right to present is called patron Age prier AGe prier is wheÌ„ an accion is brought against an infant of lands that hee hath by discent there he shal shewe the matter to the court shall pray that the action shal abide til his ful age of one and twenty yeres and so by awarde of the court the suit shal surcesse But in a writte of Dower in Assise also in such actions where the infaÌ„t coÌ„meth in of his own wroÌ„g he shal not haue his age Also note well y â— there be many diuersities of ages for y â— Lord shal haue ayde of his tenant in socage for to marye hys doughter when y â— doughter of the lord is of thage of vii yeres and also aide for to make his sonne heire knight when hée is of the age of seuen yeres Also a womaÌ„ which is maryed at the age of ix yeres yf her husband die seysed shal haue dower not before nine yeres Also xiiij yeres is y â— age of a womaÌ„ y â— she shal not be in ward if she were of such age at y â— time of the death of her auÌ„cester but if she were w tin y â— age of xiiii yeares and in ward of y e lord theÌ„ she shal be in ward til y â— age of 16. yers also xxj yeres is the age of y â— heire male to â—ée in warde and after y â— out of warde also it is y â— age of male and female to sue to be sued of lands which they haue or clayme by discent to make al maner of contractes bargaines and not before But if such an infaunt w t the age of xxj yeres geue his goods the donee take them hee may haue an action of trespas but otherwise it is if hee delyuer them him selfe Agreement A GréemeÌ„t is after this sorte defined or expouÌ„ded in master PlowdeÌ„s ComeÌ„taries AggreamentuÌ„ is a worde compounded of two wordes namely of Aggregatio and Mentium that is to say agremeÌ„t of minds so that agréement is a consente of myndes in some thinge done or to bee done and by drawinge together of the ij words Aggregatio meÌ„tiuÌ„ by the hasty short pronouncing of theÌ„ they be made one woorde to wit AggreameÌ„t ' which is no other thing then a ioining putting cuppling knitting together of ij or moe mindes in any thinge done or to bée don Sée after in Testament And this agréement is in iij. maners The j. is an agrement executed al ready at y â— beginning The second is an agreement after an act done by an other and is an agreement executed also The third is an agremeÌ„t executorie or to be don in time yet to come The first which is an agreement executed already at y â— beginning is such wher of mencion is made in y â— stat of 25. E. 3. cap. 3. of clothes in y â— iiij statute which saith that y â— goods things bought by forestallers beinge therof attainted shalbée forfait to the Queene if the huyer haue therfore made gree with the seller in which case this woorde Gree which is otherwise called agrement shal be vnderstood agremeÌ„t executed y â— is paiment for y â— things The secoÌ„dmaner of agrement is where one doth a thing or act and an other agrees or assentes thereto afterward as if one doe a disseisin to my vse and after I agree to it nowe I shal be a disseisour from the beginning such agréement is an agréemeÌ„t after an act don The iij. agremeÌ„t is wheÌ„ both parties at one tyme are agreed that such a thing shal be done in time to come and this agréement is executory in as much as the thing shal be done after and yet there their â—â—indes agreed at one tyms but because the perfourmance shal be afterwarde and so the thinge vppon which the agreemeÌ„t was made remaynes to be done y â— agréemeÌ„t shal be said executory And y â— the statute of 26. H. 8. cap. 3. doth prooue where it saith that euery vicar person such like c. before their actual possession or medling w t the profits of their benifice shal satisfie content c. or agree to pay to the vse of the Quéene the first fruits c. and if any such person vicar c. enter in actual possessioÌ„ c. this agrement is to be vnderstoode executory as y â— coÌ„mon vse prooues for it is vsed y â— he w t one or ij w t him doe make two or thrée obligations for it to bée payed at certeine dayes after And this agréement executorye is denided in ij pointes One is an agréement executory which is certein at the beginninge as is sayed laste béefore of the first fruits The other is where y â— certentye doth not appeare at the first and y â— parties are agréed y â— the thinge shal be performed or payed vppon the certenty knowen As if one sell to an other al hys wheat in such a tasse in his barne â—nthreshed it is agréed betwene theÌ„ y â— he shal pay for euery bushel xij d. when it is threshed cleaned measured Aide AIde is when tenaunt for terme of life tenaÌ„t in dower tenant by curtesie or tenant in tayle after possibilitie of issue extinct is impleded then for that y â— they haue noe estate but for terme of lyfe they shal pray in aid of him in the reuersion proces shalbée made by writ against him to coÌ„e and plede with the tenaÌ„t in the defence of the land if he wil but it behoueth that they agree in plee for if they vary the plée of the tenaÌ„t shal be taken and then the aide prayer is voide but if hee come not at the second writte then the tenant shal aunswere sole Also tenaunt for terme of yeares tenaunt at wil tenaunt by Elegit and tenaunt by statute merchaunt shall haue aide of him in the reuersion theseruant and baylie of their mayster when they haue done any thing lawfully in the right of their maister shal haue aide Ayde of the Kynge is in lyke case as it is sayed béefore of a common personne and also in manye other cases where the king may haue losse although that the tenaunt be tenaunt in fee simple hée shal haue aide as if a rent bée demaunded against the kynges tenant which holdeth in chiefe he shall haue aide and so hée shall not haue of a common person Also where a Citie or borough hath a fee ferme of the kinge any thinge bée demaunded agaynst them which béelongeth to the fée ferme they shal haue ayde for the losse of the king Also a man shall haue ayde of the kynge in the stéede of voucher Also the kynges Bailife the collector and purueyour shall haue ayde of the kinge as well as the officers of other persons Alien ALien is he whose father him selfe were both borne out of the Quéenes legeance and if such an
