Note 88 — Chapter XIII
Reading edition
“Masters, there is a statute made whereby all persons be restrained to make their will upon their lands; for now the eldest son must have all his father’s lands; and no person, to the payment of his debts, neither to the advancement of his daughters’ marriages, can do nothing with their lands, nor cannot give to his youngest son any lands.”—Speech of Mr. Sheriff Dymock, at Horncastle: Rolls House MS. A 2. 29.
“They want the Statute of Uses qualified, that a man be allowed to bequeath part of his lands by will. It will invade the old accustomed law in many things.”—Examination of Aske: MS. ibid. “Divers things should be reformed, and especially the Act of Uses. Younger brothers would none of that in no wise.”—Earl of Oxford to Cromwell: Miscellaneous MSS. State Paper Office, second series, Vol. I.