of summs under forty shillings Crompton fol. 231. agreeth with him It is called a Justicies because it is a commission to the Sheriff ad Justiciandam aliquem to doe a man right and requireth no return of any certificate of what he hath done Bracton lib. 4. tract 6. cap. 13. num 2. maketh mention of a Justicies to the Sheriff of London in a case of Dower See the new book of Entries Justicies Justification Justificatio is an upholding or shewing a good reason in Court why he did such a thing as he is called to answer as to Justifie in a cause of Replevin Broke titulo Replevin KE KEeper of the great Seal Custos Magni Sigilli is a Lord by his Office and called Lord-Keeper of the great Seal of England c. and is of the Kings privy Councel under whose hands pass all Charters Commissions and Grants of the King strengthened by the great or broad Seal Without the which Seal all such Instruments by Law are of no force for the King is in interpretation and intendment of Law a Corporation and therefore passeth nothing firmly but under the said Seal This Lord Keeper by the Statute anno 5 Eliz. cap. 18. hath the same and the like place authority preheminence Jurisdiction execution of Laws and all other Customes Commodities and advantages as hath the Lord Chancellor of England for the time being Keeper of the privy Seal Custos privati Sigilli is a Lord by his Office under whose hands pass all Charters signed by the Prince before they come to the broad or great Seal of England He is also of the Kings privy Councell He seemeth to be called Clerk of the privy Seal anno 12 Rich. 2. cap. 11. But of late daies I have known none to bear this Office by reason the Prince thinketh good rather to keep his Seal in his own hands and by private trust to commit it to his principal Secretary or some such one of his Councel as he thinketh fit for that function Keeper of the Touch anno 2 H. 6. cap. 14. seemeth to be that Officer in the Kings Mint which at this day is termed the Master of the Assay See Mint Keeper of the Forest Custos Forestae is also called Chief Warden of the Forest Manwood parte prim of his Forest laws pag. 156. c. and hath the principal government of all things belonging thereunto as also the check of all Officers belonging to the Forest And the Lord Chief Justice in Eyr of the Forest when it pleaseth him to keep his Justice Seat doth forty daies before send out his general Summons to him for the warning of all under Officers to appear before him at a day assigned in the Summons This see in Manwood ubi supra KI King Rex is thought by M. Camden in his Britan. pag. 105. to be contracted of the Saxon word Cyninge signifying him that hath the highest power and absolute rule over our whole Land and thereupon the King is in intendment of Law cleared of those defects that Common persons be subject unto For he is alwaies supposed to be of full age though he be in years never so young Cromptons Jurisdictions fol. 134. Kitchin fol. 1. He is taken as not subject unto death but is a Corporation in himself that liveth ever Crompton ibidem Thirdly he is above the Law by his absolute power Bracton lib. 1. cap. 8. Kitchin fol. 1. And though for the better and equal course in making Laws he do admit the three Estates that is Lords Spiritual Lords Temporal and the Commons unto Counsel yet this in divers learned mens opinions is not of constraint but of his own benignity or by reason of his promise made upon oath at the time of his Coronation For otherwise were he a Subject after a sort and subordinate which may not be thought without breach of duty and loyalty For then must we deny him to be above the Law and to have no power of dispersing with any positive law or of granting especial Privileges and Charters unto any which is his only and clear right as Sir Thomas Smith well expresseth lib. 1. cap. 3. de Repub. Anglica and Bracton lib. 2. cap. 16. num 3. and Britton ca. 39. For he pardoneth life and limme to Offendors against his Crown and Dignity except such as he bindeth himself by Oath not to forgive Stawnf pl. Cor. l. 2. ca. 35. And Habet omnia jura in manu sua Bracton l. 2. c. 24. nu 1. And though at his Coronation he take an Oath not to alter the laws of the Land yet this Oath notwithstanding he may alter or suspend any particular Law that seemeth hurtfull to the publique Estate Blackwood in Apologia Regum cap. 11. See Oath of the King Thus much in short because I have heard some to be of opinion That the Laws be above the King But the Kings Oath of old you may see in Bracton lib. 3. cap. 9. nu 2. for the which look in Oath of the King The Kings Oath in English you may see in the old Abridgement of Statutes titulo Sacram. Regis Fourthly the Kings only Testimony of any thing done in his presence is of as high nature and credit as any Record Whence it commeth that in all Writs or Precepts sent out for the dispatch of Justice he useth none other Witness but himself alwaies using these words under it Teste me ipso Lastly he hath in the right of his Crown many Prerogatives above any common person be he never so potent or honorable whereof you may read you fill in Stawnfords Tractate upon the Statute thereof made anno 17 Ed. 2. though that contain not all by a great number What the Kings power is read in Bracton lib. 2. cap. 24. nu pri 2. King of Heralds Rex Haraldorum is an Officer at Armes that hath the preeminence of this Society See Herald This officer of the Romans was called Pater Patratus Kings Bench Bancus Regius is the