have Day to accompt from Year to Year in quindena Paschæ; and the Bailiffs thereof the Monday[1] of Easter Utas.
(2) And that all Sheriffs of England, except the Sheriffs of Westmorland, Lancaster, Worcester, Rutland, and Cornwall, shall from henceforth keep all such Wards and Escheats, that are not in other Fees, as belong to the King, which be within their Shires; and of the Issues thereof they shall be answerable in the Exchequer at the Terms aforesaid; [2](3) and at their Turns that they make in their Shires, they shall find Office of other Things, which the King's Escheators have not used to find of that which belongeth unto the King, once or twice in the Year, to as little Grievance of the People as they can. (4) And the Sheriffs shall seize the Escheats that fall, to remain unto the King in Fee, and shall certify the the King of them without delay.
Altered by 32 H. 8. c. 45. which establishes the Court of King's Wards, and made obs. by 12 Car. 2. c. 24.
IV. And the King shall assign three able Persons that shall go throughout the Realm, to survey and find the Wards and Escheats aforesaid, from Year to Year, when they shall think requisite.
(2) And the Sheriffs by their Counsel shall approve, and let to Ferm, or otherwise, such Wards and Escheats, as they shall think most for the King's Advantage.
V. Touching the five Shires before named, the King will, that the Sheriff of Cumberland shall execute the Office of Escheator in the Shires Westmerland and Lancaster; and the Sheriff of Nottingham in Rutland; and the Sheriff of Gloucester in Worcester; and the Sheriff of Devonshire in Cornwall; and shall safely keep the King his Wards and Escheats in the same Shires, and shall be answerable in the Exchequer for the Issues of them, as well as for their own Shires. (2) And the three able Persons aforesaid shall survey and extend such Wards and Escheats, as well there as in other Places, and those shall be approved by their Counsel. And when the Sheriffs do accompt for their Counties, they shall accompt for such Wards and Escheats. And in like manner shall the Justices of Chester do, and their Bailiffs also, every one for his Bailiwick. (3) And the said three able Persons shall keep the King's Demeans, and shall approve them as they shall think best for the King's Advantage, and shall be answerable ⟨in the Exchequer⟩[3] for the Issues: (4) And they shall have power to let forth small Manors and Demeans to folk of the same Places, or to other, according to their Discretion, and shall let them to Ferm from Year to Year, as they shall think most to the King's Profit: And the Fermors shall be chargeable for their Ferms unto the principal Approvers, and they unto the Exchequer, the Monday[4] next after the Ascension, from Year to Year.
VI. And the principal Collectors of the Custom of Woolls, at the two Terms before mentioned, shall pay all such Money as they have received of the said Custom, and shall make accompt from Year to Year clearly of all Parcels received in any of the Ports, or other Places of the Realm, so that they shall answer for every Ship where it was charged, and how much ⟨Wool⟩[5] it carried, ⟨and whose the Woolls were,⟩[6] and for every other Charge in the Ship, whereof Custom is due, and for the whole Receipt.
- ↑ For Monday,, read Morrow.
- ↑ The Meaning of this Sentence seems to be as follows:—And at their Turns which they make in their Shires, they shall be answerable for their Offices, and for other Things which the Escheators used to do, and which belong to the Escheat, once, &c. ☞What follows in the next sentence but one clears up this Passage.
- ↑ Add in the Exchequer.
- ↑ For Monday, read Morrow.
- ↑ Add Wool.
- ↑ The words in Italicks not in the original.
