ran in place of the seruice Sur. The case is not alike for the annuity was not parcell of the Mannor neither can it be by such meanes as you propound by the way of Mortgage But in another sort it may as if a Mannor be to be diuided into sundry parts and because the parts fall out vnequall in value there must a rent or annuity be apportioned to make vp the value which rent becomes parcell of the Mannor Lord. If the Mannor be diuided as you say and a rent allotted to one part how can the rent be parcell of the Mannor forasmuch as in my vnderstanding the Mannor becommeth by this partition to be no Mannor for if there can be no addition to a Mannor there can be no diuision of a Mannor and yet the Mannor to continue still a Mannor Sur. Yes Sir of one Mannor may be made diuers at this day Lord. How I pray you Sur. If a Mannor descend to diuers partners and they make partition and euery one hath demeisnes and seruices euery one hath a Mannor and euery one may keepe a Court Baron Lord. What if a man make a feoffement vpon conditions of parcell of his Mannor or do graunt a Lease to another for life of part or do intayle part are not these parts still parcels of the Mannor Sur. If parcels of a Mannor be once thus seuered they immediatly become no parcels thereof yet may they all reuert and become parcels of the Mannor againe as if the condition of the feoffement be broken if the Tenant for life dye or the limitation of the entayle discontinue for want of heires Lord. Then a man may say that though such Land be not yet the reuersions are parcels of the Mannors Sur. So it is intended Lord. Well you haue reasonably well satisfied me in these poynts yet would I gladly haue some further satisfaction of some other matters touching the state and profits of a Mannor Sur. I would be willing to do my best to content you but you partly hinder me of other businesse What else would you know I wish breuity Lord. It shall be so neither shall you lose your labour for I meane to vse you if my future satisfactâ—on be answerable to this former May euery Mannor kéepe a Court Baron Sur. Euery Mannor in the beginning no doubt might keepe a Court Baron and so it may at this day vnlesse the Mannor be so dismembred as it wanteth that which may warrant the keeping thereof for if all the freeholders of a Mannor do escheat or all but one the Mannor is then disabled to keepe a Court Baron for the Court cannot be kept without suters which are the freeholders Lord. Then me thinks the Mannor loseth the name of a Mannor for if it lose the quality it is not the thing no more then a logge that had fire can be sayd a fire-logge when the fire is extinct Sur. It is true it becomes no Mannor but a Seignorâ— hauing no power to keepe a Court-Baron Lord. An ignorant Surueyor I sée may be easily deceyued in terming that which is no Mannor a Mannor and that no Mannor which indéede is a Mannor But satisfie me in this one thing A man hauing two Mannors lying together and the one of them is decayd and hath lost his power to kéepe a Court Baron and the Lord is willing to haue the Tenants of both these Mannors to do their suites and seruices to one Court namely to that which standeth yet in force and that me thinks were good for the Tenants to ease them and it would preserue the Lords right without preiudice to any for then one homage would serue both and both serue as one one Bayly and other officers as if it were an future Mannor Sur. Yet this can not bee for this vnion of the Mannors can not extinguish theyr seuerall distinctions for they will be still two in nature howsoeuer the Lord couet to make them one in name and the more powerfull Mannor hath no warrant to call the Tenants of the decayd Seignory but euery act done in one to punish an offendor in the other is trauersable and therefore it is but lost labour to practise any such vnion if it be considered by such as are forced to seruice in this kind they may refuse it yet if they will voluntarily submit themselues to such a nouation and the same be continued without contradiction time may make this vnion perfect and of two distinct Mannors in nature make one in name vse and I do not thinke but such there are Lord. Then is there as it séemeth no meane to annere two Mannors in one howsoeuer necessary it were both for the Lord and Tenants Sur. Yes Sir two Mannors may become as one if one Mannor do hold of another and it escheat to the Lord the escheated Mannor may be annexed and vnited and of two distinct Mannors become one if the Lord will in vse Lord. I am answered in this poynt and it standeth with more reason indéed then the former now I pray you tell me what things do properly belong to a Mannor Sur. There do belong to a Mannor Lands Tenements rents and seruices as I shewed you before in part which are a parcell in demeisne and parcell in seruice Lord. But speake I pray you something more at large of euery of these and first tell me what demeisnes are Sur. Demeisnes are all such Lands as haue bin time out of the memory of man vsed and occupied in the Lords owne hands and manurance as the site of the Mannor house Meddowes Pastures Woods and arable land that were reserued for the maintenance of the Lords house from the beginning Lord. This then is that you call parcell in demeisne what is that you call parcell in seruice Sur. All those lands tenements and hereditaments which yeeld rents of Assize as rents of freehold copyhold or customary land all which are parcell of the Mannor yet no demeisnes Lord. But are not all customary land copyhold land why then make you a distinction betwéene copy and customary Sur. All copy hold Land is commonly customary but all customary is not copyhold for in some places of this Realme Tenants haue no copyes at all of their Lands or Tenements or any thing to shew for that they hold but there is an entry made in the Couâ—t-booke and that is their euidence and this especially of the ancient Duchy land of Cornewall and other places Lord. These Tenants then may be called Tenants by Court-roll according to the custome of the Mannor but not Tenants by copy of Court-roll Sur. It is true but they are held only a kinde of conuentionary Tenants whom the custome of the Mannor doth onely call to do their seruices at the Court as other customary Tenants do Lord. The word conuenire where of they be called conuentionary doth as I conceiue import as much as to call together or
conuent but what say you to the Rents of Assize What meane you by Assize Sur. Truly for my part I take it to signifie set in certainty for these kind of rents are as in the beginning neither risen nor falne but doe continue alwayes one and the same and only they and none else can be properly called rents of Assize Lord. I thinke you take it rightly and are all rents of one kind Sur. No there are properly three kinds as rent seruice Rent seck and Rent charge Lord. These termes are strange to me though I be Lord of many Mannors and no doubt I receiue rentes of euery of these kindes but how to distinguish them I can not tell And whether I haue bin abused by mine Officers or no I know not for they neuer told me of these many kindes of rentes and therfore let me intreat you for my satisfaction a little to explaine their seuerall natures Sur. These Seuerall rentes are paide vpon seuerall considerations and haue seuerall grounds and commencementes and are diuersly to be leuied and recouered if they bee denied That which is called Rent seruice is so called because it is knit to the tenure and is as it were a Seruice whereby a man holdeth his Landes or Tenements As where the Tenant holdeth his Lands by Fealty and certaine rent or by Homage fealty and certaine rent or by any other seruice and certaine rent the rent is called Rent seruice for as the Seruice followeth a Tenure so the Rent followeth the seruice And if this rent bee behind the Lord of Common right may enter and distrayne for it The Rent charge is so called because when a man graunteth any Land whether it bee in fee-simple â—ee tayle for life for yeares or at will and in his deede reserueth a rent with clause of distresse for non payment by vertue of this clause the Land is charged with payment of the rent by expresse wordes and by force of it the Lord may distraine for his rent behind Lord. This kind of rent is at this day I thinke most common for fewe will graunt Land but they will make such prouision that the Land shall stand charged with the rent Sur. It is true for at this day there can be no rent seruice raysed because it cannot bee without a tenure which can not be at this day created Lord. What is that you call Rent seek Sur. It is a bare rent reserued vpon a graunt wherein there is no mention made of charging the Land by distresse and it signifieth redditum siccum a dry rent for the recouery whereof the Land is not charged Lord. Few such rents are now adayes for a man had nâ—ede to make all the prouision he can to secure his rent