the wife the iij. part Where it is said here that y â— dead shal haue one part it is ment for performance of his legacies by hys executours if hée make a testament or by the dyscretyon of the ordinary if hée die intestate 16 And if there be no law ful issue on liue let y â— dead haue the one halfe and y â— wife on liue y â— other half The selfe same order y â— the custoÌ„e here speaketh of in y â— xv xvj diuisioÌ„ is at this day obserued in y â— City of London and the same in effect was longe since vsed throughout the whole Realme For it is euydent both by the lawe of kinge Canutus by master Glanuile by y â— words of Magna carta ca. 18. by master Fitz. in his Natura breuiuÌ„ in the writ d' Rationabili parte bonor ' f. 122. L. y â— y â— wife children had their resonable partes of the goods by the coÌ„mon lawe of y e realme that y â— common lawe was soe it appereth also in 30. E. 3. 25. et 21. 30. H. 6. And it was said for lawe M. 31. H. 8. abridged by master Bro. ti â–ª Rationabili parte bonarum pl ' 6. that it hath bene often put in vre as a comon lawe and neuer de murred vpoÌ„ and therfore it seemeth that it is common lawe howsoeeuer it came to passe at length y â— it was admitted for lawe but in such countries only where it was continued by daylie vsage that al y e writs in the Register de Rationabili ê‘te bonoruÌ„ haue meÌ„cion of the special custoÌ„e of the shire in which the part is demaunded and soe is the Booke 28. Henrici 6. 4. But as at thys daye partycion of Chattelles is not vsed throughout the whole Realme though in the meane time it hath not lost the force of common lawe as many thinke as may bée gathered by the opinion aforesayde holden for lawe an 31. H. 8. So is it as some think vanished quit out of all vre within thys Countrey of Rent also 17 And if the heire or heires shal be vnder the age of 15. yeares let the nouriture of theÌ„ be committed by y â— lord to the next of the bloud to whoÌ„ the enheritaunce cannot discend so y â— y e Lord take nothing for the committing thereof 18 And let not y e heire bée maried by the Lord but by hys owne wyl and by the aduise of his friends if he will 19 And wheÌ„ such heire or heires shal come to y t ful age of 15. yeares let their landes and tenements be deliuered vnto theÌ„ together with their goodes and profites of the same landes remaininge aboue their reasonable sustenance of the which profits and goods let him be bouÌ„d to make aunswere whych had y â— education of the heire or els the lord or his heires which coÌ„mitted y â— same education The lord ought to take good héede that he credit not the custody to any person that shall not bée able to aunswere therefore For if y e heire at his ful age of 15. yeres shal come to y â— Lordes court and demaund his enheritance although y â— Lord may distreine the gardeÌ„ to yeld his accompt as it appereth 18. E. 2. Auowry 220 yet in default of his abilitie the Lord him selfe and his heires remaine charged to the heire for the same But I do not heare that the Lords take vpon theÌ„ at this day to coÌ„mit the custody of these infants but y t they leaue it altogether to the order of y e next of kyn peradueÌ„ture to auoyde the daunger in which they are if they intermedle as is a foresaid 20 And this is to be vnderstood y t froÌ„ such time as thâ—se heires in Gauelkind be of or haue passed y â— age of 15. yeres it is lawful for them their landes or tenementes to giue and sell at their pleasure Sauing y e seruices to y e chiefe lords as is beforesayd Although that this custome enable the heire to make away his landes and tenementes very soone namely at the fiftenth yere of his age by meanes wherof it might be thought vnreasonable in giuing such scope and liberty to so yong yeres yet vppon the good consideration thereof it may appere that the custome it selfe doth reasonably carefully prouide in the behalfe of the heire for somuch as it licenceth hiÌ„ at y t yeres not to giue his laÌ„ds for y t he might do for nothiÌ„g but to giue and sel his laÌ„ds which it meaneth he should not do w tout sufficieÌ„t recoÌ„pence Such like interpretatioÌ„ the coÌ„mon law also seemeth to make of this custome both by the opinioÌ„ of Vauasor Keble 5. H. 7. 31. et 41. what said y t it was 〈◊〉 y â— a releas made by wâ—â—h an enfant was voyd By y â— seÌ„tence of y e bâ—oke 21. E. 4. 24. where it is sayd y t an infant can not declare his wil vpoÌ„ such a feoffement And by the iudgment of Hank 11. H. 4. 33. who also held that a warranty or graunt of a reuersion made at such age was to no purpose at all although a lease w t release might hapely bée good by the custome because that amouÌ„teth to a feoffement And it is not fit that this custome should bee construed by equity for as much as it standeth not with any equity to enable an infant of litle discretion lesse experience to sel his land and not to prouide withal y â— he should haue Quid pro quo and some reasonable recompence for the same for y â— were not to defend the pupill fatherlesse but to lay him wide open to euery slye deceipt circumueÌ„tion In which respect their opinioÌ„ is very well to be liked of who hold y â— if an infaÌ„t in Gauelkind at this day wil sell at xv yeres of age these thrée things ought of necessity to coÌ„cure if he wil haue y â— sale good effectual The first y â— he be an heire and not a purchaser of y â— land y â— he departeth w tal The secoÌ„d y â— he haue recoÌ„peÌ„ce for it y â— third y â— he do it with liuery of seysin by his owne hand not by warrant of atturney nor by any other maner of assurance And these meÌ„ for proofe of the first and second point of their assertion do build vpon y â— words of this custome where it is said froÌ„ such time as those heires in Gauelkind be of or haue passed the age of fifteene yeares it is lawfull for theÌ„ their landes or tenements to gyue and sell in which y â— words those heires doe restreine the infant that coÌ„meth in by purchase And giue sel in the copulatiue doe of necessity imply a recompence forsomuch as selling cannot be w tout soÌ„e price or thing giueÌ„ for it And for mayntenaunce of the third matter they haue of their part besides the comon
