Additional Appendix to Aurum Regina, Part 22
Inter Recond… de Termino Sancta Trinitatis, Anno tertio Regis Richardi secundi, Rot. 9. in Offic. Remem. Thesaurarii in Scacc.
Anno 3 R. 2.
Eborum. De onerando Johannem Sayvil Vic. de Auro Reginae per ipsum in manum Regis capt.PRaeceptum fuit Vic. Eborum per breve hujus Scaccarii dat. 7. die Maii hoc Anno tertio, sicut pluries, quod non omittet propter Libertatem Iohannis Ducis Lanc. quin …am, &c. et de bonis & catallis Iacobi Pykeryng Militis, et de terris et tenementis (5) quae sua fuerunt Anno regni Domini Edwardi nuper Regis Angliae Avi Regis …ujus 36. seu postea in quorumcumque manibus eadem terr. et ten. tunc existent. in balliva sua fieri faceret 10 marc. quas debet Philippae nuper Reginae Angli… defunctae, de AURO SUO, de fine C marc. pro (4) Custodia omnium terrarum et ten. cum pertin. in Wyndlegh in Com. praedict. quae fuerunt Thom… de Haveryngton Chivaler defuncti, habend… usque ad legitimam aetatem haered. praedicti Thomae, una cum maritagio ejusdem haeredis sine disparagatione; qui quidem denar. ad dictum Regem, occasion… mortis praefatae nuper Reginae fuerant devoluti; ita quod denar. illos haberet hic in Crastino Sancti Iohannis Baptistae hoc Anno Regi solvendos, sicut contnetur in ligula brevium de hoc termino.
Et ad p…aedictum Crastinum praedict…s Vic. viz. Iohannis Sayvill retornavit breve, & mandavit, quod cepit in manum Regis de terris & catallis praedicti Iac…bi Pyk…yng ad valentiam 40 s. de debito praedicto: et quod non invenit plura bona …eu catalla, &c. Et quia praefata Regina mortua est, prout superius continetur, et denarii praedicti ad (5) Regem et non ad alium de jure p…rtinent; Ideo id…m V…c. viz. praedictus Iohannes Sayvyll oneretur versus Regem de 40 s. praedictis praetextu cogn. suae praedictae.
From all …he premised Writs and Records, to which perchance sundry more of a like, but few or none of a different nature, might be added in these and succeeding Kings reigns, …pon further search into the files and Bundles of Writs issued to, and returned by Sheriffs, for levying of this Duty, (which are generally either mislayd, lost, or neglected as uselesse, and very tedious exactly to peruse…) I shall deduce these Observations and Conclusions naturally arising from them.
1. That AVRVM REGINAE was a most antient Royal Prerogative, Debt, Duty, and Revenue belonging to our QUEEN-CONSORTS out of all Voluntary Fines, Obl…tions to, Compositions or Contracts, made with our Kings during th…ir respective Mariages and Covertures, if they were of or above the value of ten Marks.
2. That AVRVM REGINAE was one full tenth part over and above the entire Fine, Oblation to, or Composition, Contract made with the King, to wit, one Mark for every ten Marks, and one pound for every ten pounds, paid or payable to the King in moneyes, either in Masse or in Coine; and so proportionably for any greater summes.
3ly. That it was due out of all Fines, Oblations, Compositions for Grants of Lands, Liberties, and the Custody of the Lands, bodies, or Mariages of Wards without disparagement; For Licenses to alien, morgage, or purchase Lands held in Capite of the King, or Rents issuing out of them; For Licenses to alien, purchase, or receive any Lands, Houses, Rents, Advowsons, Churches or Chappels in mortmain to or by any Religious Houses, Hospitals, Parsons, Prelates, or other Ecclesiastical or Civil Corporations; For licenses to marry the Kings Wards or Widdowes; For grants, Liveries, and restitution of Lands, goods or chattels out of the Kings hands, when seised by reason of Vacancies of Bishopricks or Monasteries, or for Wardships, or for Contempts or Forfeitures, yea for Fines for Original Writs and Concords.
