Kings of England when they set their Lands reserved but little
rent but victuals, and the changing of victuals into money be[nl]gan
about the time of Henry the first.
The Kingdome being disposed of as aforesaid (except some particular
places which were kept in Villenage) the next provision
was to settle the Lawes of the Kingdome and for that meam et [nl]tuam
were ever thought necessary distinctions in a Common wealth,
a Law was made for giving Livery and seasons upon the passing
away of any estate in Land, which was the rather observed for
that Duke William at his first setting foot on English gronnd fell
on his hand, and being demanded by one hfs Gentlemen whether
he had taken any hurt, hee answered No, he had onely taken season
of English ground.
After this crept into the Judges Chambers the lawes and customes
of Normandy, which were made of so precious use, that to
this day they might not be put in English, least the common people
might thereby not onely saue their money, but avoyd a great
deale of trouble and vexation.
And having thus briefly descended to the present times (in
which the Conquerer is Conquered) I shall give you a short
view of the grievances of the people in relation to the execution
of the Lawes of this Kingdome (which we hope ere long to
haue redressed) and so proceedeth Inteligence,
And first for matter of debt, there be many which have wherwith
to pay with a great overplus which doe rather lye and wast
their estates in prison then pay any thing to their Crecitor, and
yet there is not any way provided for the partee to whom money
is due to have any satisfaction.
Another sort of persons for debt are such, which are no waies
oble to pay or give reall satisfaction at present, and being cast in
prison are not onely utterly dis-innabled to pay what is due, but
are deprived of doing any service in the common wealth, and their
wives and children ready to famish, which is a worse punishment,
then that which Ciprian cites ancitlently to be the course
of the Ciuell Law viz. That if a man owed money and were not
able to pay it, the Judge would sentence him to be committed to
hir Creditor as his Villiane, until he had wrought out the debt.