Court or Judgement Seat where the King of England was wont to sit in his own person and therefore was it moveable with the Court or Kings houshold And called Curia Domini Regis or Aula Râ—gia as Master Gwin reporteth in the Preface to his Readings and that in that and the Exchequer which were the only Courts of the King untill Henry the Thirds dayes were handled all matters of Justice as well Civil as Criminal whereas the Court of Common Plees might not be so by the Statute anno 9 H. 3. cap. 11. or rather by Master Gwins opinion was presently upon the grant of the great Charter severally erected This Court of the Kings bench was wont in ancient times to be especially exercised in all Criminal matters and Plees of the Crown leaving the handling of private contracts to the County Court Glanvil lib. 1. cap. 2 3 4 lib. 10. cap. 18. Smith de Repub. Anglicana lib. 2. cap. 11. and hath President of it the Lord
domini si quem habuerit accedat c. And to help this probability I find that the Steward of a manner is termed serviens manerii Coke Vol. 4. Copihold cases fol. 21 a. Then is there a Sergeant at arms serviens ad arma whose Office is to attend the person of the King An. 7 H. 7. ca. 3. to arest Traitors or men of worth or reckning that do or are like to contemn Messengers of ordinary condition for other causes and to attend the Lord high Steward of England sitting in judgement upon any Traitor and such like pl. cor lib. 3. cap. pri Of these by the Statute anno 13 R. 2. cap. 6. there may not be above thirty in the Realm This sort is called del espee In the custumary of Nor. car 5. which read There be also some two of these Sergeants of the Parliament one for the upper another for the lower house whose Office seemeth to serve for the keeping of the Doors and the execution of such Commandements especially touching the apprehension of any offender as either house shall think good to enioyn them See Cromptons Jurisdictions fol. nono See also Vowels aliâs Hookers book of the order of the Parliament There is one of these that belongeth to the Chancery who is also called a Sergeant of the Mace as the rest may be because they carry Maces by their office He of the Chancery attendeth the Lord Chancellor or Keeper in that court for the means to call all men into that Court is either by this Officer or by sub poena West pa. 2. Symb. tit Chauncery Sect. 17. Then be there Sergeants that be the chief officers in their several functions within the Kings houshold which be chief in their places of which sort you may read many named in the statute anno 33 H. 8 cap. 12. There is also a more base kind of Sergeant of the Mace whereof there is a troop in the City of London and other Towns corporate that serve the Maior or other head Officer both for mesnial attendance and matter of Justice Kitchin fol. 143. And these are called Serviontes ad clavam New book of Entries ver scire facias in Mainperners fol. 538. cap. 3. Sergeantie Serriantia commeth of the French Sergeant i. satelles and signifieth in our Common law as service due to the King from his Tenent holding by such service For this service cannot be due to any L. from his Tenent but to the King only And this is either grand or petit as you shall find at large set down in Chivalry Of this also you may read Bra. l. 2. c. 16. c. 37. n. 5.4 et Brit. c. 66. n. 1. et 2. See Servies M. Skene de ver signif calleth this Sergeantery defining and dividing it as we do in England Servientihus as certain writs touching servants and their Masters violating the statutes made against their abuses which see in the Regist. orig fo 189. et 190 et 191. Service servitium though it have a general signification of duty toward them unto whom we owe the performance of any corporal labor of function yet more especially in our Common law it is used for that service which the Tenent by reason of his fee oweth unto his Lord. And so doth it signifie among the Feudists also For Hotoman thus defineth it Servitium est munus obsequit clientelaris verbo Servitium De verbis feudal or rather declareth it so to be defined lib. feud 2. titulo 51. Sect. 8. It is sometime called servage as anno 1 R. 2. cap. 6. This service is either military and noble commonly called Knights service or clownish and base commonly called Soccage of both which read Chiry as also scecage And Bracton lib. 2. ca. 16. Service is divided by Britton into personal and real cap. 66. where he maketh wards mariages homage Reliefs and such like to be real services personal I imagine may those be called that are to be persormed by the person of the Tenent as to follow his Lord into war c. The Civilians divide munera in this sort either in personalia or patrimonalia Then Bracton ubi supra num 7. distributeth servitium in intrinsecum extrinsecum aliâs forinsecum medium Servitium intrinsecum is that which is due to the capital Lord of the Mannro Forinsecum is that which is due to the King and not to the capital Lord but when he goeth in his own person to serve or when he hath satisfied the King for all services whatsoever And again in the same place he saith it is called Fornisecum quia fit capitur foris sive extra servitium quod fit Domino capitali See Forein service Of this read him ubi supra more at large and Fleta lib. 2. cap. 14. § Continetur Servitia quae nec intrinseca necforinseca sunt Bract. handleth in the same Chapter nu 8. saying thus sunt etiam quaedam consuetudines quae nec dicuntur intriasecae nec forinsecae sed sunt quaed im