tition presented in the name of the sheriffs, and grantees of
post-fines under the crown of England. They enumerated and explained the
difficulties under which they laboured, in raising and collecting these
fines within the respective counties; particularly when the estate
conveyed by fine was no more than a right of reversion, in which case
they could not possibly levy the post-fine, unless the purchaser should
obtain possession within the term of the sheriffalty, or pay it of
his own free will, as they could not distrain while the lands were in
possession of the donee. They therefore proposed a method for raising
these post-fines, by a proper officer to be appointed for that purpose;
and prayed that leave might be given to bring in a bill accordingly.
This petition was seconded by a message from the king, importing, that
his majesty, as far as his interest was concerned, gave his consent that
the house might act in this affair as they should think propel.

The commons, in a committee of the whole house, having taken into
consideration the merits of the petition, formed several resolutions;
upon which a bill was founded for the more regular and easy collecting,
accounting for, and paying of post-fines, which should bo due to the
crown, or to the grantees thereof under the crown, and for the ease of
sheriffs in respect to the same. Before it passed into a law, however,
it was opposed by a petition in favour of one William Daw, a lunatic,
clerk of the king's silver office, alleging, that should the bill pass,
it would deprive the said Daw and his successors of an ancient fee
belonging to his office, on searches made for post-fines by the under
sheriffs of the several counties; therefore, praying that such provision
might be made for the said lunatic as to the house should seem just and
reasonable. This, and divers other petitions respecting the bill being
discussed in the committee, it underwent several amendments, and
was enacted into a law; the particulars of which cannot be properly
understood without a previous explanation of this method of conveying
estates; a subject obscure in itself, founded upon a seeming subterfuge
of law, scarce reconcileable with the dictates of common sense, and
consequently improper for the pen of an historian.]

[Footnote 490: Note 3 T, p. 490. As the curiosity of the reader may
be interested in these resolutions, we shall here insert them for his
satisfaction. The committee resolved, th