haue the warde of y â— lande y â— is holden of him but if the tenaunt holde of the Quéene in chiefe then shée by her prerogatiue shal haue the warde of the bodie and of al the land y â— is holden of her and of euery other lorde VVarden WArden most properly is he that hath y e ward shippe or kéepinge of an heire and of land holden by knights seruice or of one of them to his owne vse duringe the nonage of the heire and within that time hath the bestowinge of the bodie of the heire in mariage at his pleasure w tout disperagment And of wardens there be ij sorts namely garden in right garden in déede Garden in right is hée that by reasoÌ„ of his sâ—ry is seised of the wardship or keepinge of the lande and of the heire duringe the nonage of the heire Garden in déede is where the lorde after his seisin as aforesaid grauÌ„teth by déede or without déede the wardshippe of the lande or of the heire or of both to an other by force of which granÌ„t the grauntée is in possess â—â—â— is y e grauntée called garden in déede And this garden in déede maye graunt the heire to an other also bâ—â— that other is not preperlye called garden in déede for that is y â— graunt tée of the garden in right onely and here you may sée Brother Nicholas what misery followeth that tenure by knightes seruyce if the tenaunt die leauinge hys heire within age howe the poore childe may bée tossed and tumbled chopped and chaunged bought sold like a Jade in Smithfild y â— more is maried to whome it pleaseth his gardeÌ„ wherof ensue many euels VV arning WArninge is when an action of detynue of charters is brought agaynst one and the defendaunt saith that the charters were delyuered to hym by the playntife and by an other vpon certaine conditioÌ„s and prayeth y â— the other may be warned to plede with the pleintife whether the conditions bée perfourmed or noe and thereuppon a writte of Scire facias shal go foorth against him And that is called warninge Gauelate GAuelate is a specyall and auncient kynd of Cessauit vsed in Kent where the Custome of Gauelkind continueth whereby the tenant shal forfeit his lands and tenementes to the lord of whom they are holden if he withdrawe froÌ„ hys Lord hys due rents and seruyces after this maner as followeth If any tenant in Gauelkind withholde hys rent hys seruices of y â— tenement which he holdeth of his lord let the Lord séeke by the award of his court froÌ„ 3. wekes to 3. wéekes to find soÌ„e distresse vppon the tenement vntill the sowerth court alwaies with witnesses And if within y â— time he can find noe distresse in that tenement whereby hee may haue i 〈…〉 of his tenaunt TheÌ„ ar y â— fowerth court let it be awarded y â— hée shall take that tenement into his hand in y â— name of a distresse as if it wer an oxe or a cowe and let him kéepe it a yere a day in his hand without manuring it w tin which terme if y â— tenant come and pay his arrerages and make reasonable ameÌ„des for y â— w tholding TheÌ„ let hi haue enioy his tenemeÌ„t as his auncest ours and hée before helde it And if he do not come before the yeare and the daye past then let the Lorde goe to the next Countye Courte with the witnesses of his owne court pronounce there thys processe to haue further witnesse by the award of his court After y â— Countye court holden hée shall enter and manure in those laÌ„ds and tenements as in his owne And if the tenant come after ward and wil rehaue his tenements holde them as he did before let him make agreement with the lorde according as it is aunciently said Hath he not since any thing geuen nor hath hée not since any thing payd TheÌ„ let him pay v. pouÌ„d for his were before he be coÌ„e t'or holder againe There be some copies y â— haue the first verse thus written Nisith yelde and nisith gelde And others thus Nighesith yelde and nighesith gelde But these differ not in signification other coppyes haue it after thys sort Nigondsith selde and nigondsith geld That is to say let him ix times pay ix times repaye Gauelkinde GAuelkinde is a custome annexed goinge with lands in Kent called Gauelkind lands holdeÌ„ by auncieÌ„t Socage tenure And is thought by the skilfull in Antiquities to be called Gauelkind of Gyue all kyn that is to say to all the kyndred in one lyne according as it is vsed among the Germans froÌ„ whom wée Englyshmen and chiefely of KeÌ„t come Or els it is called Gauelkynd of gyue all kynd that is to say to all the male children for kind in dutch signifieth a male child and dyuers other like coÌ„iectures are made by them of y e name Gauelkind which I omit of purpose for shortnesse sake because that here you looke Brother Nicholas as you desired me that I should speake som what largly concerninge other more needefull matters for your purpose which you are desirous to know as touching Gauelkind lands both because you were borne in kent also are most abiding there and therefore you think to be ignorant of y â— maners or customes of your natiue coÌ„trey were a foul shaÌ„e To satisfie your request in this I haue therefore set you here downe the auncient customes of Kent as they haue very truely carefully of late bin published with some cases vpon them gathered out of those bookes that make any mencyon hereof which will I thinke coÌ„teÌ„t your desire at ful And first you must knowe that these gauelkind customes are of good antiquytie brought in hither by y â— Saxons Intes Angles Germans from whom wée Englishmen discend as is aforesaied and were by them vsed and left here and so continued in force vntill WilliaÌ„ duke of Normandy conquered al EnglaÌ„d KeÌ„t onely excepted which he had by composition and not by conquest And in this composition the valyant Kentishmen obtained a graunt of the continuation of their customes of Gauelkynde which euer sins thei haue vsed in the same countrey and thus they are as followeth The customes of Kent THese are the vsages and customes the which the coÌ„munalty of kent claimeth to haue in the tenementes of Gauelkynd and in the men of Gauelkynd allowed in Eire béefore John of Berwike and his companions the Justices in Eire in kent y â— 21. yere of king Ed. the sonne of king Henry That is to say y â— all y â— bodies of KentishmeÌ„ be frée as well as the other frée bodies of England This things hath byn since confessed to be true as it appereth in 30. E. I. in Fitzh titulo Uillenage placiâ— 46. where it is holden sufficient for a man to auoyde the obiection of bondage to say y t hys father was borne in Kent But whether it