and yet he may be driuen to try his vttermost meanes to recouer it But you haue satisfied me also touching these rents now let me intreate you to shew something of oâ—â—er things incident vnto a Mannor by which the Lord receiueth profit or prerogatiue Sur. Profits may rise by infinite meanes and wayes out of a Mannor to the Lord but all Mannors yeeld not profits or commodities alike neither in nature or value Lord. I thinke indéede all Mannors are not alike profitable to the Lord neither hath euery Mannor like meanes yet I desire to know for my experience sake what may grow out of a Mannor that I may the better looke into the natures qualities of such as are vnder my power and commâ—â—nd Sur. If you haue a Mannor or Mannors there is as I sayd before a Court Baron at the least incident thereunto and to some a Leeâ—e or Law-day which is called the view of franck pledge by which Courts do grow many and diuers perquisites and casualtyes as fines of land Amerceaments heriots rehefes wayues estrayes forfeitures escheates profits growing by pleas in Court and such like Lord. You may doe well to shew mée though briefly what euery of these former things doe properly import for to tell me the names and not the natures of the things is as if I should know there is a Sunne but whether he giue light and heate to be ignorant Therefore before you passe further in any discourse shew me how fines of Land doe arise vnto the Lord and what amerceaments are and the rest Sur. Fines of Land are of sundry kindes and yet properly and most especially they arise of copyhold or customary Lands and Tenements which are in diuers Mannors of diuers kinds for there are customary Lands which are called copyhold of inheritance and they are such as a man holdeth to him and his heires according to the custome of the Mannor at the will of the Lord. When such a Tenant dyeth and the heire commeth to be admitted if the custome of the Mannor beare a fine certaine he giueth but the accustomed fine If it be vncertayne and arbitrable he agreeth and compoundeth with the Lord or Surueyor or Steward for the fine Some hold Customary Land for liues as for one two or three liues whereof the fine is alwayes at the Lords will as is also the fine for yeeres There are also fines for licences of Surrenders of Customary Land and for alienation also of free-hold Land and these are called Fines which signifieth as much as a finall composition and when the fine which is the end of the contract is answered all but the yeerely rent during the terme agreed vpon is payd These and such like summes of money raysed aâ— a Courtâ—arâ—â— are parcell of the peâ—quisites of the Court as are all amerceaments which are summes of money imposed vpon the Tenants by the Steward Surueyor by oth and presentment of the homage for default of doing sute or for other misdemeanours punishable by the same Court infinite in number and quality Lord Whence taketh the word Amerceament name Sur. Of being in the Lords mercy to be punished more or lesse crumenally at the Lords pleasure and will It is no doubt a borrowed word as many other words vsed in our common lawes are for hee that is amerced is sayd to be in misericordia that is in the mercy of some body Lord. These wordes may be vnderstood by vse and by the manner of the vse of things but he that should seeke the etimon among the Latines of the substantine Amercâ—â—mentum and the adiectiue Amerciatus might seeke long be neuer the nâ—ere But I perceiue we must take it as our â—athers first framed it and left it I vnderstand what it meaneth in our common sence and that sufficeth Sur. Other words not a fewe in like sort to bee vnderstood we find in vse amongst vs which doubtles the Romans neuer knew and yet they that haue to do with the things wherein they are vsed vnderstand the meaning although their deriuations be strange as amoÌ„gst others it is questionable whence the name of a heriot may be deriued Lord. That would I be
to vtter them Sur Things of themselues lawfull by the lawes of the Land where they be iudiciously and carefully handled as they are by the lawes intended and by the chiefe disposers meant namely the mariages of Wards and disposition of their lands in their minorities and the presentations of benefices in the gifts of priuate men Lord. For the first I haue yet no occasion to make proofe how or what they are but the second I haue had some power to bestow wherin I was not so remisse as that I presented such as were not fit for y e funâ—tion which I thinke is your meaning therefore let that passe awhile learne me what a Ward is and how he and his land is to be disposed by the lawe that I may learne it against the time I may haue vse Sur. The word Ward is as much as guard which signifieth tuition or defence and he that is in ward is vnder some mans gouernment and keeping and the word hath a passiue signification as it is vsed in our common speech and yet the same word is also vsed in the actiue sence as they that watch or attend for the defence of any are called the ward or guard of that person or thing they do protect But the wards whereof we are now to speake of are the sonnes or daughters heires to some person that held his land either of the king in chiefe or of some inferior person by knights seruice whose heire male being vnder the age of 21. yeeres and the female within the age of 14 yeeres the Lord shall haue the ward guard or custodie of the bodie and of the lands so holden of him to his owne vse vntill they come to these ages without making account to the heire when he or she comes to age as law bookes will tell you Lord. Then me thinkes the word as it is commonly vsed is improper namely to call â—uch an heâ—â—e a ward it is more proper to say he is in ward or as the Lawâ—er sayes a ward Sur. I take it as yâ—u do Lord But what is the reason that the Lord shuld haue the land to his owne vse why rather do not y e profits redound to y e vse of y e heire in his minority Sur. This kind of wardship had some reason for it in the beginning For you must vnderstand that he whose sonne or daughter is to be thus guarded and his land to be disposed by the Lord was in his life time bound by the tenure of his land to do manly and actuall seruice in person in the time of warre or to keepe a castle â—ith some kind of warlike weapon in the time of war and peace And these kinds of capital seruices were called either tenures in capite as holden of the king who is the chiefe Eâ—â—nage vncertaine grand seriâ—â—â—tie or some other like seruice and was called seruiciâ—m miâ—â—tare seruice of a soldier now called knights seruice These seruices were not to be discontinued for to that end were the lands first giuen by the king and other inferior Lords of MaÌ„nors that they might haue the continuall seruice of their tenants And therefore whensoeuer the tenant of such a tenure died hauing none to supply the place of like manly seruice the heire being vnder age and not of power the Lord was and is supposed to be bound for the defence of the Realme to performe the seruice by a person for whom he must answer in the heires minoritie And because the charge was in former times great and dangerous and the land giuen onely for that cause the Lord was to keepe the heire and to see him trained vp and to be made fit for the same seruice and for his maintenance supply of the seruice to haue the vse profit of his land vntill he became able to performe the seruice himselfe in person Lord. I thinke this to stand with great reason for if it had not bene thought reasonable the lawes would not haue prouided in that case as they haue done as it appeareth by your relation Sur. Many Statutes indeed haue bene made touching Wards Mag. cart ca. 4.7 28. Maâ—l cap. 6.7.8 c. Westm. 1. Westm. 