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A85670 Bouleutērion, or A practical demonstration of county judicatures. Wherein is amply explained the judiciall and ministeriall authority of sheriffs. Together with the original, jurisdiction, and method of keeping all countrey courts. / By Will: Greenwood, philomath. Greenwood, Will. William. 1659 (1659) Wing G1870; Thomason E1789_1; ESTC R209680 323,562 484

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is aliorum negotiorum gestor for qui per alium facit per seipsum facere videtar likewise these Statutes following do institute Attorneys in the County Court viz. 6 E. 1. cap. 8. 20 H. 3. cap. 10. c. F. N. B. 156. I could instance many more but I hope these are sufficient to stop the black mouth of a scurrilous Antagonist In their practice they ought to be honest and just according to their office and oath not exciting men to Suits especially such as are forrain and illegall nor for little offences and small debts nor voluntarily argenti gratia delay their Clyents nor demand any sums of mony for the prosecution of the Action otherwise then is allowed by the Court. Of Bayliffs A Bayliff is a Servant or Minister of the Law and by consequence a Servant to the party at whose Suit he is to distraine the goods of any one Therefore he ought to be true faithfull and vigilant in levying of Distresses he ought not to be exoculated with common rurall bribes as too many of them are His office is thus described by Fleta Balivus esse debet in verbo verax in opere diligens fidelis ac pro diserto appruatore cognitus plegiatus clericus qui de communioribus legibus pro tanto officio sufficienter se cognoscat Et qui sit ita justus quod ob vindictam seu cupiditatem non querat versus aliquos c. He is to be contented with his wages and fees allowed him which are certain and known and as I have described particularly being usually paid if he take more then he ought or commit any error in the Execution of his Office contrary to the tenure of his Precept then is he to forfeit forty shillings and to be convicted thereof by the examinations of the Justices of Peace or any of them 14 E. 3. cap. 9. And the Sheriff ought not by his oath to have any Bayliff but such as he will answer for and such as be true and sufficient men in the County and make each Bayliff take an oath for the true execution of his office but such things are now not taken notice of And by the Statute of 27 Eliz. cap. no Bayliff or other person ought to take a Distresse nor to execute any Processe untill he be sworn but now common experience and practice at this day bears testimony to the contrary Alfred once King of England hanged Judge Arnold for saving a Bayliff from death who had robbed the people by Distresse and for extorting of Fees If the like Law were executed upon some of our grand Malefactors it would make the Remainder more honest What Actions may be brought in this Court HAving precipitated my self thus far before I enter upon the Proceedings of the Court I will demonstrate the grounds and cause of Proceedings and that is Actions which is the form of a Suit given by Law to recover a mans right or actio nihil aliud est quam jus prosequendi in judicio quod sibi debetur Therefore what Actions will hold in this Court take as followes All Actions of debt either upon an account made by the parties for wages after a hire sums of mony owing or due from one man to another whether by writings or otherwise it is grounded sometimes by writing as an Obligation Bill Covenant or other especialty sometimes without writing as an Arbitrament Rent mony lent Parol Contracts or the like All Actions of Detinue Trover and Conversion deceit upon a Warranty a Delivery Nusance Case for scandalous words case upon Assumpsits and other Actions of the case as for a Dog killing Cattell abusing a Distresse spoyling my Goods c. Actions of Trespass Assault and Battery c. All these Actions would afford very much matter to treat of at large but least this Treatise should swell beyond its limits I will refer you to the reading Fitzherberts Natura brevium which doth learnedly treat of the nature of all Actions that lye in any Court of Judicature Within what time Actions must be brought ALL Actions of debt grounded upon any lending or contract as Book-debt without especialty and for Rents in arrear all Actions of Trespasse quare clausum fregit Actions of Trespasse Trover Detinue and Replevin for taking away Goods and Chattels Actions of account all Actions of the case except Actions for Slander which shall be sued must be commenced and brought within six years after the cause of such Action or Suit accrued if the Plaintiff be then of full age discovert compos mentis at Liberty out of Prison and in England otherwise within such time after he becomes so and not after All Actions of Trespasse for Assault Menace Battery wounding and imprisonment within four years after the cause of Action and not after All Actions of the case for scandalous words within two years next after the words spoken and not after Who may bring Actions and who not IDiots mad men or such as have lucida intervalla such as are deaf and dumbe or any other man woman or child except persons disabled by Law being wronged may bring the proper Action appointed for remedy in that case and all or any of these wronging others may be sued And if an Idiot sue or be sued he must doe it in person An Infant must sue by Prochein amy and being sued must defend by Guardian A Feme covert cannot sue but with her Husband An outlawed person is disabled to sue any Action against any man in any Court of Law or Equity yet as Executor he may sue because it is not in his own right but in trust for another but any man may sue him by Coo. Sup. Litt. 128. A man that is attainted in a Praemunire may not sue in any Action Idem 129. And a man that is a convict recusant is disabled so long as he so continues No Barretor can maintain any Action in this Court nor have Judgment unlesse it be required by all the Suitors West 1. cap. 3. But note all these disabilities remain during the continuation of the same impediment Of Pledges in this Court PLedges are absolute except it be for Forrainers or such as live out of the County or out of the Jurisdiction of the Court or such as are unmarried that have no goods distrainable and it is if these be Plaintiffs but if the Defendant should non-suit the Plaintiff and have Judgment against the Plaintiff and his Pledges I never yet saw the forme of the Judiciall Precept that ever issued out to levy the costs upon the Pledges goods Of the Proceedings in the Court BEcause I would not have the Country and young Practisers ignorant of the Proceedings in the Court which is the life of practice I thought it necessary to make an Abridgment of the terms of Law now used in the Proceedings And first of Appearance because it is the first thing done after goods attached The first thing the
Defendant in any Action or Suit is to do is to appear and shew himself in person or by an Attorny in the Court to answer the Action and defend the Suit He may also appear by an Essoin which is an excusation coming from the French word Exoine it doth delay the cause a Court day longer the common Essoin is de male vener and if he do not appear the next Court then it passeth by default Judgment entred and Execution issues out against his Goods and Chattels But after the Defendant hath once appeared in the Court by an Attorny there shall be no Essoin allowed But if he appear neither by an Attorny nor by Essoin then further Processe issues out against his Goods and Chattels viz. The Precept of Duces tecum and attachment and Distresse upon attachment infinite untill he do appear After the Processe executed the next Court the Plaintiff is to appear and file his Declaration to shew his cause of Action or matter of complaint in which must be shewn who complaineth and against whom for what matter how and in what manner the Action grew between the parties and at what time and place the wrong was done and in conclusion he must aver and profer to prove his Suit and shew the damage he hath sustained by the wrong done unto him Speciall care ought to be had that it be drawn in manner and form yet by the Statute of 36 E. 3. cap. 15. A Declaration shall be good if it have matter of substance though the terms he not apt however to avoid doubts and that the Attornies may not depend altogether upon uncertainties let them be diligent in taking right and full instructions from their Clyents and inform themselves of every puntilio which may be materially incident to the case that so they may know what manner of Action is most proper to be brought on the behalf of their Clyents In some cases manner and form is chiefly to be looked at but in other some not altogether so materiall As if an Action of debt be brought of the sale of a Horse for five pounds where the bargain was for two horses the Defendant pleads that he oweth him nothing in manner and form the Jury ought to find for the Defendant for that that the bargaine was for two horses for five pounds fo manner and form there is materiall and parcell of the charge and so it is in every case where the Action varies from the bargain or speciall matter But if an Action of the case be brought by the Husband alone upon an Assumpsit to him by R. the Desendant saith he did not assume in manner and form and the Plaintiff gives in evidence of an Assumpsit made to his wife and his agreement to it afterwards this is good and manner and form is not materiall If an Action be brought before there is any cause of Action the Declaration is insufficient But if a Trespasse was done the fourth day of May and the Plaintiff declareth the same to be done the fifth or the first day of May when no trespasse was committed yet if upon evidence it salleth out that the Trespasse was done before the action brought it sufficeth 19 H. 6. 47. 5 E. 4 5. 21 E. 4. 66. And Littleton saith That the Jury may finde the Defendant guilty at another day then the Plaintiff supposeth for the Law of England respecteth more the effect and substance of the matter then every nicity of forme and circumstance Apices juris non sunt jura Note that in actions of debt upon Emisset for Wares for Money or other things lent upon an In simul computassent actions of Trespasse Battery or upon the case c. you are not tyed to lay the certaine day but you may lay it any time after the cause of action accrued If an action upon the case be brought upon an Assumpsit the Plaintiff must declare upon the whole promise made and not upon part of it else the Declaration is not good Mich. 22. Car. b. r. If there be words in a Declaration which have no signification the words shall be adjudged to be void words and shall not hurt the Declaration but the Declaration shall be taken as if those words were left out of the Declaration Hill 23. Car. B. R. Pasc 24. Car. B. r. A Declaration ought not to shew a thing by implication it must be set forth expressely If the Plaintiff do alter his Declaration after the Defendant hath pleaded to it the Defendant may alter his Plea For by the amendment of it it may be so altered in matter that it may require a different answer from what was sormerly pleaded and in that case if he should not amend his Plea he might be triced sor want of a good Plea Prac. reg fo 235. A Declaration is sometimes called a Count as Count in debt Kitch 281. Count in Trespasse Brit. cap. 26. Count in an Action of Trespasse upon the case for a slander Kitch 251. But a Count is more properly used in Reall than Personall Actions And a Declaration more applyed to Personall than Reall F N. B. 18. a. 60. D. N. 71. a. 191. c. 217. a. If after Processe executed the Plaintiff do not appear and file his Declaration and the Defendant doth appear upon such default the Plaintiff is non-suited and the Defendant may have Judgment and Execution for his costs In every case where the Plaintiff may have costs against the Defendant there if the Plaintiff be non-suit or a Verdict passe against him the Desendant shall have his costs as in Trespasse Debt Covenant by Specialty or upon Contract Detinue Accounts Actions upon the case or upon the Statute for personall wrongs 23 H. 8. cap. 15. Administrators nor Executors shall not pay any costs neither upon Non-suit or Verdict because their Actions are brought upon Debts or Contracts not made between them and the Defendants But if they bring Actions for things done to themselves as for the taking away of goods from them c. and they be Non suit or Verdict passe against them in this case they shall pay costs After the Plaintiff hath appeared and Declaration filed upon the appearance of the Defendant Emparlance is to be entered Emparlance is when the Defendant being to answer the Suit or Action of the Plaintiff desireth some time of respite to advise himself the better what he shall answer being nothing else but a Continuance of a cause till a further day Now to demonstrate what the word Continuance signifieth it is after a Suit is begun and the Plaintiff hath declared he must continue his Suit from Court day to Court day or else the adverse party may take advantage of it and this is called a Continuance being but onely a proroguing of a Suit from time to time to keep it in being And this is by the Act or order of the Court and
answer for the same A. B. and C. C. his Clyents to the same E. F. in the said Plaint And the said Attorny for his said Clyents saith nothing in Bar as in others by which the said E. F. his damages against the said A. B. C. D. by occasion of the taking and unjust detaining of his Cattle aforesaid ought to recover but because it is unknown to the Court here what damages the said E. F. sustained by occasion of the premisses It is commanded to the said I. S. then Bayliff of the Wapentake of W. aforesaid one of the Ministers of the County Court aforesaid that he cause to come before the said Sheriffe at the next county Court of the County aforesaid to wit the 15th day of May in the yeare abovesaid at the Castle of Y. aforesaid then next following to be held twelve honest and lawfull men of the neighbourhood of S. to be suspected by neither party to enquire upon their Oath what damages the said E. F. sustained aswell by the occasion of the taking and unjust detaining of the cattle aforesaid as for his costs and charges by him about his suit in this behalf laid out and the same day was given to the said E. F. here c. At which said next County Court the same 15. day of May in the yeare abovesaid before the same Sheriff of the County aforesaid held came the said E. F. by his Attorney aforesaid And the same I. S. Bayliffe of the Wapentake aforesaid sent not his precept thereof Therefore as before it is commanded to the said I. S. Bayliff c. that he cause to come here at the next County Court before the same Sheriff of the County aforesaid to wit the 12 day of A. in the yeare abovesaid at the castle of Y. aforesaid to be held the 12th c. to enquire c to inform aforesaid c. At which day to wit the 12th day of April aforesaid before the same Sheriffe of the County aforesaid came the same E. F. by his Attorney aforesaid And the said I. S. Bayliffe c. and one of the Ministers of the same Court returned before the same Sheriffe the said precept de venire fac in all things served and executed And thereupon the Jury being thereof impannelled and called came and to enquire in forme as aforesaid sworn and charged say upon their oath that the said E. F. sustained damages by reason of the taking and unjust detaining of the Cattle aforesaid besides his costs and charges by him about his suit in this behalfe laid out 30 s. and for these costs and charges to 12 d. Therefore it is considered by the Court here that the said E. F. recover against the said A. B. and C. D. his said damages by the Jury aforesaid in form aforesaid assessed and also 26 s. to the same E. F. by the Court here for his said costs charges of his assent of increase adjudged which said damages in the whole amount unto 57 s And the same A. B. and C. D. in mercy c. Whereupon it was commanded to the same I. S. Bayliff of the Wapentake of W. aforesaid that of the goods and Chattels of the same A. B. and C. D. in his Bayliwick he should levy the damages aforesaid and that he have the money before the said Sheriffe at the next County Court at the castle of Y. to be held to wit the tenth day of March in the yeare abovesaid to render to the said E. F. for his damages aforesaid Whereupon the same E. F. prayeth that the said A. B. and C. D. would assigne and declare to the Court herein what or wherein false judgement is made to him in the said Plaint if any thing can be found proved or made appear c. And hereupon the same A. B. and C. D. say that the said Record is vitious and very much defective in this to wit that by the same Record it appeareth that the same cattle were taken the 15. day of January in the yeare abovesaid and that the complaint thereupon was levyed at the County Court of the Sheriff the 19th day of December in the yeare abovesaid so that the complaint was levied before the taking of the cattle afore made c. Also in this that by the Record it appeareth that the County Court aforesaid was held before the said Sheriffe of the County aforesaid whereas the same Court ought to be held before the same Sheriffe and suitors of the same Court so that the same Plaint was levied Coram non judice And the processe thereupon adjudged without any warrant in Law And so the same A. B. and C. D. say that in the County aforesaid false judgement was done to them in the said Plaint And pray that the said judgement for those errours and others in the same record and proceedings being may be revoked adnulled and altogether taken for nothing And that they unto all things which they by occasion of the judgement aforesaid have lost may be restored c. It was commanded the Sheriffe that if A. B. should secure the same Sheriffe to prosecute his complaint that then taking with him four discreet and lawfull Knights of the County aforesaid in his proper person he come to the Court of the Honour of P. and in full Court cause to be recorded that Plaint which was in the same Court of his Highnesse the Lord Protector between C. D. and the same A. B. in a certain Action upon the Case to the same C. D. by the same A. B. done as it is said Whereupon the same A. B. complaineth false judgement to be made to him in the said Court and that he should have here the Record at this day to wit Octab. Hill under his seal and by four lawfull men of the same County of those who shall be present at the Record and that he summon by good summoners the said C. D. that he should be here to hear that Record And that he have then here the names of the foure Knights and that Writ c. And now here at this day to wit Octab. Hill came as well the same A. B. by S. D. his Attorney as the same C. D. by P. P. his Attorney And the Sheriffe to wit G. M. Esq now returneth that the same A. B. found to the same Sheriff pledges to prosecute Io. Doo Ric. Roo And that the same C. D. was summoned to be here at this day by Io Den and Ric. Fen and that he by vertue of the same Writ to him directed took along with him I. S. W. P. I. H. and W. VV. four discreet and lawfull Knights of the County aforesaid and in his proper person came to the said Court held at P. in the County aforesaid the 15th day of October in the yeare of our Lord 1657. and in full Court made to be recorded the said Plaint whereof in the same Writ mention is made which said Record here at
because he is conservator of the peace but now it seems the power is transferred to the Justices of the Peace onely See the Stat. 1 R. 3. c. 3. 3 H. 7. 3. If a prisoner bailable tender sufficient sureties to the Sheriff and he refuseth he shall be amerced to the Protector and Informer 40 l. and shall lose treble damages to the party grieved If a person be arrested by vertue of any Writ or precept in any Action personall upon tender of reasonable sureties to appear at the day and place as the said Writs Bills or Preceps shall require he shall be bailed 23 H. 6. cap. 10. Fitz. 251. b. And the person is not obliged to go to the Sherif if he offer sufficient baile to the Baylif Persons apprehended for any manner of Treason or Felony shall not be bailed Westm 1. Cap. It is the constant course of the Upper Bench that the Bail is never chargeable till there is default assigned in the principall upon the return of a Capias ad satisfac And if the principall render his body though the Plaintiff refuse to take it yet that is a discharge of the baile Winch Rep. fo 62. It is not repugnant to our present subject to transcribe the new Rules concerning speciall Bayle viz. 1. That if the Defendant appeare upon the Summons Attachment or Distresse or by Supersedeas quia improvide or doth truly render himselfe upon the Exigent no baile is requirable 2 That in all causes of removeall be it by Habeas Corpus Priviledges or Certiorari speciall bail ought to be given 3 That in causes where the Defendant comes in by Cepi corpus be it Debt Detinue Trespasse for goods Action upon the Case except slander if the debt or damages amount to 20 l. special baile is to be given except it be against an Heire Executor or Administrator 4 That in Covenant because the damages are uncertain till Declaration bail at discretion 5 That in Battery Conspiracy false imprisonment no speciall baile of course without special motion and order 6 That in slander no speciall baile except in slander of title wherein to be left to the discretion of the Judges 7 That in priviledge other then for sees and disbursments as an Attorney in this Court baile at discretion of the Court. In such case wherein a suite by a common person especiall baile is not requisite 8 That if baile be given upon reversall of an Outlawrie or removall by Habeas Corpus the Originall to be shewne upon tendring of the Declaration otherwise the baile not liable unlesse the party or his Attorney will voluntarily appeare or take a Declaration without shewing of it 9 That in case of a removall out of an inferiour Court or reversall the new Originall to agree in the nature of the Action the summe in demand and the County otherwise the baile not lyable but if the partie will voluntarily appeare to such varying originall to be good as to the partie but if upon a cause removed by Habeas Corpus out of the Courts of Canterbury Southampton Hull Litchfield or Poole which are Counties where the Judges of Nisi prius seldome come if the Action be transitory it must be laid in the County of Kent Southampton Yorke Stafford or Dorcet where the Towne and County lieth and the Recognizance to be taken accordingly 10 That the Principall rendring himselfe at any time after bayle put in and before or upon the day of appearnce of the scire fac returned scire feci or of the second scire facias returned Nihil or in case there shall be an Action of Debt brought upon the Recognizance against the Bayle then if the Principall shall render himselfe upon or before the processe returned or served no further proceeding to be against the Bayle Of the Election of Parliament men how and when they are to be elected c. THe manner of electing Knights of the Shire is as followeth viz. At the next County Court after the delivery of the Writ Proclamation is to be made in full County of the day and place of the Parliament and that all there present as well Suitors summoned as others shall attend to the election of the Knights and then in full County a free and indifferent election shall be made notwithstanding any request or mandate to the contrary And note that no Election can be made by any Knight of the Shire but between the hours of 8 and 11. in the fore-noon but if the election be begun within the time and cannot be determined within those hours the election may be made after And if any election or voyces be given before the Precept be read and published are void and not effectual Likewise he ought immediately after the receipt of the Writ of his Highness for the summoning of the Parliament to make his Precepts under the seal of his Office to every Major and Bailiff of Cities and Boroughs within his County commanding them thereby to choose Citizens and Burgesses to come to the Parliament And those Majors and Bayliffs must make a legal return of that Precept to the Sheriff of their election and their names that are elected The Sheriff setting his hand and seal of Office to one part of the Indentures delivering it to the Major Citizens or Burgesses to be kept the Major Citizens or Burgesses setting their hands and seals to the other part delivering it as their Deeds to the Sheriff to be certified and returned by him with the writ of summons to the Clerk of the Crown whose see is 4 s for every Indenture 23 H. 6. cap 15. Crompton 208. P. Parl. 5. Note that after the Precept of the Sheriff directed to the City or Borough for making of election there ought Secundum legem consuetudinem Parliamenti to be given a convenient time for the day of election and sufficient warning given to the Citizens or Burgesses that have voices that they may be present otherwise the election is not good At the election if the party elected or the Freeholders demand the poll the Sheriff cannot deny the scrutiny for he cannot discern who be Freeholders by the view and though the party would wave the poll yet the Sheriff must proceed in the scrutiny And by the Stat. of 8 H. 6. c. 7. 10 H. 6. c. 2. The election of Knights of the Shire shall be made by the more voices of the people dwelling in the Counties having each of them lands or tenements of the yearly value of 40 s. besides reprises and the Sheriff hath power to examine upon oath the choosers how much they may expend by the year After such election the names of the parties so elected be they present or absent shall be written in an Indenture under the seals of all those that did choose them which Indenture so sealed and taken to the said writ shall be the Sheriffs return thereof touching the Knights of the Shires
to the prescription this shall be good by way of confirmation As a Court-Baron is incident to a Mannor so a Court of Pypowders is incident to a Fare and by the Grant of the Fare this doth passe and with this accords 19 H. 8. Brooks case fol. 2. placito 7. and Brook tit incidents placito 34. and not to be fevered from them neither by grant nor by reservation 2 3 Phil. and Mar. Dyer fol. 133 pla 80. the Plaintiffe in a Court of Pypowder doth count of a contract made in the last Fare before where no plaint was then begun nor any judgment of Amerciament of the Defendant then given and this was held a good Error in both by all the Justices of both Benches Mich. 42. and 43 Eliz. B. R. Co. 10 fo 73. in the case of the Marshalsea where Hall braught a Writ of Error against Jones to reverse a Judgment given against him in the Court of Pypowders of the Market in the City of Glocester for that that Hall had published slanderous words of him viz. Mr. Jones and his Clerk have by colour of his office extorted and gotten 300 l. per annum by unlawfull meanes for many years together above their ordinary fees for proving of Testaments and granting of Administrations the which judgement was reversed for two Errors viz. 1. Because words did not concern any matter touching the Market and therefore the Court had no jurisdiction of it but if one slander any with Trades and Merchandizeth in the Market in any thing which concernes his Trade there an action for this well lieth 2. It appeares in the Count that the words were spoken before the Market and not during the time of the Market for as this Court hath no jurisdiction but in matters concerning the Market so the same Court hath no jurisdiction for matters concerning the Market unlesse they were acted and done during the time of the Market Bracton lib. 5. fo 335. a. De brevi de recto 1. de diversitate divisione summonitionis It is there said per quindecim dies ante diem quo comparere debeat summonitio ought to be Et talis summonitio dici debeat legitima Si minus spatium contineat possit illigitimam judicari nisi ob causam legitimam minus tempus statuatur ut propter personas qui celerem habere debeant justitiam sicut sunt Mercatores quibus exhibetur justitia Pepoudrous by the Statute of 17 E. 4. capite 2. And in this Court no Steward or other Minister shall hold plea upon any action at the suit of any person unlesse the Plaintiffe or his Attorney in presence of the Defendant do sweare that the contract in the Declaration c. was had and made during the time of the Fare and within the jurisdiction of the Fare but this oath so taken shall not conclude the Defendant for pleading in abatement of the action and to the jurisdiction of the Court this by the Statute of 1 R. 3. cap. 6. is made perpetual in this principal case here the Defendant in the Court at Rochester was condemned in an action of debt for 300 l. upon a Bond and Contract formerly made and entered into and for this cause the judgment was erroneous Note that in this Court the Steward is Judge because there are no Suitors there neither can the Steward delegate a Deputy 6 E. 4. fol. 3. 7 E. 4. fol. 23. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS contained in the BOOKE A A Merciament in the County Court 6 How they are forfeited in Court-Leet and what shall be causes to amerce c. 313 Of Amerciament 314 Attorneys in the County Court 10 how qualified 11 Actions within what time they must be brought 12 Who may bring Actions and who not 13 Appearance what it is 14 Answer what 17 Accompts of the Sheriff with a particular of some usual charges or fees paid by him at the rendring of them up 224 225 Appeals 295 The Sheriff shal have Counter-rolls of Appeals c. 297 Accessaries who 326 Alehouse keepers 332 Assize of bread 333 B BAyliffs in the County Court 11 how qualified ibid. Burglary what 324 Bond taken by the Sheriffe upon a Fieri facias for the payment of money in Court not within the Stat. of 9 E. 4. 50. 185 Burning of houses or Barns 326 Bail what it is 212 Any person making a warrant c. without original processe upon examination c. shall be committed without bail 214 Such as are in Execution c. not to be bailed ibid. None to be bailed that are prohibited by the Statute of West 1. cap. 15. he cannot bail any suspect of felony as formerly ibid. The Sheriff cannot refuse to baile one bailable upon tender of sufficient sureties ibid. Traytors or Felons not bailable 215 In the Vpper Bench the baile not chargeable till default assigned in the principal c. ibid. The new rules concerning speciall bail ibid. and 216 Bridges decayes 328 Boundaries 330 Bloodshed 331 Barretors ibid. Brewers 333 Butchers 334 Breaking of Pownds 338 Beadel why so called 347 Bastard may not inherit 351 C COunty Court when instituted 3 Now the Sheriffs Court ibid. By whom first exercised ibid. What action may be brought in it 4 5 6 12 The time when it is to be holden 5 Where it is to be kept 6 What actions will not lie in it ibid. Proceedings in it 14 The manner of keeping the Court 23 24 25 Processe of the Court Original 37 Judicial 43 County Clerk how to be qualified 7 He cannot practise as an Attorney 8 Can act nothing without the Suitors 9 His care in deputing Bailiffs 9 How he must enter plaints ibid. How he is punishable ibid. Count what it is 16 Continuance what 17 Challenge of Jurors What are good causes 21 Capias ad satisfac where it lies 71 174 Cap. lies not after an Elegit and Why 179 Note where it lies after an Elegit 178 What it is 179 One taken upon it must be kept in salva arcta custodia ibid. This Writ lies where a Capias lies in the originall ibid. Nothing but the body can be taken by this Writ 180 A man in the custody of the Sheriffe and a second writ is delivered to him he shall be in his custody upon it although not actually arrested ibid. Two bound in an obligation joyntly and severally both may be sued and taken in Execution ibid. This Writ lies not for damages in a Writ of Dower ibid. No return is required upon it ibid. Capias pro Fine what it is 181 An Elegit sued after one is taken for the Protectors fine he shall go at large ibid. No one taken upon it in trespasse c. ibid. Capias ut legatum what it is and where it lies 181 182 Capias ut legat inquiras de bonis catallis What it is 182 Capias ad valentiam what it is and Where it lies ibid. Coroners
