THE TOUCHSTONE OF Precedents Relating to JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS AT Common Law By G. F. of Grayes-Inn Esquire In magnis voluisse sat est Hor. LONDON Printed for Awnsham Churchill at the Black Swan at the lower end of Paternoster-Row near Amen-Corner 1682. TO THE READER NOtwithstanding the present Age hath so plentifully abounded with Books of Pleading in Publick yet certainly there hath been as manifest a Deficiency of some good Directions for the Understanding them tho' perhaps one Reason hath been for that Pleading is esteemed by the Learned the most difficult part of the Study of the Law and therefore Collections of this Kind more liable to the Censure of the Over-critical 'T is true there are two Tracts extant upon this Subject but it happens so unluckily that one is but the particular Observations of a single Person in part of his Time at the Bar and the other as Antique or Obsolete as the Language it is writ in and much wanting the finishing hand of the Designer Such hath been our misfortune as to this Subject and we may well deplore our ill fate that none of the Learned Gentlemen of the Long Robe hath yet given us their Rules and Methods on a Subject so Excellent as the Incomparable Littleton doth Characterize it viz. And know my Son that it is one of the most honourable laudable and profitable things in our Law to have the Science of good Pleading in Actions Real and Personal and therefore I counsel thee especially to employ thy Courage and Care to learn it The Reader will here find most Excellent Directions to guide him in his Practice through the Difficulties of the several Parts of Pleading wherein the Nature of Writs Counts Barrs Pleas Replications Rejoinders Issues as also Disclaimers Discontinuances Estoppels Conclusions Departures Double Pleas c. are Succinctly and Methodically handled from Authorities in the Law both Ancient and Modern far more useful and beneficial than any Collection hitherto Published as will sufficiently appear to any intelligible Person upon a strict and serious perusal of the Book it self Abatement of Writ or Count. IN Debt by two Executors one was summoned and severed and dyed and it was adjudged that it should not abate the Writ Co. 10. Read and Redman's Case If there be two Joynt-Tenants and the one is summoned and severed and dyes the Writ shall abate but in a Stire facias the death of one after Summons and Severance shall not abate the Writ Co. ib. Where note the difference between a Writ Original and a Judicial Writ Two Coparceners one is summoned and severed and hath Issue and dyes there the writ shall abate for that his Issue hath Title to the Moiety Co. ibid. But if one of the Coparceners takes husband the writ shall not abate In all Actions personal or mixt where the intire thing is to be recovered as in Quarâ— Impedit Detinue of writings and the like there after summons and severans the death of one shall not abate the Writ Also the death of one after Judgment in personal Actions shall not abate the writ although there be no severans Co. ib. Where the Writ goes in discharge as an Audita Querela and the one is summoned and severed and dies the Writ shall not abate Co. ib. Note In all personal Actions where no severans lyes there the death of one of the parties shall abate the Writ but not if it be a Judicial Writ after Judgment Co. ubi supra In Formedon against divers some plead Non tenure and others take the Tenancy upon them intirely the writ shall not abate and those who plead Non tenure shall not have Judgment 22 E. 4. 4. 4 E. 4. 33 a. Stat. 25 E. 3. 13. Misnosmer in a Scire facias shall abate the writ 9 E. 4. 35. a. If a Praecipe be brought of a Mannor and 20 s. Rent it is a good Plea to say that the Rent is parcel of the Mannor So in Formedon for Land it is a good plea to say that the Demandant hath brought another Formedon of 20 s. Rent issuing out of the same Land 3 H. 7. 3. A Writ was brought against A. Rector of B. de placito debiti 100 s. The Defendant pleaded That die impetrationis predicti brevis he was commorant at C. in another County but the Court would not allow the Plea because a Rector is always supposed to be resident upon his Benefice quod nota So a man that hath two Benefices shall be intended to dwell upon them both although he doth not deny that he is Parson 10 H. 6. 8. Co. 11. Magdel Colledg Case In a Writ of Right of Advowson against A. B. Dean of C. he pleaded That by Authority of Parliament the Corporation was defeated and avoided and it was held by Brian to be a good Plea 4 H. 7. 7. Rast Entr. 101 182. In Assise it is a good plea to the Writ to say that the Plaintiff was seised of the Freehold of the Lands in the Plaint but in a Forcible Entry it is no plea to say that he was seised the day that the Writ was purchased 5 H. 7. 41. Death or Coverture at the time of purchasing the writ shall abate the writ de facto but Coverture afterwards makes it but abateable 32 H. 6. 11. 3. Br. 138. Co. Entr. 173. Rast Entr. 107 108 126 161. It is no Plea to the Writ to say that the Summons were of other Lands for the Defendant may wage his Law de non Sum. 37 H. 6. 