servitia concomitantia sicut servitia regalia militaria etiambemagia adeo in cbartis non sunt exprimendae Quia si homagium praecesseris et regale servitium sequitur exinde quod ad capitalem Dominum pertinebit Relivium et custodia et maritagium sive servitium sit militare vel seriantia propter exerciâ—um c. Here then Relief Ward and Mariage be those services which he calleth nec intrinseca nec forinseca sed concomitantia Service is also divided into frank service and base or villeinous service the one Bracton calleth liberum servitium the other servitium villanum or villenagium lib. 2. cap. 8. num pri This villenagium is Soccage in base tenure as to dung the Lords ground to serve him so many daies in harvest to plash his hedges c. or else copyhold All other services seem to be frank Service consisteâ—h some in seisance some in render Perkins Reservations 696. Service seemeth also to be divided into continual otherwise annual and casual or accidental An example of the sormer is the seisin of rent and of the other seisin of Relief Sir Edward Cokes Reports lib. 4. Bevils case fol. 9. a. See Copy hold See Soccage See Ayd Service secular anno 1 Ed. 4. cap. 1. which may be contrary to spiritual viz. the service divine commanded to spiritual men by their founders Servitours of Bills seem to be such servants or messenger of the Marshal belong-to the Kings Bench as were sent abroad with Bills or Writs to summon men to that Court being now more ordinarily called Tipstaffs Servitiis acquietandis is a Writ judicial that lyeth for one distreined for services by Iohn which oweth and performeth to Robert for the acquital of such services Register judicial fol. 27. a. et 36. b. Sessions Sessiones signifieth in our Common law a sitting of Justices in Court upon their commission as the Sessions of oyer and terminer pl. cor fol. 67. Quarter Sessions
Councellors as the case may require Solet et debit See debet solet Solidata terrae See Farding deal of land Solace anno 43. Elizabeth cap. 10. Sommons aliâs summons summonitio commeth of the French semondre i. vocare It signifieth in our Common law as much as vocatio in jas or ciatio among the Civilians And thence is our word somner which in French is semoneur i. vocator monitor The Customary of Normandy for our summons hath semonse ca. 61. summons of the Exchequer anno 3 Edw. 1. cap. 19. anno 10. ejusdem cap. 9. How summons is divided and what circumstances it hath to be observed See Fleta li. 6. cap. 6 7. Sollutione feods militis Parlamenti and solutione feodi Burgen Parlamenti be Writs whereby Knights of the Parliament may recover their allowance if it be denied an 35 H. 8. ca. 11. Sontage Stow. pag. 284. is a task of forty shillings laid upon every Knights fee. Sorting Kersies 3 Jacob. cap. 16. Sothale is a kind of entertainment made by Bayliffs to those of their hundreds for their gain Which sometime is called Filctable Of this Bracton lib. 3. tractat 1. cap. prim hath these words De Ballivis qui faciunt cervicias suas quas quandoque vocant sothail quandoque fictale ut pecunias extorqueant ab iis qui sequntur Hundreda sua et Balvas suas c. I think this should rather be written Scotale See Scotale Southvicont Sub vicecomes is the undersheriff Cromptons Jurisd fol. 5. Sowne is a verb neuter properly belonging to the Exchequer as a word of their Art signifying so much as to be leviable or possible to be gathered or collected For example Estreats that sown not are such as the Sheriff by his industry cannot get and Estreats that sown are such as he can gather anno 4 H. 5. cap. 2. SP Speaker of the Parliament is an Officer in that high Court that is as it were the common mouth of the rest and as the honourable assembly consisteth of two Houses one called the Higher or Upper House consisting of the King the Nobility and Kings Councell especially appointed for the same the other termed the Lower or Common House containing the Knights of the Shires the Citizens Barons of the Cinque Ports and the Burgesses of Borough Townes so be their also two Speakers one termed the Lord Speaker of the Higher House who is most commonly the Lord Chancelor of England or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal the other is called the Speaker of the Lower House And the duties of these two you have particularly described in M. Vowels alias Hookers Book intituled The order and usage of keeping the Parliament Speciall matter in evidence See Generall Issue And Brook tit Generall issue and speciall evidence Spiritualities of a Bishop spiritualia Episcopi be those profits which he receiveth as he is a Bishop and not as he is a Baron of the Parliament Stawnf pl. cor fol. 132. The particulars of these may be the duties of his Visitation his benefit growing from ordering and instituting Priests prestation Money that subsidium charitativum which upon reasonable cause he may require of his Clergie Johannes Gregorius de Beneficis cap. 6. num 9. and the Benefit of his Jurisdiction Joachimus Stephanus de Jurisdict lib. 4. cap. 14. num 14. for these reckoneth Exactionem Cathedratic quartam Decimarum mortuariorum et oblationum pensitationem subsidium obaritativum celebrationem Spuedi collationem viatici vel commeatus oum Episcopus Romam proficiscitur jus Hospitii Litaniam et Processionem Spickenard spica nardi vel nardus is a medicinal herb whereof you may for your further instruction read Gerards Herball lib. 2. cap. 425. The fruit or eare of this for it bringeth forth an care like Lavender is a drug