2. and many Statutes since to which I refer you too long here to relate Lord. What néeded you then giue such a strict caueat touching Wardes Sur. Truely to put Lordes and others into whose hands they often happen in mind to be carefull of their education and disposing because many incoâ—ueniencâ—s follow if their Guarders be not faithfull and prouident for their wel bestowing Lord. How in bestowing Sur. In mariage For the Lordes haue the mariage both of the Male and Female if they bee vnmaried at the time of their ancesters decease And it falleth out many times that partly for their land and partly for their mariage they are bought and sold and marryed yong and sometimes to such as they fancie not when they come to riper iudgement they bewray their dislikes too late And sometimes their education is so slenderly regarded that when they come to gouerne themselues and their familyes their estates and patry monies they discouer what their education was good or euill Lord. There bée thrée especiall ends whereunto the good education of such an Infant should send The 〈◊〉 and principall is the feare of God in true Religion the second is the benefite that the Common-wealth shall reape by his vertue and sufficiencie the third and last the abilitie by which hee may gouerne his familie and manage his patrimonie for his best maintenance But what can you now say touching the second of these chiefe points Namely the presenting of Clarkes vnto Ecclesiasticall 〈◊〉 and how it commeth to passe that our Lay man as he is called may nominate and present a Clarke to a Parsonage Uicarage or 〈◊〉 Chappell whose function is high and diuine Sur. The reason why these Lay-lords of Mannors do presâ—nâ— as aforesaid is in right of the Parsonage Vicarage or free Chappell belonging to their Mannors where the Lord of the Mannor is very and vndoubted patron of such an Ecclesiasticall gift hee may make his choice of the parson or vicar Alwayes prouided by diuine ordinance humane instituâ—ions he must be Idoneus fit for the place Lord. But lye thâ—t in the Lords power onely to nominate and present such a one and is it then sufficient if hee deeme the partie fit Sur. No he must be approued fit by his Ordinarie the Byshop of the Diocesse by whom he must be instituted and 〈◊〉 Lord. Then is the Lord in his nomination and presentation cleared of offence to the Church if the partie prooue after insufficient Sur. He is in some sort But he is bound in conscience to be very circumspect in his choice For iâ— any carnall consideration mooued him to the partie he standeth not cleare before God into whose steade he intrudeth himselfe after
debitiet de iure consuet And because some of you doe not perchance vnderstand the meaning of the words thus they signifie that you are to hold your Tenements to you and your heires c. For such rent and doing such seruices as haue beene heeretofore due of right accustomed Is not this a condition for if you pay not the rent or denie the seruice you are at the Lords mercy to be compelled I doe not thinke therefore that any of you of any discretion will aduenture the losse of his intrest for not performing a seruice at his Lords commaund that tendeth also to his owne benefite and to no preiudice at all The end therefore of all mine admonition is to mooue you being a thing of common right to shewe your selues like vnto your selues true and faithfull Tenants vnto the Lord concurring all in one minde to doe the Lord this seruice in loue and the Lord no doubt will recompence it with like fauour although there be no recompence due for that which dutie bindeth to be done By this meanes you shal confirme your owne strengths by gaining retaining the Lords kind countenāce and he againe shall bee the more fortified by your true affections towards him for what a ioyfull thing is it for Lord and Tenant to dwell together in vnitie Now hauing thus prepared you to attention vnto the matters of your charge I will heere reade explaine vnto you such Articles as shall be for your instruction and leaue them with you in writing for your better memorie for I know and haue often found that a bare deliuerie of many words and of diuers things as in the charges commonly giuen in Courts Baron and leet◠euen to cares well prepared may be little effectuall lesse to him that heareth and regardeth not but least of all to him that will not heare at all Such hearers there are of diuine things but many more of humane of this kind but were they matters of carnall pleasure delight they would be both heard and practised And therfore I the more moue you to attend vnto the things which I now am to deliuer vnto you The substance of the charge of a Court of Suruey contained in the Articles following 1 First as no doubt you all know that A. B. Knight the reputed Lord of this Mannor is the true vndoubted owner of the same and of all the lands meddowes pastures and other hereditaments within and belonging to the same And that you and euery of you do hold your lands belonging vnto this Mannor of him if not who hath the interest and right of the same to your knowledges 2 You shall duly and diligently set downe or shew vnto the Surueyor in his perambulation of the Mannor all the circuit buttes bounds and limits of the same and vpon what and whose Mānors Lordships lands and parishes it bordereth on all partes And whether any confining Lord or his tenants do any where intrude or incroche vpon this Mannor where it is by whom how much is so incroched As for the bounding of the Mannor it is fittest to be deliuered vnto the Surueyor when he treades the circuit that the best experienced tenants accompany him for information and some of the youth that they may learne to know the bounds in times to come 3 Whether there be any other Mannor or Mānors lying within the limits or circuit or extending in part into this Mannor what are the names of the Manners and who are owners of them how they are distinguished from this Mannor And whether this Mannor do any way extend into or lye within any other Mannor It is often seene that one Mannor lyeth within another and intermixed one with another in such sort as the true circuits buttes and bounds become confounded necessarie therefore it is that their distinctions should be carefully obserued and recorded for oftentimes one is deuoured or otherwise iniured by the other when Lords are remisse and Tenants carelesse to bring that to certainty which is or may become doubtfull 4 What Freeholders there are within or doe belong vnto and hold their land of this Mannor what are their names what land hold they what rent pay they by what tenure doe they hold and what seruices owe they to the Lord The negligence of Lords in the due continuance of the substance of this Article hath bred preiudice to many for where Freeholders dwell out of the Mannors whereof they hold and pay vnto their Lords but a small acknowledgement as a rose a pepper corne a Ielsoflower or some such trifle or are to doe some seruice at times whereof in manie yeeres hath beene no vse they haue not beene looked for neither haue their sutes beene continued for long time insomuch as they and their tenures haue growne out of memorie and their seruices out of vse and other Lords haue intitled themselues to the land and the right Lord lost all possibilities of estate wards marriage c. As cōmon experience maketh more plaine by the daily questions and sutes which rise when profits apparent may growe by any of the former casualties And therfore it is most necessary to haue alwaies a true sute roll whereby the Steward should euery Court call the Freesuters by name to expresse what rent he should pay and what seruices he ought to do that at the death of euery suter his heire with the land rent and seruices would be inserted in his steade The profit that will hereby grow vnto the Lord and tenants is manifest and this roll is to be made by the Surueyor and to be indented the one for the Lord the other for the tenants vpō view of euery Freeholders land 5 Whether you know that any Free-holder within or belonging to this Mannor hath committed any felonie or treason and hath bene thereof conuicted the Lord not yet hauing the benefit of the forfeiture or whether hath any such tenant died without heire generall or speciall If so who hath the present vse and possession of the land and by what right what land is it where lyeth it how much in quantitie and of what value It is a great defect in the Suruey of a Mannor which remaineth to posterities being inrolled or ingrossed for perpetuall memorie when the Suruey or doth superficially passe ouer the obseruation of the lands of euery Free-holder their tenures quantitie of land the place where it lyeth the rent and seruices For vpon sundrie necessary occasions the Lord is to seeke in euery of these and some are worthie because they loue not to be at charge to find out and continue that which is not presently profitable 6 Whether doth any Bastard hold any land belonging to this Mannor as heire vnto any what is his name what land is it and where lyeth it and what is it yearely worth A Bastard though he be knowne to be the son of that father that leaueth him
