The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

326 THE OFFICE OF ALIENATIONS.
offered to defraud her majesty in this her most an- the shipwreck of conscience, and with the irrecocient and due prerogative, and finally to handle verable loss of their honesty and credit; and.
many other matters, which this purpose will not therefore, since it appeareth which way each of
permit me to recount at large. these hath his reward, let us also examine that
Lastly, here is need, as I said, of integrity increase of benefit and gain, which is brought to
throughout the whole labour and practice, as with- her majesty by the invention of this office.
out the which both the former learning and discre- At the end of Hilary term, 1589, being the last
tion are no better than armata nequitia, and no- open term of the lease of these profits granted to the
thing else but detestable craft and double villainy. late Earl of Leicester, which also was to expire at
And now, as you have seen that these clerks the feast of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin
want not their full task of labour during the time Mary, 1590,then shortly to ensue; the officers above
of the open term, so is there for them whereupon remembered thought it, for good causes, their duto be occupied in the vacation also. ties to exhibit to the said right honourable the
For whereas alienations of lands, holden by the lord treasurer a special declaration of the yearly
tenure of prerogative, be continually made, and profits of these finances, paid into the hanaper
that by many and divers ways, whereof all are during every of the six years before the beginning
not, at the first, to be found of record; and yet for of the demise thereof made to that earl, conferred
the most part do come to be recorded in the end: with the profits thereof that had been yearly taken
the clerks of this office do, in the time of the vaca- during the last six years before the determination
tion, repair to the rolls and records, as well of the of the lease. By which it plainly appeared, that
Chancery and King's Bench, as of the Common in all those first six years, next before the demise,
Pleas and Exchequer, whence they extract notes there had been raised only 12,7981. 15s. 7d. ob.;
not only of inquisitions, common recoveries, and and in these last six years of the demise the full
indentures of bargains and sales, that cannot but sum of 32,1601. 4s. 10d. qu.; and so in all 19,3621.
be of record, but also of such feoffments, ex- 2s. 2d. ob. qu. more in these last, than in those
changes, gifts by will, and indentures of cove- former six years. But because it may be said,
nants to raise uses of lands holden in chief, as are that all this increase redounded to the gain of the
first made in the country without matter of record, fermor only, I must add, that during all the time
and come at the length to be found by office or of the demise, he answered 3001. rent, of yearly
inquisition, that is of record; all which are digest- increase, above all that profit of 2,1331. 2s. 7d. qu.,
ed into apt books, and are then sent to the remem- which had been yearly and casually made in the
brancer of the lord treasurer in the Exchequer, to sixteen years one with another next before: the
the end that he may make and send out processes which, in the time of fourteen years, for so long
upon them, as he doth upon the extracts of the these profits have been demised by three several
final concords of such lands, which the clerk of leases, did bring 4,2001. to her majesty's cof-ers.
the fines doth convey unto him. I say yearly; which may seem strange, that a
Thus it is plain, that this new order by many casual and thereby uncertain profit should yearly
degrees excelleth the former usage; as also for the be all one; but indeed such was the wondrous
present advancement of her majesty's commodity, handling thereof, that the profit was yearly neither
and for the future profit which must ensue by such more nor less to her majesty, howsoever it might
discovery of tenures as were concealed before, by casually be more or less to him that did receive
awakening of such as had taken a long sleep, and it. For the writs of covenant answered year by
by reviving a great many that were more than year 1,1521. 16s. 8d., the licenses and pardons
half dead. 9341. 3s. lid. qu., and the mean rates 461. 2s.; in
The fees or allowances, that are termly given all 2,1331. 2s. 7d., qu., without increase or dimito these deputies, receiver, and clerks, for recom- nution.
pense of these their pains, I do purposely preter- Moreover, whereas her majesty did, after the
mit; because they be not certain, but arbitrary, at death of the earl, buy of the countess, being his
the good pleasure of those honourable persons that executrix, the remnant of the last term of three
have the dispensation of the same: howbeit, hi- years in those profits, whereof there were only
therto each deputy and the receiver hath received then six terms, that is, about one year and a half,
twenty pounds for his travel in each term, only to come, paying for it the sum of 3,0001. her
the doctor hath not allowance of any sum in gross, majesty did clearly gain by that bargain the sum
but is altogether paid in petty fees, by the party of 1,1731. 15s. 8d. ob. above the said 3,0001. above
or suitor; and the clerks are partly rewarded by the rent of 3,6491. 13s. 10d. ob. qu. proportionably
that mean also, for their entries, discharges, and due for that time, and above all fees and other
some other writings, besides that termly fee which reprises. Neither hath the benefit of this increase
they are allowed. to her majesty been contained within the bounds
ote. ~But if the deputies take one penny of this small office, but hath swelled over the
besides their known allowance, they banks thereof, and displayed itself apparently, as
buy it at the dearest price that may be; I mean well in the hanaper, by the fees of the great seal.