26. A Quare Impedit was brought and the Plaintiff made his Title to the Advowson as appendant The Defendant said that a Moiety was in Gross and it was doubted whether this Plea should go to the Writ or to the Action 32 H. 6. 10 11 12. A Quare Impedit is brought against the Incumbent without naming the Patron he being alive this makes the Writ only abateable and is not good upon a Writ of Error In a Writ of Quare Impedit or other Original Writs the death of the King before Judgment shall abate the Writ de facto but it is otherwise where the Defendant dies But in an Information for the King or for the King and the Informer upon the death of the King before Judgment the whole Proceedings are discontinued but the Information it self shall stand good and Process shall be awarded against the party de novo So of Indictments that are not for Felony or Treason for after Trial they are within the Statute of 1 E. 6. ca. 7. When the Original bears Teste before the cause of Action accrues the Writ shall abate de facto propter defectum Anderson 1. 241. a. 96. Rast Entr. 459. Co. Entr. 624. Brown's Entries 1. Part Tit. Abatement The death of the Plaintiff of Plaintiffs or of one or more of the Plaintiffs where there be many shall abate the writ Rast Entr. 416. Fitz. N. Br. 35. B. Where it appears by the plaintiffs own shewing that he had
or conversation are also Excommunicated Co. Lit. 134. If a Bishop be defendant an Excommunication by the same Bishop shall not disable the plaintiff and if no other matter be shewn it shall be intended for the same cause Co. Lit. ib. The Writ shall not abate for Excommunication in the Plaintiff or Demandant But the Judgment shall be that the Tenant or Defendant shall go quit without day because when the Demandant or Plaintiff hath purchased Letters of Absolution and they are shewed to the Court he may have a Resummons or Reattachment upon his Original according to the nature of his Writ Lit. lib. 2. ca. 11. Sect. 42. If an Alien brings an Action personal or mixt in his own right the Defendant may plead it in Abatement in disability of his person or in bar to the Action with this difference that in Actions personal or Trespass for breaking his house the defendant ought to aver that the plaintiff is an Alien born at such a place under the Allegiance of such a Prince who is Enemy to our Soveraign Lord the King for an Alien Friend as he may Traffick and have a House for a habitation so he may have an Action personal and Trespass for breaking his house as he may have a Writ of Error for necessity And the Opinion of the Lord Coke in his Commentary upon Littleton is That if an Alien Friend brings an Action it ought to be pleaded in disability of his person and not in barr to the Writ or Action but if he be an Alien Enemy the Defendant may conclude to the Action And therefore Mr. Theloal in his Digest of Writs well observeth That an Exception taken to a Writ propter defectum Nationis vel potius defectum subjectionis vel Ligeancie is peremptory and that the Action cannot be revived by Peace or League subsequent and that the King may grant Licence to Aliens to implead and likewise that such Aliens as come into the Realm by the Kings Licence or Safe Conduct may use personal actions by Writ though they be not made Denizens and that Denizens lawfully made by the Kings Grant and such Aliens born as are within the express words of the Statute of 25 E. 3. may use actions real by Original Writ Co. Lit. 129. a. b. 130. b. Co. 7. 1. Theloal Digest de Breifs Lib. 1. ca. 6. 32 H. 6. 23. An Alien may be Administrator and have Leases for years as well as personal Chattels and Debts Cro. Eliz. 683. Cro. Car. 8. 9. One brings an Action as Executor Utlary in the plaintiff is no Plea because he sues in auter droit but it is otherwise of Excommunication 21 E. 4. 49. 34 H. 6. 14. 14 H. 6. 14. If the defendant plead that the plaintiff is an Alien born and conclude to the person yet it seems he may demand the View 3 H. 6. 55. For the Pleading of Matters of Record in Abatement observe That in Formedon for a Mannor another Formedon depending for 20 s. Rent out of that Mannor is a good Plea 3 H. 7. 3. That where in Trespass the defendant pleaded that the plaintiff had brought Replevin against the Mayor and Commonalty of A. for the same cause and that he was one of the Commonalty die Captionis c. Necnon die impetrationis Brevis and it was there agreed That in Trespass a Replevin depending for the same Cause is a good Plea if there be not more Defendants in the Replevin than in the Trespass 8 H. 7. 27. A Quare Impedit is brought against the Bishop and another as Incumbent the Defendants plead that the plaintiff hath brought another Quare Impedit against the said Bishop for the same Presentation which was then depending undetermined and demands Judgment of the Writ and it was adjudged a good Plea But the plaintiff might have brought divers Quare Impedits against divers Defendants Hobart 138. 