then it was Farm There you much mistake you for I will shew by auncient Court â—â—lls that the fine of that which is now twenty pound was then but thirteene shillings foure pence and yet will you say they are now as they were then Sur. Yea and I thinke I 〈…〉 in it For if you consider the state of things then and now you shall find the proportion little differing for so much are the prices of things vendible by Farmers now increased as may well be said to exceed the prices then as much as twenty pound exceedeth xiii s. iiii d. Farm You speake farre from truth and I maruell you will erre so much pretending to be a 〈◊〉 of that reach that men imploy you â—o ouer reach others Sur. To shew you then â—n instance looke into the Chronicle in the time of Henry the sixt and you shall finde that a quarter of Wheate was sold at Roystâ—n in Hartfordshire for twelue pence and I trust if you be a Farmer you are a Corne-seller and I thinke if a man offer you thirty times as much for a quarter you will say it is better worth Farm Was it possible that â—â—ane was then and there so cheape and to rise since to this raâ—â— it is very strange Sur. Not at all for since 〈◊〉 grew such emulation among Farmers that one would ouâ— bid another which in the beginning was little seene it grew at length that he that bought deare must sell deare and so grew the prices of things by degrees to this â—â—te as 〈◊〉 they be and a Farmer gets as much by his Farme noâ— aâ— then he did Far. You erre therein I assure you for else could Farmers keepe as good houses hospitality now as they did then and alas you sée how vnable they be Sur. It is true and the reason is manifest for where in those dayes Farmers and their wiues were content with meane dyeâ— and base attire and held their children to some â—â—stere gouernment without haunting Alehouses Tauerns Dice Cards vaine delites of charge the case is altred the Husbandman so publikely for Vinâ— mendibiâ—â— suspâ—â—â—sa heder a non est upos A gâ—â—d workeman néeds not stand in the stréetes Sur. I confesse in this you haue sayd truly for none that is in deede fit for imployment will or needs to craue it in such manner for they will be sought vnto and solicited But euery one that hath but a part of the arte nay if he can performe some one two or three parts is not thereby to be accounted a Surueyor as some Mechanicall men and Countrey-fellowes that can measure a peece of Land and though illiterate can accompt the quantitie by the parts of money as a peny to a 〈◊〉 a groat to a day-worke ten groats to a Roode and consequently a marke to an Acre which manner of calling sufficeth and satisfyeth them in their small accomptâ— but the maner of their measuring to 〈◊〉 erronious as I will shew you hereof 〈…〉 serue Some haue the skill of plotting out of ground and can neatly deliniate the same and by Arithmetike can cast up the contents which is a necessary point of a Suruey on office Farm Sauing your 〈…〉 we poore Country men due not thinke it good to haue our Lands plotted out and we thinks in déede it is to very 〈◊〉 all purpose for is not the Field it selfe a goodly Map for the Lord to looke vpon better then a painted paper And what is he the better to see 〈◊〉 out in colours He can adde nothing to his land nor diminishâ—utâ— and therefore that labour aboue all may be saued in mine opinion Sur. They that speake at any time againste any thing done or propounded to be done do either shew their reasons against it or else they conceale their conceits and without any good argument inueigh only against the thing And I know your meaning in misliking ploâ—â—ing of your land and yet you 〈◊〉 doo what you thinke for a plot rightly drawne by true information describeth so the likely image of a Mannor and euery branch and member of the same as the Lord sitting in his chayre may see what he hath where and how it lyeth and in whose vse and occupation euery particular is vpon the suddaine view which tenants mislike not that the thing it selfe offendeth them but that by it they are often preuented or discouered of deceitfull purposes For a tenant that is both a free-holder and a copy-holder for life or by indenture for life or yeeres holding these lands interâ—â—â—â— may easily vnlesse the land for life or yeeres be very specially butted and bounded in their copies or leases as seldome they are through the sloth of some stewards or for default of a true suruey led guide them appropriate vnto himselfe copy or leased land to a free and especially hauing time â—nough to alter names and propertiâ—â— to remooue meeres and to call downe ditches to stock vp hedges and to smothee vp truth and falshood vnder such a 〈…〉 conueniency as before 〈◊〉 be suspected 〈…〉 view it will be cleane for gotten 〈…〉 shall be able to say This is the land whereas if it be plotted out and euery parcell of free copy leased and the rest be truly distinguished no such 〈…〉 can be done against the Lord but it shall be 〈◊〉 readily reconciled And I dare presume to say that the want of due plots and descriptions of land in this forme hath bin the occasion of infinite concealements and losses of many mens land and many intrusions and inâ—roâ—hmenâ—s haue bin made and to long continued that now neither memory or record can reforme them besides infinite other abuses which are dayly done to the preiudice of Lords for want of such a monument to be always at hand for their instructioÌ„ Far. You ayme vnhappily I thinke to some mens purposes but for my part I promise you I had no such thought in me yet what you say may indéede be easily wrought in moâ—â— Mannors if they be as y t Mannor is wherein I am a Tenant for I am perswaded there hath not bin any view taken of it or perumbulation made or suruey had within the memory of any man aliue And to tell you truly I thinke the Lord hath much wrong both by his owne Tenants and by confining Lords for so the Lord haue his rent and his other duties of vs he is contented but I may tell you if he did better looke into it it would be better for himselfe and his hereafter yet we wish he would let it rest as it doth for we may do in manner what we list and if a Surueyor come we shall not do as we haue done nor hold that that some haue held long without any trouble but that I leaue Then you say that plotting is the chiefe part of a Surueyors skill Sur. I say not so but I say it is necessary for him
such like Will you not regard the estate of your Cattell their number health and safety And haue you not a continuall watch ouer all your seruants and children and to the preseruation of things within and without If you do thus in one small Farme what would you do in ten could you see vnto them all your selfe If you had as many Mannors would you sit at home and receiue the rents and fines that your Tenants would bring you without consideration of the estate or values quaÌ„tities or qualities of the things for which you receiue their money And why haue you this care or would you looke into these things Is it not because it is your liuing and liuelyhood by which you and yours are maintained And how much the more it is neglected so much the more it decayeth and if it decay in quantity you can not continue equall in quality And can you therefore thinke it a hard course in that Lord that hauing his Lands which are his liuelyhood dispersed in diuers parts of the Realme to which through greater imployments of importance hee can not personally resort if hee could it is neither his experience nor fit for his calling to trauaile therein to authorize and send such as may take view of his reuenues and of the estates of his Tenants who are by custome and law in many things bound vnto him and that by such his substitute he may be truly aduertised of what he hath and how his meanes do arise that he may proportion his charge and expences accordingly and whether he be abused by his Tenants or his Tenants by his officers or one Tenant by another or the Lord wronged by confining Lords by intruding too far into his Lands how rents be answered and customs continued how free-holders do performe their suits vnto his courts how his tenements are mayntayned and repayred how his woods are preserued his fishings fowling and prerogatiues mayntayned All which by how much the more they are neglected and let run without view or suruey so much the more doth the Lord weaken his estate and preiudice his heyre wherein it can not be denyed hee offendeth God deceyueth the King and defraudeth the Common-wealth God in that he is carelesse of his blessings bestowed vpon him The King in that he wilfully disableth himselfe to doe hym the seruice he oweth him in body and goods and the Common-wealth in that he disableth himselfe to giue it that assistance that his quality and place ought to affoord and consequently sheweth hymselfe vnworthie to ouersee matters of State and Common-wealth that is carelesse to see vâ—to hys owne Furthermore where a due and true suruey is made and continued there is peace mayntayned betweene the Lord and his Tenants where if all things rest betweene them confused questions and quarrels arise to the disturbance oâ— both In priuate familyes if there be none to ouersee and to manage things domesticall what disorders what outrage what vnciuill and vngodly courses and what spoyle and ruyne of all things doe follow The lyke of necessity where Tenants are left vnto theyr owne will and yet as the vnruly companie in a family could be contented to bee masters of themselues and to haue no controulement So Tenants can well brooke theyr Lords absence and that they might be theyr owne caruers and that the Lord should haue what they would yeeld of theyr owne accord I speake not of the honestly minded but where a multitude is without a guide or gouernor there is disorder and disorder breedeth complaynts and complaynts are vnsauory to a kind Land-lord who must be forced