Preface

PREFACE.

The present volume is a further instalment of a Calendar of certain documents selected from the class formerly known as Escheats, or Inquisitions post mortem. It deals with the period from the 26th to the 34th year of Edward III.

The statute 34 Edward III, cap. XIII, directing every escheator to take enquestes de son office by indenture between himself and jurors appears to have been interpreted differently by different escheators, some of whom seem to have considered that it applied only to inquisitions taken ex officio on the escheator’s own initiative and others that it applied to inquisitions taken on a specific writ also. In this and later volumes all indented inquisitions will be so described.

The text of this volume has been prepared by Mr. E. G. Atkinson, lately an Assistant Record Keeper, with some assistance from Mr. A. E. Stamp, M.A., of this Office and the volume has been passed through the press by Mr. E. Salisbury, B.A., an Assistant Record Keeper. The Index has been prepared by Mr. O’Reilly, M.A., of this Office, but was passed through the press during Mr. O’Reilly’s absence on Military Service.

H. C. MAXWELL LYTE.

Public Record Office,

22 March, 1920.