Temple, as forfeited to him by the attainder of Hugh le Despenser, and committed it to the keeping of the mayor of London, his escheator in the eity. The mayor, as guardian of the Temple, took it into his head to close the gate leading to the waterside, which stood at the bottom of the present Middle Temple Lane, whereby the lawyers were much incommoded in their progress backwards and forwards from the Temple to Westminster. Complaints were made to the king on the subject, who, on the 2nd day of November, in the third year of his reign, wrote as follows to the mayor : " The king to the mayor of London, hie escheator* in the same city. " Since we have been given to understand that there ought to be a free passage through the court of the New Temple at London to the river Thames, for our justices, clerks, and others, who may wish to pass by water to Westminster to transact their business, and that yon keep the gate of the Temple shut by day, and so prevent those same justices, clerks of ours, and other persons, from passing through the midst of the said court to the waterside, whereby as well our own affairs as those of our people irj general are oftentimes greatly hindered, we command you, that you keep the gates of the said Temple open by day, so that our justices and clerks, and other persons who wish to go by water to Westminster, may be able so to do by the way to which they have hitherto been accustomed. " Witness ourself at Kenilworth, the 2nd day of November, and third year of our reign."+ • There was in those daye an escheator in each county, and in various large towns : it was the duty of this officer to seise into the king's handa all lands held in capite of the crown, on receiving a writ De diem ctavsit extremuta, commanding him to assemble a jury to take inquisition of the value of the lands, as to who was the next hair of tbe deceased, the rents and services by which they were holden, dtc. &c. t Glaus 3. E. 111. m. S. d. Acta Humeri, torn. iv.p. *06.