A. D. 1307. Anno tricefimo quinto Ed ward i I. Stat 2. 163 Stat, Ne redlor proftarnat arbores in cemiterio, made Anno 35 Edw, I. Stat. 2. ^W Anno Dora. 1307^ In what Cafes and by whom Trees may be felled in Church-yards. OUONIAM inter restores ecclefiarum et fuos parochianos iuper arboribus creicentibus in cemiterio altercationes oriri fepius intel- leximus, utrifque ad fe pertinere . contendentibus : Hujufmodi altercationis dubium declarare, juris facri potius quam ftatuti juris eftimamus. Nam cum cemiterium maxime dedicatum folum fit ec- clefie, et quicquid plantatur folo cedat ; fequitur neceffario, arbores ipfas debere inter facultates ec- clefiafticas numerari, de quibus laicis nulla eft at- tributa facultas difponendi, fed ficut facra fcriptura teftatur folis facerdotibus difpofitio et cura indif- cuffa a Deo commiffa decet. Verum cum arbores ipfe propter ventorum im- petus, ne ecclefiis noceant, fepe plantantur ; pro- hibemus ne ecclefiarum restores ipfas prefumant profternere indiftincSe, nifi cum cancellus ecclefie neceffaria indigeat refedtione. Nee in alios ufus aliqualiter convertantur; preterquam fi navis ec- clefie indiguerit fimiliter refeiStione, et re&ores pa- rochiarum indigentium eis caritative de arboribus ipfis duxerint largiendum : quod fieri non precipi- mus, fed cum factum fuerit commendabimus. tECAUSE we do underftand, that Contro- verfies do oft-times grow between Parfons of Churches and their Parifhioners, touching
- Trees growing in the Church-yard, both of them
- pretending that they do belong unto themfelves,
(z) * we. have thought it good rather to decide this Con-
'• tr overly by Writing than by Statute. (3) Forafmuch
- as a Church-yard that is dedicated is the Soil of a
- Church, and whatfoever is planted belongeth to the
' Soil," ' it muft needs follow, That thofe Trees which be growing in the Church-yard are to be reck- oned amongft the Goods of the Church, the which Laymen have no Authority to difpofe, but, as the Holy Scripture doth teftify, The Charge of them is committed only to Priefrs to be difpofed of.' " II. And yet feeing thofe Trees be often planted ' to defend the Force of the Wind from hurting of the ' Church j" ' we do prohibit the Parfons of the Church, That they do not prefume to fell them down unadvifedly, but when the Chancel of the Church doth want neceffary Reparations; (2) neither fhall they be converted to any other Ufe, except the Body of the Church doth need like Repair : (3) In which Cafe the f Parfons of their Charity {hall do well to relieve the Parifhioners with bellowing upon them the fame Trees ; which we will not command to be done, but we will commend it when it is done.' 1 Ro'l 25$. • Read tve think it belongs rather to the fa ci ed LatO than to tbejia- tute Law, to dt* Urmine this Doubt. II Co. 49. f Read the Hec- tors of poor Pet' rifoes. Anno primo E D W A R D I Statututn de Militibus, made i Edwardi IL Stat., i. and Anno Dom, 1307. Cotton MS. Claudius, D. z. DOMINUS Rex conceffit quod omnes qui Milites efl'e debent & noh funt & diftrifli fuerint ad arma 2 j nft militaria fufcipienda infra Feftum Nat' domini habeant refpeftum ad predicSa arma militaria fufci- Caufes to e'xcufe pienda ufque in OcTtabas fancli Hillar' fine occafione & extunc diftringantur nifi interim, &c. Item a Man from un- conceffit quod fi aliquis quefitus fuerit in Cancellaria eo quod diftridtus fuerit &c. h ncn habeat quadraginta dwtaking libratas terre in feodo vel ad terminum vitefue & hoc velit verificare per patriam tunc difcretis & legalibu: Militibus de Comitatu ad predictam inquifitionem capiendam fcribatur tt fi per illam inquifitionem ita fuiffe conftiterit fiet ci- remedium & cefiet diftric"tio Item fi aliquis implacitatus fuerit- de tota terra fua vel etiam de parte ejufdem ita quod refiduum non fufficiat ad valentiam quadraginta librarum & hoc poffit verificare tunc cefiet diftriiSlio donee placitum illud terminetur Item fi aliquis eorum tetieatur in certis debitis atterminatis ad fcaccarium ad certam fummam inde capiend' per annum & refiduum terrarum fuarum ultra prediclam fum- mam valorem quadraginta librarum annuarum non excedat cefiet diftridtio donee predictum debitum fuerit folutum & nullus diftringatur ad arma militaria fufcipienda antequam venerit ad etatem viginti & unius anni, Knighthood. Amended by St. i6Car. j. c. 20.
- This is taken fiom the Secur.da fan •veterum Statutorum by Pulton,
Y Item
