November, 1656
[27 November, 1656.]
Abolition of Court of Wards and Liveries, &c., confirmed.; Conversion of tenures into free and common soccage likewise.
Whereas the Four and twentieth day of February, in the year
of our Lord, One thousand six hundred forty five, the Court of
Wards and Liveries, and all Ward-ships, Liveries, Primerseizins,
and Oustrelemaines, and all other Charges incident or arising for,
or by reason of Ward-ship, Livery, Primer-seizin, or Oustrelemains;
And all Tenures by Homage, and all Fines, Licences, Seizures, and
Pardons for Alienation, and all other Charges incident thereunto,
was by the Lords and Commons then assembled in Parliament,
taken away; And all Tenures by Knights Service, either of the
King or others, or by Knights Service, or Capite, or Soccage in
Capite of the King, were turned into free and common Soccage;
For the further Establishing and confirming the same; Be it
Declared and Enacted by His Highness the Lord Protector, and the
Parliament, That the Court of Wards and Liveries, and all Wardships, Liveries, Primer-seizins, and Oustrelemains, and all other
Charges incident and arising, for, or by reason of any such Tenure
Ward-ship, Livery, Primer-seizin, or Oustrelemains be taken away,
from the said Four and twentieth day of February, One thousand
six hundred fourty five: And that all Homage, Fines, Licences,
Seizures, Pardons for Alienation, incident or arising, for, or by
reason of Ward-ship, Livery, Primer-seizin, or Oustrelemain, and
all other Charges incident thereunto, be likewise taken away, and
is hereby adjudged and declared to be taken away, from the said
four and twentieth day of February, One thousand six hundred
forty five: And that all Tenures in Capite, and by Knights Service
of the late King, or any other person, and all Tenures by Soccage
in Chief, be taken away; and all Tenures are hereby Enacted and
Declared to be turned into free and common Soccage, from the
said four and twentieth day of February, One thousand six hundred
forty five; and shall be so Construed, Adjudged, and Declared
to be for ever hereafter turned into free and common Soccage.
Saving for certain rents.
Nevertheless, It is hereby Enacted, That all Rents certain and
Heriots, due to Mean Lords or other private persons, shall be paid;
And that where any Relief, or Double ancient yearly Rent, upon
the death of an Ancestor, was in such cases formerly due and
payable, a Double ancient yearly Rent onely in lieu thereof, shall
now be paid upon the death of an Ancestor, as in free and common
Soccage; And that the same shall be recovered by the like Remedy
in Law, as Rents and Duties in free and common Soccage.