INTRODUCTION. Vlt 



which had grown up of compelling landowners who were not 

 tenants in capite to sue out their ousterlemains, the Court of Wards 

 and Liveries was created for the sole purpose of attending to the 

 business arising from these Inquisitions. To this Court also were 

 sent transcripts of the Inquisitiones post mortem. Consequently 

 until the thirty-fifth year of Henry VIII there are two sets, the 

 original returns known as the Chancery series and the transcripts 

 or the Exchequer series, while after that date must be added a 

 third, the Wards and Liveries series. The existence of these 

 three sets of transcripts is a fortunate circumstance, as sometimes 

 they enable us to make good the deficiencies in the Chancery 

 series. 



These abstracts have been prepared by Messrs. Hardy and 

 Page, of London, and every reliance can be placed on their 

 accuracy. 



EDWARD ALEXANDER FRY. 



November, 1893. 



