firste chapter Also Britton an other old wryter which wrote hys booke in king Edwarde the first name sayeth des heirs nequedent si ils y eyent ascuns qui auncestre morust seisie de ascun terre tenu de nous en chief des aunciens demeanes de nostre corone volons auer les gardes de touts les terres dōt appent que deiuent descend a ceux heirs come lour heritage ouesque touts les blees en teles terres troues maintefoits de qui fees que les terres sont Britton here not only agreeth with the other but also geueth the king the corne growing vpon the groundes which the kinges tenant holdeth at the tyme of his death A. 21. H. 3. in Fitz. ti Prerogat ' P. 26. P. 25. Also in the great Abridgement of Fitzherbert you shal find in the time of king Henry the thirde written in this manner Nota quod lex angliae et consuetudo eiusdē est quod a quibuscunque aliquis feoffatus fuerit dum tamen a domino Rege aliquo tempore fcoffatus fuerit per tenementum qd ' tenetur per seruic̄ militare quod dn̄s rex habebit custod ' omniū terrar ' et tenemētorū tā de feoffamēto aliorū quā de feoffamento proprio Which text if a man will any thing wrest he may make the kinges prerogatiue more lyberall then is made or declared by this statute or any other the writters before remembred for it extendes to any landes holden of the king by knightes seruice whether they be holden of the king in capite or not but forasmuche as the saide other writers haue written so plainlye in this matter we will stand to them and extende the prerogatiue no further howbeit as I saide all those writters being so longe before the making of this statute doe plainly argue proue that this statute dothe but confirme and declare that that was the commen law before M 15. E 4.12 vnles we woulde doubt of the time of the making thereof as Littleton doth in 15. E. 4. but without doubt it was made in king Edward the secondes time and that plainlye appeareth by the woordes contayned in the third chapter of this prerogatiue which be these Et illa voluntas tempore Regis H. patris Regis E. estimari consueuit c. Which woordes were not written in kinge Edward the first daies for then the woords had bene patris nostri so that as I thinke it is not to bee doubted but that it was written in the time aboue limitted and expressed Then go wee to thexposicion of this first chapiter of prerogatiue The woords be dominus rex habebit custodiam omnium terrarum eorum qui de ipso tenent in capite per seruicium militare These woordes go generally to all the kings tenauntes that is to saye aswell to his tenantes for terme of lyfe as to his tenauntes of estate of enheritaunce if it so be that he that is in the reuercion haue the saide reuercion by discent and be heir vnto the said tenant for terme of life not forcing whether he haue the reuercion by discent from the said tenaunt for terme of life or else from any other ancestour as take the case to be this a man holdeth no landes of the kinge but onely as tenaunt by the curtesie and those landes are holden in chiefe by knightes seruice the saide tenaunt by the curtesie is seased in his demesne as of fee of landes holden of other lordes and dieth the landes holden of other discend vnto him in the reuertion whiche is indede nexte heire vnto the said tenant by the curtesie in this case the king shall not onely haue the wardship of the landes that were holden by the curtesie if the saide heire be wythin age but also the landes holden of other by vertue of thys prerogatiue And if the saide heire were of full age at the tyme of the deathe of the saide tenaunt by the curtesie the king shall haue primer season both of the one lande and of the other as it appeareth in the newe Natura breuiū fo 298. Like lawe is it if a woman be indowed of lands holden in capite and is seased in fee simple of landes holden of other and dieth seased and they discende vnto the heire whiche is in the reuercion in this case the kinge shal haue bothe these landes by vertue of this prerogatiue like as hee shall haue in the other case before 26. li. ass p. 57 and that maye you see in 26. li. ass for in bothe these cases they bee the kinges tenauntes and hold of him by knightes seruice in capite for tenaunt en dower in the kinges cas holdeth not of the heire but onelye of the kinge as it shal appeare more fully hereafter But if he in the reuercion bee not heire of the landes holden of other in the cases aboue remēbred otherwise it is But what if he in the reuercion haue the same reuercion by purchace and not by discent whether shall the king then haue his prerogatiue or not and as to that it shoulde seeme by the newe Natura breuium fo 259. that the kinge shall haue his prerogatiue in that case also for there the remainder was to the heire and to his wife and to the heires of theire two bodyes lawfully begotten and the husbande in the remainder dyd sue liuere howbeit against the law as me semeth ideo quere but if the case in the saide newe Natura breuium had been that landes holden by knightes seruice in capite had beene geuen to one for terme of his lyfe the remainder ouer in fee which parson in the remainder hath issue and dyeth and tenaunt for terme of lyfe holdeth landes of other Lordes and dyeth whiche discende to the issue that is in the remainder there it might be saide that the king shoulde haue prerogatiue in the whole like as he had in the cases before remembred of tenaunt by the curtesie and tenant in dower for like reason will serue in the one case that serueth in the other The woordes of the Statut be further de quibus ips◠tenētes fuerunt seisiti in dominico suo vt de feodo die quo obierunt de quocunque tenuerint These woordes rather apperteigne vntoo the landes holden of other then too the Landes holden of the Kinge in Capite as it shoulde appeare by the cases beefore remembred and then by these woordes the kinges tenaunt in his life tyme must himselfe bee seased either in possession or reuercion of those landes that hee holdeth of a common person that shall dyscende vnto his heire For if hee were neuer seased thereof but they discende vnto his heire from some other auncestor the king shall not haue his prerogatiue in them as appeareth in 15. 15. E. 4. f. 10. E. 4. but whether the kinges tenaunt were seased of them in his owne right or in another bodyes right it maketh no difference
if the laÌ„ds excede the yerely value of .xx. marks he must sue a specyal liuerie not a general therfore it makes no mater for the inquisitioÌ„ or office that the words of the statute wil beare it wel enough if there be but one office fouÌ„d But as to that it may be sayd that the meaning of the statute was not so for the kinge can neuer be fulli eÌ„formed of his title vnlesse ther be an office fouÌ„d in euery shere also by finding of seueral offices one record may be better for the kinge then an other whereof his grace may take auaÌ„tage for the best shal be takeÌ„ for the kinge Thus it appereth by statut how that of landes aboue the yereli value of vli inquisicioÌ„ must be made and an office found after the death of the kinges tenant be fore liuerie can be had and that must be by a writ of dieÌ„ clau sit extremum for that is the proper writ that is to be sued for that purpose if any sute be made within the yeare after the kinges tenants death or a special commission in the nature of the writ of diem clausit For vpon a general coÌ„missioÌ„ to enquire generally of all wards no perticular person can haue liuere And if he tarry till after the yere then he caÌ„not pursue any of these but for his remedie must sue a writ called Mandamus or a commission in nature of that writ and therupon to cause an office to be fouÌ„d and so to haue liuerie But if an office be once found by diem clausit and the heier dieth in the kinges ward his heir must sue Deuenerunt no Mandamus although it be after the yere of the death of him that dyed in ward and so is the rule in the register Sumetymes it happeneth that after deliuerie of the writ or commission and before office found theschetor dyeth or is remoued froÌ„ his office in which case then the proces that is awarded to his successor is a writ called Datur nobis intelligi but if office be fouÌ„d before his death or remouing which office is not returned then shall therbe a certiorari awarded to his executors to returne the same For it is a mater of record as sone as the iurrors haue put their seales vnto it notwtstanding it be not returned And note the thawardig of this writ of diem clausit or special coÌ„missioÌ„ is peremptorie to him the sueth for it For if he lese it or be taken froÌ„ him with force he gettes no moe writs or coÌ„missioÌ„s for the lands in that couÌ„tie and this appereth in the new Natura breuiuÌ„ fo 2â—â— Howbeit in 14. E. 4 it is touched by the waye that in such cases he should haue a new writ H. 14. E. 4. so 5. ideo quere But after office ones fouÌ„d by a dieÌ„ clausit or specyal commissioÌ„ as well the kinge partie therby are bouÌ„d as euery other straÌ„ger for somuch laÌ„des as are comprised within the office and neither the kinge ne that partie nor any other shal haue any moe writs or coÌ„missioÌ„s to enquire any further of these lands except it be in such cases as I shal hereafter recite for so the lawe shoulde neuer haue end but newe heires might be founde euery daye by office which were incoÌ„uenient and the king should not knowe to wheÌ„e to make liuerie this appereth .14 E. 4. and 2. et 4. 14. E. 4. f. 5 2. H. 7. f. 2. 4. 4. H. 7. f. 13. H. 7. But where after office found it is surmised for the kinge that his highnes hath a better title than was found for him by the first office whether the mater surmised may stand with the mater fouÌ„d by the first office or not yea although it be mere coÌ„trariaÌ„t or repugnaÌ„t it is not material But in such cases a new writ or coÌ„missioÌ„ shal be awarded As take the case to bee this By the first office it is found the kinges tenaunt in chiefe dyed seised his heir wtin age where in dede hee dyed without heir so that therby the lands ought to haue escheted to the kinge or that he was tenaÌ„t in taile dyed without issue of his body wherby the lands ought to haue reuerted vntoo the kinge in these cases the court shal awarde a new writ or coÌ„missioÌ„ for the kinge Like law is it where the daughter is fouÌ„d heir by office afterward the sonne is borne or where ther is but one daughter found heire by office where there ought to haue ben two fouÌ„d heires or if by the first office one is fouÌ„d heire of ful age which is not heir in dede but an other is heir which is within age In all these cases ther shal be a new writ or coÌ„missioÌ„ awarded Causa qua supra 14. E. 4. f. 5 4. H. 7. f. 13. as it may appere .14 E 4. et 4. H. 7. 