4ly. For Fines, Compositions, Ransoms for, and Pardons of all sorts of Trespasses and Offences; As, alienations or purchases of Lands held of the King in Capite: or granting, purchasing, receiving Lands, Houses, Rents in mortmain, or marrying the Kings Wards, Widdows, or Women holding Lands in Capit…, without the Kings preceding special licenses; for and of all …orts of Trespasses in Forests, punishable by Forest Lawes, all kinds of Extorsions, Oppressions, Maintenances, …onsp…racies, Frauds, Deceits, selling Corrupt Wines mixed with Lees, or with old, or decayed Wines, or other mixtures… or Wines ungauged, or not according to the Legal measure, assise or p…ice; and for and of all other Trespasses, Grievances, Misdemeanors punished by the Kings Justices in any Court, Country, Forest, Eyre, submitted to by the parti…s fined, and estreated into the Kings Exchequer. The particulars of which Trespasses, Offences being very numerous, and of different kindes, yea many of them very observable, those who please may peruse at leisure in the Great Rolls, (carefully preserved in the Pipe Office) during the reigns of King Henry the 2. King Iohn, King H…nry the 3. and their successors, till our present age, and likewise in the Rolls in the Kings and Lord Treasurers Remembrancers Offices in the Exchequer at Westminster; and in the Fine Rolls in the Tower.
5ly. That the King himself did sometimes appoint by his Writs and Precepts, at what dayes, and by what particular summs, and in what places the Duty of Queen-gold should be payd, in favour to those who were to pay it; most likely by the Queens consent.
6ly. That the Estreats, and Fine Rolls sent out of the Chancery, and out of other Courts or Eyres by the Kings Justices into the Exchequer; were a sufficient warrant to the Queens Clerks or Officers in the Exchequer to ascertain and issue out Writs and Processe to Sheriffs and other Officers to levy her QUEEN-GOLD, according to the proportion of the Fines ascertained by the Records, upon the goods, chattels, lands and tenements of all such from whom it was due.
7ly. That this Queen-gold was usually payd to, and received by the Queens own Officers and Receivers in the Kings Court of Exchequer, and levyed by the same Processe, Officers, and in the same manner as the Kings own Fin…s and Debts were levyed; And that when Bailif…s of Liberties were ne…ligent in levying it, the Sheriffs themselves were commanded to enter their Liberties, and levy it by distresses.
8ly. That not only the goods and chattels of the persons from whom Queen-gold was due, but likewise all the Lands and tenements they were seised of at the time when the Fine, Oblation to, or Contract with the King was first made, were liable and extendable to satisfie it, in whose hands soever they were found; and likewise their pledges or sureties goods, chattels, lands and tenements.
9ly. That Processe usually issued out of the Court of Exchequer year after year to Sheriffs and Bayliffs of Liberties for this Duty, till the whole way levyed, and satisfaction thereof acknowledged by the Queens Attorney or Receiver in open Court.
10ly. That all arrears of Queen-gold unpayd or unlevyed at the time of the Queens death, of right accrued, belonged to the King her Husband as a just Debt, (over and above his own Original Fine, Oblation or Contract) and to none o…her Person: whereupon the King issued Processe in his own name, right to levy it; and accordingly received it by judgement of his Court of Exchequer when levyed, as particularly belonging to him by his Prerogative. And in case the King-husband likewise deceased before all the arrears of Queen-gold due to his deceased Queen were levyed or received, they then accrued by Law and right to this succeeding King; as the premised Presidents of King Edward the 3d. and his Grandchild King Richard the 2d. most clearly and irrefragably evidence and resolve: for which end I have here transcribed them at large.