for redresse to punish the offendors and the most offensiue will speake most of theyr wrong and wyll soonest exclayme against any course that may keepe order So that to conclude I affyrme that it is most requisite and expedient for due order sake that euery Lord of a Mannor should cause his Lands to be duly seene and truly surueyd and certifyed and once in seuen or tenne yeeres to haue it reuiewed for the inconueniences that growe by the neglect thereof are of so many kindes and they so dangerous lyke the most perilous disease long concealed that they worke contempt in the Tenants and losse to the Lord. Now to keepe this vpright betweene the Lord and hys Tenants I thinke you can not deny but a true and honest Suruey is necessary and lawfull and may bee performed with a good and safe conscience and in the feare of God if as I haue sayd the conscience bee not before stayned with the corrupt desire of vnlawfull gayne and as I sayde before I thinke fewe or none wyll mislike the course but such as are fare gone in some disease of deceyuing theyr Lord which can not indure to haue this kynde of salue to come neere theyr sore Farm Truly Sir I know not how to answere you but doo consent to that you affirme For for mine owne part I can not but confesse I can finde nothing in mine experience to contradict your speech But pitty it is that Surueyors should be ignorant or vnhonest for the one especially abuseth the Lord and the other wrongeth both Lord and Tenants Sur. But whether is there cause in your conceit to approue or reproue the profession as it is simple in itselfe Deliuer your mind plainely leaue not a scrâ—ple in the minds of your neighbors that haue exclaymed with you against them that neuer offended them reproouing as much as they durst Lords for looking into their owne land and vnlesse Lords were dead images or pictures of men hauing only the name of Lords and could not at all command their Tenants that could neither heare see nor consider what were fit to be done with their owne proper reuenues I can not but wonder that any should spuâ—ne against them herein Farm I thinke you speake something too forceably against Tenants in generall for surely all are not opposite to this course though some be Sur. I condemne none but I reprooue some that of mine owne knowledge haue giuen testimonie of their inward dislike by their outward murmors for what is done with an euill will can not be sayd to be done at all Such as come cheerefully to the seruice are dutifull and I hold it impiety to abuse them but the vnwilling deserue little fauour Farm What should Tenants principally do in such a businesse Sur. Nothing but that law custome and duty requireth at their hands to giue their best ayd to the Surueyor to trauell with him about the circuit buts bounds and limits of the Mannor to informe him of the same and of euery particular mans land and rent to shew him their copies leases and deeds to the end he may enter and inroll theÌ„ all together in a faire booke for the Lords vse and for a perpetuall record for themselues Farm For information and shewing the particular grounds and bounds of the Mannor indeed
glad to learneâ— for I haue to doe sometimes with Herioâ—s But because I know not why they are so called what they bee how where when by whom for what they should bee answered I do feare I am sometimes abused Sur. I may tell you as I haue heard and of my selfe coniectured whence the word commeth But I haue no certaine authority for it Iâ— may beâ— said and most likely it is that it should come of the word Hâ—rus a Lord and Master and Heriotâ—â— belonging to the Lord. And it was in the beginning a thing for the warres as the best Horse a man that died had at the time of his death Sixe Controlâ— 11 26 maketh a Barony 25600. acres whose reliefe is 100. Marks One Barony ½ make an Earledome 38400 acres whose reliefe is 100. pound Lord. Do these proportions of Land alwayes hold with their titles of honor Sur. Surely no for we may obserue they are increased and diminished as men are in disposition to spend or saue to adde to or to dismember their patrimonies But these were the proportions at the first institution of these particular allotments and the denominations do hold though the quantities of the Land be more or lesse the lesser parts we see as yard lands plow-lands c. differ as the custome of euery Countrey drawne by time doth at this day hold and allow but that is no preiudice to the first purpose which allotted a certainty to euery part and a certaine reliefe to be paid according to the first institution of euery part and the payment followeth the title not the quantity Lord. You haue sayd inough of reliefs now speake of the rest and as I remember the next after reliefs was waynes what are they Sur. Waynes or wayned goods are goods or chattels of what nature soeuer stolne in the fugacie of the thiefe he leâ—ues them behind him for want of conuenient carriage or conueyance being pursued and wheresoeuer such goods are they are y e Lords of that Mannor oâ— liberty wherein they are fouÌ„d if the prerogatiue of y e Mannor wil beare it for euery Mannor wil not but such as haue it by graunt from the King Lord. Whence commeth the word Waiffe Sur. The goods thus stolne and left behind the thiefe are called in Latine Bona or catalla waniata a word which our common Lawyers only vse and the signification is gathered by the vse for I thinke none that is a stranger to the 〈…〉 he be neuer so well seene 〈◊〉 can say this word signifies the thing for which it is now â—â—ken Lord. Well then as long as we vnderstand the meaning by the vse it sufficeth without further examination or disputation about the word it selfe But how is it to be 〈…〉 goods for it may be as 〈◊〉 casually lâ—st as 〈◊〉 stolne Sur. Therefore when any such thing is found within a Mannor the Bayliffe or other the Lords officer seizeth it to the Lords vse as a thing wherein at the instant no man claymeth propertie And if it be nor euident by the pursute of the theefe that it was stolne it is proclaymd and presented the next Court and found by the Iury of what nature it is and that the property is in the Lord and because these and estrayeâ— are spoken of at large at euery Court-Baron by the Steward no man can pretend ignorance of them therefore I will omit to speake any more of them But a little of forfeitures though no doubt you being Lord of many Mannor know right well what they are and how they grow and the 〈…〉 no doubt could wish you and other Lords knew lesse then generally you do Lord. Tush if there were no penaltyes men would commit offences without feare and if there were no forfeitures for abuses done against Lords of Mannors Tenants would too boldly make wasteâ—â— spoyles of the Lords inheritance without regard of law loue or humanity and therefore let me heare your opinion what forfeitures are and for what causes Lords of carelesse Tenants may take aduantage of forfeitures Sur. I know many Lords too forward in taking aduantage of forfeitures vpon small occasions and if manifest cause be giueÌ„ them they shew little compassion And if I knew you were a man desirous to take aduantage in this kinde I would beâ— sparing to discouer any thing tending to that liberty for I well conceiue that the lawe did not to much prouide to enrich the Lords of Mannors by their Tenants forfaytures as to keepe Tenants in good order and to restraine them with feare of losing their Tenements from rash and wilfull abuses And therefore in all forfaytures there are diuers circumstances to bee considered as whether the Tenant did it ignorantly negligently or as constrained through necessity In these cases whatsoeuer lawe in extreme iustice alloweth a good conscience forbiddeth to take aduantage though the second be worthy to suffer some smart for negligeÌ„ce cannot be excused for nature it self teacheth beasts they in their maner of liuing vse a kinde of prouidence But if the forfayture be coÌ„mitted wilfully or maliciously it deserueth in the first little in the second lesse pity Yet where a good mind is there lodgeth no reuenge or couetous desire And where neither of these are there all extremities die Yet I wish that in these last two cases the offendors should be punished more in terrorem for examples sake then to satisfie the greedy desire of a couetous Landlord who though he may say he doth no more then the law warranteth doth yet straine a point of Christian charity by which men are bound to measure all mens cases by a true consideration of their owne So shal he that is Lord of much and of many Mannors looking into the law of the great Lord of whom he hath receiued 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer he hath finde 〈◊〉 himselfe hath committed a forfayture of all if his high Lord should take aduantage of all the trespasses 〈◊〉 wrongs hee hath done against him Lord. You are out of the matter wherof our talkâ— consisted I desire you not to tell 〈…〉 I may take a forfeiture by a good conscience but what a forfeiture is and 〈◊〉 the taking and leaâ—ing the aduantage vnto such as haue the power to punish or forgiue Sur. So must I when I haue spoken all I can But I hold it not the part of an honest mind in a Surueyour to be an instigator of the Lords extremities towards his Tenants though I confesse he ought to do his vttermost indeuour to aduance the Lords benefit in all things fit and expedient yet ought his counsaile and aduice to tend no further then may maintaine obedieÌ„ce in the Tenants towards their Lords and loue and fauour of the Lords towards their Tenants which being on all sideâ— vnfained neither of them shall haue iust cause to complaine of or to vse râ—goâ— to the other for it is not the actor