12. R. 2 et 30. li. ass yea and a more stroÌ„ger case as it should appere in the new Natura breuium fo 2â—â— fo 2â—2 et f 295. that is to say where the kinge was to haue no benefit at all more then he had by the first office and yet a newe commission was awarded and therfore the case was there the second brother was founde heir by the first office of ful age now the eldest had a commission being also of full age to finde him heir and thervpon had his liuery So is it where 2. be fouÌ„d daughters and heirs to one maÌ„ of certain laÌ„ds where in dede parcel of the said land was geuen to one of the said 2. daughters in fraÌ„k mariage now she that claimed the frank mariage had a specyall coÌ„mission to enquire of the saÌ„e and yet by that second office the king had no benefit ideo quere For this Natura breuiuÌ„ semeth to impugne the bokes before rehersed And like as he may pray a newe writ or coÌ„mission in the cases aboue rehersed before liuerie had euen so may he do in the like cases after liuere had if the liuerie be a general liuerie therupoÌ„ as sone as the title is found the king shal rescise but not wtout a Scire facias because the statut made at Lincoln hath so prouided as I shall open more fully when I come too that place and that in all these aforesayd cases a new diem clausit may be as wel awarded as a new coÌ„mission as it appereth titulo Trauser in Fitz. pl ' 28. anno 29. li. Asss ¶ What thing shal be in the king without office or seasure what not and where by an office only without any seasure or other proces the kinge shal be in possessioÌ„ and where not and where he shal be in possession without an office but not before a seasure and how the kinge may be eÌ„titled by any other recorde as well as by an office and where a man may enter as well vpon the kynges
titles as be in the great abrigement of Iustice Fitzherbert were by the Iudges or some other learned men labored studied that is to say euery title by it selfe by speciall diuisions digested orderd and disposed in suche sort as that all the iudiciall actes and cases in the same might be brought appere vnder certeine principles rules and groundes of the saide lawes As for example vnder the title of Briefe might come these titles Fourm Misnaming of the persō Mysnaming of the town One thing twise demaunded death of the plaintifes side death of the defendauntes syde chaunginge of the name of the pleintife or defendaunt hanginge the sute with manye suche other lyke which nowe as thinges scatered abroade and out of orderlye hidden wythin the saide longe tytle that it requires muche more learninge paynes and Studye well to order and dispose the matter in the same then after order made to learne and beare it awaye And yet surelye there cannot bee to muche praise and commendacion geuen vnto that greate learned man the Auctour of the saide great abbridgement which by his greate learninge exact iudgement and intollerable paynes brought suche an infinite nomber of volumes to the readynge whereof A mans lyfe woulde scant haue suffised to a muche more lesse and narower cōpasse whereupon nowe these learned men wyth lesse paynes might compile the thing that should be so easy so profitable and fruitfull to the studentes thereof that in halfe those yeares they now lye sleping in they might come to a ryper and more certeine knowledge and better iudgement For which cause I haue drawen as it were a patern of the thinge I so muche desire takinge vppon mee such tytles as appertaine vnto the kinges prerogatiue not as one in anye parte woorthy to treat of a thynge so high preciouse as that is or in learnynge sufficient or hable therunto for of myne owne here is nothinge more then onelye a colleccion and disposition of that that is alreadye contayned in the saide tytles but rather because I haue alwayes meant this my deuyse vnto you which I coulde not doe or practise so well vppon anye tytle as vppon this that appertayneth vnto your office of Attourneyshippe of the wardes and liueries partly for that I knowe your selfe to haue obserued the like order in your owne Study whiche in fewe yeres hath gotten you aboue other the greate learnynge you haue partlye also for that I couet your Iudgement in these matters wherewith you be daylye in vre and exersised knowinge that I haue to doe herein with one so muche my frynde that if there be any thinge worthie the readinge he will take it thankfullye and if not so well yet will hee take it in good part the rest that is amisse he wil beare it with me This therefore what soeuer it bee I dedicate vnto you read it peruse it and make of it what you will Fare you well from Greis Inne the sixt of Nouember Anno. 1548. ¶ Prerogatiua regis edita Anno. 17. E. 2. Cha. 1. DOminus Rex habebit custodiam omnium terrarum eorum qui de ipso tenent in capite per seruiciū militare de quibus ipsi tenentes fuerunt seisiti in dominico suo vt de feodo die quo obierunt de quocunque tenuerint per huiusmodi seruitium dum tamen ipsi tenuerunt de rege aliquod tenementum ab antiquo de corona vsque ad legittimam aetatem heredis Exceptis feodis Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis Episcopi dunolm̄ inter Tine et Tese feodis Com̄ et Baronum de marchia de terris in marchia vbi breuia domini regis non currunt Et vnde predict ' archiepiscopus ep̄us Com̄ et Baron̄ habeant huiusmodi custodiā licet alibi tenuerunt de Rege Prerogatiua is as muche to saye as a priuilege or preeminence that any person hath before another whiche as it is tollerable in some so it is most to be permitied and allowed in a prince or soueraine gouernor of a realme For besydes that that he is the most excellentest worthiest parte or mēber of the comon body of the welth so is he also through his good gouernaunce the preseruer nourisher and defender of all the people beeing the rest of the same bodye And by his great trauailes studie and labours they enioy not onlye their lifes landes and goodes but all that euer they haue besides in rest peace and quietnes as Seneca sayethe Seneca de consolat ad Polibium Omnium domos illius vigilia defendit omnium ocium illius labor omnium delicias illius industria omnium vacationem illius occupatio For which cause the lawes do attribute vnto him all honour dignitie prerogatiue and preeminence which prerogatiue doth not onely extend to his own persō but also to all other his possessions goods and cattals As that his person shal be subiect to no mans suite his possessions cannot be taken from him by anye violence or wrongfull disseisin his goods cattals are vnder no tribute tolle nor custome nor otherwise distreinable with an infinite nomber of prerogatifes more whiche were to tedious here to recite Howbeit forsomuch as in euery realme the kinges prerogatifes are no small parte and portion of the profites and commodities of the Corone of the same namelye within this realme of Englande it hath bene thought good heretofore to declare and setfurth in writing certeine of the most highest and weightiest matters and articles touching the said prerogatifes And hereupon was there a declaracion made in writing by auctoritie of parliament holden in the .17 yere of the raigne of kinge Edw. the .2 the beginning wherof is in maner and fourme as is aboue written Howbeit this parlament maketh no part of the kinges prerogatife but long time before it had his being by thorder of the commen law as plainlye may appeare by them that haue written before the making of the saide statute of prerogatife Glanu li. 70 For Glanuill who was chiefe Iustice in kynge Henry the .2 daies writing of this matter saith in thys wise Notandum quod si quis in Capite de dn̄o rege tenere debet tunc eius custodia ad dominum regem plene pertinet siue alios dn̄os habere debet heres fiue non quia dominus rex nul lum habere potest parem multo minus superiorem Bracton li. 1 de custod ' et marit ' dominorum Also Bracton whiche wrote in the time of the latter raigne of king Henry the .3 saieth Si aliquis heres terram aliquam tenuerit de domino rege in capite siue alios dominos habuerit siue non dominus rex aliis prefertur in custodia heredis siue ipse ab aliis prius feoffatus fuerit vel posterius cum rex parem non habet in regno suo Both these wryters doe not onely agree in euery point but also geue a reason why the kinge shoulde haue the prerogatiue conteined in this
as take the case he were seased of them but in right of his wife and hath issue and dyeth his issue is in the kinges warde for the lande that his father helde in Capite and afterwarde the wife dyeth the issue beynge still in warde the Kynge shall haue Prerogatiue in these landes of the wyfe also because the husband was seased of them in his demeane as of fee the daye of his deathe and so wythin the compasse of this statute And this case may you see in M. 13. H. 4. 6. 