the waste ¶ StudeÌ„t ye verely ¶ Doct. And what is the lawe of tenantes for tme of lyfe or for tme of yeres if they do waste ¶ Student They be punysshable of wast by the statute shall yelde treble damagê / but at the comon lawe before that statute they were nat punysshable ¶ Doctour But whether thynkest thou that before that statute they myght haue done waste with conscieÌ„ce bycause they were nat punysshable by the law StudeÌ„t I thynke nat / for as I take it the doyng of the wast of suche particuler tenantes for terme of lyfe / for terme of yeres / or of tenantes in dower / or by the curtesye is prohibite by the lawe of reason / for it semeth of reason that whan suche leases be made / or that suche tytles in dower or by the curtesy be gyuen by the lawe that there is onely gyueÌ„ vnto them the annuall ê“fites of the lande and nat the houses trees the grauel to dygge cary away / wherby the hole ê“fite of them in the reuercion shulde be taken away for euer And therfore at the comon lawe for waste done by tenant in dower or tenant by the curtesy there was punysshemeÌ„t ordeyned by the lawe by a ê“hibicion of waste wherby they shulde haue yelded damages to the value of the waste But agaynst tenant for terme of lyfe or for tme of yeres lay no suche ê“hibicion / for there was no maxime iÌ„ the lawe therin agaynst them as there was agaynste the other And I thynke the cause was for as moche as it was iuged a folye in the lessour that made suche a lease for terme of lyfe / or for terme of yeres that at the tyme of the lessee he dyd nat prohibite them that they shulde nat do waste / and sythe he dyd nat prouide no remedye for hym selfe the lawe wolde none ê“uide But yet I thynke nat that the intent of the lawe was that they myght lawfully with good coÌ„scieÌ„ce do waste / but agaynst tenantes in dower by the curtesye the lawe prouided remedy for they had theyr tytle vy the lawe Do. And verely me thynketh that this tenant in tayle as to doyng of waste / shuld be lyke to a tenaunt for terme of lyfe / for he shall haue the lande no lenger than for terme of his lyfe no more thaÌ„ a tenant for terme of lyfe shall / and the waste of this tenant is as great hurte to hym in the reuercion or remayndre / as is the waste of a tenant for terme of lyfe and if he alyene / the donoure shall entre for the forfeyture as he shall vpon the alyenacion of a tenant for terme of lyfe / and if he make defaute in a Precipe ê™ reddat the donour shal be receyued as he shal be vpon the defaute of a tenant for terme of lyfe / and therfore me thynketh he shal also be punysshable of wast / as tenant for terme of lyfe shall ¶ Student If he alyen the donour shal entre / as thou sayst bycause that alyenacion is to his disheritance / and therfore it is a forfeyture of his estate and that is by an auncient maxime of the lawe that gyueth that forfeyture in that selfe case / and if he make defaute in a PrecÌ„ ê™ redd he in the reuercion / as thou sayest shal be receyued / but that is by the statute of West .ii. for at the comon lawe ther was no suche receyt / and as for the statute that gyueth the accion of waste agaynst a tenant for terme of lyfe and for terme of yeres it is a statute penall shall nat be taken by equite / so there is no remedy gyuen agaynste hym / neyther by comon lawe nor by statute / as there is agaynste tenant for terme of lyfe / therfore he is vnpunysshable of waste by the lawe ¶ Doctour And thoughe he be vnpunysshable of waste by the lawe yet neuerthelesse me thynketh he maye nat by conscieÌ„ce do that / that shal be hurtefull to the inheritaunce after his tyme / sythe he hathe the lande but for terme of his lyfe no more than a tenaunte for terme of lyfe may / for than he shulde do as he wolde nat be done to / for thou agreest thy selfe that thoughe a tenaunt for terme of lyfe was nat punysshable of wast before the statute that yet the lawe iuged nat that he myght ryghtfully with good conscieÌ„ce do wast And therfore at this day if a feffement be made to the vse af a man for terme of lyfe / thoughe there lye no accion agaynst hym for waste / yet he offendeth conscience if he do waste as the tenaunte for terme of lyfe dydde afore the statute whan no remedye lay agaynste hym by the lawe ¶ Stud. That is true / but there is great diuersite bytwene this tenant a tenant for terme of lyfe for this tenaunt hath good authorite by the donour to do waste / so hathe nat the tenaunte for terme of lyfe / as it is sayd before For the estate of a tenaunt in tayle after possibilite of yssue extyncte is in this maner Whan landes be gyuen to a man to his wyfe and to the heyres of theyr two bodyes begotten / and after the one of them dyeth without heyres of their bodyes begotten / than he or she that ouerlyueth / is called tenant in tayle after possibilite of yssue extyncte / bycause there can neuer by no possibilite be any heyre that may inheryte by force of that gyfte And thus it apereth that the donees at the tyme of the gyfte receyued of the donour estate of enheritance / which by possibilite might haue continued for euer / wherby they had power to cut downe trees to do all thiÌ„ge that is wast / as tenant iÌ„ fee simple myght and that authorite was as stronge in the lawe as if the lessour that maketh a lease for terme of lyfe say by expresse wordes in the lease that the lesse shall nat be punysshable of waste And therfore if the donour in this case had graunted to the donees that they shulde nat be punisshable of wast that graunt had ben voyde bycause it was included in the gyfte before as it shulde be vpon a gyfte in fe simple so for as moch as by the fyrste gyfte and by the lyuere of season made vpon the same the donees had authorite by the donour to do waste Therfore though the one of the donees be nowe deed without yssue / so that it is certayne that after the dethe of the other the lande shall reuerte to the donour / yet the authorite that they had by the donour to do waste coÌ„tinueth as longe as the gyfte and the lyuerey of season made vpon the same coÌ„tinueth and I take this to be the reason why he shal nat haue in ayde as tenaunt for terme of lyfe shal / that is to say / for that he can nat aske helpe of that maxime
the straunger be nat sufficient to make recompence for the wast done ¶ Doctoure Is the lawe clere in this case that he in the reuercion shal recouer agaynst the tenauÌ„t for terme of lyfe thoughe that he assented nat to the doyng of the wast ¶ Student ye verely / and yet if the tenauÌ„t for terme of lyfe had ben bouÌ„den in an obligacion in a certeyne suÌ„me of money that he shulde do no waste he shuld nat forfayt his boÌ„de by the wast of a strauÌ„ger / and the diuersite is this It hathe ben vsed as an auncient maxime in the lawe that tenaunt by the curtesy and tenauÌ„t in dower shuld take the lande with this charge / that is to saye / that they shulde do no waste them selfe ne suffre none to be done / and whan an accion of wast was gyuen after agaynst a tenaunt for terme of lyfe thaÌ„ was he taken to be in the same case as to that poynt of waste as tenaunt by the curtesy and tenaunt in dower was / that is to saye / that he shulde do no waste nor suffre none to be done / for there is a nother maxime in the lawe of Englande that all cases lyke vnto other cases shal be iuged aft the same lawe as the other cases be syth no resoÌ„ of diuersite can be assigned why thete naÌ„t for terme of lyfe after an accioÌ„ of wast was gyueÌ„ agaynst hiÌ„ shuld haue any more fauour iÌ„ the lawe thaÌ„ the tenaÌ„t by the curtesie or tenauÌ„t iÌ„ dower shuld / therfore be is put vnd the same maxime as they be / that is to say / that he shall do no wast ne suffre none to be done / and so it semethe that the lawe in this case dothe nat considre the abilite of the persone that dothe the waste whether he be able to make recompeÌ„ce for the wast or nat But the assent of the sayd tenauntes wherby they haue wylfully taken vpon theÌ„ the charge to se that no wast shal be done ¶ Doctor I haue herde that if houses of these tenauntes be destroyed with sodeyne tempest or with straunge enemies that they shall nat be charged with wast ¶ Student Trouthe it is ¶ Doct. And I thynke the reason is bycause they can haue no recouere ouer ¶ Student I take nat that for the reason but that it is an olde reasonable maxime iÌ„ the lawe that they shuld be discharged iÌ„ those cases / how be it some wyll saye that in those cases the lawe of reason doth discharge them therfore they saye that if a statute were made that they shulde be charged in those cases of wast that the statute were agaynst reason and nat to