its Originall or Prototype Quia origo rerum attendenda● And first of the Shire Shire is a Saxon word scyra and hath its etymology from shiran id est partiri to divide as Mr. Lambert saith in his explication of Saxon words Verb. Centur. And Mr. Cambden in his Britania reporteth that Alfred a Saxon King of England was the first that divided this Common wealth into Shires those Shires into Ridings and those Ridings into Weapentakes or Hundreds c. Likewise as Sir Henry Spelman in his Glossarie saith Sunt qui Comitatum distinct ones sub Berengariis Othonibus vel sub Carolo magno apud exteros accidisse opinautur quod de plurimis forte verum fuerit nounullae autem antiquius deprehenduntur Rem apud nos perspicuam facit Ingulphus si sane fides Rex Alfridus alias Aluredus Aethelfridus qui regnum iniit Anne 871 totius inquit Angliae pagos provincias in Comitatus primus omnium commutavit Comitatus in centurias hundredas in decennas id est tithingas divisit Which strenous authorities are sufficiently valid to prove the originall of Shires and their divisions The Republick being thus disunited or dissected into Shires every Shire is intirely governed by one Officer called a Sheriffe or Shire-reeve Vicecomes compounded of these two Saxon words scyr viz. Satrapia a Shire and reue viz. Praefectus a Governour of the Shire Mr. Cambden thus describes his Office Singulis vero annis nobilis aliquis ex incolis proficitur quem Vicecomitem quasi vicarium comitis nostra lingua Sheriff viz. Comitatus praepositum vocamus qui etiam comitatus vel provinciae Quaestor recte dici potest But in Seldeni Jani fol. 53. 54. you have two Governours of the Shire assigned where he saith Praefectus provinciarum qui antea vice-domini ad Ingulphum reversus est Aluredum in duo officia divisit 1. in Judices quos nunc justiciarios vocamus in Vicecomites qui ad huc idem nomen retinent Facessat ergo Polidoras urbinas qui primos a Normanno petit Vicecomites which we now call Vicount a Vice-comite which cometh from our Conquerors the Normans as Sheriffe from our Ancestors the Saxons Also Sir Henry Spelman in his Glossarie saith Quinem autem tunc essent magistratus quos Ingulphus hic vocat Justiciarios Vicecomites non plàne assequor Reor Aldermanni provinciarum Grevii Saxonice Ealdormen gerefas De Grevii saith he tamen munere nec habeo definitum discrepare enim videtur a Vicecomite quod hic tum adhuc comitis esset vicarius ille regis officialis unde in Anglo-Saxonum legibus atque ipsius Aluredi Cyninger gereþan id est Grevius regis vel ut Latine sae●ius reditur Praepositus regis appellatus est And that he is Governour of the County the words of his Patent import as much viz. Commissimus tibi custodiam comitatus So that he is an Officer of great antiquity trust and authority having formerly from the King as now from his Highnesse the Lord Protector the custody tuition and command of the whole County Co. l. 4. 33. Mittons case The aforesayd Alfred at the division of the Kingdome into Shires or Counties instituted this Court called the County Court and established Jurisdiction in it granting power and authority to the Sheriffe to heare and determine such matters as by just cause of appellation either for Law or Equity should be brought unto him This Court as it is recorded by Mr. Selden in his Treatise of Tythes was joyntly exercised by the Bishop of the Diocesse and by the Sheriffe or Alderman of the sciregemot or Hundred or County Court where the one sate to give Godes fight the other for puruldre right that is the one to judge according to the Lawes of the Kingdome the other to direct according to Divinity And Sir Henry Spelman in his Glossary saith Comitatum simul regebant pariterque in foro considentes judicia publica exercebant hic secundum jus humanum ille vero divinum LL. Canuti MS. ca. 44. Habeatur ter in anno Burgesmotus i. Civitatis conventus Schiresmotus i. pagi vel comitatus conventus bis nisi Saepius opus sit intersit Episcopus Aldermannus doceat ibi Dei rectum seculi uterque scil Pro suo munere Idem Ladgari LL. ca. 5. sed pro Aldermannus illic comes extat ut supra demonstravimus utrumque recte Nam in comitatu simus considisse reor Comittem relpub partes tueretur Episcopum qui Ecclesiae Aldermannum qui Legem diceret exponeret But at the Norman Conquest this kinde of holding Ecclesiasticall Pleas in the Hundred of County Court was taken away as may appeare by this Mandate of William the Conqueror recorded in Seld. Jani lib. 2. fol. 76. Willielmus Dei gratia Rex Anglorum Comitibus Vicecomitibus omnibus Francigenis Anglis qui in Episcopatu Remigii terras habent salutem Sciatis vos omnes caeteri mei fideles qui in Anglia manent quod Episcopales leges quae non bene nec secundum sanctorum Canonum praecepta usque ad mea tempora in regno Anglorum fuerunt communi consilio Archiep. meorum caeterorum Episcoporum Abatum omnium principum Regni mei emendandas judicavi Propterea mando regia authoritate praecipio ut nullus Episcopus vel Archidiaconus de legibus Episcopalibus amplius in hundredo placita teneat nec causam quae ad regimen animarum pertinet ad judicium secularium hominum adducant sed quicunque secundum Episcopales leges de quacunque causa vel culpa interpellatus fuerit ad locum quem ad hoc Episcopus elegerit nominaverit veniat ibique de causa sua respondeat non secundum hundredum sed secundum Canones Episcopales leges rectum Deo Episcopo suo faciat All actions whatsoever were brought in this Court before the Sheriff as it is reported by Mr. Lambert in his Archeion in that particle of the Lawes of Edgar to our matter in hand Viz. Let no man seeke to the King in matter of variance unlesse he cannot finde right at home But if it be too heavy for him then let him seeke to the King to have it lightned The very like whereof in effect is to be seene in the Lawes of Canutus the Dane sometimes King of this Realme out of which Lawes may be collected foure things First That every man had meanes and was authorized to sue and commence their Actions in this Court in their owne Shire or County Secondly That no man ought to sue out of the County or to remove or draw his plea from thence without good cause both which things do plainely appear in the letter of this Law Thirdly That the King himself had a high Court of Justice wherein it seemeth that he sate in person as these words do demonstrate Let him not seek to
be put in an open Pound and they die it is the losse of the Owner but if they be put in another place it is otherwise 39 H. 8. Fitz. Distresse 6. He that distrains Beasts may put them in a close House if he will give them meat for the putting of them into an open Pound is but to the intent that the Owner may give them meat 1 2. Phil. Mar. cap. 12. tit Distresse That no Distresse shall be taken out of the Hundred unlesse to the open Pound nor above three miles Where a man distraineth Cattell for doing Damage-feasant or for rent or service and put them into the common Pound or into another Pound or place and he who hath property in the Cattell or other person taketh the Cattell out of the said Pound and driveth them where he pleaseth he who distrained them may have a Writ de parco fracto Fitz. Na. Br. 293. E. A man may not distrain for any Rent or thing done for any Land but upon the same Land that is charged therewith but in case where I come to distrain and the other seeing my purpose chaseth the Beasts or beareth the thing out to the intent that I shall not take it for a Distresse upon the ground then I may well pursue and if I take it presently in the high way or in anothers ground the taking is lawfull as well as there upon the same Land charged to whomsoever the properties of the goods be If one distrain my goods that are not distrainable by Law I may have a generall Action of Trespasse or an Action of the case against him at my choice Co. 4. 94. The Distresse must be reasonable somewhat proportionable to the thing or cause for which it was taken and yet if the cause be so that a man cannot take a Distresse of lesse value and the thing be after a sort entire as in the Distresse of a Cart with its carryage or with the Horse or Oxen annexed to them for twenty shillings though there be much inequality yet may it not be unreasonable Marl. 1. 4. 22 E. 4. 15. 20 E. 4. 3. 41 E. 3. 26. But such Distresses as are either excessive for magnitude as if one take four Sheep for four pence or four Oxen for two shillings or the like these are unlawfull Distresses for which the Bayliff or Distrainer shall be punished Excessus in re qualibet in jure reprobatur Yet if he take a Horse or Oxe for two pence where no other Distresse is to be had it is not excessive but if there were a Sheep or other goods somewhat proportionable to be taken there it is excessive and punishable Co. 2. part Inst 107. 51 H. 3. Marl. 4. Co. 11. 44. 4. 8 H. 4. Fitz. Na. Br. 174. 45 Ed. 3. 26. If one distrain my Kine great with Calf and by driving they lose their Calfs I may have an Action of the case F. N. B. 86. If goods be impounded in a close House or secret place so that the Defendant cannot come to seed them and the goods do perish for want of sustenance the Distrainer must pay for them 33 H. 8. tit Distresse 66. If the Distrainer give the Cattell meat in the Pound he cannot compell the Owner of the Cattell to pay for this for the Distrainer is not compelled by Law to give them sustenance and if they do agree after the Distresse upon a sum yet this is no excuse but it is for their deliverance but if they do agree at the time of the Distresse taken that he should give them meat and that he should have twenty shillings or a certain propounded sum for the same this is a good bargain 21 E. 4 fo 53. An Action of Trespasse was brought upon the Statute that none should be distrained by his Cattell in the Plough so long as any other reasonable Distresse may be had and the Plaintiff declared the taking to be against the Statute and did not specially shew that he had other Cattell to be distrained yet it was adjudged good for the Defendant to alleadg this 4 E. 3. 18 E. 2. Stuff sent to a Taylor Weaver Fuller Sheerman Miller c. shall not be distrained for these Officers are necessary for the Common-wealth and the like Law is of and in a Common Inn. A Distresse must be of a thing whereof a valuable property is in some body and therefore Dogs Bucks Hares Does Cunnies Bees and the like that are ferae naturae or apparel Armour or Jewels cannot be distrained Yet though it be of a valuable property as a horse that a man rideth upon cannot be distrained Fitzherb in rescous 11. quod nota If a man come into a common Inn his Goods and Beasts shall not be distrained there because then it would be prejudiciall to the Common-wealth Also Goods and Chattels brought into a Fair or Market to be sold shall not be distrained per. cur Mich. 7 H. 7 fo 15. 10 H. 7. fo 21. Windowes Doors Tables fixed on a post a Furnace Pales Timber Boards fixed on the ground Glasse c. cannot be distrained nor sorfeited by Outlawry but if these are not used in a House but standers by then they may be distrained Mich. 21 H. 7. fo 13. Pasc 14. fo 25. H. 8. fo 25. Trin. 21. H. 7. fo 27. If a Bayliff come to a house to distrain the dores being fast shut and barred and with his hand through a crevice or hole did shove the bar and open the dore and did take out two Cows in the name of a Distresse and because he did take a Distresse in this manner it was adjudged the Distresse to be wrongfull Fitzherb abridg fo 296. No goods shall be distrained but the proper goods of the party and not pledges nor yet borrowed goods 35. H. 6. fo 25. per Moyle Justice And it is not of Chattels reall as a Lease for years nor of apparrell 7 H. 6. 9. A Distresse made by the servant of the Bayliff is good 27. Ass 6. 7. If a man distrain Cattell and they of their own accord come home again to the owner he who distrained them cannot take them again by reason of the first Distresse except he doth freshly follow them per Danby Justice because of the negligence of the distrainer 9 E. 4. fo 2. If a man come to distrain for Damage-feasant and see the Beasts in his ground and the Owner chaseth them out of purpose before the Distresse taken the Owner of the ground cannot distrain them and if he doth the Owner of the Cattell may rescue them for the Beasts must be Damage-feasant at the time of the Distresse 16 E. 4. 10. 2. 6. 2. Avowry 182. lib. 9. A horse cannot be distrained while the Owner thereof is riding upon him or leading of him nor if he be tyed at a Mill and came thither with grist nor a horse tyed at a mans dore the Owner being gone into the House on some businesse Pas 39.
as S. V. hath appeared by his Attorney in this Court to answer W. N. of an Action of debt These are therefore to will and require you immediatly upon the sight hereof to deliver or cause to be delivered unto the said S. V. Two kine of the goods of him the said S. V. which you have distrained and do keep by vertue of my Warrant from this Court directed at the Suit of the said W. N. Fail you not hereof as you will answer the contrary Given under the Seal of my Office c. A Precept upon a Proclamation I. B. Esq Sheriff c. to the Bayliff of the Hundred of B. and to his Deputies greeting By vertue of a Proclamation upon Exigent to me directed I command you and every of you that you or some of you make two severall Proclamations The one to be made at the generall quarter Sessions of the Peace to be holden for the North-riding of the County of Y. And the other to be made at the Parish Church door after divine service where the severall persons under-written live and that they and every one of them yeeld their bodies to me the Sheriff of the said County where the Exigent lyeth to answer the person at whose Suit the Exigent is against them And hereof fail not at your perill Given under the Seal of my Office the two and twentieth day of August in the year of our Lord 1658. At the Election of the Coroner he is to be sworn in Court by the County Clark for the due Execution of his Office In this manner You shall swear that you well and truly shall serve his Highnesse the Lord Protector and the Common-wealth in the Office of a Coroner and as one of his Highnesse Coroners of the County of Y. and therein you shall truly diligently do and accomplish all and every thing and things appertaining to your Office after the best of your cunning wit and power both for the profit and good of the Inhabitants within the said County taking such Fees as you ought to take by the Laws and Statutes of this Common-wealth and not otherwise so help you God The Oath of an Attorney in this Court YOu shall do no falshood nor consent to any to be done in the Court and if you know of any to be done you shall give knowledge thereof to the Steward or county Clerk that the same may be reformed you shall delay no man for lucre or malice you shall increase no fees but shall be content with the old fees accustomed you shall suffer no forreign or illegal suits to hurt any man nor plead or cause to be pleaded any forreign plea but such as shall stand with the order of the law and your conscience you shall seal all such processe as you shall sue out of this Court with the seal thereof you shall not procure to be sued any false suit nor give aid nor consent to the same And lastly you shall use your selfe in the office of an Attorney within this Court according to your learning and discretion So help you God A Warrant of Attorney To S. D. one of the Attorneys of the County Court for the County of Y. c. I A. B. do hereby desire you and do give you full power license and authority to appear for me and for c. in your said Court on Monday c. in an action of debt for c. at the suit of E. D. upon an obligation conditioned for the payment of c. in which said obligation I stand bound as principal And this shall be your sufficient warrant in that behalfe In witnesse c. Bond for appearance It hath been formerly used to take a bond of the defendant for his appearance in this Court the form of the condition is thus THe condition c. That if the above bounden E T. do appear at the next County Court to be holden at the Castle of Y. on monday the first day of Ianuary next to answer H. B. in a plea of debt and do also stand to such order as the Court in that behalfe shall set down and adjudge according to law That then this present obligation to be void c. A sale of Goods to the Plaintiff levied upon a Fieri facias by the Sheriffs Bailiffe KNow all men by these presents That I G. B. of Skipton in Craven Bailiffe of the Liberty or Weapentake of Slaincliffe in the County of Y. By vertue of a precept of Fieri facias from the Sheriff to me directed have levied of the goods and chattels of c. the sum of c. pa●t of a debt due to c. levied by vertue of the precept to his use In full satisfaction of which said sum of c I do by vertue of the precept or warrant to me directed as aforesaid assigne sell and set over unto the said c. all the goods and chattels in the apprisement hereto annexed nominated at the rate of c. To have c. the said goods and chattels to him his heirs executors and administrators as his or their own proper goods and chattels as fully and absolutely as I the said G. B. might could or ought to do by force and vertue of the said precept and apprisement or otherwise howsoever In witnesse whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the sixteenth day of August in the yeare of our Lord 1658. A Deputation for a Bailiff of an hundred I. B. Esquire Sheriffe of the County of Y. to all Christian people to whom these presents doth or may concern greeting Know ye that I the said Sheriff have deputed constituted and appointed R. D. of A. in c. my lawfull Bailiff and Deputy within the Hundred of B. in the North-riding in the County of Y. aforesaid to have and execute the said Office of Bailiff within the said Hundred or elswhere within the said County of Y. as occasion shal require it during my pleasure onely and no longer and to receive and take to my use all Fees as well for Distresse Attachment and Perquisites of Courts and other profits due and accustomed whatsoever to the said Bayliwick belonging or in any wise appertaining And whatsoever my said Bayliff shall lawfully execute and do in his said Office I do hereby warrant ratifie and confirme as my own act and deed In witnesse whereof I have hereunto set the Seal of my Office the seventeenth day of August 1658. The Fees The Fees to the County Clark   l. s d. FOr every Distringas 00-00-08 Every speciall Distringas 00-01-08 Duces tecum 00-00 08 A speciall Duces tecum 00-01-08 The Writ of Justicies 00-02-06 The Precept upon the Writ of Justicies 00-02-04 A speciall Precept upon the Writ of Justic 00-04-04 A Replevin 00-02-04 A speciall Replevin 00-05-04 The Bond upon the Replevin 00-01-00 Subpoena for Witnesses 00-00-08 Venire facias 00-02-00 Habeas corpora 00-02-00 Fieri facias 00-02-00 Capias in Withernam 00-05-04
Scire facias 00-02-00 Tolt 00-01-02 Precept upon an accedas ad curiam 00-02-04 Supersedeas 00-02-04 Procedendo 00-02-00 Warrant of Attorney upon every Distringas 00-00-02 Warrant of Attorney upon a Iusticies 00-00-04 Entring Essoynes for every name 00-00-04 Entring Imparlance 00-01-00 Copying the Declaration 00-01-00 Allowing the answer 00-01-00 Copying the answer 00-01-00 Allowing the Replication 00-01-00 And for copying the Replication and allowing the Rejoynder c. and so of the rest 00-02-00 Entring a Rule 00-00-04 Entring a Default by Nihil dicit 00-00-04 Entring a Non-suit 00-00-04 Dividing a Plaint for every name 00-00-04 Entring Judgment 00-02-00 Transcript upon a Plaint 00-01-08 Transcript upon a Writ of Iusticies 00-03-04 Allowing a Recordare 00-04-00 Allowing a Pone 00-04-10 Allowing a Writ of False Iudgment 00-06-08 Fees to the Attorney FOr drawing every Declaration 00-01-00 Drawing every answer 00-01-00 Drawing the Replication 00-01-00 Drawing Rejoynder 00-01-00 Drawing Sur-rejoynder 00-01-00 For every Court day wherein he proceeds in the Action allowed as his Fee 00-02-00 Fees to the Bayliff for executing of Processe FOr executing a Distringas of the Plaintiff 00-00-04 and of the Defendant 00 00-08 A Duces tecum of the Plaintiff 00 00-04 And of the Defendant 00-00-08 A Iusticies of the Plaintiff 00-01-00 and of the Defendant 00-02-00 A Replevin of the Plaintiff 00-02-00 A Venire facias 00-02-00 If tried for the Habeas corpora 00-02-00 A Fieri facias 00-02-00 A Scire facias 00-02-00 The Order of the Judges of Assize at York the 24. day of July 1654. concerning Essoins illegally returned into this Court. WHereas of late Judgements have been surreptitiously obtained in this Court by reason of Essoins unduly brought into the Court by Bailiffs or their Deputies and others after attachment of goods for appearance which pretended Essoins being afterwards disavowed by the defendant have occasioned sundry complaints and suits when the defendants goods were taken in execution for preventing whereof it is ordered upon advice and consultation had with the Judges of Assize at Y this day that henceforth no common Essoin shal be entred and allowed by the Court to save a default unlesse it be warranted in writing under the proper hand-writing or under the hand seal or mark of the defendant thereby specially authorizing the party being the Essoiner to cast such Essoin for him and in his name for the truth of which subscription or sealing the same Essoin is to be sworn in open Court and no Essoin is to be admitted or received from henceforth being not affirmed and sworn unto and so entred upon the back of the warrant of attachment which is to remain upon the file amongst the Rolls or proceedings of the Courr and if any other person not being a Bailiff shall be the Essoiner he is to bring the like warrant from the Defendant in writing as is aforesaid and be sworn for the truth thereof which is to remain in Court as aforesaid And no jugdement shall be given where there is no other appearance but an essoin Unlesse the Essoin shall appear to be warranted as aforesaid To swear to warrant Essoyns in this Court is contrary to the Statute of Marlbridge cap. 19. which saith De essoniis autem provisum est quod in Com. c. nullus habeat necesse jurare pro Essonio suo warrantizand Of the nature and Return of those Writs that do remove actions out of this Court into superiour Courts WRits removing suits out of this Court may be without shewing cause in the writ if the remove be by the Plaintiff but not without shewing good cause if it be by the Defendant As that the suit is for Charters of land or for inheritance or for freehold of Land or any titles of Land or actions touching life or actions to cause one to render an accompt or trespass vi armis all which are not within the cognizance of the Court. Or that he before whom the action depends is a favourer of him that is on the other side or that the Defendant avoweth for damage feasant and the Plaintiff doth justifie for common of pasture which is a plea touching Freehold and thrrefore the prosecution in this Court ceaseth First of a Recordare facias loquelam A Recordare is a writ issuing out of the Chancery directed to the Sheriff commanding him to send a plaint that is before him in his County Court without writ of Iusticies into the Court of Vpper Bench or Common Pleas to the end that the cause may be there determined And the Shiriff is hereupon to summon the other party to be in that Court into which the Plaint is to be sent at a day certain And of all this he is to make a certificate under his own Seal and the Seals of four Suitors of the same Court By vertue of this Writ to me directed at my County of Y. held at the Castle of Y. within written such a day and year to be Recorded I caused the Plea of which within is made mention which appears in a Schedule to this Writ annexed and that Record I have before the Iustices within written at the day and place within contained under my Seal and the Seals of W. H. E. R. c. four good and legall Knights of the same County of them who at the Record present were and to the parties within written that day I have prefixed that then they be there in that Plea as just it may be to prosecute as within to me is commanded The residue of the Execution of this Writ appears in a certain Schedule to this Writ annexed At my County Court held at the Castle of Y. in the County aforesaid such day and year before I. R. M. L. I. S. and S. D. four Suitors of the said Court amongst other matters is contained R. S. complaineth against B. W. of a Plea of debt or as the case requires I. B. Esq Sheriff pledg of prosec I. S. I. D. In testimony of c. By vertue of this Writ to be recorded I have caused the Plea which is in my County without Writ of Oliver Lord Protector c. betwixt A. B. and C. D. concerning the Beasts of him the said A. B. taken and unjustly detained as it is said and that Record I have before the Justices within written at the day and place within contained under my seal and the seals of E. B. S. D. R. B and I. L. four legall Knights of my County of those who at the Record present were as it appeareth in a certain Schedule to this Writ annexed according to the Exigency of this Writ At my County held c as before By vertue of this Writ in form within written I came to the Court within written and in that full Court to be recorded caused the plea within written and that Record as it appeareth in a Schedule to this Writ annexed I have before the Justices within written at
