and again Mutually and on the other side the said Farmours and Grantees for term of years life or lives their Executors Administratours and Assigns shall have like advantage against them for any Condition Covenant and Agreement contained in the said Indenture as they might have had against their said Lessors and Granters their Heirs Successors all benefits and advantage of recoveries in value by reason of any warranty of deed or in Law by voucher or otherwise only except Provided that this Act shall not extend to charge any Person for Breach of any Covenant or Condition comprised in any such writing but for such as shall be broken and not performed after the first day of September in the 32. Year of this King and not before CHAP. XXIII Livery of Seisin and Atturnement IN all Feoffments gifts in tayle Leases for term of anothers life of Lands or Tenements there can be no Alteration Transmutation of Possession by the Antient Laws of this Realme unless there be a certain Ceremony Adhibited and Solemnized in the presence and sight of neighbours or others which Ceremony is called Livery of Seisin And ye shall understand The manner Livery of Seisin that this Ceremony of Livery of Seisin is done when the Feoffour Donour Lessour or other Deputy come with the Neighbours Solemnly to the Lands or Tenements and they put the Feoffe Donee or Lessee in possession of the said Lands or Tenements by delivering to him a Clod of Earth or the ring of the Door or some other thing in the name of Seisin and for this self cause this Ceremony of Law is called Livery of Seisin that is to say a Tradition or giving of Seisin But this Ceremony is not required in Leases for term of years Diversity between Possession and Seisin or in Leases at will For as much as the Lessour in such Lease remaineth still seized and the Lessee only hath possession without any Livery of Seisin and therefore the terms of the Law be that such a man is possessed whereas in Feoffments gifts in tayle and Leases for life he is called seized Wherefore if a Feoffment or Lease for life be made of Lands or Tenements and before that the Livery of a Seisin be made the Feoffour dieth the Heir of the Feoffour shall have Lands Per summum jus that is to say by the Rigour of the Law Notwithstanding that the Feoffee have paid to the Feoffour the price of the Land and although the Feoffee be in possession but otherwise it is of a Lease for term of Years A like Ceremonie is used Atturnment when Rent-charge Rent-service Rent in gross a Villain in gross common in gross common for Beasts certain Estovers and such other things as pass by way of grant be granted for it is no full and perfect grant till it be consignat and sealed as it were with the Ceremonie of Atturnment this Atturnment is nothing else but when the Tenant of Land of which a Rent granted is granted or out of which a Rent is granted doth make some evident signification and token that he accepteth the person to whom the grant is made to be in the same respect unto him that the granter was as for an example if the Tenant of the Land after he have heard of the grant cometh to the grantee that is to wit to the person to whom the grant was made and say in this wise or in like effect I agree unto the Grant made unto you by such a man How attu nment shall be made or I am well apaid and contented of the Grant that such a man hath made unto you but the most usuall frequent form of Atturnment is to say Sr I atturn unto you by force of the said Grant or I become your Tenant or to deliver unto the grantee a Peny or a Halfpeny by way of atturnement If a man maketh first one grant to one person and after another to another person that grant shall stand to which the Tenant will atturn although it be to the later grant And ye shall note That if a man be seized of a Mannour which is parcell in demean and parcell in service and doth alien the same Mannour to another unless the Tenant of the Mannor do atturn the Service shall not pass only Tenants at will excepted for it needeth not to cause them to atturn Note furthermore Diversity there is a great difference between giving a Peny in name of Seisin and giving by way of Atturnement for when it is given by the Tenant to the Grantee in the name of Seisin it doth not only imply an Atturnment Assize but also it giveth him such a seizin that if the Rent afterward were behind and not paid he may now upon the seisin of the Peny after a lawfull distress taken and after Rescous made Writ of Rescous bring an Assize of Novel Disseizin whereas if it were given only by way of Atturnement he could not bring the Assize but his Writ of Rescous only if Rescous were made Also ye shall understand That where Lands be deviseable by Testament by the custome of any ancient Borough or City if the reversion of any Lands be by Testament bequeathed to a man in fee and the Testator which we call the devisor dieth the devisee that is to wit he to whom the devise was made hath forthwith the reversion in him without further ceremonie of Atturnement Atturnment likewise it is if a man by testament doth bequeath a Rent-charge that he is seized of or of a Rent-service there needeth none atturnement at all If two Joyntenants of Land and the Lord granteth the services to another if one of the Joyntenants atturneth it is enough Finally If a Lease be made for terme of life the remainder to another in tayl the remainder over to the