13. H. 4. and note that notwithstandinge this statute speaketh but of landes yet seruice are to bee taken by the equitie of the same as it is plainlye proued by the woordes of Diem clausit extremum which saieth Quantum terre tenet de nobis aut de aliis tam in dominico quam in seruicio So that if one holde of the kinges tenaunt by certeine seruices the King shal haue the seruices in warde for they be in nature and place of the lande that is holden and so shall it bee supposed And therefore when the kinge hath those seruices in warde and the tenaunt that holdeth by those seruices diâ—th his heire within age if the saide seruices were knightes seruice the Kinge shall haue warde by reason of wardshippe But yet by that noe prerogatiue in the other landes of the second warde whiche are holden of the other Lordes M. 6. R. 2. in Fitz. ti Gard P. 105. as it may appeare in 6. R. 2. For the kinges tenant was neuer seased of those other landes ne yet of the seruice that they were holden by and so without the compasse of this prerogatiue Like lawe it is where the Kinge hath the temporaltie of a bishop in his custody duringe the tyme the Sea is vacant and one that holdeth of those temporalties by knightes seruice dieth his heir wtin age the king shal haue the wardship of him the reason of it is because the king hath the wardship of the teÌ„poralties by reasoÌ„ wherof this wardship cometh whiche temporalties the kinge hath in warde by the order of the common lawe in lure corone For they bee barronies which can be holden of none other then of the kinge in capite and then by the common lawe I take it he were no better then a common person yet his highnes must haue the wardshippe of them that holde of those temporalties by knightes seruice if they falle duringe the time the saied temporalties be in his hands with such landes as they holde of those temporalties but not with such lands as theye holde of other and than must the heire thereof when he coÌ„meth to his ful age sue a liuere as shalmore plainly appeare when we come to the thirde chapiter of this prerogatiue The wordes of the statute before resited are in dominico suo this woorde demeane is not here taken to bee the verie possession or takyng of the profits for if the kinges tenauÌ„t dye seased but of a reuercion or of a remaynder in landes holden of a common person and duringe the minoritye of his sonne the particuler tenaunte dyethe the kynge this notwithstanding shall haue this lande in warde as he hath the rest as it may appeare 22. H. 6.15 E. 4. 46. E. â— M. 22. H. 6. f 20 M. 15. E. 4. f. 10. P. 46. E. 3. fo 10. So it is if the kinges tenaunt dye seased of an aduowson appendaunt to landes holden of a common person The woordes be further die quo obierunt and therefore if the kinges tenaunt dye seased of Landes holden of a commen persone and a straunger abbatethe yet the heire shal bee in warde and the kyng maye entre and so is it if the heire recouer by assise of nâ—ortdauncestre as it appeareth in the newe Natura breuium fol. 2â—â— T. 12. R. 2. But take the case to bee that the kinges tenaunte dye not seased but is disseised and dyethe whether in this case the kynge maye haue prerogatyue or not and it semethe that hee may for in all suche cases where the heire hath a right of entre the kynge may entre in name of the heire and holde it afterwarde in warde but yf the heire haue but a title of entre or ryghte of accion it seemethe to be otherwise howebeit looke for those maâ—â—ers in the sayde booke of 15. E. 4. 12. H. 7. 18. Edwardi tertii lib. ass P. 18. T. 12. H. 7. fo 17. Where it is adiudged that of landes holden of the kynge in chiefe the kynge as in ryghte of hys warde myghte sease by a Scire facias vppon a tytle of entre And note also that there is somewhat more to bee vnderstanden beare thenne is wrytten or expressed that is to saye that the saide Landes muste discende too the kynges warde for notwythestandynge the kynges tenaunt weare seased in hys demeane as of fee daye of hys deathe in landes holden of a commen persone yet if the same after hys deathe doe not discende to the kynges warde but to an other heire M. 12. E. 4. f. 18. the kynge shall not haue prerogatiue in them as it appearethe in 12. Ed. 4. The woordes of the statut bee also De quocunque tenuerunt Put case the kinges tenaunte is seased of certayne thynges whyche neyther are holden of the kynge nor yet of anye other whether shall the kyng haue them in warde or not as Merket warrâ—n A. 3. H. 7. f. 4 21. H. 6. f. 12. 46. E. 3. f. 10. 15. E. 4. f. 12. Rente Secke or aduowson en grosse and as it should appeare in 46. E. 3. 21. H. 6. the kynge cannot haue them in warde and yet in 15. Ed. 4. soome holde oppinion to the contrarye therefore inquere and learne what the lawe wil in these cases The woordes of the statute bee Per huiusmodi seruicium that is to saye by lyke seruice Bye these woordes the landes that are holden of other muste bee holden allso by knyghtes seruice or els the statute extendes not to them and yet the lawe is taken to the contrarye for yf the lands holden of other bee holden but in socage or free burgage the kynge shal haue prerogatiue in them as it appearethe in P. 24. E. 3. f. 13. T. 9. H. 3. ti Prerogatiue in fits â— 25. 24. E. 3. for this statute is but a confirmacion of the common lawe and therefore shall bee taken by equities and namelye when the lawe was so taken in 9. H. 3 whiche was longe time beefore the makyng of this statut Howebeit Bracton and Britton dothe extende this prerogatiue no further then to landes holden of other by knightes seruice therefore enquire for the cause and reason thereof Bracton li. primo de custod et releuiis Britton f. The woordes bee further Exceptis feodis archiepi cantuar ' c. This exception extendes not to the bodie wherefore the kynge shall holde that in warde
againste al men but it extendes to suche landes as are holden of these persones exempted by this statut Put case then that anie of these persones pourchace a seignorie since the tyme of the makynge of this statute shall the kynge haue hys prerogatiue in the landes holden of that seignorie or not And it is clere he shal notwithstandynge the aforesayde woordes of exception for theye doe not extende but to suche fees as we are theyrs at the time of the makynge of this statut Then further for asmuche as there bee diuers statutes concernynge wardeshyppe made aswell beefore as since the time of kynge Edwarde the seconde let vs see whether this prerogatiue wyl extende to those statutes or not and it seemethe it dothe for asmuche as this prerogatiue hathe beene euer from the beginninge as I haue sayde before And therefore if the kynges tenaunte beeinge seased of landes holden of a common parson makethe a feffement therof by collusion contrarie is the statute of Marlebridge to defraude the lord of the wardshippe and diethe the king hauing his heire in warde this matter founde by office shall sease vpon a Scire facias if the collusion be auerrable or wtout a Scire facias if the collusioÌ„ be apparaunt hold the same in warde by force of this prerogatiue that appeareth in 9. H. 4. So likewise wher the statute made in 4. H. 7. T. 9. H. 4. f. 5 prouidethe that the heire cesty que vse shall bee in warde Put case that the kynges tenaunte in capite before the statute in Anno. 27. H. 8. had made a ferfement of lands which he holdethe of a common perâ—one to the vse of hymselfe his heires and died before that statute in this case the kinge shoulde haue hadde his prerogatiue in the Landes so beynge put in feoffament to an vse euen as if his tenaunt had died seased thereof T. 12. H. 7. fo 17. as it appearethe 12. H 7. Than last of all let vs learne howe the lordes whose fees the kynge hathe in warde by his prerogatiue shal be demeaned and ordered for the rentes to be dewe for their seignories duringe the wardshippe whether they shall leese them as they do the landes 29. lib. ass in fits ti Petic p. 5. P. 24. E. 3 f. â—â— and the new natura breuium fo 179. And it appeareth in the booke of assises in 29. E. 3. that they had them by peticion at the Kynges hands therwith agreeth thoppinion of Hill ' in the .24 yere of kyng E. 3. Learne the reason of these bokes for it should seme to me the lawe to be otherwise because that al mesne seignories are suspended duringe the time the kyng hathe the tenauncye in warde if it bee not per case for the surplusage of a rent seruice whiche the mesne maye sue for to the kynge by waye of peticion and to saye that the heire shal be charged at his full age withe the sayde rentes it weare noe reason for then bothe his lande shoulde bee in warde and yet he charged to pay rent for the same wherefore it semeth that these bokes are against the law And with me agreeth Bracton in his first boke in the chapiter de custodia where he saieth Et cum tali ratione sint aliorum feoda in manu do mini regis pred' ratione alij capitales domini feod ' illorum ni hil poterint exigere de terris et tenÌ„tis illis nec in seruic ' nomi nat ' nec in auxiliis ad filiam maritandam vel filium primoge nit ' militem facieÌ„duÌ„ vel in sectis quaÌ„diu terre fuerunt in manu domini regis sed precipiet ' vic' qd ' hmÌ„odi distringere non permittat Howebeit Bracton in his said booke in the chapiter De releuijs saieth that the heire at his full age shall pay his reliefe to euerie of his lordes notwithstanding he hathe ben in warde quod nota for in al other cases he neuer paiethe reliefe that is to saye where he hathe bene in ward and hee makethe no other reason for it butte this s. quod hoc est speciale in rege propter suum priuilegium and so is the booke in the .24 M. 39. E. 3. in Fits ti Relief P. 1. Britton f. 163. yeare of kynge Edwarde the thyrde and the .39 yeare of the same kynge howebeit Brittons oppinion is that the heire shall paye noe reliefe to the other lordes after hee hathe beene in the kynges warde and commethe to his full age and I cannot fynde that the heire in anye suche case shoulde or doothe paye anye reliefe to the kynge that is to saye where hee hathe beene in warde therefore learn what experience teacheth vs in these cases The seconde chapiter ITem Rex habebit maritagium hered ' infra etateÌ„ in custodia sua existenÌ„ siue terre hered ' eorundem sint ab antiquo de corona siue de eschaetis quae sunt in manu domini Regis siue habuerit maritagium ratione custod ' terrarum dnÌ„orum eorundem hered ' nullo habito respectu ad prior ' feoffamenti licet de alijs tenuerunt Bracton li. 1. ti de herede sockman in cuius custodia esse debe at BrittoÌ„ f. 163 M. 24. E. 3. f. 24. H. 12. H. 4. in fits ti Gard. P. 81. All that is contayned in this Chapiter was the kynges prerogatiue by the order of the common lawe as it maye appeare in the bokes of Bracton and Britton in the places before noted and in a boke in the 24. yeare of kyng Edward the thyrde where it is sayde that no lorde can be more auncienter than the kynge for all was in hym and came from hym at the begynninge And therefore his highnesse muste haue prerogatiue in the bodye of whosoeuer the infaunte holdeth besides bee it that the landes are holden of the kynges highnes as of the auncientnes of his Corone or of hys newe escheates or come vnto hym as warde by reason of wardshippe or that his highnesse doe pourchace the seignorie of hym that is lorde by posterioritie or pourchaseth a manor holden of one of his honors whiche are of his newe eschetes of whiche maner thauncester of thinfaunt helde by posterioritie in all these cases the kynge shall bee preferred to the wardeshippe of the bodye and mariage beefore anye other lorde of whom the auncester also helde them daye of his death by priority of feffement that is to saye more auncient feoffement howe be it in these cases hys highenesse shall not haue wardeshippe in the landes holden of thother lordes beecause his tenaunte helde not of hym in châ—efe but onelye shall haue preferrement in the body and mariage beefore all other Then since the common lawe and statute dothe geue the kinge this prerogatiue let vs see whether his highnesse maye by grauntinge away his seignorie to an other graunt also with the same his prerogatiue to the grauntee that is to