garbable anno 1. Jacob. cap. 19. Spoliation spoliatio is a writ that lyeth for an Incumbent against another Incumbent in case where the right of Patronage commeth not in debate As if a Person be made a Bishop and hath despensation to keep his Rectory and afterward the Patron present another to the Church which is instituted and inducted The Bishop shall have against this Incumbent a writ of Spolatio in curt Christian Fitzherbert nat br fol. 36. See Benevolence SQ Squalley anno 43. Elizab. b. cap. 10. Squyres See Esquires ST Stable stand is one of the four Evidences or presumptions whereby a man is convinced to intend the stealing of the Kings Dear in the Forest Manwood parte 2. of his Forest Lawes cap. 18. num 9. the other three be these Dogdrawe Backbear Bloudy hand And this Staplestand is when a man is found at his standing in the Forest with a Crosse bowe bent ready to shoot at any Deer or with a long Bowe or else standing close by a Tree with Greyhounds in a lease ready to slip Idem eodem Stalkers a kind of net anno 13 R. 2. stat 1. cap. 20. et anno 17. ejusdem cap. 9. Stallage Stallagium commeth of the French Estaller i. merces expenere expedire explicare It signifieth in our Common law money paid for pitching of stalls in Fair or Market See Scavage This in Scotland is called stallange Skene de verbor signific verbo Stallangiatores And among the Romans it was termed Siliquaticum à siliqua primo et minimo omnium pondere apudâ—llam nationem Stannaries stannaria commeth of the Latin stannum i. tynne signifying the Mines and works touching the getting and purifying of this mettall in Cornwal and other places Of this read Camden Britan. pag. 119 The liberties of the stannarie men granted by Edw. 1. before they were abridged by the Statute anno 50 Edw. 3. see in Plowden casu Mines fol. 327. a. b. Staple Stapulum signifieth this or that Town or Citie whether the Merchants of England by common order or commandement did carry their wools wool-fells cloathes lead and tinne and such like commodities of our land for the utterance of them by the great The word may probably be interpreted two waies one taking it from staple which in the Saxon or old English language signifieth the stay or hold of any thing Lamberd in his Duties of Constables num 4. because the place is certain and setled and again from the French estape i. forum vinarium because to those places whither our English Merchants brought their commodities the French would also meet them with theirs which most o all consisteth in Wines But I think this latter the truer because I find in the Mirrour of the world written in French these words A Calais y avotte Estape de le laine c. Which is as much to say as the staple for wools c. You may read of many places appointed for this staple in the statutes of the Land according as the Prince by his Councel thought good to alter them from the second year of Ed. 3. cap. 9. to the fifth of Ed. the sixth cap. 7. VVhat
Officers the staples had belonging to them you may see anno 27 Edw. 3. stat 2. cap. 21. Star-Chamber Camera stellata is a Chamber at Westminster so called as Sir Thomas Smith conjectureth lib. 2. cap. 4. either because it is full of windows or cause at the first all the roof thereof was decked with Images of guilded Stars And the latter reason I take to be the truer because anno 25 Henry 8. capit prim It is written the Sterred Chamber In this Chamber every week twice during the term and the very next day after Term is there a Court held by the Lord Chancellor or Keeper and other honourable personages of the Realm This Court seemeth to have taken beginning from the Statute anno 3. Hen 7. ca. or Whereby it is ordained that the Lord Chancellor and Treasurer of England for the time being and the Keeper of the Kings Privy Seal or two of them calling to them a Bishop and a temporal Lord the Kings most Honourable Councel and the two chief lustices of the Kings Bench and Common place for the time being or other two lustices in their absence should have power to call before them and punish such misdoers as there be mentioned The saults that they punish be Routs Riots Forgerits Maintenances Embraceries Perjuries and such other Mislemeanours as are not sufficiently provided for by the Common law It appeareth both by Sir Thomas Smith li. 2. de Repub. Anglor ca. 4. and by experience also that at this day the whole number of the Princes most honourable Privy Councel and such other Barons spiritual or temporal as be called thither by the Prince have place in this Court with those above named Of this Court thus speaketh Master Gwin in the Preface to his readings It appeareth in our books of the Terms of King Edward 4. And of the Report of Cases hapning under the usurpation of Richard the third that sometime the King and his Councel and sometime the Lord Chancellor and other great personages did use to sit judicially in the place then and yet called the Star-Chamber But for as much as belike that Assembly was not ordinary therefore the next Kings Henry the seventh and his Son Henry 8. took order by two several laws viz. 3 Hen. 7. cap. pri 21 H. 8. ca. 2. That the Chancellor assisted with others there named should have power to hear complaints against Retainours Embraceours Misdemeanours of Officers and such other offences which through the power and countenance of such as do commit them do lift up the head above other faults and for the which inferiour Iudges are not so meet to give correction And because that