372 AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF 



before, considering that the money, which was wont to be 

 saved by the former corrupt swearing, was not saved unto 

 him, but lost to her majesty and him, and found only in the 

 purse of the clerk, attorney, solicitor, or other follower of the 

 suit ; and, lastly, that the client, besides the benefit of re 

 taining a good conscience in the passage of this his business, 

 hath also this good assurance, that he is always a gainer, 

 and by no means can be at any loss, as seeing well enough, 

 that if the composition be over-hard and heavy for him, he 

 may then, at his pleasure, relieve himself by recourse to his 

 oath ; which also is no more than the ancient law and cus 

 tom of the realm hath required at his hands. And the self 

 same thing is moreover, that I may shortly deliver it by the 

 way, not only a singular comfort to the executioners of this 

 office, a pleasant seasoning of all the sour of their labour 

 and pains, when they shall consider that they cannot be 

 guilty of the doing of any oppression or wrong ; but it is 

 also a most necessary instruction and document for them, 

 that even as her majesty hath made them dispensators of 

 this her royal favour towards her people, so it behoveth 

 them to show themselves peregrinatores, even and equal 

 distributors of the same ; and, as that most honourable 

 * This passage lord and reverend sage counsellor, the late Lord Burleigh,* 

 J s c ert ains the j a t e i or d treasurer, said to myself, to deal it out with wis- 

 w riting. &quot;* dom an d good dexterity towards all the sorts of her loving 



subjects. 



The partof each But now that it may yet more particularly appear what 

 officer. i s the sum of this new building, and by what joints and 



sinews the same is raised and knit together, I must let you 

 know, that besides the fermour s deputies, which, at this 

 day, be three in number, and besides the doctor of whom I 

 spake, there is also a receiver, who alone handleth the 

 moneys, and three clerks, that be employed severally, as 

 anon you shall perceive ; and by these persons the whole 

 proceeding in this charge is thus performed. 



Proceeding If the recognition or acknowledgment of a final concord 



upon fines. U p On an y wl ^ t o f covenant finable, for so we call that which 

 containeth lands above the yearly value of forty shillings, 

 and all others we term unfinable, be taken by justice of as 

 size, or by the chief justice of the Common Pleas, and the 

 yearly value of those lands be also declared by affidavit 

 made before the same justice; then is the recognition and 

 value, signed with the handwriting of that justice, carried 

 by the cursitor in chancery for that shire where those lands 

 do lie, and by him is a writ of covenant thereupon drawn 