be obserued / but yet neuertheles I take it nat so / for they myght refuse to take suche estate if they wolde / and if they wyll take the state after the lawe made it semeth reasonable that they take it with the charge and with the condicion that is appoynted therto by the lawe thoughe hurte myght folowe to theÌ„ afterward therby / for it is oftentymes sene iÌ„ the lawe that the lawe doth suffre him to haue hurt without helpe of the lawe that wyll wylfully renne into it of his owne acte nat coÌ„pelled therto and aiugeth it is folly so to renne into it / for whiche folly he shall also be many tymes without remedy in conscience As if a man take landes for terme of lyfe and byndeth hym selfe by obligacion that he shall leue the lande in as good case as he founde it / if the houses be after bloweÌ„ downe with tempest or destroyed with straunge enemies as in the case that thou hast put byfore he shal be bouÌ„de to repayre them or els he shall forfayte his obligacioÌ„ in lawe conscience bycause it is his owne acte to bynde hiÌ„ to it / yet the lawe wolde nat haue bounde hym therto as thou hast sayd byfore So me thiÌ„keth that the cause why the sayd tenauntes be discharged in the lawe in an accion of wast whaÌ„ the houses be destroyed by sodeyne tempest or by straunge enemyes is by a speciall reasonable maxime in the lawe / wherby they be excepted fro the other generall bonde byfore reherced / that is to saye they shall at theyr peryl se that no waste shal be done and nat by the lawe of reason / and syth there is no maxime in this case to helpe this tenaunt ne that he can nat be holpeÌ„ by the lawe of reason / it semeth that he shal be charged in this case by his owne acte bothe in lawe conscience whether the straunger be able to recompence hym or nat ¶ Doctour I doute iÌ„ this case whether the maxime that thou spekest of be reasonable or nat / that is to say / that tenauntes by the curtesye tenauntes in dower were bounden by the comon lawe lawe that they shulde do no waste them selfe / and ouer that at theyr peryll to se that no waste shulde be done by none other For that lawe semeth nat reasonable that byndeth a man to an impossibilite And it is impossible to preuent that no wast shal be done by straungers / for it may be sodeynly done iÌ„ the nyght that the tenauÌ„tê can haue no notice of / or by great power that they be nat able to resyste / and therfore me thiÌ„keth they ought nat to be charged in those cases for the waste / without they may haue good remedy ouer and thaÌ„ percase the sayd maxime were sufferable / els my thynketh it is maxime agaiÌ„st reason ¶ StudeÌ„t As I haue sayd before no man shal be compelled to take that boÌ„de vpon hym but he that wyll take the lande and if he wyll take the lande it is reasoÌ„ he take the charge as the lawe hath appoynted with it / and thaÌ„ if any hurte growe to hym therby it is throughe his owne acte and his owne assent / for he myght haue refused the lease if he wolde ¶ Doctoure Thoughe a man may refuse to take estate for terme of lyfe or for terme of yeres / and a womaÌ„ may refuse to take her dower yet tenauÌ„t by the curtesy can nat refuse to take his estate for immedeatly after the deth of his wyfe the possession abideth styll iÌ„ hym by the acte of the lawe without entre / and thaÌ„ I put the case that after the deth of his wyfe he wolde weyue the possessioÌ„ after wast were done by a strauÌ„ger whether thiÌ„kest thou that he shuld answere to the wast ¶ Stu. I thynke he shulde by the lawe ¶ Doct. And howe staÌ„deth that with reasoÌ„ / seyng there is no defaut iÌ„ hiÌ„ ¶ Stu. It was his defaut / at his owne peryll that he wolde marye an enheritrice whervpon such dauÌ„ger myght folowe ¶ Doc. I put case that he were withiÌ„ age at the mariage or that the laÌ„de disceÌ„ded to his wyfe aft he maried her Stu. there thou mouest a 〈◊〉 doute than the fyrste question is /
haue the rent in coÌ„science shal be dryuen to sue for his remedy by Sub pena ¶ Doctour I am coÌ„tent with thy conceyte in this matter for this tyme. ⧠The .xvi. question of the student The .xviii. Chapitre STudent A vylleyne is graunted to a maÌ„ for terme of lyfe / the vylleyne purchaseth landes to hym and to his heyres / the tenaunt for terme of lyfe entre the / in this case by the lawe he shall enioye the landes to hym and to his heyres / whether shall he do so in lyke wyse in conscienec ¶ Doctour Me thynketh it fyrst good to se whether it maye stande with conscience that one man may clayme an other to be his vylleyne / and that he maye take fro hiÌ„ his landes and goodes and put his body in prysoÌ„ if he wyll / it semeth he loueth nat his neyghbour as hym selfe that dothe so to hym ¶ Sudent That lawe hathe bene so longe vsed in this realme and in other also / and hath ben admitted so long in the lawes of this realme and of diuerse other lawes also and hath bene affermed by bisshoppes / abbotes / priors / and many other men bothe spirituall and temporall which haue take aduauntage by the sayd lawe haue seased the landes and goodê of theyr vylleyns therby and cal it theyr ryght enheritaunce so to do that I thynke it nat good / nowe to make a doute ne to put it in argument whether it stand with conscieÌ„ce or nat / and therfore I pray the admittyng the lawe in that behalfe to stande in conscience shewe me thyne opinion in the question that I haue made ¶ Doctour Is the lawe clere that he that hath the vylleyne but only for the terme of lyfe shal haue the landes that the vylleyne purchaseth in fee to hym and to his heyres ¶ Student I verely I take it so ¶ Doctour I wolde haue take the lawe otherwise / for if a seygnoury be graunted to a man for terme of lyfe and the tenaunt attourne / and after the lande eschete and the tenauÌ„t for terme of lyfe entreth he shal haue there none other estate iÌ„ the lande than he had in the seygnourye / and me thynketh that it shuld be lyke law in this case / and that the lorde ought to haue in the lande but suche estate as he hathe in the vyllayne ¶ Stud. The cases be nat lyke / for in that case of the eschete the tenaunt for terme of lyfe of the seygnourye hathe the landes in the lieu of the seignourie / that is to saye / in the place of the seignourie / the seignourie is clerely extincte / but in this case he hathe nat the lande iÌ„ the lieu of the vylleyne / for he shal haue the villeyne styl as he had byfore / but he hath the landes as a ê“fyte come by meanes of the vylleyne whiche he shall haue in lyke case as the vylleyne had them / that is to saye / of all goodes and catalles he shal haue the hole propertie and of a lease for terme of yeres he shall haue the hole terme / and for terme of lyfe he shall haue the same estate / the lorde shall haue the lande durynge the lyfe of the vyleyne of lande in fee simple of an estate tayle that the vylleyne hath / the lorde shall haue the hole fee simple / all thoughe he had the vylleyne but onely for terme of yeres so that he entre or sease accordyng to the lawe byfore the vylleyne alien or elles he shall haue nothynge ¶ Doctoure Verely and if the lawe be so / I thynke conscience folowethe the lawe therin / for admyttynge that a man maye with conscience haue an other man to be his hylleyne / the iugement of the lawe in this case as to termine what estat the lord hath in the lande by his entre is neyther agaynst the lawe of reason nor agaynst the lawe of god / and therfore conscience muste folowe the lawe of the realme / but I pray the let me make a lytell dygression to here thyne opinion in a nother case somewhat perteynynge to the question / and it is this if an executour haue a vylleyne that is his testatoure had for terme of yeres he purchaseth landes in fee and the executour entreth in to the lande / what estate hathe he by his entre ¶ Student A fee simple / but that shal be to the behoue of the testatoure and shal be an assesse in his handes ¶ Doctoure Well than I am contented with thyne conceyte at this tyme in this case and I praye the procede to a nother question ¶ Ttudente For as moche as it appereth in this case and in some other byfore that the knowlege of the law of EnglaÌ„de is ryght necessarie for the good orderynge of conscience I wolde here thyne opinion if a man mistake the lawe what dauÌ„ger it is in conscience for the mistakynge of it ¶ Doctour I praye the put some case in certayn therof that thou doutest in / and I wyll with good wyll shewe the my mynde therin for elles it wyll be somwhat longe or it can be playnly declared / and I wolde nat be tedious in this wrytynge ⧠The .xvii. question of the student The .xix. Chapitre STudent A man hath