facias is onely against the goods as Leases for years or moveable goods as Corn Houshold stuffe Cattle Apparrel Money Plate c. and it ought to be sued out within the year after the Judgement Co. 3. 13. After a Fi. fa. a man may have an Elegit but on the contrary after the Elegit he cannot have a Fi. fa. because the Elegit is of a higher nature then the Fieri facias An Elegit is a Writ whereby the Plaintiff is to have Execution of the half of all the Defendants lands and chattels except Oxen and beasts of the Plough till the debt and damages be wholly levied and paid to him and during the term he is tenant by Elegit Terms of the Law The Proceedings upon the Writ of False Judgement YOu must call of the County Clerk for a return of the Writ together with the whole Record of all the proceedings from the original and beginning of the cause in the County Court The Writ being returned you must assign Errors and take Copies thereof and thereupon sue forth a Scire facias to the Plaintiff in the Action to hear Errors To which the Plaintiff may appear and plead the common plea which is that The action nor proceedings in the County Court are in nothing erroneous Then must the Desendant endeavor to get a Rule or day given for the arguing of the same Errors But if the Defendant doth delay and doth not call for a return of the writ nor proceed then the Plaintiff may sue forth another Scire facias against the Defendant to shew cause why he should not have Execution upon the Judgement had in the County Court And if at the Return of the second Scire Facias Errors be not assigned then Judgment is confirmed in that Court into which the Writ is returnable If Errors be found and allowed to be sufficient and good then is the said Judgment to be reversed and made void But if Errors be not found good then is the Judgment in the County Court affirmed and further costs for delay of Execution allowed to the Plaintiff who may presently sue forth Execution out of that Court into which the Writ was returned against the Defendant Note that if the Judgment be reversed and made void yet notwithstanding it takes not away the Plaintiffs cause of action for he may commence a new action against the Desendant for the same cause The same proceedings are upon an Accedeas ad Curiam See the Record upon it The manner and form of drawing up Records upon a Writ of False Judgment and Accedeas ad Curiam THe Sheriff is commanded that if A. B. shall secure the same Sheriff to prosecute his plaint then in his full County he cause to be recorded the plaint which was in the same County by writ of his Highnesse the Lord Protector c. between W. B. and the same A. B. in a certain Trespasse upon the case to the same W. B. by the same A. B. done c. And whereupon the same A. B. did complain that False Judgment was done to him in the same County and that he should have here at this day that is to say Octab. pur under his Seal and by four lawfull Knights of the same County who should be present at the Record and that he should have here the Summoners the names of the four Knights this Writ and another Writ And now here at this day came aswell the same A. B. by Simon Dunn his Attorney as the said W. B. summoned c. by Phit Prince his Attorney And the Sheriff to wit Geo. Mar. Esquire now returneth that the same A. B. had found to the same Sheriff Pledges to prosecute his said Writ to wit Iohn Doo and Ric Roo And that he by vertue of that Writ to him directed at his County held at the Castle of York in the County asoresaid the 10. day of May in the year of our Lord 1657. made the same plaint to be recorded which was in the same County between the same A. B. and W. B. and the Record of the same plaint before the Justices here at this day under his seal and the seals of H. M. and four lawfull Knights of the same County hath ready of those who were present at the Record And that he summoned the same W. B. that he should be here at this day to hear the Record by R. S. and F. L. as by the same Writ to him it was commanded c. which said Record followeth in these words OLIVER Lord Protector c. To the Sheriff of York greeting W. B. hath requested that A. B. of C. in your County husbandman although the same W. B. be our true and faithfull subject and as our true and faithfull subject from the time of his nativity hitherto hath carried and behaved himselfe and of good name and same among many of our saithfull subjects was noted called and reputed notwithstanding the same A. B. not ignorant of the premisses the same W. B. unjustly to vex and him of his goods name fame and opinion whereof from his nativity to deprive conspurgate And the same W. B. into perturbation vexation and infamy amongst his neighbours and many other saithfull subjects and people of this Commonwealth to induce plain salse and scandalous words of the same W. B. at C. in the presence of many faithfull subjects and people of this Commonwealth said published and pronounced in these English words following to wit W. B. the same W. B. meaning hath stoln my horse By speaking publishing and pronouncing which same words the same W. B. not only in his good name and same is hurt but also in his doings and businesses with honest persons with whom the same W. B. in buying selling and lawfull bargaining before used is much prejudiced and made worse to the no little damage and losse of the same W. B. c. And therefore we command you that you hear the said Plaint and afterwards cause the same to be with-drawn that we hear no more clamour thereof for defect of Justice Witnesse c. Pleas held at the Castle of York in the County of York upon Monday the second day of June in the year of our Lord 1657. AT this Court W. B. complaineth of A. B. in a plea of Trespasse upon the case W. B. by P. P. his Attorney complaineth of A. B. in a plea of Trespasse upon the case for that to wit that whereas the same W. B. is a good true and faithfull subject of this Common-wealth of England from the time of his nativity hitherto hath carried and behaved himself and of good name same credit and reputation honestly with good and grave men as well his neighbours as other saithfull subjects of the said Cōmonwealth was had noted called and reputed without any falshood thest perjury selony deceit or stain of any other fault or hurtfull crime unspotted and untouched by the whole time aforesaid carried
aforesaid in their Demesne as ofsee Between which said Closes there is a certain hedge separating each from other the aforesaid Closes which said hedge the aforesaid D. and all they whose estate the same D. hath in the Close aforesaid from time out of minde were accustomed to make repaire and sustain and say that that hedge for want of reparation and sustaining of the same was at the time of the Trespasse aforesaid supposed to be made broken down and laid prostrate to the ground and that the Cattel of the said A. and B. in their Close aforesaid put to depasture into the said Close of the aforesaid D. by the breach and decay of the said hedge did enter against the will of them the said A. and B. and the grasse aforesaid did eat up tread down and consume the same A. and B. their Cattle aforesaid freshly pursuing into the said Close of the said D. by the breach and decay aforesaid did enter to drive backe their Cattle into the said Close of them the said A. and B. and into that Close speedily drove them as it was lawfull for them to do which is the same trespasse and breach of close and feeding treading downe and consuming the grasse aforesaid whereof the said D. above against them complaineth And this they are ready to averre c. whereupon c. The Defendant upon a Replevin avoweth the taking of the Cattle doing Damage Feasant ANd the said A. by c. cometh and defendeth the sorce and injury when c. and doth well avow the taking of the said Cowes in the said place in which c. and justly c. because he saith that he is seized and at the time of the said taking was seized in one Messuage and 12 acres of Meadow with the Appurtenances in the said Towne of S. whereof the place in which c. the said Cowes were taken as parcell in his Demesne as of Fee And for that he at the time of the said taking found the said Cows doing damage in the said place in which c. the said A. those Cowes in his ground and free-hold so doing damage took as to him it was lawfull And this he is ready to prove whereupon he prayeth judgement and the returne of the said Cattle c. Misnomer in the Writ of Justicies ANd hereupon comes Alvered Pease by W O. his Attorney and saith that he being by vertue of the said Writ of Iusticies summoned by the name of Abraham Pease neither is nor can be understood the same person against whom the said E. W. hath brought his Writ by the name of Abraham Pease For he saith that he is named called Alvered Pease and by the same name and sirname from the time of his nativity always known and called without that that he is named or called Abraham Pease or by the same name and sir-name was ever known or called as by the said Writ is supposed And this the said Alvered is ready to aver and prove whereupon he demandeth Judgement of the said Writ and that the same may be quashed c. Non cepit to a Replevin ANd the said B. by S. H. his Attorney cometh and defendeth the force and wrong when c. And saith that he did not take the Cattle aforesaid as the said A. above against him complaineth And of this he putteth himselfe upon the Countrey And the said A. likewise c. Property ANd the said B. by S. H. his Attorney cometh c. and saith that the property of the Cattle aforesaid at the supposed time of their taking was in the said B. and not in the said A. And this he is ready to prove whereupon he prayeth Judgement c. Demurrer to a Declaration ANd the said B. by C. D. his Attorney comes and desends the force and injury when c. And saith that the Declaration of the said P. and the matter therein contained are not sufficient in Law for the said P. to maintain his action aforesaid against him the said B. to be had And that he to that Declaration in manner and forme aforesaid made hath no need nor by the Law of the Land is bound to answer And for causes of Demurrer in Law in this behalse the said B. according to the forme of the Statute in this behalf provided doth shew to the Court these causes following That is to say that the said Declaration doth contain double and insufficient matter and wants forme and this he is ready to aver whence for default of a sufficient Declaration in this behalse the same B. prayeth Judgement and that the said P. may be barred of having his action against him c. Joyning in Demurrer ANd the said P. saith for that he above declaring hath in his said Declaration alleadged sufficient matter in Law to maintain his said Action to be had against the said B. which he is ready to aver which matter the said B. doth not gainsay nor thereunto at all answer but wholly refuseth to admit that averment prayes Judgement and his debt aforesaid together with damages by reason of the detaining of the said debt to him to be adjudged c. If it be in Trespasse then thus PRayes Judgement and his damages by reason of the sayd Trespasse or Trespasse and Assault or Trespass Assault and Imprisonment as the case is to him to be adjudged c. If in an Action upon the Case PRayes Judgement and his damages by the occasion before specified to him to be adjudged c. OF THE JUDICIAL AND MINISTERIAL POWER OF SHERIFS TO treat of the Originall or first Institution of Sheriffs in this Common-wealth is not here necessary being already done in the tract of the County Court or first part of this our subject matter Therefore we will initiate with the office of Sheriff in which office he hath triplicem custodiam a three-fold custody viz. 1 Custos vitae Reipublicae The Conservator of the life or peace of the Common-wealth 2 Custos vitae Iustitiae The preserver of the life of Justice for no Suit doth commence and no Processe is executed but by him 3 Custos vitae legis The Guardian or Tutor of the life of the Law for after tedious and long spun suits he is to make due execution which is the very life and spirit of the Law Now as he is Custos vitae Reipub. or Principalis conservator pacis within the County he hath a Judicial authority in the other two a Ministeral 1. And first to discover his Judiciall power And as he is a preserver of the peace he may ex officio upon request command and cause another to finde sureties of the Peace and may take the same sureties by Recognizance for all Obligations that he takes to that end are as Recognizances in Law And if he see one man assault another or if an assault be made upon himselfe he may compel them to finde sureties of the
levy of the Goods and Chattels which late were of P. R. of c. deceased at the time of his death in the hands of W. T. Executor of the Testament and last Will of the said P. R. the Testator a certain debt of 200 l. which the said E. F. in the said Court hath recovered against the said W. T. the Executor as by the said Writ now delivered to the said Sheriffe in forme of Law to be executed more at large appeareth And whereas the said E. F. hath informed the said high Sheriffe and Under-sheriffe that divers goods chattels and debts which were the said P. R. the Testator at the time of his death to the value of his said debt of 200 l after the death of the said P. R. the Testator came to the hands of the said W. T. the Executor within the said County to be administred and that the Executor since the death of the said P. R. the Testator came to the hands of the said W. T. the Executor within the said County to be administred and that the Executor since the death of the said P. R. the Testator hath wasted the same so that unlesse the said Sheriffe shall upon the said Writ of Fieri facias make his returne to this or the like effect viz. That the said Goods and Chattels which were the said P. R. the Testator at the time of his death to the value of the said two hundred pounds did after the death of the Testator come to the hands of the said Executor within the said County of Y. to be administred and that the said Executor hath wasted the same so that the said Sheriff cannot by vertue of the said Writ of Fieri facias do execution thereupon of the goods and chattels as is thereby required And so that also the said E. F. cannot by course of Law have the benefit of his said recovery whereupon the said High-Sheriff and his under-Sheriff being desirous to do what to them or either of them by vertue of their said Office appertaineth for the surtherance of Justice in that behalfe giving credit to the said assertion and affirmation of the said E. F. the said High-Sheriff at his earnest request hath upon the said Writ of Fieri facias in form of Law returned to his Highnesses Justices of the said Court of Common Pleas a Devastavit of the Goods and Chattels which were the said Testators at the time of his death and came to the hands of the said Executor to be administred to the said value of the said debt of two hundred pounds Now therefore these presents do witnesse that the said E. F. and T. P. for the indempnity and saving harmlesse of the said High-Sheriffe and Under-Sheriffe and of their and either of their Clerks of for and concerning the making of the said return in case the assertion and information of the said E. F. be not true do by these presents Covenant and grant joyntly and severally for themselvs and every of them and for their and every of their Executors and Administrators to and with the said A. B. and C. D. and either of them their and either of their Executors and Administrators that they the said E. F. and T. P. or some of them shall and will at all times hereafter discharge acquit and save harmelesse the said A. B. and C. D. and either of them their and either of their Clerk or Clerks and the Heires Executors and Administrators of them and every of them for and concerning all all manner of actions suits complaints losses vexations and troubles whatsoever which shall at any time hereafter be commenced attempted brought or prosecuted against them or any of them by the said P. R. the Executor his Executors or Administrators or by any other person or persons touching or concerning the said returne or by reason or occasion thereof And shall and will from time to time beare and pay to to them the said Sir A. B. and C. D. all such sum and summes of money damages costs and expences as against them or either of them or against their or either of their Executors or Administrators shall be adjudged decreed or ordered or which they or any of them shall from time to time by reason or occasion aforesaid be put unto or shall necessarily lay out or be enforced to pay by reason of any such action suit complaint molestation vexation or trouble And for the true performance of all and singular which said premisses the said E. F. and T. P. doe by these presents binde themselves joyntly and severally and their and either of their Heires Executors and Administrators to the said Sir A. B. and C. D. in the summe of 300 l. of good c. to be paid to them or either of them their or either of their Executors or Administrators if default or breach of the Covenant aforesaid shall be made In witnesse c. A discharge to the Sheriffe for a Prisoner from him to whom the prisoner is indebted KNow all men by these presents that I A. B. of C. in the County of York have remised released acquitted and discharged and by these presents doe for mee my Heires Executors Administrators and Assignes remise release and fully and absolutely acquit and discharge E. F. high Sheriffe of the said County of Y. and G. H. his Under-sheriff their Heirs Executors and Administrators of and from all and all manner of Escapes as well voluntary as negligent and of and from all actions cause and causes of actions for or concerning the enlarging or setting at liberty of the body of L. M. taken at my suite by vertue of a Capias ad satisfac to the said Sheriffe directed of ten pounds debt and fourty shillings costs of suit returnable in the Court of Common-Pleas in Easter Terme last past and I the said A. B. do hereby discharge the said Sheriffe from all actions reckonings duties and demands whatsoever concerning the executing of the said Capias ad satisfac In witness whereof c. Or Thus KNow all men by these presents that I A. B. of c. have remised released and quit claimed and by these presents do remise release and quit claim unto C. D. Esq now Sherif of the said County of Y. all and all manner of actions suits troubles and incumberances whatsoever which I might may or ought to have against him for or concerning the discharging or setting at liberty L. M. of N. in the said County Gent. being arrested and imprisoned upon a Capias ad satisfaciendum out of the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster for an hundred pounds debt and twenty shillings costs at my suit returnable from the day of Easter in one month last past In witnesse whereof I have hereunto set c. A Condition that the Sheriff executing a Writ may detaine out of the goods and lands extended so much mony c. THE CONDITION c. That whereas the within bound A. B.
c. Ass 13 E. 3. Avowry 105. If my Horse be in the keeping of another man he may be distrained if I be amercied in the Leet for stopping the High-way c. 47 E. 3. 12. But if an Inne-holder be amercied the horse of a stranger cannot be distrained 10 H. 7. fol. 21. Note that in 8 R. 2. Avowry 194. If one be amercied in the Sheriffs tourn the Sheriff may distrain throughout the whole County and in like manner if the amerciament be in a Leet throughout all the precincts of the Leet The Statute of 1 E. 4. expresly appoints that no fine or amerciament in the Tourn or Leet shal be levied unlesse it be certified at the next sessions of the peace by Indenture inrolled there and by processe made from the Justices of Peace to the Sheriffe or Steward How Presentments in Leets shall be traversable NOte Scard saith that if a thing be presented at the day in a Leet this is as Gospel if it passe that day without being repealed And therefore if a false presentment be made he shall have an action of false imprisonment the same day against the prosecutors but if he stay until another day it is otherwise and he who is amercied there for purpresture or other Nusance in Avowry for the amerciament he shall traverse in no point Wilby If it be presented that he hath levied a Ditch over the Highway if the presentment be false he shall have trespasse against him who throwes it down by force of such presentment And so of my house abated by reason of such false imprisonment Hil. 21. E. 3. Bar. 271. He who is amerced in a Leet may traverse the resiancy but he shall not say that the place where c. is within another view 4 E. 3. 12. 10 E. 3. 5. 41 E. 3. 26. But if he hath been sworn in my Leet he shall not have the traverse 4 E. 3. 31. 10 E. 3. 9. The Method of keeping the Sheriffs Tourn or Court Leet LEt the Sheriffe or Steward make a Precept unto the Bayliffe to summon the Court by a reasonable time to wit fifteene or sixteene dayes before the Court be kept if it be lesse time it is sufficient in Law the Precept must be made according to this subsequent President A. B Esquire Sheriff of the County of Y. To the Bayliffe of the Liberty or Weapentake of S. greeting I command you that you diligently summon the Court with view of franke-pledge to be held within the said Liberty the sixteenth day of August next ensuing about the hour of eight in the forenoon of the same day at the common Tollbooth of R. And this given under the seale of my Office the twenty eighth day of July in the yeare c. By the Sheriffe If it be a Court Leet held in a particular Hundred or Mannor of any Lord then the form of the Precept is thus A. B. Gent. Steward of I. N Esquire of his Hundred or of his Mannor of O. to the Bayliffe of the same Hundred or Mannor greeting Commanding thee that thou summon this Court with the view of Frank-pledge of the said Hundred or Mannor to be held at the accustomed place of S. the 16. day of August next ensuing And this given under my seale the twenty eighth day of July in the year c. By me A. B. Steward After the Steward hath placed himself in the Court he must first enter the title of the Court in the beginning of the Court-Roll with the name of the place where the Court is holden in this manner The entry of the Court ss The view of Frank-pledge with the Court of A. B. Sheriffe of the County of Y. there held on Tuesday the 16. day of August in the yeare c. By the Sheriff If In the Lords Court then thus ss The view of Frank-pledge with the Court of I. N. Esquire there held on Tuesday the c. By A. B. Steward Then cause the Bayliffe to make three Proclamations repeating them after the Steward in this manner Proclamation ALL manner of persons who were summoned to appear here this day to serve His Highnesse the Lord Protector and the Sheriffe or the Lord of the Mannor for his Court now holden draw near and give your attendance and every one answer to his name as he shall be called upon pain and peril that may fall thereon After all are called and those that are absent be marked to be amercied then the Steward shall cause the Bayliff again to make other three Proclamations viz. O yes c. causing the Bayliff to say Proclamation IF any man will be Essoyned come into Court and you shall be heard and all such persons as were Essoyned the last Court let them come in now and warrant their Essoyns otherwise they will be amercied And if any desire to be essoyned by the Tythingman or other neighbour then for the first Court they may be essoyned The Essoyn must be entred in this manner A. B. is essoyned by C. D. c. Inquire if there be any tenant in the Mannor that hath any action or cause of action since the last Court day let him put in his plaint sedente curiâ viz. the Court sitting and it shall be entred Inquire if there be any Precepts attachments or distresses depending in the Court rolls call them openly in the Court and know if the Bayliffe have executed them Also if there be any old Plaints depending in the Court Roll before this court holden cause the parties to be called before the inquest be charged Then impannel the Inquest comanding the fore-man to lay his hand upon the book swearing him as follows You shall sweare that you shall diligently inquire and true presentment make of all such things as you shall be charged with concerning his Highnesse the Lord Protector or the Lords Court of the Mannor you shall well and truly keep his Highnesses Counsel your Fellowes and your owne you shall not conceale nor hide any thing for favour feare promise or affection you bear to any person or persons or present any thing for hatred or malice you beare to any man but you shall present and tell the truth according as things may or shall come to your knowledge by information or otherwise making a true presentment thereof without concealment so helpe you God c. After the fore-man is particularly sworne cause foure at once of the Inquest to lay their right hands together on the book swearing them in this manner The same oath which A. B. your fore-man on his behalfe hath made you and every of you shall well and truly keep on your behalfes so help you God Swearing the rest accordingly After they are all sworn cause the Bayliffe to number them as the Steward doth read them Then command the Bayliffe to make Proclamation saying after the Steward Proclamation YOu good men that are impannelled to enquire for his Highnesse the
a book and not the wyre-drawn flourishes of an obsequious Epistle that causeth your approbation so that this must stand or fall by the weight or levity you shall finde in it Now as this Tract is chiefly intended for the commodity of the Countrey and as it is their sole object to place their invectives point-blanck against Law and Lawyers and if I vindicate them I shall rather seem to detract from then add to their fame it having been the sole subject of many learned pens yet I hope it 's no presumption if I add one Lawrel more to the learned's Crown The Lawes constituted by learned men antiquity own'd receiv'd as from the command of the gods accounting onely those men fit to converse with the gods Thus Minos the Cretan is said to converse with Jupiter and in his presence to compile those Laws he after gave to the people and Lycurgus the Lacaedemonian to have command from the Oracle at Delphos and Numa to consult with the Goddess Aegeria that the Lawes might be more cordially admitted and obeyd as made by the gods themselves Nay in a kind by a civil non obstante excepting them so learned from being obliged by Law as other men of less magnitude were as appears in that carriage of Architas the Pythagorean his Citizens to him whom they would choose seven times their head Governor though the Law prohibited any other that office and honour above a year Have a retro-spect to the Journals of Antiquity view the Diaries of time and you shal find men learned in the Lawes noble advantages to their Countrey their Champions to defend them their Oracles to advise them and their Orators to plead for them And now as to the Laws themselves which may be truly term'd the Walls and Palizadoes of Governments and Nations yea the strongest sinews of humane society for take away the potency of Laws who is it that can say This is mine or that he is within the Bulworks of incolumity according to that eloquent Aphorism of Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leges esse animam civitatis ut etiam corpus cum anima orbatum est concidit Ita civitas sine legibus consistere non potest So the true end of all Laws is to ordain and settle in order and government amongst us the jurisdiction whereof we are rather obliged to obey then dispute Though Thales compared laws to spiders webs But such are ever to be spun in a corrupt state ours are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking laws that dare tax a Delinquent be he never so potent For the Law is grounded upon the rules axioms of reason therefore have an ingeminate denomination the absence of the one is the deformity of the other being in a kind convertibilia and inseparable That common Reason we have ingraffed in our natures is a law directing what we are to do prohibiting the contrary according to that of Cicero Eadem ratio cum est in hominis mente confirmata et confecta lex est For Law is nothing but reason dilated and applied upon several occasions and accidents The comprehension of reason is of publick enormities and necessities for which they be severally at several times constituted being infinite so that the disease in our knowledg many times hath the priority of the remedy And thus the reverence and duty we owe to lawes is nothing else but obedience to reason which is the begetter correcter preserver of the very laws themselves Those therefore who will not obey them are more propinque to the nature of bruits and salvages then men indued withreason It is law reason that do knit the true Gordian knot that binds and cements us to unity and peace amongst our selves and dissipateth all such violent and illegal courses as otherwise unbridled liberty would insinuate preserving every man in his right and preventing others who if they thought their actions might passe with impunity would not measure their course by the rule of Aequum Justum but by the square of their private commodity and affections and so being not circumscribed within reasonable Bounds or Land-marks their reason becomes invisible whereas when they finde that Justice hath a predominant power they are deterred from proceeding in those Acts that otherwise their owne wills and inclinations would give them leave to effect And these were the causes that prompted prudent Antiquity to institute these Courts of Judicature in each County and their severall Precincts and likewise was the cause instigated me to compile this Miscellanie of Courts which in it selfe is methodical facile and perspicuous to benefit the meanest capacity yet satisfie the highest I have now nothing more but to Apologize with Isocrates who with this rule prepares me to endure the supercilious censures various opinions of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that I hope your candid ingenuities Juvenili mea aetate considerata will promise me your connivance at those Errors that shall occur and that you will mitissimo aspectu smile upon this Cradle brat whose little desert though it cannot expect the perusall yet its humility in prostrating it selfe before you may merit your acceptance whereby he shall be encouraged to higher designs whose highest ambition is to be Your friend to serve you W. G. From Furnivals Inne April 20. 1659. Ad amicum eruditissimum G. Greenwood in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DVm stupendam ingenii tui foecunditatem lanuginosa conclusam atate suspicio in mentem subit imberbem Apollinem in te suum transfudisse genium ut testaretur tibi minus pili quam eruditionis accrevisse Minerva non multo pridem è Ioviali tuo cerebro prodiens Affectus amoris titulo vulgo insignita inventionem ovantem plane ostendit luxuriantis calami veneres dulcescentes suas exhibent pulchritudines nec formosa facetiarum rosa caret Aculeis lascivientes digitos stimulantibus In desudato hoc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tuo limatum triumphat judicium antiquissimarum Curiarum leges methodos à prudentissimis sui aevi inventas excogitatas ad immensum decus elucubrasti quae tenebricosae vetustatis ruderibus jacebant occulta in lucem dedisti Magis familiaria sive indigesta seu disseminata politiori disposuisti ordine in unum velut perfectionis corpus congessisti In debitum hujus libri non excurram elogium quaelibet pagina suis turget laudibus tuamque ultra Herculis Columnas diffundit famam Magni futuri nominis eximia sunt haec praeludia nec de expectatione tantis suffulta speciminibus dubitandum foelicissimam cerebri tui ubertatem largiori rivo in publicas utilitates manaturam ego interim impositis ori digitis silebo mirabor Tui amantissimus J. P. THE COUNTY-COURT OF THE ORIGINALL OF Shires Sheriffs and the first institution of this COURT BEFORE we anatomise the practice of this Court we thought it convenient to deduce it from