place was before dedicated to the like service it hath been ever since accordingly used Touching the Officers belonging to this Court see Camden pag. 112. et 113. Statute statutum hath divers significations in our Common law First it signifieth a Decree or Act of Parliament made by the Prince and three Estates which is the body of the whole Realm And though it borrow the name from that kind of Decree which those Cities that were under the Roman Empire made for the particular Government of themselves over and above the universal or common law of the Empire yet in nature it commeth nearest to that which the Romans called Legem for that as that was made by the whole People Noble and Ignoble so this is ordained by those that represent the whole number both of Prince and subjects one and other through the whole Kingdome The difference neverthelesse was this that Lex was offered to the consideration of the People by the Magistrate of the Senate or Consull but the Bills or suggestions whence our Statutes spring are offered by any of either house and so either passed or rejected In this signification a Statute is either general or special Coke lib. 4. Hollands case fol. 76. a. Statute in another signification is a short speech taken for a bond as statute Merchant or statute staple anno 5 H. 4. cap. 12. The reason of which name is because these Bonds are made according to the form statutes expresly and particularly provided for the same which direct both before what Persons and in what manner they ought to be made west parte prim symbol lib. 2. Sect. 151. where he defineth a statute Merchant thus A Statute Merchant is a bond acknowledged before one of the Clarks of the statutes Merchant and Maior or chief Warden of the City of London or two Merchants of the said City for that purpose assigned or before the Maior chief Warden or Master of other Cities or good Towns or other sufficient men for that purpose appointed sealed with the seal of the Debtor and of the King which is of two pieces the grater is kept by the said Maior chief Warden c. and the lesser peece thereof by the said Clarks The form of which bond you may see in Fleta lib. 2. cap. 64. § 2. to be such Noverint universi me N. de tali commitatu teneri N. in 10 Marcis solvendis cidem ad festum Pent. Anno Regni Regis c. et nisi fecers concedo quod currant super me et Haeredes meos districtio et poena provis in statuta Domini Regis edito apud Westm Datum London tali die anno supra dicto The fee for the same Seal is for statutes knowledged in Fairs for every pound an half-penny and out of Fairs a fording The execution upon statute Merchant is first to take the body of the Debtor if he be lay and can be found if otherwise then upon his Lands and goods The bond is founded upon the Statute anno 13 Ed. prim stat 4. Of this also as of the Statute staple see the new book of Entries verbo statute Merchant and read in Fleta ubi supra more touching this matter worth the reading Statute staple to use the very words of Master West is either properly so called or improperly A Statute staple properly so called is a Bond of Record knowledged before the Maior of the Staple in the presence of one of the two Constables of the same staple for which seal the fee is of every pound if the sum exceed not 100 pound and half peny and if it excced an 100 pound of every pound a farthing And by vertue of such Statute staple the Creditor may forthwith have execution of the body lands and goods of the Debtor and this is founded upon the Statute anno 27 Ed. 3. cap. 9. A Statute staple improper is a bond of Record founded upon the Statute anno 23 H. 8. cap. 6. of the nature of a proper Statute staple as touching the force execution thereof and knowledged before one of the chief Justices and in their absence before the Maior of the Staple and Recorder of London The forms of all these bonds or statutes see in West parte pri symb lib. 2. sect 152 153 154 155. Statutes is also
used in our vulgar talk for the petit Sessions which are yearly kept for the disposing of Servants in service by the Statute anno 5 Elizabeth cap. 4. See Recognisance Statute sessions otherwise called Petit Sessions are a meeting in every Hundred of all the Shires in England where of custome they have been used unto the which the Constables do repair and others both Housholders and servants for the debating of differences between Masters and their Servants the rating of Servants wages and the bestowing of such people in Service as being fit to serve either refuse to seek or cannot get Masters anno 1 Eliz. cap. 4. Statu'o stapulae is a writ that lyeth to take his body to Prison and to seise upon his Lands and goods that hath forfeited a bond called Statute staple Regist orig fol. 151. a. Statutam de laborariis is a writ Iudicial for the apprehending of such labourers as refuse to work according to the Statute Reg. judi fol. 27. b. Statuto Mercatorio is a writ for the imprisoning of him that hath forfeited a bond called the Statute Merchant untill the debt be satisfied Regist origin fol. 146. b. and of these there is one against Lay persons ubi supra and another against Ecclesiastical 148. Stavisaker staphis agria vel herba pedicularis is a medicinable herb the kind and vertues thereof you have set forth in Gerards Herbal lib. 1. cap. 130. The seed of this is mentioned among drugs to be garbled anno 1 Jacob. ca. 19. Stenrerie is used for the same that Stannaries be in the statute anno 4 H. 8. cap. 8 See Stannaries