Our Legal Heritage: King AEthelbert - King George III, 600 A.D. - 1776Reilly, S. A.
History
Our Legal Heritage: King AEthelbert - King George III, 600 A.D. - 1776
Reilly, S. A.
Law -- England -- History
[VII. A WIDOW SHALL HAVE HER MARRIAGE, INHERITANCE, AND QUERENTINE
(period of forty days during which the widow has a privilege of
remaining in the mansion house of which her husband died seized). THE
KING'S WIDOW, ETC.]
A widow, after the death of her husband, shall immediately and without
difficulty have her marriage portion [property given to her by her
father] and inheritance. She shall not give anything for her marriage
portion, dower, or inheritance which she and her husband held on the
day of his death, and she may remain in her husband's house for forty
days after his death, within which time her dower shall be assigned to
her. IF THAT HOUSE IS A CASTLE AND SHE LEAVES THE CASTLE, THEN A
COMPETENT HOUSE SHALL FORTHWITH BE PROVIDED FOR HER, IN WHICH SHE MAY
HONESTLY DWELL UNTIL HER DOWER IS ASSIGNED TO HER AS AFORESAID; AND IN
THE MEANTIME HER REASONABLE ESTOVERS OF THE COMMON [NECESSARIES OR
SUPPLIES SUCH AS WOOD], ETC.
No widow shall be compelled [by penalty of fine] to marry so long as
she has a mind to live without a husband, provided, however, that she
gives security that she will not marry without our assent, if she holds
of us, or that of the lord of whom she holds, if she holds of another.
[VIII. HOW SURETIES SHALL BE CHARGED TO THE KING]
Neither we nor our bailiffs shall seize any land or rent for any debt
as long as the debtor's goods and chattels suffice to pay the debt AND
THE DEBTOR HIMSELF IS READY TO SATISFY THEREFORE. Nor shall the
debtor's sureties be distrained as long as the debtor is able to pay
the debt. If the debtor fails to pay, not having the means to pay, OR
WILL NOT PAY ALTHOUGH ABLE TO PAY, then the sureties shall answer the
debt. And, if they desire, they shall hold the debtor's lands and rents
until they have received satisfaction of that which they had paid for
him, unless the debtor can show that he has discharged his obligation
to them.
{If anyone who has borrowed from the Jews any sum of money, great or
small, dies before the debt has been paid, the heir shall pay no
interest on the debt as long as he remains under age, of whomsoever he
may hold. If the debt falls into our hands, we will take only the
principal sum named in the bond.}
{And if any man dies indebted to the Jews, his wife shall have her
dower and pay nothing of that debt; if the deceased leaves children
under age, they shall have necessaries provided for them in keeping
with the estate of the deceased, and the debt shall be paid out of the
residue, saving the service due to the deceased's feudal lords. So
shall it be done with regard to debts owed persons other than Jews.}
[IX. THE LIBERTIES OF LONDON AND OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS CONFIRMED]
The City of London shall have all her old liberties and free customs,
both by land and water. Moreover, we will and grant that all other
cities, boroughs, towns, and ports shall have all their liberties and
free customs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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