9. So in an Assise of Darrein Presentment it is a good Plea to say That there is a Quare Impedit depending for the same Presentation Hobart 184. But where an Assise is brought of Lands in one County an Assise for the same Lands in another County and Judgment thereupon cannot be pleaded So of a Recovery in Ancient Demesne because it cannot be intended that the Lands recovered in the Assise or in Ancient Demesne are the same Lands 4 H. 6. 24. Rast Entr. 65. In Formedon in le Diseender it is no Plea to say that the Plaintiff at another time brought a Formedon in the Remainder of the same Lands except both the Counts be of one and the same Gift 40 E. 3. 31. Where the Heir brought two several Formedons upon one and the same Gift although the last did vary from the first Gift yet it is no Plea in Abatement for he might claim by two Ancestors sub dono 4 E. 3 8. If the Defendant in a personal Action pleads another Action depending at the time of the purchasing the last Writ he ought not to say that it is yet depending for the last Writ is abated in Law notwithstanding he is afterwards non-suited in the first Writ Co. 6. Ferrers Case Where Note the diversity when the writ is general as Covenant Detinue Assise c. and the Certainty is in the Declaration for there if the Plaintiff is nonsuited in the first before he counts or declares the last shall not abate and when the writ is special and the thing demanded is specified therein as in Praecipe quod reddat c. What persons shall be admitted to plead in Abatement and what not Note One Defendant may plead the death of the other before the Writ purchased or that there is no such person in rerum natura 20 H. 6. 30. b. But in Replevin if the Defendant avow upon an Estranger the Plaintiff in the Replevin cannot plead in Abatement of the Avowry 22 E. 4. 35. b. If the Cognizee of a Statute sue execution against one Terretenant only without the other he cannot plead in Abatement but is put to his Audita Quaerela against the other because that the Cognizee is not bound to take Notice of all the Terretenants 16 Eliz. Dyer 331. a. Nota That after a Continuance the Defendant shall not be admitted to plead that the Plaintiff was made Bishop or that the Woman Plaintiff took Husband depending the Writ except that he pleads it after the last continuance but it is otherwise of the death or Coverture of the Plaintiff at the time of the Writ purchased because these Pleas do abate the Writ de Facto 32 H. 6. 10. 11. In a Replevin where the Plaintiff admits the Avowry the Priee shall not plead in Abatement but as Amicus Curiae and not then except it be apparantly known per totam Curiam 34 H. 6 8. In a Praecipe against I. S. the Son of W. Edmond at the retorn of the Grand Cape the Defendant said that his Father was named Esmond and by Thorpe it is a good
not an Action for the whole or for part the Writ shall abate de facto as in Quare Impedit if it appears by the plaintiff's shewing that the Church is full by his own Presentation the Writ shall abate de facto Some Pleas abate the Writ in the whole and some but in part As In Trespass against two one appears and pleads that the other was dead die impetrationis brevis or that there was no such person in rerum natura there the whole Writ shall abate But it is otherwise where one of the Defendants dyes after purchasing the Writ 18 E. 4. 1. 2 H. 7. 16. Rast Entr. 126. Trespass against husband and wife after Verdict and before the day in Bank the husband dyes in Cro. Caroli 509. it is doubted if the writ shall abate but it is agreed there That if the wife dyes it shall not abate against the husband But in case for Slander by the wife the writ shall abate after Verdict Heb. 129. Account against two one dyes after the first Judgment the Writ shall abate only against him In Right of Advowson the Defendant pleads that the Plaintiff was seised of the sixth part die impetrationis brevis this shall abate the whole Writ 5 H. 7. 7. In Debt upon an Obligation the defendant pleads That after the writ purchased the plaintiff had received parcel and shews an Acquittance the whole writ shall abate and yet it is a good plea in barr for that part 5 H. 7. 41. a. Rast Entr. 160. 7 E. 4. 19. 15 H. 7. 10. 3 H. 7. 3. Quere if in Debt upon simple Contract the plaintiff receives part pendente brevi if it shall abate the writ In Debt upon an Obligation with Condition to deliver 20 Quarters of Barley the defendant pleads in Abatement that pendente billa the plaintiff had accepted 15 parcel of the said 20 and adjudged to be an ill Plea because it is collateral and not parcel of the Sum contained in the Obligation 3 Cro. 253. Where the defendant pleads matter that entitles the plaintiff or demandant to a better writ it shall abate the other as in a Writ of Ayel Seisin of the Father So in Mortd ' ancestor his own Seisin c. But in Formedon or Writ of Right darrein Seisin is no Plea for in Formedon the Gift and not the Seisin is the Title and it is not within the Statute of 32 H 8. of Limitations to be brought within 50 years 12 Eliz. Dyer 290. 4 E. 4. 