the King c. And lastly That the same Court of the Kings did judge not onely according to meer right and Law but also after equity and good conscience And after this order and in these two Courts was all Justice administred This Court continuing untill the time of William the Conqueror and ever since during the times and raignes of the ancient Kings and doth yet continue in manner the same forme and substance that it then was and will doe in despite of those Sycophants that have had their Primum mobile from it and now endeavour its subversion that Viperous brood of Birds that have so much defiled their owne Nest that the whole Countrey laughs at their folly and that the pleas ought no more to be taken from it now in our dayes without cause than they ought then to have been which may evidently be proved by those ancient Writs of Pone Recordare Writ of false Judgment and Accedeas ad curiam which are yet in use to this day and to this onely end to remove suits upon cause out of this Court into superior Courts But because this requireth great search of Records to make any further progression whereunto I have no accesse I must leave it to such whose abilities are more strenuous to travell in that so intricate a path This Court is no Court of Record but onely a Court Baron though it had in ancient times the cognition of great matters as may appear by Glanvile lib. 1. cap. 23. 4. by Bracton and Britton in diverse places and by Fleta lib. 2. cap. 62. but it was abridged by the Statute of Magna Charta cap. 17. and much more by 1 E. 4. cap. unico therefore pleas holden in this Court by Plaint nor pleas holden by Writ of Justicies are not taken as matters of Record for those pleas are holden by reason of the Court which the Sheriff holdeth by reason of his Office This Court as Dalton reporteth in his Office of Sheriffs was ordained for the Sheriff to hold Pleas there for particular or private matters under forty shillings between party and party It is now as it was alwaies holden once every moneth upon a day certaine the moneth being computed according to twenty eight dayes in the moneth and not according to the Kallander 9 H 3. c. 35. 2 E. 6. c 25. It holdeth no plea of debt or damages to the value of forty shillings or above because a Fine is due thereby to the Lord Protector yet if the debt be forty shillings or above and the Plaintiff will acknowledge in his Declaration the receit of so much as to bring it within forty shillings in this case the plaint is good But if the debt be above forty shillings as five pounds the Plaintiff cannot divide this into five severall actions to make this Court hold plea of it for in this case the Defendant may wage his Law And of Debt Detinue Trespasse and other actions personall above forty shillings the Sheriff may hold plea by force of a Writ of Justicies to him directed for that is in nature of a Commission to him and is not returnable Neither doth this Writ alter the nature of the Court for therein the Sheriff is not Judge but the Freeholders or Suitors yet all Judgments shall be pronounced by the Sheriff This Court may be kept at any place within the County at the pleasure of the Sheriff but not out of it Yet the Sheriff of Northumberland by the Statute is to keep his County Court in the Towne or Castle of Alnewicke and in no other place The Sheriff of Sussex by the Statute is to hold his County Court one time at Chester and the other time at the Burrough of Lewes and so to be kept alternis vicibus for ever And also the Sheriff of the County of Chester is to keep his County Court in the Shire Hall of the sayd County Daltons Office of Sheriffs fol. 157. 158. To this Court all persons dwelling within the County owe suit by reason of their resiance No Fine can be imposed in this Court upon any offendor because it is no Court of Record Co. 8. 41. 60. 11. 43. Fitz. 73. d. But a man may be amerced for a contempt or a disturbance of the Court in the presence of the Court. This Court will entertaine no suits for Charters of Land or for Inheritance or for Freehold of Land or any titles of Land or to make severall plaints upon one entire debt by Bond or Trespasse Vi armis or actions touching life nor actions to compell one to render an account The Office of the County Clarke THe Sheriff being elected which is done yearly in the morrow after All soules in the Exchequer Chamber by the Statutes 9. E. 2. 14 E. 3. cap. 7. And his Letters Patents do commonly beare date the sixth day of November 1 2 E. 4. e. 1. unlesse it be in cases of necessity that the Court is sorced to adjourne it Crook fol. 595. before the next County day after his election and discharge of the old Sheriff he ought to be very diligent in deputing and constituting a County Clarke such a one as is sufficient and able to keep the Court that no corrupt dealing be in it as he will answer the contrary and that he be very skilfull in entring the proceedings in it He ought to be endued with these qualities according to the description of Fleta Provideat sibi Vice com' de Clerico circumspecto fideli viro provido discreto gratioso humili pudico pacifico modesto qui in legibus consuetudinibusque provinciae officio Commit ' Cleric ' se cognoscat jura in omnibus teneri affectei quique sub-balivos in suis erroribus ambiguis sciat instruere docere c. Which is thus Paraphrased That a County Clarke ought to be endued and qualified with circumspection fidelity providence humility peace and modesty and must know himselfe or be expert in the Lawes and customes of the Countrey and to have ability to instruct or direct the Bailiffs or other Ministers in dubious things wherein they may erre He must neither be attracted by price nor lucratory corruption nor any sinister affection to wander out of the way of right Qui nec as Bracton adviseth ad dextram nec ad sinistram vel propter prosperitatem terrenam vel adversitatis metum à tramite justiciae declinet The Sheriff and not the Protector hath power to delegate this Office to whom he pleaseth as it appears in Myttons case in the fourth Reports where Queen Elizabeth by Letters Patents did grant the Office of Clarkship of the County Court of Somerset to Mytton with all Fees c. for life Arthur Hopton Esquire Sheriff of the same Shire interrupted him because it was incident to his Office Mitton complained to the Lords of the Councell and was referred to the two chiefe
Justices Wray and Anderson and after many arguments concerning the validity of that Grant and conference had with all the other Justices It was resolved by all the Justices Nullo contradicente aut reluctante that the sayd Letters Patents were voyd and their reasons were That the Office of Sheriff was an ancient Office before the Conquest and of great trust and authority for the King committeth unto him Custodium Comitatus And although the King may determine the Office ad beneplacitum yet he cannot determine this in part as for one Town or Hundred nor abridge him in any incidents to his Office for the Office is entire and ought to continue so without any fraction or diminution unlesse by Parliament and the County Court and the entring of all Proceedings therein are incident to the Sheriffs Office c. And though it was granted when the Office of Sheriff was void yet the new Sheriff shall avoid it as Scroges case in the time of Vacation in the Office of Chief Justice of the Common Bench Queen Mary granted the Office of the Exigenter of London resolved that the next chief Justice shall avoid it for it was incident to his Office Also in all Writs directed to the Sheriff concerning the County Court the King sayes in comitatu tuo and in return of Exigents made by him he sayes ad comitatum meum tent c. and the stile of the Court proves it and by the Statute of 33 H. 8. the Sheriff of Denbigh shall keep his Shire Court at c. In a false Judgment it is said in pleno com tuo recordari facias c. and in a Precept of Tolt it is said summoneas c. quod sit ad comitatum meum and it should be very inconvenient that another should have the custody of the Enteries and Rolls of Court which may be imbezzelled and the Sheriff responsible for them And it was resolved that the custody of all the Goales within every County appertains to the Sheriff by right and are annexed and incident by Law to the Sheriffs Office vide an 14 E. 3. cap. 10. But note that his late Highnesse in the year 1653. granted the Office of Clark-ship for the County of York to one Master R. H. though dissonant to common Law yet consentaneous to a gladiatorie power like those in Livie in armis jus ferre omnia fortium virorum esse that all Lawes are engraven on the hilt of a victorious Sword to whose Mandamus both Statute and common Law must submit He cannot execute the Office of a County Clark and practice as an Attorny both at one time it being prohibited by the Statute of 1 H. 5. 4. being a cause of encreasing Suits and a hinderance in dispatch of Clyents causes He cannot act any thing without the assent of the Suitors if he do an Action of Trespasse lyeth against the Sheriff He must be carefull in deputing honest able and sufficient men as Bayliffs for the executing of the Precepts issuing out of the Court. He ought to enter no Plaints except in case of Replevins out of Court but in full County sedente curia yet the case is otherwise at this day and as it seems good enough verifying the Diverbe communis error facit jus He must make sufficient Precepts after the Plaints entred but not before against the Defendants directed to his Bayliffs to attach or warn the Defendants to appear at the next County Court and answer the Plaintiff The County Clark and Plaintiff upon complaint of the party grieved may be examined by one Justice of Peace concerning the taking or entring of Plaints in the County Court and book against the Statute If thereby the Justice find any fault or offence committed that shall stand for a sufficient conviction and attainder without any further inquirie or examination And the said Justice must certifie the examination within a quarter of a year into the Exchequer by the Statute of 11 H. 7. cap. 15. If a Writ of discharge of the ancient Sheriff be delivered to the County Clark sitting in the County Court the authority of the said Sheriff although absent shall presently cease At the adjourning of every Court he must appoint a day certain for the next Court to the intent the Country may know at what time they may resort thither to hear the Lord Protectors Writs of Exigent and Proclamations read The Office of a Coroner in this Court A Coroner is one of the principall Officers of this Court being chosen in it by a Writ de Coronatore elegendo directed to the Sheriff by the Freeholders or Suitors in open and full Court and is published there and after the Sheriff is to returne and certifie into the Chancery the election of every such Coroner and their names likewise the County Clark in Court must administer to the Coroner his oath for the due execution of his Office The Coroner being thus elected and sworn he is to sit there with the Sheriff every County Court to give Judgment upon Outlawries which Judgment shall be given and pronounced by him in the fifth County and there the Sheriff is to returne the Outlawry with the Exigent But by this Judgment no goods are forfeited before the Outlawry appear upon Record neither shall such an Outlawry disable the party Exigents and Proclamations are to be proclaimed five County dayes one after another and once in the open Sessions and once at the Parish Church doore where he doth or did lately dwell that he appear or else that he shall be outlawed And if Proclamation be made five County dayes and at the fifth County day the Defendant appear not then the Coroner shall give Judgment that he shall be out of the Protection of the Lord Protector and out of the ayd of the Law F. N. B. 163. But before I conclude let me give you in brief why a man is said to be outlawed and a woman waived viz. A man is said to be outlawed because he was sworn to the Law and now for his contumacy he is put from the Law and said outlawed as it were extra legem positus but a woman is not so but she is waived and not outlawed because she was never sworn to the Law Of Attorneys in this Court IT was once objected to me that no Attorney could legally practice in this Court and that every man ought to prosecute his own cause himself Epitomie of the Statute of Westminster 2. cap. 10. That every man which oweth Suit to the County Court may make a generall Attorny to prosecute and follow his Suits in all Pleas And likewise in the Statute of Merton cap. 10. Quod quilibet liber homo qui sectam debet ad Com. c. libere possit facere Atturn suum ad sectas illas pro eo faciendas and an Attorny may doe every thing in the name and as the act of him who gave him the authority as if he did it himself he
and truly try this Issue between party and party according to your Evidence so help you God And as they are sworn enter by every mans name Jur. viz. juratus est he is sworn Being all sworn bid them stand together to hear their Evidence Then swear the Witnesses The Evidence that you are to give to this Inquest touching the matter in variance shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God Then let the Jury depart from the Bar to agree upon their Verdict At their return command the Bayliff to call every one by their names and count them Then aske them if they be all agreed on their Verdict Jur. yea Who shall say for you Jur. The foreman Then call the Plaintiff A. B. appear or thou loseth thy Plaint three times Then aske the Jury if they will stand to their Verdict Jur. yea Whether do you find for the Plaintiff or for the Defendant Jur. for the Plaintiff What damages Jur. 2 d. What costs of Suit Jur. 2 d. Harken to your Verdict this you say you find for the Plaintiff and assesse damages 2 d. and costs of Suit 2 d. so say you all Jur. yea Then bid the Plaintiff pay the Jury If the Verdict find matter incertainly or ambiguously it is insufficient and no Judgment ought to be given thereupon as if an Executor plead plene administravit viz. fully Administred of all the goods and Chattels which were of the Testator and issue is joyned thereupon and the Jury find that the Defendant hath goods within his hands to be administred but find not of what value this is incertain and therefore insufficient A Verdict that findeth part of the issue findeth nothing for the residue this is insufficient for the whole because they have not tryed the whole Issue wherewith they were charged But if the Jury give a Verdict of the whole Issue and of more c. That which is more is Surplusage and shall not stay Judgment for utile per inutile non vitiatur but necessary incidents required by the Law the Jury may find The Court being ended adjourn the Court to another day to be kept commanding the Bayliff to make Proclamation O yes c. and say All manner of persons that have any more to do at this Court let them come forth and they shal be heard otherwise they and every one else may depart for this time and keep their houre here on Munday the fourth day of August next by nine a clock in the morning c. Now the Court being done and the Defendant condemned by Verdict then Judgment being entred a Fieri facias shall be awarded to make Levy of his goods and thereupon the Defendants goods shall be taken praised and sold to satisfie the party Plaintiff and if the Defendant hath no goods whereupon Levy may be made then the Plaintiff rests without remedy in this Court Of Distresse COnsidering the many lacrymable wrongs the Country hath sustained by those Locusts that litigious generation of men a clamorous company qui ex injuria vivunt Seminaries of discord worse then any polars by the high way side monstra hominum rabulas forenses irreligious harpies scraping griping catchpoles Bayliffs and corrupt practisers and how much the ignorant people are abused and deceived yea many times as the sad experience of many will inform us ruined and utterly undone by them they being the sole causes of those ignominious aspersions cast upon the Court The advantage that it would produce to the Common-wealth is in-explainable if the Statute of 1. of H. 5. cap. 4. were observed that is that Sheriffs Bayliffs one year not to be in that Office in three years after because by their continuall being in that Office they grow so crafty and cunning that they are able to deceive the Sheriff and ruine the whole Country Therefore that the Country may not be altogether ignorant of their seeming authorized Actions I will declare what and when they may distrain and what and when they may not But first to declare what a Distresse is A Distresse is either said to be reall that is when Land is distrained upon a grand cape or petit cape of which we have nothing to say here or it is said to be personall where moveable things are distrained and this is that we are to speak unto Therefore a Distresse is where one doth take and distrain the Beasts Cattell and other things of another man in some ground or place for debt rent or other duty behind or for some wrong or damage done The Sheriff nor his officers cannot break a mans house in the night time to execute any Processe or to do any ministeriall act for the Law giveth no colour to break a mans house by night None can be distrained that are out of the Jurisdiction of the Court Marl. cap. 2. No Distresse can be made in the night but for Damage feasant The Bayliff may attach a man by his goods citing him to appear and answer such a day at such a mans Suit in such a Court and for such a cause Or he may onely give the Defendant warning in the presence of two others to appear such a day in such a Court at such a mans Suit it is sufficient And if an Attachment be made it must be of such goods of the Defendants own proper goods as are movables viz. by meer Chattels personalls which may be forseited by Outlawry and not immovables A Bayliff cannot sever horses joyned to a Cart. Sheep may not be distraind if there be a sufficient Distresse besides No man shall drive a Distresse out of the County where it was taken A Distresse may not be impounded in severall places upon pain of five pounds and trebble damages A man cannot work goods distrained nor convert them to his own use The goods of any man may be taken in any place within the County in another mans house or ground as well as his own If a Bayliff distrain or attach the horse of a master where the Plaint is against the servant Trespasse lyes for the Master against the Bayliff for the Bayliff ought to take notice at his perill whose goods he distrains or attaches 13 H. 4. fo 2. 14 H. 4. 24. 11 H. 4. 90. Dr. and St. 139. After Distresse or Attachment made if the Bayliff doth not return his Precept the next Court Trespass lyes against the Bayliff for the Defendant and an Action of the case lyes against him for the Plaintiff for not returning of the Precept 10 E. 4. fo 18. 3 H. 7. fo 3. By Choke If one take Beasts in the name of a Distresse he ought to put them in an open Pound for that he who is distrained may give to them sustenance but if he distraine dead Chattels he may put them where he will but if they spoyl in his default he must answer for them 19 E. 4. fo 2. b. If goods distrained
granting out Replevins to have a Replevin directed to the Bayliffs to Replevie them and the party must be bound in an Obligation to the Sheriff to prosecute his Action against him or them that did take the Cattell and to make return of the same Cattell to the Distrainer if he by Justification or Avowry do recover And if he pursue it not or if it be found or judged against him then he that took the Distresse shall have again the Distresse and that is called the return of the Beasts and he shall have in such case a Writ from above de Returno habendo This Replevin may be returned out of the County into the Common Pleas by a Writ of Recordare If the goods cannot be taken by the first Replevin then issueth forth an Alias then a Plures then a Toties quoties and if none of these will do then a Withernam The suing of a Withernam is after this manner If the Bayliff return at the next County upon the Toties quoties that he cannot Replevie the Cattell because they are esloyned or that he cannot have view of the Cattell then the Sheriff ought to make inquirie if it be true which is returned and if it be so sound out he shall make a Precept to the Bayliff in the nature of a Withernam to take as many Cattell of the other party And if the Bayliff upon the Withernam thus awarded return that the other party hath not any thing c. he shall have an Alias and Plures and so ad infinitum and hath no other remedy in this Court Note that Cattell taken in Withernam ad valentiam that is to the value of the Cattell that were first distrained and so detained that the Sheriff cannot execute the Replevin brought for them is to be understood not of the number of the Cattell first distrained but according to their full worth and value For otherwise he that bringeth the Replevin and Withernam will he deprived of his satisfaction he ought to have in case the Distresse were not lawfully taken But now to return again to the Replevin if the thing distrained be put by the Distrainer in a place where the Sheriff cannot come at them to make a Replevie he may take Posse comitatus viz. the power of the County and after demand of the Chattels he may beat down the door or place where they are to take them and the Owner of the goods shall recover double for his losse what ever it be The Sheriff upon complaint made to him upon taking of Cattell may command his Bayliff by word to make a Replevin of them and it is as good as though he had made his Precept to the Bayliff Fitz. 6. 9. He that hath the Replevin must have either a generall or speciall property in the thing as of goods pledged or the like and it must be in him at the time of the taking or otherwise he cannot have or maintain the Replevin for them Diverse mens Cattell being taken they may not joyn in one Replevin but must have severall Replevins A Replevin ought to be certain in setting forth the number and kinds of the Cattell distrained otherwise it is not good because if it be not certain the Sheriff cannot tell how to make deliverance of the Cattell because he knows not particularly what the Cattell are that were distrained Trin. 23. Car. B. R. If a man taketh and impoundeth goods a Replevin may be of more Cattell than were impounded for if a man distrain Cows or Ewes c. and they have in that Pound Calves or Lambs the Plaintiff shall have a Replevin for them all and by Lit. it was adjudged Mich. 8. E. 3. That if a man distraineth and impoundeth a Sow great with pigs in the Pound the Owner shall have a Replevin for the Sow and the Pigs If Cattell be distrained and a Replevin is sued the Defendant doth avow for taking of them Damage-feasant or for Rents Customs and Services and are at issue and after the Plaintiff is non-suit or otherwise barred he shall lose his costs and damages by the stat of 7 H. 6. cap. 5. but by the stat 21 H. 8. it is clear Pasch 14. Mar. Dyer 141. If a man by his Deed grant a Rent with clause of Distresse and grant further that he shall keep the goods distrained against Gages and Pledges untill the rent be paid yet shall the Sheriff replevie the goods distrained for it is against the nature of such a Distresse to be irrepleviable and by such an intention the current of Replevins should be overthrown to the hindrance of the Common wealth 31 E. 3. Gage deliver 5. Co. Inst 1. fo 145. b. If in this case the taker of the Cattell justifie the taking as in his Freehold then this Court can proceed no further therein but the cause must be removed by a Writ out of the Chancery called a Recordare facias loquelam directed to the Sheriff returnable the next term following either into the Court of upper Bench or Common Pleas to which the party pleaseth but they are more properly belonging to the Court of Common Pleas and this Writ must be openly read and allowed in the same Court to the end that notice may be given thereof to the Plaintiff in the Replevin that he may appear at the day of the return thereof and declare against the taker of his Cattell otherwise the taker will have a retur habend aver and put him to sue forth the second deliverance which is a great disadvantage to the Plaintiff If a Replevin be sued out and the Defendant doth avow for taking of them Damage-feasant or for rents customs or services and are at issue and after the Plaintiff is Non-suit or otherwise barred he shall lose his costs and damages Stat. 7 H. 6. cap. 5. 21 H. 8. Pasc 4. Maria Dyer 141. Of the Processe of this Court THe Process of this Court are either originall issuing out before Judgment Or Judiciall issuing out after Judgment Originall is a Distringas or County Warrant c. Judiciall Process is onely a Fieri facias or Execution directed to the Bayliff to levy the debt or damages and cost of Suit recovered of the goods of the Desendant or of the Plaintiff if he be non-suited The Originall Processe viz. Distringas or County Warrant is a Precept issuing out for a debt under forty shillings It s form is as followeth Y. ss I. B. Esq Sheriff of the said County to all and singular my Bayliffs within the said County and their Deputies greeting Commanding you and every of you that you distrain R. B. by his goods and chattels within the said County so that he be and appear at the next County Court to be holden at the Castle of Y. on munday the 10 of J. to answer unto S. D. in an Action of debt And that you then and there certifie your doings herein Sealed with the Seal of my Office the sixteenth
