248 Inquests of Office. [Ch. XIL seisin, or other advantages, as the circumstances of the case might turn out. To superintend and regulate these inquiries, the court of wards and liveries was instituted, by statute 32i Hen. 8. c. 46. which was abolished at the restoration of King Charles 2. together with the oppressive tenures upon which it was founded («). Latterly the inquiries are whether the King's tenant for life died seised, whereby the reversion accrues to the King? whether A. who held immediately of the Crown, died without heirs, in which case the lands belong to the King by escheat {h) ? whether B. be attainted of treason (e), whereby his estate is forfeited to the Crown? whether C. who has purchased lands, be an alien, which is another cause of forfeit- ure ? whether D. be an idiot a nativitate, and therefore, toge- gether with his lands, appertains to the custody of the King ? and other questions of like import, concerning both the cir- cumstances of the tenant, and the value or identity of the lands {d), » The principal rule widi respect to offices is, that they are J not necessary when the King's title already appears in avy t shape of record (e), " Therefore if the King's tenant alien without licence, which alienation appeareth by fine, or other matter of record, in this case if there be another record found that proveth the lands to be holden of the King i7i capite, upon these two records together, process shall be made against the party by scire foci as, to come and shew why he should not make a fine for the alienation. Like law, it is where there is a record to prove that he that aliened is but tenant in tail of the King's gift, and he pretending to be tenant in fee simple, doth purchase a licence of alienation, and alieneth ; and after dyeth without issue, which death is found by office, but nothing of this estate • tail or licence appeareth in the said office, yet upon these t records laid together, the King shall have a scire facias against
- the alienees, to shew why the land should not be seized into
his hands, and his Highness answered of the profits since the death of the tenant in tail ; for when he was but tenant in tail (a) 3 Bla. Com. "258 . ford was frequently referred to and re- (i) 12 East, 96. cognised in 12 Fast, 96, both by the (c) Post, 249. Counsel and the Court. Not that the (d) 3 Bla. Coin. 258. book is without its inaccuracies. (f ) Staundf. Prerog. b^, a. Staund- It
