliz 332. for Saunders wife which procured Browne to kill her husband but barely hanged as accessarie because the principall was but a murtherer 8. Eliz. Dyer 254. SECT XLV Actions by Baron and Feme together THe baron and feme may ioyne in a writ of trespasse quare vi armis clausuÌ„ fregit c. for trespasse done in the wiues land either before couerture or during couerture Sée 21. H. 6. fol. 30. such a Writ brought of trespasse in the Close of Baron and Feme and féeding vp blada sua Iudgement is asked of the Writ because a Feme couert hath no propertie in goods and chattels during the couerture The Declaration saith Markham is blada sua dum sola fuit depastus fuit That saith Newton is not possible but it ought to be blada ipsius Katherinae c. Yeluerton saith that both the Writ and Declaration ought to haue béene Dum sola fuit which Newton denies and saith that the Count ought only to be so and affirmeth that as the matter is brought forth there is an intendment of depasturing before couerture and of breaking the Close after couerture of which the Baron and Feme may haue a Writ Clausum suum fregit c. So the Action seemeth to be by two seuerall titles But in the end the record was viewed which was Quod clausum ipsius Katherinae fregit blada eiusdem Katherinae depastus fuit and the Declaration Dum sola fuit which made the Writ to be awarded good And there it is said that by the Register the Writ is not Dum sola fuit but generall and the Declaration speciall Yet 7. H. 7. fol. 2. vpon the like Writ of Quare clausum fregit bonâ— catella sua cepit which Declaration of trespasse to the Feme Dum sola fuit iudgement being giuen was afterwards found erroneous for fault in the Writ which should haue béene not bona sua but bona ipsius le Feme and therefore a Repleader awarded The baron feme may haue a Writ of trespasse of assault made to the Feme and imprisonment of her vntill the Baron compounded and paid a fine and the briefe and count shall be ad damna ipsorum quod nota 46. Ed. â— 3. Nota per Cuâ—iam saith Brooke Baron and Feme may ioyne in appeale De â—â—pe le feme for the husband alone cannot haue it without his wife 8. H. 4. fol. 21 The case there is A woman prisoner in the Marshalsey makes a suggestion to the Court that the Marshals man had rauished her in prison Gâ—scoigne commanded the Marshall to take his man to his custody and his staffe from him and the Court told the woman that she alone could not bring appeale sans son Baron but if her husband would come and they two together would proue the rape the rauisher should be hanged By this case it is plaine that the wife alone cannot haue the appeale but the Baron and Feme may haue it But neither by this case or any other statute can I finde that the baron may not haue it alone Whether ne vnque a couple in loyall matrimony be a sufficient plea in this appeale and whether he which is but Baron in possession only that is that husband which is at the time of the rape may haue it quaere and see 11. H. 4. 13. Baron and Feme may ioyne in a Writ of Debt and 16. Edw 4. fol. 8. such a Writ brought for arrerages of account with Declaration that the defendant was the wiues receiuer Dum sola fuit puraccount render and that the Baron and Feme after espousals assigned Auditors which found the defendant in arrerages c. Insomuch as the ground of the Action begun by the wise and the assignment of the Auditors was pursuing And likewise by the wife they might ioyne So if an Obligation be made to Baron Feme they may ioyne in a Writ of Debt and if the Baron die his wife and not the Executors shall haue the Action 3. H. 6. fol. 37. Per curiam Baron and Feme may ioyne in a Writ of Debt vpon an Obligation made to them during couerture And Babington affirmes that the Baron may haue the Action alone if he will 43. Ed. 3. fol. 10. such a Writ was brought and exception taken that it ought to haue been by the husband alone sed non allocatur Though for chattels vested as goods that are giuen to a man and his wife the Baron alone must pursue his Action for taking them out of his possession Otherwise it is of matters consisting onely in Action c. for they suruiue to the Feme like to a Lease granted to Baron and Feme for yeares So is it of rauishment or eiectment of Guard for these are Chattles reall But if
this Warrantor be vnder age yet the Law fauoureth widdowes so much that the plaint shal not attend his full age Therefore if the Tenant shew forth any Charter Déed or speciall cause whereby the Court may perceiue that the Infant is bound to Warrantie by the Ancestors act he shall answer presently what age soeuer he be of And though the Infant in ward be aliened by his Gardian or Gardians from hand to hand this shall not preiudice the Voucher for alwayes he shall vouch to warrantie the Heire and not the Gardian who is bound to present his ward so vouched in Court without difference whether it be one or many parceners Thus saith Britton and 48. Ed. 3. fol. 5. agreeth that he which voucheth an heire vnder age must vouch him in ward de vntiel If he be a ward it is said there also that hee which voucheth an heire at full age must shew a Déed quaere But when the lands are in the Gardians owne possession to his owne profit and vse the writ of Dower must â—ée brought against the Gardian and not against the Infant 46. Ed. 3. fol. 19. Where Mowbray saith where an Infant is vouched in ward of the King the woman shall recouer Dower maintenant 3. H. 6. fol. 17. It was agréed per curiam that in Action of Dower if the tenant vouch the heire in the Kings ward within the same Countie where the writ is brought the Demandant shall not recouer before the warrantie be determined but the Law is contra if the Voucher had prayed summons in another Countie for then the Demandant should recouer maintenant yet by the Register fol. 7. if in a writ of Dower the tenant vouch in Durham the Demandant shall abide triall of the warrantie and not recouer presently But by Fitzherbert for a rule in titulo Voucher if the tenant vouch in a forraine Countie shee shall recouer maintenant and neuer attend triall of the warrantie but when Voucher is in mesme lâ— countie If the heire vouched to warrantie aftâ—r â—hee hath appeared and countâ—â— pleaded the warrantie or before appearance being lawfully summoned do 〈…〉 ke default the Defendant shall haue execution against him maintenant if hee haue lanâ—s within the Countie Brooke Dower 5. And also Dower the 6â— when the heire is vouched in the same Countie the woman shall recouer against the heire Dyer 3. Eliz. â—â—â— In Dower the tenant vouch the heire in the same Countie who co 〈…〉 as one that hath nothing by descent in â—ée and renders Dower the tenant auers that he hath assâ—â—â— by descent qu 〈…〉 if he should not say in fée for by Weston and Browne if the lands be in taile it doth not 〈…〉 the tenants lanâ—s And the opinion of the Court was that the Demandant shall haue Iudgement presently aga 〈…〉 the heire if he hath lands c. and if not against the tenant and that before the issue of the assâ—â—s tried 1 Ed. â— fol. 24 In a writ of Dower against Tenant for life if he vouch his Lessor which is heire to the husband the woman shall recouer against the Tenant and he ouer against the Vouchee But when the heire iâ— vouched by Charter of his Ancestor the Demandant shall 〈…〉 couer against the Vouchee and the Tenant shall hold 〈…〉 peace Yet in a Writ of Dower against Lessée for 〈…〉 e of the Barons demise if the heire bee vouched to Warrantie though here the reuersion which is the cause of the Warrantie were made by the Baron the Demand 〈…〉 shall recouer against the Tenant and he against the heire If the tenant vouch in a writ of Dower and the Vouch 〈…〉 counter plead the Warrantie the woman shall recouer maintenant though in other actions it bée otherwise 46. Ed. 3. fol. 25. and 49. Ed. 3. fol. 23. In a Writ of Dower the Tenant vouched himselfe to sâ—â—e the 〈…〉 taile 2. H. 4. fol. 18. in Dower the Tenant vouched the heire Processe went on to sequatur sub suo periculo sicut alias the Vouchée came not it was awarded the Demandant should recouer against the Vouchée if hee had lands in the same Countie If not that shee shall recouer against the Tenant and hee ouer in value But first it was examined if the Vouchee were heire to the Baron 21. Ed. 3. fol. 30. In Dower the tenant voucheth the Barons heire in ward of the demandant per cause de nurture shewing the Ancestors Déed he was compelled to plead in barre because now the woman might be endowed De la plus beale for Gardeine pur nurture hath alwayes intendment to Soccage tenure Vide Brooke Dower 42. 5. Ed. 3. The fathers wife was endowed the Grandmother brought a writ of Dower against her â—he vouched the heire in reuerston the Demandant recouered against the tenant and shee against the heire a third part of two parts remaining but not in value Sée Brooke Dower 79. If the Grandmother die the mother may enter into the first dower and the heire into the second SECT IX Plees in a writ of Dower ADmitting there were no Voucher let vs run ouer other matters vsually pleaded 14. H. 4. 33. in Dower was demanded a third part of two mils of other lands yâ— tenant asked Iudgement of the plaintiffe for they were during the whole time of couerture but the â—â—te of two mills viz. toâ—ts 38. Ed. 3. fol. 13. In a writ of dower against one as Gardian of land and heire of K. de R. the defendant answered that the Infants father was â— de R. Iudgement del briefe and if the writ were good hee was ready to render dower You cannot said Knyuet plead to the writ render dower both at one day so the demandant praying Iudgement seisen was awarded her And because she auerred that the defendant was not touts temps prist to render dower an Inquest of dammages was awarded and that execution should cease till the Inquest were past 13. Ed. 4. fol. 7. In action of dower the tenant pleaded touts temps prist de render Dower vncore est The demandant said that I. S. her husband died seised and that such a day and yeere she required the tenant to indow her at Dale which refused c. he replyed that at the same day he offered to goe with her to the lands and to assigne her dower but she refused sans ceo that he refused The Court held the Issue well taken by this speciall pleading But if hee had said generally and barely hee refused not some thought it had not beene sufficient insomuch as it denies not the request Bryan said the demandant here might not haue seuerall Iudgements of one thing for note shee was to recouer dower vpon the first plea but all the other Iustices were of opinion cleere that shee should haue Iudgement of Dower maintenant and 18. Ed. 3. In action of Dower Iudgement was to recouer dower with an inquest for dammages As in a Quare
seisi que Dower la puit It was giuen in eâ—idence to the Inquest on the Demandants â—ehalâ—e that a feosment was made to the â—aron in fee yâ— déed of feofment was shewed to the Court it was answered that long time before the feofment the Earon was seised to him and his first wife in speciall taile and how afterward hee discontinâ—ed that and takes backe an estate in fée simple to himselfe by â—he 〈◊〉 aforesaid of which estate hee died seised so that the heire in speciall taile was remitted and the second wife being now Demandant not dowable Mountague would haue demurred and disâ—â—ssed the â—ury but the Iustices were cleare in opinion that the â—ury ought to 〈◊〉 for the Demandant because their charge was only vpon the issue viz. whether the Baron had euer â—eiâ—in of such â—state that thâ— wife might haue dower And they were not to â—â—gâ—â—d the Remitter but onely to looke to the generall issue giuen them in charge But if the speâ—iâ—ll matter had 〈◊〉 pleaded the Demandant must nâ—â—dâ— haue â—éene â—arred for if he which makes a feoffement with condition to râ—â—nter for the condition broken and then in a Writ of dâ—â—er brought by thâ—feâ—â—â—â—â—s wiâ—â— hee will plead ne vnques â—â—iâ—â—â— quâ— dower it shall be found against him Knighâ—ly therefore would haue the spâ—â—iall matter found by the Iury and a verdict at large but the Iustâ—ces would not consent Yet â—empore Edw. 1. There was a case that the Baron discontinued his wiâ—es 〈◊〉 and died his wife recouered against the discontinue and he died the discontinues wife brought a Writ of Dower against the woman Recouâ—rer and she pleaded the generall issue ne vnques â—eisi que dower la puit All this matter was found â—y â—peâ—iall verâ—â—â—â— and â—udgement giâ—â—n vpon the issue 〈◊〉 foolishly â—â—ynâ—d that the Demandant should recoâ—er Dower which shee should neuer haue done had the 〈◊〉 â—éene good Sâ—â— and marke well this case and 21. Edw. â— fol. 60. and the â—â—se 28 Aâ—s pl. 4. SECT XIV Recouerie against the husband 14. H. 4. 33. IN action of Dower the Tenant pleaded a recouery in Assise against the husband iudgement si action c. the Demandant said her husband was seised c. and married her and infeofed the Tenant and afterward disseised him against whom the Tenant recouered in Assise the Baron died she prayed to bee indowed The Tenant said he was seised till by the Baron disseised against whom hee recouered by Assise sans câ—o that the Baron was seised before the disseisin que dower la puit the Demandant said seised before the disseisen que dower la puit Likewise 47. Edw. 3. 13. the Baron makes a feofment and ousteth the feofée the feofée recouers in assize the baron dieth now in a writ of Dower if the feoffée plead recouery in assize the widdow cannot â—alâ—â—â—â—â— the recouery but she may plead that long time before it c. her husband was seised que dower la puit and the Defendant contra 12. H. 4. 20. 21. The Tenant said he brought a Formedone against the husband which Writ hanging he shewed to the husband a dâ—ed of intailment whereupon presently he rendred the land in pâ—is to the Tenant which entred and now auâ—rreth the entailâ— Iudgement si action Thiâ—â— said the Statute was si vir reddat aduersario suo de plenâ— Iusticiarii adiudicent mulieri dotem but he and the whole Court agréed that rendring in pais doth not defeat meâ—â—â— estates of them which were neither parties nor priuy to the rendring and therefore they awarded the woâ—â—â— should recouer Dower Hanke said fée simple might not be rendered without liuery and seisin and where there is Lord and Tenant the Tenant may not surrender to his Lord Of falsifying of recoueries I haue spoken already Note If land bee recouered in value against the husband because of warranty made by his Ancestors the widdow shall haue Dower of those lands notwithstanding for if the Baron had aliâ—ned the land before voucher it should not haue beene rendred in value Consequently therefore the womans title is more ancient than the vouchers which beginneth but the day of vouching By Fâ—â—zh in his Abridgemâ—nt Dower 129. And his â—atâ— â—re 150. d. SECT XV. Ne vnques accouple c. SOmetime the vnlawfulnesse of marriage is pleaded in barre of Dower As 39. Edw. 3. 15. the Tenant pleaded the Demandant was first married to A and hée liuing she married B. of whoâ—e dowâ—ent she claimeth A. being still aliue this was holdâ—n no good pleading and therefore he added â—ssâ—â—t nient accouple in loyall matrimony The entry was only ne vnques accouple c. and a Writ awarded to the Bishop to certifie but for all such pleas deduced at length by old Writers as stand vpon the inualidity of marriage I will refâ—rre widdowes to that which is gone before of marriage and diuorce The pleas also of vnder 9. yéeres of age of attainder of non tenure ioyntenure or seuerall tenure I will not tarry on them 39. Ed. 1. fol. 4. A woman brought Dower against twâ— by seuerall precipes and one of them prayed â—yd of the other as parceners so that it appeareth that seuerall tenaâ—cie is a good plea in action of Dower Contra in Assise Brooke 99. SECT XVI Plea that tâ—e Baron is yeâ— aliue THe Writ de dote vnde nihil habet affords another eâ—ception against Dower because it saith quondâ—â— viri sui for though the fundamentall cause of dower be matrimony quoad le title yet as to the possession a woman cannot claime it till matrimony be dissolued therefore by Fitzherbert if the Baron take habit of religion the wife shall not be endowed till the husband be dead re vera yet by Britton it is issuable whether the Baron be entred into religion or no and that issue shall be tried by the Ordinary and iudged according to his certificat â—ut when the deforcer will barre Dower by â—lâ—a that the husband is yet aliue if the widdow reply he is dead the proofe regularly belongs to the Plaintiffe But if the Defendant say the husband is in plein vy ceo est prist auerrer he must proue his aâ—erâ—ent and sometime â—oth parties shall be heard to make their prâ—â—e which if it â—e aâ—â—â—e strong on either â—â—â—e the Deâ—andant may haue iâ—dgâ—ment oâ—â—eisiâ— finding surety such as the Court shall â—ward to resâ—ort if hâ—r husband hereafter â—ee brought into Court the â—aâ—d with the issues and proâ—â—â—s therâ—â—â— iâ— tâ—e interim recoâ—â—â—d But if the matter be doubtfull and the womaâ—â—aâ—â—ot â—â—â—â—e such surety the seisen shall râ—â—â—â—â—e where iâ— is and tâ—â— plea in suspence to be renewed pâ—â—summons as occasion shall serue Britton fo 25. SECT XVII Iudgement IVdgement in a Writ of Dower is framed according to the substance of the title and circumstance of the pleading It is touched aboue when or how a woman shall recouer dammages by sâ—râ—ise that the husband dyed