vsage of the countrey y â— comoÌ„ law of the Realme also whych expoundeth the word Giue to meane a feoffement which not onely disalloweth of any gyft made by an infant but also punisheth the taker in trespas vnlesse he haue it by liuery from y â— infants owne â—â—ndes as appereth in 26. H. 8. 2. 9. H. 7. 24. 18. E. 4. 2. 22. H. 6. 3. and diuers other bookes 21 And if any such tenant in Gauelkind dye and haue a wife that ouerliueth him let that wife by and by bee endowed of y â— one halfe of the tenements whereof her husband died vested and seised by y â— heires if they be of age or by the Lords if y â— heires be not of age soe that she maye haue the one halfe of those landes and tenements to holde so longe as shee kéepeth her a widowe or shal bee attainted of child birth â–ª after the auncient vsage that is to say that iâ— wâ—â— she is deliuered of childe the infant be herde cry and that the hue and 〈…〉 be raysed and the countrie assembled and haue the viewe of the childe so borne and the mother then let her loose her dower wholye â–ª and otherwise not so longe as shée holdeth her a widowe whereof it is sayed in kentish He tâ—at doth wende her Let him lende her This custoÌ„e hath bene â—llowed of by the common lawe longe tyme since as may bee reade Praerog regis cap. 16. 2. H. 3. in Fitz. t' PrescriptioÌ„ 59. c. But it is a doubt whether a womaÌ„ shal be endowed by this custoÌ„e of a possession in lawe or noe for that y â— words be of y e tenements wherof her husband died vested seised which worde vested inforceth a possession in déede and not in lawe onely And therefore if landes in Gauelkynde discend to a maried man â–ª which dyeth before hée make his entry into the same Inquire whether it be y e maner to endowe his wife thereof or noe A woman shall not bée endowed by thys custome of a bailliwike or faire or such like profitte by the oppynyon of M. Parkins fo 84. because y â— wordes of this customary dower bée terres et tenements and al customes shal find a litteral and streight interpretatioÌ„ And where she is to be endowed by this custome shée may very wel be endowed of a moytie to be holden in coÌ„mon with the heire y t eÌ„ioyeth y â— other halfe c. It is a doubt whether y â— a woman entituled to dower in gauelkind may waiue her dower of the halfe after this custome bring her accioÌ„ to be eÌ„dowed of y e 3. at y e coÌ„moÌ„ lawe so exeÌ„pt her selfe froÌ„ al daunger of y e customary conditions or no SoÌ„e haue byn of opinioÌ„ y â— she is at lybertie to take y â— oÌ„e refuse y â— other at her pleasure therefore inquire thereof c. 22 And they claime also that if a man take a wife which hath inheritaunce of Gauelkinde and the wife dieth before hym let the husbande haue the one halfe of those landes and tenements whereof she dieth seised soe longe as he holdeth him a widower without doinge any strippe or wast or banishmeÌ„t whether ther were issue betwene theÌ„ or no. And if he take another wife let him lose al. 23 And if any tenement of Gauelkinde do escheat and that escheat be to any lord which holdeth by fée of Hawberke or by Serieancie by death or by gauelate as is her after sayd or be to him reÌ„dred vp by his tenaunt which before helde it of hym by quite clayme thereof made or if his escheat bee by Gauelate as is hereafter sayd let thys land remaine to y â— heires vnpartable And this is to be vnderstood where the tenant so rendringe doth reteine no seruice to himselfe but saueth neuerthelesse to the other lords their fées fermes and the rentes wherewith the aforesaid tenementes of Gauelkynde so rendred were before charged by him or them which might charge theÌ„ To hold by fée of Hawberke or by Serieancie if it bee graund Serieancie is to holde by knightes seruyce Heahbeony in SaxoÌ„ is a high defence and the Customes of NormaÌ„dy cal y â— fiefe or fée de Haubert which oweth to defende the land by ful armes y t is by horse haubert target sworde or helme And it consisteth of 300. acres of land which is y â— same as some thinke that wée called a whole Knights fée 24 And they claime also that if any tenaunt in Gauelkinde wythholde his rent and his seruices of the tenement which he holdeth of hys lorde let the lord séeke by the awarde of his courte from iij. wekes to thrée wéekes to find some distresse vppon that tenement vntil the iiij court alwaies with witnesse And if w tin that time hée can find no distresse in y â— tenemeÌ„t wherby he may haue iustice of his tenaÌ„t theÌ„ at y â— iiij court let it be awarded that hee shall take that tenement into his hande in the name of a distresse as if it were an Oxe or acowe and let him kepe it a yeare a day in his hande without manuringe it within which terme if the tenaunt come and paye his arrerages and make reasonable amendes for the withholdinge Then let him haue and enioye his tenement as his auÌ„cestors he before helde it And if he do not coÌ„e before y â— yere y e day past theÌ„ let y â— lord go to y e next County court w t the witnesses of his owne court and pronounce there this processe to haue further witnesse And by the awarde of his court after y â— couÌ„tie court holden he shal enter manure in those landes and tenementes as in his owne demeanes And if the tenaunt come afterwarde and wil rehaue his tenements and hold them as he did before let him mak agreemeÌ„t w t y e lord according as it is auÌ„cieÌ„tly said Hath he not since any thing giuen nor hath le not since any thing paid Then let him paye fiue pound for his were beefore he becoÌ„e tenant or holder againe Some copies haue the first verses thus Let him ix times pay ix times repaye This custoÌ„e is touched by the waye by master Frowike 21. H. 7. 15. by him thought to be good but whether it be at this daye put in vre enquire further 25 Also they clayme that no manne ought to make an othe vppon a booke neither by dystresse nor by the power of the lord nor his Bailife against his will w tout y â— writ of the kynge vnlesse it bée for fealtie to be done to his Lord but onely before the Coroner or such other minister of the king y t hath Royal power to enquire of trespasse coÌ„mitted against y â— Crowne of our Lord the king 26 And they clayme y â— euery KeÌ„tishman may essoine an other either in y â— kinges court or in the county or in