two Kine aforesaid impounded and detained were by the said H. H. and these two Kine going and elongated were before your coming out of the Pound aforesaid to places to you unknown by the aforesaid H. H. for which the two Kine aforesaid Replevie you could not wherefore it is considered by the Court willing to meet with the malice of him the said H. H. that the Beasts of the said H. H. be taken in Withernam to the value c. and these to the aforesaid G. A. be delivered safely and surely to be kept untill to the same G. A. his Beasts aforesaid according to Law you can Replevy and according to the tenure of my Mandate aforesaid Therefore you and every of you joyntly and severally I command that you take or c. the Beasts of the aforesaid H. H. to the value c. in Withernam and these to the aforesaid G. A. to be delivered you cause or c. safely and securely to be kept untill c. and distrain you or c. the aforesaid H. H. so that he be at the Castle of Y. at the next County Court to be held on c. to answer the aforesaid G A. in the Plea aforesaid and the answer of my Precept known make you c. at the next Court Given under the Seal of my Office such day and year c. Note that when a Replevin is granted there must be a Bond taken of him to whom it is granted or of some other for him with one or two sureties to appear at the next Court and to prosecute his Suit with effect or else it may be prejudiciall both to the Grantor of the Replevin and to the Executioner thereof and the form of that Bond and Condition thereof is this An Obligation upon a Replevin Know all men by these presents that we G. A. of Skipton in Craven in the County of Y. Gent. and I. B. of the same Town and County Yeomen are held and firmly obliged to G. M. Esq Sheriff of the County aforesaid in the summe of 100 l. of lawfull mony of England to be paid to the said G. M. or his certain Attorney his Executors or Assigns to which payment well and truly to be made we bind us our heirs Executors and Administrators firmly by these presents with our Seals sealed Dated the tenth day of July in the year of our Lord 1656. The Condition of this Obligation is such That if G. A. do appear at my next County Court to be holden for the County of Y. at the Castle of Y. on Munday the c. next and do prosecute there with effect his Suit which he hath commenced against H. H. for the taking and unjust detaining of two kine of the goods of him the said G. A. and to make return of the goods if return of the same shall be adjudged That then this present Obligation shall be void and of none effect c. Or thus The Condition c. that whereas G. A. hath obtained from the above named Sheriff a Replevin for the delivering of two kine and other goods distrained and detained by H. H. and others if therefore the said G. A. do prosecute his Suit upon the said Replevin with effect and do make return of the goods if return thereof shall be adjudged and also to save and keep harmlesse the said Sheriff by reason of the said Replevin to him granted as aforesaid That then this present Obligation to be void c. A Tolt TOlt comes from the Latine word tollo viz. to take away It is a Precept by which a cause depending in a Weapentake or Hundred Court or other inferiour Court Baron may be from thence removed into this Court The form is this Yo. ss I. B. Esq Sheriff of the County aforesaid to the Stewards and also to the Bayliff of the Hundred of H greeting Whereas I am informed that you are favorable and not equall in a certain Plaint depending before you in your Court between W. A. Plaintiff and R. M. Defendant therefore on the behalf of his Highnesse the Lord Protector and by vertue of my office I command you and either of you that you take the Plaint so depending before you in your Court between the said parties so that I may have the same at my next County Court to be held at the Castle of Y. on Munday c. next in the same state and Condition as it is now depending before you and that you give notice to the said parties of the same day that they may be there ready to prosecute the said Plaint as to Justice and Right shall appertain and that in further prosecution of the said Plaint in your Court you altogether supersede and no further proceed therein and this c. given under the Seal of my Office the c. The return Hundred of H. ss At the Court Baron holden at W. within the Hundred of H. aforesaid upon Wednesday the last day of Iuly the year c. in the time of I. B. Esq Sheriff of the County aforesaid The Plaint W. A. Plaintiff complains of R. M. Defendant in a Plea of debt damages twenty shillings By vertue of this Precept to us directed to be recorded and taken we have caused the Plaint depending before us in our Court betwixt the parties above named and in the same state and condition as it is now depending and to the same parties we have prefixed and given notice that they be at the County Court within written at the day and place within mentioned to prosecute the said Plaint as to Justice and Right shall appertain and as this Precept exacts and requires In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our Hands and Seals c. I. S. Steward T. L. Bayliff Judiciall Processe JUdiciall Processe issue out after Judgment either by default or Nihil dicit against the Defendant or Non-suit against the Plaintiff The form of Judiciall Processe or a Fieri facias is this Y. ss I. B. Esq Sheriff c. to all and singular my Bayliffs c. greeting I command you and every one of you joyntly and severally that of the Goods and Chattels of T. B. you or some of you cause to be made as well a certain debt of thirty shillings which H. S. in my County Court hath recovered against him as also 13 s. and 10 d. which to the said H. S. in the same Court were adjudged for his costs and charges about his Suit in this behalf expended and have you the mony at the Castle of Y. at my next County Court there to be holden upon Munday c. to render to the said H. S. of the debt and damages aforesaid whereof he is convict And this given under the Seal of my Office c. I. B. Esq Sheriff c. to all and singular my Bayliffs c. greeting I command you and every of you joyntly and severally that you or some of you levy of the goods and
chattels which late were W. W. deceased at the time of his death and now remaining in the hands of I. W. Executor of the Testament of the said W. W. and not administred of as well a certain debt of 40 l. which T. L. in my County Court by vertue of a Writ of Justicies recovered against him as also 20 s. which to the said T. L. in the same Court was adjudged for his costs and damages which he sustained by reason of the detaining of the said debt If the said I. W. Executor of the Testament of the said W. W. have so much goods or chattels in his hand which were the said W. W. at the time of his death sufficient to satisfie the debt and damages aforesaid If he have not so much goods or chattels in his hands which were the said W. W. at the time of his death sufficient to satisfie the said T. L. of the debt and damages aforesaid That then you or some of you levy of the proper goods and chattels of the said I. W. the damages and costs aforesaid so that I may have the said mony at my next County Court to be holden at the Castle of Y. c. to render to the said T. L. the debt and damages aforesaid whereof he is convict And this given under the Seal of my Office the c. I. B. Esq c. to all and singular my Bayliffs c. greeting I command you and every of you that of the goods and chattels of T. O. you levy 20 s. which S. D. in the County Court according to a Statute provided in that case were adjudged for his costs and damages which he sustained in his own defence in a certain Plea of debt which the said S. D. against the said T O. of late brought because the said T. O. did not prosecute his Suit but was thereupon non-suited and convicted so that I may have the mony at my next County Court at the Castle of Y. holden on Munday c. next to satisfie the aforesaid S. D. of his costs and damages aforesaid And this c. Given under the Seal of my Office the c. I. B. Esq c. to all c. greeting I command you that of the goods and chattels of T. C. you levy 40 s. which to P. P. in my County Court were adjudged for his damages which he sustained in his own defence in a Plea of debt by the said W. against him the said P. P. lately brought whereof the said P. P. was quieted and by Verdict of his Country whereof the said T. C. was convict have you the mony at my next County Court to be holden at the Castle of Y. on Munday c. to satisfie the said P. P. of his damages aforesaid And this c. given under the seal of my office c. I. B. Esq c. to all c. greeting I command you and every of you joyntly and severally that of the goods and chattels which late were of E. S. Esq who dyed intestate as it is said and now in the hands of R. M. Gent. and A. his wife Administratrix of the goods and chattels which were the said E. S. at the time of his death remaining to be administred you cause to be made as well a certain debt of 4 l. which I. W. hath recovered against the said E. S. in my County Court as 30 s. which to him the said I. W. in my same Court were adjudged for his costs and damages which he had by occasion of detaining of the same debt by vertue of a Writ of Justices so that I may have the said mony at my next County Court to be holden at the Castle of Y. c. to render the aforesaid I. W. of the debt and damages aforesaid whereof the aforesaid E. S. was convict And whereupon it was considered in my same Court that the aforesaid I. W. should have Execution against the aforesaid R. M. c. of the debt and damages aforesaid of the goods and chattels aforesaid by his the said R. M. his default And this given under the seal of my office the c. I. B. Esq c. to all singular my Bayliffs c. greeting I command you and every one of you joyntly and severally especiall to F. P. Bayliff of the Liberty of S. and his Deputies who hath the goods taken upon an Execution issuing out of this Court that those twenty weather Sheep of which each you cause to be apprised at eight shillings of the goods of I. C. Esq which you took and remain in your hands unsold for want of buyers as you your self returned to my Court you expose to sale and the mony thereof which in the whole amounts to eight pounds you have at my next County Court at the Castle of Y. holden on Munday the tenth day of May next to render to W. G. which to him the said W. G. in my Court were adjudged for his damages which he had by occasion of a certain Trespasse to him committed by the aforesaid I. C brought whereof he is convict And this given under the Seal of my Office the 18 day of October in the year of our Lord 1657. By the Sheriff Of a Scire Facias IF a Fieri facias do not issue out within a year and a day after Judgment entered it cannot be had till there be a Scire facias first sued out to summon the Defendant to shew cause why Execution should not be done and if now he neglect to answer or cannot be found to be summoned then a second Judgment shall be given that that Execution be done of the first Judgment If Judgment be given against a Testator albeit it be within a year after Judgment had yet there must first issue out a Scire facias against the Executor or Administrator before Execution to shew cause why it should not be had Or if a man recover against a Feme-sole and she become covert viz. take a Husband within the year and the day then he that shall recover must have a Scire facias against the Husband Scire facias post diem annum I. B. Esq Sheriff c. greeting Whereas W. F. of late in the Court of the aforesaid County by Judgment in the said Court of the County aforesaid held at the Castle of X on Munday the tenth day of February 1654. before the Suitors of the said Court recovered against G. L. as well a certain debt of thirty two shillings which the said W. F. in the same Court recovered against him as thirteen shillings and ten pence which to the said W. F. in the same Court were adjudged for his damages which he sustained by the occasion of the detaining of the debt of which he is convicted for as by the proceedings from thence in the same Court residing notwithstanding the manifest Execution of the aforesaid Judgment remains to be done as by
insinuation the aforesaid W. F. hath recovered And because that I will that those things which were in the said Court be rightly done to demand due of the said Iudgment Therefore I command you that by honest and lawfull men of my Bayliwick you give notice to the aforesaid G. L. that he be at the Castle of Y. at my next County Court there to be holden upon Munday the third day of May next to shew if he have any thing to say or no why the said W. F. ought not to have his Levy or Execution against him according to the force form and effect of the said Recovery if it seem expedient to him and have you then and there the names of them by whom you give him notice and have this Precept c. Given under the Seal of my Office the fourth day of Aprill in the year of our Lord 1656. Scire facias against an Executor after Judgment against the Testator I. B. Esq Sheriff c. greeting Whereas N. N. late in the County Court of the said County held at the Castle of Y. on Munday c. before the then Sheriff of the said County by Iudgment of the said Court had recovered against H. N. as well a debt of forty pounds as two and twenty shillings and two pence costs for his damages which he sustained by reason of the detaining of the said debt whereof he is convict as appears by the Proceedings remaining in the said Court And whereas the Execution of the Judgment yet remaineth to be done and the said H. N. since the giving of the Judgment aforesaid is dead as by the intimation of the said N. N. I am informed And because I am willing that those things which are rightly done in the said Court should be duly put in Execution I command you that by honest and lawfull men of the said County you make it known to F. N. Executrix of the Testament of the said H. N. that she be at the next County Court to be holden for the said County at the Castle of Y. on Munday c. to shew if she have any thing or know what to say why the said N. N. ought not to have his Execution against her of the debt and damages aforesaid to be levied of the Goods and Chattels which were of the said H. N. at the time of his death and further to do and recieve c. Given under the Seal of my Office c. Scire facias after marriage I B. Esq Sheriff c. greeting Whereas A. B. late in my County Court held at the Castle c. before the Suitors of the said Court had recovered against C. D. as well a certain debt of forty pounds as forty shillings which to the said A. B. in the said Court were adjudged for the costs and damages which she had by occasion of the detaining of the debt whereof he is convicted as by the Proceedings thereof in the same Court before the said Suitors remaining manifestly appeareth Neverthelesse Execution of the said Judgment remaineth yet undone And the said A. B. since the Judgment aforesaid given hath taken to Husband T. R. as by the allegation of the said A. B. I am given to understand and because I will that those things which are rightly acted in my said Court be duly put in Execution I command you that by honest and lawfull men of your Bailiwick you give notice and make known to the said C. D. that he be at my next County Court holden at c. to shew that if he hath or knoweth any thing to say or no for himself wherefore the said T. R. should not have execution of the said judgement of the debt and damages aforesaid according to the form and effect of the recovery aforesaid if to him it shall seem expedient and have you there the names of them by whom you give him notice and make known to him and have this precept c. Given under the seal of my Office the 4. day of Iune in the year of our Lord 1658. Venire facias Jurator I. B. Esquire Sheriff of the County aforesaid to the Bayliff of the hundred of O or his Deputy greeting I command you and every of you that you cause to come before me or my lawfull Steward by me appointed for the County Court to be holden at the Castle of Y. on Monday the c All those severall persons mentioned in the pannel hereunto annexed to trie such several issues between party and party as shall then and there be given them in charge And hereof you must not fail as each of you will answer the contrary at your perils together with this precept Given under the seal of my Office c. Or thus I. B. Esquire c. These are to require you the said Bailiff to cause to come twelve good and lawfull men of your Bailiwick that they be and appear at the next County Court holden at the castle of Y. on Monday c. by 9 of the clock in the forenoon to trie an issue joined between A. B. plaintiff and C. D. desendant concerning a plea of debt or as the case is And this given under the seal of my Office c. And if a full Iury do not appear then as many as make default shall be amerced and a Decem tales awarded to summon ten more as followeth and the same day given to the first Iury. Decem tales I. B. Esq c. These are to require you the said Bayliss to cause to come ten more good and lawfull men of your Bayliwick that they be here at the next County Court holden at the Castle of Y. on Munday c. with others which to them shall be adjoyned to try a certain Issue joyned between A. B. Plaintiff and C. D. Defendant of a Plea of Debt c. And as many of these as make default shall be amerced and then an Octo tales shall be awarded and if necessity require it afterwards a Sex tales Subpoena or a Warrant to summon Witnesses I. B. Esq Sheriff of the County aforesaid to I. B. I. G. c. greeting To you and every of you I command that all excuses and delayes being set apart you and every of you be and personally appear at the next County Court holden at the Castle of Y. on Munday the 10. day of Iune next to testifie the truth according to your knowledge in a certain Action there depending between A. B. Plaintiff and C. D. Defendant on the part and behalf of the Plaintiff in an Action of debt And hereof fail you not under the forseiture of one hundred pounds each of you And this given under the Seal of my Office the c. A Liberate to deliver goods taken upon Originall or mean Processe I. B. Esq Sheriff of the County aforesaid To all and singular my Bayliffs within the said County and their Deputies especially to A. B. greeting For as much
the day and place within contained and to the parties within written that day have prefixed that then they be there in that Plea as just it may be to proceed as within to me is commanded A. B. complaines of C. D. in a Plea of taking of the Beasts of him the said A. B. in testimony of which matter E. B. S. D. I. W. and I. R. four legall men of those who at the Record present were in full Court at the Castle of Y. in the County aforesaid the tenth day of Aug in the year c. to the same Record their Seals severally have put the day and year abovesaid Note that though the Plea be discontinued in the County yet the Plaintiff or Defendant may remove the Plaint into the Common Pleas or Upper Bench by a Recordare c. and it shall be good and he shall declare upon the same And the Court shall hold Plea upon the fame Plaint for if the Plaint be continued in the County and issue joyned upon it yet nothing shall be removed but only the Plaint and in the Common Pleas the Plaintiff may declare anew c. Likewise if the Recordare bear date before the Plaint was entred in the County it is good enough and the Record is well removed The nature of a Pone A Pone doth nothing differ from a Recordare but that a Pone is allwayes to remove such Suits as are before the Sheriff by Writ of Iusticies and not by Plaint onely but the Recordare is to remove the Suit that is by Plaint onely without Writ F. N. B. 70. 11. By vertue of this Writ to me directed I have put before the Justices c. of the Common Bench at Westminster the Plea which is in my County by Writ of his Highness the Lord Protector of Iusticies betwixt A. B. and C. D. of a Plea of debt as it is said as it appeareth in a certain Schedule to this Writ annexed c. At my County Court held at the Castle of Y. in the County aforesaid upon Munday the twelfth day of August in the year of our Lord 1658. c. A. B. complaineth of C. D. of a Plea of debt in testimony of which matter R. L. S. R. T. O. and S. D. four legall men of those who at the Record present were in full Court their seals severally have put the day and year abovesaid A. B. complaineth of C. D. of a plea of debt 20 l. That if a plea be removed by Pone at the suit of the Defendant or Plaintiff and afterwards they proceed in this Court in the plea and give judgement and award execution c. then the Defendant or he against whom the judgement was given and execution awarded shall have an attachment against the Sheriff directed to the Coroner to answer as well his Highness the Lord Protector for the contempt as the party his damages c. Of the Writ of Prohibition THe Writ of Prohibition is of the same nature of a Recordare and a Pone but not in use Of the Consultation or Procedendo THese two Writs are both of one nature though the Writ of Consultation be obsolete and the writ of Procedendo stept up into its place it lieth where a cause hath been formerly removed by Pone or Recordare from this Court into the Vpper Bench or Common Pleas and for want of sufficient cause of removeall is sent back again Fitz. old Natura brevium 50. The nature of a Writ of False Judgement A Writ of salfe Iudgement lieth where an erroneous Judgement is given in this Court being no Court of Record then the party grieved by the Judgment may have this Writ and remove all processe of the suit into the Common Bench and there it shall be examined if it be found erroneous the Judgement shall be reversed and the suiters of the Court who gave the Judgement amerced Note that a Writ of false Judgement lieth not but in a Court where there are Suitors for if there be no Suitors there the Record cannot be certified by them F. N. B. 43. H. By vertue of this Writ to me directed to be Recorded I have caused the Plea which is in my County together with the proceedings and the Judgement betwixt the parties beneath and to the same parties day have prefixed to be before the Justices within written at the day place within contained as the Writ exacts and requires which plea with the proceedings and judgment appeareth in a certain Schedule to this Writ annexed A Plaint by Writ in the County Court holden at the Castle of Y. in the County aforesaid on Monday the 23. day of August the year c. before the Suitors of the same Court in the time of I. B. Esquire Sheriff of the County aforesaid according to the Customs and Priviledges of the same Court time whereof the memory of man is not to the contrary have been used and approved in the same At this Court came A. B. in his proper person and brought here into Court a Writ of his Highnesse the Lord Protector of Iusticies which said Writ follows in these words O LIVER Lord Protector of c. To the Sheriff of Y. greeting A. B. hath complained to us that C. D. upon him the said A. B. at the Castle of Y. hath made an assault and hath beaten wounded and evil intreated him so that of his life it was despaired and hath done him other wrongs to the great damage and grievance of the said A. B. and therefore we command you that you hear the said plaint and after cause them to be therefore brought to justice for the same that we hear no more complaint therein for want of justice Witnesse our selves at Westminster the 10. day of August in the year of our Lord 1656. And thereupon found Pledges to prosecute the said plaint that is to say Io. Doo and Ric. Roo And thereupon the said A. B. put in his place S. D his Attorney in the plaint aforesaid and by his said Attorney required processe to be made to him upon the same And it was commanded by the said I. B. Esquire Sheriff of the said County to all and singular his Bailiffs jointly and severally and their Deputies that they or some of them should do justice to the said C. D. so that he should be and appear at the next County Court to be holden at the Castle of Y. on Monday the 20. day of September then next in the year aforesaid to answer the said A. B. in the plaint aforesaid At which day came the said A. B. by his Attorney aforesaid and offered himselfe against the said C. D. in the plaint aforesaid and then and there came I. P. one of the Bailiffs in the County aforesaid of the said I. B. Sheriff of the said County and returned the said precept so directed as aforesaid served and executed on him and the said C.
D. did Essoin because he could not come until the next County Court to be holden at the Castle aforesaid at which said next Court viz. on Monday the 10 day of October then next following in the year abovesaid came the aforesaid A. B. by his Attorney aforesaid and offered himself against the said C. D. in the plaint aforesaid and the said C. D. then and there came in his proper person to answer the aforesaid A. B. in the plaint aforesaid and put in his place I. R. his Attorney against the said A. B. in the plaint aforesaid and by his said Attorney desired of the said Court that the said A. B. should declare against him upon his said plaint and thereupon the said A. B. by his Attorney aforesaid declared against the said C. D. upon the plaint aforesaid in manner and form following A. B. By vertue of a writ of Iusticies by S. D. his Attorney complains of C. D. of an action of trespasse and assault for that the said C. D. the 10. day of October in the year c. at the Castle c. in and upon the aforesaid A. B. did make an assault and affray and him did beat wound and evil intreat so that he did despair of his life and other harms did do unto him to the great damage of the said A. B. wherefore the said A. B. saith he is damnified to the value of 20 l. and thereupon brings this action c. Whereupon at the same Court at the request of the Defendant day was given to the said parties in the plaint aforesaid till the next county Court to be holden before the suitors aforesaid on Monday the 15. day of November then next following saving to the Defendant c. at which day at the said Court before the suitors aforesaid holden at the Castle of Y. aforesaid came aswell the said A. B. by his Attorney aforesaid as the said C. D. by his Attorney aforesaid and then and there the said I. B. Esquire was removed from the office of Sheriff of the County aforesaid and R. L. Esquire was duly elected and did enter into the said office of Sheriff of the County of Y. aforesaid whereupon at the same Court at the request of the parties further day was given to the said parties in the plaint aforesaid until the next County Court on Monday the 13. day of December then next following in the year abovesaid to be holden before the suitors aforesaid saving to the parties c. at which day at the said Court before the suitors aforesaid holden at the Castle aforesaid came aswell the said A. B. by his said Attorney as the said C. D. by his Attorney aforesaid And the said C. D. by his Attoruey aforesaid came and defended the injury when c. And the said Attorney said that he was not informed by his said Clyent of any answer for him the said C. D. to the said A. B. in the plaint aforesaid to be given whereby the said A. B. did remain against the said C. D. thereupon without defence for which the said A. B. ought to recover against the said C. D. his damages by occasion of the trespasse and assault and wounding aforesaid but because it was not known to the Court what damages the said A. B. had sustained by reason of the premises therefore at the next County Court holden at the Castle of Y. aforesaid in the County aforesaid before the Suitors aforesaid upon Monday the 10. day of Ianuary then next following in the year aforesaid it was required by the oaths of I. W. R. S. S. G. M. L. T. P. c. twelve good and lawfull men of the County aforesaid being present in the Court and in the full County sworn to inquire what damages the said A. B. sustained by occasion of the trespass assault wounding say upon their oaths that the said A. B. hath sustained damages by occasion of the trespass assault and wounding to ten pounds and for his costs and charges by him in that behalfe expended to two pence therefore it was considered by the said Court that the said A. B. should recover against the said C. D. his damages and costs aforesaid by the Jurors aforesaid in form aforesaid assessed and also forty shillings by the Court aforesaid to the said A. B. by his assent for increase of costs to him adjudged which said damages and costs do amount to twelve pounds and two pence And the said C. D. in mercy c. In testimony whereof c. The nature of an Accedeas ad curiam THis Writ issues out of the Chancery directed to the Sheriff commanding him to go to such a Court of some Lord or Franchife as Court-Baron or the like being no Court of Record where a Plaint is sued or a false judgement is supposed to be given in some suit which hath been in the Court and by this the Sheriff is there to make Record of the same suit in the presence of the Suitors of the same Court and four lawfull men of the County and of this he is to make a Certificate into the Court above under his seal and the seals of four of the Suitors of the same Court at the day appointed by the writ F. N. B. 71. Plowden 74. Finch 444. This Writ cannot be had without shewing some special cause for the removing of it as that a Freehold is in question there or some forreign plea is pleaded not triable in that Court or such like F. N. B. 70. 119. The County Clerk is to make a precept upon the Writ in this manner Yo ss I. B. Esquire Sheriff of the County of Y. To the Steward and Bailiff of the Court of the Honour of P. greeting I command you by vertue of a Writ to me directed that you take with you four discreet and lawfull Freeholders of the County aforesaid and that you go to the Court aforesaid and in full Court there cause the Plaint to be recorded which is in the same Court without Writ between R S. and G. M. of a certain trespasse upon the case brought by the said R. S. against the said G. M. as is aforesaid And that you certifie the Record to me so that I may have the same before the Justices of the Common Bench at Westminster from the day of the holy Trinity in fifteen days under your seals and the seals of four lawful men of the said Court of those that shall be present at the Record and that you prefix the same day to the parties that then they be there ready to proceed in the said plaint as shall be just and have you the names of the said four men and this Precept fail not hereof c. Given under the Seal of my Office this second day of Iune in the year of our Lord 1656. By the Sheriff Honour of P. ss The Court Baron of G. S. I. K. c. holden at
