igg C 24. Anno duodecimo Caroli 11. A. D. 1660. CAP. XXIV. An Ad for Taking away the Court of Wards and Liveries, and Tenures m Capiie, and by Knights- Service, and Purveyance, and for fetthng a Revenue upon his Majefty in Lieu thereof. TheRearonsof <■ TT THE RE AS it hath been found by former Experience, That the Courts of Wards and Liveries, this Aft. t yjy and Tenures by Knights-Service, either of the King or others, or by Knights-Service ;'« C'a^/f^, ' or Socage in Capite of the King, and the Confequents upon the fame, have been much more burthen- ' fome, grievous and prejudicial to the Kingdom, than they have been beneficial to the King : (2) And ' whereas fince the Interiniffion of the faid Court, which hath been from the four and twentieth Day of ' February which was in the Year of our Lord one thoufand fix hundred forty and five, many Perfons ' have by Will and otherwife made Difpofal of their Lands held by Knights-Service, whereupon divers ' ' Queftibns might poffibly arife, unlefs fome feafonable Remedy be taken to prevent the fame;' (3) Be' it therefore enadted by the King our Sovereign Lord, with the AiTent of the Lords and Commons in ^he-Court of Parliament aflembled, and by the Authority of the fame, and it is hereby ena6led. That the Court of veriest PnmeV Wards and Liveries, and all Wardfhips, Liverifs, Primer Seifins and Ouflerlemains, Values and For- iSeifms, &c. feitures of Marriages, by Reafon of any Tenure of the King's Majefly, or of any other by Knights- taken-away. Service, and all mean Rates, and all other Gifts, Grants, Charges incident or arifing, for or by Reafon of Wardfhips, Liveries, Primer Seifins or Ouflerlemains be taken away and difcharged, and are hereby ..enadted to be taken away and difcharged, from the faid twenty-fourth Day of February one thoufand fix hundred forty-five ; any Law, Statute, Cuftom or Ufage to the contrary hereof in any wife notwith- Fihesfor AHe- flanding : (4) And that all Fines for Alienations, Seizures and Pardons for Alienations, Tenure by taken"^' T' ^Homage, and all Charges incident or arifing, for or by Reafon of Wardfhip, Livery, Primer Seifin or enawajr. .Ouflerlemain, or Tenure by Knights-Service, Efcuage, znA zMo Aid pur file marrier, and Pur fair Jitz- ■Ghivalier^ all other Charges incident thereunto, be likewife taken away and difcharged, from the faid twenty-fourth Day of February one thoufand fix hundred forty and five ; any Law, Statute, Cuftom or Ufage to the contrary hereof in any wife notwithflanding : (5) And that all Tenures by Knights-Ser- ■Tenures by vice of the King, or of any other Perfon, and by Knights-Service in Capite^ and by Socage in Capite ^^jj^sht^s^service ^f ^^ King, and the Fruits and Confequents thereof, happened or which fhall or may hereafter hap- Mad. Hifl.Exc. pen or arife thereupon or thereby, be taken away and difcharged ; any Law, Statute, Cuffom or Ufage 43Z)433' to the contrary hereof in any wife notwithflanding; (6) and all Tenures of any Honours, Manors, Lands, Tenements or Hereditaments, or any Eftate of any Inheritance at the Common Law, held either of the King, or of any other Perfon or Perfons, Bodies Politick or Corporate, are hereby enadfed to be turned into free and common Socage, to all Intents and Purpofes, from the faid twenty-fourth Day of February one thoufand fix hundred forty-five, and fhall be fo conftrued, adjudged and deemed to be froin the faid twenty-fourth Day of February one thoufand fix hundred forty-five, and for ever there- after turned into free and common Socage ; any Law, Statute, Cuflom or Ufage to the contrary hereof •in any wife notwithftanding ; Tenures by Ho- II. And that the fame ihall for ever hereafter fland and be difcharged of all Tenure by Homage, "i^ge, Efcuage, Efcuage, Voyages Royal and Charges for the fame, Wardfhips incident to Tenure by Knights-Serv ce, ma: .d.fcharged. ^^^ Values and Forfeitures of Marriage, and all other Charges incident to Tenure by Knights-Service^ and of and from Aide pur file marrier, and Aide pur fair fitz Chivalier ; any Law, Statute, Ufage or Cuftom to the contrary in any wife notwithftanding : (z) And that all Conveyances and Devifes of any Manors, Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments made fince the faid twenty-fourth Tizj oi February, fliall be expounded to be of fuch Effedl, as if the fame Manors, Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments had been then held and continued to be holden in free and common Socage only ; any Law, Statute, Cuftom or Ufage to the contrary hereof in any wife notwithftanding. TheAflsof in. And be it further ordained and enadted by the Authority of this prefent Parliament, That one I* "'h tf'z ■^^ made in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, intituled, An A£f for the Fjlablifimcnt of the Court of repelled. ' * ' the King' Wards ; and alfo one Adt of Parliament made in the thirty-third Year of the "Reign of the faid King Henry the Eighth, concerning the Officers of the Court of Wards and Liveries, and every Cliufe, Article and Matter in the faid Adts contained, fhall from henceforth be repealed and utterly void. All Tenures ts> Y . And be it further enadted by the Authority aforefaid. That all Tenures hereafter to be created th^Kfrig here- ^Y ^^^ King's Majefty, his Heirs or Succeflbrs, upon any Gifts or Grants of any Manors, Lands, Tene- after fhall be ments or Hereditaments, of any Eftate of'Inhe/itance at the Common Law, fhall be in free and com- fieeand com- jnon Socage, and fhall be adjudged to be in free and common Socage only, and not by Knights-Service Viyet ^"^.il. CI' in Capite, and fhall be difcharged of a'l Wardfhip, Value and Forfeiture of Marriage, Livery, Primer Seifm, Ouflerle?imin, Aide pur fair fitz Chivalier zuA pur file marrier ; any Law, Statute or Refervation to tlve c. ntrary thereof in any wife notwithftanding. Provifofcir V. Provided neverthelefs, and be it enadted. That this Adl, or any Thing herein contained, fhall not Hcrio-s'^^&'-'"' ^^'^^ av/ay, nor be conftrued to take away, any Rents certain, Heriots or Suits of Court belonging or ' " incident to any former Tenure nov/ taken away or altered by Virtue of this A&, or other Services inci- dent or belonging to Tenure in common Socage, due or to grow due to the King's Majefty, or mean Lcxrds, or other private Perfon, or the Fealty and Diftreffes incident thereunto; (2) and that fuch Re- lief (hall be paid in Refpedt of fuch Rents as is paid in Cafe of a Death of a Tenant in common Socage. VL Pro-
