512 ANNALS OP ROGER DE HOVEDEN. A .D. 1200. lidity, we do, by the authority of our seal, confirm'this'present instrument. Bone at G , 7 5 in the year from the Incarnation of our Lord 1200, in the month of May." A similar instrument to the above was received by the king of France, with the change only of the names. Customs of the Exchequer as to enquiries into debts due to our lord the king. It has been enacted in England, and the same is, by command of king John, confirmed, that no sheriff shall receive any one at the presentation of a baron for a seneschal,76who cannot be answerable for his amercemejjt&onsequent ona breach of faith, if he should chance to be guilty of the same. And in ease, at the presentation of a baron, a seneschal shall make oath that he will account to the sheriff for the debts due from his master to the exchequer, it is to be understood that he is to account for the debts due according to the computation of the sheriff; and if he shall not do so, he shall be put in the prison for that purpose named, according to the laws of the exchequer, and the debt due to the king shall be levied from the chattels of his master, in conformity with the laws of the exchequer. If also he shall not keep the faith to which he has pledged himself, so as not to appear at the time and place of payment to the sheriff, or if he shall make his appearance, and shall depart without leave given, his body shall be seized and placed in the king's prison for that purpose named, and he shall not be set at liberty but by the especial command of our lord the king. Also, persons shall be sent upon the lands of the master, whose seneschal has committed the default, and payment shall be made from out of his chattels of the money which, according to the law of the exchequer, is due : and if the said money is due for a fine" on land, and chattels are not to be found, then the land on account of which the fine became due shall be seized for the use of our lord the king, and be retained until such time as the money shall be paid in conformity with the law of the exchequer. As a punishment for his breach of faith the seneschal who shall have been guilty of such breach, shall never ' 5 Probably Gaillon, or Guleton. 7 6 This name here means nothing more than steward. 7 7 Probably the word " finis," here means the fine paid to the king, as superior lord, on entering on lands newly acquired by descent or purchase. It is, perhaps, the same as Spelmau calls " the king's silver."