substance of the entrie is no more but conâ—iderâ—tum est vt reâ—upâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 pâ—rte and then either presently or after ward â—â— the 〈◊〉 of the demandant there is awarded a writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de tertia parte to the Sheriffe who must make returne how he hath executed the Kings commandement But I finde by Dyer 11. Eliz. fol. 278. that an Alias habere fac shall not be awarded after the Sheriffe hath executed the Formedon the case was that the Sheriffe vpon the Habere fac ' c. profer seism by meanes of a third part and the Demandant refuse yet by Harpur and Dyer her entrie was afterwards lawfull for the certaintie appeared and they that an Alias habere fac ' by no president shal be granted and as images of this course must be the procéedings in all basâ— Courts which hold of Dower So that it is now more than sufficiently perceiued that the third part of euerie mans inheritance is assignable for Dower by the husbands heire or the heires Gardian or by the Feoffée or Feoffées of the husband or heire or by some other tenant or tenants or by the Chancellor Escheator or Viscount But it ought to appeare yet mâ—re fully how these thrée parts shall be assigned and wherein Sée Dyer 2. Eliz. 187. In Dower against eight two confesse the action and the rest plead in â—arre sir had iudgement for a third part of two in eight diuided and afterward vpon verdict against the sir iudgement was of sir partâ— in eight diuided Parcell of any thing whereof a woman may rightly claime Dower is assignable c. But other lands than those whereof she is by title dowable or not assignable Acceptance of a greater or lesse part than the third in name of Dower of all the franktenement which the Baron had bindeth a woman But assignment of all the land which the Baron had is not good But I referre you to Sir Edw. Cokes Commentarie vpon Littleâ—on fol. 346. how Assignment is to be made and what Assignment is good where it is said eight things are obseruable to a perfect Assignment of Dower The heire is not bound to assigne any widdow Dower in his capitall Messuage or in any part thereof But Assignment of such house in allowance of all other lands or of other lands whereof she is dowable for the house is good when it is accepted And Assignment of a chamber in the husbands dwelling house when other lands are not whereof to make assignation is good being accepted But a woman is not bound to accept this kinde of Dower except she list Arent may be assigned her out of the house and this shall be good sans fait Like wise it is of Common of Estouers of Pasture assigned in allowance of lands or other things whereof a woman is dowable And lands in Wales may be assigned for a whole Dower and thereby â— woman may be excluded from her Dower in England If vpon Iudgement of Dower and before execution the tenant assigne a rent per paroll issuing out of the land whereof the Iudgement was giuen and the woman accepts it in stead of Dower thâ—â— iâ— a good barre in a Scire facias and it is distrainable of common right but if the Assignment had béene by pâ—roll of other lanâ—s than of such as wherein the woman might haue claimed Dower it would not haue barred execution because it was not pursuant to the first Iudgement Dyer 1. Mar. fol. 91. It is said in Sir Edw. Cokâ—â— 4. Rep. fol. 1. in Vâ—rnons case that at the Common Law no collaterall satisfaction or recompence made to a woman in satisfaction of her Dower was any barre of her Dower for no title of Franâ—kteâ—â—ment or inheritance may be barred by any collaterall satisfaction When the Writ of 〈◊〉 comes to the Sheriffe he shalâ— deliâ—â—r 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—â— and bounds but this rule cannot stretch to things not boundable Therefore if Dower be demanded or recouered of thrée shillings rent assignation of one shilling is sufficient And when dower of a 〈◊〉 or will is demanded a third part of the proâ—â—t c shall â—â— assigned and it â—â—â— good Indowment without certaintiâ— Et â—l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free serra contribâ—â—â—â—iâ— And so dower of a villeinâ— either the third dayes worke or euerie third wéekâ— or moneth And so of the profit of thâ— thirâ— part of Stallage of the third part of the profits of a Faire and so of the third paâ—t of the proâ—â—t of a Parke and of a Doue house and so of the third part of a Piscarie viz. Pertertium piscâ—m veliactum â—erâ—iuâ—â—eâ—is c. SECT XX. New Indowment IF that which a womâ—â— holdeth iâ— dower 〈◊〉 lawfully against her will and without her fault 〈◊〉 and eâ—icted c. she shall be new indowed of the other lands whereof the â—â—ate which her husband had remaines still â—ndefeated for example The Baron seised of thrâ—â— Acres dies the wiâ—dow is indowed of one Acre which he gained by 〈◊〉 if she be â—â—sted she shall be â—â—dowed of the other two Acres Tenant in taile of thrâ—â— Acreâ— discontinueth in fée the Discontinuée marrieth and dieth his wife recouereth dower against his heire the issue in taile brings a Formedon against the widdow shâ—â— voucheth the heire he enters into Warrantie loseth and the demandant hath execution though the â—state which thâ— heire hath in the other two Acres remaining be defeasâ—ble yet the woman shall be newly indowed of them till they be defeated yea though the Discontinuâ—â— his heire haue aliened the widdow shall bée newly indowed notwithstanding Againe a man seised of two Acres in fée within one Countie takes a wife enfeoffeth a stranger of one Acre with Warrantie and dying hauing issue a sonnâ— which entreth into thâ— other Acre the wife brings a writ of Dower against the Feoffâ—â— which â—oucheth the heire and the heire loâ—â—â—h â—â— default so that the Demandant hath Iudgement conditionall and execution against him to recouer of the land which he hath by discent within the same Countie where the Writ was brougâ—t If now the Vouchâ—â—â—â— restored by a Writ of deceipt to the lanâ— which the woman recouered shée shall haue Sciâ—â— facias against the Feoffâ—â— that was tenant in her first Writ to be newly endowed of the other Acre And if he haue therof inâ—eoffâ—d a stranger yet this stranger shall be bound by the first Iudgement in dower that was conditionall If a woman that is dowable take a second husband and be endowed by his assent per metes bounds if now the Baron discontinue in fée and die the wife may haue a Câ—â— in vitâ— and Perkins leaues it not cleane out of doubt whether she may not be new endowed of such other possessiâ—ns as were her husbands during couerture because the endowment was not by Writ This new endowment is when the euiction is loyall mâ—â—gâ—â—â—â— tâ—st del feme for when it iâ— otherwise she must recouer the land againe
husband till his death then by his death the widdow is made sole Tenant of them so little needing either assignation or other circumstance that without new entry claime or challenge shee may haue action of her owne possession against any other that shall enter If the husband aliened intirely any lease for yéeres of his wiues it is gone irreuocable and if hee make no sale and the wife dyes hee shall haue the leafe except shee bee ioyntly possest with another and the seruing ioyntenant shall haue Commentar vpon Fitzherbert 185. If he aliened part of the estate as for ten yéeres next ensuing where the terme was for twenty the widdow may enter when ten yéeres expired But sée in that Case that if the husband rested a rent and dyes the Executors of the husband shall haue the rent for it was not incident to the reuersion yet the wife shall haue the resioue of the terme Sir Edw. Cokes Commentar vpon Fitzherbert fol. 57. b. if he aliened for the ten last yéeres shee may continue possession till those ten yéeres be commenced If the husband deuise away by his last Testament a terme for yéeres which he hath by right of his wife I suppose the deuise is â—â—id as well as if it were made of some higher estate as it appeares by Perkins chap. Dâ—â—â—ses and Plowd 419 in Bra 〈…〉 gâ—â— case And the Law is all one in all respects where the Baron and Feme are possessed of lease for yeares by intâ—eâ—ties that if the estate be made to them during their couerture or by moyties that is to them ioyntly before marriage or where the Baron is possessed of a lease iure vxoris Sée Dame Haâ—â— case Plowd 260. And if the Baron possest of a lease for yeares in the right of his wife charge the land with a rent and die the rent is gone Plowd 4â—8 in Bracebridges case for shee is remitted And if Feine Gardian in Socrage be and her Baron alienateth it and die the wife may enter And sée Dyer 8. Eliz. 25 the same is of Coppy holds per 〈…〉 der to the vse of a Feme for yeares the wife die the estate rests in the husband without a custome be to the contrary If an husband be possest of a terme for yeares in the right of his wife and Iudgement is had against him and the terme is extended and the husband dieth it shall be good against the wife as appeares by Sir Edw. Cokes 8 Rep. 96. in Maâ—â—ing case And see the 9. case of 50 E. 3. lib. Ass note Sir Edw. Cokes Rep. in â—ulwoods case and Plowd 26â— in Damè Hales casâ— where a lease made to Baron and Feme is extended for the debt of the King after the wiues drath If a man possest of a te me deuiseth it to one for his life the remainder to a woman for her life who takes an husband the husband may release that to the particular tenant although it be but a possibilitie Sir Edw. Cokes 10. Rep. 47. Lampeâ—â—s case And if a woman hath a lease for yeares as Executâ—iâ— and takes an husband hée may sell it per â—oâ— curi 〈…〉 pr 〈…〉 r Fitzherbert Dyer â—8 H. 8. 7. A woman hath a terme 〈…〉 trir the husband s 〈…〉 wits to 〈…〉 vâ—â—n which a moytie is awarded to the pretendor of the title the wife is bound thereby but because the defendant in detinue brought by the wife for the Indenture of lease plead non dâ—tinet and not the speciall matter Iudgement was against him Dyer 2. E 〈…〉 183. 21. H. 7. 6. agrees If the husband discontinue the Franck tenement of his wife the apt instrument whereby to recouer it when she is a widdow is a Cu 〈…〉 vita Which though it be not so necessarie and néedfull perhaps since the Statute of 32. which disableth husbands to discontinue as it was before yet I. perceiue not by what reason the vse of it is forbidden euen in those cases where the entrie is â—ongeable for the vertue of the Writ is not decayed by lawfulnesse of the entrie neither doth free libertie to take possession prohibit the resort to Iustice and action at Law when perhaps a woman cannot or dares not enter By Common Law therefore if the Baron alien in fée the heritage of his wife or her Francktenement by Feoffment or by Demise for terme of life or in taile she may haue remedy after his decease by this Writ Of which the generall forme is Praecipe A. quod â—â—d â—â—â— Bâ—quae fuit vxor Câ—â—â—um messuagium 〈…〉 quod clamat esse ius hereditat suam Et in quod A. noâ— habet ingressum nisi per C. quondam virum c qui illud â—â— de 〈…〉 isit cui in vita contradicere non pot 〈…〉 Th 〈…〉 may be in the per â—ui and post and some varietie it hath according to title of the Demandant as Quâ—â—â— clamat 〈…〉 ius haereditatem or Vt ius maritagium or Vt ius exâ—onâ— I. qui ipsaâ— B. C. virum suum feofavit in quo c. or Quam clamat tenere sibi haeredibusde corpore suo de 〈◊〉 C. quondam viri sui exâ—untibus â—â— d 〈…〉 ne I. or Quam clamat essâ— dotem suam ex dono E. pri 〈…〉 vel secundi c. If Baron and Feme lose the wiues landâ— by de 〈…〉 shée may haue this Writ when shee is a widdow But if the wiues lands be recouered in a Cessauit perâ—de 〈…〉 â—â— Baron and Feme vpon a C 〈…〉 during esp 〈…〉 shall neuer haue a Cuâ—â—â— vita 4. Ed. 2. If Baron and Feme and a third person being Ioyntenants in Fée the Baron alien the intiertie and die his widdow shall haue a Cui in vita of a inoytie during the life of the third person for it séemed the alienation was a seuerance of Ioynture saith Fitzherbert But hée sends vs to 36. Ed. 3. in his Abridgement titulo Cui in vita By which booke the wife in this case cannot haue a Cui in vita for any part so long as the third person suruiueth because they two may ioyne in a Writ of right and if hee die she may haue a Cui in vita of all Vide Librum Of lands which a man and woman purchase ioyntly before couerture the Cui in vita shall be but of a inoytie but of lands purchased ioyntly during coâ—eâ—â—ure the Cui in vita is of the in 〈…〉 e and being brought of a inoytie the Writ is not good 39. H. 6. 45. for in the one case they are seised by inoyties in the other by intireties A woman by excepting lands which she and her late husband tooke in exchange or by excepting rent reserued out of it shall be bâ—â—â—ed in a Cui in vita or any other action Fitzherbert and â—6 Ed. 4. 8. Idem ius if shée accept parcell â—â— her owne land in Dower but 17. Assisarum pl. 3. Brooke 24. Cui in
it is great pâ—â—ulancie in any widdow that slippeth to second wedlocke wâ—ilst she yet nourisheth in her wombe the pledge of vnâ—â—n and loue betwixt her and her late husband I thanke God I cannot say that I haue knowen in my life time any widdow so wantâ—n In old time women vsed now and then to saine themselues left with childe and to bring forth borrowed brats to depriue the Deceaseds right heire of his inheritance sometimes of their owne mischieuous malice and deceitfulnesse and sometime by consent and combining with the Lords of whom the lands were holden Bracton in his second Booke cap. 32. hath a large discourse De partu supposito and there is a Writ to the Sheriffe to call before him and the Kéeper of Pleas of the Crowne the woman that pretendeth to be enseint to haue her examined by tractation and search of good and lawfull women per vbera per ventrem whether she be pregnant or no and if the matter he found doubtfull to commit her to a Castle and warie custodie without accesse of any suspected woman Quâ—usque de partu suo corstare possit But this is a péece of learning so obsolete and worâ—e out that I thinke since I was borne and a long time before there neuer was any such Writ put in â—re I conclude therefore that our widdâ—wes now adayes are honester than they were in Henry the thirds time in the fifth yeare of whose reigne Mariell widdow of William Constable de Mauton in Comitat. N. rff practised this cousenage widdowes of this age are nothing so deceitfull though deceiued sometimes by bad husbands THE WOMANS LAWYER The fifth BOOKE THe widdow married againe to her owne great liking though not with applause of most friends and acquaintance But alas what would they haue her to haue done she was faire young rich gracious in her carriage and so well became her mourning apparrell that when shee went to Church on Sundayes the casements opened of their owne accord on both sides the stréets that bachelours and widdowers might behold her Hic trahebatur â—lle erâ—â— cunctis amor vnus habendi Her man at home kissed her pantables and serued diligently Her late husbands Physitian came and visited her often The Lawyer to whom shee went for councell tooke opportunity to aduise for himselfe If shée went to any feast there was euer one guesâ— sometimes two or thrée the more for her sake If she were at home suitors ouertooke one another and sometimes the first commer would answer the next that she was not within All day she was troubled with answering ê‘etitions And at night when she would go to rest her maid Marion was become a Mistris of requeâ—â—s and humâ—le supplications This kinde of life the widdow liked not I aske againe what she should haue done he to whom she gaue a denâ—all would not take it if shee denied him twise hee said two negations made an affirmation and hée challenged promise therefore to set mens haâ—ts and her owne at rest shee chuse amongst them one not of the long robe not a man macerate and dryed vp with study but a gallant gulburd lad that might well be worthy of her had hee béene as thrifty as kind hearted or halfe so wise as hardy and aduâ—nturous This youth within lesse than a yeere had set the Nuncios which his predecessor kept in prison at liberty round about the Countrey the bags were all empty the plate was all at pawne all to keep the square bones in their amble and to relieue Companions One of which notwithstanding that had cost hâ—m many a pound for none other quarrell but vous meâ—tes challenged him one day into the field which was appointed and there my new married man was slaine Now his wife will bring her Appeale SECT I. Appeale of the husbands death BY Bracton li. 3. cap. 29. A woman can haue an Appeale but only in two cases per quod alicui lex debeat apparens adiudicari As in case where iniury and force is committed against her person by rauishment or when her husband is killed imer Brachia iua This forme of appeale therefore is A. late wife of B. appeales â— that whereas B. her husband was at such a place such an houre such a day and such a yéere C. came with force â—equiter in felonia contra pacem regis and killed him betwixt her armes and that he did this against the Kings peace and fellonioâ—sly shee will proue and maintaine as the Court shall thinke good Againe the same A. appeales E. of this that at the same place the same yéere day and hâ—wer E. â—ame with C. felloniously and against the Kings peace and held B. till C. killed him c. If hée which is appealed de facto were taken vpon the fact with his knife or sword all bloudy and this veryâ—â—ed by Testimony of good and lawfull men non erit vâ—terius â—â—quirenâ—â—â— Thus Bracton Now let vs â—â—â— how shee shall be vnderstood there is no doubt but a woman may haue other Appeales besides thâ—se twâ— of rape or death of her husband 11. Hen. 4. fol. 9â— An Appeale of Robbery was brought by a woman the defendant said the Appealant was his 〈◊〉 iudgement si el â—erra respondue and to the robbery non culpaâ—le So that hee pleaded to the fellonie and the â—â—â—fty admitted a good plea And a woman may haue an appeale of may hem 13. Hen. 7. 