[A1597/3/11]¹

Act regarding the passing of presentations to benefices

The king's majesty, with advice of his nobility, council and estates presently convened, considering how the most part of all the presentations to benefices within this realm these diverse years bygone have been obtained privately by his highness's knowledge by sundry persons, suitors of the same, who had neither deserved such benefits of his majesty, neither were able to discharge their function, with which his majesty, being grieved, his highness's intention being from the beginning to have had men of learning, knowledge and who were able to discharge their duty presented to the said benefices when the same should become vacant; as also his majesty, considering how far he is damnified by reason that sundry of the said persons presented to the said benefices are become altogether unresponsible, whereby his majesty is defrauded of the third of the said benefices appointed for the maintenance of his highness's house, and of the monks' portions destined to his majesty's guard, a great number of the said beneficed persons being rebels and at the horn for non-payment of the duties above-specified to his highness's collectors; and to the effect that the said abuse of the privy purchasing of the said presentations may not breed the same effect hereafter, his majesty, with advice foresaid, statutes and ordains that all presentations of benefices whatsoever within this realm shall in no way be presented to his majesty to be subscribed until the same be first read, heard, allowed of and subscribed by five of the council together, with his highness's collector, sitting together, otherwise the said presentation to be null, of no value, force nor effect. Discharging the keepers of the registers and seals of passing of the said presentations hereafter not lawfully subscribed by five of the council, together with the collector as said is, as they will answer upon their dutiful obedience and loss of their offices.