right Heir of the Tenant for terme of life in this case if the Tenant for terme of life will grant his remainder in fee to another by his deed this remainder passeth forthwith without any atturnement For if any Atturnement were requisite it should be made of the Tenant for terme of life Not Requisite which in this case is the granter himself And in vain it is that the granter should be inforced to atturn sith an atturnment is adhibited and had to none other purpose then to have the consent and agreement of the particular Tenant to the intent that it may appear that he hath notice and knowledg of this grantee but here where the particular Tenant himself is the granter an atturnement were superfluous and more then needed Note furthermore That where there is Lord and Tenant and the Tenant leaseth his Tenements to a woman for life the remainder over in fee the woman taketh a Husband and after the Lord granteth the services c. to the Husband in this case during the coverture the services be put in suspence Suspence but if the Wife die leaving the Husband
Also if there be two Joyntenants in fee and the one giveth that that unto him belongeth to another in the tayle the Donee and the other Joyntenant be Tenants in Common but if the Lands be given to two men and to the Heirs of their two bodies engendred the Donees have a joynt estate for term of their lives and if each of them have Issue and dye their Issues shall hold in Common Also if Lands be given to two men to have and to hold the one half to the one and to his Heirs and the other half to the other and to his Heirs they be Tenants in Common Also if a man seized of certain Lands enfeoffeth another in the half of the same Land without any speech of assignement or limitation of the same half in severalty at the time of the Feofment then the Feoffee and the Feoffour shall hold their parts of the Land in Common And as it is of Tenants in Common of Lands or Tenements in fee-simple fee-tayle even so it is of Tenant for term of life Therefore if two joyntenants be in fee Joyntenants and the one letteth to a man that that unto him belongeth for term of life and the other Joyntenant letteth that which to him belongeth to another for terme of life also these two Lessees be Tenants in common for terme of their lives Also if a man let Lands to two men for terme of life and he to whom the one granteth all his estate to another then that other Tenant for terme of life and he to whom the grant is made shall be Tenants in common during the time that both the Lessees be alive Note If there be two Joyntenants in fee and that one letteth that that unto him belongeth to another for terme of life the Tenant for terme of life during his life and the other Tenant that did not let be Tenants in common And upon this Case a Question may arise as thus Let the Case be that the Lessour hath Issue and dieth living the other Joyntenant his fellow and living the Tenant for terme of life the Question is Question Whether the Reversion of the half that the Lessour hath shall descend to the Issue of the Lessour or whether the other Joyntenant shall have it by the survivour or no And some have said that the other Joyntenant shall have the Reversion by the survivour forasmuch as when the Joyntenants were joyntly seized in fee-simple though one of them made an estate of that that unto him belongeth for terme of life and though he hath severed the frank-tenement of that that to him belongeth by the Lease yet he hath not severed the fee-simple But the fee-simple abideth to them joyntly as it was before and so it seemeth unto them that the other Joyntenant which surviveth shall have the Reversion by the survivour But other have thought the contrary and this is their reason when one of the Joyntenants letteth that which unto him belongeth to another for terme of life by such Lease the Franktenement is severed from the Joynture so that the reversion that is dependant upon the same Frank-tenement is severed from the Joynture furthermore if the Lessour had reserved to him a yearly Rent upon the Lease the Lessour only should have the Rent which is a proof that the reversion is only in him and that the other hath nothing therein Also if the Tenant for life were impleaded and make default after default Recie the Lessour shall be only hereupon received to defend his right and not his fellow which proveth the reversion of the half to be only in the Lessour and so consequently if the Lessour die living the Lessee for terme of life the reversion shall descend to the Heirs of the Lessour and shall not come to the other Joyntenant by the survivour after these mens opinions yet it is doubtfull But in this case Quere if the Joyntenant that hath the franktenement have Issue and die living the Lessour and the Lessee then it seemeth that the Issue shall have the half in his demesne as of fee by descent forasmuch as the franktenement may not by nature of the Joynture be annexed to a reversion and it is certain that he that made the Lease was seized of the half in his demesne as of fee and that none shall have any Joynture in his franktenement so that this shall descend to his Issue If three Joyntenants be and the one releaseth by his Deed to one of his fellows all the right he hath in the Land Release then hath he to whom the Release is made the third part of the Lands by force of the Release and he and his fellow shall hold the