14. Hussey saith it was demanded of him for a doubtfull question where parish Clarke â—ell out with another man and threw the Church â—â—re keyâ—s at him with such force that they â—â—ang out at the Chamber window and put out a womans eye whether it were may hâ—â— or no And for the euill intent of the Clarke it was déemed may hâ—â— but consideratiâ—n ought to be had in aâ—â—eâ—â—â—ng â—aâ—â—ages But true it is a woman shall not haue appeale of any mans death saue only of her husbands therefore if a man bee killed that hath neither wiâ—â— nor sonne but his next heire is either daughter sister or female Cosâ—â— albeit he hath many other â—â—â—red Eâ—siâ—s or Vâ—eâ—es the proâ—â—â—ity of a female heâ—â—e â—â—â—es away the Appeale quite and cleane for of â—â—â— Ancestors death if he had no wife the Appeale belongs ouer to the heire who here cannot haue it because it is a female for Mag. Char. doth directly dâ—ny it â—ap 34. Nâ—llus câ—pictuâ— aâ—â— imprisonetâ—â— propter apellum â—eminae de moâ—â—e aâ—â—â—â—â—uâ— quam viri sui And vpon such an Appeale brought by an heire female the Defendants cannot bee arraigned at the Kings suit because the Appeale was neuer good Neither shall the Defendants recouer dammages because as Shard maketh the reasoâ— hee may bee arraigned and condemned otherwise ad Sectam regis for any thing yet done to the Contrary 27 Aâ—â— p. 25. A daughter or sister c. can haue none Appeales of a fathers or brothers death no more can a mother haue Appeale
quit hee shall recouer dammages So if the Appellée haue both the Kings pardon and the Appellants release and yet he will waiue them and plead riens culpable hee shall recouer dammages if the Country acâ—uit him yet hee hath done a matter of record which by implication acknowledgeth the felony quoeâ—e for if the pardon were by Parliament sans question hee might not waiue it Sée thereof 11. Hen. 4. fol. 40. He is not acquited debito modo that is acquited erroniously without dew processe As 9. Hen. 5. fol. 2 the Defendant câ—me in by exigent vpon which the Viscount had returned ceâ—â— corpus whereas he should haue returned exigifeci and the Defendant appearing vpon the exigent without taking aduantage of the processe pleaded riens culpable to the appeale and so was found but yet he could not get iudgement to recouer dammages for the cause aforesaid quaere for 19. E. 3. Titulo Corone in Fitzherbert 444. is contra that errour in the processe is not materiall so long as there is no errour in the Writ of appeale Declaration or pleading for the Defendant is arraigned vpon the originall and not vpon the meane processe The Statute speakes thus vel ad sectam domini Regis vel appellatoris The Kings suit here is vnderstood in appeale when after arraignement of the Defendant the Appellant hauing declared is at non suit fâ—r if the Defendant bée acquit at the Kings suit vpon an Indictment of the same felony he shall recouer no dammages And the manner of recouering dammages when acquitall is at the Kings suit differeth some what â—â—em recouery vpon suit of the party c. for in the first â—ase hée which is acquited shall recouer no dammages till he haue sued scire fac to bring the Plaintiffe into Court which by non suit was become out of Court But in the other case hee shall recouer dammages without other processe Titulo Dammages in Fitzherbert 7. 7. Whore the Caâ—e was that the Appellant tooke a husband after non suit and yet scire facias was awarded against the woman onely The Statute is further that the Iustices before whom c. shall punish the Appellâ—ur c. this cannot bée vnderstood by Iustices of Nisi prius though by the Statâ—te 14. Hen. 6. cap. 1. they haue power to giue Iudgement in treason and felony tried before them and that â—s well where the Defendant is acquited as where hee is attainted But yet within this Statute they are not 〈◊〉 the plea of the whole appeale is not heard before them nor any more saue only the triall as you may â—ée 10. E. 4. â—o 14. The Statute is further that the dammages shall bee considered hauing respect to the imprisoâ—â—â—nt c. Therefore if appeale bee against diuers men and they all are acquited dammages shall be taxed to them seuerally because perhaps one is more damniâ—ied than another for one may be appealed as principall and anâ—ther as accessary and one may be a Gentleman and another nâ—â—â— â— Hen. 5. fol. 1. and 40. E. 3 titulo Dammages in Fitzherbert p. 77. But note that this recouery of dammages is not for euery one for if an appeale â—ee against a Monke â—â— Feme couert without the ioyning the Soueraigne or â—â—â—band as it must bee except the Soueraigne with his Monke or the Baron with his wife commitâ—â— the â—â—lâ—ny the Monke or Feme couert shall recouer no dammages though they bée acquit Titulo Corone in Fitzherbert 276. 22. E. 3. The principall Case was an appeals against a Monke and the Iustices said it was all one for Law if it had boene a Feme couert quaere for if an appeale bee against Baron and Feme which are acquited dammages shall bee taxed and recouery seuerally viz. The Baron sole shall recouer for his owne imprisonment and the Baron and Feme ioyntly for the impâ—â—sonment of the wife The Statute is moreouer versus Dominum regem grauiter redimantur This fining to the King is neuer but where the Defendant is to haue dammages also for otherwise the Plaintiffe shall not fiâ—e but only beeamerced as 9. Hen. 5. fol. 1. the appeale abated for misâ—oâ—mer and the Plaintiffe was but only amerced vide 41. Assis Corone 219. the appellant was at non suit after Declaration and the Court presently awarded processe against the Appellant to câ—me and make fine agréeing that if the party were afterward acquit at the Kings suit so that hée recouered dammages against the Appellant yet shée should not pay a new fine Put the caâ—e therefore that at the Kings suit the Defendant had béene found culpable of the felony what remedy there might be for the Plaintiffe to recouer his fine againe which hee payd before noone as it sâ—â—meth for it séemes the Plaintiffe which is at non suit in the appeale shall pay a fine by the Common Law and this was the cause why they awarded it to bée payd maintenant Then for enquiry of Abbettours c. Cum appellatores non habeant vnde praedicta damâ—a restitueâ—â— inquiratur per quorum abettum These words imply that if dammages be not by Law recouerable against the Appellours there shall be none enquiry of Abbettours And where the Statute is that if the Appellants are not able to restore dammages it is intendible all the dammages for if the Appellant bee sufficient to render part but nâ—t all the dammages enquiry shall be of the Abbettors and they shall be charged 8. E. 4. fol. 3. 8. Hen. 5. 219. â—itulo Corone in Fitzherbert The Statute is shoppellatus hoc petat Of office only therefore and without request as it should séeme the Court cannot enquire of Abbettors And â—8 Assis 222. titulo Corone where they â—ad enquired of Abbettors at the desire of one Defendant and they found none and afterwards another of the Defendants being acquited prayed enquiry likewise it might not bee obtained because it appeared by the first verdict that there were none Abbettors there rem ined therefore no more to be enquired oâ— but what dammages were susteined This Stamford affirmes to bâ—e in appearance against Law for saith hee it is against the words of the Statute and against reason for what reason is it that a man should bee bound by an enquest whereunto he is not priuy and against which hée can haue no remedy because it was but an enquest of offiâ—e for albeit that commonly the enquiry of Abbettors is by the same enquest that acquited the Defendant yet their enquiry in this point is but of office for if they finde Abbettors these Abbettors when they come may trauerse all that is found in this point As if it be found that the Appellant is not sufficient and A. and B. were Abbettors A. and B. may come and say by protestation not knowing the felony for plea that the Appellant is sufficient or that they neuer abetted 8. E. 4. fol. 3. and the words Sâ— legitimo modâ— conuictus fuerit de huiusâ—odi abbeâ—to
Writ because it was not felonice rapuit but the Defendant durst not stand vpon it but pleaded ouer rien culpable for rapuâ—t implyâ—th felony But in euerie Appeale of rape if the Writ want the word rapuit it shall abate though it haue words amounting to as much as carâ—â—â—â—ter cognovit or any such â—tâ—â—e 9. E. 4. â—ol 26. SECT XXXIV Pleas to the Action THough it bee true that where â—â—â— shall bee charged with rape in Appeals or otherwise it â—ust be by the Word rapâ—it and â—â—t carnaliter cognouit onely yâ—t by Bracton it is a gâ—â—d plea in Appâ—ale of rape to say Non abstullt eâ—â—ucellagiumâ— suum quâ—a aâ—â—uâ—h vâ—â—go est veâ—iâ—â—â— probabâ—â—uâ— pâ—â— aspâ—câ—â—â—â—oâ—poâ—iâ— peâ— quatuoâ— legales femâ—nas iuratâ—s de veâ—itate dicenda quaere Stamford saith it is a good plea for the Defendant though hâ—e lay with the woman yet hée did not carnally know her for the force of the Declaration resteth in that And by â—â—iâ—ton fol. 45. If at the time of rape supposed the womâ—n conceiue childe there is no rape for none can concâ—â—â—e without consent Also by Bracton it is a good plea to say that before the rape supposed he kept the Plaintiffe and vsed her as his Concubine But by the same Bracton it was no plea to say she was another mans Concubine or Harlot Quia licet meretâ—â—x fuerit aâ—ea cerâ—â—â—â—â—c â—emporis non fuit cuâ— nequiâ—iae eius reclamando consentiâ—e noluit And note if she which is rauished assenâ— for feare of death at the time of the rauisâ—â—ent â—t â—s a rape against her will notwithstanding such consent for assent must â—e voluntarie per curiam 5 E. 4. Crompton 44. SECT XXXV A question what is meant by rauishment with force in Wâ—st 2. cap. 34. STamford leaueth it doubtfull and to be learned what the difference is betwixt rauishment with force and without force M. Lambard thinketh the word to be but declaratorie signifying all rauishment to bée forcible And it is true that no woman is rauished in this sort only by parroll or influence of Rhetoricke But in mine opinion the Statute must néeds intend two kinde of rauishments because it maketh one more odious than the other and propoundeth death ineuitable to him which rauisheth with force though the woman forgiue hâ—â— and consâ—â—â— to him A more detestable villany I thinke therefore was meant in this parase of him which being himselfe ouercome with concupisâ—â—nce ouercommeth a woman hand to hand by length of breath and strength of his owne sinewes You shall vnderstand thâ—refore that about those dayes there was an Appeale of â—orâ—e in vse as it were against the rauishers yeomen of the stirrâ—p viâ— against him or them which were holders and assisters to the principall carnall oppressour as appeareth about the end of the 28. Chapter of Bracton Lib. 3. Eadem A. appellat C. quod eadem die eodem anno c. quo praedict B. eadem hora dum idem B. abstulit pucellagium suum fuit idem C. in fortia ita quod tenuit eandem A. dum idem B. absâ—ulit pucellagium suum vel concubuit cum ea postquam c. Such fellowes were termed appellati de fortia and they which take such Coadiutors might verie well be called rauishers with force and aid of all other most hatefull in iudgement of all indifferent honest women SECT XXXVI De muliere abducta cum bonis c. THis Statute toucheth also the most couetous rauishment that is when a mans wife and his goods are rauished together so much against womans minde that she is loth to leaue either money or plate behinde her and because some men vsed in those dayes to let their goods goe lest otherwise they might perhaps call their wiues home againe the suit is giuen to the King if the husband neglect it 44. Assi p. 12. A man brought a Writ of trespasse against a Knight and his Lady and two others in Banke le Roy for taking away the Plaintiâ—â—es wife and his goods and they all came by Capias in custodie of the Viscount and the Plaintiffe counted of rauishment of his wife and his goods carried away c. a protection was shewed forth for the Knight and his wife and allowed and Iudgement was demanded of the Writ because the Plaintiffe and his wife were diuorced Iustice Kniuct said that though the woman were dead the husband might haue the Action of rauishment notwithstanding aâ—d so is it if they were diuorced For he was not to recouer his wife by the Action nor any thing else saue dammages for the trespasse Then it was said the diâ—orce was causa frigiditatis Kniuet said the weather might wax warmer with him Il poet recouerer son nature ouerer come home reauer sa feme and therefore answered to the Writ Then Iudgement was asked againe of the Writ because it was against a man and his wife and one woman cannot rauish another sed non allocatur for a woman may be assenting or aiding to any rauishment therefore the Defendants pleaded non culpable The verie same or verie like case is againe 23. E. 3. 23. Sée 21. H. 7. fol. 13. The opinion of Finâ—ux that it is lawfull for a man to trauell with another mans wife to London at her request and to carrie her behinde him when shee will ride to sue a diuorce or a reuersment of Outlawrie or for a warrant of the peace against her goodman Yaxley was of contrarie opinion And where the partie which taketh another mans wife cum bonis c. is indited at the Kings suit of trespasse onely the Indictment is Quod vi armis Mariam vxorem cuiusdam A. B. apud S. rapuit â—am cum bonis cattallis viz. c. ipsius A. B. cepit abduxit â—a â—idem A. B. adhuc iniuste detinet contra pâ—cem c. contra formam statuti c. So likewise at the husbands â—â—it the Writ is Attachias B. quod sit coram nobis c. ad respondendum prefato A. quare vi armis vxorem prefati A. apud N. rapuit â—am cum bonis cattallis c. ad graue dâ—mnum contra formam statuti c. as appeares by Fitzherbert So that you see the differâ—nce betwixt rapuit in Trespasse and in Appeale or Indictment of felony Presidents whereof are in M. Laâ—â—bards Booke and M. Cromptonâ— SECT XXXVII The case of Elizabeth Venor NOw that women may learne to stand vpon their owne guard partly and not trust altogether to defence or courtesie of Lawes which are not more rigorously penned than sometime put in execution against them let them markâ— this caâ—e Lands were giuen in â—aâ—le to William Veâ—or and to Elizabeth his wife and to the heires of their two bodiâ—s the remainder to the said Elizabeth and the heires of her body the remainder to Robert Babbington in taile the remainder to the right heire of T. S.
