¶ By the King.  
A Commission with Instructions, and Directions granted by His Majesty to the Master and Counsel of the Court of Wards and Liveries, for compounding for Wards, Idiots and Lunatics; And given under His highness great Seal of England, The 23. of February 1617.  
JAMES by the grace of GOD King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. To Our right trusty, and right well-beloved councillor, William Lord Knollys, Viscount Wallingford, Master of Our Court of Wards and Liveries, And to Our trusty and well-beloved the Counsel of the same Court, And to the Master and Council of the said Court for the time being, Greeting.  
WHEREAS it doth appear by common experience, in the course which hath been held, sithence the first erection of Our Court of Wards and Liveries, That partly by the slackness of the friends of the Wards upon the decease of the parents or Ancestors, who have forborn to offer timely Composition, sometimes with opinion that no Title could be found for Us, and sometimes with purpose to suppress the same, and partly by the suit of other men, the Custody of the bodies and lands of Our Wards have been committed to such persons, some for one respect, some for another, as (notwithstanding the care and providence of you the Master and Council of Our Court, to bind them in great Bonds and Covenants for the well educating of the Children, and pre●●●●… of their inheritance) have been careless of their education, married some in mean places, committed wastes and spoils upon 〈◊〉 lands, and in the end have exacted greater sums of money, for the marriages of such Wards, than they ought to have done, in 〈◊〉 and equity; notwithstanding any their disbursements whatsoever for passing or procuring the same.  
〈◊〉 whereas also We have been informed by you the Master of the said Court, that by reason of the great difficulties that have been 〈◊〉 by the Court, upon sight of Offices, and Surucyes only, to set down Compositions for Wardships and Leases of Wards lands, 〈◊〉 such equality and moderation between Us, and Our Subjects, as were just and reasonable; and that through want of due information that behalf, much of the profit that might have been raised for Us, hath been diverted to divers Suitors and Committees, who by ●●●●…i●g the truth of the Wards estate, and by misinforming of the Court therein, have reaped greater profit, than was intended, if you 〈◊〉 ●y ordinary means have come by the knowledge of their values; so as, both We have received less than otherwise We should 〈…〉, and the Wards found little ease in many cases.  
●●●refore, for the preventing of these and the like inconveniences, and to the end that Our loving Subjects may stand assured, That 〈…〉 nothing more, then that their children and their lands that shall fall unto Us by reason of Wardships, might after their decease, 〈◊〉 ●●●●…ted to their nearest and trustiest friends, or to such as they be Will, or otherwise, shall commit the charge unto, upon such valu●●●●●●●●iderations, as are just and reasonable: And to the intent that the Parents and Ancestors may departed in greater peace, in hope of 〈…〉 gracious favour; and their friends may see their children brought up in piety and learning; and may take such care as is fit for ●●●●…uation of their inheritance, if they will seek the same in time, and by such means as are fit and convenient; We have thought ●●●●…by to require you, the Master and Council of Our said Cor, and the Master and Council of the said Court for the time being, ●●●●…posing and committing of the Custody of the bodies and Lands of such our Wards, whose Ancestors have deceased since Ia●●●●● passed, or shall die from and after the date of these presents, and of such Idiots and Lunatics, and their estates, as shall fall unto us h●●●e forth, you strictly and carefully observe these Our Directions following.  
FIRST, That no Grant or promise be made of the custody of the body or lands of any Ward, nor any composition for the same, until the end of one month next after the death of the Ancestor of the Ward, to the end that the nearest and trustiest friends of the Ancestor, or other persons nominated by the Ancestor in that behalf, may in the mean time become Suitors for the same, among whom choice may be made of the best and fittest.  
ALSO you shall do by your best endeavours to inform yourself as particularly as you may, by Commission, survey, 〈◊〉 ●●●●…se of the truth of the Wards estate, aswell of his inheritance, as of his goods and chartels, and of the estate of the deceased An●●●●●● and of all other due circumstances considerable, to the end the compositions may be such, as may stand both with Our reasonable 〈◊〉 ●●●●…ed with the ability of the heirs estate.  
●HAT all sales and compositions for Wardships of the bodies, and Leases of Lands, be made by the Master of the said Court, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persons as are authorized by Statute in that behalf. Neverthelesle, the Surveyor of the Liveries, the Attorney of the Wards, 〈◊〉 and Auditors, or any four of them without the Master, may treat with any to bring the said Wardship and Leases to a price the same according to the said Statute.  
●HAT no Wardships of the body or land shallbe given or granted to any person, or at his suit, in way of reward or benefit, but the 〈◊〉 and value that shall be offered, shallbe taken to Our use; so, always as the nearest and trustiest friends, or the persons nominated ●●●●…our, (they seeking the same in time convenient, as a foresaid, and making fit offer for it) be preferred, and consideration had Wards Estate, and of all due circumstances considerable in such cases.  
●HAT Leases of Wards Lands be made without Fine, for the best improved yearly Rent that shall be offered, consideration be●●●●… all due Cautions, as aforesaid.  
●HAT sellable Woods, and Fines of copyholds of Inheritance, be also reasonably valued and demised with the Lands, for the ●●●●ly Rent as aforesaid; with provision for fellable Woods. That the Lessees sell them by fit portions  
●HAT Fines of copyholds for Lives, be made and raised to Our use, when and as often as the Court shall think good, by cer●●●●●●●ular Commissioners to be appointed by the Master and Council of Our said Court, which Commissioners shall be charged 〈…〉 best of such copyholds to be granted, and truly to answer unto Us into Our receipt of Our said Court, all such sums, ●●●●…nd or covin, as by them shall have been received, due consideration being had of their pains and expenses.  
●HAT all Petitions for Compositions of Wardships (and Leases) be presented and ordered at the Council Chamber of the 〈◊〉 Wards, at the several sit for the Wards.  
●●AT every such Petition do express the several Counties wherein the Ancestor died seized of Lands.  
●●AT the rate and sum agreed upon by the Commissioners for the Composition of any Ward (or Lease) do stand and be ●●●●…d in the Composition, neither in the Fine nor Rent.  
●HAT no Office be found within the year after the death of the Ancestor against Us, or a mean tenure of Us, (not being Knights 〈…〉 any Ward within age, until the Feodary or Escheator do first acquaint the Court for further directions therein (which the 〈…〉 ●●●●…ned to do with all convenient expedition.)  
●●AT not only every Committee (and Lessee) but every Assigness of every Committee (or Less) shall take the Oath, viz. etc. 〈…〉 purpose every Committee (and Lessee) and Assignee shall be sworn, whether he taketh it to his own use, or to the use of a●●●●…, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 end they may both take the Oath.  
●●AT especial choice be taken of the Commissioners, that take the oath in the Country, so that the Oath be truly and why the Committees (Loesses) and Assignees and the parties committing trust to any other.  
●●●T every Feodary and Escheator before the third return foe every Term, shall certify into the Court a note of all Offices 〈…〉 Vacation next before, and whether a Tenure be found for Us in Capite, or by Knight's service, and the names of the Ance●●●●…●●●…re, and his age.  
〈◊〉 the Oath be taken by those that are Committees or Lessees upon neglect, in haec verba.