Sterling Sterlingum is a proper epitheton for mony currant within the Realm The name groweth from this that there was a certain pure Coyn stamped first of all by the Easterlings here in England Stows Annals pag. 112. The which I rather believe because in certain old Monuments of our English and broken French I find it written Esterling so Roger Hoveden writeth it parte poster annalium fol. 377. b. M. Skene de verborum sipnific verbo Sterlingus saith thus Sterling is a kind of weight containing 32 corns or grains of wheat And in the Canon law mention is made of five shilling sterling and of a merk sterling ap 3. de arbitriss c. constituit 12. de procurator And the sterling peny is so called because it weighs so many grains as I have sundry times proved by experience and by the law of England the peny which is called the sterling round and without clipping weigheth 32 grains of wheat without tails whereof twenty make an ounce and 12 ounces a pound and eight pound make a gallon of wine and eight gallons maketh a bushell of London which is the eighth part of a quarter Hitherto M. Skene Buchanan lib. 6. saith that the common People think it so termed of Sterling a Town in Scotland Our Lyndwood saith that it is called sterling of the bird which we call a sterling which as he noteth was ingraven in one quarter of the coin so termed cap. Item quia de testamentis vaerb Cent. solides in Glos Stews are those places which were permitted in England to women of prosessed incontinency for the proffer of their bodies to all commers it is derived from the French Estuves i. thermae vaporarium Balneum because wantons are wont to prepare themselves to these venerous acts by bathing themselves And that this is not new Homer sheweth in the 8 book of his Odiss where he reckneth hot bathes among the effeminate sort of pleasures Of these stewes see the statute anno 11 Hen 6. ca. pri Steward See Seneschall and Stuward Steward of the Kings house an 25 Ed. 3. statute 5. cap. 21. Stily ard Guilda Theutonicorum anno 22 H. 8. ca. 8. et anno 32 ejusdem ca. 14. is a place in London where the fraternity of the Easterling Merchants otherwise the Merchants of Hawnse and Almain an pri Ed. 6. cap. 13. are wont have their abode See Geld. It is so called of a broad place or Court wherein Steel was much sold upon the which that house is now founded Nathan Câ—itraeus See Hawnse Stone of wool Petra lanae see Weights See Sarpler It ought to weigh 14 pounds yet in some places by custome it is more See Cromptons Justice of peace f. 83. b. Straife aliâs Stray See Estry Straits anno 18 H. 6. ca. 16. Streme works is a kind of work in the Stanaries for saith M. Camden titulo Cornwall pa. 119. Horum Stanarioâ—um five metallicorum operum duo sunt genera Alterum Lode-works alterum streme works vo cant Hoc in lecis inferioribus est cum Fossis agendis stanni venas sectantur et fluvierum alveos subinde defl ctunt illud in locis aeditiorsbus cum in montibus puteor quod Shafts vcc in t in magnam attitudinem defodiunt et cuniculos agunt These you may read mentioned an 27 H. 8. cap. 23. Stirks Strip See Estreapement SU Suard aliâs steward senescallus seemeth to be compounded of Steed and ward and is a word of many applications yet alway signifieth an officer of chief account within the place of his sway The greatest of these is the Lord high Steward of England whose power if those Antiquities be true which I have read is next to the Kings and of that height that it might in some sort match the Ephori amongst the Lacedemonians The custom of our Common-wealth hath upon great consideration and policie brought it to passe that this high Officer is not appointed for any long time but only for the dispatch of some especiall businesse at the arraignment of some Nobleman in the case of treason or such like which once ended his Commission expireth Of the high Steward of Englands Court you may read Cromptons Jurisd f. 28. I have read in an antient Manuscript of what credit I know not that this Officer was of so great power in antient times that if any one had sought justice in the Kings Court and not found it he might upon complaint therof made unto him take those Petitions and reserving them to the next Parliament cause them there to be propounded and not only so but also in the presence of the King openly to rebuke the Chancellor or any other Judge or officer whom he found defective in yeilding Justice And if in case the judge or Officer so reprehended did allege that his defect grew from the difficultie of the case insomuch as he durst not adventure upon it then the case being shewed and so â—ound the Lord Steward together wich the Constable of England there in the presence of the King and Parliament might elect five and twenty persons or more or fewer according to their discretion and the case or cases in question some Earls some Barons some Knights some Citizens and Burgesses which upon deliberation should set down what they thought just and equal and their decree being read and allowed by Parliament did