a vylleyne for terme of lyfe the vylleyne purchaseth landes in fee as in the case in the laste Chapitre and the tenauÌ„t for terme of lyfe entreth and after the vylleyne dyeth / he in the reuercion pretendynge that the tenauÌ„t for terme of lyfe hath nothyng in the land but for terme of lyfe of the vylleine / asketh counsayle of one that sheweth him that he hath good ryght to the lande and that he may lawfully entre / and through that couÌ„sayle he in the reuercion entreth / by reason of the whiche entre great sutes and expences folowe in the lawe to the great hurte of bothe parties / what daunger is this to hym that gaue the counsayle ¶ Doctour Whether meanest thou that he that gaue the counsayle gaue it wyttyngly agaynste the lawe / or that he was ignoraunt of the lawe ¶ Student That he was ignorauÌ„t of the lawe for if he knewe the lawe gaue counsayle to the contrarie I thynke hym bounde to restitucion both to hym against whome he gaue the counsayle / and also to his client if he wolde nat haue sued but for his counsayle of all that they be dampnified by it ¶ Doctour Than wyl I yet ferther aske the this question / whether he of whome he asked counsayle gaue hym selfe to lernynge to haue knowlege of the law after his capacite or that he toke vpon hiÌ„ to gyue counsayle and toke no study competent to haue lernynge / for if he dyd so I thynke he be bounden in conscience to restitucion of all the costes and damages that he susteyned to whome he gaue counsayle if he wolde nat haue sued but throughe his counsaile And also
the inheritaunce of many in this realme as well of spirituall as temporall / they be withoute payne in the lawe of the realme excepte suche recoueries as by the commoÌ„ course of the law be voydable in the lawe by reason of some vse / or of some other speciall matter / but what payne that is I wyll nat temerously iuge / but committe it to the goodnes of our lorde whose iugementes be very depe and profounde / nor I wyll nat fully afferme that they that haue landes by suche recoueries oughte to be compelled to restitucion / but this semeth to me to be good councell that euery maÌ„ hereafter holde that is certayne leue that is vncertaiÌ„ that is that he kepe hym self from suche recoueries and than he shal be fre from all sertrulousnes of conscience / in that behalf ¶ Student It semeth that in this question thou ponderest greatly the sayde statute of WestmÌ„ the .ii. that thoughe it be but onely a lawe made by maÌ„ / that yet for as moche as it is nat agaynst the lawe of reason / nor the lawe of god / thou thynkest that it muste be holden in conscience / and ouer that as it semeth thou arte somwhat in double whether those recoueries be any barre to the heyre in the tayle by the lawe of the realme onles that he haue in value in dede vpon the voucher / that thou wilt thereupoÌ„ take a respite or thou shewe thy full mynde therein / in lykewyse thou thiÌ„kest as I take it that those recoueries can nat be brought in to a custome but that the longer that they be suffred to continue if they be nat good by the lawe the greater is the offence agaynst god And therfore thou ponderest litle that custome / but yet thou agreest that it is good to spare the multitude of them that be paste leste a subuercion of the inheritaunce of many of thê realme might folowe great stryfe variaunce also if they shulde be adnulled for the tyme past except there be any other especiall cause to auoyde them by the lawe as thou haste touched in thy laste reason / but thou thynkest that it were good that from hensforth suche recoueryes shuld be clerely prohibit nat be suffred to be had in vse as they haue ben byfore thou couÌ„ceyllest all men therfore to refrayne them selfe from suche recoueries hereafter ¶ Doctour Thou takest well that I haue sayde accordynge as I haue mente it ¶ StudeÌ„t Now I pray the syth I haue harde thy question of these recoueries accordynge to thy desyre that thou woldest answere me to some perticuler questioÌ„s coÌ„cernynge tayled landes wherof thou hast at this tyme gyuen vs occasion to speke ¶ Doctoure shewe me those questions I wyll shewe the my mynde therein with good wyll ∴ ☞ The fyrste question of the Student concernynge tayled landes The .xxvii. Chapitre Student If a dissesour make a gyfte in the tayle to Iohan at style IohaÌ„ at style for the redemyng of the title of the dissesye agreeth with hym that he shall haue a certayne rent out of the same lande to him to his heyres / for the suertye of that rent it is diuised that the dissesye shall release his right in the lande cÌ„ that suche a recouery as we haue spokeÌ„ of byfore shal be had agaynste the sayd Iohan at style to the vse of the payment of the sayde rente and of the former tayle whether standeth that recouery well with coÌ„science or nat as thou thynkest ¶ Docto r I suppose it dothe for it is made for the strength and suertye of the tayle whiche the dissesye might haue clerely defeated auoyded if he wolde / therefore as I thinke if the sayde Iohan at style had graunted to the dissesye onely by his dede a certayne rente for the releasinge of his title that graunte shulde haue bounde the heyres in the tayle for euer And than if the dissesye for his more suertye wyll haue suche a recouerie a byfore appereth it semeth that that recouerye standeth with good conscience ¶ Student It semeth that thy oppynion is righte good in this matter And so it appereth that with a reasonable cause some particuler recoueries maye stande bothe with lawe and coÌ„science to barre a tayle ☞ The seconde question of the Student concernynge tayled landes ⸫ The .xxviii. Chapitre STudent I a tenaunt in tayle suffre a recouery agaynste hym of the landes entayled to the entent that the recouerers shall stande seased therof to the vse of a certayne woman whome he enteÌ„deth to take to his wyfe / for terme of her lyfe / and after to the vse of the fyrste tayle and after he maryeth the same woman / whether standeth that recouery with conscience though other recoueries vpon bargaynes and sales dyd nat ¶ Doctoure It semeth yes / for though the statute be / that they to whome the tenementes be so gyueÌ„ shulde nat haue power to aliene / but that the landes after theyr deth shulde remayne to theyr issues or reuert to the donours if the issues fayled yet if he to whome the landes were so gyuen take a wyfe dyeth seased without heyre of his body / and the donour entre the woman shall recouer agaynste hym the thyrde parte to holde in the name of her dowre for terme of her lyfe though the tayle be determined / the same law is of tenaÌ„t by the curtesy that is to say of hiÌ„ that happeneth to marye one that is an eÌ„heritrix of the laÌ„de entayled they haue issue the wyfe dyeth the issue dyeth / he shal holde the laÌ„des for terme of his lyfe as tenaÌ„t by the curtesye / natwithstanding the wordes of the statute whiche say that after the deth of the tenaunt in tayle without issue the landes shall reuert to the donour / I thynke the cause is bycause the intente of that statute shall nat be taken that it inteÌ„ded to put awaye suche titles as the lawe shulde gyue by reason of the tayle / so it semeth that a lyke enteÌ„t of the statute shal be taken for ioyntours / for els the statute might be somtyme a lettynge of matrymony / it is nat lyke that the statute intended so / therfore it semeth that by the onely deed of the tenaunt in tayle a ioyntour may be made by the intent of the statute / thoughe the wordes of the statute serue nat expressely for it / for many tymes the intent of the letter shal be taken nat the bare letter / as it appereth in the same statute where it is sayd that he to whome the landes be gyuen shall haue no power to alien / yet the same statute is construed that neyther he nor his heyres of his body shal haue no power to alyen / so me thynketh that suche an intent shal be taken here for sauyng of ioyntours ¶ Student trouth it is that somtyme the intent