pleadinge is That the landes aforesayed are of the tenure and nature of Gauelkynde euen so the truith is that the present tenure onely guideth not the dyscent but that the tenure and the nature together doe gouerne it And therefore as on the one side the custome cannot attache or take holde of that which was not béefore in nature subiect to the custome that is to saye accustomably departed So on the other syde the practise of the custome longe time continued may not bee interrupted by a bare alteration of the tenure as it was holden by the Justices Annd 4. et 5. Phi et Mary as Judge Dalison hath left reported And also as it appereth by the booke 26. H. 8. 4. where it is saied that if a man seysed of Gauelkinde land holden in Socage make a gift in taile and create a tenure in knights seruice that yet this lande must descende after the custome it did before the change of the tenure Moreouer as y â— change of the tenure cannot prenaile against thys custome Soe neyther the continuance of a contrarie vsage may alter this prescription For it is holden 16. E. 3. in Fitz. ti Prescription 52. that albeit the eldest sonne only hath and that for many discents together entred into Gauelkind laÌ„d and occupied it w tout any coÌ„tradiction of the yonger brothers that yet the lande remaineth partible betwene them when soeuer they will put to their clayme Agaynst which assertion y â— which is said 10. H. 3. in Fitzh titulo Prescription 64. namely of the issue taken thus Whether the lande were parted or no is not greatly forceable For al though it be foe that the lande were neuer parted in déede yet if it remayne partible in nature it may bee parted whensouer occasion shal bée ministred And therfore euen in the fourme of pleadinge vsed at this day That the land alwaies c. was partible and parted it is playnelie taken that the worde partible onely is of substaunce and that the worde parted is but a worde of forme and not material or trauersable at al yea so inseperable is thys custome from the lande in which it obtaineth that a contrarye dyscent contynued in the case of the Crowne it selfe cannot hinder but that after such tyme as the land shall resorte agayne to a common personne the fourmer olde custome shall gouerne it As if landes of Gauelkind nature come to the quéens haÌ„ds by purchase or by Eschete as holden of her manor of Dale nowe after her death al her sonnes shall inherite and deuide them But if they come to her by forfaiture in treason or by gift in parliament soe y â— her grace is seised of theÌ„ in right of the crowne then her eldest sonne only which shalbée kinge after her shall enioye them in which case although those laÌ„ds which the eldest sonne beinge kinge did possesse doe come to his eldest sonne after him beinge kinge also and soe from one to an other by sundrye discentes yet the oppinion of Syr Anthonye Browne was 7. Elizabeth that if at any time after the same landes be grannted to a common person they shall reuolt to their former nature of Gauelkynde and be partible amongst his heires males notwithstanding that they haue runne a contrary course in dyuers the discentes of the kings before But much lesse may the vnity of possession in the Lorde frustrate the custome of Gauelkind discent as it may appere 14. H. 4. in y â— loÌ„ge Recordare abridged by master Brooke tit Auowry 46. and tit Customes 19. Nowe followeth to bée spoken howe farre this custome extendeth it selfe within this our Countrey of Kent c. It is commonly taken that the custome of Gauelkynde is generall and spreadeth it selfe throughout the whole Shire into al lands subiect by auncient tenure vnto the same such places only excepted where it is altered by act of parliament And therefore in 5. E. 4. 18. and 14. H 4. 8. it is said that the custome of Gauelkynde is as it were a common lawe in Kent And the booke 22. E. 4. 19. affirmeth that in demaunding Gauelkind land a manne shall not néede to prescribe in certeine and to shewe that the Towne Borough or Citie where the laÌ„ds bée is an Auncyent Towne Borough or Cytie and that the custome hath byn there tyme out of mynde that the landes wythin the same Towne Borough or Citie should discend to all the heires males c. But that is sufficyentlye inough to shewe the Custome at large and to say that the land lieth in Kent and that all the landes there bée of the nature of Gauelkynd For a writ of partition of lands in Gauelkynde sayth M. Littleton shall bée as generall as if the lands were at the common lawe although the declaratyon ought specyally to contayne mencion of the Custome of the Countrey Thys vnyuersalytie consydered and also the strayte bonde whereby the custome is so inseperably knit to the land as in maner nothinge but an act of parliament canne clerely disseuer them it followeth that no place Citie Towne or Borough within this shire can bée exempt from this custome although the same hath not at any tyme byn there put in vre no more then the Eldest sonne in the case before may for the like reason prescribe agaynst his youÌ„ger Bretheren c. Thus much béeyng spoken touchynge the name tenure nature generalty and order of Gauelkynde it shall nowe bee shewed of what quality the rents remaynders actyons and such other thinges of the which some bâ—e issuing out of these laÌ„ds some bée annexed vnto them and some bée raysed by reason of them shalbée And of theÌ„ some shal ensue the nature of the land and other some shal kéepe y â— same course that common lawe hath appointed And therfore if a rent be graunted in fée out of Gauelkynde land it shal discend to all the males as the land it selfe shal do as appereth in 14. H. 8. 5. 26. H. 8. 4. 4. E. 3. But if ii iointenantes of land in Gauelkynde grant a rent charge out of that land to I. S. to his heires And I. S. dieth hauinge issue ii sonnes this reÌ„t shal not disceÌ„d to both y â— sonnes of I. S. but to the heire at the common law because that the custome is in suspence during the ioynture by the opinion of the right worshipfull Christopher Yeluerton Esquire at hys readyng in Grayes Inne in lent An. 1573. So if a tenauncy bée of Gauelkynde nature yet the rent seruyce by which it is holden may discend according to the common lawe as Ald ' Chart ' in 7. E. 3. were of opinion If a remainder of Gauelkind land bée tayled to the heires males they altogether shall inherit as Fitzherbert Norwich thought 26. H. 8. 4. But that is to bée vnderstoode of a discent onely for if landes of Gauelkynde nature be leassed for life the Remaynder to the ryght heires of John Style which hath issue