I shall cloze up this Additional Appendix, with the Case of William de Asthorp Knight, the Record whereof I found Inter Communia de Termino Paschae, Anno 18 Regis Richardi secundi, Rot… 1. in Officio Rem. Thesaurarii in Sca…. differing in some Clauses, Names of Justices from that I formerly transcribed out of the Manuscript of Mr. W. B. in my AURUM REGINAE, p. 60, 61. which I shall here present you with; wherein it was resolved upon mature deliberation. That no Queen-gold is due to the QUEEN for any fine or amercement ascertained and imposed on any person for any Trespass or Offence, if the party pleads against it as unjust, or unreasonable, that it was imposed on him against his will, and that he did not willingly submit himself to such Fine as the Justices did or should impose upon him for his offence; but if he submitted himself upon his Indictment, to pay such Fine, ransom or amercement as the Justices should impose for his Trespasse, or Offence, or offer any summe for the pardon thereof, when presented or convicted… AVRVM REGINAE was due and payable out of it, as within the rule de sponte oblat…, as all the premised Fines and pardons for Trespasses evidence, and this following Resolution doth not contradict; this Fine being never submitted to, but pleaded against by the party as unreasonable, excessive, and against the Kings Charter, exempting him from being sworn in Juries and Assises, which the Justices would not allow him convenient time to fetch from his house, and produce in Court for his discharge, and so different from all the premised Fines, for which QUEEN-GOLD was payd.
MEmorand. quod praeceptum fuit Vic. Devon. per breve hujus Scaccarii, dat. 20 die Februarii ultimo praeterito,Devon. De Willielmo de Asthorp Chivaler, exonerando de C l. de fine M. l. viz. de AURO REG…NAE. Term…n. Pasch. Anno 18 Rich. 2. rot. 1. sicut pluries, quod non omitteret propter aliquam libertatem, &c. quin eam, &c. et de bonis & catallis Willielmi de Asthorp Chivaler. & de terris & tenementis quae sua fuerunt die Martis prox. post festum Decollationis Sancti Iohannis Baptist…, Anno regni Domini nostri nunc 14, seu postea i… quorumcumque manibus, &c. in Balliva sua fieri saceret C l. quas debuit Anna nuper Reginae Anglia Consorti Regis Charissimae defunctae, de AURO SUO, de quodam fine (4) M l. ab eodem Willielmo exact. pro ingenti rebellione et contemptu, …icut continetur in Magno Rotulo de Anno 14 Regis nu…c in Devon. & in Rotulo de Finibus factis apud Exon. coram Petro de Solevey, Iacobo de Chuddelegh, Iohanne Hill, Iohanne Wa…ham, & Willielmo Hank…ford Justi…. Domini Regis ad pacem in Com. Devon. conservand. assign. die Martis supradict. Ita quod denar. illos haberet ad Scacc. hîc in Crastino Clausi Pascha hoc termino Thomae More Clerico, (quem dictus (5) Dominus Rex nunc per literas suas Patentes constituit et assignabit, ad omnimodas summas denar. praefat. nuper Reginae tempore mortis suae debitas) solbend. Et ad praedictum Crastinum Cla…i Pascha Vic. non retorn. breve; sed praefatus W. de Asthorp venit hîc in propria persona, & queritur, se graviter dist…ict… esse per Vic. Devon. pro praedict. C l. praefat. Th. More solvend. et hoc minus …uste, quia dicit, quod praedict. 100l. nunquam debitae fuerunt praefatae nuper Reginae in vita sua; quia d…cit, quod praeceptum fuit eidem Willielmo per praefat. Justic. ad Sessionem suam apud Exon. supradict. die Martis tent. quod mitteret manum suam super librum & juraret, quod inquireret cum aliis Juratoribus de diversis articulis eisdem Juratoribus per praedictos Justic. tunc imponend. Et idem W. de Asthorp ad tunc dixit, quod ipse habuit Cartam Domini Regis, quod non poncretur in aliquibus Assisis, Iuratis, neque Attinctis: Et praefati Justic. praeceperunt praefat. W. de Asthorp quod produceret Cartam ill…m, qui dixit, quod tunc non habuit promptus ostendend. …ò quod Carta illa tunc fuit…ad Domum suam per 15 Le…cas a dicta villa Exon. distant…m; Petens idem Willielmus diem de gratia dictorum Justiciariorum ad deferend. Cartam suam praedictam. Et super hoc praeceptum fuit eidem Willielmo per praefat. Justic. sicut aliâs, quod mitteret manum suam super librum et juraret, sub poena CCCC l. et sicut pluries sub poena M l. Et quia praefatus Willielmus renunciabit mittere manum suam super librum et jurare, prout injunct. fuit ei per praefat. Iustic. idem Willielmus pro ingenti rebellione et contemptu tunc amerciatus fuit ad *A very great excessive fine in that age.Mille libr. in quo casu dicta nuper REGINA NULLUM AURUM habere debuit. Et sic supradict. C l. nec aliqua parcella earundem nunquam debitae fuerunt eidem nuper Reginae in vita sua, per quod non intendit quod ipse de C l. praedictis, nec aliqua parcella inde Regi in praemissis respondere debet. Et petit judicium, &c.