other two parts joyntly and as to the third part that he hath by force of the Release he holdeth it with himself and his fellow in common And it is to wit that sometime a Deed of Release shall take effect to put the estate of him that made the Release in him to whom the Release is made as in the case aforesaid Also if a joynt estate be made to the Husband and Wife and to a third person and the third person releaseth his right that he hath to the Husband then hath the Husband the half which the third person had and the Wife of this hath nothing semblably if the third person had released to the Wife not naming the Husband in the Release then should the Wife have the half that the third person had and the Husband nothing of this but in the right of his Wife because such Release shall enure to put the estate in him to whom it was made of all that that belongeth to him that made the Release Again In some case a Release shall enure and serve to put all the right that a man hath that made that Release in him to whom it is made As a man being seized of certain Lands is disseized by two disseizors if the person disseized by his Deed release all his right to one of the disseizors then he to whom the Release is made shall have and hold all to him alone and put out his fellow out of the occupation of it And the cause is Disseisors for that the two disseizors were seized by wrong by them done against the Law and when one of them getteth the Release of him that hath right to enter this right resteth in him to whom the Release is made and in such plite as if he that had the right had entered and enfeoffed him of the same and the cause is for that he that before had an estate by wrong hath now by the Release a rightfull estate And in some case a Release shall enure and take effect by way of extinguishment Release by way of extinguishment and such a Release shall help the Joyntenant to whom the Release was not made as well to him to whom it is made as if a man be disseized and
the disseisour maketh a feoffment to two men in fee if the person disseized release to one of the feoffees in fee by his Deed then such Release shall inure to both the feoffees because the feoffees have their estate by the Law that is to say by the feoffment and not by wrong done to any other And in like manner if the disseizour make a Lease to a man for terme of life A Release shall inure to him in the remainder the remainder over to another in fee if the disseises will release to the Tenant for terme of life all his right this Release serveth as well to him in the remainder as the Tenant for terme of life And the cause is for that the Tenant for terme of life cometh to his estate by the course of the Law and for this cause the Lease shall inure and take effect by way of extinguishment of the right of him that hath released and by this Release the Tenant for terme of life hath no greater estate then he had before the Release made unto him And yet the right of him that released is all utterly extinct and gone wherefore for as much as such a Release cannot enlarge the estate of the Tenant for term of life it is reason that it shall serve him in the remainder Also if there be two Parceners and the one alieneth his part to another the other Parcener and the alience be Tenants in Common Furthermore Tenants in Common by Title of prescription Tenants in Common may be by Title of Prescription if that one and his Ancestors or they whose estate he hath in the half have holden in Common the same half with the other Tenant that hath the other half and with his Ancestours or them whose estate he hath as undenied time out of mind and ye shall mark that in some case Tenants in Common ought to have of their possession severall actions and in some case they shall joyn in one action Actions severall for if there be two Tenants in Common and they be disseised they ought to have against the Disseisor two Assizes and not one Assize for every one of them ought to have an Assize of his half Assize because they were seized by severall Titles but otherwise it is of Joyntenants for if there be twenty Joyntenants and they be disseised they shall have in all their names but one Assize Assize because they have but one Joynt-Title Also if there be three Joyntenants of whom the one Releaseth to one of his fellowes all the right he hath and afterward the other two be disseised of the whole in this case they shall have in both their names one of the two parts And as to the third part he to whom the Release was made ought to have hereof an Assize in his own name because as to the third part he is Tenant in Common Also as to sue Actions that touch the Realty Diversity there is a Diversity between Parceners that are in by divers discents and Tenants in Common For if a man seized of certain Lands in fee hath Issue two Daughters and die and they enter into the Lands as Co-heirs and each of them have Issue a Son and die without partition made between them so that the one half discendeth to the Son of the one Parcener and the other half to the Sonne of the other and they Enter and Occupie in Common and be disseised in this case they shall have in their two names one Assize and not two Assizes and yet the cause is though they come in by divers Discents yet they be Coheirs and Parceners Also if two Tenants in Common of certain Lands in fee give the same to another man in the tayl or let it to another for