lawe because that in the eye and consideration of the lawe hée is demed to be in possession for asmuch as hée is tenant to euery mans action that will sue concerning y e same lands or tenementes Preamble PReamble taketh hys name of the preposition Pre before and the verbe Ambulo to goe see ioyned together they make a compound verbe of the first coniugatyon Preambulo to go before and hâ—â—â—of the first part or beeginning of an act is called y â— preamble of the act which preamble is a key to open the minds of the makers of the act and y e mischiefes that they in tende to remedy by the same as for example the statute made at West â–ª minster the first the 37. chapter which giueth an attaint the preamble of which is thus For as much as certain people of y e realme dout very little to giue false verdictes or othes which they ought not to do wherby many people are disherited and lose their right it is prouided c. Prescription PRescription is when one hath had or vsed any thinge sith the time whereof no minde is to to the contrary Presentment PResentment is when a manne which hath ryght to géeue a benefice spiritual nameth the personne to whome hée will geue it and maketh a writing to the Bishop for him that is a presentation or presentmeÌ„t Pretensedright or Title PRetensed right or title is where one is in possession of landes or tenements and an other who is out of possession claimeth it or sueth for it Nowe the pretensed right or title is said in him who soe doth sue or clayme And if he afterward come to y e possessioÌ„ of the same laÌ„ds or tenements his right or title is extinâ—t or suspendedin the lande Priuie or priuite and Pris uies PRiuie or priuite is where a lease is made to hold at wil for yeres for life or a feoffement in fée and in diuers other cases nowe béecause of this that hath passed betwéene these partyes they are called priuies in respect of straungers betwéene whom noe such dealinges or conueyances hath ben Also if there be Lorde and tenaunt and the tenaunt holdeth of y e lorde by certein seruice there is a priuitie betwene theÌ„ because of the tenure and if the tenaunt be disseysed by a straunger there is no priuitie béetwéene the dissâ—â—our and y â— lord but the priuitie styll remaineth béetwéene the Lord and the tenant thâ—t is disseysed and the Lord shall auowe vpon him for that he is his tenant in right and in the iudgment of the lawe Priuies are in diuers sortes as namely priuies in estate priuies in déede priuies in lawe priuies in right and priuies in bloode Priuies in estate is where a lease is made of the manner of dale to A. for lyfe the remâ—ynder to B. in see there both A. and B. are priuies in estate for their estates were both made at one time And soe is it in the first case heare where a lease is made at wil for life or yeres or a feoffement in fée y â— lessées or feoffées are called priuies in estate so are their heires c. Priuyes in déede is where a lease is made for lyfe and afterwarde by an other déede the reuersion is graunted to a straunger in fée thys grauntee of the reuersion is called pryuie in déede béecause that hée hathe the reuersyon by deede Priuie in lawâ—is where there is Lorde and tenaunt the tenaunt lesseth the tenauncye for lyfe and dyeth without heire and the reuersion escheates to the lord hée is said priuie in lawe béecause that hée hath his estate onely by she lawe that is to saye by escheat Priuie in ryght is where one possessed of a terme for yeres graunts his estate to an other vppon coÌ„dition maketh his executours and dieth nowe these executors are priuies in right for if the condityon bee broken and they enter into the lande they shall haue it in the right of their testatour and to his vse priuie of blade is the heire of y â— feoffour or donor c. Alsoe if a fine be leuied the heires of him y t leuied the fine are called priuies Priuiledges PRiuiledges are lyberties and Fraunchises graunted to an offyce place Towne or manner by the Quéenes great Charter letters patentes or act of parliament As Tolle sake Socke Infangtheefe vtfangethéefe turne tolle oredelfe and diuers such like for which looke in their proper titles and places Next frende NExt frend and warden in Socage is all one and is where a maÌ„ seysed of landes holden in Socage dieth hys issue within age of 14. yeares then the next frind or next of kinne to whom the lands cannot come or discende shall haue the keepinge of the heire and of the land to the only vse of the heire vntil he come to the age of 14. yeares and then at that yeares hée may enter and put him out and bringe hym to accompt but in that accompt hée shalbée allowed for all reasonable costes and expences beestowed either vppon the heire or his land And the next frind or next of kynne to whom the inheritaunce cannot discend is thus to be vnderstoode if the landes discend to the heire from his father or any of the kyn of his fathers side theÌ„ the mother or other of the mothers side are called the next of kynne to whom the inheritaÌ„ce cannot dyscende for beefore that it shal so dyscende it shall rather escheat to the Lorde of whom it is holden and so it is to be vnderstoode where the landes come to the heire from hys mother or any of y e kyn of his mothers side TheÌ„ the father or other of the fathers side are called the next of kin to whom the inheritaunce cannot discende but shal rather escheat to the Lorde of whom it is holden Protestation Protestation is a sauinge to the partie that so pleadeth by protestation to bée concluded by any matter alledged or obiected agaiÌ„st him vpoÌ„ which he caÌ„not ioin issu And is no other thing but an exclusion of the conclusion for hée that taketh the protestation excludes the other party to conclude hym And thys protestatyon ought to stand with the sequele of the plea and not to bée repugnant or otherwise contrary Purchase PUrchase is the possess that a manne hath in landes or tenements by his owne act meanes or agréement and not by title of â—iscent from any of his auncestours Quarentine QUarentine is where a man dieth seysed of a maner place and other lands whereof his wyfe ought to bée endowed then the woman shall hold the manner place xl dayes within which time her dower shalbée assigned But if shée marie w tin the 40. daies shée shall loose her quarentine Fifteene FIftéene is a payment graunted in parliameÌ„t to the Quéene by the Temporaltie namely the 15. part of their goods And was vsed in auncient tyme to bée leuied vppon their Cattayle goynge in their groundes which thynge was