32. b. If the Tenant brings a Writ of Mesne of two Acres and depending the writ he alieneth one of them the writ shall abate The same Law in an Action of Wast brought of two acres if the plaintiff aliens the Reversion of one of them the writ shall abate Where it appears that the writ was never good in part it shall abate in the whole As in Trespass against 3 if one be dead after the writ purchased the writ shall abate in the whole per 7 E. 4. The same Law if Trespass be brought against three and one saith that there is no such Name in Rerum Natura as the third person's name Judicium de Brevi if it be found the Writ shall abate in the whole because that I have joyned with me such a person who hath no colour or cause of affirmance my affirmance shall abate Where the writ is good for part and for part shall abate As in Debt upon Obligation against two they both deny the deed and it is found the deed of one of them and not of the other yet the Plaintiff shall recover against him whose deed it is 40 E. 3. Praecipe quod reddat against Tenant for life the Reversion descends to him depending the writ the writ shall not abate Misnomer in Trespass shall not abate the writ but only against him who pleads the Plea 5 E. 4 2. 13. 2 H. 7. 16. 33 H. 6. 23. A Praecipe is brought by three joyntly several Tenancy in parcel or in the whole is pleaded by one of the Tenants it shall abate the whole Writ and against all Rast Entr. 248. 270 1 2 3. 364 5. 282. In Right of Advowson against two as Jointenants the death of one shall abate the writ but secus in Assise of Novel disseisin or Mortd ancestor for there it sufficeth if there be any Tenant to the Freehold Cro. Car. 574 583 Rast Entr. 107. In an Appeal against two no such person in Rerum Natura as to one shall abate the whole writ but it is otherwise of the death of one as it seems 29 H. 7. 21. 2 H. 7. 8. But it is otherwise in an Assise or Writ of Dower as in Pollard's Case Com' 89. b. In Trespass in F. and H. the defendant said that there is not any such Vill or Hamlet in the said County and the better Opinion was That this Plea shall abate the whole Writ 4 E. 4. 33. a. Co. Lit. 155. b. Rast Entr. 108 298. Co. Entr. 121. But Quaere how it should have been tryed for it seems by a Jury of the Visne or Neighbourhood of F. Debt against two Executors one said That whereas he is nam'd of S. that he was of D. the day of the Writ purchas'd and prayes Judgment of the Writ and agreed That if the Plea was found for him that the Writ should abate against both and yet the other shall answer but the other plea shall be first tryed 21 H. 6. 4. Rast Entr. 108 295 298 299. 160. In Trespass against two one pleads that the place in question is within his Fee and demands Judgment of this writ quare vi et armis the writ shall abate against him only So where the one is Feme covert Jointenancy in the Demandant or Coparcener shall be pleaded in Abatement 22. E. 4. 4. 2 H. 7. 16. Cro. Eliz. 554. Rast Entr. 615. In a Quare Impedit against two one pleads that there was no such Church as was named in the Writ the other pleaded that there was no such Bishop of Lincoln as was there named and Issue was joyned upon the first Plea but to the second Plea the Plaintiffs demurred and the first being found for the Defendant the whole Writ did abate Hobart 250. In a Writ of Error the death of one of the Plaintiffs shall abate the whole writ Some Pleas in Abatement go only to the person of the plaintiff or defendant others to the Writ or Action As Excommunication in the Plaintiff or Demandant may be pleaded in disability of his person but every Excommunication shall not disable As if a Major or Bailiffs and Communalty or any other Body aggregate of many bring their Action Excommunication in the Major or Bailiffs shall not disable them because they sue and answer by Attorney but it is otherwise of a sole Corporation So if Executors or Administrators be Excommunicated they may be disabled for every one that hath to do with aâ—person Excommunicated either by commerce
Plea in Abatement of the Writ before the default saved 40 E. 3. 2. In a Writ of Aiel Besaiel and Cosinage one shall not plead to the points of the Writ after he hath pleaded in Barr but it is otherwise in an Assise of Mortd ' ancestor as it seems 40 E. 3. 19. Where the Writ abates in part by the Act of the Court and where it is abated by the Parties own Confession As if an Executor brings an Action de clauso fracto de bonis asportatis in this case the Writ shall abate for part and as to the rest it shall be effectual But where the Writ is abated by the Plaintiff it is reason although that it be of his own Conusans that if it abate that the whole shall abate In Assise against two the one pleads in Barr as to a moiety the other pleads jointenancy with a third person the Plaintiff may choose him who pleads in Barr for his Tenant and confess that his writ is false for the other part In Assise against two the one is Tenant the other is Disseisor which Disseisor makes default the other accepts his Companion Tenant with him and pleads in Barr the Plaintiff dissables the Tenant and doth not answer to the Barr for in this case he hath accepted a Tenant which is not Tenant As if Praecipe quòd reddat be brought by two where one