himselfe of any extremity that is only to be reprooued but the abetter there unto and if I wist that any Lord who shall â—â—quire the vse of my poore trauaileâ— would expect more at my hands then the performance of my duty with a good conscience I had rather leaue then take the reward for such a trauaile Neither do I find that you howsoeuer you reason of this poynt will commit any act towards any Tenants you haue that may not be iustified by the law of loue therefore I leaue further to perswade or disswade you herein And as touching the matter and manner of forfeitures I pray you vnderstand that they be of diuers kinds and diuers wayes committed for in some Mannors it is lawfull to do that as â—ath in others incurrâ—s a forfeiture Forfeitures grow either by brâ—â—ch of a custome as in Customary or copy hold Land or of a condition or promise in a Lease or graunt of which last the Tenant can not say he did not thinke it was so because the meaning is expressed in his deede but of 〈…〉 in some sort ignorant 〈…〉 them to leade them But for the most part causes of forfeitures are apparent and knowne of all within a manner as non payment of their rent not doing his seruice 〈…〉 where custome inhibits it letting his 〈…〉 to fâ—ll 〈…〉 the Lords 〈…〉 waste and such like which as I sayd before are not alike in all places and therefore it is most conuenient that the customes of euery Mannor were knowne and the Tenants made acquainted with them that when question groweth for any cause of forfeiture they may not say they knew it not for Lords commonly know better how to take aduantages of such casualties then the Tenants know how to auoyd them Lord. You speake that is reason I confesse But may a Lord enter immediatly vpon a forfayture Sur. The forfayture must be first presented to the homage at the next Court holden for the Mannor and there found recorded then hath the Lord power to shewe Iustice or mercy It were inconuenient that the Lord should bee iudge in his owne cause and â—his present caruer of things doubtfull And therefore hath the Lawe ordained in all controuersies euen in these inferiour courts a iust manner of tryall by Iury. Lord. May none but Copyhold Tenants forfayt their land Sur. I shewed you before that Tenants by deede indented for life or yeeres may forfeit their estates but that is by couenant or condition expressed in the deede according to the prescript agreement made and interchangeably confirmed betweene the Lord and his Tenant Lord. What is an Escheat for as I remember that followeth in your formerly râ—citeâ— perquisites of Court Sur. Eschete is where a freeholder of a Mannor committeth felony the Lord of whom his Land is holden shall haue his Land and that kinde of forfeyture is called escheat Lord. The Lord may then enter immediatly into this Land because the lawe hauing tried the felony it casteth the Land vpon the Lordâ— Sur. The King hath it for a yeare and a day and then commeth it vnto the Lord and his heires for euer Lord. Is this all the causes of escheats Sur. Escheat may also be where a Freeholder Tenant in ancient demeisne and a customary Tenant of inheritance dieth without heire generall or speciall none of the blood comming to claime the same it falleth vnto the Lord by way of escheat Lord. This then is immediatly the Lords and the King hath no part or time therein and without any further ceremony he may enter dispose of that his pleasure Sur. It must be also first sound and presented by the homage of the Mannor whereof it is holden and after proclamation made to giue notice vnto the world that if any can come and iustly claime it hee shal be receiued the homage then finding it cleere doth intitle the Lord therof as a thing escheated for want of an heire Lord. You speake of an heire generall or speciall what difference is there Sur. The heire generall is of the body of the deceased and the speciall of his bloud or kinne Lord. So haue you satisfied me thus farre nowe what say you to the pleas of Court for I remember it is part of that you before spake of Sur. It is true they are parcell of the Perquisites of Court Lord. Whereof commeth the word Perquisites Sur. Of the word Perquirâ— as I take it which signifieth to search for or to enquire diligently as also to get or obtaine Lor. It may well be so for these things before rehearsed vnder the name of Perquisites are all casuall and not at all times alike and therefore may be called Perquisita things gotten by diligent enquiâ—â—e And to that end so many things are giuen by the Steward to the Iury of a Court Baron Leeâ—e in charge that they should diligently enquire of them finde them and present them and yet scarcely one of forty of the seuerall things wherewith they are charged are found by the Iurie And some things happen at one Court that happen not againe in twentie Courts after and therefore are also called Casualties as happening now and then as I conceiue it hauing little experience in them Sur. Yes it seemes you haue the better part of experience namely comming in of the profite of the things where some know the same but they know them as appertaining to others not to themselues But of this nature are the profits that arise by Pleaâ— of Court which because they are diuers and doe diuersly arise there needâ— no long relation of them Lor. Are there no other Perquisites of Court but such as you haue already remembred nor other 〈…〉 Mannor Sur. There be many other profiâ—s that may grow also vnto a Lord of a Mannor yet they not certaine nor in all Mannors alike Lord. Then are they also casuall and may â—e called also Perquisites of Courts 〈…〉 Sur. Casuall But noâ— perquisites of Court yet foâ—â—e of them may be called perquisâ—â— in some sence because they bee gotten by search and inquitie as those that are hidden in the earth as Treasures which as long as they lie vnknowne benefit not the Lord but when they are found they are called Treasure troue as Siluer Gold Plate Iewels and such like before time hidden which appertaine vnto the Lord. So doe minerals of Lead Tiâ—â—e Copper and such like And quarries of stone Free-stone Sâ—aâ—e-stones Marking-stones and all such which may long lie vndiscouered As may also Colâ— Lime Chalke and such for which search being made are haply found yet because the benefite is vncertaine vpon the present and what continuance and vent it may afford they may passe vnder the name of Perquisâ—â—es and Casualties as may also Fishing and Fowling vnlesse the Lord can bring the same to bee a certaine conâ—â—â—uing rent Then are they no more casuall during the graunt
not plow vp or sow his Coppy-hold meddow or ley ground that hath not bene vsed to be tilled in some Mannors contrarie So that these kinds of forfeitures are according to the custome of euery Mannor 18 What are the customes of the Mannor in generall both in the behalfe of the Lord to perform or suffer to the benefit of his tenants and of the tenants to performe to the seruice of the Lord. In euery mannor there hath bene such a mutuall concurrence of ayde between the Lord and tenants as through the force of time hath bred a Custome And the Lord may exact it of his tenants by law if they deny the performaÌ„ce of the things to be done in the right of their Customarie lands And these customes are of diuers kinds diuersly to be performed Some in the course of inheriting of land some in the way of womens dowries some in the estates of land some in matters of forfeitures some in works some in rents some in fines some of the Lords beneuolence in allowing his tenants meate drinke mony c. in time of their works as these customes in seuerall Mannors seuerally are allowed And because it behoueth euery tenant to know whereunto he is bound by custome if there be no ancient Custome roll to leade them it behooueth the Surueyor to renew the same wherein he is to set downe euery tenants name his tenements lands meddowes pastures c. the rent and seruice due for euery of them and whether workes be turned into rent and to indent the same that the Lord may haue the one part and the tenants another The neglect whereof hath bred many inconueniences both to Lords and tenants 19 Whether