for when the lyuerie is missued it is as it had beene neuer sued Howebeit thys reseisure shall not bee wytheoute a Scire facias as I shall thereof speake more at large hereafter But yf the heyre or he that should sue lyuerie doe make a rightfull suite for the same according to thorder of the lawe and asmuche as in hym lyethe to do to haue liuerye howebeeit the kynge will not but willbee aduised ere hee make hym lyuerie and so protracte the time in this case his highenesse of ryghte maye not haue the profites from the tyme the partye was thus delayed but ought to restore theÌ„ vnto the partye vppon his lyuerye as maye appeare in the firste yeare of Henrye the seuenthe H. 1. H. 7. in Fits ti Liuery P. 18. And thereuppon it is to be noted that there be two kynde of lyueries the one generall the other speciall The generall is the liuerye that this statut speketh of the especial may be more properly treated of when wee come to the 12. chapiter of this prerogatiue And this generall lyuerie is sometime made cum exitibus and sometimes sine exitibus but for the most parte sine exitibus for wheare it is made cum exitibus from the time of the seisure there it is properlye noe liuerye for it appearethe the kynge neuer seised rightfully or by anye title As for example if the kynge will seise the lande that is founde in thoffice to be holden of Tharchebyshoppe of Canterburye or Byshoppe of Durham or anye suche persones as are exempted in the first chapiter of this prerogatiue in this case they shal haue an Ouster le main vna cum exitibus H. 16. E. 3. in Fits ti Liuere P. 29 as it appearethe in 16. E. 3. The same lawe is it yf of landes holden in capite there be a lease made for terme of lyfe the remainder ouer to estraunger 14. H. 4. f. 34 18. E. 3. f. 21. 24. E. 3. f. 27. tenaunt for terme of lyfe dyâ—th and this matter founde by office nowe if the kynge seise hee in the remainder shall haue an Ouster le main vna cum exitibus as it appearethe in 14. H. 4. 18 E. 3. 24. Edwarde the thirde Like law it is where .ij. hold iointly of the king the one dyethe and this matter founde by office and yet that notwithstandynge the kynge seises hee that suruiues shall haue an Ouster le mayn vna cum exitibus as it appearethe in the boke of Assises 44. 44. li. ass in Fits ti Liuere P. 11. T. 45. E. 3. f. 18. E. 3. and in the newe Natura breuium fo 2â—â— f. 257. For in all these cases where the Ouster le maine is vna cum exitibus the king ought not to haue seiseised and so sayethe Thorp 45. E. 3. The words of the statute be further Post mortem eorum qui de eo tenent VpoÌ„ this it is to bee sene at what time after the kynges tenants deathe this lyuerie shall be sued If the possession of the free holde immediatlye after the deathe of the kynges tenaunte discende vnto his heire it is to bee sued fourthwithe and yf but onelye a reuercion discende then it is not to be sued tyl after the death of the particular tenaunt as it may appeare in the newe Natura breuium f. 291. where the heire sued not lyuerie tyll after the deathe of the tenaunt by the curtesye tenaunt in dower and tenaunt for terme of lyfe But learne what the lawe shoulde haue beene if the kynges tenant hadde dyed seised of a reuersion whereupon rent had beene reserued hys heire of full age whether hee should haue theÌ„ sued liuerie fourthwith or els to haue taried tyll the deathe of the particuler tenaunt for in the seuenthe yeare of kyng Henrye the sixte Iune thinks he should tary or els it might followe the kynge should haue double lyuerie that is to say one for the rent an other for the lande M. 7. H. 6. f. 3 but Paston is in contrarye opinion and resembles it to a reuersion dependyng vpon an estate tayle with a rent reserued howebeit at this daye there is election geuen vnto the heire that is to say eyther to sue his liuerie immediatly after the deathe of his auÌ„cester in the lyfe of these particuler tenaunts or els to tarye vntill they die and if he sue his lyuerie in theire lyfe he paiethe for primer seisin but the moytie of one yeares profyte yf after theire deathe then he payethe the hole yeares profit howebeit if there be a rent reserued he pursueth his liuery in the lyfe of the particular tenaunt it seemes besides the halfe yeres profit of the value of the land he shal also paye the hole yeares profit of the rent reserued therfore learn what common experience teacheth vs in that case The woordes of the statut be Qui de eo tenent in capite By these words he must holde of the kinge in chiefe for yf he holde not of hym in chiefe the kynge can haue noe primer seisin And yet you shal see in the newe Natura breuium folio 296. that of lands in the citie of LoÌ„don holden of the king in burgage the king had primer seisin the heire thereof sued his liuery but that president semes to bee against the lawe for Markham saiethe in 7. E. 4. that in Neuels case it was founde that ones father died seised of certain lande that hee helde of the kyng in Burgage T. 7. E. 4. f. 9 and thereupon thexchetor did seise whiche seiser by thaduise of all the Iustices was discharged by a Supersedeas awarded to thexchetor for the wordes of bothe the foresayde statutes be verye plaine therein that is to saye that hee must holde of the kynge in capite but whether he holde of the kyng by knights seruice or by Socage in capite it makethe noe matter so that he holde in capite for the kinge in bothe cases shall haue primer seisin althoughe not wyth so large a prerogatiue in th one case as in the other For in the firste case where the tenure is knyghtes seruyce in capite the kynge shall haue the same prerogatiue when the heire is of full age at the deathe of his auÌ„cester as he should haue hadde yf hee hadde beene wythin age that is to saye primer seisin aswell in the landes holden of others as of hym selfe bee it that the landes holden of other bee holden by knyghtes seruice or in Socage But otherwyse yt ys where the tenure is but a tenure by Socage in capite for there the kynge shall haue noe primer seisin in landes holden of other namelye if theye be holden of other by knyghtes seruice as it appearethe plainlye by the statute of Magna charta capit 27. and in the newe Natura breuium fo 2â—â— nor yet anye primier seisin of landes holden of hymselfe in Socage in capite â–ª If the heyre at
the deathe of his auncester bee not of the age of 35. H. 6. f. 47. T. 45. E. 3. fo 1â— 14. yeares as appearethe 35 H. 6. 45. Edwarde the third and allso in the newe Natura breuium fol. 2â—6 fol. 2â—â— But in euerye of these cases theye to whom the bodye belongeth shall haue an Ouster le main of the landes vna cum exitibus that ys to saye the lordes of whom the land is so holdeÌ„ by knights seruice in th one case and the Prochein amy in the other case But wher the landes bee holden of the kynge in Socage in capite the heire of the age of 14. yeares at the deathe of his auncester there the kyng shal haue primier seisin and the heirÌ„ dryuen to sue lyuerie for there is no persone that can make anye title to the heire or his landes but onelye the kynge and therefore the king must haue his primier seisin the heire driueÌ„ to sue his liuerie by expresse woords of the foresaid statut of Marlebridge so it seemeth also in that case that his highnes shall haue primier seisin in landes holden of other so they be holden but in Socage for the reasoÌ„ aboue remembred Tamen quere The woordes of the statute bee farther de omnibus terris et tenementis de quibus ipsi seisiti fuerunt in dominico suo vt de feodo These wordes may bee conferred and coupled with the firste chapiter of this statute of prerogatiue whiche hath the verye selfe same wordes And therefore looke in what cases noted vppon the firste chapiter the king hath his prerogatiue by reason of wardship In al the same cases shall his highnes haue prerogatiue by reason of primer seisin if the heire weare of full age at the deathe of his auncester Wherfore to reherce theÌ„ here particularly it were but superfluous except it bee in the case onely of collusion geuen by the statute of Marlebridge where the heyre is within age beecause it speaketh nothinge of the heire that is of full age And therefore in that case it seemes the kyng cannot haue lyke benefyte of primier seisin as hee hathe of wardeshippe when the heire is wythein age Howebeeit there is a booke in that pointe lefte at large whiche is 17. E. 3. 