may be conveyed from him to her 123. where hee shall be charged for her debt 136. what Acts she may doe and what not 141. How they shall bring actions 196. 197. 204. Impediments of Marriage by affinity 59. by adoption c. 60. Infant what acts voyd and what voydable 132. Ioynture 183. where both it and Dower shall be had 192. what shall be said to be a refusall or agreement to a Ioynture 195. Law reduced to a Method 1. of King Edmond 375. Marriage what 51. Promises thereof defined and distinguished 52. 53. How long such Promises are to be expected 55. who may and who may not contract Matrimonie 57. Impediments thereof 59. 60. why it's necessary 63. when it's consummate 63. Not dissolved for any crime 67. Statutes concerning it 68. 69. Lands given to marry one when recoverable when not 78. It changes the Womans name and dignitie 125. Nuper Obijt where it lyeth 27. Out-larie of Baron and Feme 221. Partners what 24. difference between them and Ioynt-tenants and tenants in Common 25. the coherence between them 45. where they shall be heire one to the other and where not 46. where they shall contribute 47. where they differ in service 49. Pardon of the King 364. Partition of the manner thereof 31. where a Writ lyeth 33. what plea in that writ is good 34. who may sue it 35. In what case it shall abate 38. The Iudgement upon that Writt 39. what things shall not be parted 40. Where it may not be avoyded 42. 43. where it may 44. Polygamie forbidden 61. Posthumus where he may enter 14. where not 15. Promises of Marriage how long to be expected 55. How they may bee dissolved 55. and by what authority 56. Quarentine what 242. Rape 376. of two sorts 377. Recoveries what 180. Remitter what and when 157. Rent reserved upon a gift in Frank-marriage is voyd 73. a Woman dowable of Rent 109. Seisin to make Tenant by the Courtesie 8. and the Wife dowable 93. Service of Parteners where it differeth 49. Statutes concerning Marriage 68. 69. of Gloucester 160. of 32. H. 8. cap. 28. 163. that Stat. expounded 166. 170. 173. of 27. H. 8. cap. 10. 183. Of 11. H. 7. cap. 20. Of 3. H. 7 cap. 1. Of West 2. cap. 12. Of West 1. cap. 14. West 2. cap. 35. Of 6. Rich. 2. cap. 6. Of 31. H. 6. cap. 9. Of 3. H. 7. cap. 2. Tayle speciall 85. Treason 208. Wast 307. Wooing 71. when the gifts shall be restored if the match take not effect 72. Women why in subjection 6. their severall ages 7. when compellable to serve 8. Writs whereby a woman may have her Land 23. of nuper obijt 27. de rationabili parte 30. of partition 33. The end of the TABLE THE WOMANS LAWIER SECT I. ALl Law saith Iustinian in his Imperiall institutions belongeth to persons to things or to actions which division I acknowledge to bee good and so in his method of the Civil Law doth a Doctor and very learned man Conradus Lagus yet the same Lagus saith it is too strait for his purpose and therefore not féeling himselfe at ease in so narrow a distribution to drive the formes of Civill Law to certaine heads according to their materiall varieties hée confesseth hée iâ— compelled to constitute a pluralitie of Law members more then the very Law setteth down as appeareth in the 2. Part of his Method the 2. Chapter yet a curious Caviler I perceive might find in Iustinians partition a very great redâ—â—dance rather then any defect for Res is a transcendente comprehending actions persons and what not And actions in the widest signification séeme alone to bée the theame and right subject matter of Lawes and all Humane Constitutions as for persons they are so many and so differing that I thinke there is no use Custome Injunction or decrée but it appertaineth to some person and that in some peculiarity of difference either in state age sex function profession merit or some other like severall regard so that in mine opinion Law might bée dispersed into apt titles of this personall difference in such sort as both Students might come to the easier knowledge the one of their learning generall and the other of their particular duty I though I bée farre unable to produce a perfect method of the Lawes of England as Lagus following his owne artificial project hath framed an excellent Deliniation of the Lawes of Rome and though I bée unworthy to have the Marshalling of the titles of Lawe to bring all matter cohering under them yet I will make a little assay what I am able to doe if I were put to it in a popular kind of instruction following a frame by distinction of persons chasing the primary distribution of them made before the World was seven daies old Masculum Foeminam fecit eoâ— of which division because the part that wée say hath least judgement and discretion to bée a Law unto it selfe Women onely Women they have nothing to do in constituting Lawes or consenting to them in interpreting of Lawes or in hearing them interpreted at lectures leets or charges and yet they stand strictly tyed to mens establishments little or nothing excused by ignorance mée thinkes it were pitty and impiety any longer to hold from them such Customes Lawes and Statutes as are in a maner proper or principally belonging unto them Laying aside therefore these titles which include onely the masculine as Bishop Abbot Prior Monke Deane and Chapter Viscount Coroner together with those which bée common to both kinds as Hereticke Traitour Homicide Felon Laron Paricide Cutpurse Rogue with Feoffor Feoffée Donor Donée Vendor Vendée Recognisor Recognisée c. I will in this Treaty with as little tediousnesse as I can handle that part of the English Lawe which containeth the immunities advantages interests and duties of women not regarding so much to satisfie the déep learned or searchers for subtility as woman kind to whom I am a thankfull debter by nature SECT II. The Creation of Man and Woman GOd the first day when hée created the World made the matter of it separating light from darkenesse the second day hée placed the Firmament which hée called Heaven betwixt the waters above the Firmament and the waters under the Firmament the third day hée segregated the waters under the Firmament into one place calling the waters Seas and the dry land Earth which hée commanded to bring forth â—ructifying herbes plants and trees the fourth day hée made the Sun the Moone and the Stares in the Firmament to bée for Signes Seasons Daies and Yeres and to give light upon the earth the fift day he made by his Word the Fishes of the Sea Whales and every fethered foule of the ayre commanding them to increase the sixt day he made Cattle créeping things the beasts of the Earth and now having made all things that should be néedfull for them hée created Man Male and Female made he them Bidding them
so that one hath the carue gotten by disseisin the infant entereth vpon her possession c. she may enter into the other carue and hold in parcenarie with her Sister But if shee had aliened her part in fee before the entrie of the infant this had beene a full dismission of her selfe out of Copartnership which she could not haue recontinued by entrie as she might perhaps had she made onely a lease for yeares generally if after partition one part be euicted from her which hath it by loyall entrie she may enter into the other lands and occupie with the other Coparceners compelling them to a new diuision all this saith Littleton SECT XXI How Partition shall bee auoided when it is by Iudgement MUch of that which Littl. hath taught for the auoyding of partition as I collect must bee vnderstood of partition in pais and by agréement for when it is made by Iudgement in a Writ of rationabile parte nuper obijt or assise to hold in seueralty or by liuery in the Chancery or else by Writt de partitione in which cases there is commission or authority deriued from the Prince to extend and to make partes by the Oath of 12. men c. there is now no reason that a matter of this substance circumstance and solemnity should be all layd on the ground by a bare entrie yet that silly poore women altogether ignorant of the law might not feare that that Partition which is made by the Law that by law there were no meanes to reuerse it but that still it must stand impugnable whatsoeuer iniquitie or inequality it had Old Breton saith in the end of his 17. Chapter Si ascum â—ercener soit que se tient nient paie de cel partison si ferres nous vener le process le record deuant nostre iustices de banke c. illonques soient les errors redresse c. He concludeth somewhat like Bracton Et apres le Assignement des purparties fuit per sort ou per election foit le seisin per iudgement de nostre court But to the matter There is occurring in many of the yeare bookes remedies against partitions as if iudgement be giuen in a nuper obijt of purpartie and seisin granted to hold seuerally yet the partition may be anoyded by error in the first iudgement If partition bee made in Chancerie and a lesse value then is due alotted to a puisne Sister which remaineth still in ward she may haue remedy by scire facias when shee commeth to full age So whether partition be of it selfe altogether vniust or in part inequall through malice ignorance or negligence of the Sheriffe or extenders there is remedie alwayes so the parties be not hurtfull to themselues And although partners of estate in fée being all of full age making purpart by agréement bind conclude themselues and their heyres for euer yet when partition is compulsatorie and the parts are deliuered by the Sheriffe who with his extenders maketh diuision which may be without the presence of the heyres I sée no great reason here why acceptance should be a barre in the issue perpetuall or to the parceners for terme of life yet Littletons bien for garde is good counsell vide Dyer 33. H. 8. 52. SECT XXII Of the coherence betweene Partners after diuision BUt admit now that partition is so made that there remaineth neither cause nor intention to vndoe it yet the partners are in a kinde of confederacie and combination amongst themselues by the very Law and custome of this Realme Et louâ— droit est cy connex nul de eux ne doit respondre sans le autre pur le contribution Etsi ascun se face ceo ne serroit in preiudiâ—â— des auters partners Britton cap. 73. so that if any of them will sue for any inheritance that was their Common Ancestors the suit must be in all their names still and if any of them be sued for any such Land or inheritance she may pray ayde of the other coheires which may come with her to pleade a feoffment fine or release or deraigne warrantie and if in this sort she lose some or all her part she shall recouer that which her partners hold her equall portion But if a parcener put her selfe in defence and will not pray ayde of her fellowes which may strengthen and assist her she shall then recouer nothing against her coheyres though she lose all her purpart and liuelihood They continue therefore still in a sort one heyre tyed together like bundles of rods for their mutuall strength and by Bracton and Britton if one of them die without issue after partition her part shall goe to the rest per ius accrescendi But is crossed by Littleton aboue which telleth you that their title shall be in this case by discent though the dying be before partition therefore if partition be betwixt two Sisters of the halfe bloud and one of them dyeth without issue hauing an vncle of the whole blood to the Father that Vncle by Bractons partition shall haue her Inheritance c. SECT XXIII By what manner of acquisition the ouer-liuer taketh the part of a Co-heire when she dyeth FOr your better instruction in this point marke this Case a man hath issue thrée daughters by one venter and one daughter by another venter and dyeth soised c. they all enter and two of the daughters by the first venter die the third daughter by the same venter shall be heyre alone to their two parts and the fourth daughter of the halfe blood getteth therein nothing 10. Assi p. 27. yet 4. Assi p. 10. if a man die seised hauing issue two daughters by diuers venters both vnder age and a stranger abateth and one of these daughters in their infancie releaseth all her right and dyeth without issue the other may haue a mortdancestor and recouer the whole Inheritance as heire to her Father though she can by no meanes be heyre to her Sister But if she which released had beene of full age when shée released she had giuen away her moitie And if shée had entered at full age or vnder age nothing had accrewed to her Sister But not entring the mortdancestor to which they were both intituled goeth for all to the suruiuor And this I thinke to be a good case making nothing on Bractons side and not plaine any thing on Littletons SECT XXIIII Of Contribution THat which Britton toucheth aboue of Contribution I vnderstand to be in case where one partner prayeth ayde of another the sequell whereof I haue shortly told you There is another Contribution by Statute Marlebridge c. 9. which willeth Sâ— haereditas alâ—qua de qua vnica tantum secta debeatur ad plures parâ—icipes eiusdem haeredit devoluatur ille qui habet eineciam partem vnicam sacier sectam participes pro portione sua contribuant The writ for this Contribution when the young copartners will not performe the
vnderstood of impotencie which was before the Marriage made for indéede where the impediment was so precedent there could not any Matrimony exist or haue being c. Otherwise it is when this disability betideth after Marriage perfected and consummate for in that case he or she which remaineth potent shall not leaue and depart from the impotent but be compelled to beare the discommodity aswell as any other ill fortune And that which is here taught of Coniugall impotencie stretcheth to all impediments of Marriage which are perpetuall vt per ea Matrimonium nunquam extitisle iudicetur SECT XXV Marriages inter ascendentes descendentes THose Marriages that are made betweene ascendentes and descendentes are so detestable that by the Ciuill law they deserue exile and confiscation of goods And there is a glosse that would extend this to all vnlawfull Marriages but by Bartell and others it is to be inflicted only vpon those which are contra iura sanguinis SECT XXVI Captiuitie or long absence of one which is married IT falleth out not seldome the one of them which are married to be taken captiue or otherwise so deteined that it is vncertaine if he liue or no. Therefore because it is in some sort dangerous to expect long the incertaine returne of an absent yoake-fellow here the Ciuill Law did ordaine that after a husband had béene gone fiue yeares and nothing knowne whether he liued or no the wife might marry againe and so might the husband that had expected his wife c. But the Common Law commandeth simply to forbeare Marriage till the death of him or her that is missing be certainely knowne SECT XXVII That no crime dissolueth marriage OF old time some Crimes were numbred amongst the Causes of Dissoluing marriage but Iustinian changed the Law here in part and the Canons vpon the saying of Christ Quos Deus coniunxit c. will not by any meanes that Matrimony rightly made and consummate can bee dissolued quoad ad vinculum Matrimonij though for fornication they suffer a parting quoad Torum So that nodus legitimi Matrimonij is neuer dissolued but by death and the wife as long as she liueth is subiect to the law of her husband by Saint Paul Yet saith Lagus séeing that in Contracts of Wedlock we regard as well what is decent and conuenient as what is lawfull I cannot tell why we be not bound in dissoluing of it to follow the like equitie and for example if a Wife cannot dwell with her husband without manifest danger of death because he is cruell and bloudy why may not shee be separated iudicis ordinarij cognitione precedente SECT XXVIII The Authoritie of the ordinarie Iudge c. FOr if Spousals of future Marriage cannot be dissolued without publike authority it must néedes follow that without like authoritie there can bee no repudiation when Matrimony is fully contracted and consummate But in pursuing of diuorce the strict order of Iudiciall proceedings is not alwayes seuerely kept for regularly production of witnesses before contestation of suite non adiuuat producentem yet if Cornelia sue a Diuorce against Sempronius causa consanguinitatis and Sempronius being cited will not appeare if now Cornelia bring her witnesses the Iudge may receiue them Marry this religious obseruation the Canons giue him euer when he commeth to point of Iudgement That the danger is lesse in leauing men contrary to the Statutes of men then in separating contrary to the Statutes of God those which are lawfully conioyned Thus farre haue I run my selfe in debt to Doctor Conradus Lagus of whom in the third part of his Method ca. 22. may be further learned the difference betwixt Scortum pellex and Concubina Our English comprehendeth them all in one word and I would they dwelt all in one House beyond Seas Concubinatus speciem conjugij habet Et ex Concubinae natis conceditur beneficium legitimationis If maid wife or widow aske what I meane to tell them so much of Ciuill and Canon Law séeing they be none of those Country women I pray them not to looke for the Regions in mappa mundi but for their owne Regiment in Christian dutie The spirituall Law is here an Oracle to the temporall which euermore sendeth to the Ecclesiasticall Iudge viz. the Bishop for certification of lawfulnes or vnlawfulnes of Wedlocks when Accouplements come in question SECT XXIX Statutes concerning Marriage FOr it is true that Newdigatâ— saith 12. He. 8. fo 6. that marriage and Diuorcements with the circumstances of them be properly no parcell of Common-Lawes learning Yet it is very néedfull here that I shew you here what the Lawes of England haue néedfully concerning Marriage established 32. H. 8. ca. 38. declareth all persons lawfully to marry which are not prohibited by Gods Law And it was ordeyned that all Marriages contracted and solemnized in face of the Church and consummate with bodily knowledge should remaine indefeasable notwithstanding any pre-contract c. Further that neither dispensation prescription law reseruation prohibition or any thing Gods law excepted shall trouble or impeach any Marriage made without the Leuiticall degrées nor any man bee receiued in spirituall Court to processe plea or obligation contrary to this Act. This Statute though it seemed to be made vpon good and great considerations because precontracts too too slenderly proued and sometime but onely surmized helped the Romish oppression and separated those which were at quiet in an honest coniunction yet many did after the making of it very dissolutely come from their first vowes and as it were in spight of conscience and Ecclesiasticall censure coupled themselues bodily with such as they newly fancied slipperily leauing their former Contracts it is repealed 2. 3. Ed. 6. ca. 3. only in the points of pre-contracts And they are left in the validity which they were of by the Kings Ecclesiastical lawes immediately before the making of 32. with prouiso that all the rest of the said Act standeth whole and in strength So is it now againe by 1. Eliz. cap. 1. See also 5. 6. Ed. 6. ca. 12. that the Marriage of Priests and Ecclesiasticall persons is lawfull their Children legitimate a Priest may be tenant by the courtesie and his Wife haue Dower It is a sport to behold how some of the Canonists Glossographers refreshed themselues in their disputes about Nuptiall questions how cleare they make it that If Adam our first Father were now aliue and a Widdower he could not take a Wife quia all Women are his Children and that in the right line Then what a question it is whether vnlawfull copulation cause any affinitie or no. In hoc articulo saith one of them non parcam in foro verecundiae that is to say hee will handle the quiddick without shame or honestie and then in the plainest that may be he findeth a difference betwixt a dogges necke in â—he Collar and his nose in the King betwixt knocking at the Barrels head and
