Note 299 — Chapter V
Reading edition
How very difficult it was sometimes to decide the question, whether merchet had been paid or not, may be seen from the following instances:—Coram Rege, 27 Henry III, m. 3: 'Et non possunt inquirere nec scire quod tempore Johannis Regis dederunt merchettum vel heryettum sed bene credunt quod hoc fuit ex permissione ipsius Regis et non per aliquam convencionem, quam fecerat eis pro predictis 50 libris.' Cartulary of Ramsey (Rolls Series), i. 441: 'De merchetto nesciunt sine majori consilio.'