/ wherby it is ordeyned that a tenant for terme of lyfe shall haue in ayde / for he can nat say but that he toke a greater estate by the lyuerey of season that was made to hym whiche yet coÌ„tinueth than for terme of lyfe / so I thynke hym nat bounde to make any restitucion to hym in the reuercion in this case for the waste ¶ Do. Is thy mynde onely to proue that thê tenant is nat bounde to make restitucion to hym in the reuercion for the waste or that thou thynkest that he may with clere conscieÌ„ce do all maner of wast ¶ Stud. I entende to proue no more but that he is nat bouÌ„de to restitucion to hym in the reuercion ¶ Do. Than I wyll ryght well agree to thyn oppinion for the reason that thou haste made / but if thy mynde had ben to haue proued that he myght with clere conscience haue done all maner of waste I wolde haue thought the contrary therto / and that the tenant in fee simple may nat do all maner of waste destruction with conscieÌ„ce / as to pull downe houses make pastures of cyties townes / or to do suche other actes whiche be agaynst the comon welthe And therfore some wyll say that tenant in fee simple may nat with coÌ„scieÌ„ce destroye his wodes cole pyttes wherby a hole contrey for theyr money haue had fuell And yet though he do so he is nat bounde by conscience to make restitucion to no person in certayne But now I pray the or thou ê“cede to the seconde case that thou wylte somwhat shewe me what thou meanest whan thou sayest at the comon lawe it was thus or thus I vnderstande nat fully what thou meanest by that tme at the comon lawe ¶ Stud. I shall with good wyl shewe the what I mene therby ¶ What is ment by this terme whan it is sayd / thus it was at the comon lawe The seconde chapitre STudent The comon lawe is taken thre maner of ways Fyrst it is taken as the law of this realme of EnglaÌ„de disceyuered from all other lawes / vnder this maner taken It is oftentymes argued in the lawes of Englande what maters ought of ryght to be determined by the comon law / what by the admiralles courte or by the spirituall courte And also if an obligacion bere date out of the realme / as in Spayne / FrauÌ„ce / or suche other It is sayd in the lawe trouthe it is that they be nat pledable at the comon lawe Secondely the comon lawe is taken as the kynges courtes of his benche or of the comon place / it is so taken whan a ple is remoued out of auncien demeane for that the lande is franke fee and pledable at the comon lawe / that is to saye in the kynges courte nat in ancien demeane And vnder this maner taken / it is ofteÌ„tymes pleaded also in base courtes as in court Barons / the Contie the court of Pypouders and suche other that this mater or that cÌ„ ought nat to be determined in that courte but at the comon lawe / that is to saye in the kynges courtes cÌ„ Thyrdely by the comon lawe is vnderstande suche thyngê as were lawe before any statute made in that point that is in question so that / that poynt was holden for lawe by the general or particuler customes maximes of the realme or by the lawe of reason the lawe of god no other lawe added to them by statute nor otherwyse / as iÌ„ the case before rehersed in the fyrste chapitre where it is sayde that at the comon lawe tenante by the curtesy tenant in dower were punysshable of waste / that is to say / that before any statute of waste made they were punysshable of waste by the grounde maximes of the lawe vsed before the statute made in that pointe / but tenant for terme yf lyfe ne for terme of yeres were nat punysshable by the sayde groundes maximes tyll by the statute remedy was gyuen agaynste them therfore it is sayde that at the comon law they were nat punysshable of waste ¶ Doc. I pray the now procede vnto the seconde question ¶ The seconde question of the student The thyrde chapitre STudent If a man be outlawed neuer had knowlege of the sute / whether may the kynge take all his goodes reteyne them in conscience as he maye by the lawe ¶ Docour What is the reason why they be forfeyted by the lawe in that case ¶ Stud. The very reason is for that it is an olde custume an olde maxime in the lawe that he that is outlawed shall forfeyte his goodes to the kynge / and the cause why that maxime began was this WhaÌ„ a maÌ„ had done a trespace to another or an other offence wherfore processe of outlagary laye / he that the offence was done to had taken an accion agaynst hym accordyng to the lawe / if he had absented hym selfe and had had no laÌ„des there had ben no remedye agaynst hym for after the lawe of EnglaÌ„de no man shal be condemned without aunswere / or that he appere and wyll nat answere / except it be by reason of any statute Therfore for the punisshement of suche offenders as wolde nat appeare to make answere to be iustified in the kyngê courte / it hath ben vsed without tyme of mynde / that an attachemeÌ„t in that case shulde be directed agaynste hym returnable into the kynges benche or the comon place / and if it were returned there vpoÌ„ that he had nought wherby he might be attached that than shulde go forthe a Capias to take his persone / and after an alias Capias / than a Pluries and if it were returned vpon euery of the sayd Capias that he coulde nat be founde and he appered nat than shulde an ExigeÌ„t be dyrected agaynste hym whiche shulde haue so longe daye of returne / that fyue couÌ„ties myght be holden before the returne therof and in euery of the sayde fyue conties the defendant to be solemlye called and if he appered nat / than for his contumacy and disobedience of the lawe the coroners to gyue iugement that he shal be outlawed / wherby he shall forfeyt his goodes to the kynge lese diuers other aduantages in the law y nedeth nat here to be remeÌ„bred nowe And so bycause he was in this case called accordynge to the lawe appered nat it semeth that the kyng hath good tytle to the goodes bothe in lawe coÌ„scieÌ„ce ¶ Doctoure If he had knowelege of the sute in very dede it semeth the kynge hath good tytle in coÌ„science as thou sayest But if he had no knowlege therof it semeth nat so / for the defaut that is adiuged in hiÌ„ as it appereth by thyne owne reason is his contumacie and disobedience of the lawe / and if he were ignoraunt of the sute / than can there ben assigned in
to the other partie / but if a man that hathe taken sufficient studye in the lawe / mystake the lawe in some poiÌ„t that is harde to come to the knowle of he is nat bounden to suche restitucion / for he hath done that in him is / but if suche a maÌ„ knowyng the lawe gyue couÌ„sayle agaynst the lawe he is bounde in conscience to restitucion of costes damages as thou hast sayd byfore / and also to make amendes for the vntrouthe ¶ Student What if he aske counsayle of one that he knowethe is nat lerned and he gyueth him counsayle iÌ„ this case to entre by force wherof he entreth ¶ Doctoure Than be they bothe bounde in conscience to restitucion / that is to say / the party if he be sufficient and els the couÌ„sayloure bycause he assented and gaue couÌ„sayle to the wronge ¶ StudeÌ„t But what is the counsaylloure in that case bounden to / to hym that he gaue counsayle to ¶ Doctoure To nothynge for there was as moche defaut in him that asked the couÌ„sayle as in hym that gaue it / for he asked couÌ„sayle of hym that he knewe was ignoraunt / and in the other was defaut for the presumpcion that he wolde take vpon him to gyue counsaile in that he was ignorauÌ„t in ¶ Stud. But what if he that gaue the counsayle knewe nat but that he that asked it had trust in hym that he coulde and wolde gyue hym good counsayle and that he asked couÌ„sayle for to order wel his conscience howe be it that the truth was that he coulde nat so do ¶ Doct. Than is he that gaue the counsayle bouÌ„den to offer to the other amendes / but yet the other may nat take it in conscience ¶ Student That were somwhat perilous for haply he wold take it thoughe he haue no ryght to it / excepte the worlde be well amended ¶ Doc. What thynkest thou in that amendement ¶ Sudent I trust euery maÌ„ wyl do nowe in this worlde as they wolde be done to / speake as they thynke / restore where they haue done wroÌ„g / refuse money if they haue no ryght to it though it be offred them do that they ought for to do by coÌ„scieÌ„ce / though they can nat be coÌ„pelled to it by no lawe that none wyl gyue couÌ„saile but that they shal thynke to be accordynge to coÌ„science / and if they do to do that they can to refourme it / and nat to entremit them selfe with suche maters as they be ignoraunt in / but in suche cases to sende them that aske the counsayle to other that they shall thynke be more connynge than they are ¶ Doct. It were very well if it were as thou haste sayd / but the more petie is it is nat alwaye so / specially there is great defaute in gyuers of counsayle / for some for theyr owne lucre and profyte gyue couÌ„sayle to coÌ„forte other to sue that they knowe haue no ryght / but I truste there be but fewe of theÌ„ / some for drede / some for fauoure / some for malyce / and some vpon confederacies and to haue as moche done for them a nother tyme to hyde the trouthe And some take vpon them to gyue counsayle in that they be ignoraunt in / and yet whaÌ„ they knowe the trouthe wyll nat withdrawe that they haue misdone / for