County of Y. there held c. the aforesaid I. H. and the rest of the Defendants within named the fifth time exacted were at which day the aforesaid I. H. appeared and rendred himselfe to the prison of his Highness c. of the Castle of Y. whose body before the Iustices within written at the day and place within contained ready I have as within to me is commanded but the rest of the Defendants within named appeared not therefore c. as above And besides I. S. who hath rendred himself to the prison of c. of the Castle of Y. whose body before the Justices within written at the day and place within contained ready I have as this Writ exacteth and requireth And besides I. C. who dead is will not appear therefore by Judgement c. and the aforesaid T. C. waved is in presence of T. C. and F. W. Coronors of c. of the County aforesaid At the County c. 1. 2. 3. 4. exacted he was and hath appeared and rendred himself to the prison of c. of the Castle of Y. where so sick he is that fore fear of death him before the Justices within written at the day and place within contained have I cannot The Return of the Writ of Proclamation BY vertue of this Writ to me directed at my County of Y. held at the castle of Y. within written on Monday c. the year c. within written the first time to be proclaimed I caused And at my County of Y. held at the Castle of Y. aforesaid in the said County of Y. on Monday c. the year c. within written the second time to be proclaimed I caused as also at the general Sessions of the peace held at Skipton for the West riding of the said County within written on Tuesday viz. the 12. day of Sept. aforesaid the year c. within written publickly to be proclaimed I caused that I. C. and all other the Defendants within named themselves to render to the within named Sheriffs of London so that the same Sheriffs have their bodies before the Justices within written at the day and place within contained as this Writ exacteth and requireth The manner of proceeding upon the Writs of Recordare Pone Writ of False Judgment c. in the Common Pleas after removall out of the County Court YOu must repair to the County Clerk or his Deputy and demand a Return of the Writ of Recordare or Pone If upon the return the Defendant appear then must you declare and when your Declaration is drawn enter it upon a roll in one of the Prothonotaries offices and see that it be docqueted together with the number of the roll If the Writ be returnable in the begining of a term especially in issuable terms the Desendant is to answer the same term unless the Desendant hath Emparlance to plead until the following term Rules to answer must be entred in the Remembrance in the Prothonotaries Office entring in the Margent or over the head of the Rule that if the Defendant do not plead within some few dayes let Judgement be entred And if no plea be brought in within the time then may you sign Judgement with the Prothonotary in default of answer If the Defendant appear not upon the return of the Writ then may the Plaintiff have a Procedendo to carry the cause back again into the County Court If the Plaintiffs Attorney declare not against the Desendant upon his appearance within a reasonable time of the Term then may the Defendants Attorney enter a Rule in the Bill of Pleas against the Plaintiff to declare and if he declare not then may he enter a Non prosec and sign it with the Prothonotary and costs given for the unjust vexation If the Defendant plead generall issue then must the Attorney for the Defendant set his hand to the Doquet book of the Plaintiffs Attorney who draws up the plea and makes a Copy of the issue and delivers it to the Defendants Attorney and then they usually give notice of triall If the Defendant plead specially he is to bring it to the Plaintiffs Attorney under a Serjeants hand and if the Plaintiff reply specially it must likewise be under the Serjeants hand the like upon a Demurrer to a Declaration and Rejoynder in Demurrer If your triall be by Nisi prius at the Assizes in the Countrey and the Jury appeare not full upon the Pannel then may you require a Decem tales de circumstantibus viz. ten of the standers by to fill up the Jury or more or lesse as is requisite which Tales must be mentioned upon the return of the Postea and the Judgment upon it in the Issue Roll. Having entred your Declaration with the Issue joyned in the Prothonotaries Office then make out a Venire facias upon your Issue and get signed with the Prothonotary and seal it then get it returned by the Sheriff of the County where the action is laid and upon the return of it sue forth an Habeas corpora and deliver the same to the Sheriff to summon the Jury and get it returned before the Assizes In suing forth your Nisi prius ingrosse your Record according to the copy of the Issue made up and the entry of it upon the Roll in the Prothonotaries Office and examine it if it be upon an Issue joyned the same Term whose hand must be to it then carry the same to the Clerk of the Treasury to signe and make up the Record If the Issue was entred of a Term past then must you deliver the paper Book of the Issue to the Clerk of the Treasury to examine the same by the Roll and to make up the Record which must be signed by him then must it be sealed with the Lord chief Iustice of the Court and then deliver it together with the Hab Corp Iur. returned by the Sheriff to the Clark of the Ass for that County where it is to be tried paying the Judges Then retain Councel and have your witnesses ready for the trial The triall being had and verdict passing for your Client the next Term you are to call of the Clerk of the Assizes for a return of the Postea and thereupon the Prothonotor will assesse costs and cause Judgement to be entred upon which you may have Execution by Capias ad satisfaciendum Fieri facias or Elegit c. according as you desire and as the nature of the action brought doth allow or require Note that a Capias ad satisfac is only against the body who must be imprisoned until satisfaction be made and if the Defendant cannot be found the Plaintiff cannot have another Execution 20 E. 2. for he may chufe at the first whether he will have a Capias or an Elegit but if he take the Capias he shall not have the Elegit afterwards nec è converso 15. H. 7. 15. The Writ of Fieri
and governed himselfe Notwithstanding the said A. B. not ignorant of the premisses out of his meer and wicked malice preconceived indeavouring the name and same of the same W. B. to hurt detract make worse darken and utterly to destroy and also into perturbation vexation and insamy to lead and induce certain salse and scandalous words and lies of the same W. B. the 8. day of April in the yeare of our Lord 1656. at c. and within the liberty and jurisdiction of this Court in the presence and hearing of many faithfull subjects of the said Commonwealth said repeated and spread abroad in these English words following to wit W. B. meaning the same W. B. hath stoln my horse out of my Close which I will prove By pretext of speaking and spreading abroad of which said salse scandalous words the same W. B. not only in his good name and same is hurt but also in performance of his businesse with honest persons with whom the said W. B. in buying selling and lawfull bargaining is much hindred and damnified and also some subjects and people of this Common-wealth for that occasion will draw themselves from the company of the same W. B. and to converse with him or any wayes to intermeddle refused and yet do refuse whereupon c. damages to 39 l. And thereof he bringeth suit c. And the said A. B. by S. D. his Attorney cometh c. And saith that the said W. B. his action aforesaid against him ought not to have because he saith that he is not guilty of the speaking and spreading abroad of the words in the Declaration aforesaid specified nor of any part of them in manner and form as the said W. B. above against him complaineth And this c. Therefore according to the custom it is commanded to the Bailiff of the Weapentake of Ouze and Dar that c. that he cause to come before the Steward of the same Court at the next Court of the County aforesaid such a day 12. c. And that he then have there the same Precept together with the pannel of the names of the Jurors aforesaid the same day c. At which County Court held at the Castle of Y. aforesaid according to the custom before the Steward there upon Monday the 2. day of April came as well the same W. B. by his Attorney aforesaid as the same A. B. by his Attorney aforesaid c. and the same Bailiff of the Weapentake aforesaid returned the precept to him directed in all things served together with a Pannel of the names of the Jurors Annexed to the precept to wit in the same pannel are named L. M. N. R. c. to make a Jury between the parties aforesaid in the plea aforesaid who to speak the truth of the premisses being elected tried sworn say upon their oath that the said A. B. is guilty of the speaking spreading abroad of the said words in the said Declaration specified and they assessed the damages of the said W. B. by occasion of the speaking of the same words besides his costs and expences by him about his suit in this behalf laid out to 4 l. 5 s. for those costs expences to 8 d. Therefore at the same Court that the said W. B. should recover against the said A. B. his said damages by the Jury aforesaid in form aforesaid assessed and also 3 s. 8 d. for his costs and expences which said damages in the whole do amount unto 5 l. 17 s. 4 d. In witness whereof the seal of the Steward of the Court aforesaid is put Dated at the Castle of Y. the 12. day of March in the year of our Lord 1657. And hereupon the same VV. B. prayeth that the same A. B. may shew to the Court here and assign the defects wherein false Judgment is made in the said plaint if any be done to him whereupon the same A. B. saith that the same Record is vitious and much defective to wit in that it doth not appear by the Record before whom the first Court was held and in this that the said VV. B. by his Declaration did complain himself to be damnified and made worse to the value of 40 l. whereas by the law of the land that Court cannot hold plea of 40 s. In this also that the same Court held the 12. of March was held before the Steward whereas it ought to be held before the Suitors of the same Court and the Sheriff of the County for the time being so that the same Judgment was given Coram non Iudice Also in this that by the same Record it appeareth that the same VV. B. appeared by P. P. his Attorney and the same A. B. appeared by S. D. his Attorney but in the Record is not mentioned any Warrant of Attorney for the same VV. B. or for the same A. B. in the said plaint And to the same A. B. saith that divers manner of ways in the County Court aforesaid false Judgment is made to him in the said plaint And hereupon prayeth that the said Judgment for the said defects and others being in the same Record as false and erroneous may be adnulled and altogether taken for nothing And the same A. B. to the said 5 l. 17 s. 4 d. which the said A. B. by vertue of the same Judgment for his damages by occasion of the premisses recovered against him and unto all things which he by occasion of the same Judgment lost may be restored c. And the same W. B. saith that in the Record aforesaid there is no errour nor to the same A. B. in the same County Court held at the Castle of Y. aforesaid false Judgment is made in the same plaint and prayeth that the Justices here proceed to the examination of the same Record and to resorm and correct the false Judgment if any be found therein proved or can be made appear And because the Justices here will advise themselves of and upon the premises before they further proceed therein day is given c in Oct. pur to hear thereof what the Court hereof and upon the premises shall consider because the Justices hear thereof not as yet c. At which day here came aswell the said A. B. as the said W. B. by their Attorneys aforesaid And because the Justices here further will advise themselves of and upon the premisses aforesaid before they proceed further therein further day is given c. in Mens Pas to hear thereof what the Court hereof and upon the premisses aforesaid shall consider for that the Justices hear thereof not as yet c. If any errors and defects be found in the proceedings then will the Judgement be reversed and a Writ of Restitution awarded It was commanded the Sheriff if A. B. and C. D. should secure the same Sheriff of prosecuting their complaint then in his full County he should make to be recorded the plaint which was in
this day he hath ready under his seale and the seales of the said four lawfull men who were present at the Record as by the same Writ to him it was commanded to answer to the said C. D. in the same plea whereupon the same A. B at the same Court put in his place S. D his Attorney in the same plea. And the same C. D. at the same Court by his Attorney aforesaid complained against the same A. B. for that to wit that whereas the same C. D. the last day of Dec. in the year aforesaid at W. aforesaid and within the jurisdiction of the Court aforesaid was possessed of one piece of woollen cloath containing eleven ells price 34 s. as of his proper goods and chattels And being so thereof possessed the same piece of cloath out of his hands and possession casually lost which said piece of cloath afterwards to wit the 12th day of February then next following into the hands and possession of the said Defendant by finding came Notwithstanding the said Defendant knowing the said piece of cloath to be the proper piece of cloath of the said Plaintiff and to him of right to belong and appertain and minding and intending the same Plaintiffe of the same piece of cloath craftily and subtilly to deceive and defraud the same piece of cloath although thereof the third day of March in the yeare abovesaid he was requested to the same and hath not delivered but the same piece of cloath afterwards to wit the 18th day of March then next following at VV. aforesaid within the jurisdiction of this Court aforesaid unto his proper use he converted and disposed to the damage of the said Plaintiff of 39 s. And thereof he bringeth suit c. And the said Defendant at the same Court prayeth Licence thereof to imparle untill the next Court and hath it c. The same day is given to the said Plaintiffe then there c. At which day the Court was held within the said Honour of P. the 26th day of May then next following came aswell the said Plaintiff as the said Defendant by their Attorheys aforesaid And the same Defendant prayeth further Imparlance untill the next Court within the said Honour to be held and hath it c. The same day is given to the said Plaintiff then there c. At which said next Court holden within the Honour aforesaid the 26th day of May then next following came as well the same Plaintiff as the same Defendant by their Attorneys aforesaid and hereupon the said Defendant prayeth further imparlance thereunto to speak until the next Court of the Honour aforesaid to be held and hath it c. The same day is given to the said Plaintiff then there c. At which said Court held within the said Honour the day of then next following came aswell the said Plaintiff as the said Defendant by their Attorneys aforesaid And the same Defendant then defended the force and wrong when c. And said that he was in nothing guilty of the premisses above imposed upon him as the said Plaintiff by his said Declaration complained against him and of this he putteth himself upon the Countrey and the said Plaintiff likewise whereupon it was then commanded to the Bailiff of the Honour aforesaid that he cause to come to the Court of the Honour aforesaid to be held by 12 free and lawfull men of the Honour asoresaid to try the issue aforesaid above joyned Day was given to the parties abovesaid then there c. At which said next Court held within the said Honour the day of then next following came aswell the said Plaintiff as the said Defendant by their Attorneys aforesaid and the said Bayliff returned the Pannel with all the Jurors whereof 12 being called came and were sworn and said upon their oath that the said C. D. was possessed of the said piece of cloth in the Declaration aforesaid specified and that the same piece of cloth by finding came to the hands of the said A. B. and that the said Plaintiff requested the same A. B. to deliver to the same Plaintiff the same piece of cloth and that the said Defendant did not deliver the same to the said Plaintiffe And further the said Jury said that the said Defendandant doth yet detain in his hands the same piece of Cloth and if upon the whole matter in form aforesaid found the same Defendant to be guilty of the premisses in the Declaration aforesaid specified or not the Jury aforesaid are altogether ignorant and pray the advice of the Court in the premisses and if upon the whole matter in form aforesaid found it shall seem to the Court that the said Desendant is guilty of the premisses in the Declaration aforesaid specified then the said Jury say upon their oath That the same Defendant is guilty of the premisses in the Declaration afore said specified And then the said Jury do assesse damages by occasion of the premisses besides costs and charges by him about his suit in this behalfe laid out to 20 s. and for those costs and charges to 12 d. and if upon the whole matter in form aforesaid found it seemeth to the Court here that the said Defendant is not guilty of the premisses in the Declaration aforesaid specified then the Iury aforesaid say upon their oath That the said Defendant is not guilty of the premisses in the Declaration aforesaid specified And because the same Court will advise of and upon the premisses before they give Iudgement therein day is given to the parties aforesaid here until the next Court to be held in the said Honour to hear thereof their Iudgment c. At which said Court held in the said Honour the day of then next following came aswell the said Plaintiff as the said Defendant by their Attorneys aforesaid And because the same Court of giving their Iudgment therein are not advised day is given to the parties aforesaid until the next Court to hear thereof their Iudgment c. At which said Court held in the said Honour the day of then next following came aswell the said Plaintiff as the said Defendant by their Attorneys aforesaid whereupon the premisses being seen and by the Court here fully understood it seemed to the Court here that the same Defendant is guilty of the premisses in the Declaration aforesaid specified Therefore it is confidered by the same Court That the same Plaintiff recover against the said Defendant the said 21 s. by the Jury aforesaid in form aforesaid assessed and also 22 s. for his costs and charges by the Court here by his consent of increase adjudged which said damages do in the whole amount unto 53 s. And the said A. B. in mercy c. And hereupon the said C. D. prayeth That the said A B. may shew to the Court here and assign the defects wherein false judgment is made to him in the said plaint in the said Court if any be made Whereupon the
voluntary will make to the said A. the said writing and not by force and hardnesse of imprisonment as the said B. above hath alledged And this he prayeth may be inquired of by the Countrey And the said B. likewise c. The Assault made by the Plaintiff c. ANd c. when c. And as to the Trespasse and Assault aforesaid above supposed to be done the said I. R. saith that the said R. W. his action aforesaid against him ought not to have because he saith that the aforesaid R. VV. the day year c. aforesaid upon him the said I. R. at the Castle c. did make an Assault and him would have beaten wounded and evil intreated by which the said I. R. himselfe against the aforesaid R. VV. did then and there defend And saith that if any evil to the said R. VV. then and there happened was of the proper assault of him the said R. VV. And in defence of him the said I. R. And this he is ready to verifie whereupon he prayeth Judgement if the aforesaid R. VV. his action aforesaid against him ought to have c. Replication ANd the foresaid R. VV saith that he by any thing before alledged from having his action aforesaid ought not to be debarred because he saith that the foresaid I. R. the day yeare c. abovesaid at c. in his Declaration aforesaid above specified of his own proper injury and without such cause by the said R. VV. above alledged upon him the said R. VV. did make an assault and him did beat wound and evil intreat so that of his life he did despair against the peace of the Lord Protector that now is as the said R. VV. above against him hath complained And this he prayeth may be inquired of by the Countrey And the said I. R. likewise Therefore c. The Defendant pleadeth the Plaintiff within age to bring his action and should have brought it by Guardian and not by Attorney ANd c. when c. And sayes that the foresaid I. R. ought not to have his action aforesaid against him because he sayes that the foresaid I. R. the day and year in the Declaration specified to wit the day year c. the day of the issuing forth of the Writ of Justicies of him the said I. R. that is to say the day year c. was within the age of one and twenty years And that the foresaid I. R. declared against him the said P. C. in the Plaint aforesaid by his Attorney whereas by the due form of Law he ought to have declared by his Guardian And this he is ready to aver whereupon he prayes Judgement whether the aforesaid I. R. ought to have his action aforesaid against him c. To a Trespasse in Walking Not guilty and as to the residue of Trespasse tender of amends ANd c. when c. and saith that as to the breaking of the close aforesaid as also to the treading down and consuming of the Corn and grasse aforesaid with his seet in walking in the same four acres of land aforesaid of new assigned above supposed to be done saith that he is in no wise thereof guilty c. and of this he putteth himself upon the Countrey and the Plaintiff likewise And as to the residue of the trespasse aforesaid in the same four acres of Land of new assigned above supposed to be done the same A. saith that the same B. his action aforesaid ought not to have because he saith that the residue of the trespass aforesaid in the same four acres of Land of new assigned above supposed to be done was done with the cattle aforesaid by negligence and against the will of the same A. and that the same A. afterwards and before the day of commencing of this action of the same B. to wit the 16 day of May in the year c. at the same parish of R. in the said County of Y. offered to the same B. 20 s. of lawfull money of England for and in satisfaction for the residue of the trespasse aforesaid so as aforesaid done which said 20 s. were sufficient amends for the same residue of the trespasse aforesaid in the same four acres of Land with the appurtenances of new assigned as beforesaid done and that the same B. the said 20 s. as aforesaid offered to receive of the same A. then and there altogether refused and as yet doth refuse and this he is ready to verifie And c. Replication ANd the same B. as to the same plea of the said A. as to the said residue of the trespasse aforesaid in the same four acres of land with the appurtenances of new assigned done saith that he by any thing in the same plea before alledged ought not to be barred from having his action aforesaid against him c. because he protesteth that the aforesaid residue of the trespasse aforesaid in the same four acres of land with the appurtenances of new assigned was not done with the cattel aforesaid by the negligence and against the will of the same A. protesting also that the said 20 s. in satisfaction for the trespasse aforesaid were not offered before the same day of commencing the suit of the said B. as the same A. hath above alledged for plea the same B. saith that the same 20 s. were offered by the same A. to the said B. for a certain trespasse by the same A. with his cattle aforesaid to the same B. in a certain other Close of land with the appurtenances called the S. of the same B. in the Parish of R. aforesaid in the County aforesaid done without that that the same A. offered to the same B. the said 20 s. for and in the satisfaction of the foresaid residue of the trespass aforesaid in the same 4 acres of land of new assigned done as the same A. hath above alledged and this he is ready to verifie whereupon for that the same A. the said residue of the trespass aforesaid in the same four acres of Land with the appurtenances aforesaid of new assigned done above acknowledgeth the same B. prayeth judgment and his damages by occasion of the residue of the trespass aforesaid to him to be adjudged c. Rejoynder ANd the same A. as before saith that he offered to the same B. the said 20 s. for and in satisfaction of the said residue of the trespasse aforesaid in the same four acres of Land with the appurtenances of new assigned done as he hath above alledged And of this he putteth himselfe upon the Countrey and the same B. likewise Therefore c. Misnomer in Baptism pleaded in Abatement of the Writ of Justicies ANd the said A. by Simon Don his Attorney comes and prayes Judgement of the Writ of Justicies aforesaid because he saith that the name of Baptism of the said Agnes in the Writ aforesaid named is Anna and not Agnes as the said B. hath above
said C. D. the said Messuage Garden Land and Wood with the appurtenances from the said Feast of the Annunciation of c. until the Feast of the Annunciation of c. next before the time of the taking aforesaid had and occupied and for that that 30 s. of the said Lease by the said time unto him the said A. B. at the time of the said computation remained in arrear and as yet remaineth unpaid doth well avouch the taking of the said Cattel in the said place in which c. and justly c. And this he is ready to prove whereupon he prayeth judgment and the return of the said Cattel to be adjudged unto him c. The Defendant saith that the Goods were taken as a pawn or pledge for money lent ANd the aforesaid A. B. by c. comes and defends the force and injury when c. And as to the breaking the Close c. he is in nothing thereof guilty and as to the residue of the trespasse aforesaid supposed to be done the same A. B. saies the aforesaid C. D. ought not to have his action c. because he saith that the same C D. long before the said time wherein c. was indebted unto him the said A. B. in 22 s. for divers sums of money by him the said C. D. of the aforesaid A. B. formerly borrowed And afterwards and long before the said time the same C. D. by one E. his wife delivered to the aforesaid A. B. the aforesaid goods and chattels as a pawn for the aforesaid 22 s. to be held unto him the said A. B. in pledge until the said C. D. to the aforesaid A. B. the same 22 s. had paid And the same A. B. in fact saith that the aforesaid C. D. hath not as yet paid to him the said A. B. the aforesaid 22 s. which is the same Trespasse and taking and carrying away the aforesaid goods and chattels whereof the aforesaid C. D. above now complains And this c. whereupon c. Replication that he tooke them Injuria sua propria without such a cause ANd the said C. D. sayes that he by any thing before alledged ought not to be debarred from having his action aforesaid because he saith that the aforesaid A. B. as of his proper injury and without such a cause above by him the said A. B. alledged the day and year aforesaid the aforesaid goods and chattels at R. in the said County of Y. found he took and carried away as the same C. D. by his Declaration aforesaid above supposeth And this he prayeth may be inquired of by the Countrey And the aforesaid A. B. in like manner Therefore c. Concord in Assault and Battery ANd the aforesaid A. B. in his proper person coms and defends the sorce and injury when c. And saith that as to the Trespasse aforesaid above supposed to be done the same A. B. sayes that the aforesaid C. D. ought not to have his action aforesaid against him because he saith that long after the Trespasse aforesaid was supposed to be made to wit the eighth day of July in the year c. aforesaid at S. aforesaid in the County aforesaid and within the liberty and jurisdiction of this Court the same A. B. and C. D. by the mediation of E. F. and G. H. their friends and acquaintance in a friendly manner comming between them in such manner it was agreed together between them that is to say that the aforesaid A. B. should pay to the aforesaid C. D. in amends and for satisfaction of that Trespasse five shillings of lawfull money of England which the said A. B. the said five shillings of c. to the aforesaid C. D. then and there paid according to the force form and effect of the concord aforesaid And this c. whereupon he prayes Judgement c. Replication No such Concord or Agreement made ANd the aforesaid C. D. sayes that he by any thing prealledged ought not to be debarred from having his action aforesaid because he saith that there was never any such concord or agreement had between them the said C D. and A B. in manner and form as the said A B. hath above alledged by pleading And this he prayes may be inquired of by the Countrey and the aforesaid A B. in like manner c. The Defendant saith that as to the taking of the Oxe that he tooke it by the name of an Heriot ANd the said C D. by c. cometh and defendeth the force and wrong when c. And as to the taking of the said Oxe the said C D. doth well avow the taking of the said Oxe in the said place in which c. and justly c. because he saith that long before the taking of the said Oxe before supposed one I G. was seized of one Messuage with the appurtenances in W. aforesaid in his Demesne as of see and so seized held the same of the said C D. by fealty and the rent of 12 d. unto him the said C D. every year at the feasts of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary c. of S. Michael the Archangel to be paid by equall portions and also by Services that every tenant of the said Messuage with the appurtenances thereof seized in his Demesne as ofsee or in use from the time of which contrary c. he ought and had accustomed to render unto the said C D. and his heirs the best animal living of the same tenant of the said Messuage with the appurtenances so thereof dying seised in his Demesne as of see or in use by the name of Heriot of which services the said C D. was seized by the hands of the said I G. as by the hands of his true tenant that is to say of the said Fealty as ofsee and right and of the said Rent in his Demesne as of see And afterward the said I G. died of the said Messuage with the appurtenances seized in his Demesne as ofsee And because the said Oxe was the proper Oxe of the said I G. at the time of his Death the said C D. that Oxe as the best animal which was of the said I G. at the time of his death by the name of a Heriot he took and justly c. Justification in Trespasse for want of reparation of the hedges by the Plaintiffe ANd the said A and B. by I R. their Attorney come and desend their force and injury where c. And as to the breaking of the Close aforesaid and the eating up treading down and consuming the grasse aforesaid the same A and B. say that the aforesaid D. ought not to have his action aforesaid against them because they say that at the time of the Trespasse aforesaid supposed to be made were and are seized of a certain Close of Pasture near adjoyning to the said Close of the aforesaid D. in which the grasse aforesaid in S.