is there within this Mannor any villaine or niefe namely any bondman or bondwoman if there be what are their names what land do they hold and keepe and what is the same yeerly woorth Although this kind of tenure be in manner worne out of vse yet some there are no doubt though conceiled in some MaÌ„nors neuer infranchized or manumized 20 Whether hath any tenant or other person within this Mannor stocked vp any hedge-rom plowed vp any Baulke or land-share remooued any Meere stone land-marke or other bound betweene the Lords demeisnes the tenants Free-hold or customary laÌ„d of inheritance or between his Free-hold and customary land or between this and another Mannor or Lordship where is any such offence committed by whom and where ought the same bound so remoued altered taken away or displaced to stand This is a necessarie Article to be duly considered because that by this meanes of remouing or taking away Meere-stones and land-markes the Lord oftentimes incurreth great preiudice for that when a Leassee of the Lords demeisnes being either a Free-holder or a customary tenant of inheritance hath land of his owne adioyning vnto the demeisnes or intermixt he take away the markes of diuision leaueth the matter doubtfull which is the Lords especially where a long lease or patent is whereby the Tenant hath time to make alteration and it is no new or strange thing to attach some by name and place that are culpable and haue yeelded to reformation being found out before their intents were fully ripe And aboue al such are most worthy to be punished for altering any such knowne markes vnder whatsoeuer pretence of ease or necessitie which is the common cloake of the mischiefe vsed most in the Kings lands where long Patents are granted 21 What customarie Cotages are there within this Lordship tostes croftes or curtelages what are the Tenants names what rent pay they and what seruices doe they It is to be vnderstood that the word Câ—tagium signifieth as much as casam a little house or a place of abode only or a little dwelling whereunto little ground belongeth but an Orchard garden or some small toft croft or Curtelage but Cotages of themselues are not ancient as I take it 22 Whether are there within this Mannor any new erected Tenements or Cotages barnes Walls sheddes Hoâ—ells Hedges Ditches or such like erected set vp or made or any Watercoarses or Ponds digged vpon any part of the Lords waste without the Lords licence where is it and by whom was it done and by whose licence and vpon what consideration The ouermuch libertie of too many newe erections breedeth sundry inconueniences not only to a Mannor and the Lord and Tenants thereof but to a whole Common-wealth and therefore not to be permitted without good consideration although it is most conuenient that the poore should haue shelter places to shroud them in if they be found honest vertuous painfull and men of abilitie to gaine their owne and their families reliefe But it is obserued in some parts where I haue trauelled where great and spacious wastes Mountaines and heathes are that many such Cotages are set vp the people giuen to little or no kind of labour liuing very hardly with Oaten bread sowre whay and Gotes milke dwelling farre from any church or chappel are as ignoraÌ„t of God or of any ciuil course of life as the very Salâ—ages amongst the Infidels in maner which is lamentable 23 What Tenants are they within this Mannor that doe hold any lands or Tenements by Indenture of lease what are their names what land hold they for what rent vnder what conditions and couenants for what termes of yeeres or liues This Article is most especially to bee obserued touching the couenants by view of the Tenants leases but the Iurie is to find the names and to present them with the land and rent 24 Whether hath or doth the Lord imploy any land to Iustment as in taking in cattle to pasture and herbage who hath the disposing of the same what quantitie of land is so disposed and how many cattle will it pasture what is a Cowe Oxe Horse or sheepe-gate woorth by the yeere or by the weeke Much land is thus vsed in Yorkshire and other places Northward very beneficially 25 Whether hath the Lord of this Mannor any customarie Water-mill Wind-mill Horse-mill Griest-mill Mault-mill Walk-mil or Fulâ—ing-mill Whether is there within this Mannor any other Mil Iron-mil Furnace or HaÌ„mer Paper-mill Sawing-mil Shere-mil or any other kind of Mill what is it woorth by yeere and in whose occupation is it Where sufficient riuers brooks stagnes ponds or water-courses are there are commonly some kinds of Mils or other profitable deuices that humane wit and inuention hath set vp for necessarie vses for the benefit of man and for the Lords profit of the Mannor where such deuices are erected And yet all kinds of deuices are not conuenient in all places as where no Lead or Tinne is there is no need of the vse of water to moue a wheele to blow the fire for the melting trying thereof yet there may be like vse for Iron oare and where neither of them is there may be vse of Walk-milles or
marke before you the line that you haue striken from the last pricke is the line that directeth to it but because you knowe not yet how many pole it will be you omit applying your compasses to the scale vntill you come to the marke and knowe the number of petches Sur. I must doe so now come on with the chayne How many pole is it in the whole Bai. 37. pole I see you take almost 2. inches for this nuÌ„ber namely one intire inch for 20. 17. parts of y e scale of 20. which in y e whole maketh 37. I sée truly as 37 is y e half almost of 75. so is this last line the answerable halfâ— of the first and the angle falleth out in the paper iust alike vnto the angle of the field Surely this is a perfect way and I conceiue the doing of it very plainely Sur. Then we may go on the faster for this doth a little hinder our businesse but if you thinke fit to aske any question do it freely and I will answer you willingly Bayly When I come to any doubt I will be bold Sir now we haue gone round about the Common of Water-burst and you haue closed it vp as rightly like it in forme as one forme may be made like another Whither will you go next Sur. Into the next field What field call you this Iury. Oxe-leaze Sur. Whole is it Iury. Thomas Turners Sur. How doth he hold it Iur. He holds it by Copy of Courtroll Sur. It is meddow Iury. Yea. Baylie I perceiue you write the names of the Commons and closes you take and the name of the owners and occupieâ—s and the qualitie of the ground and how it is held in euery particular close Sur. I must of necessitie do so for memory may not be trusted to retaine so many things as are to be noted in this businesse Bayly I pray you proceed to the rest Sur. What riuer call you this Bayly Will you haue the names of the riuers too Sur. Yea and the name of euery other particular else whatsoeuer for it is very materiall whether it be riuer Brooke lane high way crosse tree pond hill hedge corner gate stile grauell or sand-pit meerestones baulkes land shares or any matter or thing memorable because they are often mentioned in records butts boundaries deedes copies leases and to distinguish betweene land and land Mannor and Mannor parish and parish such like Bay In deede I perceiue it is very needfull to remember them all this riuer indeede is called Otter brooke and is indeede the bounds betweene this Mannor of Beauland and the next Mannor Sur. What call you the next Mannor on the other side the riuer Bay The Mannor of Littleton But will you obserue the names of all the Mannors that border vpon this our Mannor Sur. Yea of necessitie and whose Mannor it is for it were a simple part in me to take the circuit of this Mannor and if the Lord should aske me what Mannors lay about it I should answere I cannot tel it is fit the Lord should knowe who were his neighbour Lords and what Mannors were neere him Whose is the Mannor of Littleton Bay The kings Mannor and therefore whether you may boldly set it downe you may be aduised Sur. There is no feare where is no purpose of offence and in this it is not only not offensiue but expedient that the true bounds meeres markes of diuision betweene Mannor and Mannor should be obserued and set downe that either may knowe how farre his owne extendeth Bai. It is I confesse very necessary But Sir how will you doe nowe heere is a great pond through which you cannot measure how can you find the bredth of it that when you come to the other side you may take the lust distance for as I conceiue if you should lay it downe by your scale as you cal it too farre or too short you should bring all the land neere it out of rule making it either too much or too little Sur. I perceiue you vnderstand well for you say truly Therefore if you obserue what I doe you shall find that I will not commit that error Bai. How I pray you Sur. You see howe the instrument standeth truly erected as