April, 1648
[14 April, 1648.]
Be it Ordained, by the Lords and Commons assembled in
Parliament, That the Trustees named and appointed in and by
several Ordinances of Parliament, for the Sale of the Lands and
Possessions of the late Archbishops and Bishops, or any Five or
more of them, upon the Desire or Request in Writing of the
Contractors in the said Ordinances named, or of any One or more
of them, under their or any One or more of their Hands and
Seals, and upon a Particular or Particulars to be made forth,
examined signed, and rated, under the Hand of Henry Elsinge
Register, shall and may, and are hereby authorized, required,
and enabled, by Bargain and Sale enrolled, or other good Assurance, to grant and convey (with like Warranty as to other
Purchasers) unto the said Contractors, or unto such any One or
more of them as shall so desire the same, his and their Heirs
and Assigns for ever, any Manor or Manors, Lands, Tenements,
Rents, or Hereditaments, Parcel of the Possessions of the said
late Archbishops and Bishops, at the Rate of Ten Years Purchase
for Lands or Estates in Possession, and for Reversions proportionably; the said Lands, so to be conveyed, to be in Lieu of, and
accompted towards Satisfaction of, such Sum and Sums of
Money as shall from Time to Time be due, and should or ought
to be allowed and paid unto the said Contractors, or any
One or more of them, proportionably, for his or their Salary,
in respect of their or any of their Attendance and Service in the
Sales already made, and hereafter to be made, of the Lands and
Possessions aforesaid: Provided always, and it is hereby Ordained
and Declared, That the said Purchaser or Purchasers shall not
exceed the Proportion of Fourscore Pounds per Annum in
Possession, or Reversions to the Value of Fourscore Pounds per
Annum in Possession, according to the Rules of Proportion expressed in an Ordinance of Parliament of 17th of March, 1647,
to each respective Contractor; and shall be of such Manors,
Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, whereof no Particular
signed by the Register hath been or shall be taken forth by any
Person or Persons within Threescore Days after Return and
Publication of the Survey or Surveys wherein the same are or
shall be comprized: Provided, That in case, at the Finishing of
the Sale of the said late Archbishops and Bishops Lands, or at
his or their Discharge from the said Service and Employment of
a Contractor or Contractors, the Value of the Purchase to be
made shall exceed his or their respective Salary from Time to
Time to be then due, demanded, and allowed, as aforesaid, that
then the Overplus of any such Purchase or Purchases, upon a
Certificate thereof stated and delivered unto the Treasurers under
the Hand of the Register, shall be, by the said Contractors or any
One or more of them, paid within Six Months next after the
Delivery of the said Certificate; and that the said Trustees shall
immediately after the passing of the Assurance of the
Lands or Estates so purchased as aforesaid, take Security
by the Lands or Estates so to be by them conveyed
for Performance thereof accordingly: Provided, That (if the said
Premises in Possession to be sold and conveyed as aforesaid, be
Part or Parcel of a Manor) the said Register shall rate, and
Trustees shall, together with the Premises in Possession, sell
and convey the Manor, with its Royalties and Appurtenances, or
so much of it as shall be then unsold, according to the Particular signed as aforesaid, and according to the Proportions and
Limitations as are before expressed; and in case any Manor to
be purchased and conveyed as aforesaid shall exceed the Value
of his or their Salary to be discounted as aforesaid, the said
Trustees shall and may, and are hereby authorized to convey
the same to the said Contractors, or any One or more of them
as aforesaid, according to a Particular thereof made, and
signed as aforesaid; he or they paying, for so much thereof as
shall exceed the Proportion allowed, as aforesaid, for his Salary,
such Rates as Henry Elsinge Register shall under his Hand
ascertain and set down, so that the Rates be not under the
Proportion expressed in the Ordinances of Parliament for the
Sale of the said Lands.
And be it lastly Ordained, That this present Ordinance shall
be valid, according to the Tenor and true Meaning thereof; any
former or other Ordinance or Ordinances concerning the Lands
and Possessions of the said late Archbishops and Bishops, or any
Clause, Article, or Thing, in them or any of them contained to
the contrary, in any Wise, notwithstanding.