Alter the clauses of abolition, the act continues, -- "And all tenures of any honours, manors, lands, tenements, or hereditaments, of any estate of inheritance at the common law, held either of the King, or of any other person, or persons, bodies politic or corporate, are hereby enacted to be turned into free and common socage, . . . any law, custom, or usage to the contrary hereof in any way notwithstanding." ' The fourth section provided. " That all tenures hereafter to be created by the King's Majesty, his heirs or successors, upon any gifts or grants of any manors, lands, tenements, or hereditaments, of any estate of inheritance at the common law, shall be in free and common socage only, . . . and not by Knight Service or in Capite."

As this abolition deprived the King of large revenues, and the means of supporting his military, and other governmental expenses, the act granted to him as a recomj)ense duties upon beer, ale, and other articles in common use.^

It is thus seen not only that there were no feudal rights nor privileges granted in New York to the Duke of York by his Patents, but that the King had no power whatever to grant any to him, or to anybody else. And none ever were granted by any British Sovereign, or British Governor, in that Province. The rights and privileges contained in the subsequent Manor grants in New York, were simply those appertaining to, and consistent with, the free socage tenure on which they were granted, and under which they were held.