they thynke it shulde be greately to theyr rebuke / and suche ê‘sones folowe nat this couÌ„sayle that sayth That we haue vnaduisedly done lette vs with good aduyse reuoke agayne ¶ Student And if a maÌ„ gyue couÌ„sayle in this realme after as his lerninge and coÌ„science gyueth hym / and regardethe nat the lawes of the realme / gyueth he good counsayle ¶ Doc. If the lawe of the realme be nat iÌ„ that case agaynst the lawe of god nor agaynste the law of reasoÌ„ he gyueth nat good couÌ„sayle / for euery man is bouÌ„de to folowe the lawe of the contrey where he is / so it be nat agaynste the sayd lawes / so maye the case be that he may bynde hym selfe to restitucion ¶ Student At this tyme I wyll no ferther trouble the in this question ⧠The .xviii. question of the student The .xx. Chapitre ¶ STudent If a man of his mere mocion gyue landê to Henry herte and to his heyres by indenture vpon condicion that he shall yerely at a certayne daye pay to Iohanat Style out of the same lande a certayne rent / and if he do nat that than it shal be lawful to the sayd Iohan at style to entre c. if the rent iÌ„ this case be nat paied to Iohan at style / whether maye the sayd Iohan at style entre in to the landes by coÌ„science thoughe he maye nat entre by the lawe ¶ Doctour May he nat entre in this case by the lawe syth the wordê of the indenture be that he shall entre ¶ StudeÌ„t No verelye for there is an auncient maxime in the lawe that no man shall take aduauntage of a condicion but he that is ê‘tie or priuey to the condicion / and this maÌ„ is nat partie nor priuey / wherfore he shall haue none aduauntage of it ¶ Doctoure Thoughe he can haue none aduauntage of it as partie yet bycause it appereth euidentely that the intente of the gyuer was that if he were nat payed of the rente that he shulde haue the lande It semeth that in coÌ„science he ought to haue it thoughe he can nat haue it by the lawe ¶ Student In many cases the entente of the partie is voyde to all intentes if it be nat grounded accordynge to the lawe And therfore if a man make a lease to a nother for terme of life / and after of his mere mocion he confermeth his estate for terme of lyfe / to remayne after his dethe to a nother and to his heyres / in this case that remayndre is voyde in lawe and conscience / for by the lawe there can no remayndre depeÌ„de vpon no estate but that the same estate begiÌ„neth at the same time that the remaiÌ„dre dothe / and in this case the estate beganne byfore and the confirmacion enlarged nat his estate nor gaue hym no newe estate / but if a lease be made to a man for terme of a nother mannes lyfe and after the lessour onely of his mere mocion confermeth the lande to his lesse for terme of his owne lyfe the remayndre ouer in fee / this is a good remayndre in lawe and conscience / and so me thynketh the intent of the partie shall nat be regarded in this case ¶ Doctoure And in the fyrst case that thou hast put me thynketh though it passe nat by way of remayndre that yet it shall passe as by waye of graunt of the reuercion / for euery dede shal be takeÌ„ most stronge agaynst the grauÌ„tour and the takyng of the dede iÌ„ this case is an attournament in it selfe ¶ StudeÌ„t That can nat be / for he in the remayndre
is nat partie to the dede and therfore it can nat be taken by waye of graunte of the reuercion / for no graūte can be made but to hym that is partie to the dede excepte it be by way of remayndre / and therfore if a mā make a lease for terme of life / and after the lessour graunt to a staūger that the tenaūt for terme of lyfe shal haue the lande to him and to his heyres / that graunt is voyde if it be made onely of his mere mocion without recompence And in lyke wyse if a mā make a lease for terme of lyfe after graūt the reuerciō to one for terme of lyfe / the remayndre ouer in fee / and the renaūt atturneth to hym that hath the state for terme of lyfe onely / intēdyng that he onely shulde haue aduauntage of the graūte his entēt is voyde / and both shall take aduauntage therof / and the atturnament shal be taken good accordynge to the graunte / and so in this case though the feoffoure entended that if the rente were nat payed that the straūger shulde entre / yet bycause the lawe gyuethe hym no entre in that case that intent is voyde / and the same staunger shall neyther entre into the lande by lawe nor conscience ¶ Doctour What shal than be done with the lande as thou thynkest after the cōdicion broken ¶ Student I thynke that the feoffour in this case may lawfully reentre / for whan the feoffemēt was made vpon condicion that the feoffe shulde pay a rent to a straunger in tho wordes is concluded in the lawe that if the rent were nat payed to the straunger that the feoffoure shulde reentre for tho wordes vpon condicion / implie so moche in the lawe thoughe it be expressed And than whā the feoffour went ferther and sayd that if the rēt were nat payed that the straunger shulde entre / those wordes were voyde in the lawe / and so the effecte of the dede stode vpon the fyrst wordes wherby the feoffour maye reentre in lawe and conscience but if the fyrst wordes had nat ben cōdicionall I wolde haue holden it the greater doute ¶ Doctour I praye the put the case therof in certayne with suche wordes as be nat condicionall that I may the better perceyue what thou meanest therin ⧠The .xix. question of the studente The .xxi. Chapitre SSudent A man maketh a feoffement by dede indetted / and by the same dede it is agreed that the feffe shal pay to A.B. to his heyres a certayne rēt yerely at certayn dayes / that if he pay nat the rēt thā it is agreed that A.B. or his heyres shall entre into the lande / and after the feoffe payeth nat the rent / than the question is who ought in cōscience to haue this lande and rent ¶ Doctoure Or we argue what conscience wyll let vs knowe fyrste what the lawe wyll therin ¶ Student I thynke that by the lawe neyther the feoffoure ne yet the sayd A.B. shall neuer entre into the lande in this case for nat paymente of the rent for there is no reentre in this case gyuen to the feoffour for nat payment of the rent as there is in the case next byfore / and the entre that is gyuen to the sayd A. B. for nat paymēt therof is voyde in the lawe bycause he is estraūge to the dede as it appereth also in the next Chapitre byfore And therfore me thynketh that the greatest doute in this case is to se to what vse this feoffement shal be taken ¶ Doctour There appereth in this case as thou haste put it no consideracion ne recompence gyuen to the feoffour whervpon any vse may be deriuied / if the case be so in dede that the feoffour declared neuer his mynde therin / to what vse shall it thā be takē ¶ Stu. I thynke it shal be taken to be to the vse of the feoffe as longe as he payeth the rente / for there is no reason why the feoffe shulde be busied with paymēt of the rent hauyng nothynge for his labour / ne it may nat cōueniently be taken that the intent of the feoffour was so / excepte he expressed it / thā it must be taken that he intended to recōpense the feffe for the busynes that he shuld haue in the payment ouer / and by the wordes folowyng his intent appereth to be so as me thynketh / for if the rēt were nat payed he wolde that A.B. shulde entre / and so it semeth he entended nat to haue any vse hym selfe and thus as me semeth this case shulde varye fro the comō case of vses / that is to saye / if a man seased of lande make a feoffement therof and it apperethe nat to what vse the feoffement was made ne it is nat vpon any bargayne or other recompence than it shal be taken to be to the vse of the feoffoure / excepte the contrarie can be proued by some bargaine or other lyke / or that his intēt at the tyme of the lyuerey of season was expressed that it shulde be to the vse of the feoffe or of some other / than it shall go accordynge to his entent / but in this case me thynketh it shal be taken that his entent was that it shulde fyrst be to the vse of the feoffe for the cause byfore reherced excepte the contrarie can be proued / so the knowlege of the intēt of the feoffour is the greatest certaynte for knowelege of the vse in this case as me semeth / but whā the feoffour goeth ferther and sayeth that if the rent be nat payed thā the sayd A.B. shulde entre into the lande / thā it appereth that his entent was that the rente shulde cease / and that A. B. shulde entre into the lande / and thoughe he maye nat by those wordes entre into the lande after the rules of the lawe / and to haue freholde / yet those wordes seme to be sufficient to proue that the intēt of the feoffour was that he shulde haue the vse of the lande / for sythe he had the rente to his owne vse and nat to the vse of the feoffoure so it semeth he shal haue the vse of the lande that is assigned to hym for nat paymente of the rente ¶ Doctour But I am somwhat in doute whether he had the rente to his owne vse / for the intēt of the feoffour myght be that he shuld pay the rēt for hī to some other or some other vse myght be appoynted therof by the feoffour ¶ Student If suche an entēt can be proued than that intent must be obserued / but we be ī the case to wete to what vse it shal be taken if the entēt of the feoffour can nat be proued / thā me thynketh it can nat be otherwyse takē but that it shal be to the vse of hī to whome it shulde be payed / for though it be called a rent yet