before you see a little Mole-hill vpon the further bancke of the pond I lay as you see the Index vpon it and take it for my marke iust in the middle of it and from this last station I strike a line at aduenture in the extention but truly vpon the marke then without moouing the instrument I turne the Index from this station where the instrument stands vnto the staffe which the marke-bearer hath set vp yonder and strike likewise a line to it as you see now I measure from this station to the staffe and I find it is 16. perches that you see how I take it with my compasses vpon the scale as I shewed you before and where the foote of my compasse falleth there is the place where the staffâ— standeth Nowe see I erect mine instrument againe and then I place my Index vpon this place measured vnto and turne the same vnto the middle of the former Molehill and you see that the Index doth crosse the first line I drawe a third froÌ„ the place of the staâ—â—e to the Mole-hill and it crosseth it you see at this place then I find that the very point of the crosse lines is the place of the Mole-hil Bayly But how know you by this how farre the riuer or pond is ouer Sur. I will tell you presently Lo I lay the one foot of the compasse vpon the first station and the other vpon the prick of the Mole-hill and now mark I lay the compasse without stirring the feete vnto the scale and as you see it taketh three inches and a halfe therefore I lay the compasse so as the one foot may rest vpon the scale which I haue chosen which is the inch diuided into twenty parts and that you see is iust in the middle of the inch which is ten perches and the other three whole inches are twentie apeece so the whole bredth of the pond is 70. perches deducting as much on either side as is between the brincke of the pond and the markes on either side because I could not plant mine instrumenâ— so neere â—he water but that some space must be of necessity betweene Baily I vnderstand this well and I sée that by this rule a man may take the distance of a place â—arre off and neuer measure to it Sur. So may you and to tell how farre distant diuers things are one from another though neither of them be neere you But for these things if you couet more instruction you may referre you to diuers in London or elsewhere that are practizers teachers of these Geometricall conclusions for now time will not serue vs neither for me to teach nor you to vnderstand the
that no cattle can féed in it Sur. The Alder tree is enemy to all grounds where it growes for the root thereof is of that nature that it draweth to it so much moisture to nourish it selfe as the ground neere it is good for no other vse Baily Do you thinke this ground would be good if the trées were gone Sur. Yes for commonly the ground is good enough of it selfe onely it is impaired by this kind of wooe and therefore if the cause were taken away the effect would die Bayly Then will I cause them to be stocked vp Sur. Nay first it behooueth you to consider whether it be expedient or not for although this tree be not friendly to pasture meddow or arable land yet it yeelds her due commodity too without whose ayde in some places where other wood is scant men can hardly husband their lands without this For of it they make many necessary implements of husbandrie as Ladders Rayles Hop poles Plow-stuffe and Handles for many tooles besides fiering Bayly If it be so commodious it is not onely not good to stocke them but expedient to cherish them and where none are to plant Sur. There is great difference betweene necessitie and the super abundance of euery necessarie For want is a great commander inforceth oftentimes and in many places they desire and search for that which will in the time of plentie meerely neglecteth And therefore where none of this kind of wood groweth the place destitute of other meanes and fit for this kind of commoditie wil may be forced to giue place to occasion as in other things Bayly I haue heard that this kind of wood is also good to make the foundations of buildings in riuers fennes and standing waters as also piles for many purposes in moorish and wet grounds Sur. It is true this kind of wood is of greater continuance in watry places then any other timber for it is obserued that in these places it seldome or neuer rots Bayly It loued the water and moisture well in growing and therefore it brooketh it the better being laid in it But I thinke the Firre-tree is much or the same nature for I haue seene infinite many of thâ—m taken out of â—he earth in a moorish ground in Shropshire betweene the Lordships of Oâ—westry and Elsemere which as is supposed haue lien in the moist earth euer since the Floud and being daâ—ly taken vp the people make walking-staues pikes of them firme and strong and vse the chips in stead of candles in poore houses so fat is the wood to this day and the smell also strong and swéet Sur. I know the place well where I saw pales made of an Oke taken out of the same ground of the same continuance firme and strong blacke as Ibony and might haue fitly bene employed to better vses and I take it that most wood will last long vnder the earth where it neuer taketh the open ayre But the wood now most in vse for the purposes abouesaid is Alder and Elme Bayly May a man sow the séedes of the Alder Sur. It beareth a kind of seed yet some haue affirmed the contrarie But the seeds will hardly grow by art though by nature they may The branches of the tree and the rootes are aptest to grow if they be set so as the water moisture may be aboue the plant for it delighteth only in the moistest grounds Is not this next close the Lords called Broad-meddow Bayly It is for I perceiue you haue a good memory being but once and to long since vpon the ground Sur. It is most necessary for a Surueyor to remeÌ„ber what he hath obserued and to consider well the natures and qualities of all kinds of grounds and to informe the Lord of the meanes how to better his estate by lawfull meanes especially in bettering his own demeisnes So shall he the lesse need to surcharge his tenants by vncharitable exactions And forasmuch as of all other grounds none are of their own nature so profitable and lesse chargeable as meddow grounds which are alwaies readie to benefite the owner summer and winter they especially are to be regarded Bail That is true indéede and peraduenture it takeâ— the name of the readinesse for we call it in Latine Pratum as if it were semper paratum either with the fleeze for â—ay or with the pasture to féede and this meddow wherein now we are is the best meddow that I know and I thinke for swéetnesse and burden there is not a better in England Sur. You do well to aduance the credite of the Lords land and you speake I thinke as you conceiue because you are not acquainted with the meddowes vpon Dâ—ue-banke in Tan Deane vpon Seauern-side Allermore the Lords meddow in Crediton and the meddowes about the Welch-poole and many other places too tedious to recite now Bai. These he like are made so good by art but naturally I thinke this may match the best of them Sur. Indeed meddowes very meane by nature may be made excellent by charge but they will decay vnlesse they be alwaies releeued But these that I speake of require little or no helpe at the owners hand onely the ayde of these riuers ouerflowing do feed them fat giues great burden and very sweet Bayly These yearely ouerflowings of fat waters after flouds no doubt are very beneficiall as appeareth by the annale and yearely ouerflowing of the riuer Nilus in Egypt which maketh the adiacent grounds so fat and fruitfull as they be famous through the world for their fertility and was allotted to Iosephs brethren in Egypt Sur. You speake of a matter wonderfull in the conceits of some that the riuer should so ouerflow in the summer and yet it neuer raines in those parts at any time of the yeare Bai. So I haue heard indeede and that the flouds grow in the heate of the yeere about haruest betwéene Iulie and September with the snowe melting that falls in the winter time among the Mountaines Sur. We haue in England matter more strange as the riuer neere Chichester in Sussex called the Lauent which in the winter is drie and in the driest Summer fâ—ll to her banckes So is the Leam a riuer in Barkeshire neere Leambourn Baily That is strange indéede one studious in naturall Philosophie could tell the cause of this Sur. I take it to bee because they are only fed with springs which runne only when springs are at the highest And that also is the reason why many bournes breake out of the earth in sundry places as we may reade it hath done somtimes neere Mergaâ—e in Hartfordshire corruptly called Market and neere Croydon in Surrie neere Patcham in Sussex and in many other places in this Realme which breaketh foorth suddenly out of the driest hills in Summer Bay Because you speake of Angleton I can assure you there is a Well that sometimes yeldeth