term of life yielding an annunity or certain Rent or a pound of Pepper or an Hawk or an Horse and they be seized of these services and afterward all the Rent is behinde and they Distrain for it and the Tenant maketh Rescous in this case Rescous as to the Rent and the pound of Pepper they shall have two Assizes and as to the Hawk and the Horse but one Assize and the cause why they have two Assizes as to the Rent and pound of Pepper is for that they were Tenants in Common by severall Titles and when they made a gift in the tayle for Lease of term of life saving and reserving to them the Reversion and yielding to them certain Rent This Reservation is incident to their Reversion and because their Reversion is in Common and by severall Titles even as their possession was before the Rent and other things which may be severed and which were to them reserved upon the gift or upon the Lease which be incident by the Law to the Reversion Plaint in Assize Therefore such things so severed be of the nature of the Reversion wherefore it behoveth that the Rent and the pound of Pepper which may be severed to be then in Common by severall Titles and of this they shall have two Assizes and every of them in his Assize shall make his Plaint of the half of the Rent and of the half of the pound of Pepper but of the Hawk and the Horse which cannot be severed they shall have but one Assize for it were an absurdity and thing inconvenient to make a plaint in Assize of the half of an Hawk or of the half of an Horse In like manner it is of the other Rents and services that Tenants in Common have in ground by divers Titles And ye shall understand Personall Action that concerning Actions personalls Tenants in Common ought to have them Joyntly in all their names that is to say Of trespass or of offences that touch their Tenements in Common as of breaking of their Houses breaking of their Closes and Pastures wasting and defouling of their Grass cutting of their Weeds and of Fishing in their Ponds and such other they shall recover joyntly damages because the action is in the personalty and not in the realty Damages Also if Tenants in Common make a Lease of their Tenements to another for term of years Tenants in Common shall have one Action of Debt yiedling unto them yearly a certain Rent if the Rent be behind they shall have one action of debt against the Lessee and not divers actions because the action is in the Personalty but in an Avowry for the said Rent they ought to be severed because it is in the realty as be the Assizes CHAP. XIX Of Chattells IT is to be known that as there be Tenants in Common of Lands or Tenements so there be Tenants in Common of possessions and property of Chattells as well Reall as Personall Of Reall as if a Lease be made of certain Lands to two Men for term of Twenty years and when they be thereof Possessed the one granteth that that unto him belongeth during the term to another he to whom
as is hereafter declared in pain to forfeit so much as he takes or demands more and likewise 40s to the party grieved to be recovered by Action of Debt wherein no essence c. shall be allowed None shall take or demand for a Mortuary any thing at all where by the Custome they have not been usually paid nor upon the death of a Woman covert a Child a Person not keeping house a Wayfaring man one not residing in the place where he happens to dye nor where the goods of the dead Person Debts deducted amount not to the value of 10. Marks nor above the Summe of 3s 4d when they exceed not 30lb nor above 6s 8d when they exceed 30lb but not 40lb nor above 10s when they amount to 40lb or above And if the Person dye in a place where he or she dwelleth not their Mortuary shall be paid in the place where they had their most abode This Act shall not abridge Spirituall Persons to receive Legacies bequeathed to them or to the Kings Altar No Mortuaries shall be paid in Wales Callais or Barwick or in any of their Marches save only in Wales and the Marches thereof where they have been accustomed to be paid and such as are there paid shall be regulated according to the order prescribed by this Act. The B P of Bangor Landaff S. Davids and S. Assaph and the Arch Deacon of Chester shall take Mortuaries of the Priests within their Jurisdiction as hath been accustomed notwithstanding his Act. Lesse Mortuaris already setled by custome shall not be increased and there also persons exempted by this Act shall not hereafter be chargeable CHAP. XLV Of Discontinuance IT is called a Discontinuance by the Laws of England whereby he hath the possession of Lands or Tenements for the time present and yet not haveing the Fee-simple in himself nor in his own right only maketh an Alienation of the same to another by reason whereof he that should have them after him and which then hath right unto them cannot enter but is driven to his remedy by way of Action in such wise that the said Lands be not utterly shifted c. gone from such Person or Persons as have right unto them but be all only discontinued for a time till the Person which after the death of such discontinuer hath right unto them do continue and bring them home again not by entry but by suit and way of action As for example a Tenant in tayl of certain Lands doth Enfeoff another in the same in Fee-simple or Fee-tayle and hath Issue and dyeth his Issue cannot enter into the Lands though he hath Title and right unto them