The practice of Henry of Anjou was followed by his sons. John was careful specially to reserve wardships over vacant sees even in that very accommodating charter, dated 21st November, 1214, which surrendered the right of canonical election to the national church. Stephen Langton had either failed to force John to relinquish wardships or else considered such a concession unnecessary now that the king renounced his right to veto church appointments, since wardships over church lands would become unprofitable if elections were never unduly delayed. Whatever the reason, the charter of 1214 did nothing to guard against the abuse of wardships over church lands, and John’s Great Charter was equally silent.[403] The omission was supplied in 1216, when it was directed that the provisions already made applicable to lay fiefs should extend also to vacant sees, with the added proviso that church wardships should never be sold. The charter of Henry III. thus reverted to the exact position defined by the charter of Henry I. The lands of vacant sees might be placed under a “committee,” but never given to a “grantee,” to use Coke’s terms. ----- Footnote 403: C. 46 (see _infra_) confirmed _barons_, who had founded abbeys, in their rights of wardship over them during vacancies. ----- These provisions were further supplemented by later acts. An Act of 14 Edward III. (stat. 4, cc. 4 and 5) gave to the dean and chapter of a vacant see a right to the pre-emption of the wardship at a fair price. If they failed to exercise this, the king’s right to appoint escheators or other keepers was confirmed, but under strict rules as to waste. This is a distinct confirmation of the king’s right to “commit” church lands, although the prohibitions against selling them or farming them out remained still in force. CHAPTER SIX. Heredes maritentur absque disparagacione, ita tamen quod, antequam contrahatur matrimonium, ostendatur propinquis de consanguinitate ipsius heredis. Heirs shall be married without disparagement, yet so that before the marriage takes place the nearest in blood to that heir shall have notice.