342 C. 15, 16. Anno xxxiv & xxxv Henrici" VIII. A. D. 1542-3. Chiller, or County of Lancqfler, Durefime, or any of th"m ; but that the fame Records {hall and may re- main and be in the Cuftody and keeping of the faid Clerks and Prenotaries, in fuch manner and wife as they are at this Day ; this A£t or any Thing therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding. CAP. XV. All Gifts, Grants and Writings to be made by the Bifliop of Bath and Wells, under his Seal, of any his Lands, Offices, Fees, l3c. and confirmed by the Dean and Chapter of Wells in Writing under their Chapter Seal, fhall be good in Law to bind the Succeffors of the faid Bifhop: And the Dean and Chap- ter of Willi fhall be for ever the entire and fole Chapter of the faid Biflioprick of Bath and Wells, whereor the Prior and Covent of the diffolved Monaftery of Saint Peter and Paul of Bath were heretofore the F R. half Part. CAP. XVI. •An A<5t for Sheriffs to be difcharged upon their Accounts, and to have Allowances for their reafonable Expences in the Court of Exchequer. IN moft humble wife befeech the King's Majefty his true and faithful Subjects, the Commons in this prefent Parliament affembled, that where the Sheriffs for the moft part of the Counties within this 4 Realm of England {land and be charged and chargeable toward his Highnefs, by reafon of their faid Of- 4 frees of SherifFwike, with divers ancient Ferms annexed unto the Corpes of the fame Counties ; that is 4 to fay, with one Ferme demanded of the Sheriff" of every of the faid Counties for the Time being, in one ' whole Sum under this Title De vie. de rem. firm. com. poft terr. dot. which Ferm did, and yet partly ' doth, grow and accrue, as well of the Ifiues and Profits of fuch Lands and Tenements, as from the ' Conqueft unto the xi. Year of the Reign of King Edivard the Firft, did remain in the Hands of the ' King's moft noble Progenitors, and fome of them do alfo yet remain in the Hands of the King's Ma- ' jefty, under the Charge and Cuftody of the Sheriffs of the fame Counties for the Time being, as Parcel ' of the ancient Demeanes and Inheritances of the Crown of England, not granted nor given away, as alfo ' Rents of Aflife, Rents called Common Fines, Sheriffs Aids, and of other Rents certain, belonging to the 4 fame Ferme. And the other Ferme demanded likewife in another whole Sum; Videlicet, De vie. de firm ' proficuo com. which Ferme did and yet partly doth rife and grow of the Perquifite and Profits of the Courts ' holden by the Sheriffs at the County Days, Sheriffs Turns and Hundreds, and of divers other Cafuaities ' and Profits, yearly happening and falling, within the Hundreds and Wapentakes of the faid feveral ' Counties, Parcel of the Corps of the fame Counties of old Time annexed to the faid Crown of England; 4 and alfo ftand and be charged and chargeable by reafon of their faid Offices, with divers Sums of Money ' demanded of them feverally for the Fermes of divers Purpreftures, AfTertes, Sergeantes, and minute Rents, ' and other Fermes exacted and demanded of the Sheriff under the Title or Name of the Sheriff, as in the 4 Rolls, and Memoranda of the King's Court of his Exchequer, more plainly it may appear ; which Fermes, ' and other Sums of Money before rehearfed, be not, nor of long Time have been, wholly levied or ga- ' thered by any of the faid Sheriffs ; but Part of them have been yearly loft and not collected, partly be- 4 caufe of the faid Sheriffs in Times paft have forborn to afk or demand the fame, or for to deftrain there- 4 fore, fo that it is now not certainly known what Lands or Perfons fhould be charged or chargeable there- 5 with ; and partly becaufe great part of the Lands and Tenements, Hundreds and Wapentakes, out where- 4 of Part of the Rents and Profits belonging to the faid feveral Fermes did iffue and grow, have been given 4 by the King's Highnefs, or his noble Progenitors, to fundry Perfons, difcharged of the fame Rents ant ' Profits, and yet none Allowance or Deduction hath been required nor mrde thereof. And now of late 4 divers Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Suits, Services, Hundreds, Wapentakes, Lathes ;! , and Rapes b , 4 which were alio chargeable with certain Rents, Fermes and Profits, Parcel of the faid Fermes before re- 4 hearfed, been come unto the Poffeffion of the King's Majefty, by the Gift, Grant, Diffolution, Surrender 4 or Attainder of divers late Monasteries or Houfes of Religion, late furrendered, diffolved, or otherwife
- come to his Majefty's Hands, by Occafion whereof the faid Rents, Fermes and Profits which did come
4 and grow out of the fame, been now clearly extinguifhed and determined ; by reafon whereof the faid 4 Sheriffs have heretofore fuftained, and from henceforth been like to fuftain much more Lofs and Damage 4 in the faid Fermes, and Charges before rehearfed, upon the Determination of their Accounts in the King's 4 Court of his Exchequer, than they were wont to do, unlefs fome good Remedy be the fooner provided 4 for them in this Behalf.' It may therefore pleafe the King's moft excellent Highnefs, that it be enacted, ordained and eftabliihed by his Majefty, with the Advice and Affent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by Authority of the fame, that from hence- forth all and every Perfon, which now is, or hereafter fhall be, Sheriff or Shejiffs of any County or Coun- ties accountable or anfwerable in the Exchequer, fhall at his Day of Prefiction, immediately after he is iworn to account of the Iffues and Profits of his Office of SherifFwike, and every other Perfon, which ot late have been Sheriff" or Sheriffs of any of the faid Counties, and have no Taills of Reward, nor have not vet determined his or their Account, or otherwife be difcharged or pardoned thereof, fhall in the fame Term that he taketh his Oath to account, be fworn by himfelf, or by his Attorney or Deputy fvvorn foi him, when he fhall anfwer before the Lord Treafurer, Chamberlaines, Chancellor and B;rons of the faid Exchequer ; or in the Abfence of the faid Lord Treafurer, Chamberlains or Chancellor, or any of them ; 12 EJ. 4. e. 1. This Aft is re- pealed in Part, and feems to be continued in Part, by 2 & 3 Id. 6. c. 4. Sheriffs, upon their Accounts made in the Ex- chequer ihall be discharged of fuch Sums of Money which they will teftify by their Oaths they cannot levy ; and they ftall have Al- lowances for the Diet of the Ju- Hices of Aflife, Clerk of Aflife, and other their reafonable Ex- pences. Fin. V. 19. 430. » A Lathe is a treat Part of a County mntaiplrtg three or four Hundreds cr Wapentakes.
- Rape is a Part cf a Csuntj ivbicb fometimes fignifes a Hundred^ and often contains more Hundreds than i
3 thei
