Records of Fires Burnt, etc. Act 1679

Recital that by the Fire in the Temple several Records of Fines had been burnt, &c.3

and that the said Fines had duly past all the Offices, &c. and that by reason of the said Loss Purchasers Titles were liable to be impeached, &c.; Chirographer to certify to Justices of C. P. a Note of such Fines entered.; Copy of such Certificate to be set up in the said Court, and Transcripts of Fines in each County missing sent to Sheriffs, who are to set the same up at the next Summer Assizes or Michaelmas Quarter Sessions.

Whereas by the late dreadfull Fire in the Temple London the Office of the Chirographer of Fines of the Court of Common Pleas there kept was soe suddainely burnt downe that, although all possible endeavours were used for the Preservation of the Records of Fines there remaineing from the said Fire neverthelesse severall Records of Fines engrossed of Trinity and Michaelmas Terme last were either consumed [X1 in] the said Fire, or lost in the hasty removeing of the said Records and are not to befound And whereas the said Fines soe burnt or lost had duely past all the Offices soe that by the Records of the Kings Silver the Notes of the Cursitor that made out the Writts of Covenant and the Entryes thereof at the Office of Alienation and by the Booke of Entryes of Fines kept by the Chirographers Deputy and the severall Indentures and Exemplifications delivered out to the Partyes and by diverse other Entryes and Notes upon, such Fines taken the full Contents of all such Fines upon Examination will evidently appeare Neverthelesse for want of the Records of the said Fines burnt or lost as aforesaid diverse Purchasers and others whose Titles were secured by and under the said Fines are in danger to have the same impeached unlesse some speedy Remedy be taken herein. For Remedy whereof Bee it enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majestie by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parlyament assembled and by and with the Authoritie of the same That the said Chirographer or his Deputy shall before the end of Trinity Terme next upon Oath certifie to the Justices of the Common Pleas a Note of all such Fines entred into the said Booke kept by the said Deputy that he upon diligent Search shall finde were either burnt or lost by reason of the said Fire, which Certificate is to be in Parchment fairely written and a Copy thereof sett up in Westminster Hall in some publique place neere the said Court of Common Pleas there to remaine dureing the Fower next Termes after the said Certificate made as aforesaid and alsoe Transcripts shall be made of the said Certificate by the said Chirographer of all the Fines in every County that are missing and the same delivered to the respective Sheriffes of every County or their Deputyes within a weeke after the end of the said Trinity Terme next who are required to cause, the same to be sett up at the next Summer Assizes and if noe such Assizes be held then at the next Generall Quarter Sessions of the Peace after Michaelmas next in some Publique place where such Assizes or Quarter Sessions shall bee held and there to continue dureing the said Assizes or Quarter Sessions to the end all persons concerned may have thereof timely and due notice.

Editorial Information

X1 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: by O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]