Formedon in the descender but is but to his Action which is called a Formedon in the descender And if such Tenant in tayle which maketh such a Feoffment hath no Issue at time of his death it is yet neverthelesse a discontinuance to him which is either in the reversion or in the remainder so that neither the one nor the other can enter Formedon in the reverter or remainder but be driven to their Action he in the reversion of his Formedon in the reverter and he in the remainder to his Formedon in the remainder In like manner if a Bishop doth alien Lands Entre sine assensue Capitali which be parcell of his Bishoprick and dyeth this is a discontinuance of his Successor Forasmuch as he cannot enter but is driven to his Writ of entre sine assensu Capitali Semblable if a Deane be sold seized of Lands in the right of his Deanry and maketh such an Alienation this is a discontinuance to his Successor Also the Master of an Hospitall alieneth any Lands of his Hospitall that is a discontinuance and his Successor cannot enter but is put to his Writ Igressu sine assensu confratrum sororum De ingressu sine ascensu confratrum sororum But if a Parson or a Vicar of a Church will alien any of his glebe-Lands to another in Fee-simple or Fee-tayl and dieth or resigneth his Benefice this is no discontinuance to his Successor but he may very well enter notwithstanding such Alienation made by his Predecessor And the highest Writ that a Parson can have if his Predecessor have aliened his Glebe-Land or lost it by default or Reddition is a Juris utrum Reddition that is voluntarily yielding And furthermore note That no Tenant of the Land can by his or their Act discontinue the right of him in the Reversion unless it be by Feoffment with Livery and Seisin or else by a Release with Warranty And note That such things as pass by way of Grant by Deed without Livery and Seisin cannnot be discontinued as an Advowson Common or a Villain in Gross Reversion Rent-charge Common for Beasts certain and such other like And ye shall understand That in 32 H. 8. it was enacted that no fine Feoffment or other Act to be made or suffered by the Husband only of any Lands or Tenements being the Inheritance or the Free-hold of his Wife during the Coverture between them should be any discontinuance thereof or be prejudiciall or hurtfull to the said Wife or to her Heirs or to such as should have right title or interest to the same by the death of such Wife but that the same Wife and her Heirs and such other to whom such right should appertain after her decease may then lawfully enter in all such Lands and Tenements according to their rights and titles therein CHAP. LXVI How Recoveries by Collusion against Tenants for term of life is no Discontinuance An. 32. H. 8. WHere divers Persons seized of Lands and Hereditaments as Tenants by the Courtesie of England or otherwise only for term of life or lives have heretofore suffered other persons by agreement or covine between them had to recover the same against them in the Kings Court by reason whereof they to whom the reversion or remainder thereof have belonged have after the deaths of such Tenants been driven to their Actions for the recontinuance and obtaining the said Lands and Tenements so recovered and sometimes have been clearly disherited of the same It is enacted that all such Recoveries hereafter to be had by agreement of the Party or by covine or against any such particular Tenant of Lands or Hereditaments whereof he is or hereafter shall be seized as Tenant by the Courtesie of England Tenant in tayl after possibility of issue extinct or otherwise for term of life shall from henceforth as against such persons to whom the reversion or remainder shall then appertain and against their Heirs and Successors be clearly void Provided that this Act extend not to any person that shall by good title recover any Hereditaments without fraud or covine against any such particular Tenant by reason of any former right or title nor to avoid any recovery to be had against any such particular Tenant by the assent and agreement of those in the
the Issue in the tayl shall not be barred except that he have assets to him discended But if be may not by no possibility that may be convey to him Title by force of the gift by him that made the Warranty then that is a Collaterall Warranty and by such a Collaterall Warranty the Issue in the tayl shall be barred without any assets And the cause that such a Collaterall Warranty is a barre to the Issue in the tayl is for that that all Warranties before the Statute of Glocester which descended to them which be Heirs to them which made the Warranties were barrs to the same Heirs to demand any Lands except the Warranties that began by disseisin and for that that the said Statute hath ordained that the Warranty of the Father shall be no barr to his Son for the Lands which come to the Heritage of the Mother nor the Warranty of the Mother shall be no barr to the Sonne for the Lands which come of the Heritage of the Father by the Statute 11. H. 7. Cap. 20. And none of the Statutes have made or ordained remedy against the Warranty that is Collaterall to the Issue in the tayle and therefore the Warranty that is Collaterall to the Issue in the tayle is yet in his force and shall be a barr to the Issue in the tayl as it was before the Statute And it behoveth that all Warranties whereby the Heir shall be barred