is called a courte Baron And to euery fayre market is incident a court that is called a court of Pypowdres And though in some statutes is made meÌ„cion somtyme of the sayd courtes / yet neuertheles of the fyrste Institucion of the sayd courtes and that suche courtes shulde be / there is no statute nor law writteÌ„ in the lawes of Englande And so all the grouÌ„de begynniÌ„g of the sayde courtes depeÌ„de vpoÌ„ the custome of the realme the whiche custome is of so hygh auctoritie that the sayde courtes ne theyr auctorities maye nat be altered / ne theyr names chaunged without Parlyament ⧠Also by the olde custome of the realme no maÌ„ shal be takeÌ„ iÌ„prysoned disseased nor otherwyse destroyed / but he be put to answere by the lawe of the lande this custome is coÌ„fermed by the statute of Magnacarta the .xxvi. chapitre ⧠Also by the olde custome of the realme all men great small shal do receyue Iustice in the kinges courtes / this custome is coÌ„fermed by the statute of Marl the .i. Chapitre ⧠Also by the olde custome of the realme the eldest sone is onely heyre to his auncestour / if there be no sones but doughters then all the doughters shal be heyre so it is of susters other kynneswomen And if there be nother sone / doughter / brother / nor suster / then shall the enheritaunce discende to the nexte kynnesman or kynneswoman of the hole blode to hym that had the enhitauÌ„ce of howe many degrees so euer they be from hym And if there be no heyre generall nor speciall / then the lande shall Eschete to the lorde of whome the lande is holden ⧠Also by the olde custome of the realme landes shall neuer ascende / nor disceÌ„de froÌ„ the sone to the father or mother / nor to any other auncestre in the right lyne / but it shall rather Eschete to the lorde of the fee. ⧠Also if any alyeÌ„ haue a sone that is an alyen after is made Denizyn / hath another sone / after purchaseth laÌ„des and dyed / the yoÌ„ger sone shall enherite as heyr nat the eldest ⧠Also if there be thre bretherne the mydlest brother purchase landes dyed without heyre of his body / the eldest brother shall inheryt as heyre to hym nat the yonger brother ⧠Also if lande in fee symple disceÌ„de to a man by the ê‘re of his father he dyed without heyre of his body / then that inheritaunce shall discende to the next heyre of the parte of his father And if there be no suche heyre of the parte of his father / then if the father purchased the laÌ„des it shal go to the next heyre of the fathers mother / nat to the next heyres of the sonesmother but it shall rather Eschete to the lorde of the fee but if a man purchase laÌ„des to him to his heyres dye without heyre of his body as is sayd before / theÌ„ that laÌ„de shall disceÌ„de to the next heyre of the parte of his father if there be any / if nat then to the next heyre of the parte of his mother ⧠Also if the sone purchaseth laÌ„des iÌ„ fee dye without heyre of his body / the lande shall discende to his vncle shall nat asceÌ„de to his father / but if the father haue a sone thoughe it be many yeres after the deth of the elder brother / yet that sone shal put out his vncle shall enioye the lande as heyre to his elder brother for euer ⧠Also by the custome of the realme the chylde that is borne before spouselles is bastarde shall nat inheryte ⧠Also the custome of the realme is that no maner of goodes nor catalles reall nor parsonell shall neuer go the the heyre / but to the executours / or to the ordinary or administratours ⧠Also the husbande shall haue all the Chatelles parsonelles that his wyfe had at the tyme of the spouselles or after and also Chatelles real if he ouer lyue hê wyfe but if he sell or gyue away the Chatelles realles dye by that sale or gyfte the enterest of the wyfe is determined / els they shall remayne to the wyfe if she ouer lyue her husbande ⧠Also the husbaÌ„de shall haue all the inheritauÌ„ce of his wyfe wherof he was seased in dede in the right of his wyfe during the spouselles in fee or in fee tayle general for terme of lyfe / if he haue any chylde by her to holde as tenaunt by the curtesye of EnglaÌ„de / the wyfe shall haue the thyrde parte of the inheritaunce of her husbande wherof he was seased in dede or in lawe after the spouselles c. but in that case the wyfe at the deth of her husbande muste be of the age of .ix. yere or aboute / or els she shall haue no dowrye ¶ Doctoure what if the husbande at his deth be within the age of .ix. yere ¶ Student I suppose she shall yet haue her dower ⧠Also the olde lawe custome of the realme is that after the deth of euery tenaÌ„te that holdeth his landes by knyghtes seruice the lord shall haue the warde mariage of the heyre tyll the heyre come to the age of .xxi. yere And if the heyre in that case be of full age at the deth of his auncestre / then he shall paye to his lorde his relyefe / whiche at the coÌ„mon lawe was nat certayne / but by the statute of Magna carta / it is put in certayne that is to saye for euery hole knyghtes fee to pay C. sÌ„ And for a hole baronye to pay a. C. marke for relyef And for a hole erledom to pay a. C. li. after the rate And if the heyre of such a tenauÌ„t be a womaÌ„ / she at the dethe of her auncestre be within the age of .xiiii. yeres / then by the coÌ„mon law she shuld haue ben inwarde onely tyll .xiiii. yere / but by the statute of WestmÌ„ the fyrste in suche case she shal be inwarde tyll .xvi. yere And if at the deth of the auncestre she be of the age of .xiiii. yere or aboue / she shal be out of warde / though the laÌ„des be holden of the kynge And theÌ„ she shall pay relyef as an heyre male shall ⧠Also of landes holden in socage if the auncestre dye / his heyre beynge withiÌ„ the age of .xiiii. yeres / the next freÌ„d of the heyt to whome the inheritauÌ„ce may nat discende shall haue the warde of his body landes tyll he shall come to the age of .xiiii. yere / theÌ„ he may entre And wheÌ„ the heyre coÌ„meth to the age of .xxi. yere / theÌ„ the gardeyn shall yelde hym accoÌ„pte for the ê“fettes therof by hym receyued ⧠Also suche an heyre in socage for his relyefe shall double his rent to the lorde the yere folowyng the deth of his auncestre / as if his auÌ„cestre
helde by .xii. d. rente the heyre in the yere folowynge shall paye that .xii. d. for his reÌ„t / other .xii. d for his relyef And that relyefe he muste paye though he be within age at the deth of his auncestre ⧠Also there is an olde law custome in this realme that a freholde by way of feffement gyfte or lease passeth nat without lyuery of season be made vpoÌ„ the laÌ„de according though a dede of feffemeÌ„t be therof made deliuered but by way of surrendre particion eschauÌ„ge a freholde maye passe without liuery ⧠Also if a maÌ„ make a wyll of laÌ„de wherof his is seased iÌ„ his demesne as of fee / that wyll is voyde / but if it had stande in feffes handes it had ben good And also in London suche a wyll is good by the custome of the cytie if it be inrowled ⧠Also a lease for terme of yeres is but a chatel in the lawe / therfore it may passe without any liuery of season / but otherwise it is of a state for terme of lyfe for that is a freholde in the law / therfore lyuerey muste be made therof or els the freholde passeth nat ⧠Also by the olde custome of the realme a man may distreyne for a rent seruice of coÌ„mon right And also for a rent reserued vpoÌ„ a gifte in tayle / a lease terme of lyfe / of yeres at wyll / in suche case the lorde may distreyne the tenauntes of beestes as soon as they come vpoÌ„ the grouÌ„de / but the beastê of strauÌ„gers that come iÌ„ but by maner of an escape / he may nat distreyne tyll they haue beÌ„ leuaÌ„t couchaÌ„t vpoÌ„ the grouÌ„de but for dette vpoÌ„ an obligacioÌ„ nor vpoÌ„ a contracte / nor for accompte ne yet for arerages of accoÌ„pte / nor for no maner of trespasse / reparacions / nor suche other