27. The Companys beinge bonæ fidei Possessores, and having truly purchased for greate Sommes at the Kings requeste, should be defrawded of their lawful Bargaines.

28. The Arrerages should be to them a greater Burden then they are able to susteyne.

29. The Warrantizes, Covenants, Bondes and Forfeitures, are an infinite Somme, and a moste unspeakable Confusion.

30. The Charge of their Buildinge should be wholely loste.

31. Multitudes of Widowes and poore Orphanes should be thruste out of their Portions, and utterly undone.

32. The Testaments and Laste Willes of many persons should be utterly defeated.

33. Infinite nombers of poore Inhabitants should at an instant be expelled from their Dwellings.

34. Marveilous nombers of Poore susteined by those Revenues of Companies, should be put from their Reliefe, and coste to miserie, and burden of the State more than London shall be able to susteyne.

35. Many poore Schollers muste lose their Exhibitions.

36. The Companies shall not bee able to furnishe her Majesties Service from time to time as they have done, and desire to doe; much lesse to mainteyne the good contynuance of her Citie to her Majesties Honoure.

37. Finally, the Confusion and Tumbling up of the whole State and Order of this Citie would bee uncredible.

38. Her Majestie should hereof, by the said Suggesters, receyve little or nothinge, and in no waye comparable to the losse that her Highnes may susteyne in her Cities Disabilitie.

FOR the final compounding and adjusting these Controversies arising between the Patentees and Companies, certain Lords of the Council were made Arbitrators between them; whereof one of them was the Lord Treasurer of England.

The Offers of the Patentees before the Lords Arbitrators, April 4. 1585, to the Companies, were as follow:

"They require the Inheritance and Fee-simple of so much of the Lands in question, as they shall be found to have Right unto by the Opinions of the Judges: In consideration whereof, they will grant unto the said Companies and their Successors for ever, out of the same Tenements, so much annual Rent, in nature of a Rent-Charge, as the same Tenements are now demised for, and remit unto them besides all the Arrearages, without offering Disturbance to any Tenant for the Lease or Term of Years granted them bona fide, before the Date of the Patent."

"They demand 5000l. and Leases in Reversion for an hundred Years, of all the Lands that they shall have Right unto by the Opinions of the Judges, remitting to the Companies absolutely the Inheritance of the Lands, the whole Arrearages, and suffering the Tenants quietly to enjoy their Estates."

" They are contented to depart with a third Part of so much Land as shall be thought to be their Right by the Opinions of the Judges, reserving only to themselves two parts of the same Land, being rated and cast up according to the yearly Value in Rent, or as it is worth to be sold."

" Where it is alledged by the Companies, that they paid for the Rents-Charges out of these and other Lands 19000l. or thereabouts; the Patentees, to save the Companies from Loss and Prejudice, are contented to repay unto them so much Money ratably for the Rents out of the Lands to be adjudged for the Patentees, as it shall appear they disbursed for the same, remitting unto them the Arrearages and mean Profits: The said Companies to resign over to the Patentees all their Interest both in the said Lands and Rents so by them purchased; and the Tenants to continue out their Leases made bona fide before the Date of the Patent."

In short, the Rents in Adam's and Woodshaw's Patent were compounded for in the Year 1587, which amounted to 227l. 16s. 10d. The Mercers Companies Rents, which they had before compounded for of the Queen, amounted to 196l. 15s. 3d. and there remained much more to be compounded for.

King James I. in the seventh Year of his Reign, Anno 1609, for the Ease of these long complain'd of Grievances, set forth a gracious Proclamation, intituled, A Proclamation signifying his Majesties Pleasure to confirm by all means the Estates of his Subjects against all Defects in their Assurances, and all concealed Titles; importing, "That it had pleased him, as a Pledge of greater Favour intended towards his Subjects than ever they received from his Predecessors (setting apart all Considerations of Profit to himself, or Power over his good Subjects in this kind) by this Proclamation to declare, that he was fully resolved, that all his Subjects should partake of this Grace, to have all the Estates of their Lands confirmed and made perfect, and to be discharged of all mean Profits and Issues whatsoever heretofore due, or acknowledged, notwithstanding any Defects, or Imperfections, &c."

But it was not before the 21st of King James I. that this great Vexation of the Subject, by reason of Concealments, was put a full and satisfactory End to; when an Act of Parliament was made against these Concealers, and all Pretences of Concealments whatsoever. The Contents of the said Act was, "That the King, his Heirs, and Successors, shall not at any time hereafter sue, impeach, question, or implead any Person or Persons, Bodies Politick or Corporate; for, or in any wise concerning any Manours, &c. Secondly, or for or concerning the Revenues, Issues, or Profits thereof: Thirdly, or make any Title, Claim, Challenge, or Demand &c. And that every Person or Persons, Bodies Politick and Corporate, their Heirs and Successors, and all claiming from, by, or under them, or any of them, for and according to their several Estates and Interests, which they have or claim to have in the same respectively, shall hereafter quietly and freely have, hold, and enjoy against his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, &c. And furthermore, that every Person or Persons, Bodies Politick and Corporate, their Heirs and Successors, &c. shall quietly and freely have, hold and enjoy all such Manours, &c. as they now have, claim and enjoy, &c. against "