that the Warranty descended by course of the Common Law to him which is Heir to him that made the Warranty or else it shall be no barre for if the Tenant in the tayl of Lands in Borough English where the youngest Sonne shall inherit by the Custome discontinueth the tayl and hath Issue and Sons and the Unckle releaseth to the discontinued with Warranty and dyeth and the younger Son bringeth a Formedon yet he shall not be barred by such Warranty Causâ quâ supra And if any man maketh a Deed with Warranty whereby his Heir should be barred and after he that made the Warranty be attaint of Felony then his Heir shall not be barred by such Warranty for that that such Warranty might not discend upon him for that that the blood is corrupt Warranty beginning by diseisin is Warranty by disseisin if the Sonne purchase Lands and after let the Lands to his Father for term of years and the Father by his Deed infeoffeth a stranger and bindeth him and his Heirs to Warranty and the Father dieth whereby the Warranty descendeth to this Sonne but the Sonne may well enter notwitstanding his Warranty for that that this Warranty begun by disesin when the Father made the Feoffment which was a diseisin to the Sonne And as it is said of the Father so it may be said of every other Ancester And the same Law is if the Ancester be Tenant by Eligit or by Statute Merchant and make a Feoffment with Warranty such Warranty shall be no Barres because they begin by diseisin In Deeds where it is contained Warranty by dedi Concessi Dedi concessi tale cenementum viz. I have given and granted such a Tenement without Homage or any clause that containeth Warranty and to hold of the Donors and their Heirs by a certain service the Donors and their heirs be bound to Warranty and where it is contained Dedi concessi c. to hold of the chief Lords of the Fee or of any other then of the Feoffors or their Heirs reserving no service to himself without Homage or without the aforesaid clause of Warranty his Heirs shall not be bound to Warranty but the Feoffor by reason of his gift shall be bound to Warranty during his own life The Husband doth alien his Wives Lands with Warranty Stat. de Bigamus 4 E. 1.6 If a man alieneth the Land he holdeth by the Courtesie of England his Sonne shall not be barred by the Deed of his Father from whom no Heritage to him descended to demand and recover by Writ Mortdauncester of the seisin of h s Mother although it be mentioned in the Deed that his Father did bind him and his Heirs to Warranty And if any Heritage descend to him of his Fathers side then he shall be barred for the value of the Heritage that is to him descended And if in such case Assets after the death of his Father any Inheritance descend to him by the same Father then shall the Tenant recover against him of the Seisin of his Mother by a Judiciall Writ that shall issue out of the Rolles of the Justices before whom the Plea was pleaded to resummon his Warranty as before hath been done in like Cases where the Heir of the Warrantor cometh into the Court saying nought descended from him upon whose Deed he is vouched And in like manner the Issue of the Sonne shall recover by Writ of Cosenage Ayel and Besaiel Likewise and in like manner the Heir of the Wife shall not be barred after the death of his Father and Mother to demand by acttion the Inheritance of his Mother by Writ of Entry which his Father did Alien in the time of his Mother whereof no Fine is leavied in the Kings Court. Gui in vita Glouc. 6 E. 1.3 FINIS
suffereth the husband of such a wife to receive and keep still all his wives Land that she had either in fee-simple or fee-taile so long as he liveth and this is by the curtesie and urbanity of England for this thing is used in none other Country nor Region But in this it is required that the Child be vitall that is to say be born and brought forth into this world alive and therefore the common saying is and hath been that unless the Child be heard cry the Father shall not be Tenant by the courtesie for the only proof and argument of life in an Infant born is the vagite and crying Ye shall furthermore understand that unless the husband be in actuall and reall possession of his wives Lands and seized of them in her right he shall not be Tenant by the courtesie after her death And therefore if Lands descend to a mans Wife so that she is Tenant in the Law and to every mans Actions yet if the Husband have not made an actuall entrie during coverture and matrimony between them he shall not be Tenant by the courtesie for it shall be reputed and judged his folly and negligence that he would not enter in her life time Otherwise it is of Advowsons Rents Commons and such other things which forthwith when they descend be in man or in a woman without any entrie or further ceremonie in Law Note That if a Tenant by the courtesie of England will suffer or make any waste in the Lands or Tenements that he so holdeth he is punishable therefore by Action of Waste brought by him in the reversion Also it is to be known That of things that be in suspense a man shall not be Tenant by the courtesie and therefore if a man be Tenant in fee-simple of certain Land and doth intermarry with a woman that is the Seignioress or Lady of the same and hath issue by her and she dieth yet shall he not be Tenant by the curtesie of the Lordship or Seigniory because himself is Tenant of the Land and therefore the