THE INTERPRETER OR BOOK CONTAINING The signification of WORDS Wherein is set forth the true meaning of all or the most part of such words and terms as are mentioned in the Law-Writers or Statutes of this victorious and renowned Kingdom requiring any Exposition or Interpretation A Work not only profitable but necessary for such as desire throughly to be instructed in the knowledge of our Laws Statutes or other Antiquities Collected by JOHN COWELL Doctor sometime the Kings Majesties Professor of the Civil Law in the University of Cambridge In Legum obscuritate captio LONDON Printed by F. Leach and are to be sold by Hen. Twyford Tho. Dring and Io. Place 1658. To his Reverend Father in GOD his especial good Lord THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBVRY Primate and Metropolitan of England and one of his MAJESTIES most Honourable Privie Councel AFter long deliberation I hardly induced my self to crave your gracious protection towards this simple work valuing it at so low a price as I think it hardly worth the respect of any grave man much lesse the favourable aspect of so honourable a personage Yet the remembrance of those your Fatherly provocations whereby at my coming to your Grace from the University you first put me upon these studies at the last by a kind of necessity inforced me to this attempt because I could not see how well to avoid it but by adventuring the hatefull note of unthankfulness For I cannot without dissimulation but confesse my self perswaded that this poor Pamphlet may prove profitable to the young Students of both Laws to whose advancement that way I have of late addicted mine endeavours else were I more than mad to offer it to the world and to offer it without mention of him that by occasioning of this good more or less deserveth the prime thanks were to prove my self unworthy of so grave advice And therefore howsoever I account this too much boldness in respect of the subject yet could I be exceedingly glad it might please your Grace to ascribe mine intention to the integrity of my duty For he that meaneth truly well and cannot perform much must needs rejoyce at the good acceptance of that little which he performeth All I crave for this at your Graces hands is patience and pardon for this enterprise with the continuance of those your many favours that hitherto to my great comfort I have enjoyed And so my long observation of your judicious disposition having taught me what small delight you take in affected complements and verbal commendation without more words In all true humblenesse I beseech the Almighty long to continue your Grace in health and prosperity to his glory and the good of his Church Your Graces at all Commandement JO. COWELL To the Readers GENTLE Readers I here offer my self to your censures with no other desire than by you to be admonished of my faults For though I doe professe the amplifying of their works that have gone before me in this kind and have both gathered at home and brought from abroad some ornaments for their better imbellishing of our English Laws yet am I neither so vain as to deny my imperfections nor so passionate as to be offended at your charitable reformations Nay my true end is the advancement of knowledge and therefore have published this poor work not only to impart the good thereof to those young ones that want it but also to draw from the learned the supply of my defects and so by degrees if not my self to finish this model yet at least by the heat of emulation to incense some skilfuller Architect thereunto Yea I shall think my pains sufficiently recompensed if they may be found but worthy to stir up one learned man to amend mine errors The Civilians of other Nations have by their mutual industries raised this kind of work in their profession to an unexpected excellency I have seen many of them that have bestowed very profitable and commendable pains therein And Lastly one Calvinus a Doctor at Heidelberge like a laborious Bee hath gathered from all the former the best juyce of their flowers and made up a hive full of delectable honie And by this example would I gladly incite the learned in our Common Laws and Antiquities of England yet to lend their advice to the gaining of some comfortable lights and prospects towards the beautifying of this antient Palace that hitherto hath been accounted howsoever substantial yet but dark and melancholy Whosoever will charge these my travels with many oversights he shall need no solemn pains to prove them for I will easily confesse them And upon my view taken of this Book sithence the Impression I dare assure them that shall observe most faults therein that I by gleaning after him will gather as many omitted by him as he shall shew committed by me But I learned long sithence out of famous Tully That as no mans errors ought to be followed because he saith some things well so that which a man saith well is not to be rejected because he hath some errors No man no Book is void of imperfections And therefore reprehend who will in Gods name that is with sweetnesse and without reproach So shall he reap hearty thanks at my hands and by true imitation of the most indicious that ever wrote more soundly help on this point of learning to perfection in a few months than I by tossing and tumbling my books at home could possibly have done in many years Experience hath taught me this in my Institutes lately set forth by publishing whereof I have gained the judicious observations of diverse learned Gentlemen upon them which by keeping them private I could never have procured By which means I hope one day to commend them to you again in a more exact purity and so leave them to future times for such acceptance as it shall please God to give them I have is some Towardnesse a Tract De Regulis Juris wherein my intent is by collating the cases of both Laws to shew that they both be raised of one foundation and differ more in language and terms than in substance and therefore were they reduced to one method as they easily might to be attained in a manner with all one pains But my time imparted to these studies being but stoln from mine employments of greater necessity I cannot make the hast I desire or perhaps that the discourse may deserve Wherefore untill my leisure may serve to perform that I intreat you lovingly to accept this One thing I have done in this Book whereof because it may seem strange to some I think to yeeld my reason and that is the inserting not only of words belonging to the art of the Law but of any other also that I thought obscure of what sort soever as Fish Cloath Stices Druggs Furrs and such like For in this I follow the example of our Civilians that have thought it their part to expound any thing they could meet with in