7. E. 3. there the case was M. 17. E. 3. f. 63. M. 7. E. 3. in Fits ti Relief p. 11. The tenaunte enfeffed his sonne and heire dyeth before the feffee gaue notice thereof to the lorde Ideo quere The woords of the statut be farther Cuiuscunque etatis heredes ipsorum fuerint To these woordes also shall the firste chapiter of this estatute haue relacion for they plainly declare that if the heire were within age at the deathe of his auncester the kyng shal haue primer seisin and the heire driuen to sue his lyuerie notwithstandinge also the kynge haue had the wardshippe of hym For the wordes be generally spoken and maye be extended aswell where hee was within age at the deathe of his auncester as where hee was of full age And so hathe it beene euer vsed sauinge that where hee hath been in ward hee payethe but one halfe yeares profite for primer seisin and in the other case hee payethe the hole The woordes of the statute bee farther capiendo omnes exitus eorundem terrarum tenementorum donec facta fuerit inquisitio pro ut moris est et ceperit homagium hered ' By these woordes it maye appeare that the kynge after the deathe of hys tenaunte and beefore anye office founde mighte seise the landes and take the profites whiche thinge surelye is true as plainelye is proued by the writte of Diem clausit extremum whiche hath these woords Cape in manum nostram omnia terras tenementa c. donec aliud inde perceperimus per sacrum proborum hominum diligenter inquiras c. So the seiser goethe before the inquisition howebeit since the statut made at Lincolne Anno. 29. E. 1 called statutuÌ„ de Escaetoribus it is not vsed to seise tyll office bee founde and then the kyng to bee aunswered of all the profites since hys tenaunts decease whiche commethe all to one effecte And that statute dothe not restrayne the seiser but that thercheator maye seise at this daye withoute office By the aforesaid statute of Marlebridge cap. 16. it is expounded and playnelye set foorthe of what lands and fees the kynge shall haue primer seisin for these bee the woordes Et hoc intelligatur de terris feodis que ratione seruicij militaris socagij vel seriaÌ„ciae sine iure patronatus in manibus domini regis esse coÌ„sueuerunt By these woordes it maye appeare that he that is warde beecause of wardeshyppe shall sue lyuerye or where one holdethe of the kynges warde by knyghtes seruice or in Socage and dyethe hys heire of full age the king shall haue primer seisin of the landes that are so holden of hys warde and the sayde seconde heire dryuen to doe hys homage or fealtye as the case shall require to the kynge and allso to paye hys reliefe vnto hym and to sue lyuerye of the sayde landes as it appearethe hee dyd in the newe Natura breuium fol. 294. 295. For it is withein the compas of these woordes que ratione seruitij militaris So ys it yf the kynge haue a Byshoppes temporalties in his hands duryng the time that See is vacant and one that holdeth of that temporalties by knyghtes seruice or in Socage dyethe hys heire wythein age in this case after that the kynge hathe hadde the wardeshippe the heire at his full age shal paye primer seisin and sue hys liuerye And so shall he doe yf hee bee of full age at the tyme of the death of hys auncester for the woordes of the statute bee De feodis quae iure patronatus in manibus domini regis esse consueuer ' and therwithe agreethe the newe Natura breuium folio 286. Butte learne yf the kings tenant in chiefe dye hys heire of full age and one that holdethe of the heire beefore hee hathe sued his lyuerie dyethe his heire allso beeynge of full age whether in thys case the kynge shall haue primer seisin of the landes of the seconde heire or noe as hee shoulde haue hadde yf the heire of his tenaunte hadde beene wythein age and in the kynges warde at the time when this seconde heire dyd falle and it seemethe to mee hee shall for the reason made afore Thanne laste of all whether this prerogatiue extende to anye statute made since the tyme of kynge Ed. 2. and it seemes it dothe and that for the reason noted in the first chapiter as the feffees of Cestuy que vse before the statut made in the .27 yere of kyng H. 8. vsed to sue an Ouster le mayn sine exitibus whiche was in nature of a lyuere for the heire of cestuy que vse which had bene inward Item for
possession as any other By a statute made the .33 yere of the late kinge of famous memorie H. 8. the 20. chapter it is among other things prouided that if any person or persons shal be attainted of hye treson by the course of the comon lawes or statutes of this realme that in euery such case euery suche attainder by the cōmon law shal be of as good strength value force and effect as if it had ben done by authorite of parliament that the kinges maiestye his heires and successors shall haue as much benefit auātage by such attainder as well of vses rights entres cōdicions as possessions reuercions remainders and all other things as if it had ben done and declared by autoritie of parliamēt and shal be demed and a iudged in actuall and reall possessiō of the lands tenemēts hereditamēts vses goods cattals all other things of the offēdors so attaīted which his highnes ought lawfulli to haue and which they so being attainted ought or might lawfulli lose and forfait if the attainder had ben done by authorite of parliamēt without any office or inquisicion to be founde of the same any law statut or vse of the realme to the cōtrarye therof mani wise notwtstādīg This statut maks it clere without questiō that in cases of hye treson the lāds of him that is attainted are in the kinge biand by without any office But for other attainder it remaines as it was at the comō Law and therfore lerne if one which holdeth of the king be attainted of petit treson or felonie whether in this case by thatainder his lands be in the king without office and me semeth by attaīder and death together they should be in the kinge in law howbeit not in dede vntill suche time his highnes seise themby his officer or that an office bee therof foūd for by thattainder the lands are forfaited to the kinge by mater of record and then when the partie dyeth either the frehold must be in suspence or els aiudged in the king in lawe for he that was seised hath corrupted his blood and is dead without heir and therfore his highnes is beecome owner thereof in lawe and a possession in lawe vested in him of the same landes which his highnes at his will and pleasure may make a possessiō in dede as sōe as he wil take vpon him knowledge of the sayd landes and sease them by his officer And therfore the booke is agred 20. E. 4. 20. E. 4. so 10 that if he that is attaynted be seised of auowsōs appendaūt as sōe as the church becometh voide the king may presēt wtout any office which proues that the kinge by thattainder was patron before any office found or els how could his highnes present and I see no differēce betwene lāds auousōs in this case for auouson is not so transitorie toward the kinge but that he mai take the presentment therof at all times whē he will quia nullum tēpus ei occurrit Howbeit lerne what the law will in this case for many mē are of the contrarie opinion And see the boke .4 E. 4. cōcernīg this mater And so note what is sayd of a possession in law 4. E. 4. 21. for as I take it there may be a possession in law in the kinge as well as a possessiō in dede which possession in law is euer without office or any other mater of record as whē the possessiō is cast vpō his highnes by a discēt reuerter remaīder or escheit or in title of his seignorie or prerogatiue as for wardship primer seisī or for the custodie of the tēporalties of a bishop during the time that the see is vacant in all these cases without any office or other mater of record here is a possession in law vested in the kings highnes that is to say for that that doth descēd reuert remain or eschet the freholde is cast vpon him in lawe as it should be vpon a comon person in the like case or els the frehold should be in suspence which may not be of the rest the possession in law of a cattell is in his highnes in right of his seignorie which his highnes at his will and pleasure may make a possession in dede by entre or seasure but not to make it a possession in dede by his graunt because there is a statute made in the 18. yeare of H. 6. ca. 6. to the let therof which prouideth that all letters patents made of lāds tenements before office foūd and returned or within one month after but onely too him that tendethe his trauerse shal bee voyde This statute extdes onely to landes and tenementes therfore of the bodie of his warde his highnes may make a graunt notwithstandinge this statute as me semeth for that is neither lād ne tenemēt also notwithstādinge that this statute doth restraine the graunting of the lāds tenemēts yet the seisin therof remaines and is in the kinge as it was by order of the comon lawe which is as I sayd before in his highnes in lawe although not in dede vntil such time as he hath made a seasyn or an entree by his eschetour or a graunt therof which wayethe both to a seasure and a graunt in such cases where the graunte maye bee goode and not restrained by statute or vntill such time an office therof be found For an office that entitleth the kinge to the possession is sufficient by it selfe without any seiser or entre of the eschetour to make a possession in deede in the kinge if it be so that the possession were vacant when the office was founde But if the possession were not vacāt but an other thā he in whose right the kinge seiseth was tenant therof at the time of the findinge of the office then must the kinge entre or sese by his officer before the possession in deede shal bee iudged in him yea and if his highnes seise not by the space of a yeare and a daye after the findinge of the office then maye be not seise without a Scire facias to bee pursued agaīst him that is tenāt therof 9. H. 7. f. 2. 7 49. E. 3. f. 22. 20. E. 4. f. 10. Estopel 255. Trauers 50. 32. Ass P. 32. 29. Ass P. 30. 21. H. 7 f. 7. P. 21. E. 4 f. 1 Gard. P. 105 And of those maters you may see bokes 9 H. 7. 49. E. 3. 20. et 21. E. 4. 4. E. 2. 10. H. 4. 21. H. 7. 29. et 32. li. ass But heruppon is there a distinction to be made whether that that the king is ētitled vnto by office be a thinge manuell and wherof profit maye bee taken forthwith after the findinge of the office or not For if it bee such a thinge as is not manuel and wherof there is no profite too bee taken forthwith vntill such time it falleth in that case althoughe the king be in possession of the right of