is a Bastard or by two persons as Heirs where one of them in truth is not Heir in these cases the whole Writ shallabate because that that is meerly false whichis supposed to be true Two Executors bring an Action of Trespass of Goods carried away in the life-time of the Testator and also of Trees cut down here the Writ is good notwithstanding that the Executors cannot have the Writ for the Trees cut down and if they pray to have an other Writ for the Trees cut down then the whole Writ shall abate quod nota A Defendant or Tenant cannot abate a Writ by his Act but the Act of the Plaintiff or Demandant and the Act of God and also the Act of an Estranger may abate the Writ In a writ of Ravishment de gard by the death of the Infant the writ shall not abate Tenant by Statute-Merchant is disseised the disseisor lets for life the Tenant by the Statute brings an Assise the Lessee dyes the writ shall not abate because he shall recover all in damages But it is otherwise where he is to recover the Freehold because in that case he cannot have the effect of his Judgment A Writ of Admesurement of Common is brought by one against three depending the writ the Plaintiff and one of the Defendants exchange their Lands to which the common is appendant if the writ shall abate it seems not because that notwithstanding the exchange the Plaintiff may have the effect of his Suit which is that the Common may be admesured and at all times pending the writ the Plaintiff and the Defendant who made the exchange were Tenants and the Writ of Admesurement granted between them by reason of their Tenure for there was no mean-time between the parting from the Free-hold in one Acre and the taking the Free-hold in the other Acre and that very instant that the Freehold of the one Acre was parted from the other was vested so that there was cause of Admesurement between them as well after the exchange as there was before A Writ of Admesurement is brought against three one hath nothing in the Common so that the Writ ought to abate because that non-tenure is a good Plea in this Action yet if he that hath nothing before any exception be taken to the Writ purchaseth an Acre of Land by which he ought to have Common in the same Land the Writ is made good As in Praecipe quod reddat brought against him that hath nothing and pending the Writ he purchaseth the same Lands the writ is good So it seems the writ is good notwithstanding no time between the exchange ergo à forciori when there is no mean instant But by the better opinion it seems that the writ shall abate notwithstanding that the party may have the effect of his Suit for that ground is not obsolutely general as Praecipe quòd reddat is brought against me and I have nothing in the Land and pending the writ the Land descends the writ shall abate I bring an Action of wast by reason of the reversion or a Quid juris clamat depending the writ I alien the same Reversion and after purchase the Reversion again yet the writ is abated If a writ of Partition or Nuper obiit be brought and pending the writ the demandant aliens and retakes the Estate to him yet the writ shall abate And yet in all these cases the Plaintiff may have the effect of his Suit But that which causeth the writ to abate is the Act of the Plaintiff for the writ depending he hath aliened that which gives him his cause of Action and therefore the writ shall abate as in the cases aforesaid for as to the Plaintaiff's part his own Act shall abate the writ and not the Act of God nor of the Law except in some cases and as for the Defendants or the Tenants part his own Act shall not abate the writ but the Act of God or of the Law may for if the Tenant aliens depending the writ yet the writ shall not abate but the Demandant shall recover and he that comes in by the Tenant shall be bound by that Recovery And if an exchange had been made by the Plaintiff with a stranger who had nothing in the Common the writ should have been abated without question So for that Acr◠which he had when the writ was brought he cannot maintain his writ for put the case that the day the writ was purchas'd the Plaintiff had not any Land by which he ought to have common and afterwards pending the writ he purchas'd an Acre of Land to which the Common is appendant this shall not make the writ good which was nought from the beginning When the writ is made abatable by the Act of the Plaintiff or Demandant Videlicet by his aliening of that thing which gives to him the cause of Action if he pending the writ doth purchase the same again it shall not revive the writ nor make it good WHere the Grant shall be good ab initio although it was incertainat the commencement Note If a Parson will Grant to me all the Wooll which he shall have for Tithe the next year to come this Grant is good and yet the quantity of the Wool is incertain at the time of the Grant But because it may be reduced to a certainty after the Grant it was held good enough 21 H. 6. 43. And so if a man will Grant to me the Perquisits of his Court this incertain Grant is good causâ quâ suprà 21 H. 6. 43. The same Law is where a Feoffment is