Peace and may set them in the Stocks untill such time as they do finde them See 5 H. 7. 6. He may take of the County where he is Sheriffe any number that he shall think convenient 300 if necessity require it to pursue apprehend arrest and imprison Traytors Murtherers Robbers Popish Recusants and all Felons To suppresse rebellions insurrections or riotous Assemblies or such as do break or go about to break or disturb his Highnesse peace and every man required as well Dukes Earls Barons as all other his Highnesse Subjects within the same County ought to ayd and assist him and such as do refuse may be fined to the Protector and may attach all persons making such default to appear and answer before the Justices of Assize He may arrest all persons by him suspected or of evill repute that shall walke by night or day committing them to the Gaole to remain there untill they shall be delivered by the Justices of Assize 5 E. 3. cap. 14. Cromp. 203. He may arrest all such persons as go or ride offensively armed and may commit them to prison there to remain during his Highnesse pleasure unlesse they be delivered by the Justices before whom they shall be convict he may take their armour to his Highnesse use and prize it by the oaths of those that are present If a party after he is arrested make resistance or shall make an assault upon the Officer as the Sheriffs Bayliff c. the Bayliff may justifie the beating of such resister and such as disturb him in the execution of his precept and may imprison them in the stocks 2 E. 4. fo 6. 21 H. 7. 39. See Br. Trespasse 18. and 296. And if the party arrested and resisting be slain it is justifiable Fitz. Coron 261. Doctor and Student 133. 6. Cromp 24 a. 30 b. Sed quaere By the 11 H. 4. 7 H. 4. fo 4. Br. Offic. fo 4. 9. 34. 37. and 42. the Sheriffe in a Writ to enquire of waste and a Writ of Redisseisin he is both Judge and an Officer of Record and cannot delegate his judiciall power to any Bayliff of Franchise but must enter the Liberty and execute it himselfe otherwise it is error And if upon the Writ of Redisseisin the Sheriffe by Inquisition finde the Disseisee to be disseised again he may presently take such Disseisor and commit him to prison there to remain during his Highness pleasure See Co. 6. fo 12. And in the Writ to enquire of wast and in the writ of Redisseisin whereby he is made Judg of the cause he must execute the same in proper person and not by his Under-sheriffe or other Deputy whatever See more of his absolute authority in the Sheriffes Turne and also in the County Court and what things are inquirable there and by him to be punished Let us now descend to his Ministeriall power or authority which is dissected into two parts viz. as he is Custos vitae justitiae custos vitae legis 2 Custos vitae justitiae For no suit is commenced nor processe executed but by him And first to demonstrate his initiation into this Ministerial part of his office viz. The new Sheriffe being elected and sworn at or before the County next succeeding his election he is to deliver a Writ of discharge to the old Sheriffe who thereupon is to set over all his prisoners that are then in the Gaol severally by their names together with all his VVrits precisely by view and Indenture made betwixt the two Sheriffs wherein must be comprehended and exptesly specified all the Actions which the preceding Sheriffe hath against every Prisoner And till delivery of the Prisoners to the new Sheriffe they remaine still in the custody of the old as you may see in that learned argument more at large in Westbies Case Co. 3. 72. Neither is the new Sheriffe obliged to receive the prisoners but at the Gaol onely And upon the return and delivery of the Writs contained in the Indenture if they were executed by the old Sheriffe The new Sheriffe must indorse them in this manner I send you this Writ as it is indorsed delivered to me by A. B. Esquire late Sheriffe my next Predecessor in his going forth from his Office E. F. Esq Sheriff Yet the old Sheriffe by the Statute of 12 E. 4. c. 1. and 17 E. 4. 6. till the Writ of Discharge be delivered to him he may execute his office If the old Sheriffe hath in his custody divers persons in execution and dyeth afterward a new Sheriffe is elected it behoves the new Sheriffe to take notice at his Perill of all the Executions which are against any person that he findes in the Gaol and this is necessitatis gratiâ for necessities sake for there is none to make delivery of them or to give him notice who are in execution and who not And it is no detriment to the Sheriffe if he keep them safe untill he hath perfect knowledge of all the Executions for if he may with impunity suffer such as are in execution to escape great inconvenience would thereupon ensue Co. E. 3. 73. b. 1. Westbies case He is to preserve the Rights of his Highnesse with in his County and to enquire what Lands are concealed from him or with-holden and to seise to his use the profit of such lands as come to him by Attainder or Escheat and likewise the goods of any Felon Fugitive Out-law Aegyptian goods received and goods confiscate and wreck of the Sea He ought to certifie to his Highnesse or some of the Councell or the Committee specially constituted for that purpose if he know of the with-holding or concealment of any of the late Kings or Delinquents lands within his County He ought to be vigilant that the suits of his Highnesse be done in his Highnesses Court viz. 1 Suit reall or royall 2 Suit service 1 And to declare what suit Royall is it is a suit due to the Sheriffs Turne or Leet which is so termed because of their allegiance 2 Suit-service is due also to the Sheriffes Turne or Leet by reason of the Tenure of a mans Land He shall levy his Highnesse Debts by Distresse either in the high way or common street 52 H. 3. Cap 15. Fitz. 173. And if he can finde no goods elsewhere he may distraine in the Church Brook Distresse 35. And may sell such Distresse after fifteen dayes See Brook Distresse 32. 40. 72. and Stat. 51 H. 3. He is accountable to his Highnesse for all manner of Issues and Profits of the County And by his Office upon processe out of the Exchequer he is to gather up and to bring into the Exchequer such Issues and profits c. And likewise such Issues lost and returned in respect of non-appearance of the Defendants or of Jurors shall be forseited to his Highnesse
the heire of the Lands and Tenements of the said A. Co. 3 15. Usually the omission of words make the return invalid as where the returne was The residue of this Writ appeares in a certaine schedule c. For the residue of the Execution of this Writ this is insufficient and vitious 19 H. 6. Fitz. Ret. 14. For by 3 H. 7. 11. a. Brook Ret. 88. the returne of the Sherif ought to be certaine to every intent and he is obliged to take knowledge of the Law in making his returne And therefore in a Scire facias to L. B. Master of the Free Grammer-school of Skipton c. and to the Scholars of the same c. he returned That he made knowne to the Master c. And did not say that he made known to L. B. Master c. And likewise he omitted Scholars which return was insufficient and void See Coo. 8. 127. 128. 10. E. 4. 15. The Sherif upon a Capias returned that he arrested the Defendant at S. and would have carried him to the Goal and that A. B. rescued him which return was holden invalid because he did not shew at what place A B. made the rescue for it shall not be intended the place where the arrest was ret 97. By the opinion of Iennie 3 E. 4. If a Writ be returned thus The answer of the Sheriff of C. and sheweth not the Sherifs name it is no good return 9 E. 4. 19. Br. 54 and by the 11 H. 7. 10. a. b. the name of the County ought to be entred in the margent or over the head of the return In a Scire facias the Sherif returneth I have made known to A. B. in manner and form as this Writ exacteth and requires and said not To the within named A. B. c. and yet this was holden per curiam to be good for note these words as this writ exacteth c. doth amount to the within named or the within mentioned or written See 2 H. 4. 13. and 3 H. 4. 9. Br. 28. Fitz. 44. Habere facias seisinam Upon a grant and render at the Plures the Sheriff did returne mandavi ballivo who did nothing because the parties to the Fine had nothing and the Writ of covenant was not sued in the Liberty nor came to him to be executed upon which a non omittas was awarded 8 E. 3. 12. upon the like writ the Sherif returned that he could do nothing by reason of the resistance of A B. others and he was amerced twenty marks because he did not take posse comitatus and an alias awarded and also a Writ to attach A. B. who was taken and pleaded not guilty and prayed a Writ against the Sheriffe to answer his false return Hil. 19 E. 2. Execution 147. Waste was assigned in W. the returne must not be That he came unto W. but that he came to the place wasted 27 H. 8. Br 2. The Sherif returned That by vertue of a Precept c. he took the body of A. B. c. and exception was taken because the return was not by vertue of a Writ c. yet it was holden to be a sufficient return for the Sherif may take one in Westminster Hall by the mandate of the Justices without any Writ The Sherif returned I have not found the party c. for he is not to be found and the party thereupon outlawed assigned this for Error and not to be amended Fitz 19. The Sheriff returned that he hath commanded the Bayliff of Slaincliff in the third person for I have commanded the Bailiff c. in the first person and was amerced for it 21. Ass 17. If a Sherif do not return a Capias in Processe the arrest is tortious and an action of false imprisonment lieth against him by him that was arrested and likewise the Plaintif shall have an action against him Littleton 18. E. 4. 9. Br. Trespass 339. Br. false imprisonment 5. 7. 12. But if a Capias ad satisfaciendum be not returned it is sufficient if the execution be duly executed and the Plaintif satisfied yet if he levy the money or debt but neither returneth the Writ nor payeth the money to the Plaintif he is chargeable to the Plaintif in an action of accompt c. and to the Defendant in an action of trespass Co. 5. 90. And the Plaintif may have his Execution renewed against the Defendant and the Defendant is left to his action against the Sherif Where a man hath liberty to return Writs as in the Honour of Pontefract in Yorkshire c. and to execute them c. if there the Sherif or his Officer shall enter the Liberty and execute any processe there the Lord of the Liberty shall have an action of the case against him Fitz. 95. b. In a Scire facias to execute a Judgment or Fine the Sherif must return the names of the Summoners 3 H. 7. 8. Br. Ret. 86. Upon the return of a Jury he is to return issues upon every person impannelled and returned by him ibidem Upon a Replevin the Sherif returned that the cattel were in such a strong place that he could not make deliverance for which return he was amerced because he might have taken Posse comitatus and so made deliverance Br. 119. or if he should return a resistance the like 13. E. 3. c. 39. In a Scire facias against the Husband and Wife the Sherif returneth that they are divorced and therefore amercied for Persons that are divorced may have garnishment quaere vide 1 H. 6. 2. Br. 63. Upon a Fieri fac against Executors the Sheriff returneth that they had sold the goods of the party deceased before the Writ purchased c. for which he was amerced for he should have taken other goods of the Executors to the value thereof c. 14 H. 4. 12. Br. 41. Upon a Fieri fac against Executors the Sheriff returned nulla bona c. and upon this return an entry was made in the Roll because that testatum est that the Executors had sold divers goods of the Testator and converted the money to their own use a Writ was awarded to the Sherif to enquire by the oaths of good men of his Bailiwick what goods which were the Testators the day of his death were wasted by the Executors by force of which Writ the Sherif had an Inquisition by which it was found that divers goods of the Testator to the value of the debt recovered were wasted by the Executors And this was returned in Court upon which the Plaintif sued a Scire facias against the Defendant to shew cause wherefore execution should not be awarded against the defendant of his own proper goods And upon two Nihils the Court awarded Execution Co. 5. 32. An Outlawry returned in London in these words At the Hustings holden in Guild Hall in the City of London such a day A.
Action brought For it was alleaged although a reprisall by fresh suit if it had been before the action brought would peradventure have excused him yet being after the Action brought so as the Plaintif at the time of the Action brought had good cause to have the Action the Reprisall after shall not excuse him and compared it to waste brought for Reparations which is amended pendant the Writ it shall not excuse him So here And in proof thereof were cited Coo. 3. fol. 52. Ridgeleyes case 23 E. 4. 8. 13 Edw. 3. tit Barr. 253. But against this it was argued That this reprisall being alleaged to be by fresh suite and before the plea pleaded is good for the time and he shall take advantage thereof to excuse the Escape For it is upon the matter no escape when shee was re-taken by fresh suit for that is a continuall pursuit and the Law shall adjuge her in prison always And it is not like the case of Waste For there nothing was done after the Waste committed before the Action and the Reparation hath not any relation nor is the continuance of any former Act but this Reprisall hath relation and makes it no escape ab initio As a Distresse taken for Rent and rescued and driven into another Mannor which is pursued and re-taken the party shall make his Avowry of the taking in the first place So here And it would otherwise be a great mischiese if an Escape should be against the wills of Sheriffs or keepers of Prisons by breach of prison or rescuing themselves before they be brought to prison or in their going thither and the prisoners be reprised within two or three dayes That an Action should be brought in the Interim against the Gaoler and that this Reprisall when he hath the prisoner before the plea should not be an excuse especially to the Marshall who hath multitude of prisoners and every day is to bring them unto the Hall by Habeas Corpus or Rules of Court If peradventure a Prisoner escapes and an Action be brought against the Marshall the same day before he can have any time to retake him If he should not be excused by the re-taking hee would be charged with a multitude of suits and could not have any remedy to excuse him And therefore it was compared to the pleading of a Fine levyed before the VVrit of Formedon and Proclamations incurred pendant the VVrit before the plea pleaded he well may take advantage thereof by pleading it although when the Writ was brought it was not compleat nor could be pleaded Vide 6 H. 7. 12. Secondly it was moved admitting this to be no plea yet the Action lyes not here because the Escape is of a Feme Covert where her Baron is subject to the Execution So the Plaintiffe hath not lost his debt for by intendment she might not have payd it if shee had layne in prison For shee had nothing but what was her Husbands and the Execution remaines yet against him Therefore Action of Debt lyes not because he is not totally deprived of his Debt but an Action upon the Case in respect of the damage And therefore it was said If one have Execution of a Statute of the Lands Goods and Body c. and the prisoner escapes Yet because the Lands remaine in Execution debt lyes not for the Escape but an Action upon the Case For at the Common Law an Action of Debt was not maintainable for an Escape but it is given by the Statute of 1 Richard 2. where the Debtor escapes But here the sole and principall Debtor did not escape for the Baron is the Principall and remained subject to the Execution vide 33 H. 6. 47. N. Br. 93. Regist fo 98. 4 H. 6. 6. Wherefore c. But the Court held that it was not any plea because the Action is brought and implyes a voluntary permission ire ad largum which is neither denyed or traversed And if the Sheriffe voluntarily lets a prisoner at large he cannot re-take him And so this Reprisall as is alleaged being after the Action brought is to no purpose nor is any plea. And for the Action of Debt they held that it well enough lyes or an Action upon the Case at his pleasure Because the Feme was onely committed to prison and not the Baron And shee is the sole Debtor who is imprisoned wherefore it was adjudged for the Plaintiff But note in as much as Escapes are so penall to Sheriffes Bayliffs of Liberties and Gaolers the reverend Judges of the Law have alwayes made a favourable construction as much as the Law will permit in favour of the Sheriffes Bayliffs of Liberties and Gaolers who are Officers and Ministers of Justice Co. 3. 44. Of Bayle what it is And where the Sheriffe may take Bayle and where not BAILE or Ballium is a safe keeping or protection and thereupon we say when a man upon surety is delivered out of prison traditur in ballium hee is delivered into bayle viz. Into their safe keeping or protection from prison before that he hath satisfied the Law it hath its originall or derivation from the French word Bailler and that also cometh from the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they both signifie to deliver into hand For he that is bayled is taken out of a Prison and delivered into the hands of his Friends who are his Sureties for his appearance at a certaine day to answer and be justified by the Law Sheriffs Under-sheriffs or other persons making any warrant for the summons arresting or attaching any person to appeare in any Court not having the originall Processe or Writ to warrant it upon examination and proofe thereof before the Judges of Assize or Judges of the Court c. such offender and their procurers shall be committed to the Goale there to remaine without baile untill they have paid amongst them 10 l. to the party grieved and his costs and damages as also 20 l. to the Protector 43 Eliz. c. 6. Such persons as are in Execution upon any Statute or Recognisance or upon judgement given in the Kings Court at the suit of any person they shall not be bailed until they have agreed with the Plaintiff 1 R. 2. c. 12. 23 H. 6. c. 10. F. N. B. 9. 121. a. Persons condemned in any of the Kings Courts and by vertue thereof committed to prison they shall not be bailed untill they have agreed with the Plaintiff 1 R. 2. c. 12. 2 H. 5. cap. 2. F. N. B. 121. a. If the Sheriffe doe let to baile any persons prohibited by the Stat. of Westm 1. cap. 15. to be bailed he shall be punished by the Justices of Goal-delivery according to the forme of the same Statute or the Justices may fine them as for an escape punishable at the Common Law 25 E. 3. 39. The Sheriff might at the Common Law have bailed a suspect of felony
Copy of the warrant upon the writ 00 00 04 For the returning of a Mandavi ballivo 00 00 04 For Writs of executions upon the Judgment upon bils sued in personal actions the debt or damage being under 40 s. 00 01 00 Upon Bils sued above 40 s. in actions personal for the return of every such bil 00 00 04 For every writ of Execution 00 02 00 For executing of every writ of Elegit in personal actions 00 06 08 In all reall or mixt actions sued by Original writ for return of every original writ 00 02 00 And for return of every other writ of Judicial processe depending upon the same before Judgment 00 02 00 And for every-Writ of Execution after Judgment upon every original in action real or mixt 00 02 00 For executing every Habere fac seisinam 00 06 08 For attachments upon Capias or other processe sued by Original or Judicial writ if the return be Cepi corpus 00 02 00 For a Reddidit se upon an Exigent of felony in appeale of murther or maim or upon an indictment of selony or murther 00 02 00 Upon a Reddidit se upon an Exigent of debt trespass detinue and all other actions personals 00 01 00 For the making of a Repleg 00 01 00 and Withernam upon the same 00 01 00 For return of every writ of appeal of murder felony or maim 00 01 00 And upon all Processe growing upon the same as Venire facias Tales Habeas corpora and Distringas 01 01 00 For every prisoner delivered by acquittal or by Proclamation for any manner of felony 00 01 00 For a Replevin 00 02 00 For the returne of a Recordare 00 00 04 For the return of an Accedas ad cur 00 00 00 For the allowance of a Supersedeas after the returne of the Exigent 00 02 00 The sheriffe is to be compounded and agreed with for these For executing of a Writ to enquire of Waste Also for executing a Writ to enquire of damages Likewise for executing a Statute For executing of a writ of Right For serving of a Writ de partition facienda For removing the over-charge of Common of pasture For enquiry upon an Elegit For Writs of forcible entry or holding with force whereupon the party amoved is to be restored to his possession For execution of a Judgement upon a Writ The Vnder-sheriffe of Middlesex useth to take these Fees following in the Court of Common Pleas. FOr a warrant for a Capias upon every name 00 00 04 For the return of a Venire facias 00 02 00 For a warrant upon a Capias utleg 00 00 04 For return of a Habeas corpora juratorum 00 04 00 For summoning the Jury for every name 00 00 04 For return of a Proclamation 00 01 00 For return of a Scire Facias 00 02 00 For return of a Nihil overat and Fieri facias 00 01 00 For executing an Exigent or execution upon body Lands goods and Chattels twelvepence for every twenty shillings where the summ exceeds not one hundred pounds and six pence for every twenty shillings where the summ exceeds one hundred pounds that is to say for every twenty shillings that he or they shall levy or extend and deliver in Execution or take the body in execution Of Sheriffs Accompts with a particular of some usuall Charges or Fees payd by them at the rendring of their Accompts THe Sheriff giveth his Accompts into the Exchequer and there is charged with his casualties which are all manner of Debts of Casualties and Relièss Fines Amerciaments upon the Sheriff debts recovered and such like as are drawn down either from any Record of any of the Remembrancers of the Exchequer or from any other matter ground or seisure of the Court. And the Sheriff musst answer to every summ charged upon him as he hath cause that is to say such a summ within such and such a Liberty and sheweth whose they be He is charged with old seizures which are Lands and Tenements seized before by his Predecessors upon the Processe of the Court and likewise with his own feizures which are Lands and Tenements seized in his own time by Processe of the Court and so addeth to these such Felons goods as he hath seized himselfe There the Sheriff hath such allowances as are allowed him by act of Parliament together with the Justices of Peace wages of his Shire out of the Fines and Forfeitures before the Justices of Peace thereof if the streat will bear them layd out before the Sheriffs for the Justices wages according to the Statute of the which allowance and of the particular names of the Justices the foreign opposer doth deliver a Roll into the Pipe for the Clerk of the Pipes warrant to allow the sames wages to the Sheriff After which things done viz allowance of all payments deductions and annual charges then hath he his Quietus est The fees are as follow Imprimis to his Attorney for his warrant of Attorney c. for his own sees and his mans sees and to another for entring the warrant 02 00 02 To the Punie-Baron for ministring the oath for the Apposel upon the summons of the Pipe his see for the Vicontels and his mans see for the same 01 07 00 To the Marshal Criers Tipstaves there 01 06 08 The fees of the foreign Opposer his men are 04 00 00 For his writ of assistance from his Attorney 00 05 06 His Attorneys sees in the Pipe and his mans fees 06 00 00 The sees of the Deputy of the Pipe 01 03 04 To the Controlier of the Pipe his man and other Officers of the Pipe 02 15 02 His Attorneys see in the Remembrancers Office and his mans fee 00 06 10 To the Master of the Wardrop for his see for a Talley to have thereby an allowance given for it and for joyning of that Talley in the Pipe 05 16 05 To the Master of the Pipe for his see 18 05 00 The foreign Opposers see for allowance of Justices wages to the Sheriffe upon the extracts of the peace and for the casting up of the Debet upon the Scedules of the Greenwax and to his men for their see 02 18 04 To the Auditor assigned for the Shire for declaring of the Accompt 12 00 00 To the Attorney of the Pipe for giving allowance of the Justices wages before allowed by the foreign opposer in the Sheriffs accompt and for the foot of the accompt to his man 02 06 08 To the Baron for declaring of the accompt and to his man for his see 00 08 08 To the Attorney in the Remembrancers Office for examining of the accompt and to one for the receiving of the accompt 00 05 00 For Copies of the seizures which the Sheriff makes himselfe in his year comonly at the least 05 00 00 For copies of the new seizures according to the number of them in some Counties but twenty shillings but most commonly in
Lord Protector and for the Lord of this Court or Law day draw near and hear your charge all the rest keeping silence whilst the charge is in reading upon pain and peril that shall fall thereon Before the charge gather the common fine which the tenants do pay every Leet or Law day acording to the custome of the Mannor The Exhortation before the Charge My Masters YOU of the Jury the charge which you by oath have promised to observe toucheth and concerneth divers good Lawes and Statutes instituted and made for the preservation of the publick Peace and also for the private tranquillity of every one of you and your posterities which matters the Sheriffe or the Lord of this Franchise considering and wishing your security and desiring likewise good orders to be observed and kept among you that right and equity may be administred to every of you hath therefore caused his Highnesse the Lord Protectors Leete to be summoned and kept here this day I will therefore by your favour before I enter upon the principals of your charge declare unto you by what authority you are brought hither and wherein you are obliged to observe The causes hereof are two 1. The first is for that his Highnesse and royall predecessors have given and granted unto the Sheriffe or Lord of this Mannor authority and power to keep a Leet or Law day twice in the year at which Leet or Law-day all the Headboroughs Tithingmen Dezmers and all other persons that are resident or inhabiting within the Jurisdiction of this Leet being above the age of twelve yeares and under the age of sixty are bound by the Lawes of the Commonwealth to appeare to the intent that the Lawes and Statutes may be there published and declared so that knowing the dangers of the not observing of them they may avoid divers inconveniences which otherwise would have much prejudiced them and further to inquire of the breakers of the same and present them that such offenders may receive condign punishment The other cause or authority is for that you being the Lords tenants are bound by reason of your tenure at the Lords Court Baron when it shall happen to be kept according to law that is to say at every three weeks end or according as the custome is and being here by these two authorities you are bound to serve in all such things as you are legally and joyntly charged withall as well concerning His Hignesse the Lord Protectors Leet as the Lords Court-Baron Now to the intent that you may have better cognizance of your oath I think it convenient with your patience to insist a little upon it What things are to be considered by a Jury in swearing IN swearing three things are principally to be considered 1. That you swear to seclude all favour and affection to the parties not fearing the rich nor pitying the poor not considering the simplicity of any person nor the smallnesse of the offence but having an affection to truth before your eyes declare that which is truth to your knowledge and no further 2. The second is you must swear in righteousness viz. for the very zeal and desire you have in declaring the truth for the executing of justice for the observing of Covenants honest promises Statutes Lawes and good Customes and having a respect in doing and performing these things you do that which tends to the glory of God the honour of the Lord Protector the preservation of the People and Common-wealth which kinde of swearing is the mandate of the Almighty Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serve him and shalt sweare by his Name That is we must onely serve and feare him acknowledging his holy Name which is done by a legall swearing It is also commanded in many places of the divine Writ but conditionally to wit we must sweare in truth in Judgment and righteousnesse c. 3. In swearing and taking an Oath you must do it with Judgement not rashly nor unadvisedly but soberly and with caution considering what an oath is which in briefe I will declare to you An Oath is the recording or calling to witnesse the name of God to confirme the truth of that we say and which is according to the testimony of St. Paul An oath for confirmation is among men an end of strife For in ambiguous and obscure matters where the knowledge of men is brittle and faileth we betake ourselves to God that he which is the only Truth may give a Testimony unto the truth and he that useth God for a Witnesse doth also call for revenge of perjury at his hands if he deceive and speak not the truth now at the imposition of your hands upon the Booke you sweare truly to enquire and make a true presentment of these things wherewith you are charged and not to let from declaring the truth either for favour fear affection or envy of any person consider that in this Book is recorded Gods eternall verity whereby we have remission of errors and offences and an enjoyment of eternall salvation I am confident of your knowledge of the plagues and threats in the Gospel to the obstinate and perjured bearers of false and unjust testimony condemners of innocent and guiltlesse persons so that it you voluntarily perjure your selves you absolutely deny God his mercy truth and the merits of our Saviour betaking your selves and adhering to that Destroyer of mankinde the Devil the author of all pejury and persidiousnesse and by forswearing and forsaking the truth you forsake Christ the light and truth it selfe And although that perjury doth escape sometimes unespied and punished and be kept secret betweene some of you and others yet your hearts will judge and repute one another false and be suspitious of each others actions But God that faithfull one of Israel will not deny himselfe neither will he suffer the profanation of his Name to go unpunished when at the last day the secrets of all mens hearts shall be apparent then the truth and your Consciences shall be your accusers and Christ the righteous Judge shall justly condemn you to eternall death and damnation Which sin of perjury the most High by his Prophet hath threatned to punish Thus referring this to your serious considerations and not to trouble you with prolixities Verbum sat sapienti a word 's enough to the wife I will proceed and declare to you the Articles of your charge The Charge of the Court. YOu must understand That High treasons petty treasons and Felonies which are against His Highnesse the LORD PROTECTOR are to be enquired of and presented in this Court but not punishable here the which offences you must set down in writing indented and sealed the one part to remain with the Steward the other with the Jury and the same must be delivered to the Justices of the next Assizes holden within the County The Charge of the Court-Leet Judgment 1. You shall first