that hath but a chatell shall not be receiued in anye case to falsifie the record that geueth any man interest in the freehold although he be a straunger to that record Contrarie lawe is it of him that hathe a freeholde or inheritaunce in the lande for they shall trauerse the recorde in suche case Lyke lawe is it where the kynge is entitled but to the wardeshyppe of the heire of his tenaūt hee that is fermer of the dimise of a straūger shal not trauerse hys office althoughe the king be not entitled thereby to anye freeholde for it was not the minde of the makers of these statutes to helpe them that clayme but chatels which are accompted in law as nothing because they perishe and abide not Et de minimis non curat lex Howbeit learne what the law wil in these cases for I haue seene noe bookes of them The lorde in title of wardshyppe shal trauerse the office and yet hee claymethe but a terme of yeares in the lande as where it is founde by office that such a one helde lands of the king in chief and dyed his heire within age where in deede he holdeth no suche lande of the kynge but onelye of mee by knightes seruice in this case I that am lorde shall trauerse this office that is to saye shewe howe they bee holden of mee by knightes seruyce without that they be holden of the king as appereth in 1. H 7. Trauers 20. For ther it toucheth the lords inheritance in the righte of his seignory because he by the false office is to lose the profit that is presently fallen by reason of his seignorie it is reason he be receaued to trauerse the office But if hee were but lorde in socage he shoulde not be receiued to his trauerse because he therby can make no title to the wardshippe of the body 37. lib. ass P 35. and landes of the childe for it is a good generall grounde if the kynge be once seised his highnes shall reteine against all other that haue noe title notwithstandinge it be found allso that the kynge had no title but that the other had possession before him as appeareth in .37 lib ass where it was found that neither the kinge nor the partie had title and yet adiudged that the kynge shoulde reteine for thoffice that fyndes the kyng to haue a right or title to entre makes euer the king a good title allthough it bee false and his highnes therby maye take possession against any other that is seised of the landes and reteyne vntill such time as thoffice be trauersed by him that hath title and tried to bee a false offyce And therfore no man shal trauerse thoffice vnlesse he make him selfe a title And if hee can not proue his title to be true allthoughe he be able to proue his trauerse to bee true yet this trauerse wil not serue him As for an exāple it is foūd the kyngs tenaunt died seised of certayn lands that he held of the kynge in chiefe his heire beeinge within age where in dede he had made a feffement in his life time to an other of those landes it is no trauerse for the feffee to say he dyed not seised but he must first make him selfe a title by the feffement and for asmuch as it is founde that the landes are holden in chiefe if he wyl make his title good againste the kyng he must shewe fourth a lycence of alienation or a dispensation therof or els hee muste trauerse the tenure in chiefe as well as he shall doe the rest of thoffice otherwise his tytle is not good Trauers P. 44. et 46. Liuerie p. 18 as it appearethe in .36 E. 3. 3. H. 4. 6. H. 5. .3 H 7. f. 14. Howbeit Hussey holdeth opiniō that not mā may trauerse the tenure but the lord or the heire vnlesse his title be found by office but whether the lawe be so or not learn for as I take it the lorde and euery straunger that hath a tytle againste the kynge makinge his title shall trauerse the office before his title be found by office for when the trauerse is found for the partie his title nowe appeareth of recorde and by the trauerse found the office which was the kings title is vtterly destroyed gone so that now the king is not to make any liuerie of the lands to any person but onely to a moue his hands from the same with the meane issues and profites as one that had no cause to seise them And therefore euery man may enter now that will if he haue right or title of entrie to the lands for the king deliuereth them to no person certaine but onely ryddes his own hands of them as he that had neuer seised thē but otherwise it is where the king is to make liuerie for there his highnes must bee enformed certainly by mater of recorde who shal be his tenāt whoe it is that ought to receiue the liuerie at his handes least his highnes be deceiued in thadmitting of his tenant which ys ought to be a great mater towarde the lord therfore the cases be not lyke wherfore I think a man may trauerse by force of these statutes without hauing their title first found by office so be our bokes .36 E 3. 2. E. 4. f. 10. 16. E. 4. f. 4. Trauers 44. 43. li. ass P. 20. Howbeit 5. E. 4. fo 5. semes to weye to the cōtrarie hereof 12. H. 6. also where it is sayde that if it bee found that the kings tenāt died seised wher in dede he was iointly enfeffed with me now can I not trauerse this office except an other office were founde for me But contrarie lawe should it be if it had ben foūd by the office iointenant with hym for term of life wher in dede I was iointenaunt with him in fee simple in this case I may traūse thoffice because mētiō is made of me in the sayd office this boke case admitted to be law yet it varieth frō the case before remēbred of the strāger that trauersed thoffice for here thoffice is true and when it is found by office that he died seised this maye be allthough the sayde dying seised were iointlye with an other for any thynge that is expresselye founde to the certaintie and then the king here is to admit an other tenant as in the case of the liuerie before of whome as yet he hath no credible informacion that is to saye by mater of recorde and then it is lyke to the cases of tenant by the curtesie tenant in dower and the deuisee which in no wise can be admitted to their estats vnlesse mention be made of them in the office or some other office or mater of recorde found for them 9. H. 7. fo 24 Brief 618. as appearethe in 46. E. 3. M. 11. H. 8. and for none other reasō as I gather it but onely for that thoffice is
of certeine lāds which in deede are my landes and theschelour by force of that fals office takes the profites in this case I maye disturbe hym without trauersinge thoffice And those cases appeare .4 Edwarde .4 fo 24. 13. Edward .4 fo 8. T. 9. H. 6. fo 20. M. 47. E. 3. fo 26. Then further The woordes of the saide statutes of anno 36. bee that if anye came before the Chanceller and shewe his right whereby it may appere by good euidence that hee hathe an auncient righte and good tytle then the chaunceller shall let the saide landes to the partye that tendeth the trauerse yeldinge to the kinge the value if it bee aiudged for the king in maner as hee and the other Chaunceller haue done before him by theire good discretions so that hee to whome it shal be letten finde suretie to doe no waste or destruccion beefore the trauers bee discussed By the woordes of this statute it shoulde appeare that the Chauncellours before this time by theire discrecions hadde vsed to let the landes to the partie to ferme Quare impedit p. 34. and that is true for the kinge vsed so to doe vppon a peticion whiche was made to his highnes by the order of the common law in steede of a trauerse nowe vsed as appeareth 5. Edward 3. Trauers 12. and therefore I thinke his highnes may do so at this day bothe vpon a peticion and a Monstrance de droit although the statute make no mencion thereof for so it was vsed to doe by order of the common lawe as it appeareth by the booke before And of this matter see the booke .3 Henrye .7 Now is this statut amplified and made plainer in thys point by the statute made in the .8 yeare Henrie .8 the .26 chapter whiche will that no landes or tenementes seysed into the kinges handes vppon enquest taken before eschetours or commissioners bee in anye wise graunted or letten to ferme by the Chaunceller or Tresorer of Englande or anye other the kinges officers till the saide enquestes or verdites bee retourned fullye intoo the Chauncerie or theschequer but all that time shall abide in the kinges handes and by a moneth after the saide retourne if it bee not so that hee or they that feele themselues greeued by the saide enquest or that are put out of theire landes and tenementes come into the chauncerie and offer to trauerse the saide enquestes and to take the saide lande or tenementes to ferme whiche if they doe then the saide Chauncellour Tresorer or other officer shal let them haue them to ferme shewinge good euidence prouing theire trauerse to be true accordinge to the forme of the statute of an .36 E. 3. to holde till the issue vppon the saide trauerse taken bee founde and discussed for the kinge or elles for the partie and also fyndynge sufficient suertie too pursue the saide Trauers with effecte and to render to the kinge the yearely value of the tenementes whereof the trauerse shal bee so taken if it bee discussed for the kinge And if anye Letters patentes of anye landes or tenementes bee made to anye other parson to the contrarie then the same to be void after the moneth Hereuppon is to bee noted that the shewinge of the euydēce is onelye rehersed to the lettynge of the landes to ferme not to the trauerse For by this statute hee maye trauerse without shewinge anye euydence but not haue the landes to ferme Also by these Statutes hee is not bounde to noe certeine tyme for takinge of hys trauers but onelye for takinge of the landes to forme for hee maye tende hys trauerse when hee will so hee desire not the ferme of the lands But if hee will haue them to ferme hee must tend his trauers within the moneth as appeareth P. 13. E. 4. fo 8. and nowe by the statute of anno 1. H. 8. ca. 9. hee hath three monethes libertie to doe it Also note the thinges that he must fynde suertie for that is to say to sue with effecte to paye the rent after the trauers bee discussed and to doe no waste or destruccion In this woorde rent is emplyed all the arrerages of the rent that shall encurre meane betwene the takynge of the ferme and the discussinge of the trauerse and yet it is not so expressed Also the lease that is made to hym that tendes the trauerse is not of anye terme certeine but onelye by these woordes Donec discussum fuerit for the woordes of the statute bee so and therefore as soone as the trauerse is founde againste him that tendeth it by and by the lease hee hadde in the landes by force of the Statute is voide as apperethe in .4 Edwarde the .4 folio .29 wythout anye further proces Howbeit forasmuche as the woordes bee to holde till the issue vppon the saide trauers taken bee founde and discussed for the kinge or for the partie I woulde learne if the partye bee nonsute vppon hys trauerse or that the trauerse bee aiudged againste him vppon a demurrer in lawe whether the lese shoulde bee voide or not like as it shal bee vppon the issue founde And it seemes it shal bee by the woordes comprised in the saide statute of anno 36. Edwarde .3 But not by any words comprised in the saide statute of an .8 H. 6. For the wordes bee tanque il soit aiudge and therewih agreeth the booke in 4. H. 6. fo 12. Also note that before this statute of anno .8 H. 6. the kynge did vse to graunte the custodye bothe of the landes and body to anye other to whome hee woulde after office and beefore anye trauers tended and this graunt was good because it was not then restrained by any statute Howbeit vppon the trauers tended a Scire facias shoulde haue beene awarded against the patentee comprehendinge in the same all the trauerse And if he had beene retourned warned and came not his patent had ben voide eo facto as appeareth in the saide booke of .4 Henrye .6 at least wise for the landes and yet there was then no estatute that made them voide quod nota And then by and by they shoulde haue beene letten to ferme to him that hadde tended the trauerse But nowe whether since the makinge of the saide statute of an .8 Henry the .6 fo 17. a Scire facias shal bee awarded against the Patentee vppon a Trauers lerne for the saide statute makes suche letters patentes voide for the graunt of the landes but not so for the bodye and therefore it seemes a Scire facias shal bee still awarded and the graunt also of the saide landes is not voide till after the moneth H. 8 H 6. 17. 5. E. 4. .3 .5 M. 14. E. 4. 1 And nowe by the saide statute of anno .1 Henry .8 not till after three monethes and so it shoulde seeme by the booke of .5 and .14 Edwarde .4 and 8. Henry 6. that a Scire facias shal bee awarded at
