A royal pardon was a deed-poll with a beautiful seal attached to it. It commenced with the Sovereign’s name. The writing was exact and well executed. The deed was divided into clauses or sections, the commencing word of each being written in very clear black letters. After the word ‘Sciatis’ comes the royal license and the name of its recipient, who is forgiven ‘all rebellion and insurrection against the Crown, all homicide, felony, robbery or participation with such,’ and the pardoned subject is permitted to retain his possessions: the word ‘Perdonamus’ coming about the centre of the document. Unfortunately no information is given in the charter in any way as to the particular cause for pardon being granted or the offence committed. This can only be guessed at by the help of English history, and a probable reason be assigned from among the many disputed accessions, civil wars, religious controversies of bygone centuries, all probable sources of high treason against the Crown. Few old families were exempt from charges of treason if they chanced to take any part in public affairs or were known to have been stanch adherents to prohibited religion. A bond is a small paper or parchment--on one side written in English, on the other in Latin--the promise to repay or pay money due; generally the bond is in Latin, and the conditions of it written in English. Bonds were made out on the sale of property, or for mortgages or legacies; they occur in numbers among family papers. If the deed does not begin with the King’s name in whose reign it was made, the year of the reign will be found at the end. It must be remembered that Henry VI. and Charles II. are both puzzling, owing to civil wars, and both reckoned from the date of the death of the previous Sovereign. Henry VI. is reckoned from 1422, and includes the whole period till his death--forty-nine and a half years--of which only thirty-eight and a half years he actually was King. Charles II. is reckoned from the year 1649. These are the principal kinds of deeds met with among family papers, being the commonest legal forms. If others are found of an unusual character they should be put aside for closer investigation when practice has given greater experience, or be submitted to an expert for examination. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER VI. MANOR AND COURT ROLLS.