villenage 35. And if a woman Heyre haue issue by her husband commit felonie and be attainted it hath béen mostly holden that the husband shall be Tenant by the Courtesie notwithstanding and that after Issue had the Lord may auow for homage vpon the husband without the wife 21. Ed. 3. 49. By Parkins 91. 475. Likewise if the Wiues Inheritance be recouered against Baron and feme by false oath or erronious Processe and execution is had and sued of this recouerie if they haue Issue afterwards and then the wife dieth the Baron now reducing the Land by attaint or error shall hold per le Courtesie SECT LII What if the Childe die IF a man haue Issue by his wife that is here in possession the death of the Issue is no losse of Courtesie and by Parkins if a Daughter and Heyre apparant take a Husband haue Issue by him and the Issue dieth if now the Father die and the Baron and feme enter he may be Tenant by the Courtesie without hauing other Issue Brooke makes it questionable Also by Brooke if a man die his wife being priuement enseient a Daughter entreth as heyre taketh a Husband and hath Issue if a Sonne post-humus enter vpon the Baron and feme and the Issue of the Daughter dieth and the posthumus dieth without Issue the Baron cléerely shall not be Tenant by the Courtesie vnlesse hee re-enter in his wiues time and he doubteth though the Baron enter sans other Issue bility his wife may beare him may by possibilitie be heyre of that estate Si le possession le Baron ne soit loyalment anient As addeth Parkins the Wife shall be endowed SECT LVI The Husband must be seised DOwer is of the possession of a Husband the ground of it therefore is Marriage a Concubine then shall haue no Dower no more shall shee which is but onely contracted and it was holden by some 10. H. 3. that she which was married in a Parlor or Chamber should haue no Dower but it is now taken otherwise Also where Marriage is cleerely voyde and vnlawfull there groweth no title of Dower But if a woman first contracted to E. I. intermarry afterwards with T. K. this Marriage is voydable but not cléerely voyde and if it be not frustrated otherwise then by death of T. K. the Wife shall haue Dower of his Land Here yee may perceiue that which destroyeth an absolute true Marriage destroyeth Dower also for though by Bracton there may be by speciall Constitution a Dower appointed that shall stand good against the tempest of diuers assaults yet by ground of the Common Law Matrimonium est fulcimentum doâ—is And Bracton saith in his second booke and 39. Chapter Vbi nullum omnino Matrimonium ibi nulla dost igitur vbi Matrimonium ibi dos quod verum est si Matrimonium in facie ecclesiae contrahatur SECT LVII Matrimony may be and yet no Dower THough Matrimony doe alwayes precede Dower yet doth not Dower alwayes follow Matrimony for first where the husband had no Land the Wife can haue no Dower by the Common Law Bracton and Breton which giue a woman Dower in a certaine somme of money or in other Chattels speake rather as Ciuill Lawyers then méere English Also Dower is not granted vnlesse the Husband is aboue 7. yeers old and the wife aboue nine 13. Ed. 1. Fitzherbert Feme perdera Dower si son Baron morust deuant 9. ans d'age Dyer 14. Eliz. fo 313. Also if a man marry his bond-woman in grosse and die she shall not recouer Dower against the Heyre for shee is his bond-woman but against the Feoffée of her husband she shall recouer Dower vnlesse she be regardant to the Mannor whereof the Feoffement was made SECT LVIII What Seisin is requisite in a Husband WHere the Huband hath neither possession in fact nor possession in Law during the Couerture nor any thing saue onely a right or title the wife shall not haue Dower as also if the Baron suffer a Disseisin an abatement a Condition broken an alienation in Mortmaine or cesser of his rent or seruices by two yeares space c. and then he take a wife dieth before reduction of his Land or if iudgement be giuen for him in a plea of Lands and hee marryeth afterward and die before entry or suing of execution the wife shall not haue Dower of these Lands So is it if I. S. exchange Lands with T. K. and I. S. entreth but T. K. taketh a wife and dieth before entrie his wife shall not haue Dower in any of the Lands exchanged but where a husband is once actually seised the wife shall bee endowed notwithstanding any disseisin afterward done to him or feoffement made by him either absolute or conditionall And if before or after Marriage celebrated and not dissolued a possession in Law be cast vpon a Husband by descent escheate or fall of some remainder the wife shall be endowed though the Baron die before entrie as if the Kings Tenant die seised and his Heyre being married dieth before office or entrie the wife of the heyre is dowable so if rent desâ—end to a husband which dyeth before day of payment c. for there is not requisite in the husband such a seisâ—n as whereof an assise lyeth but if a precipe quod reddat might lie against him it sufficeth 4. He. 7. fo 1. Brooke 66. in Dower A husband may haue possession in law by descent of a villaine in gros or possession in law of a rent charge by excepting the déede of grant and hereof the wife shall be endowed although the Baron doe afterwards refuse receit and seisin of the rent But iudgement in a Writ of annuity for the Baron taketh away Dower of a rent charge from the wife and a woman may haue Dower of an estate that was suspended as if the Lord married with his Tenant now is the Seignorie suspended but if he die the wife shall haue Dower a third part of the rent per retâ—igneâ— for the Seigniorie though it slept yet there was still a possession in Law of it in the husband Here it must not be forgotten that it â—éemeth doubtfull whether an abatement of a stranger which is a possession in fact destroyeâ—h a Possession in Law it appeares by Park â—o 72. sect 371. 372 4. H. 7. 1. per meux that it doth not But 21. Ed. 4. â—o 60. which is accorded for good Law 4. H. 7. fo 1. where in a Writt of Dower the Tenant pleadeth ne vnques seisie in dower c. the demandament sheweth that Lands descended to her husband she being then his wife and that he dyed before entry made either by him or by other person issuit est donable per le lâ—y and shee was inforced by the Court to plead that none entred for if a stranger had entred she had not béene dowable And if she had pleaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 que Dowâ—e la Poet this had wayned the speciall
matter but the other conclusion puts it to the Law and Courts consideration Yee sée now of what possession of Law a woman is dowable per Brian 4. H. 7. â—o 17. if the Kings ward die vnder age and the neâ—t heyre being married die before â—â—uâ—nâ—runt sued his wife shall not haue Dower But by Dâ—uers and Hussey if the Kings Tenants Heyre haue a wife and after office found the Heyre doth not enter but dieth the wife shall be endowed of the possession in Law before office for the Statute of prerogatiue cap. 13 is intended onely where the Heyre taketh a wife after office and intrudeth SECT LIX There must be in the Husband an Inheritance not cut from the Franke Tenant A Woman shalll haue no Dower in Lands whereof the Frankement and Inheritance was neuer conioyned in her husband during Couerture therefore where the Husband had but a reuersion after estate for life the wife is not dowable vnder this rule commeth one other dos de dote peti non debet And if a man seised c. take a wife and alien with warrantie and then both the feoffor and feoffée die if the wife of the feoffée bring a Writt of Dower against the heyre of the feoffor which voucheth to warrant the heyre of the feoffor and hanging the voucher the wife of the feoffée demands Dower against the heyre of the feoffée if shée bring her Writt not for a third of two paâ—ts but for a third of all that whereof her husband dyes seised she shall not haâ—e iudgement fill the first plea be determined Littleton If there be father and sonne both married and the Father seised of one acre c. dieth and the sonne entreth and dieth if now the sonnes sonne enter and endow his Grandmother which dieth his mother is not Dowable of that which the Grandmother held in Dower for of that his Father had no more in méere right but a reuersion vpon or after a Franke tenement and the Grandmother endowed was in of her Husbands possession yet if the father had in his life time iâ—feoffed the Sonne c. the sonnes wife might well haue Dower after the Grandmothers death of that very Land which the Grandmother held And if the sonnes sonne voluntarily or compulsarily â—â— Writ of Dower had endowed his mother against whom the Grandmother had then receiued her Dower and died after execution the mother might well haue entred into the land which the ailesse recouered against her Parkins 63. The Franke tenement and Inheritance may be both in a sort in the Husband and yet not sufficiently knit and vnited together to giue Dower for example the Lands bee giuen to two and to the heyres of the body of one of them if hee which hath the inheritance die first his Wife is not dowable no not after the death of the suruiuor for the state taile was not executed in her husband to all intents though the Issue in a Formedone against an abater might alleage seisin and esplees as we call them in his father Likewise if by fine sur graunt render estate be made to a husband for terme of life the remainder to I. S. his sonne in taile the reuersion to the right heyrâ—s of the husband and the fine is executed if now the Baron die liuing I. S. or any of his Issue the wife of the Cognusée is not dowable But if a Lease be made for yeares the remainder to I. S for life the remainder to his right heyres c. the wife of I. S. shall haue Dower of this estate though erecution of Dower cannot be â—asting the terme And if a Lease be to the Husband for life with a remainder to a stranger for â—eares the remainder to the Husband in â—ée the inheritance and Franke Tenement are sufficiently connexed to giue the wife Dower bâ—t execution shall cease during the terme for when an estate for yeares is more ancient or as ancient as the Inheritance which the Husband had during Couerture there the execution of Dower to the Wife must néeds tarrie the termes expiration And so it is if a man grant me a rent in fée by Indenture with Condition that the rent shall cease during the non-age of mine heyres my Wife shall not bee endowed during mine heyres minoritie What if a man that is seised in Fée-simple make a lease for life rendring rent c. and then taking a Wife he dieth the heyre shall haue this rent incident to the reuersion and it shall be aâ—ets to him in a Formedone in Descender but the wife gets here no Dower aâ—d saith Parkins a woman shall not be endowed of a rent reserued by her Husband to himselfe and his Heyres vpon a Lease for yeares 1. Ed. 6. titulo Dower in Brooke accordeth If the Law be so Dower hath lesse fauour in this case then the estate per Courâ—â—siâ— d'Angleterre But Cléere if a man take a wife first lease his Lands for yeares or for life and die now the Wife may recouer Dower of the Land it selfe and by Breton if the woman recouer the third part of Lands leased for yeares de office de iustice il serra a gard que el tertiâ— remnant les deux parties que demorent de terre iesques aâ—â—nt que il eâ—t receiue al value de le tierrâ— partie que il auera perduâ— c. But if she recouer all the Land leased from the termer he shall haue recouerie per plâ—â— de garranti either of such other Lands as the Lessor had or if he had no other of the Lands seised when the widdow is dead by sâ—irâ— facias out of the Court where the Iudgement was inrolled Note That though the Law be as is abouesaid where Lands are giuen to two and to the Heyres of one of them yet if the Husband purchase to himselfe and his wife and to the heyres of the Husband the wife may relinquish the purchase and disagree by bringing her Writ of Dower Like Law séemeth to be where the purchase is to the Baron and feme during the life of the Baron the remainder to his right heyres SECT LX. Of what things Dower is granted LIttletons ground is of Lands or tenements But a woman is Dowable also of all manner of rents which are rents of Inheritance Also of Offices as for example of a Bayly-wicke in fée a woman may haue the third part of the profit in Dower and be contributary to the charge Also at this day where the Baron hath but an vse in fée-simple or fée-taile generall vnlesse it be in case where the Husband may and doth disagrée the wife shall haue Dower and if a bargaine and sale be made of Lands to the Husband which dieth before inrolement the wife notwithstanding shall haue Dower and by the inrolement einsement it shall be indefeisable against the Vendor and the Heyre of the Vendée Also a woman is Dowable of Villaines regardant to a Mannor and if a villanie in gros a
hath not the force of a negatiue implying in nul auter manner then is therein described Amy is therefore a ioynt purchaser with her husband in estate for life and not in or by descent of estate taâ—â—e Now to say that her right and estate should change by silent operation of the Law after shee was repossessed that cannot be for the whole entry is tolled and if she be not remitted by her first possession and reprisall she is neuer remitted If a Disseisour make feoffement to the vse of the Disfeisée and after the Disseisor enter he shall be remitted but before his entry he shall not be remitted for he shall be adiudged in possession by vertue of the Statute but so soone as hee entreth he is remitted for his entry was neuer tolled But Amy Townesends entry was cleane taken away by the discontinuance c. further if she should be remitted by the Statute of 27. the remainders should be all destroyed contrary to the text of the same Statute And to the inconueâ—iencie alleadged if she shall not be remitted shee shall hold incombred with the charges of her Husband that is none at all for Amy after her husbands death might haue disagréed and relinquished the vse with possession annexed to it by bringing a cui in vita against him next in remainder for in him by such disagréement or vser of action had the remainder vested as though the woman had beene a Monke or dead person in Law or neuer named in the limitation If the vse had béene to Amy Townsend in fée she might haue brought her cui in vita against the Feoffor or his heyre by which they shall be Tenants to her action and so might the inâ—umbrance haue béene auoyded for when a feoffement is to the vse of one which refuseth the vse it shall be in effect as if the vse had beene limited to Paules stéeple or to Charing-Crosse all falling or reflecting because the Feoffor hath no recompence or consideration to his vse and hee shall be Tenant to euery Precipe It was further agreed that as the Cause fell out Amy Townesend could not be remitted though her possession had returned by refeoffemeÌ„t at the Common Law because Sir Roger Townesend her Husband outliued her for 21. Ed. 3. the Case is Baron made a Feoffement the Feoffée â—einfeoffe the Baron and Feme and heyres of the wife she woman dyed the Heyre entred the Baron brought an Assise which was iudged maintainable for whilest the Baron liued he was tenant to the heyres action And the thâ— Iudgement was that Amy Townsend was neuer remitted the reason was indéed because there is nothing in the Statute of 27. to make a remitter for the clause of sauing of Drâ—its Titles and Actions is of such right c. as was before the Statute and not of any right title or action risen since or after it Now note that as a Lease made for twenty yeares by Baron and feme Tenants for life binds not any remainder by the Statute which speaketh onely that Leases made by Tenants of Inheritance shall binde heyres and Successors so I would inferre that if the Leassors inheritance be determined whether it were iure vxoris in taile or otherwise in taile the remainder must be frée from the Statute But note that the point which made me choose this case for illustration of the Statute is this Amy Townesend was iudged not remitted because she had no title of entry but onely by the 27 c. of vses and therefore she must néeds claime her possession according to the vse But put Case the Feoffement had béene since the Statute of 32 the Law would then haue iudged a remitter for by Littleton where any persons