Lordship is suspended for the time for a man cannot be both Lord and Tenant of one thing but if he had not been Tenant of Land he should have had the Lordship after the death of his wife by the curtesie of England very well Also note That of a right only a man shall not be Tenant by the curtesie as if a woman sole seized in fee of Lands or Tenements be disseized and after take a husband and they have issue and she die before any reentrie be made the husband shall not be Tenant by the curtesie Note further That of a reversion a man shall not be Tenant by the curtesie as if a woman sole seized of Land in fee make a Lease to S. for terme of life after taketh a husband and they have issue and she die living the Lessee for terme of life the husband shall not be Tenant by the curtesie CHAP. XI Of Tenant in Dower TEnant in Dower is she that hath been married to a husband that was during the matrimony between them seized of Lands or Tenements in fee-simple or fee-taile which is now dead and she seized of the third part of her husbands said Lands for terme of her life for by the Common Law of the Land Dower at the Common Law if the husband be at any time during the coverture seized lawfully whether it be by purchase or by discent either in fee or in fee-taile and die his wife shall be endowed by the course of the Common Law of the third foot Dower by custome and in some places by an ancient custome she shall be endowed of the Moitie yea and though the husband were never seized actually during the coverture yet if the Lands be cast upon him by the Law so that the Law calleth him Tenant to every mans Action it sufficeth the woman to demand her dower for it were unreasonable that the negligence and slackness of entring of the husband should hurt the wives Title Otherwise it is as it is said before of Tenant by the courtesie Tenant by the Courtesie for if Lands descend to a woman covert and the husband for slothfullness or negligence doth not enter in his wives life he shall not be Tenant by the courtesie for by all Laws the wife oweth obedience and subjection to her husband and therefore she cannot compel him to enter but when Lands discend to the wife the husband only hath power to enter at his pleasure And ye shall understand that unless the wife be above the age of Nine years at the time of her husbands death she shall not be endowed by the Common Law But it is to be known A Woman shall have no Dower that a woman may by divers wayes estoppe and prejudice her self of her dower as if she commit any crime for which she is attainted of Treason Murder or felony she shall have in this case no dower notwithstanding she hath obtained her pardon Allo if after the death of her husband she taketh a Lease for terme of life of the same Lands whereof she is indowable she loseth her dower of the same Moreover if she depart from her husband and lieth in adulterie with another man and is not reconciled again to her husband without cohersion of the Ecclesiasticall power she loseth her dower after her husbands death she shall be also barred of her dower if she will withhold from the heir the Charters and Evidence concerning that Land whereof she asketh dower but none other save the Heir can withhold dower for this cause No Dower It ought not to be unknown also of what things she may demand dower and of what things not of Lands Messuages Advowsons Rent-charge Rent-services or Seigniories in gross or otherwise of Villains of Commons certain of Estovers certain of Milles and Offices or of the profit of them she is dowable but of Commons and Estovers saus number also of Annuities of Homages of things of Pleasure as of Service of paiment of Roses and semblable she shall not be endowed Note There be yet two other kinds of Dower Dowment ex assensu Patris the one is called Dowment ex assensu patris that is to say by the assent of the father and the other is called Dowment de la plus beale part that is to say of the fairest part Dowment ex assensu patris is when the Father is seized of Lands in fee simple and his Sonne which is Heir apparant indoweth his Wife at the Church door when he is espoused of parcel of his Fathers Lands with the assent of his Father in writing testifying the same assent if in this case her Husband die she may forthwith enter into the Land so assigned unto her without further procurement of process of Law although the Father of her said Husband be yet alive and in actuall possession of the Land but if she thus do and
the Husband and his Heirs shall have the Rent of them in the remainder c. And in this case there needeth no atturnement by word because the Husband that ought to atturn accepteth the Grant of the Services the which acceptance is an atturnement in the Law CHAP. XXIV Of Service HItherunto have I briefly touched and overrun the sundry kinds and forms of Estates Now forasmuch as there is no Tenure but hath unto it some service knit and annexed it were very necessary to declare how many kinds of Services there be and what Service is due to every Tenure for the knowledg hereof ye shall understand that the principall and most common kind of service that the Tenant oweth to his Lord is called Knights-service CHAP. XXV Knights-service KNights-service includeth Homage Fealty and for the most part Escuage and whosoever holdeth his Lands by Knights-service is bound by the Laws of this Realm to do unto his Lord homage and fealty