no man may distreyne ⧠Also by the olde law custome of the realme all yssues that shal be ioyned betwixte partie partie in any court of recorde within the realme except a fewe wherof it nedeth nat to treate at thê tyme / must be tryed by .xii. fre lawfull meÌ„ of the visne that be nat of affinitie to none of the parties And in other courtes that be nat of recorde / as in the countye / court baron / hundred suche other lyke / they shal be tryed by the other of the ê“tyes nat other wyse oneles the partyes assente that it shal be tryed by the homage And it is to be noted that lordes / Barons / all pyers of the realme be excepted out of suche trialles if they wyll / but if they wyll wylfully be sworne therin / some say it is no erroure And they may if they wyll haue a writte out of the Chauncerie directed to the Shyryfe coÌ„maundynge hym that he shal nat impanell them vpon no enqueste And of this that is saydbefore it appereth that the customes aforesayd nor other lyke vnto theÌ„ / wherof be very many in the lawes of Englande can nat be proued to haue the strenght of a law onely by reasoÌ„ for how may it be proued by reason that the eldest sone shall onely enherite his father the yoÌ„ger to haue no parte / or that the husbaÌ„de shall haue the hole laÌ„de for terme of his lyfe as tenaunt by the courtesye in suche maner as before appereth And that the wyfe shall haue onely the thyrde parte in the name of her dower / that the husbande shall haue all the goodes of his wyfe as his owne And that if he dye lyuynge the wyfe / that his executours shall haue the goodes / nat the wyfe All these suche other can nat be proued onely by reason that it shulde be so no otherwyse all though they be reasonable / that with the custome theriÌ„ vsed suffiseth in the law And a statute made agaynst suche generall customê ought to be obserued because they be nat merely the law of reason ⧠Also the law of ê“pretie is nat the law of reason / but a law of custome how be it that it is kept / is also right necessarie to be kept in all realmes amoÌ„ge all people And so it may be noÌ„bred amoÌ„ge the generall customes of the realme And it is to vnderstande that there is no statute that treateth of the begynnyng of the sayd customes ne why they shulde beholden for law And therfore after theÌ„ that be lerned in the lawes of the realme the olde custome of the realme is the onely sufficiente auctoritie to them in that behalfe And I pray the shewe me what doctours holde therin / that is to say whether a custome onely be sufficient auctoritie of any lawe ¶ Doctoure doctours holde that a law grouÌ„ded vpon a custome is the moste surest law / but this muste always vnderstaÌ„de therwith that such a custome is nother coÌ„trarie to the lawe of reason / nor to the law of god And now I pray the shewe me somwhat of the maxymes of the lawe of Englande wherof thou haste made mencioÌ„ before in the .iiii. chapitre ¶ StudeÌ„t I wyll with good wyll ☞ Of the .iiii. grounde of the lawe of Englande The .viii. Chapitre STudent The .iiii. grouÌ„de of the law of EnglaÌ„de standeth in diuers principles that be called in the lawe maximes / the which haue ben always takeÌ„ for law iÌ„ this realme / fo that it is nat lawfull for none that is lerned to denye them / for euery one of those maximes is sufficiente auctoritie to hym selfe And whiche is a maxime / whiche nat shall alway be determined by the Iuges / nat by .xii. men And it nedeth nat to assigne any reason / why they were fyrste receyued for maximes for it suffiseth that they be nat agaiÌ„st the law of reason nor the law of god / and that they haue alway be taken for lawe And suche maximes be nat onely holden for law / but also other cases lyke vnto theÌ„ all thynges that necessarily foloweth vpoÌ„ the same / ar to be reduced to lyke law And therfore moste coÌ„meÌ„ly there be assigned some reasons or coÌ„sideracion why suche maximes be resonable to the intente that other cases lyke may the more conueniently be applyed to them And they be of the same strength effect in the law as statutes be And though the generall custome of the realme be the strength warraunte of the sayd maximes as they be of the generall customes of the realme / yet because the sayd generall customes be in maner knowen throughe the realme as well to them that be vnlerned as lerned / may lightly be had knowen and that with lytell studye And the sayd maximes be onely knoweÌ„ in the kynges courtes or amoÌ„ge them that take great studie in the lawe of the realme / amonge fewe other persones Therfore they be set in this writtynge for seuerall groundes he that
hym no disobedience / for a disobedience implieth a knowelege of that he shulde haue obeyed vnto ¶ Student It semeth iÌ„ this case that he shulde be coÌ„pelled to take knowlege of the sute at his peryll / for sythe he hathe atteÌ„pted to offeÌ„de the lawe it semeth reasoÌ„ that he shal be compelled to take hede what the lawe wyll do agaynst hym for it / and nat onely that but that he shulde rather offre amendes for his trespasse than for to tary tyll he were sued for it And so it semeth the ignoraunce of the sute is of his owne defaute / specially syth iÌ„ the lawe is set suche ordre that euery man may knowe if he wyll what sute is taken agaynst hym / and may se the recordes therof whan he wyll / so it semeth that neyther the partye nor the lawe be nat bounden to gyue hym no knowlege therin And ouer this I wolde somwhat moue ferther in this mater thus That though the accioÌ„ were vntrue / the defendauÌ„t nat gylthy / that yet the goodes be forfeyted to the kyng for his nat apparauÌ„ce in lawe also in conscieÌ„ce / that for this cause / the kyng as souereyne hed of the lawe is bouÌ„den of iustice to grauÌ„t such writtes and such ê“cesses as be oppoynted in the lawe to euery ê‘sone that wyll complayne be his surmyse true or false / there vpon the kynge of iustice oweth as well to make processe to bryng the defendaunt to answere whaÌ„ he is nat gyltye as whan he is gyltie / thaÌ„ whaÌ„ there is no maxime in the lawe that if a man be outlawed in suche maner as before apê‘eth that he shall forfayte all his goodes to the kynge / maketh no excepcioÌ„ whether the accioÌ„ be true or vntrue / it semeth that the sayd maxime more regardeth the generall ministracion of iustice than the particuler ryght of the party that therfore the property by the outlawry by the sayd maxime ordeyned for ministracion of iustice is altered and is gyuen to the kynge as byfore appereth / that both in lawe and coÌ„science as wel as if the accion were true And than the ê‘tie that is so outlawed is dryuen to sue for his remedy agaynste hym that hath so caused hym to be outlawed vpon an vntrue accioÌ„ ¶ Doct. If he haue nat sufficient to make recompence or dye before recouere can be had / what remedy is than ¶ Student I thynke no remedy / and for a ferther declaracion in this case and in suche other lyke cases where the propertie of goodes maye be altered without asseÌ„t of the owner it is to coÌ„sydre that the ê“pertie of goodê be nat gyueÌ„ to the owners directly by the law of reason nor by the lawe of god but by the lawe of man / is suffred by the lawe of reason by the law of god so to be For at the begynnyng al goodê were in comoÌ„ / but after they were brought by the lawe of man into a certeyne ê“pertie so that euery man myght knowe his owne thaÌ„ whan such ê“pertie is gyueÌ„ by the law of maÌ„ the same lawe may assigne such coÌ„dicioÌ„s vpoÌ„ the ê“pertie as it lysteth / so they be nat agaynst the lawe of god ne the lawe of reason / and may lawfully take away that it gyueth / appoynt howe longe the ê“perty shall continue And one coÌ„dicioÌ„ that goeth with euery ê“perty iÌ„ this realme is if he that hathe the ê“perty be outlawed accordyng to such proces as is ordeyned by the lawe / that he shal forfayte the propertie vnto the kyng / and diuerse other cases there be also wher by propertie in goodê shal be altered in the lawe and the ryght in landes also without assente of the owner / wherof I shall shortely touche some without laynge any aucthorite therin / for the more shortnes Fyrst by a sale in open marked the propertie is altered Also goodes stolen and seased for the kynge or weyued be forfaite oneles appelle or enditement be sued Also strayes if they be proclaymed and be nat after claymed by the owner within the yere be forfayte / also a deodand is forfayte to whome so euer the property was byfore / except it belonged to the kynge and shal be disposed for the soule of hym that was slayne therwith and a fyne with a nonclayme at the comoÌ„ lawe was a barre