A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS ENSUING TREATISE. WHAT the Use of the Law principally consisteth in Surety to keep the peace Action of the case, for slander, battery, &c. Appeal of murder given to the next of kin Manslaughter, and when a forfeiture of goods, and when not Felo de se, felony by mischance, deodand Page . 373 . 373 . 373 373 Cutting out of tongues, and putting out of eyes, made felony. 374 The office of the constable Two high constables for every hundred, and one petty constable for every village 375 376 376 The King's Bench first instituted, and in what matters they Subdivision of the county courts into hundreds The charge of the county taken from the earls, and committed yearly to such persons as it pleased the king The sheriff is judge of all hundred courts not given away 380-1 Lord of the hundred to appoint two high constables What matters they inquire of in leets and law-days Conservators of the peace, and what their office was. Conservators of the peace by virtue of their office Justices of peace ordained in lieu of conservators; of placing and displacing of justices of peace by use delegated from The power of the justice of peace to fine the offenders to the crown, and not to recompense the party grieved Authority of the justices of the peace, through whom ran all The authority of justices of the peace out of their sessions Judges of assize came in place of the ancient judges in eyre, England divided into six circuits, and two learned men in the laws assigned by the king's commission to ride twice a year through those shires allotted to that circuit, for the trial of private titles to lands and goods, and all treasons and felonies, which the county courts meddle not in The authority of the judges in eyre translated by Parliament The authority of the justices of assizes much lessened by the Court of Common Pleas, erected in Henry III. time € 385 The justices of assize have at this day five commissions by Book allowed to clergy for the scarcity of them to be disposed The course the judges hold in their circuits in the execution Of property of lands to be gained by entry Page . 392 Property of lands by descent Three rules of descent Customs of certain places Every heir having land is bound by the binding acts of his In escheat two things are to be observed Concerning the tenure of lands The reservations in knight's service tenure are four Knight's service in capite is a tenure de persona regis . 396 . 398 . 398 . 398 399 · 400 The institution of socage in capite, and that it is now turned into money rents Ancient demesne, what Office of alienation How manors were at first created Knight's service tenure reserved to common persons Soccage tenure reserved by the lord. Villenage or tenure by copy of court roll Court baron, with the use of it He that standeth mute forfeiteth no lands, except for treason He that killeth himself forfeiteth but his chattels Flying for felony a forfeiture of goods Lands entailed escheat to the king for treason A person attainted may purchase, but it shall be to the king's use Property of lands by conveyance is first distributed into What livery of seisin is, and how it is requisite to every estate 410 Of the new device, called a perpetuity, which is an entail with an addition The inconveniences of these perpetuities The last and greatest estate in land is fee simple The difference between a remainder and a reversion by forfeiture by executorship by letters of administration Where the intestate had bona notabilia in divers diocesses, then the archbishop of that province where he died is to commit administration An executor may refuse the executorship before the bishop, But it is otherwise with administrators Property by legacy 429 429 430 430 430 430-1 Legacies are to be paid before debts by shop books, bills unsealed, or contracts by word 431 432 An executor may pay whieh legacy he will first. Or if the executors do want, they may sell any legacy to pay debts When a will is made, and no executor named, administration is to be committed cum testamento annexo THE USE OF THE LAW. THE use of the law consisteth principally in these two things: the one, to secure men's persons from death and violence: the other, to dispose the property of their goods and lands.1 For safety of persons, the law provideth that any man standing in fear of another may take his oath before a justice of peace, that he standeth in fear of his life; and the justice shall compel the other to be bound with sureties to keep the peace. If any man beat, wound, or maim another, [or give out false words that may touch his name,] the law giveth [an2 action of the case, for the slander of his name; and] an action of battery, and an appeal of maim, by which recompense shall be recovered to the value of the hurt and damage. If any man kill another with malice, the law giveth an appeal to the wife of the dead, if he had any, or to the next of kin that is heir in default of a wife; by 1 The printed edition has "three things," the "third" being "for preservation of their good names from shame and infamy." 2 The parts in brackets are omitted in Sloane MS.; and the form of the sentence, in which the damages seem grammatically attributable only to the action of battery, &c., inclines me to think that these are additions. |