entry is congeable which taketh estate for life or in fée it is a remitter if the reprisall be not by Indenture or record or some matter of estoppell for alwayes where there is a double right or title the Law must iudge for the best as well in the entry as in the possession and an Indenture made by Baron and Feme is none estoppell to the Wife by the Common Law Concerning the Case 21. Ed. 3. Wilby which gaue iudgement thought the Barons aduantage a hinderance to the Remitter yet if he died the wife should be remitted But if you looke Brooke remitter 21. and 41. ye shall finde that the Feme was maintenant remitted though to saue the husbands aduantage of warranty they would not so iudge it quod mirum saith Brooke and quaere quia contrarium a ceo iour SECT XXVII Whether acceptance or taciturnity may not take away an entry at this day NO fine feoffement or other act done by the husband onely shall make any discontinuance or be preiudiciall to the wife but that she may enter c. what if Baron and Feme make a feoffement or Lease for life by solemne Indentures with Liuery and seisin cleere this takes not away at this day the wiues entry after Couerture ended But admit when shee is a widdow shee refuseth to enter and accept payment of rent or performance of couenants is not now both her entry and her action gone also euen as in case of an Infant which makes such a feoffement or Lease and accepts the rent when he is of full age The question must be answered out of the Statute and in mine opinion there is nothing in it to ayde a woman after such ratification by acceptance volenti non fit iniuria nec inuitis confirmantur beneficia A Lease by Baron Feme per Indenture is not voyd presently by the Barons death But whereas before she was driuen to suit and action shee may now enter by the Statute yet it compels her not to enter neither caâ—teth any frée-hold vpon her In like manner if the Baron alone alien his Wiues Land by fine with proclamation the Wife may enter by force of this Statute but per opinionem totius curiae Ed. 6. Dyer fo 72. If she suffer fiue yeares to passe and expire without entry or vser of action she and her heyres shall be barred for euer for this Statute of 32. though it limit no time for the womans entry yet it speaketh nothing of fines with proclamation and therefore it takes not the generall Law made 4. Hen. 7. cap. 24. of fines with proclamation And sée Sir Ed. Cokes 8. Rep. fo 72. in Grenlies case SECT XXVIII Of Fines SEe further the case 18. Eliz. Dyer 351. Land holden in socage was giuen to a man and his wife in taile the remainder in sée to the Barons right heyres the Baron alone leuied a fine with proclamation to his owne vse and afterward by his last will and Testament in writing deuised the Land to his wife for life the remainder ouer to a Stranger vpon condition to pay certaine rent annually out of the land with Clause of distresse c. the Baron died the wife entering and claiming estate onely for life paid rent
her Lands aliened by her husband quod vide cui in vita Fitz. 3. Likewise 1. H. 4. fo 1. The Kings writt of Ward against Sybill Belknap is awarded good though it were brought by the King but iudgement was asked of it because Sybill was a Feme Couert iour del briefe purchase and the husband not named whereunto was answered that for offence against the King and his Péeres Belknap was banished to Gascoigne there to remaine till he obtained the Kings Grace c. Iustice Gascoigne by the assent of his fellowes commands the Defendants to answer and she pleads in barre Againe 2. H. 4. fo 7. all the Iustices testifie that the wife of Sir Robert Belknap who was banished sued a writt alone without naming her husband and by their common award it was holden good for that as some said the said Sibyl was the Kings Ferâ—er But howsoeuer it were Markham exclaimes Ecce modo mirum quod foemina fert breue regis Non nominando virum coniunctum robore legis Some say it should be conuictum c. It is like a miracle that a wife should commence any suit without her husband 18. Ed. 4. fo 4. If a feme Couert be impleaded without her husband and outlawed the baron and feme may ioyne in a writt of error to reuerse the outlary for the wife cannot sue without the Husband If a fine be leuied to a feme Couert yet she and her husband must ioyne in the quid juris clamat as the book of 11. H. 4. 7. testifieth If Baron and Feme be beaten c. they must Ioyne in action for battery of the Feme but for his owne stripes the Baron shall bring his owne action by himselfe or else his writt abates for that part 9. Ed. 4. fo 52. Because a feme Couert hath nothing to doe to participate in the suites of her husband nor in the priuiledges of her husband Therefore a suite against the Wife of an atturney shall not be in the Court where hee serueth by bill but by originall writt and none essoine de seruitio Regis or other essoine cast for the Husband shall serue for the wife for if in a praecipe quod reddat against baron feme at the grand Cape the Baron be essoyned de seruitio regis and the wife make default shee shall lose her Land So likewise if the Baron be a seruant of the Chancellor c. no writt of priuiledge shall serue for him and his wife but actions against them both must be sued at the Common Law But a protection cast by the Baron dismisseth the plea sans iour for both because the Feme cannot answer without her husband 35. H. 6. f. 3 4. a feme couert shal not be receiued to disauow the atturney of her husband but he shal make an atturney for them both 33. H. 6. f. 31. And cod â—n fo 43. If the wife will come into the Court offer to plead any other plea then that which her husband hath pleaded or to confesse the action she shal not be receiued to it but the husband may not forcher per essoin And if baron feme wage the law c. If the wife appeare not at the day giuen the baron shall be condemned But a wife shal neuer be receiued to disauow the suite of her husband and her selfe quod vide 39. Assisarum pla 1. a good Case SECT XLIII Of Felonies IN matters criminall and capitall causes a Feme couert shall answere without her husband 15. Ed. 4. fo 1. And note if a Feme Couert steale any thing by cohersion of her Husband this is not felonie in her 27. lib. Assisarum 40. It was found that a woman had stollen bread to the worth of two shillings by compulsion of her husband and awarded that she should goe quite It seemeth to be all one if a woman steale by commandement of her husband quaere If a man and his wife commit felonie ioyntly it séemeth the wife is no felon but it shall be wholly iudged the Husbands fact saith Stamford Seuen men and a woman were arraigned of felonie found guilty and because thâ— woman cryed out she was wife to one of the seuen the Iudges sent to the Bishop to be certified of the Marriage But a woman by her selfe without the priuitie of her husband may commit felonie to become either principall or accessary As if shee steale goods or receiue théeues to her house c. and if the husband so soone as hee perceiue it waiue and forsake their company and his owne house in this case the Womans offence makes not felonie in the baron But if the baron commit felonie his wife not ignorant of it may kéepe his company still notwithstanding and not be deemed accessary for a woman cannot bee accessary to her husband insomuch as shee is forbidden by the Law of God to bewray him note also that a woman cannot be thiefe of her husbands goods if shee take and giue them away the receiuer is no felon Stanford lib. 1. cap. 19. Briton allowes that the wife shall keep her husbands counsell but yet so that if she acquit her selfe per pais del fait consent for felons wiues hee saith haue often held men whiles the husband killed them and in that case it is reason and Law that they hang together fo 47. By Bracton non debet virum accusare vxor nec deâ—egere â—urâ—um suum neque feloniam conâ—enâ—ire tamen non debet nec coâ—diutrix esse sed feloniam nequiâ—iam viri quantum potest impedire And by him if goods stollen be found sub claâ—ibus vxoris she shal be culpable with her husband of his felonie Item si vxor cum viro coniuncta fuerit vel confessa fuerit quod viro consilium vel auxilium praestiterit â—â—nâ—bunâ—â—â— ambo nam licet obedire debeat vxor viro in aâ—â—ocioribuâ— tamen laâ—â—oâ—inijs nec est ei obediendum Poterit vir ligare tenere atque vxor sponte non coacta occidere ita â—eneâ—ur de maleficio vterque libro 3. ca. 32. In the end he sheweth how execution of iudgement shall bee deferred when the woman condemned is with child siue ante delictum conceperiâ— siue post Hee coteth ciuill Law for it But Stanford hath it perfecter If a woman bee arraigned of felonie it is no plea to say she is with child but she must plead to the felonie and if she bee found guilty shee may then claime the benefit of her wombe wherevpon the Marshall or Vicount shall bee commanded to put her in a chamber and cause some women to examine and try her whether she be ensoint de vn infant which if she be not she shall be hanged maintenant And though she be quicke with child yet Iudgement shall not be delayed but onely execution deferred If after such respite when she is once deliuered she become great againe and obiect to prolong her life the
vpon the first maineprise or a new scire facias by new maineprise neither of them might be allowed without his wife yet it was agréed that if two men were outlawed one might sue pardon and scire facies without the other for in that case the one may plead alone vpon the first originall without his fellow against whom the processe is determined but the Baron cannot plead here without his wife sée the booke 11. H. 4. fo 89. Baron and Feme being outlawed the wife appeared and brought a Charter of pardon shee was suffered to goe at large but the pardon might not bee allowed because the baron appeared not and the wife could not plead without him 14. â— 6. fo 14. Iune said that one kinde of diuorce betwixt baron and feme is when an action of trespasse is brought against them and the baron only appearing processe goes out against the wife till she be waiue c. Shee can neuer purchase her pardon vnlesse her husband appeare so that if he will he is diuorced The like subtilty hath M. Littleton 13. Ed. 4. fo 4. where he affirmes that if a woman be outlawed by erronious processe if the husband will not bring a writ of error hee may so be rid of a shrew for that counteruailes a diuorce 11. H. 4. Sheweth that a woman may be suffered to goe at large though her pardon bée not allowed till her husband appeare with her c. And sée Dyer 10. Eliz. 271. In debt against baron and feme processe was continued till the baron was outlawed and the wife waiue afterward the wife came in ward by processe brought the queenes pardon for her waiuery Though the pardon could not bée allowed because the wife without the husband could not sue scire facias against the platntiffe to make him declare vpon the first originall for the pardon had a condition in law ita quod ipsa staret recta in curia which shée could not doe alone yet by the opinion of the Court shée was to bee discharged of the imprisonment I thinke the shrew went home But that a woman outlawed by her selfe alone for an offence touching her in an action brought against her husband and her and the husband appeared before outlagary was discharged of her imprisonment vpon sight of her pardon I find not here nor no where else and therefore it may be M. Iunes way will serue sometime to bee rid of a shrew and that by a like manner a woman may be voided of a slouin or vncumbred of a Churle An action of trespasse is brought against baron and feme and the baron outlawed the wife appearing at the exigent goeth sanâ—iour if a capias vtlagatum lay hold of the husband I perceiue not well how he can get loose without his dames fauour SECT L. Of Diuorce BVt it is time to make an end of marriage since wee are come to matter of diuorcement of which I reckon this of outlary for none 47. Ed. 3. in the very end of the yéere setteth downe flue wayes Causa professionis Causa pcontractus Causa consanguinitatis causa affinitatis and Causa frigiditatis with an obseruation that when diuorce is Causa professionâ—â— the wife shall be indowed and the heire inherit contra in al the residue â—mmaturiâ—iâ— also or miâ—oritie of age at the time of espoâ—sals may be one cause of diuorce As â—9 Ed. 3. fo 32. Iohn Alice his wife brought an assise the Tenant said that Alice had sued diuorce in the Archbishoprick of Barwicke because she was vnder age of consent tempore sponsaliuÌ„ neuer consenting afterward and diuorce was had iudgement del briefe And Broke titulo garde 124. remembreth that 5. Ph. Mar. the Doctors of Law declared for diuorces vpon this case That if an heire or other body be married infra annos nubiles and doe disassent at the age of discretion or after before assent to marriage it is sufficient and the party may be wedded to some other body without either diuorce or testimony of the disagréement before the ordinary who though hee may punish ê‘ arbitrium Iudicis here yet the second espousals are good by Law of both Realme and Church But when diuorce is had for kindred praecontract frigiditie or such like case the Law is cleane contrary for tryall of diuorce when it is pleaded in a temporall Court must bee by certificate of the Bishop and not ê‘ pais 5. Hen. 4. fol. 2 and sentence of diuorce belongeth to the Bishop in his spirituall Court Of which there is authority 2. Eliz. 179. in Dyer This yéere he saith sentence of diuorce was giuen Causa frigiditatis naturalis in the Archbishops Court of Audience and the woman was actrix querulans de impotentia proâ—râ—andiâ—â— viâ—o who was adiudged impotent by the Physitians The same yéere or next yéere another case and iudgement hapned like and the woman which complained married to a second husband of better stuffe by whom she had children and gaue him all her land by fine c. her first husband also was married to another woman and had children by his second wife vt asserebatur in which case the Doctors held that the parties diuorced were compellable to liue againe together vt vir vxor quia sancta Ecclesia decepta fuit in Iudicio priori Therefore much adoe was made to stay the ingrossing of the fine yet the Iustices made it be ingrossed contra mandaâ— domÌ„ Custodis c. But sée Sir Edw. Cokes 5. Report fo 98. in Buryes case that the Doctors were deceiued for the parties diuorced causa frigiditatis cannot liue together againe and the issue by the second wife is legitimate for a man may bee habilis inhabilis diuersis temporibus Againe 13. and 14. of Eliz. Dyer fol. 305. teacheth that right and lawfulnesse of marriage is euer to be iudged not by the temporall but by the spirituall Iudge And therefore in an issue of ne vnques accouple in loyall matrimonie if the Bishop certifie not the lawfulnesse of wedlocke but the circumstances hée shall be amerced and a melius certiorando awarded Séeing therefore right of marriage is to be discussed by the spirituall Iudge they which are married ought in no case to seuer themselues and remarry without the spirituall Iudge if they doe the second marriage is no marriage the children had in it are illegitimate and the woman not dowable except in the case first specified And generally where espousals are not méerely void but defiesable if they bee not auoided by diuorcement the issue which is had without defeiting that shall inherit as if a man marry his cosin or his sister saith the booke and haue issue by her and die before diuorce had now nothing can bastardize the issue for though the Commissary was wont in his visitation to make a kinde of diuorce in such cases after death of one of the parties it was neuer any more than an Inquisition of office Ad inquirendum
