THE CUSTUMAL OF KENT.' [The marginal Numerals refer to the Sections in the following Analytical Commentary.] Ces sont les vsages de Gauylekend e de Gauylekendeys en Kent, que furent deuaunt le Conquest, e en le Conquest, e totes houres ieskes en ca. CES ES sount les vsages, e les custumes, les ques le comunaute de Kent, cleiment auer en tenementz de Gauylekende, e en gentz de Gauilekendeys, II. *allowes en Eire John de Berewike, e ses compagnions, justices en Eire, en Kent, le 21 an le Roy Ed. fitz le Roy Henrie.* III. Cestascauoir, que toutes les cors de Kenteys seyent fracz, auxi come les autres frauz cors Dengleterre. IV. Et que ilz ne duiuent le eschetour le roy elire, ne vnkes en nul temps ne fesoint, mes le roy prengne, ou face prendre, tiel come luy plerra, de ceo qui soit mistier a luy seruir. V. Et quilz pusent lour terres et lours tenementz doner et vender, sauz conge demauder a lour seignerages: sauues a seignorages les rentz e les seruices dues des mesmes le tenementz. Et que touz, e chescun, puseit per Bre le roy, ou per pleynt, pleder pur lour droit purchaser, auxibien de lour seignerages, come des autres gentz. VI. Et clament auxi, que la commune de Gauylekendeys, 1 From the text of Lambard. THE CUSTUMAL OF KENT.' [The marginal Numerals refer to the Sections in the following Analytical Commentary.] These be the vsages of Gauelkind, and of Gauelkinde men in Kent, which were before the Conquest, and at the Conquest, and euer since till now. THI "The wordes HESE are the vsages, and customes, the which the comunalty of Kent claimeth to haue in the tenements of Gauelkinde, and in the men of Gauelkinde, betweene the II. * allowed in Eire, before John of Berwike, taken out of and his companions, the justices in Eire, in Kent, copie." the 21 yéere of King E., the sonne of King Henrie.* another olde "Freemen." III. That is to say, that all the bodies of Kentishmen be frée, as well as the other frée bodies of Englande. IV. And that they ought not the eschetor of the king to chuse, nor euer in any time did they but the king : shall take, or cause to be taken, such an one as "Esechator." "Give and sell lands without it shall please him, to serue him in that which shalbe néedfull. V. And that they may their landes and their tenements giue and sell, without licence asked of their lordes: sauing unto the lordes the rentes and the seruices due out of the same tenements. And that all and euery of them may by writ of the king, or plede for the obteining of their right, as wel of their lordes, as of other men. licence." by plaint, "Plede by writte or pleinte." VI. And they claime also, that the communaltie of Gauel 1 From the text of Lambard. que ne tenent mes que tenemenz Gauylekendeys, ne deiuent venir a la commune Somonse del Eire, mes ke per Borgesaldre, et iiij. homes de la borghe: hors pris les villees que responder per xij. homes en le Eirc. deiuent VII. Et clament auxi, que sil nul tenant en Gauylekend seit atteint de felonie, per que il suffre iuyse de mort, eit le roy touz ses chateux, e son eir meintenant apres sa mort seit enherite de touz ses terres et tenemenz, que il tient en Gauylekende en fee, e en heritage, e les tiendra per mesmes, les seruices et customes, sicome ses auncestres les tyndröt: dont est dist en Kenteis : þe fader to be boughe and he ron to be plozh. VIII. Et si il eit femme, meintenant seit dowe per le heir, sil seit dage, de la meytie, de touz les terres e tenemenz que son baroun tint de Gauylekend en fee, a auer e a tener solonc la fourme de suthdyte. Et de tiels terres le roy ne auera an ne wast, mes tant soulmet les chateux, sicome il est auätdit. IX. Et si nul Gauylekendeis pur felonie, ou pur ret de felonie, se suthrei de la pees, e seit en counte demande com il appent, e puis vtlaghe: ou sil se met en seinte eglise, et foriure la terre oue le reaume, le roy auera lan e le wast de ces terres, et de touz ses tenemenz ensemblement oue touz ces chateus, issint que apres lan, e le iour, le plus procheyn seig. ou seigneurs, eyent leur eschetes de celes terres e tenemenz, chescun seigneur ceo, que de luy est tenu sans men. kindmen, which hold none other than tenements of Gauelkind nature, ought not to come to the common sum- «Appeere by monce of the Eire, but onely by the borsholder, borshoulder." and foure men of the borowe : except the townes, which ought to aunswere by twelve men in the Eire. for felonie, VII. And they claime also, that if any tenant in Gauelkinde be attainted of felonie, for which he suffereth "No eschete execution of death, the king shall haue all his goods, but of goods and his heire forthwith after his death shall be only." inheritable to all his landes and tenements which he held in Gauelkinde in fée, and in inheritance: and he shall hold them by the same seruices and customes as his auncestors held them whereupon it is said in Kentish : : "Dower of the one VIII. And if he haue a wife, foorthwith be she endowed by ye heire (if he be of age) of the one halfe of all the lands and tenements which her husband held of Gauelkind nature in fée: to haue and to hold ac- halfe." cording to the forme hereafter declared. And of such lands the king shall not haue the yéere, nor wast, but only the goods, as is before said. causeth IX. And if any man of Gauelkind, either for felonie, or for suspition of felonie, withdraw him out of the country, "Flying for and be demaunded in the countie as he ought, and felonie, be afterward vtlawed: or put himselfe into the holy forfeiture." church, and abiure the land and the realme, the king shall haue the yéere and the wast of his landes, and of all his tenements, together with all his goodes and chattels : so that after the yéere and the day, the next lord, or lordes shall haue their eschetes of those lands and tenements, cuery lorde that which is immediately holden of him. |