very troublesome and therefore nowe for the most part that way is altered and they vse to leuy the same by the yarde or Acre or other measure of lande By meanes whereof it is nowe lesse troublesome and more certen then before it was And euery Towne and coūtrey doe knowe what summe is to be payed amonge them and howe the same shal be raysed Wée read that Moyses was the first that did number the people for he nūbred the Israelits and therefore the first taxe subsidy tribute or fiftéene was inuented by him amonge the Hebrues as Polidore Uirgil doth thinke Regrator REgrator is hée that hath corne vittailes or other thinges sufficient for his owne necessary néede occupation or spendinge and doth neuerthelesse engrosse and buy vppe into hys handes more Corne vittailes or other such thinges to the entent to sell the same againe at a highe rand déerer price in faires marketes or such like places Reioynder REioynder is when the defendant maketh aunswere to the Replication of the plaintyfe And euery Reioynder ought to haue these ii properties specially that is to say it ought to bee a sufficient aunswere to the Replication also to followe and enforce the matter of the barre Reliefe REliefe is sometimes a certen some of money that the heire shall pay to the Lord of whō those landes are holden which after the discease of his auncestour are to him dyscended as next heire sometymes it is the payment of an other thinge and not money And therefore reliefe is not certen and a like for all tenures but euery sundry tenure hath for the most part hys speciall reliefe certayne in it selfe Neyther is it to bée payed alwayes at a certen age but varyeth therein also acording to the tenure As if the tenaunt had landes holden by knyghtes seruics except great Sergeantie and die his heire being of full age and helde his lands by the seruice of a whole knightes fée the Lord of whome that lands are soe holden shal haue of the heire 100. s. in the name of relyefe And if he helde by lesse then a knightes fée hee shal pay lesse and if more then more hauinge respect alwaies to the rate for euery knightes fée an hundred shillinges And if hée helde by graunde serieantie which is alwayes of the Quéene and is also knightes seruice then the relyefe shalbée the value of the lande by the yeare besides al charges issuinge out of the same Reliefe that the lorde shal haue for lands holdē in Socage is soe much more as the rent that the tenaunt holdeth his lande in Socage by as if hee holde by a penye rent and die the lorde shal haue that peny rent and a peny ouer for reliefe of what age soeuer the tenaunt be at the death of his auncestour And note that insome cases the lord shal haue his reliefe immediatly after the death of his tenaunt if it soe be that the tyme of the yeare wil suffre the same to be gotten as money corne flesh fish spices or any such like and for default of payement the lorde maye therefore of cōmon right presently distraine But in some cases the Lorde must stay for his reliefe a certen time when necessitie soe constraineth As if the tenāt helde by a rose a chery a strawbery or such like die in winter he shal not haue reliefe til roses cheries and strawberies are naturally fresh and ripe which is about midsomer then he shal haue one for rent an other for reliefe There is an other kind of reliefe that is payd after the death change or alienation of fréeholders that hold in auncient demesne and otherwise is paied as a knowledge of the tenure betwene y e lord and the tenant The same is not certein how much But doth vary according to y e custome of the mannour or tenure and is to be presented by the homage or sutours at the next court day of the same maner And note that alwaies when the reliefe is due it must bee payed at one whole payment and not by partes although that the rent bée to be payed at seueral festes Remainder REmaynder of lande is the lande that shal remaine after the particuler estate determined As if one graunt lanoe for terme of yeres or for lyfe the remaynder to I. S. that is to saye that when the lease for yeares is determined or lessée for life is dead that then y ◠land shal remaine shal be or abide with to or in I. S. Replication REplication is when y ◠defendaunt in any action maketh an aūswere and the plaintife maketh an aunswere to that that is called the replicatiō of the plaintife Reprises ▪ REprises are deductions payments and dueties that goe yearely and are payed out of a manour As rent charge rent secke pentions corodies annuities such like Resceipt REsceit is when an action is brought agaynst the tenaunt for terme of life or tenaunt for terme of yeres and he in the reuersion commeth in and praieth to be receiued to defende the land and to plede wyth the demaundaunt And when hée commeth it behoueth that hée bée alway redy to plede with the demaundant Reseruation REseruation is taken diuers waies hath diuers natures as some times by way of exception to kéepe that which a mā had before in him as if a lease bee made for yeares of ground reseruing y e great trées growing vpon the same nowe y e lessée may not meddle w t thē nor w t any thing y t commeth by reason of thē so longe as it abideth in or vpon the trées as mast of Oke Chestnut Aples or such like but if they fall from the trées to the ground then they are in right the lessées for y ◠ground is set to him and al theruppon not reserued c. Sometimes a reseruation doth get and bringe forth an other thynge which was not before As if a m◠lease his lāds reseruing yerely for y e sāe xx li. c. and diuers other such reseruatiōs thereby And note y e in auncient time their reseruations were as wel or for the more part in victualles whether flesh fish corne bread drink or what els as in mony vntill at the last and that chiefely in the raigne of kinge Henry the first by agrement y ◠reseruation of victuals was changed into ready money as it hath hither so since continued Retraxit REtraxit is the preterperfectēce of Retraho compound of Re and Traho which make Retraho to pull backe and is when the party plaintife or demaundant commeth in proper person into the court where his plea is and sayth that hée wil not procéede any farder in the same c. Now this shal be a barre to the accion for euer Reeue REeue is an officer but more knowen in auncient tyme then at thys day for almost euery manour had then a Réeue and yet styll in many coppy hold manners where the old custome any thing preuayleth