de peccatis for the heire could not be bastardized when the parents both or one of them were dead and therefore not citable to appeare c. And it is holden strongly by Thorpe 39. Edw. 3. and in the Parliament 24. H. 8. see Brooke titulo Bastardie 23. 37. 44. 47. And a diuorce cannot bee had but of a marriage consisting and not yet by death dissolued for there cannot wel be a reuersing of any diuorce when the parties diuorced be dead as Brooke vnderstandeth Connings by 12. H. 7. 22. for saith he it was adiudged in Coâ—bers case where the baron and feme had issue and afterward were diuorced the baron taking another wife by whom he had issue and died that when the first issue sued in spirituall Court to reuerse the diuorce and bastardize the second issue after his fathers death a prohibition lay But it was said that the title and discent were comprised in the libell or else the prohibition could not haue beene granted Thus saith Brooke titulo Deraignment But titulo Bastardy 47. hee setteth downe the same case that a man may be bastardized after the espousals wherein he was begotten and borne or by death determined Sée Sir Edw Cokes 7. report Kennes case that some diuorces dissolue the matrimony scilicet à vinculo matrimonei and bastardize the issue and â—arâ—â— the woman of her Dower and some à mensa Thoro which dissolueth not the marriage nor barre the wife of her Dower nor bastardize the issue And therefore if any action be brought and diuorce pleaded the cause of diuorce ought to bée shewed And there it is said that a diuorce may be repealed in the spirituall Court after the death of the parties but a suit after the death of the parties to diuorce them and to bastardize their issue may not be for that the triall of bastardy or not belongeth to the temporall Court originally if sentence doe not hinder And sée Sir Edw. Cokes Institut ca. Dower f. 33. ca. Estates upon condition fol. 181. the deriuation of the word diuorce à diuertendo or dinoâ—â—â—ndo quia vir diuertitur ab vxore and sée there the seuerall causes of diuorces and how for any of them respectiuely doe extend in power and effect and in Littletons tune many diuorces were of force which the Statute of 32. H. 8 cap. 8. take away and there sée that a man may marry the sister of his first wife since that Statute By Na. br â—â—l 44. in the writ of prohibition and Na. br 1â—9 and Dyer 28. H. â— 1â— agrée if the woman shall haue the goods not spent and that detinue lyes for them If goods be giuen in marriage with a woman shée shall recouer them in the spirituall Court after diuorce and there lyeth no prohibition â—6 Hen. 8. fol. 7. is that if the husband before diuorce had haue giuen or sold without collusion such goods as were the wiues before marriage she is without remedy for them being diuorced But if he aliened them by collusion and bring a writ of detinue for so much of them as the property may bée decerned of and for the residue money and such like shee shall sue in spirituall Court If a man which is bound to a woman by obligation marry her and they be diuorced she hath her action againe which was suspended ibid by Fitzh and Norwich But see the booke of 11. Hen. 7. 4. p Cur. contrary where the diuorce is causa praecontract ' and it is so cited Dyer 4. Mar. fol. 140. If the woman diuorced were an Inheritrix c. and the husband before diuorcement hath done waste felled her woods receiued her rents granted her wards presented to her Churches giuen away her goods none of these things past in possession executed can be reuersed or recalled But if the Inheritance it selfe were discontinued or charged or a release made of it or hir villaines manuâ—â—itted shée shall haue remedy for these things by common Law If baron and feme Iointpurchasers de disseised and the baron release c. the wife shall haue a moiety if they bee diuorced although before there were no moieties betwixt them for the diuorce conuert that into moieties which sée Brooke title Deraignement and diuorce 32. H. 8. In Sir Edward Cokes 5. Rep. in Olands case it was holden that if a Lease bée made to baron and feme during the Couerture and the baron soweth the land and after there is a diuorce causa praecontract the baron shall haâ—e the Corne and not the lessor for although the baron prefecuted the suit yet the sentence which dissolues the marriage is the iudgment-in Law and Iudicium redditur in â—â—ultum And as by diuorce that which was intire may bée conuerted or diuided into moeties so by it inheritance may bee made francktenement And if baron and feme donées in taile haue issue and be diuorced now they haue but francktenement and the issue shall not inherit for it is not like here as where lands are giuen to two men or â—o a man and his mother or to a man and his daughter and to the heires of their bodies where seuerall heires shall seuerally inherit for it was neuer lawfull for them to marry 7. Hen. 4. 16. Brooâ— 9. in titulo Taile sée also 13. Edw. 3. titulo Deraignment If land be giuen to baron and feme in taile which be diuorced causa praecontract c. they shall hold ioyntly for terme of their liues and the land goe to the Suruiuor But by the Reporter if the gift were in franckmarriage the party which did not cause the diuorce shall haue all and agreeing to that difference is Perk. Chap. feoffement Sect. 238. and also agréeing is Sir Edw. Cokes 9. Rep. in Beamonts case 12. Assisar p. 22. Dorees in franckmarriage were diuorced at the womans suit the baron continued possession till he died and afterward the womandied the possession was adiudged to haue remained alwayes to the woman because shee neuer made any debate for it so that the man neuer had it by disseisin and agréeing to that is Plowden Wymbysses case fol. 58. Dyet 3. M. fol. 126. 19. Assisar plac 2. The Doâ—â—e in franckmarriage wedded infra annus nubiâ—es sued diuorce by the barons motiue and the wiues agréement at their full age and the woman recouered all the land against her quondam husband by assise And Titulo Assise in Fitzh pla 413. 44â— is this case A man of certaine tenements infeoffed his feoffor his wife in tayle the remainder to the right heires of the baron they were diuorced at the suit of her husband which kept the woman out of the lands and she brought an Assise whereby she recouered a moyty of the tenemen's by iudgement presently And propter difficultatem it was adiâ—rned for the other mâ—ity to the Commonpleas where shee had â—udgement of that also because diuorce was at the husbands sâ—â—t As a woman may haue an Assise against her
impedit the Plaintiffe may haue one writ to the Bishop and another to the Sheriffe to enquire of dammages Likewise 14. H. 8. fol. 25. in a plea of dower vpon confession the demandant recouered Iudgement and after Iudgement auerring that her husband died seised shee prayed a writ to enquire of dammages habuit for if the demandant in dower will recouer dammages shee must euer surmize that her husband died seised though the Tenant confesse the Action or plead but onely to the Writ and in the end of her Demise shee may maintaine the Writ for sur plee briefe the dying seised appeares not without surmise c. 22. H. 6. fol. 44. SECT X. Deteiner of Euidence BY Perkins none may deteine Dower for deteining of euidence but only the heire to whom the euidence belongeth and the heire when he pleads must shew what the euidence is c. And they must concerne the lands discended vnto him whereof Dower is demanded for hée may not deteine Dower of land which the Charters concerne not or for Charters concerning his purchased lands or those whereof he hath no seisin Aliter if they concerne some reuersion descended But if the heire come in vouched to warranty by the Barons feofée hée cannot plead this Deteiner of Euidence because in verity the land is another mans to whom most rightly the Charters belong But one copercener may haue this plea after partition against her mother or other Demandant in Dower though the euidence concerne the other parceners and her all alike see 41. Titulo Dower in Brooke If a widdow that is with child deteine euidence against her husbands daughter and heire or other heire collaterall it shall bée no sufficient plea to delay Dower 1. Perkins 70. 71. 18. Hen. 8. fol. 1. The heire said the Demandant deteined a bagge ensealed with the euidence concerning the land which if hée would deliuer hee was ready to render Dower bone plee per Curiam 33. Hen. 6. fol. 51. The Tenant pleaded for part of the land whereof Dower was demanded non tenure for another part detinue of Charters for another part Ioyntenancie which his father for a fourth part demanded view but it might not be granted because he tooke notice to himselfe of that part by pleading to the rest And the Plaintiffe to his plea of suruiuor pleaded his release made to the father her husband in his life time Issiâ—â— seisi que Dowre c. The plea of Euidence detained as Littleton said went to the whole action quod fuit negatum vâ—de Brooke â—y Dower 4 but he was forced to shew what euidence he deteineth viz. a speciall Charter 4â— Ed. 3. The Tenant pleaded a withholding of Euidence certaine conceâ—ning his inheritance and shewes what Et qâ—e il aâ— estre toures temps prist si c. the woman made title to two deeds by gift to her husband and her selfe and for the other Euidence shee said whereas the Defendant claimed as brother and heire to her husband shee kept it to the vse of her child si ouâ—sqÌ„ soit inseint qÌ„ serra â—eure si dien luy done nostre and issue was taken whether she were insâ—int die obitus mariti not whether shee were inseint per son baron die obitâ—s And that booke of 41. Edw. â— is cited for law in Sir Edw. Cokes 7. Rep. fol. 9 that a woman may deteine Charters for the heire in ventre â—a mere And 22. Hen. 6. fol. 16. It was agréed that deteiner of Euidence is no plea in an Action of Dower vnlesse it concerne Inheritance discended Et siâ— videtur ibidem saith Brooke that if it concerne inheritance though it be not the very land whereof Dower is demanded the plea is good 9. Edw. 4. to plea of Charters deteined the Demandant answered veies cyâ—le fait prâ—â— dower the Court reading and perceiuing it to bee the déed c. gaue iudgement for Dower 14. Hen. 6. fol. 4 The Tenant pleaded detinue of a chest with two fines and other Charters ê‘ Martin Iustice if the Chest were open he ought to declare euery déed specially by it selfe and so it is likewise in action of detinue for a Chest open with euidence quod curia concessit 2. Hen. 7. fol. 6. Is set downe the reason why the certainty of euidence deteined must bee showne viz. That the Iury may be more able to make their verdict and the Court to iugde to whom they appertaine for if they belong to the Defendants purchase he is put to a Writ of detinue And 6. Eliz. Dyer 230. sée a man seised of foure acres soccage land and of one déed or Charter concerning those lands by his last will in writing deuised thrée of his acres to his youngest sonne in fée the fourth acre to his wife for life the remainder to a stranger in fee hâ— died his wife got the déed entred into her acre and the sonne into the three acres deuised to him the woman brings a Writ of Dower for a third of these thrée acres The sonne pleads detinue of the Charter which if she would deâ—â—uer he is and alwayes had beene ready to render Dower shee shewed the whole cause by way of replication vpon that the other side demurred It seemeth saith Dyer that this plea serueth for none saue only the Barons heire and for no land but that which is descended And not for the heire himselfe if he come in by voucher or â—s Tenant by receipt in default of Tenant for life Where hee is no more but tenant per admittance for such a one cannot say that he hath béene toutes temps prist a render Dower si c. Neither can gardian in chiualry haue this plea for he cannot haue a writ of detinue of the heires euidence And this plea is a bar for no lands but those which the Charters deteined do concerne 22. H. 6. Where Newton saith the reason of this barre is because the euidence being séene and looked into may yéeld matter to barre the Demandant of her Dower for such lands therefore as the Charters doe not touch Dower shall be granted of them this plea notwithstanding Also certainty must euer bee alleaged in this case if the euidence bee not in some bag boâ— or chest sealed or locked vp And note the Defendant supra was not named heire by the demandant neither had he inabled himselfe to this plea as heire therefore the Court might take it indifferently As in a quare impedit if the incumbent bee named Clericus the Court takes him for a Disturber if hee inable not himselfe as incumbent or person impersonée Another fault was found in this Tenants conclusion of his plea because hee said vncoâ—e prist a render Dower but in very déed hee relied not againe on the condition if the Demandant would deliuer the Charter according to the ancient booke of entries And at the last iudgement was giuen pro dote Sée Sir Edw. Cokes 9. Rep. in Anna Beddingfelds case 1.
That the Charters ought to concerne the land whereof Dower is demanded and not other lands descended to the heire 2. He that pleads that plea ought to shew the certainty whereof a certaine issue may be ioyned or that they are in a chest or box sealed which import sufficient certainty whereof certaine issue may be taken and in both cases action of detinue may be brought by the heire 3. No stranger although that he bée Tenant of the land and hath the euidences conueyed vnto him may plead in a Writ of Dower deteiner of Charters but that plea is only in prinity for the heire of the husband Also the heire shall be in the degrée of a stranger in fiue cases First if the heire hath the land by purchase Secondly if the heire hath deliâ—eâ—ed the Charters to the wife Thirdly so the heire be not immediate vouchee namely by the Tenant in the Writ of Dower but by his vouchée Fourthly if the heire comes in as vouchée hauing no lands in the County where the land is demanded Fifthly if he comes in as Tenant by receit And Gardian in Chiualry may not plead deteinement of Charters for hée may not conclude his plea if the Demandant will deliuer to him the Charters c. for the Charters which concerne the heritage of the heire shall not be deliuered to the Gardian as it is adiudged in 10. Edw. 3. 49. SECT XI Deteining of the heire AS the heire only may deteine Dower for deteining of euidence so the Gardian in Chiualry onely may deteâ—â—â— Dower for deteining the heire and that he may plead and conclude qÌ„ il ad en touts temps prist for the ward belongeth to him If a widow eloigne the infant or heire of her husband though some other body haue him by her deliuery yet the Gardian in Chiualry may detaine Dower except shee can redeliuer him to the Gardian in as good plight as hée was at the time of the eloigâ—ment that is vnmarried if he were eloigned vnmarried But a woman nourishing her owne Infant the sonne or heire which her husband left her if a stranger clauning as Gardian fake him from her the right Lord shall not detaine dower for this cause But if a woman take and remoue the heire from the place where hee was nourished at time of the Barons death Now if a stranger wrongfully take him from her the true and right Gardian may detaine dower And this matter is pleadable by Gardian in Chiualrie though hée come into Court by reason that the heire is vouched to be in his ward for by right the custodie of the Infant can appertaine to none but to him vnlesse it be by his grant or agréement Certaintie is required in pleading of this detainer aswell as in the other viz. that she which demandeth dower hath eloigned or detained I. S by name son or daughter W. c. 22. H. 6. fol. 16. 2. H. 7. fol. 6. SECT XII Possession in the Demandant 39. Ed. 3. 17. DOwer was demanded a third part of a carue of land the tenant said the demandant her selfe was seised of a third part of it already Iudgement de briefe per Knyuet it was no good plea without shewing who assigned it or that she recouered it For if shee were in by disseisen shee must haue dower of the other two parts remaining neuerthelesse by which the tenant was chased to answer for the two parts 7. oâ— H. 6. 33. 34. In action of dower against tâ—â— one said he had assigned rent out of the land six shillings and eight pence annuall to the demandant for terme of her life which she accepted c. The other pleaded touâ—s tâ—mps prist c. The assignment was holden a good plea c. the demandant said she neuer agreed Now per Strange she was to recouer a moytie maintenant though the other plea were not yet tried for this was a confession of one and pleader in bar of the other 2. H. 4. fol. 7. A Lady sued in Chancerie to be endowed of diuers Mannors which were her husbands where the heire was in gard of the King as was found by the Diem clausit extremum there returned and because it appeared that King Richard had committed wardship of the lands and body of the heire till full age of the said heire to her by patent without foreprise or mention of dower shée was ousted of dower per agard de toutes les Iustices till full age of the heire simile 11. of H. 4. in case of the Lady Arrundell Fitzherbert saith likewise If a woman take a lease for yeares of land whereof she is dowable she shall not sue for Dower during these yeares Nat. br 149. c. Bracton propoundeth to be considered what shall be done when the widdow brings her Writ of Dower vnde nihil habet and yet it is so that she hath part of her Dower already If saith he it be proued or she cannot deny it cadit breue and she shall not recouer the residue but by Writ de recto de dote Therefore let her accept no part of her Dower before she purchase her Writ and let it containe all the Deforcers be they in one Countie or in many When they are so put together if now she accept any thing of her Dower without Iudgement the acceptation of part shall be no exception against her for she may confesse satisfaction for that part If peraduenture shee haue already taken part of her Dower from some one person before the obtaining or purchase of her Writ let his name and the summons for him be in the Writ notwithstanding and then if it be obiected she hath accepted part shee may acknowledge that hee hath satisfied her for his part and whether before or after suit is not greatly to be stood vpon But if he of whom she receiued part be not named in the Writ she cannot against the obiection of acceptance reply that the land which she accepted is not in the same Towne but in another For vnde nihil habet in the Writ non debet referri ad villas sed ad dotem It is nothing worth therefore to say she hath nothing in tali villa if she hath any thing nomine dotis wheresoeuer it be it is not then materiall And when a woman replyeth nihil habet her defence shall not be per legem that is wager of Law but per patriam Likewise if a woman plead that she hath nothing nomine dotis but by some other title as ratione custodiae huiusmodi Inquisition may be in the Countie where it is supposed shee receiued Dower to finde whether shée haue any thing in Dower of the tenements which were her husbands and if shée had and now hath not to enquire what is become of it this was a Norâ—â— case of Holda the late wife of W. in Trinitie Terme 4. H. 4. as Bracton in his fourth Booke 13. Chapter and fol. 312. relates vnto me SECT XIII Ne