if claime were nat made within a yere as it is nowe by statute if the clay We be nat made withiÌ„ .v. yeres And al these forfaytures were ordeyned by the lawe vpon certayne consideracions whiche I omit at this tyme / but certeyne it is that none of theÌ„ was made vpoÌ„ a better coÌ„sideracion than this forfayture of outlagary was For if no especiall punisshemeÌ„t shulde haue ben ordeyned for offenders that wolde absent them selfe nat appere whan they were sued in the kyngê courtes many sutes in the kinges courtes shulde haue ben of smale effecte And sythe this maxime was ordeyned for the execucion of Iustice and as moche done therin by the comon lawe as policie of maÌ„ coulde reasonably deuise to make the partie haue knowelege of the sute and nowe is added therto by the statute made the syxte yere of kynge Hnry the .viii. that a writte of proclamacion shal be sued if the partie be dwellynge in a nother shyre / it semeth that such title as is gyueÌ„ to the kyng therby is good in coÌ„scieÌ„ce / especially seyng that the kyng is bounden to make processe vpon the surmyse of the playntyfe may nat examine but by the ple of the partie whether the surmyse be true or nat But if the partie be retourned .v. tymes called where in dede hf was neuer called as in the seconde case oe the laste Chapitre of the sayd dialogue iÌ„ latyne is conteyned / than it semeth the partie shall haue good remedy by petition to the kynge / specially if he that made the returne be nat sufficient to make recoÌ„pence or dye byfore recouere can be had ¶ Doct. Nowe syth I haue herde thyne opinion in this case wherby it appereth that many thyngê muste be sene or a ful and a playne declaracion can be made in this behalfe / seyng also that the plaine answere to this case shall gyue a great lyght to dyuerse other cases that may come by suche forfeyture I pray the gyue me a ferther respyte or that I shewe the my ful opinion therin / and here after I shall ryght gladly do it And therfore I pray the procede nowe to some other case ⧠The thyrde question of the student The fourth Chapitre STudent If a straunger do waste in laÌ„des that a nother holdeth for terme of lyfe without assent af the tenaunt for terme of lyfe wether may he in the reuercion recouer treble damages and the place wasted agaynste the tenaunt for terme of lyfe accordyng to the statute in conscience as he may by the lawe if
husbande and they haue issue the father deyeth seased / the husbande as sone as he hereth of his deth goeth towarde the lande to take possession / and byfore he can come there his wyfe dieth / whether ought he to haue the lande in cōscience for terme of his lyfe as tenaunt by the courtesie bycause he hath done that in hym was to haue had possession in his wyues lyfe so that he myght haue ben tenaunt by the courtesie accordynge to the lawe / or that he shall neyther haue it by lawe nor conscience ¶ Doctour Is it clerely holdē in the law that he shall nat be tenaunt by the curtesy in this case bycause he had nat possession in dede ¶ Student ye verely / and yet vpō a possessiciō in lawe a womā shal haue her dower / but no man shal be tenaunte by the curtesie of lāde without his wyfe haue possession in dede ¶ Doctoure A man shal be tenaunt by the curtesie of a rent thoughe his wyfe dye byfore the day of payment / in lyke wyse of an aduowson thoughe she dye byfore the auoydaunce ¶ Studente That is trouthe / for the olde custome and maxime of the lawe is that he shall be so / but of lande there is no maxime that serueth hym but his wyfe haue possession in dede ¶ Doctour And what is the reason that there is suche a maxime in the lawe of the rent and of the aduowson rather thā of lande / whan the husbāde doth as moche as in hym is to haue possessiō and can nat ¶ Studēt Some assigne the reason to be bycause it is impossible to haue possession in dede of the rent or of aduouson byfore the daye of payment of the rent / or byfore the auoydaunce of the aduouson ¶ Doct. And so is impossible that he shal haue possession in dede of lande if his wyfe dye so sone that he maye nat by possibilitie come to the lande after her fathers dethe / and in her lyfe as this case is ¶ Student The lawe is suche as I haue shewed the byfore and I take the verey cause to be for that there is a maxime serueth for the rent and the aduouson / and nat for the landes as I haue sayd byfore / and as it is sayd in the viii chapitre of our fyrst dialogue / it is nat alwaye necessarie to assigne a reason or cōsideraciō why the maximes of the lawe of Englande were fyrst ordeyned and admitted for maximes / but it suffisethe that they haue ben alwaye taken for lawe and that they be neyther cōtrarie to the lawe of reason nor to the lawe of god as this maxime is nat / and therfore if the husbande in this case be nat holpen by cōscience he can nat be holpen by the lawe ¶ Doctour And if the lawe helpe hym nat cōscience can nat helpe hym in this case / for conscience must alwaye be grounded vpon some lawe / and it can nat in this case be groūded vpon the lawe of reason nor vpon the lawe of god / for it is nat dyrectely by those lawes that a man shal be tenaūt by the curtesy / but by the custome of the realme And therfore if that custome helpe hī nat he can nothyng haue in this case by conscience / for conscience neuer resysteth the lawe of mā nor addeth nothynge to it / but where the lawe of man is in it selfe dyrectly against the lawe of reason or els the lawe of god / and than properly it can nat be called a lawe but a corrupcion / or where the generall groundes of the lawe of man worketh in any particuler case agaynste the sayd lawes as it may do / and yet the lawe good as it appereth in diuerse places in our fyrst dialogue in latyne / or els where there is no lawe of man prouided for hym that hathe ryghte to a thynge by the lawe of reason or by the lawe of god And than somtyme there is remedy gyuen to execute that in cōscience / as by a Sub pena but nat in all cases / for somtyme it shal be referred to the consciēce of the partie / and vpon this grounde that is to saye that whan there is no tytle gyuen by the comon lawe that there is no tytle by conscience There be diuerse other cases wherof I shall put some for an example As if a reuercion be graunted vnto one / but there is none attournement / or if a newe rente be graunted by worde with out dede there is no remedy by conscience oneles the sayd grauntes were made vpon consideracions of money or suche other And in lyke wyse where he that is seased of landes in fee simple maketh a wyll therof / the wyll is voyde in conscience bycause the grounde seruethe nat for hym wherby the conscience shulde take effecte / that is to saye / the lawe / and if the tenaunte make a feoffement of the lande that he holdeth by priorite and taketh estate agayne and dyeth his heyre within age the lorde of whome the lande was fyrst holden by prioritie shall haue no remedy for the body by conscience / for the lawe that fyrste was with hym / is nowe agaynste hym / and therfore cōsciēce is altered in lyke wyse as the lawe altereth / and diuerse and many cases lyke be in the lawe that were to long to reherce nowe And thus me thynketh that if the lawe be as thou sayest the husbande ī this case hathe neyther ryght by the lawe nor conscience ⧠The .xiiii. question of the student The .xvi. Chapitre STudent A rent is graunted to a man ī fee to perceyue of two acres of land / and after the graūtour enfeoffeth the grauntee of one of the sayd acres / whether is the hole rente extyncte therby in conscience as it is in the lawe ¶ Doctour Thy case is somwhat vncertayne / for it appereth nat whether the grauntour enfeoffed hym on truste or that he gaue the acre to hym of his mere mocion to the vse of the sayd feoffe / or els that the feoffement was made vpon a bargayne / and if it were but onely a feoffement of truste / than I thinke the hole rent abydeth in conscience though it be extyncted in the lawe / and fyrste that it continueth in that case in conscience / for that parte that the grauntee hathe to the vse of the grauntour / it is euidente / for he may nat take the profytes of the lande / and it is agaynste conscience that he shulde lese bothe / and in lyke wyse it abydeth ī cōscience for the acre that remayneth in the handes of the grauntour thoughe it be extyncte in the lawe / for there was a defaute in the grauntoure that he wolde make the feoffement to the grauntee as well as ther was in the grauntee to take it And it is no conscience that of his owne defaute he shulde take so great auayle to be discharged of the hole rent seynge that