his daie notwithstandinge the statute of .18 Henry .6 cap .6 whiche ordeines that all letters patentes made before the kings title found by inquisicion retourned into the Chauncerie or other matter of recorde shal bee voide For that statute also extendes but to landes or tenementes no more than the other statutes do so that the graunteâ— of the bodye or of anye other thinge whiche is no lande or tenement is good at this day before any office or inquisition thereof found And it is further to bee noted that this statute of an .18 Henry 6. makes not suche letters patentes good for anye time whiche hee graunted contrarie to the tenure of that statute but they be voide fourthwith And learne and enquire if at this daye within one moneth or .3 monethes after office founde and retourned the master of the kinges wardes and liueries with aduise of one of the counsell of the kinges courte of Wards and liueries made a lease of the wardes landes or of an idiotes landes being in the kinges handes for the time of the kinges interest in the same and after within the tyme appointed by the statute comes a stranger and trauerseth the office whether in this case he shall haue the landes to ferme or not And it seemes that no because this statut that geeues that power to the maister of the kinges Wardes was made long time since the statutes of an .8 or .18 H. 6. that is to say in the .31 yeare of king H .8 whiche statute is generall and no sauing or exception made of thether statutes before And then it is a general rule Quod posteriores leges priori bus contrarias abrogant And some thinkes at this daye for wardes lands or ideots landes there shal bee no lettynge of them to ferme to him that tended the trauers if they were letten before the trauers tended by the maister of the kinges wardes but of other landes it remaines as it was before the making of this statute of a .31 Henry .8 and note that if the kinge seise not for anye Wardshippe but onelye for primer seisin because the heire is of full age if a straunger in this case wil trauerse it is to litle purpose For if the kinge by and by after will make liuerie to the heire the trauerse is become voide as appeareth 1. Henry .7 fo â— for the kinge in that case hathe no cause to reteine the lande but to deliuer the same to him in whoe 's right he seised being able for it and hee that tended the trauers is at no mischiefe for hee may nowe after this liuerie pursue for his remedye against the heire and if it shoulde tarrye in the kings handes for the trauerse sake his highnes shoulde then haue all the profites if the trauers were founde with him for al the time that the saide trauers did depende whereunto hys highnes hath no right but onelye the heire and therefore it seemes there shall bee no trauerse but where the landes is to abyde in the kinges handes for a certeine tyme as for Wardshippe fine for alienacion or suche lyke But if hee that tended the trauerse bee founde heire by office and is to haue liuerie of that lande as well as the other that was first founde heire otherwise it is for the reason made beefore And so of an enterpleder For in that case the kinge is bounde to make the liuerie too him that is tried rightfull heire but not so in the case of a trauerse tended by a straunger whiche claimes not as heire for hee is to haue noe lyuerie but only an ouster le maine by whych ouster le main the kinge deliuereth nothinge but leaues his owne possession as one that hath no right to keepe the possession anye longer And it appeareth sufficientlye that hee hadde no right to keepe it after the tyme the heire that shoulde haue it was of full age Wherefore a straunger in that case cannot trauerse for so twoe that hadde no right by trauersinge together might keepe the thirde that hath right from his possession whiche was neuer the meaninge of the makers of the saide statutes And notwithstanding that this booke 1. H. 7 bee that after the trauerse and before the ferme graunted the liuerie was made yet that makes no difference for whether the ferme were graunted before the lyuerie or after when the trauers is become voide by the liuerie the ferme whiche dependeth vppon the same is also voide as mee seemeth And note also that the saide statute 1. Hen. 8. whiche geeues three monethes for hauinge the landes to ferme makes no mencion of the tresorer of Englande but onelye of the Chaunceller so that for anye thinge that ys to bee letten by force of that statute it must bee done onlye by the Chauncellour and not by the treasorer As it shoulde seeme as well of offices retourned into theschequer as into the Chauncerie and therefore within the moneth after an office retourned into theschequer the tresorer maye let the landes to ferme to him that tendes the trauerse accordinge to the saide statute 8. H. 6. But if it bee to let after the moneth the Chaunceller of Englande must doe it as it should seeme And note also that by a statute made anno 1. H. 8. cap. 11. Any person that sued his liuere in time of king H. 7. vppon anye office that founde hee helde in chiefe where in dede he helde not in chiefe whiche saide offices were found by the procurement of Empson and Dudley in the tyme of the said late kinge maye trauerse thoffice in like maner and forme as he might haue done before the liuerie sued if it be so that he be now seised of the same landes sauing that hee shall not bee restored to the meane issues and profites This statute seemes not to extende to the parties heires that hadde liuerie but onelye to the partie him selfe Quere hoc And note that in the court where thoffice is first retourned into there I shall tende my trauers as if it bee retourned into the Chauncerie then in the Chauncerye and if in the Eschequer then in theschequer as in deede all offices virtute officij are retournable in theschequer onelye and such as bee virtute breuis vel commissionis bee retournable in the Chauncerie And now by the Statute of .33 H. 8. cap. 22. No eschetour maye sitte virtute officij onely to fynde anye office of landes holden of the kinge of the value of v. li. or aboue vppon paine to forfait v. li. Monstrance de droit THe Statute of an .36 E .3 that geeueth a trauerse saithe in this wise Et sil eit nul home qui met challenge ou claime aus terres issint seisies que leschetour maunde lenquest en la chauncellarie deins le mois apres les terres issint seisies et que briefe luy soit liuere de certifier la cause de sa seisin en la Chancellarie et illeoques soit oye sauns delaye de
trauerser loffice ou auterment mre son droit et illeoques maunde deuaunt le roye a faire final discussion sauns attender auter maundement This statute speakes bothe of trauerse and Monstrance de droit disiunctiuely whereby a man may gather that if Monstraunce de droit were not by thorder of the common law as it is saide 13. E. 4. f. 8. that it is yet were it geeuen by this estatute And no booke that beares date before this statut can I find that treates any thing of Monstraunce de droit Wherfore without preiudice to anye mans oppinion mine oppinion is that it is geuen onely by this statute but whether it bee so or not so I doe not greatly force Let vs see what it is in what cases it lieth If the kinge bee entitled by office or other matter of recorde that is trauersable Howbeit there is no cause of trauerse for that the office or recorde is true in this case anye manne that hath right to the possession of the freeholde of this lande whiche in shewinge of his right is able to confesse this office and auoid it shal bee receyued if hee bee putte out of hys possession or greeued thereby to come into the Chauncerie and shewe his saide right which beinge there proued to be true iudgement shal bee geeuen that the kinges handes be amoued from the possession of the saide landes with the meane issues and proftes to be restored vnto the party that sueth the said Monstraunce de droit As for an example it is founde by office that the kinges tenaunt by knightes seruice in chiefe dyed seised of certeine landes whiche are descended to his heir being within age where in dede in his life time I recouered this land against him and suing no execution suffred him to dye seised therof now vpon this office returned into the Chauncerie shall I come shewe my right that is to saye this recouere and auerre that this lande founde by office is the lande that I recouered or parcell thereof which being so proued and tried I shall haue an Ouster le maine Like law it is if the kings tenaunt disseised me of those landes and I made my continuall claime or that I had title to enter for condicion broken into the saide landes in the life of the kinges tenaunt and I entred and after was disseised by him But quere if I did not enter in his life whether now I may bee holpen by a Monstraunce de droit vppon the kinges possession And me thinkes not because I haue noe righte in that case till I enter for vntill that time the right continueth still in hym so that the kinge then hath a right ere I haue a right which ought too bee preferred and take place since it is but for a tyme before myne And for these cases see the booke in .3 H 7. fo 2. But if the king bee entitled by matter of worde not trauersable as if he be entytled by double matter of record in this case I can not haue my Monstraunce de droit no more than I can haue in the like case of Trauerse vnlesse my title be founde by one of the saide recordes As take the case to bee It is founde by office that one suche that holdeth of the kinge disseised mee and then committed a felonye vppon whome I entred after whiche entrie the saide tenaunt was attainted of the felonye in this case I shal haue the lande out of the kings hands by a Monstrance de droit causa qua supra And yet the kinges tytle is here by a record and not trauersable that is to saye thatteinder But what than My tytle is also founde by office and appeareth by matter of recorde M. 3. E. 4. 