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The ancient rules which governed the tenures of lands, and the forms of asserting inheritances, were most curiously precise, and all conveyances of property were equally remarkable for their brevity and clearness; evidenced besides by the public delivery of possession which always attended them; but the singular and fatal occurrence, which I have just promised an account of, wrought a total and sudden change in this simple and venerable system.—The clergy, who, in the infancy of letters, were by far the most learned amongst the people, had been long availing themselves of the superstitions of darker times, to draw to themselves the possession of the richest domains in various parts of the country, and, to give secrecy to such transactions, (as they were all prohibited,) public conveyances were not taken from the dupes of their hypocrisy, who only bound themselves to permit the use and enjoyment to belong to those religious bodies; but the heads of them contrived to seat themselves in this high court, where they compelled the execution by their own decrees,