the Law so méeke in Edward the first his time that the first Statute against Rape speaketh of it so mildly as if it had béene at Common Law a verie small trespasse SECT XXIII West 1. cap. 14. anno 3. E. 1. THe King commands that no man rauish or take by force any damsell within age either with her consent or without Nor any dame or damsell of sull age or other mans wife against her will If any doe the King will doe iustice and common right at his or her suit that shall sue within 40. dayes if none commence suit within 40. dayes the King shall haue the suit they which are culpable shall bee imprisoned two yéeres and bee ransomed at the Kings pleasure And if they haue not to satisfie the ransome they shall suffer a longer imprisonment as the trespasse shall require a man may well suspect that there was something which had allayed the rigour of former Law before this Statute was made It may bée the importation of Clergy men vrging satisfaction according to Moises Law if the woman rauished were vnmarried and otherwise the bashfulnesse of those which are betrothed and espoused kept in the truculent Law of King William Howsoeuer it were this Statute of West 1. in my poore opinion being rather affirmatiue than otherwise runneth not in fauour of rauishers to abrogate their old punishment but inflicteth a greater punishment vpon them than that which had lately béene put in practice Or it may bee very well that the common right which King Edward promised here to doe for them that would pursue within forty dayes was according to the seuerity which Bâ—acâ—on speaketh of SECT XXIV West 2. cap. â—5 THe mitigation of the old Law one way or other in a few yéeres brought forth so many enormities That at the next Parliament which King Edw. held ten yéeres after it was ordeined as followeth It is ordeined that if any man rauish any woman espoused or damsell or other woman which consenteth not afore nor after that hee shall haue iudgement of life and member And whosoeuer rauisheth any woman by force though she consent afterward shall haue iudgement as afore is said if he be attainteâ— at the Kings suit And if any woman bee carried away with the goods of their husband the King shall haue the suit for goods so carried away This Chapter conteineth also the ordinance against Elopement and another for Nunnes qui monachialem a domo suo aâ—â—ucat liâ—et monachâ—â—liâ— consentiat puniatur perpriâ—onam trium annorum c. satisfaciat domâ—i a qua abducta fuerit nihâ—lominus redimatur ad volâ—â—ratem regâ—â— SECT XXV 6. Richard 2. cap. 6. A Man would haue thought that this Statute should haue repressed for euer all violence towards the persons of women but quantos motos scies reclamante ratione Priape In the sixt yéere of King Richards reigne and about the 16th of his age this villany of rape was so encreased and women so little offended with the iniury or so ashamed to confesse the outrage that a new Law was made to punish women which consented to their rauishors vt sequitur Against rauishers of Ladies and daughters of Noble men and other women in euery part of the Realme now a dayes more violently offending and oftener than was wont It is ordained that wheresoeuer and whensoeuer such Ladies daughters or other women bee rauished and after rape doe consent â—o such reuishers that as well the rauishers as they which be rauished bee from henceforth disabled to haue or challenge Heritage Dower or Iointfeoffement after the death of their husbands and ancestors And that incontinently the neâ—t of the bloud of those rauishers or of tâ—em that bée so rauished to whom such Heritage Dower or Iointfeoffement ought to reuert remaine or fall after the death of the rauisher or of her that is so rauished shall haue title mâ—â—ntinently after the rape to enter vpon the rauisher or her that is rauished and their Assignes and lands tenements in the same heritage Dower or Iointfeoffement and the same to hold in state of Heritage And that the husbands of such women if they haue husbands or if they haue no husband liuing the father or other next of the bloud haue from henceforth the suit to pursue against the Offenders and Rauishers in this behalfe and to haue them thereof conuict of life and member though the woman after such rape doe consent to the rauisher And the Defendant in this Case shall not bee receiued to wage battaile but that the truth of the matter shall bee tried by the Country Sauing alwayes to the King and other Lords of the Realme their escheats of the Rauishers if they be conuict This is a shrewd Statute Till this time he that had rauished a woman might hope for a clemencie at the least at her hands because he had ventured his life for her sake but what shall lusty leachers now doe the more a woman is worthy to bee won because shee hath or shall haue wherewith to kéepe a man the more danger it is to medle with her She that perhaps might haue bâ—ene perswaded had this Statute not 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 a matter of greater astonishment then 〈◊〉 bares not now be mercifull lest shâ—e bâ—e cruell to herselfe Therefore now men looke on faire Gentlewomen heires and widdowes as the eaâ—â— looketh at a fish in the water she would 〈◊〉 â—e dealing but is lâ—th to go 〈◊〉 And now comes in the second rape by aâ—duction wherein auarice is as great an agâ—â—t as caâ—â—â—lity aâ—d something wiser in auoâ—ding of danger now men turned themselues for loues sake into Centaures first and tooke on them the shape of Buls afterward SECT XXVI 31. Hâ—â— â— cap. 9. THerefore in the 31. yâ—ere of Hen. 6. was a Statute made beginning with complaint that in all parts of the Realme diuers people of power moued by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cousnesse against all right and gentlenesse had 〈◊〉 new 〈◊〉 to the danger trouble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Ladies Gentlewomen and other women sole hauing substance of â—â—nd tenements or moueable goods 〈◊〉 then great innocency and simplicity wishing to take them by force or otherwise come to them seeming to be their great friends promising them theâ—r faithfull loues and to by great 〈◊〉 they caught them into their possession coâ—â—â—ying them into places where the Offenders were of power not suffering them once gotten into their gouernance to gâ—â— aâ— liberty till they hâ—d bound them by Obligation or Statute merchant and enforced them to marry against their owne liking otherwise they would leuy the said summe in the said Obligation or Statutes to preuent danger of forfeiture of the same Obligation or Statute or further perill to their persons The purueyance of this Statute is but a Grant of a Writ whereby to call before the Chancellor or before the Iustices of Assises in the County or before some other noble persons assigned by the Chancellor of England the persons offending
giue away in fée or for life the tenement which shée holdeth in Dower the heire or he which is in reuersion may maintenant haue his recouerie by Writ of Entrie and this is termed a writ of Entrie in Casu prouiso There is no doubt but Fée in this Statute signifieth both Fée simple and Fée taile And he which hath Fée simple Fée taile or Estate for life in the reuersion may haue this Writ against the Alienée or against him which is tenant of the Francktenement And this during the life of the tenant in Dower which aliened for when she is dead it lieth not perâ—el Nâ—t Breu. The Statute expresseth not the writ but the forme is Praecipe A. quod reddat B. vnum tonemen um quod clamat in quod non habet ingressum nisi per C. quae suit vxo D. qui illud ei demisâ—â— illud tenuit in dotem de dono praedicti D. quondum viri sunt cuius haeres c. quod post eemisionem per istud C. praefat ' A. contra formam Statuti Glocest c. ad praefatum â— reuerti debet performameiusdem Statuti And it may be in the Per Cui or Post If a woman recouer Dower against the heire and then alien in Fée the recouerie must be mentioned by the heire in his writ of Entrie in Casu prouiso In like manner as it must be in a writ of Entrieâ—d Communem Legem vpon an alienation by tenant in Dower and though this alienation be but in taile or for life yet the forme of the writ varieth not If he which hath the reuersion in Fée grant it to another and the Tenant in Dower after Atturnment alieneth in Fee the Grantée of the reuersion shall haue Writ specifying the grant Likewise if the heire grant his reuersion with Atturnment and the Grantée grants it ouer with Atturnment the third Grantée may haue a writ specifying that the woman held of the first second and third ex assignatione c. The Aunt and Néece hauing the reuersion by discent may ioyne in this writ and the processe is summons grand and petit cape SECT XXX The Writ if Enirie in Casa coasimili THis Writ is in nature like the other and it lyeth when Tenant by the courtesie or Tenant for his owne life or another mans alieneth in fée or in taile or for terme of life he in the reuersion which hath it for life or in taile or in fée may haue this Writ of Entrie in Casu consimili during the life of him which aliened and this is formed and granted vpon West 2. cap. 24. which willeth That as often as there is a Writ found in Chancerie for one case and another case falling sub eodemâ—â—â—e and requiring like remedy there is none in the registrie of the Chancerie for that the Clerks of the Chancerie shall concord in framing a writ Vel atterminent quaerâ—ntes in proximo Parliamento scribantur vsus in quibus concordare non possunt c. referant eos ad proximum Parliamentum fiat breue de consensu Iurisperitorâ—m ne contingâ—tdâ— caetero quod curia Domini Regis deficiat conquerentibus in Iustitia perquirenda The Writ is Reuerti debet performam statuti in consimili casu prouisi And it supposeth alwayes altenation in feodo although the Tenant leased or dem sed it but for terme of another mans life or in taile And so the writ of in Casu prouiso And that of Entrie ad Communem Legem This writ may be in the per cui and post And without title made in the writ if if so be that the Demandant himselfe made the particular estate of him which aliened But if the father or other Ancestor make a lease for terme of life and die and then the Tenant for life alieneth in fée now the heire in reuersion shall haue a writ comprising his title in it selfe And if this writ be brought vpon alienation made by Baron and Feme the writ supposeth that the wife aliened with her husband but yet shée may haue a Cui in vita after her husbands death the alienation not letting it If Tenant for life grant his estate to another and the grantee alieneth in fée the Writ shall be in quod non habet ingressum nisi per C. cuâ— D. qui illud tenuit ad vitam ex demissione B. deâ—â—sit ad eusdem teâ—mâ—num c. If a man make a lease for life and dye and his heire grant the reuersion to B. and the Tenant attâ—â—nes If now the lessée grant his estate to another which alieneth in fee to A. B. shall haue a Writ comprehending the assignation and grant of all the estates If lands bee giuen to two men and to the heires of one of them and he which hath the fée simple dies and then the Tenant for life alieneth in fée now the heire of him in remainder may haue this Writ for it lyeth as well for him as for Tenant in reuersion If any Abbot or Prior make a lease for life the lessée alien the Prior dye c the successor may haue this Writ Also tenant in taile may haue it if hee make a lease for life and his lessee alien in fée And it séemes if Tenant in taile make a lease for life of the lessee and dye the issue in taile may choose to bring a Formdon or Writ of Entrie in Consimili casu against the alienée whilst the lessée for life is yet liuing for the alienée which is Tenant in the Action cannot plead in Abatement of the Writ that the Demandant hath title to a Formedone But if Tenant in taile make a lease for terme of his owne life which is no discontinuance if now the lessee alien in fee and the lessor dye his heire cannot haue a Writ de consimili casu but he is driuen to his Formedone for in this case he hath no title to other Actions by colour of any demise But in the former case he had title by reason of the discontinuance made for life to claime by right of the new reuersion discended so that hee had a double title the reuersion reserued sur le seas and the title in taile consequently election of Action Quaere P. 17. Ed. 3. A lease made for life the remainder to another in fée the lesses aliened in fée and a writ de consimili casu brought by him in the remainder and it abated for the Court said that hee in remainder was not possessed in fait till the remainder did fall after the death of the â—essée Saith Fiâ—zherbert the Law is not so taken at this day but that hee in remainder hath the remainder vested in him as well as hath hee in the reuersion for hee may haue an action of waste and enter for alienation of his tenement as well as hee in the reuersion may Ergo hee hath his remainder in faâ—t and mee séemeth this Iudgement was not well giuen saith Fitzherbert And
Hill 18 E. 2. it was held by Herle Iustice that the Writ lieth well enough for him in remainder And Tri. 31. E 1. the heire in taile maintained a writ of entry in Consimili casu vpon alienation made by tenant le curtesie SECT XXXI The Writ of Entrie ad communem legem THe Writ of Entry at Common law is giuen in Case where Tenant in Dower or per curtesie or for life doth alien in fée or in taile or for life c. now if the Tenant which aliened doe dye hec in the reuersion must take this Writ of Entry ad communem legem which is very like the former Writs and may be in the per cui post If a woman recouer Dower alien and dye the Writ of Entry ad communem legem must make mention of the recouery And if Tenant by the curtesie aliâ—â— in fée and dye he in the reuersion if he be heire in fée simple may sue this Writ or his Assise of Moâ—â— dancester giuen by the Statute of Glocester ca. 3. If Tenant for life alien in fée and dye the Writs for him in reuersion are in diuers formes for if hee haue the reuersion by discent the Writ is in quod idem A. non habet ingressum nisi per C. câ—i D. pator vel antecessor of the Demandant cuius haeres c. demised c. But when the Demandant himselfe made the lease to him which aliened then the Writ is or may be Pâ—aecipe quod recidat c. omitting these words quod clomat vt ius haereditatem and note if Tenant for life alien in fee and dye hee in reuersion may chuse whether he will haue this writ or an ad terminum qui praeteriit If Tenant for life grant his estate and hee in reuersion grant his reuersion with Atturnement if now the Tenant which atturned alien in fée the grantée of the reuersion shall haue a Writ mentioning the grant and assignation c. SECT XXXII More of forfeitures and how a particular Tenant may forfeit his estate without alienation NOte If Tenant for life lease the land to I. S. for terme of life of I. S. which dyeth the first leasâ—e still liuing hee shall not haue the land againe because hee leased more than was in him and therefore hee in the reuersion shall haue it But if two be seised for life the inheritance in fée to one of them and ioyne in a lease for life and the leasee dyeth they shall bee ioynt tenants againe ê‘ Littleton 13. E. 4. fol. 4. Because hée which had the fée was priuy to the lease and so the other gained no new reuersion It is yet further to be vnderstood both that he in reuersion may enter vpon alienations made by particular Tenants vt supia to his disinheritance without suing the aboue mentioned Writs And also that there are sundry other forfeitures to the Reuersioner besides expresse alienations which I would haue widdowes to take héed of 6. Edw. 3. fol. 17. In Action of waste by an Infant against Tenant by his fathers demise he pleades that the father confirmed his estate to haue and to hold to him and his heires in fee by his déed shewed to the Court Iudgement si c. It was said for verity that if the claime were found false the heire might enter Page 64. in Fitzh And if a reuersion bee granted by fine and the conuse brings a quid iuris clamat against the Tenant for life which pleadeth that shee hath estate in taile by deuise in Testament from the Commissors if it bee found by verdict that shee hath but estate for life that estate is forfeited Quod vide Plowd fol. 212. in Saunders in Fremans Case where the entry for the conusée is consideratum est pro seisina reddâ—t praed cum partium versus c. occasionae clam ' placit praedict ' forisfact ' habend ' si voluerit persequatur ac etiam quod finis praed si voluerit ingrossetur Plesingtons Case 6. R. 2. was this A man made a lease for yéeres and granted further by Indenture if he aliened the reuersion or dyed within the teâ—me that the leassée should haue francketenement and liuery was made the fée simple was granted by fine c. and in a quid iuris clamat the leassee claimed francketâ—nement iudgement was giuen that the cognisée might enter for a forfeiture and that the fine should be engrossed si voluerit Sée 3. 4. Eliz. Dier 209. in a like case the iudgement was not quod quaerens recuperet seisinam but quod prosequatur pro seisina si voluerit finis ingrossetur c. SECT XXXIII The Statute of 11. H. 7. cap 20. THe Common Law restrictiue of it selfe and helped something by the Statute of Glocester was sufficient a great while to bridle women from making alienations for any land that they held in Dower or Ioynture as arguments of their owne good deserts and testimonies of their husbands loue But time which made the art of fencing more fine than it was at the first when Combattants fought all at head and shoulders and it was greater shame to strike vnder the girdle than it is now made law also more subtile than in the beginning it was when lands went altogether or for the most part by liuery of seisin And women witty of themselues instructed by crafty men grew cunning at the last that they could alien lands holden for life or in taile to whom they listed in fée And hee which suffereth disinheritance should not easily helpe himselfe by Writ of Entry either ad communem legem or in casu prouiso for remedy whereof was made this seuere statute in effect as followeth 11. H. 7. If any woman which hath had or hereafter shall haue any estate in Dower or for life or in taile ioyntly with her husband or only to her selfe or to her vse in any Manors Lands Tenements or other Hereditaments of the inheritance or purchase of her husband or giuen to the husband and wife in taile or for terme of life by any Ancestors of the husband or by any other person seised to the vse of the husband or of his Ancestors and haue or shall hereafter being sole or with any other after taken to husband discontinued or discontinue aliened released or confirmed alien release or confirme with warranty or by couin suffered or suffer any recouery of the same against them or any of them or any other seised to their vse or to the vse of either of them after the forme aforesaid that all such recoueries discontinuances alienations releases confirmations and warranties so had and made and from henceforth to be had and made be vtterly void c. And that it shall be lawfull to euery person and persons to whom the interest title or inheritance after the decease of the said woman of the said manors lands or tenements or other hereditaments being discontinued aliened or suffored