Et …isis praemissis per Barones, habitaque deliberatione inde per eosdem, quia praedictus Willielmus de Asthorp amerciatus fuit per praefatos Iustic. ad diem et locum praedict. in supradict. M. l. pro ingenti rebellione et contemptu praedict. sicut superius in dicto Recordo continetur, et non de sponte oblatis. Consideratum est de assensu Thesaurarii Angliae, quod praedict. W. de Asthorp de C l. praedict. exoneretur et quietus existat, praetextu praemisso. Salva semper actione Regis, si alias inde loqui voluerit.
Since the publication of my AURUM REGINAE, I perused Serjeant Rolls his Abridgement newly published; wh…rein Part 2. p. 213. I found the Title of AURUM REGINAE, under that of, Prerogative le Roy, expecting to have met with some extraordinary learning, or rare Records and Cases concerning it; but found only his bare Abridgement of two Clauses in the printed Statutes of 15 E. 3. cap. 6. & 31 E 3. cap. 13. That QUEEN-GOLD should not run, or be demanded out of the Subsidie and Quinzime they then granted to the King: which I had printed at large in my AURUM REGINAE, p. 36. & 44. My desire is that the Kings and Queens of England might be fully informed of all Records, Antiquities, Writs, Memorandums that concern this their Prerogative and Duty, in which I have made a large progresse; But wanting leisure and oportunity to proceed any further therein, I must recommend the future searches after, and discoveries of them …o others, who have more abilities, leisure, if not obligations to undertake this labour then my self.
It is an antient Adagie, Nihil simul inchoatum & perfectum; And, Facile est inventis addere. If therefore any Officers, Attornies, Clerks, belonging to the Respective Offices and Treasuries of Records in the Court of Exchequer; or the Queens own Officers, shall be so industrious, as to make further and exacter searches into the Great Rolls, Records, Accounts, Bundles … and Files of Writs issued or returned in the Exchequer, after this Golden Mine, Duty of AURUM REGINAE, then I have already done, or hope to have future leisure to do, peradventure they may make some more discoveries of, and additional Supplements to this Subject; since, Pius vident oculi quam oculus; and, Bernardus non vidit omnia; I shall therefore conclude with the Poets supplication to every of them, and each other ingenuous Reader of my AVRVM REGINAE, or this ADDITIONAL APPENDIX to it,
— Si quid novisti rectius istis
Candidus imperti; si non, his utere mecum.
FINIS.
ERRATA.
Here, in p. 6. l. 28. for second, r. third: And in Aurum Reginae, p. 31. l. 18. for ac, r. ad; p. 44. l. E. p. 137. l. 11. adde 107. p. 132. l. 11. r. generaret; l. 37. p. 12. for 7. r. 3. omitted in the Errata to it. In the Margin, p. 130. l. 39. for oblatorum, r. Abbatialem.
End of the text · William Prynne, Additional Appendix to Aurum Regina (1668)