Ecclesiastical Lands Act 1634

By licence of the governor and council, leases for necessary building fortresses, &c. may be made longer than 21 years.

And in consideration of re-assignment or surrender or fee-farms and long leases, and upon further improvement of the rent, leases for sixty years or under may by licence be made.

14 Elis. 11.

Leases for forty years under like valuable rent may be of houses and curtilages in cities and towns, so as not their dwelling houses, &c.

III. Provided neverthelesse, that it shall and may be lawfull unto and for the said archbishops, bishops, deans, chapters, arch-deacons, prebendaries, and other the said dignitaries ecclesiasticall, and their successors, and unto the said masters and governours, and fellowes of colledges and hospitalls, and to their successors or any of them, by the licence of the lord deputie, or other chief govenour or governours of this kingdome, and councell of state of this kingdome for the time being, to make leases for a longer tearme or time, then one and twenty years, of any their lands or grounds fit for the necessary building of castles, fortresses, or other houses of strength, in places convenient and requisite, for the good of this realme, and the defence thereof, for such tearme and time, and in such fort as shall be thought fit by the King’s Majesty or the lord deputy, or other the said chief governour or governours of this kingdome and councell of state for the time being; and likewise whereas there are, and of late times hath been sundry feefarms and long leases in being, of divers manors, lands, tenements and hereditaments formerly belonging to the said arch-bishops, bishops deans, chapters, arch-deacons, prebendaries, and other the said dignitaryes ecclesiasticall, parsons, vicars, and likewise unto the said colledges and hospitalls, that it shall and may be lawfull unto and for them, and every of them, for and in consideration of the re-assignment, surrender, and taking in of any such fee farmes, leases, or estates, and upon further improvement of the yearly rents and profits thereof, to be reserved and payed to them and their successors, by and with the licence and approbation of the lord deputy, or other chief governour or governours, and councell of state of this kingdome for the time being, to make any lease or leases for the tearme of sixtie yeares or under of such feefarm lands and of such leased lands, for the like tearme, or for fewer years, if the said leases in being were for fewer years ; and Iikewise that it shall and may be lawful unto and for any the spiritual persons, colledges and hospitalls before mentioned, by their like writings indented, sealed, entred and enrolled as aforesaid, to make any lease or leases for and during the tearme of forty years, under the like valuable rent as is afore expressed, of all or any their houses belonging to their churches, colledges or hospitals, and of the curtilages appertaining to the same, which are scituate within any city, towne-corporate, or market-town of this kingdome, so as the same be not of any their mansion or dwelling-houses, or of any part thereof, or of any the curtilages, gardens, or orchards belonging thereof.