At his accession, there was a firm foundation of a national law administered by a centralized judicial system, a centralized executive, and an organized system of local government in close touch with both the judicial and the executive system. To gain knowledge of his nation, he sent royal commissioners into every county to ask about any encroachments on the King's rights and about misdeeds by any of the King's officials: sheriffs, bailiffs, or coroners. The results were compiled as the "Hundred Rolls". They were the basis of reforms which improved justice at the local as well as the national level. They also rationalized the array of jurisdictions that had grown up with feudal government. Statutes were passed by a parliament of two houses, that of peers (lords) and that of an elected [rather than appointed] commons, and the final form of the constitution was fixed. A wife was expected to obey her husband. A husband was deemed the guardian of his wife. If he starved or mistreated her, he was subject to punishment by the church court, even excommunication if necessary. The king's court punished a husband who killed or maimed his wife. The common law as to husband and wife took a final shape with six basic principles: 1. A husband, but not the wife, could alienate his wife's land during the marriage, but not to take effect after his death, e.g. by will. 2. A widow was entitled for her life a dower of one-third of any land by her husband. 3. The husband can take possession of the wife's chattels and can alienate them during his life without her permission. He can sue for all debts due her without her permission. If he survives her, he is entitled to be administrator of her estate. She can make no will without his permission. 4. The husband can give away all his chattels, except for her necessary clothes and her jewelry and paraphernalia. 5. The husband is liable for debts incurred or wrongs committed by his wife even before their marriage. 6. A wife cannot contract on her own behalf, but may purchase on credit certain necessaries and household goods.