If any tenant of the King die, the ſheriff, or other the King’s bailiff, may ſeize and enroll his goods and chattels, by the view of lawfal men; but yet ſo as that nothing thereof be taken away, till it be fully known whether he owe any, clear debt to the King: and then the King’s debt ſhall be paid, and the reſidue ſhall remain to the executors to perform the teſtament of the dead. And if nothing be owing to the King, all the goods ſhall go to the uſe of the dead.
If any freeman die inteſtate, his goods ſhall be diſtributed by his neareſt kindred and friends, and by the view of the church.
Widows ſhall not be diſtraimed to marry, if they are minded to live unmarried, provided they find ſureties they will not marry without the King’s aſſent, if they hold of the King, or without the conſent of their lords of whom they hold.
No conſtable or other bailiff ſhall take any man’s corn or other chattels, but he ſhall forthwith pay for the ſame, unleſs he may have reſpite by conſent of the ſeller.
That