26 A. 4. H. 7. 6 whych beynge proued true doth clearelye auoide the kyngs possession and that is the reason I shall be receiued in thys case to a Monstraunce de droit as appeareth in .3 Edward 4. And therewith agreeth the booke 4. Henry 7. where kyng Richard the thirde was attainted of Treason by act of Parliament and found by office that he was seised of certeine land cometh one B. and saith that in the saide Parliament it was enacted that an atteinder of treason had against the father of the saide B. shoulde bee auoided and adnulled and hee restored to his landes and that these lands cōprised in the office were in the hands of the said king R. by attainder of his father aiudged that vpon this Monstraunce de droit the party should haue restituciō because his right appered by mater of record Like law is it wher it is found by office that such a one is attainted of felony is seised of such landes which are holden of the king nowe he that hath cause to sue his Monstraunce de droit can not be admitted therunto by reason of these two records Howbeeit if it bee so that there is noe suche attainder in deede then may the party that would sue a Monstraunce de droit saye that there is no suche recorde of attainder which beeinge founde true hee shal be receiued to his Monstraunce de droit as appeareth in the saide booke .4 H. 7. For nowe is there no recorde against him but onelye the office and notwithstandinge that by thoffice thattaindour is founde yet this fyndinge makes nothinge for the kinge if it bee vntrue For the iurie can neuer finde a matter of recorde and if they doe it is to little purpose for the recorde is euer triable by it selfe and if there bee suche a recorde it will appeare thoughe they fynde it not and if there bee none the finding of it is voide This may you see that a Monstrance de droit lyeth sometimes althoughe the kynge bee entytled by double matter of recorde if it so bee that the parties tytle appeare by matter of recorde or else it lyethe not M 14. E. 4. f. 1. 7 And yet Choke Littleton and Nedham helde oppinion in .14 E. 4. that if it bee founde before theschetour that one was tenant in taile of certeine landes holden of the kinge the remaynder to another in fee and that hee in the remainder is outlawed of felonye and that tenaunt in taile is dead without issue where in dede he beinge tenant in taile before the statute De donis condicionalibus after that hee hadde issue enfeffed one B. in this case the saide B. shall shewe this matter and that the vtlagarie was after the feffement made and so haue the landes out of the kinges handes by a Monstraunce de droit But it shoulde seeme their oppinion is againste the lawe and the bookes beefore rehersed vnlesse this feffement were founde by office Peticion .12 Trauers .7 because it appearethe that the kinge in this case is entytled by double matter of recorde And note that where the kinge is entitled but by office alone there the partye maye haue his Monstraunce de droit althoughe his title bee
reuersion to an other in this case he in the reuersion hadde an Ouster le mayne withoute suinge anye Scire facias againste the patentee as it appeareth in .10 Edwarde the thirde and at this daye the case is more stronger for suche a graunt were voide beecause it is beefore office And therefore vppon anye suche voide graunt there neede no Scire facias And in .14 Edwarde the fowerth fo 1. it appearethe that one had trauersed an office whiche was sente into the kinges benche to trye and had forgotten to sue his Scire facias and yet hee was suffred to goe agayne into the Chauncerie to pray a Scire facias vpon the first trauerse for it was saide that the Chauncerie is a courte of conscyence and for that cause the thinge that was there amisse may be reformed at all times And learne if this Scire facias bee sued againste manye and one of them dyeth whether this shal abate the trauerse Monstrans de droit or peticion wheruppon it is sued or elles onelye the Scire facias It semes that nothinge shall abate but the Scire facias because no mentiō is made of the tenaunt neither in a trauerse Monstrans de droit of peticion And of this mater see the booke in M. 7 H. 4. fo ◠Ouster le mayne OVster le main is the iugement that is geuen for hym that tendeth a trauerse or sueth a Mōstrans de droit or peticion for when it appeareth vpon the matter discussed that the kinge hathe no righte nor title to the thinge he seised then iudgement shal bee geeuen in the Chauncerie that the handes bee amoued and thereuppon Amoueas manum shal bee awarded to theschetour whiche conteruailes as muche as if the iudgemente weare geeuen that hee shoulde haue againe his lande as appeareth in 24 E. 3 f. 3◠and this iugement sometime is geuen in the kinges bench and not in the chauncerie that is in case where the parties descende to an issue then for the tryall thereof theye of the chauncerie muste awarde a venire facias returnable in the kings benche at a certaine daye at whiche day notwithstandinge that the shirife returne not the writ yet the Alias venire facias shall not bee awarded out of the chācerie but oute of the kinges bench for there and no where els it is recorded quod vicecomes non misit breue as appeareth in .13 E. 4. f. 8. And when the issu is found for the partie they of the kinges bench shall gaue iugement awarde an ouster le maine without suinge for the same in the chaūcerie as appeareth in 21. H. 7. .29 Liuery P. 10 li. ass and yet the recorde of the issue that was tryed was not sent thether but onelye the transcript thereof but what then the iudgement is to be geuen vpon the verdit which is there of recorde and when bothe courtes bee courtes of the common lawe and the kynges courts theye vse not to remaunde anye thynge to the place from whence it came but to geue iugem̄t there where it is tryed and Sharde sayde that when a recorde comes once into the kynges benche it shall neuer go from thence Also note that sometime there goeth an Ouster le mayne as well to the kinges patentee as to the eschetoure and that is where the kinge hath graunted the thing that hee seised to any other but notwithstanding that there go such wryttes of Amoueas manum bothe to theschetor and to the partie yet the kynge is out of possession as sone as iugement is geuen in the chauncerie not forcing whether any of these wryttes bee awarded or not either to theschetoure or to the partye and thereupon the partie for whom iudgemente is geeuen may entre forth with into the landes and shal bee sayde noe intrudor Assise P. 156. as appeareth in H. 10. E. 3. and the reason of yt is because the iugement tyethe not the kynge to the delyuerye of the possession but onely to leaue hys handes of the possessiō And note that if a Diem clausit come to the eschetor he hy vertue of that wryte beefore he make any enquirie may seise the lande for the kynges beehofe whiche after he hath once seised if after by office noe title bee found for the king then the party that ought to haue agayn the land may sue for the same in the chauncerye where the office is returned and then Amoueas manum shall be awarded for vntill the makynge of a statute at Lincoln Anno .29 E. 1. called the statute De escaetoribus the partie hadde noe remedye in suche case but onelye to sue vnto the kinge himselfe as it appearethe by the sayde statute and nowe that statute geeues an Ouster le maine vna cum exitibus Howbeit this Ouster le mayne maye not bee sued by parcels no more than a liuery and therefore if diuerse writtes or commissions bee awarded into diuers counties to enquire after the death of A. B and in one countie it is founde that hee holdethe nothynge of the kinge but in socage and in the same countie and bye the same ēquest it is foūd that he holdeth of an other by knights seruice yet the lord by knights seruice gettethe noe Ouster le main vntil the other ēquests be also returned in Causa qua sup̄ for if he should then he should haue it for the lands and not for the body and so should haue it by parcelles for the bodie may not be deliuered as long as there is anye enquest to be returned in And the reason of it is beecause that enqueste may finde a tenure of the king by knights seruice in chiefe in which case his highnes ought to haue the whole landes and if it bee but a cōmen tenure by knyghtes seruice yet hys highnesse at the leaste oughte to haue the preferrement of the bodye yea thoughe the lorde of whom it is founde to be holden be the archebyshoppe of Caunt or suche a one against whō the kings prerogatiue will not hold for the landes yet because it holds for the bodies he getteth no Ouster le maine vntil al the offices be returned in for the reason before made as appeareth in 16. E. 3. Liuerie p. 29 Howbeit by fauour and grace of the court tharchebishoppe had his Ouster le maine beefore the other offices retourned And so note howe in tymes past men haue sued Ouster le maine vpon a seisin made for the kynge although the office founde afterward did not entitle his highnes Howbeit at this day it is not so vsed for theschetor will not seise vnlesse there be an office found although he might lawfullye do it by the words of the writ Diem clausit whiche vsage I do nothinge mislike consideringe the great trouble it auoideth that might els ensue to the kinges subiectes And note that in all cases where the king is seised or in possession of the lād by office or any other mater of recorde his highnes