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AN ACT For the taking away the Court of Wards and Liveries.
WHereas the Four and twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord, One thousand six hundred forty five, the Court of Wards and Liveries, and all Wardships, Liveries, Primer-seizins, and Oustrelemaines, and all other Charges incident or arising for, or by reason of Wardships, Livery, Primer∣seizin, or Oustrelemaine; and all Tenures by Homage, and all Fines, Li∣cences, Seisures, and Pardons for Alienation, and all other Charges inci∣dent thereunto, was by the Lords and Commons then assembled in Parliament, taken away; And all Tenures by Knights Service, either of the King or others, or by Knights Service, or Capite, or Soccage in Capite of the King, were turned into free and common Soccage; For the further establishing and confirming the same, Be it De∣clared and Enacted by His Highness the Lord Protector, and the Parliament, That the Court of Wards and Liveries, and all Wardships, Liveries, Primer-seizins, and Oustre∣lemaines, and all other Charges incident and arising, for, or by reason of any such Tenures, Wardship, Livery, Primer-seizin, or Oustrelemaines, be taken away, from the said Four and twentieth day of February, One thousand six hundred forty five: And that all Homage, Fines, Licences, Seisures, Pardons for Alienation, incident or arising, for or by reason of Wardship, Livery, Primer-seizin, or Oustrelemaine, and all other Charges incident there∣unto, be likewise taken away, and is hereby Adjudged and Declared to be taken away, from the said Four and twentieth day of February, One thousand six hundred forty five: And that all Tenures in Capite, and by Knights Service of the late King, or any other person, and all Tenures by Soccage in Chief, be taken away; And all Tenures are hereby Enacted and Declared to be turned into free and common Soccage, from the said Four and twenti∣eth Day of February, One thousand six hundred forty five; and shall be so Construed, Ad∣judged, and Declared to be for ever hereafter turned into free and common Soccage.
Nevertheless, It is hereby Enacted, That all Rents certain and Heriots, due to Mean Lords or other private Persons, shall be paid; And that where any Relief, or Double anci∣ent yearly Rent, upon the death of an Ancestor, was in such Cases formerly due and pay∣able, a Double ancient yearly Rent onely in lieu thereof, shall now be paid upon the Death of an Ancestor, as in free and common Soccage; And that the same shall be recovered by the like Remedy in Law, as Rents and Duties in free and Common Soccage.
Hen: Scobell, Clerk of the Parliament.