definitiō of villenage is villein of bloude and of tenure And it is he of whome the Lord taketh redemptyon to mary his daughter to make him frée it is hée whom the lord may put out of his lāds and tenements at his wil alsoe of al his goods and cattel And note wel y t a sokmā is no pure villeine nor a villeine oweth not ward mariage nor reliefe nor to do any other seruices real And note wel that the tenure in vyllenage shall make noe frée man villeine if it be not continued sith tyme oute of mynde nor vyllayn land shal make no frée manne villeine nor frée lande shall make noe villeine frée except that the tenāt haue contynued frée sith the tyme of noe minde but a villeine shal make frée land villein by seysin or claime of y e lord And note wel that if a villain purchase certaine land take a wife alien and dieth before the claime or seysin of y e lord y e wife shalbée endowed And note wel y t in case that the lord bring a Precipe quod reddat against the alien the which voncheth to warraunt the issue of the villaine which is villeine to the Lorde hée shal haue the voucher by protestation y e Lorde may say that notwithstandinge that hee plede with his villeine yet his villeine shall not bée enfraunchised And note well that a bastarde shall neuer bee iudged bylleyne but by knowledge in court of recorde And note well that if det be due by a Lord to a free man and he maketh two men his executours the which bée villeynes to the sayed Lorde and dyeth the villeines shall haue an actyon of dette agaynst their Lorde notwythstandinge that he plede with them And if he make protestation they shall not bée for so much enfraunchised for that that they be to recouer the dette aforesaid to the vse of an other person that is to say to the vse of their testatour and not to their owne vse And if the tenāt in dower haue a villeine which purchaseth certaine land in fee and after the tenaunt in dower entreth shée shal haue the land to her to her heires for euer more the same lawe is of tenaunt for terme of yeres of a villein And note wel that the Lorde may roble his villain bete and chastice at his wil saue onely that he may not maime him for then he shal haue appell of mayme agaynste him ¶ And note well that a villaine may haue iij. actions against his lorde y t is to say appel of death of his aunce stour appel of rape don to his wife appel of maime And note well if two parceners bring a writ of Nyefe one of thē be nonsute the nonsuite of hym shalbée iudged y t consuit of them both soe that if the non-suite be after apparance they shalbée put oute from that actiō for euer for the lawe is such in fauour of liberty And note well if two haue a vylleine in comen one of them make to him a manumission he shal not be made frée against both And note wel that in a writ de Natiuo habendo it behoueth that the lorde shewe howe hee cōmeth priuy of the bloode of the villeine of whome hée is Lorde c. And if hée nor none of hys auncestours were not seysed of none of hys blood he shall not wynne by his action if y ◠villein haue not knowledged in court of record him selfe to bée his villein And note wel that in a writ of Niefe may not be put more niefes then ij this was first brought in in y ◠hatred of bondage But in a writ de Libertate probanda may bée put as manye nyefes as the plaintife will ¶ And note well that if the vylleyne of a Lorde bée in auncien demesne of y e king or other towne priuileged within a yere and a day the lorde may seise him and if he dwel in the same towne or other place fraunchised by a yere and a daye without seisin of the Lord he hath noe power to seyse him after if hée goe not in estraie out of the foresaid fraunches Taile ¶ To hold in the taile is where a man holdeth certaine lāds or tenements to him and to his heires of hys body béegotten And note wel that if y ◠land be géeuen to a man and to his heires males and hée hath issue male hee hath fée simple and that was adiudged in y e parliament of our Lord the kynge But where landes or tenementes bée géeuen to a man and to his heirs males of his body begotten then hée hath fée tayle and the issue female shal not bée enheritable as it appereth the xiiii yere of Edward the third in assise Taile apres possibilitie ¶ To hold in the taile after possibilitie of issue extinct is where lād is geuē to a mā to his wife to the heires of their ii bodyes ingendred and one of them ouerlyueth the other wythout issue betwéene them béegotten hée shall holde the lande for terme of hys owne life as tenaunt in the taile after possibilitie of issue extinct And not withstanding that he do wast he shal neuer be impeched of that wast And note that if hée alien hée in the reuersion shal not haue a writte of entre in consimili casu But hée may enter and hys entre is lawfull per Robertum Thorpe chiefe Justice Frankmariage ¶ To holde in frankemariage is to holde in the seconde tayle lymit in the statute of Westminster seconde cap. 1. And the feoffour shal acquite y ◠feoffée of al maner of seruices vnto y e 5. degrée be past and y e feffour shal do all the seruice and suites duringe y e sayde terme And after the heires of the feoffée shall doe it for that that the priuitie of bloud is past And if hée bée distrained for seruyce hée shal haue a writ of Mesne agaīst him supposing that he held the lands of him but he shal not haue the foreiudgement if it be not in aduauntage of his issues And note well that after the fowerth degrée be past he shall bee attendaunt of as much seruice to the donour as the donour is attendant to the Lord paramount And if hée do felony for which he is attaint the king shal haue his lands for terme of his life naturall And after hys death hys issue shal inheryte as by force of the tayle And in this case none shall haue hys lands by way of eschete no more then in any other taile And in case that the tenant die without heire of hys body begotten the lande shall reuert to the donour as it shoulde in the common tayle And if a manne let his land to another in franke mariage yeldynge to hym a certayne rent by yeare hée shall hold this land in the common tayle and not in frankemariage for by the rent reserued these woordes