walls houses or pales be made and erected or thrown downe or any wayes or paths opened or stopped to the damage of the people or if any waters be stopped or diverted out of their right course or if the common Rivers or watering places for Beasts be corrupted and annoyed with Hemp Hay and such like or if any encroachment be upon the Kings high way or any carrion or unwholsome thing be cast into the same The party offending for every time so doing forfeiteth 20 s. 33 H. 8. c. 17. 23 Inquiry is to be made of the defect of Bridges or Causwayes decayed and broken downe and who ought to repaire them The penalty is according to the discretion of the Iury upon the view 24 Inquiry is also to be made if Common Pounds be good and close to retain such distresse as shall be brought to them untill they be delivered thence by order of Law and to present such as ought to keep them in such order if they be taken This is also referred to the Iuries discretion 25 And forasmuch as high wayes especially in winter are very troublesome to travell in it was enacted the 1. 2. Ph. M. c. 8. That the Constable and Church-wardens of every Parish within this Common wealth should yearly upon Tuesday or Wednesday in Easter week assemble a number of the Parishioners and elect two honest men of them to be Surveyors of the high ways for one yeare and that they shall have authority to direct the persons that shall be appointed for the mending and repairing of them according to their discretion faithfully executing their office Every Surveyor neglecting his office and making default forfeits 20 s. Every person for every plowland in tillage or pasture within the parish and every person there keeping a draught or plough shall send every day that the ways are in mending one Waine or Cart with all necessaries convenient to carry things and also two able men with the same The penalty for every draught making default is 20 s. Every other Housholder Cottager Labourer not being an hired servant by the year shall by themselves or one sufficient Labourer upon every of the said dayes work there The penalty for every one making default every day 8 d. 26 You shall enquire if any Heyes Fences Dikes or Hedges next adjoyning on every side to any high or common wayes be not from time to time ditched scoured repaired and kept and all trees and bushes growing in the high-wayes be cut down by the owners of the ground or soyle whereby the wayes are opened and the people may have a more easie passage Every person not so doing forfeiteth 20 s. 18 Eliz 9. 27 You shall further enquire if any ancient bounds or Land-marks be withdrawn and taken away such as distinguish or divide Hundreds Parishes Tythings Commons Common-meadows and Common fields to avoid confusion and consequently dissention 18 Eliz. 2. Fined according to the discretion of the Jury 28 You shall further enquire if any common breakers of hedges or sences by which their neighbours ground is made subject to the incursions of Cattel which are the grounds of many actions of Trespasse to the disturbance of the peace of the Comonwealth Such offenders are to be stocked and whipped 29 You shall also enquire of the breach of any common Pownd to take away distresse out of it though the distresse be without cause Or if any shall rescue or take away by force any cattell which is distrained for any rent amerciament or other cause before it be in custodia legis in the custody of the Law or impounded it is presentable Fineable according to the discretion of the Iury. Or a Writ de pareo fracto lyeth against him as Common Law F. N. B. 139. 30 You shall also enquire if any assaults be committed whereby blood-shed ensueth to the disturbance of the people of this Common wealth is here inquireaable 1 R. 3. fo 1. The fine for the offence is accoding to the discretion of the Iury but commonly it is 3 s. 4 d. 31 You shall further enquire if any Rescous were committed upon the Sheriffe or his Baylifs in disturbance of them from the taking and detaining any person arrested An action lyeth against the offender at the Common Law 32 You shall enquire if there be within the precincts of this Leet any Common Barretors such as are common incendiaries of strife and discord amongst their neighbors and are ever fishing in troubled waters they are of both fexes scoulds brawlers inventers and dispersers of calumnies and reports whereby discord and inquietude ariseth in the Countrey Such persons must give sureties for their good behaviour being disturbers of the peace 33 You shall enquire if any Alehouse-keeper c. have permitted any Inhabitant or Townsman except labourers and handicrafts men or persons invited by Travellers to continue tipling or drinking in any such house The paine or forfeiture of the Alehouse-keeper for every such offence to the use of the poore of the Parish 10 s. 34 You shall enquire if any buy or cause to be bought any victuall or other thing coming towards any Fair or market to be sold in the same or shall make any bargain contract or promise for the having or buying of the same before it shall be in the Market c. such shall be judged a Forestaller He that is convict thereof is for the first time to be imprisoned for 2 moneths and losse of the value of the thing sold The 2d time imprisoned by the space of halfe a year and shall loose the double value of the goods c. The 3d time during his Highnesses pleasure and judgement of the Pillory forfeiting all his goods and chattels See Stat. 5 E. 6 cap. 14. 35 You shall enquire if any regrate any corne butter cheese or other dead or quick victuals whatsoever that shall come to any Fair or Market to be sold and doth sell the same againe in any Faire or Market holden in the same place or within four miles thereof shall be judged a Regrator The judgement of a Forestaller 36 You shall enquire if any do ingrosse and get into their hands or promise taking unlesse it be by demise grant or lease of Land any Corne growing in the Fields or otherwise butter cheese or other dead Victuall to the intent to sell again shall be reputed an illegall Ingrosser The same judgement of a Forestaller and Regrator 37 You shall enquire if any Baker shall make and put to sale any bread which is not of good and sufficient weight and assize according to the rate and prices of come and graine in the Markets adjoyning or such as is not wholsome nourishment for Man And that he set his owne signet upon every loafe of bread that he vends to the end that if it want weight it may be known in whom the fault lyes For the
they might redress misdemeanors within their precincts and to punish offences committed by their Tenants and to decide and debate controversies arifing within their Juridiction and these Courts were termed Courts Barons as it appears amongst the Lawes of Edward the Confessor where it is said Barones vero qui suam habent curiam de suis hominibus c. taking its name of the Baron who was Lord of the Mannor or according to Coo. com Lit. fo 58. a. for that properly in the eye of the Law it hath relation to the Freeholders who are Judges of the Court because in ancient time such persons were called Barons and came to the Parliament and sate in the Upper House but when time had wrought such an alteration that Mannors fell into the hands of inferiour men and such as were farre unworthy of so sublime a calling then it grow to a Custome that none but such as the King would should come to the Parliament such as the King for their extraordinary wisdome or quality thought good to call by Writ which Writ ran hac vice tantum yet though Lords of Mannors lost their names of Barons and were deprived of that dignity which was inherent to their names yet their Courts retain still the name of Court Barons because they were originally erected for such personages as were Barons neither hath time been so injurious as to irradicate the whole memory of their pristine dignity in their denomination there are yet stamps left of their nobility for they are still entituled by the name of Lords Court-Baron cannot be seperated from a Mannor THis Court-Baron is the chiefe Prop and Pillar of a Mannor which no sooner faileth but the Mannor is destroyed and therefore it cannot be separated from the Mannor for it is a wealth to a Mannor the like of a Court of Pypowder to a Faire of which more in its proper place and by granting the principall which is the Mannor the Court which is incident to it passeth without being named 12 Eliz. Dyer 288. if a Mannor be granted cum pertinentiis the Court passeth for it is an incident inseperable to the Mannor and one cannot grant his Court but he may grant the profits of it Brownlows Rep. 175. Yet though a Court-Baron is incident to a Mannor it must be understood of a Mannor in facto in reality and truth but not to be a Mannor only in intendment and a meer nominall Mannor Bolstrod first part fol. 54. Mich. 8. Jac. And as a Mannor at this day cannot be derived out of the CROWNE therefore ex consequente neither the Court-Baron which is incident to such a Mannor but a Court-Leet is not incident to a Mannor but he which hath a Mannor may also have a Court-Leet to be by him held within his Mannor but this ought to be by a speciall grant from the King and not otherwise and then he may punish offenders the which he cannot doe in his Court-Baron he cannot be ousted of his Court-Baron unlesse he be ousted of his Mannor for if he have a Mannor he ought to have such a Court-Baron for this as I have said is as an incident and follows the Mannor as a necessary consequent and adjunct unto the Mannor and therefore if he have the one viz. the Mannor he shall also have the other viz. the Court-Baron What parts a Court-Baron doth consist of THis Court-Baron appertaining to a Mannor consisteth of four speciall parts viz. 1. The Lord. 2. The Steward 3. The Tenant 4. The Bayliffe It is defined to be an assembly of these parts together within the same Mannor and it is likewise duplicate viz. 1. The first is for the taking care counsel and inquiry of causes concerning the same Mannor as for the triall of titles of the land and the taking and pasing of estates Surrenders admittances and grants and to see justice duly executed and the Acts and Ordinances there done to be recorded in the Rolls of the same Court which Rolls are the evidences of all Ordinances duties and customes and conveyances between the Lord and the tenants of the same Mannor and are to be entred by the Steward or an Officer indifferent between the Lord and his Tenants and the same Rolls to remain with the Lord thereby to know his Tenants his Rents his Fines his Customes and his service And the particular grant of every Copy-hold to be copied out of the Rolls and the copies thereof to be delivered to every particular tenant neither can they make any other title to their said tenements but by their said Copy And this is called the Copiholders Court and herein the Steward is judge 2. The other is for the triall of actions under the sum of forty shillings of the nature of the County-Court of which we have copiously treated in the first part of this worke and therefore here not necessary And herein the Freeholders are Judges But to returne to the Copyholders Court And herein the Lord the Steward the Freeholders the Copyholders and the Bayliffs of every Mannor have an intermixt and joynt office and authority in some cases and to some purposes and to other purposes their office is distinct and every of them doth occupy several places persons and parts Five things necessarily appertaning to a Mannor THere are five things necessarily appurtenant to a Mannor and Court-Baron viz. 1. The Lord is chiefe to command and appoint 2. The Steward to direct and record 3. The Free-holders to affere and judge 4. The Copy-holders to inform and present 5. The Bayliff to attend and execute c. And all these united make a perfect execution of Justice and judgment in Court-Barons and without all these a Court-Baron cannot be held in his proper nature in respect of all causes appertaining to the perfect jurisdiction of a Court-Baron But to make a more particular demonstration of their distinct authorities and offices 1. And first of the Lord as he is chiefe in place so in authority and he officiateth three severall places viz. the one of a Chancellor in cases of equity the other of Justice in matter of right and the third of himselfe in cases proper and particular to himself 2. The Steward doth act the part of several persons viz. Iudge and Orderer in cases of Copyhold and also a Minister and Register to Record and enter things into the Court-rolls and in both these to be indifferent between the Lord and his tenants 3. The Freeholders do likewise execute two parts that is to affeere and judge amerciaments and also to return and certifie judgements 4. The Copyholders hold two distinct places viz. to inform offences committed against the Lord within the Mannor and to present such things as shall be given in charge by the Steward 5. The Bayliffe officiates two parts viz. to execute the processe and mandates of the Court and also to return into the Court the execution of the same process
Mannor which shall be a detriment to the Inheritance of the Lord of this Mannor which ought to be enquired and presented for the Lord And that you be the more diligent and carefull in enquiring and presenting the same I have ministred a corporall oath unto you which is an Invocation or taking to witnesse the name of God to confirme the truth of that you shall say and present minding neither fraud nor deceit but only the truth not partial but seeking the glory of the Almighty the commodity of your neighbours and the whole Common wealth Thus much of exhortation in briefe and now to your Charge The Charge 1. FIrst you shall enquire of the Suitors which owe any Suit to this Court whether they be heires or no and present their names that make default for they which be absent ought to be present here as well as you except they have some lawfull impediment to the contrary for they hold their lands aswell to do their suit as to pay their rent so that if they do not theīr suit they shall be amerced or the Lord may have good remedy for the same Also you shall understand that every common Suitor is bound by the Lawes to appeare at the Lords Court-Baron every three weeks notwithstanding the Lord for your ease which he esteemeth more than his own profit suffereth it to be kept but seldome as appeareth for which cause every of the Tenants ought to be more willing to come unto his Court at such times as are appointed for the holding of it for if they voluntarily absent themselves then they render evil for good for when they did their Fealty they were sworne to be true tenants unto their Lord and to pay and doe all manner of suits customes and services due for their Tenements at their day assigned and therefore let every man remember his oath and duty and doe his suits and services according to the same otherwise he shall fall into the danger aforesaid 2. Next you shall enquire whether there be any tenants dead since the last Court-day or before whose death as yet is not presented and you shall present the same also what lands and tenements he holdeth of the Lord of this Mannor at the time of his death and by what services to wit whether it were by Knights-service Soccage tenure or Copyhold and what advantage the Lord shall have by his death as Reliefe Escheat Fine Heriot c. and who is his next heire and what age he is of and in whose custody and present it You shall understand there be divers manner of Tenures but most men do hold by Knights service or Soccage Tenure Knights service is when the Tenant holdeth of the Lord by Escuage that is to say by the service of the Shield also to hold by Castle-guard to wit to keep a Castle or Tower or other place of his Lords upon reasonable notice when the Lord heareth that enemies come into England that is Knights service Also he that holdeth by Homage fealty and Escuage holdeth by Knights service Also he which holdeth of his Lord to blow a Horne to warne the men of that Courtrey when Enemies do invade England holdeth by Knights service and Knights service ought always to be done by a man in his proper person which formerly drew unto it Ward and Marriage and at this day reliefe for when such a Tenant died seised and his heir male within age and unmarried the Lord and the Land holden of him and also the marriage of him untill he were of full age viz. the age of 21 yeares But if such a tenant died seized his heire female being of fourteene yeares or more then the Lord should neither have had the Wardship of the Land nor of her body for the Law intendeth that a woman of that age may have a Husband able to do Knights service and if she were within fourteene yeares of age and unmarried then the Lord had the Wardship of her Land and also of her body until she attained the age of sixteen years and this at this day is extinct of which see more in the Act of Parliament for the taking away of the Court of Wards And some such Tenants do hold by halfe a Knights service and some by halfe a Fee and some by more and some by lesse and if such a Tenant dieth which holdeth by one Knights fee and his heir being of full age then the Lord shall have Homage and Fealty and also five pounds for a Reliefe of this fee the said Act of him that holdeth by halfe a Knights fee two pounds ten shillings and he that holdeth by more shall pay more c. you shall therefore present whether any such Tenant died seized of any such Lands and Tenements so holden yea or no. 3. Also you shall enquire whether any Tenant which held by Knights service made any Feofment to his Heire and after died his Heire being within age 4. And whether any such Tenant made any Alienation of any such Land so holden to any person by collusion to defeat the Lord of his profits and present that 5. Also you shal enquire whether any such Tenant which held by Knights service did make any Feofment by Deed to his use or any Recognizance by fine to his use or suffer any Recovery against him to his use and after died and no will by him declared and present it for in those cases also the Lord shall have Reliefe of his Heire being of full age and other duties as well as if his Tenant had died seized 6. Also you shall enquire whether the Heire of such Tenant entred into any such Lands so holden for any condition broken being made by any of his Ancestors and present it 7. Also you shall enquire if any Tenant which held by Knights service was disseized of Lands so holden that is to say put out of them by one who had no right or title to them and after died before any re-entry or any legall recovery had and present it 8. Soccage-tenure is where the Tenant holdeth of the Lord by Fealty and certaine rent for all manner of services or by Homage and Fealty for all manner of services or to pay a summe of money for Escuage or to pay a certain summe of money for Castleguard All such Tenures are Tenures in soccage and all other Tenures which are not Tenures by Knights service are Tenures in soccage and where such tenants die seized of any Lands so holden the Lord of whom the Land is so holden after the death of his Tenant can have no more profit but only his Fealty and Reliefe that is to say as much money and service as one years rent doth amount unto As if the Tenant held by Fealty and ten shillings for a Reliefe over and besides the ten shillings which he shall pay for his Rent and in such case after the death of the
the Lord allows thereof Yet to the Lease for one yeare it was answered That he must have a speciall custome or else it is not good unlesse it be for a tryall of a Title which hath been allowed because it is for reducing a Rite and for the Lords benefit And to the second it was said that admitting it is a forfieture yet the Lords acceptance of the surrender not knowing of the forfeiture is no dispensation therewith and consequently that the Lords Lessee hath a good estate and right in him for which his entry is lawfull this was approved good by the Court and the first part over-ruled Crook Rep. fo 169. A COPYHOLDER made a Lease for one yeare Et sic de anno in annum during the life of the Copyholder excepting one day at the end of every year for the Copyholder to enter and this onely for to avoid a forfeiture but it was cleerly resolved Mic. 8. Jac. B. R. rot 602. that this is a forefeiture of his Copyhold estate for if a Lease be made de anno in annum this must of necessity be a Lease for twenty and two years and so is Potkins case in 14. H. 8. fo 14. As to the reservation of one day at the end of every year to make his lease but for one year and so to be warrantable by the custome it will nothing avail him though he had excepted a moneth at the end of every year it would have been to no purpose for by this invention he hath a purpose to cheat and deceive his Lord but he is deceived himself Bolstrod 1. part fo 215. Iutterels case Mic 8. Jac. B. R. rot 602. If a Copyholder make a Lease for years to comence at Michaelmas it is a forfeiture presently Hetleys rep fo 122. A Copyholder may hedge and inclose but not where it was never inclosed before and he may dig for marl without any danger of forfeiture but he ought to lay the said marl upon the same Copyhold land and not upon other Land Easter 19. Jac. Winch. rep fo 8. But if land be digged to make a banck and if more be digged then is necessary it is wast and if it be not cast down for the land might be made barren 41. E. 3. Wast 82. The heir before admittance may enter and take the profits and make a Lease according to the custome or bring an action of treaspase against him who disturbes him But if the Lord require his Fine or his services and the heir refuse to do them this may be a forfeiture of his Copyhold But until lawful seisin made by the Lord because it belongeth to him the heir may intermeddle with the possession though he be not admited by the Lord where it is an Estate of inhetance by the custome Pophams rep fo 39. It is a forfeiture of a Copyhold for the Copyholder to refuse to pay his Fine if it be a Fine certain but if he refuse to pay a Fine incertain after it is set quaere whether it be a forfeiture or not for that Fine may be unreasonable See before forfit Or if he refuse to appear at his Lords Court and to do his service there Prac. Regist tit fo forfit Trin. 24. Car. R. B. yet if the Copyholders dwell in a Town far distant from the Mannor a general warning within the Mannor is not sufficient but there ought to be to the person notice of the day when the Court shall be holden c. For his not coming in such case cannot be called a voluntary refusal so if a man be of that debility in body as he cannot travel without danger so if he have a great office c. these are good and strenuous causes of excuse It was likewise holden that if a Copyholder makes default at the Court and be there amerced although that the amerciament be not estreated or levyed yet it is a dispensation of the forfeiture But note that a general warning within the parish is sufficient for if the tenant himself be not resident upon his Copy-hold but elsewhere his Farmer may send notice to him of the Court Leonards rep first part fo 133. And note further by Hetly in his rep fo 7. Pasc 3 Car. C. B. that if a Copyholder be summoned to the Court by Common Proclamation or expresse notice and he does not appear it is no forfeiture because it is but a failer of service and no denyal and for the neglect he may be punished and fined If a man seised of Copyhold land in the right of his wife surrendreth the same to the use of another and the Husband dyeth it is no discontinuance to the Wife but that the Wife may enter and shall not be put to a Cui in vita nor the heir to sue a Cui in vita Coo. 4. 23. And if a Copyholder for Life surrendreth to the use of another in Fee it is no forfeiture for it passeth by surrender to the Lord and not by Livery and Copyhold Estates shall not have such qualities as Estates at Common Law have without special custome Ibidem Of the Office and Dutie of the Steward STeward in the Latine is called Seneschallas and is derived from the French word Sein a house or place and Schale an Officer or Governour some say that Sen is an ancient word for Justice so as Seneschal should signifie officiarius justiciae As to the word Steward it seemeth to be compounded of Stew and Ward and is a word of many applications yet alwaies signifieth an Officer of chief account within the place of his sway In this place it signifieth an officer of Justice viz. a keeper of Courts c. therefore for the prevention of many inconveniencies it would be no disadvantage to Lords to elect and constitute such as are exercised in the studies of the Provincial Lawes of this Commonwealth and the customes of Mannors Fleta lib. 2. cap. 26. describes the office of a Steward and councelleth Lords of Mannors and Liberties to provide or elect their Stewards in these words Provideat sibi Dominus de seneschallo circumspecto fideli viro provido discreto gratioso humili pudico pacifico modesto qui in legibus consuetudinibusque provinciae officio seneschalliae se cognoscat jura Domini sui in omnibus teneri affectet c. cujus officium est curias tenere Maneriorum de substractationibus consuetudinum servitiorum reddituum sectarum ad curiam mercata molendina domini advisus Franci-plegiorum aliarumque libertatum Domino pertinentium inquirat c. By which description it is observed that he ought to have a double qualification viz. 1. In Moralibus 2. In Judicialibus 1. In moralibus he must be qualified with these properties viz. Circumspection fidelity providence discretion c. which may be reduced to two general heads to wit verity and Industry 2. In Judicialibus and therein
he must be attended by the property of Knowledge as to be expert in the lawes of the Countrey and the customes of the Mannor and have ability to instruct and direct the Bayliffs and other ministers in dubious things Let us now descend to demonstrate his retainer into office c. A Lord of a Mannor may by parol retain one to be Steward of his Mannor and to hold the Courts thereof as well as a Bayliff may be and that by word and this retainer shall be as effectual in all points before discharge as the most effectual institution by Patent yet most commonly they have patents for their offices Co. 4. 30. and therewith accorderh 8 Eliz Dyer 248. Likewise it was adjudged in the common pleas in the Lady Julian Holcrofts case that whereas one was generally retained by the Lord of a Mannor by parol to be Steward of a Mannor and to keep his Courts that such Steward may take surrender of customary tenants out of the Court or make voluntary admittances or any other act incident to the office of a Steward for till such Steward be discharged he is Steward of the Mannor as well by the retainer by word as if he had a grant thereof by Patent Leon. fo 309. He represents the person of the Lord in many things for in the absence of the Lord he sitteth in Court as Judge to punish offences to determine controversies redresse injuries c. he acts some things in the Lords name and not in his own name for if the Steward admit any Copyholder or by special Authority or particular custome licence a Copyholder to Alien this admittance and licence shall be made in the Lords name and the entery in the Roll shall be Quod dominus per senescallum admisis licentiavit c. Co. of Copyholds fo 143. He must take care to Record and Enrol all the Conveyances of estates for it hath behn holden by some That if the Lord in open Court grant a Copyhold estate and no entry is made thereof in the Court Rolls that the grant is inavlid and that no collateral will make it valid Carthrop fo 47. But if the tenant have no Copy or lose his Copy the roll of the Court is a good evidence And if the wills be lost it is thought cleerly it may be supplyed by proof ibidem At every Court he is to swear some of the Tenants which is called the Homage these he chargeth with the Articles before mentioned and upon them they do present and upon this presentment the Steward is to proceed as upon the presentment in a Leet save onely that as it is said the Lord cannot bring an action of debt but is onely to distraine for the amerciament in this Court 2 H. 4. 24. For by the Common Law he hath no authority to assesse amerciaments or Fines in a Court-Baron but the suitors for they are the Judges and not the Steward Leonards rep first part 299. If the Steward take a bribe or use partiallity in any case depending before him of which crime many are too culpable or if by his Patent he be obliged to keep Court at certain times of the year and failes thereof the Lord receiving prejudice thereby not otherwise or if he be by his Patent obliged to keep Court upon demand or request to be made by the Lord and upon request and demand by the Lord he refuseth these and the like cases will make him subject to a forfeiture Co. of Copyholds fo 146. c. Of the Fees of the Court-Baron AS for the Fees of this Court they much differ and are by Law what they have been by custome time out of minde For some take the same Fees as are taken in the County court And other Courts take the Fees which follow The Stewards Fees FOr entring every Essoyne 00-00-02 Entering every action 00-00-02 Every Order entered 00-00-04 Entering a Declaration if it be large then more 00 00-04 Every Processe 00 00 04 Entering every plea or answer 00-00 04 Every Continuance 00-00-02 Every wager of Law and entry 00 00-02 Warrants for witnesses and summoning Juries 00-00-04 Every Non-suite and detraxit 00 00-04 Entering the Judgement 00 00-04 Satisfaction acknowledged 00-00 02 For removing and certifying a cause 00-06-08 The Bayliffs Fees FOr every Summons and entrance 00-00-08 For executing every Processe 00-00-04 For every shilling upon Judgment 00-00-01 For summoning the Jury 00-01-00 For summoning of Witnesses upon a Warrant 00 00-04 For every Oath 00 00-02 If there be Attorneyes then their Fees are FOr every cause if it be heard 00-01-00 For drawing the Declaration 00-00-06 For every Court the cause dependeth after he is reteined 00-00-06 See more in the Fees of the County Court The Oath of the Bayliff of a Mannor YOu shall swear that you shal well and truly serve his Highness the Lord Protector and the Lord of this Monnor for the year to come in the Office of Bayliff of the same Mannor and you shall duly and truly gather all such rents revenues or other yearly profits as shall be extracted out unto you and therefore you shall make and yield up a true account at the end of the said year and in every thing you shall well and honesty behave your self in the said office during the time aforesaid So help you God c. The Bayliff must be sworn before the Court end The form and method of Presentments which are to be drawn by the Steward I shall not trouble you with being copiously performed by Mr. Wilkinson in his office of Sheriffs fo 218 219 220 c. onely take these subsequent for methods sake The finding of the death of a Tenant and of a Surrender made to the use of his Will with an admission of the Tenant according to the Will THe Homage do further present that A. B. the elder Copyhold tenant of this Mannor dyed after the last Court and that he the said A. B. before his death that is to say the tenth day of May in the year c did surrender into the hands of the Lord of this Mannor by the hands of C. D. Copyhold Tenant of the said Mannor all and singular his Copyhold lands Tenements and Hereditaments holden of this Mannor to the behoofe and use of his Testament and last Will. And now at this Court came E. F. the eldest son of the said A. B. and doth bring here into the Court the Testament and last Will of the said A. B. bearing date c. before G. H. Deputy Commissary of I. A. in and through the whole Arch Deaconry of W. approved the tenor of which said Will as to the Copyhold lands doth follow in these words that is to say Item I give unto E. my Son c. as by the said Testament and last Will of the said A. B. more at large appeareth And he doth crave of the grace of the Lord to be admitted to