[1579/10/33]¹

Concerning the inserting of witnesses in obligations and writs of importance, chapter 14

²Item, it is statute and ordained by our sovereign lord, with advice of his three estates in parliament, that all contracts, obligations, reversions, assignations and discharges of reversions or additions thereto, and generally all writs importing heritable title or other bonds and obligations of great importance to be made in time coming, shall be subscribed and sealed by the principle parties, if they can subscribe, otherwise by two reputable notaries before four reputable witnesses denominated by their special dwelling places or some other evident tokens, that the witnesses be known to be present at that time, otherwise the said writs to make no faith.