and to pay for the most part Escuage when it shall be assessed by authority of Parliament as hereafter more plainly shall be declared Homage is the most humble and reverent service that a man of free estate and condition can do for when the Tenant shall do homage to his Lord the Lord shall sit Homage and the Tenant then shall kneel down before him upon both knees holding his hands between his Lords hands and say in this wise I become your man from this day forward of life and of member and of earthly Honour How the Tenant shall do Homage and to you shall be faithfull and true and faith to you shall bear for the Lands that I claim to hold of you saving the faith that I bear unto our soveraign Lord the King And then the Lord so sitting shall kiss him But if an Ecclesiasticall person which by his order and profession hath addicted himself to the service of God in especiall What a religious Person say when she doth Homage and do homage to his Lord he shall say I do to you homage and shall be to you faithfull and true and faith to you shall bear for the Tenements that I hold of you saving the faith which I owe unto our soveraign Lord the King Also when a woman not married doth homage to her Lord What a woman shall say she shall not say I become your woman for it is not convenient that a woman should be the woman of any other then of her Husband that she shall marry but shall say even as the Ecclesiasticall person saith I do unto you homage c. And if perchance a man holdeth sundry Lands and Tenements of sundry Lords and every of them by Knights-service then in the end of his Homage making he shall say Saving the faith that I owe to our soveraign Lord the King and to mine other Lords And none is bound to do homage to the Lord unless it be such Tenant as hath in the Tenancy an estate of fee-simple or fee-tayle either in his own right or in the right of another for if a woman have Lands or Tenements in fee-simple or fee-tayle What Tenant shall do Homage which she holdeth of her Lord by Knights service and taketh an Husband and hath Issue in this case the Husband in the life of his Wife shall do homage because he hath Title to have the Lands by the Courtesie of England if he overliveth her and also he holdeth them now in his Wives right yet before Issue had between them the Homage shall be made in both their Names but if the woman dieth before any homage made in her life and the Husband keepeth still the Lands as Tenant by the Curtesie now he shall not do homage to his Lord because he hath now an estate but for terme of life Fealty is as much to say as Fidelity Fealty or faithfulness in doing whereof the Tenants shall hold his hand upon a Book and say thus How a Tenant shall do Fealty Hear you this my Lord I to you shall be faithfull and true and faith to you shall bear for the Lands and Tenements which I claim to hold of you and duly shall do to you the Customes and Services which I owe to do to you at the termes assigned as Me help God and then he shall kiss the Book but he shall not kneel as he that doth homage nor do such humble or reverent service as is before declared in Homage And ye shall observe that Homage cannot be done but to the Lord himself Diversity between Homage and Fealty whereas the Steward of the Lords Court or the Bayliff may take Fealty for the Lord. Also Tenant for term of life shall do Fealty but Homage as I said he cannot do Now as concerning Escuage that is to say The service of the Shield Ye shall understand that he that holdeth his Lands by Escuage when the King maketh a voyage Royal into Scotland for the subduing of the Scots is bound to be with the Kings Majesty by the space of twenty daies well and conveniently arrayed and appointed for the Warre And he that holdeth his Land but by the Moity of the Fee of Knights service is bound by the force of his Tenure to be with the King by space of twenty daies and so proportionably according to the rate and quantity of his Tenure But now to our institute and purpose after this Voyage Royal into Scotland in which the King goeth in Person and after his return into England again a Parliament is wont to be summoned in which shall be prescribed and assessed what every Person that held his Land by Homage and went not with the King neither by himself nor by his Deputy shall pay to his Lord in satisfaction of his not serving and according to the taxation hereof every Tenant shall pay to his immediate Lord whether it be to the King or other after the rate and portion of his Tenure If he holdeth by an whole Fee he shall pay the whole Escuage if by a Moity the half if by a fourth part of a Fee the fourth part c. And this Money thus assessed is called Scutage or Escuage for which the Lord to whom it is due may very well for the non-payment thereof distrein But here is to be noted that some Tenants by Custom used time out of mind Distress of Escuage are bound to pay but the Moity or the third part of that which shall be assessed and limited by Act of Parliament Yea Escuage Certain and the Custom is in some place that to what summe of Money soever Escuage is assessed the Tenants shall pay never but such a certain summe of Money and this kind of Escuage is called Escuage certain that is to say Where Escuage is assessed by the Parliament to a more or less summe the Tenant to pay to the Lord five Shillings and no more nor no less c. Such a Tenure is called Socage Tenure and