March 1647: An Ordinance for lessening the number of the Trustees for sale of Bishops Lands.

March, 1647

[5 March, 1646/7.]

Recital of the Ordinance vesting the Bishops Lands in the Trustees.

Whereas by vertue of an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, made the nineth day of October, Anno Dom, 1646. All Counties Palatine, Honors, Mannors, Lordships, Suites, Circuits, Precinets, Castles, Granges, Messuages, Mills, Lands, Tenements, Meddows, Pastures, Parsonages appropriate, Tythes, Oblations, Obventions, Pensions, Portions of Tythes, Parsonages, Vicarages, Churches, Chappels, Advowsons, Donatives, Nominations, Rights of Patronages and Presentations, Parks, Woods, Rents, Reversions, Services, Annuities, Franchises, Liberties, Priviledges, Immunities, Rights of Actions and Entry, Interest, Titles of Entry, Conditions, Commons-Courts, Courts-Leet, and Courts Baron, and all other Possessions and Hereditaments whatsoever, with all and every of their appurtenances of what nature or quality soever they be, which then were, or at any time within ten years before the beginning of this present Parliament were belonging to any Arch-bishop or Bishop within this Kingdome of England or Dominion of Wales, or which they or any of them had held and enjoyed in the right of their Arch-bishopricks, or Bishopricks, Dignities, Offices or places respectively, with all Charters, Deeds, Books of Acompt, Rolls and other Writings whatsoever concerning the same belonging unto them, were vested and setled in the real and actual possession and seisin of Thomas Adams Alderman, then Lord Mayor of the City of London, Sir George Clark Knight, John Langham Alderman, and John Jones among others in the said Ordinance named, and also by the said Ordinance, and by other Ordinances since made in pursuance thereof, or for the explaining or executing thereof, the said Trustees are authorized and required to act and execute divers Acts and things concerning the Premisses.

Recital of the four Trustees which desired to be discharged.; The said four Trustees shall be no longer seised.; The Premisses vested in the remaining Trustees.; The remaining Trustees, or any five of them from henceforth to; act in as ample manner as all or any of the Trustees might have done.

And whereas the said Thomas Adams, Sir George Clark, John Langham, and John Jones, have humbly desired to be discharged of the said Trust, because they cannot constantly attend and execute the same, by reason of their other necessary occasions: The said Lords and Commons do hereby ordain That the said Thomas Adams, Sir George Clark, John Langham, and John Jones, and every of them shall be from henceforth no longer possessed, seized, or interessed of, or in the Premisses, or any of them, or any part or parcel of them; But that the seisin, possession, and interest thereof, or thereunto, shall be from henceforth wholly and absolutely out of them, and every of them; And that they, and every of them shall be from henceforth wholly discharged of the said Trusts to all intents and purposes whatsoever; And shall not from henceforth act or execute any power or authority, act or thing whatsoever by vertue of the first recited Ordinance, or any other Ordinance or Ordinances aforesaid. And that all and every the Premisses, and every part and parcel thereof, shall from henceforth be vested and setled, adjudged and deemed to be, and shall be wholly and onely in the real and actual possession and seisin of Sir John Wollaston Knight, and the other remaining Trustees, whose names are expressed in the said first recited Ordinance, and the Survivors and Survivor of them, their Heirs and Assignes, as fully and absolutely to all intents and purposes, as if the said Thomas Adams, Sir George Clark, John Langham, and John Jones, had not been at all named in the first recited Ordinance, nor in any other of the said Ordinances, and as if the said Sir John Wollaston, and the other remaining Trustees onely has been named therein. And the said Sir John Wollaston, and the other remaining Trustees, or any five or more of them, shall from henceforth act and execute all the powers and authorities, acts and things whatsoever, which by the first recited Ordinance, or any other of the aforesaid Ordinances, are appointed to be acted and executed by all the Trustees named in the first recited Ordinance, or by any part of them, in as full and ample manner to all intents and purposes whatsoever, as all the Trustees named in the first recited Ordinance, or any part of them, might and ought to have done, any thing contained in the first recited Ordinance, or in any of the aforesaid Ordinances to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

The remaining Trustees, or any five of them, or such as they shall appoint, may let for one year or less, any of the Premises (out of Lease.)

And it is further hereby Declared and Ordained, That the said Sir John Wollaston, and the other remaining Trustees, or any five or more of them, or such person or persons as they or any five or more of them under their hands and seals shall thereunto appoint and authorize, shall have full power and authority to let or set for one year or less, and so from year to year, or less, before the sale hereof respectively, any of the Premisses which are appointed to be sold by any of the said former Ordinances now being, or which shall be any time before the sale thereof respectively out of Lease, unto such persons and in such manner, whereby the best profit and advantage thereof may be made as they shall think fit, the Rents and Profits thereof to be disposed in such manner as in the said former Ordinances is Declared, concerning the other Rents, Profits, and Receipts therein mentioned and contained.

Copyhold lands be granted by Copy of Court-Roll and not otherwise.

Provided alwaies, That such of the said Premisses as are grantable by copy of Court-Roll, according to the custome of any Honour or Mannour, and which they have power to Demise as is aforesaid, shall be demised by the copy of the Court-Roll respectively and not by any Lease at the common Law.

The remaining Trustees (except the 3 Treasurers and the Comptroller) shall have 2000l. amongst them.

And the said Lords and Commons taking into their consideration, the pains and good service of the said Sir John Wollaston, and the other remaining Trustees for their encouragement therein, do hereby Ordain, That the said Sir John Wollaston and the other remaining Trustees, (except the three Treasurers and the Comptroller, who have a salary already allowed to them) shal have and receive the sum of Two thousand pounds; That is to say, One thousand pounds thereof at the end of six moneths to be accounted from the aforesaid nineth day of October, and the other One thousand pounds at the end of six moneths after: Which said sum of Two thousand pounds, the aforesaid Treasurers, or any two of them, are hereby authorized and required to pay accordingly unto them, or to such Person or Persons for them, as they or the major part of them under their Hand-writing shal appoint, out of such Moneys as the said Treasurers shall have received by the profits or sale of the Premisses. And that the said Sir John Wollaston, and the other remaining Trustees, (except such as are before excepted) or the major part of them shall distribute and dispose of the said Two thousand pounds among themselves by such proportions, and in such manner as they or the major part of them shall think fit. Lastly, the Printing of this Ordinance is referred to the Trustees, or the major part of them.