Duchy of Lancaster: Bonds of Obligation

DL 24

c1509-1837

This series consists of bonds of obligation created as part of the administration of the estate of the Duchy of Lancaster and the operation of the Court of Duchy Chamber.

The bond is in two parts. In the first part an individual agrees to bind himself to another individual for a certain sum of money. This sum is only to be paid, however, if the condition in the second part of the document is not fulfilled.

The most common use of the bond of obligation was as a security bond on the appointment of an accounting officer of the Duchy, who promised to account correctly to the Auditor General and Receiver General of the Duchy. He would provide sureties to this effect, who were similarly bound.

Folded into the bonds will be found other documents, such as writs of dedimus potestatem, warrants for the preparation of this writ, and warrants for the preparation of the bonds themselves.

Bonds of obligation were used for other purposes too. Individuals were bound to the Chancellor of the Duchy to pay arrears of accounts, debts due from sales of wood, to keep clauses of covenant in leases of Duchy lands, and to repair enclosures they had pulled down.

Individuals were also bound to appear before the chancellor and council in the guise of the Court of Duchy Chamber. The bonds in which individuals agree to abide by the orders and decrees of this court in the settlement of disputes evinces the development of the court's equity jurisdiction. Warrants for the production of these bonds will also be found.

The bonds of obligation in this series will be mentioned in the Court of Duchy Chamber's entry books (see DL 5), and in the books of revenue orders of the separate sessions of the Court 'sitting upon the revenue' (see DL 42/143-146, 172-185: DL 5 DL 42

Not Public Record(s)

English and Latin

11 bundle(s)

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From 2021 Duchy of Lancaster

Topics

Crown lands and estates

Debt

Wills and probate

DL 24/1-9 were deposited as Division XXIV in 1868 at the time of the major deposit of the Duchy of Lancaster's records in the Public Record Office. Between 1868 and 1901 the series was named 'Security Bonds' and was numbered 'DL 24' in 1923-34. DL 24/10 may have been moved to this series from elsewhere in the Duchy archives prior to 1963 when it was included in the Guide entry for this series ('Guide to the contents of the Public Record Office', I, page 186 (London, 1963))

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