CHIEF JUSTICE COKE. 375 



be in the custody of the prior, which is under the 

 abbot, and four others of the discreetest of the house ; 

 and that any deed sealed with the common seal, that 

 is not so kept, shall be void. And the opinion in the 

 27 H. VI. tit. Annuity 41, was, that this statute is 

 void ; for the words of the book are, it is impertinent 

 to be observed : for the seal being in their custody, 

 the abbot cannot seal any thing with it ; and when 

 it is in the hands of the abbot, it is out of their cus 

 tody &quot; ipso facto.&quot; And if the statute should be 

 observed, every common seal might be defeated by a 

 simple surmise, which cannot be. Note, reader, the 

 words of the said statute made at Carlisle, anno 35 

 E. I. which is called &quot; Statutum Religiosorum,&quot; are 

 these : &quot; Et insuper ordinavit dominus rex et statuit, 

 quod abbates Cistercienses et Praemonstratenses or- 

 dinum religiosorum, etc. de cetero habeant sigillum 

 commune, et illud in custodia prioris monasterii sen 

 domus et quatuor de dignioribus et discretioribus 

 ejusdem loci conventus sub privato sigillo abbatis 

 ipsius loci custod. deponend. Et si forsan aliqua 

 scripta obligationum, donationum, emptionum, ven- 

 ditionum, alienationum, seu aliorum quorumcunque 

 contractuum alio sigillo quam tali sigillo communi 

 sicut pra3mittitur custodit,inveniatur amodo, sigillata 

 pro nullo penitus habeantur, omnique careant firmi- 

 tate.&quot; So the statute of I E. VI. cap. 14, gives chan- 

 teries, etc. to the king, saving to the donor, etc. all 

 such rents, services, etc. and the common law con 

 trols this, and adj udges it void as to the services ; 

 and the donor shall have the rent as a rent-seek to 



