Distresses of the Exchequer.The Owner may feed his Cattle impounded. Sale of Distress. No Distress shall be taken of ploughing Cattle, or Sheep. Distress shall be reasonable. Forasmuch as the Commonalty of the Realm hath sustained great Damage by wrongful taking of Distresses, which have been made by Sheriffs, and by other the King’s Bailiffs, for the King’s Debt, or for any other Cause: It is therefore provided [and ordained,] that when a Sheriff, or any other Man doth take the Beasts of other, they to whom the Beasts do belong may give them their Feeding without Disturbance, so long as they be impounded, without giving any Thing for their keeping. And that the Beasts, nor no other Distress taken for the King’s Debt, nor for any other Cause, be [given ne] sold within fifteen Days after the Taking.

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Yet it is provided, that no Man of Religion, nor other, shall be distrained by his Beasts that gain his Land, nor by his Sheep, for the King’s Debt, nor the Debt of any other Man, nor for any other Cause, by the King’s [X1or other Bailiffs][X2but until they can find another Distress,] or Chattels sufficient whereof they may levy the Debt, or that is sufficient for the Demand; except impounding of Beasts that a Man findeth in his Ground damage-feasant, (X3) after the Use and Custom of the Realm. And that such Distresses be reasonable, after the Value of the Debt or Demand, [X4and by the Estimation of Neighbours, and not by Strangers,] and not outrageous.

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