Prison at that time or otherwise at their will So that he which is so bayled shall not be said by the Law to be at large or at his own liberty see Lamberts Eirenal l. 3. cap. 2. pag. 330. Bayl is also a certain limit within the Forest accordingly as the forest is divided into the charges of several foresters Crompton in the Oath of the Bow-bearer fol. 201. See Maynprise Bayliff ballivus commeth of the French bailif i. diacetes nomarcha praefectus provinciae and as the name so the office it self in antient time was very answerable to that of France and Normandy for as in France there be sixteen Parliaments Lupanus de magistratibus Francorum lib. 2. cap. Parlamentum which be high Courts whence lieth no appeal and within the precincts of those several parts of that kingdom that belong to each Parlament there be severall provinces unto which within themselves Justice is ministred by certain officers called Bayliffs So in England we see many severall Counties or Shires within the which Justice hath been ministred to the inhabitants of each Countie by the officer whom we now call Sheriff or Vicount one name descending from the Saxons the other from the Normans And though I cannot expressely prove that this Sheriff was ever called a Bayliff yet it is probable that that was one of his names likewise because the County is called many times Balliva that is a Bavliwick as namely in the return of a writ with Non est inventus he writeth thus A. S. infra scriptus non est inventus in Balliva mea post receptionem hujus brevis Kitchin returna brevium fo 285. And again in Bracton lib. 3. tract 2. cap. 33. num 3. And anno 5 Eliz. cap. 23. and anno 14 Edw. 3. stat 1. cap 6. And I think the word Bayliff used ca. 28 of Magna charta compriseth as well Sheriffs as Bayliffs of Hundreds as also anno 14 Edw. 3. stat 1. ca. 9. But as the Realm is divided into Counties so every County is again divided into hundreds within the which it is manifest that in antient time the Kings subjects had justice ministred unto them by the severall Officers of every Hundred which were called Bayliffs as those officets were and are in France and Normandie being chief officers of justice within every Province Lupanus de Magistratibus Francorum lib. 2. cap. Baltvi and the Grand Custumary of Normandie cap. 1. And that this is true among many others I bring Bracton for my witness lib. 3. tract 2. cap. 34. un 5. where it appeareth that Bayliffs of Hundreds might hold plee of Appeal and Approvers But sithence that time these Hundred Courts certain Franchises excepted are by the Statute anno 14 Ed. 3. stat 1. cap. 9. swallowed into the County Courts as you may read in County and Hundred And the Bayliffs name and Office is grown into such contempt at the least these Bailiffs of Hundreds that they are now but bare Messengers and Mandataries within their liberties to serve Writs and such base offices their office consisting in three points only which see in Cromptons Justice of Peace fol. 49. a. Yet is the name still in good esteem some other way For the chief Magistrates in divers Towns Corporate be called Bailiffs as in Ipswich Yarmouth Colchester and such like And again there be certain to whom the Kings Castles be Cōmitted which called are Bailiffs as the Bailiff of Dover Castle These ordinary Bailiffs are of two sorts Bailiffs Errant Bailiffs of Franchises Bailiffs Errant Ballivi itinerantes be those which the Sheriff maketh and appointeth to go hither thither in the County to serve writs to summon the County Sessions Assises such like Bailiffs of Franchises Ballivi Franchesiarū aut libertatū be those that are appointed by every Lord within his liberty to do such offices within his Precincts as the Bailiff Errant doth at large in the County Of these read S. Thomas Smith de re Anglo lib. 2. c. 16. There be also Bailiffs of the Forest Manwood par 1. pa. 113. There be likewise Bayliffs of Husbandry belonging to private men of great Substance who seem to be so called because they dispose of the under Servants every man to his labour and task check them for misdoing their businesse gather the profits to their Lord and Master and deliver an account for the same at the years end or otherwise as it shall bee called for The word Bayliff or Ballivus is by Rebuffus derived from Baal i. dominus quia Ballivi dominantur suis subditis quasi eorum magistri domini Rebuf in constit regias de senten excutionis art 7. glos 1. The office or duty of a Bailiff of a mannor or Houshold which in antient time seemeth to have been all one Fleta well describeth li. 2. ca. 72. 73. This word is also used in the Canon Law ca. dilecto de sentent excom in sexto c. 1. de paenis in Clement where the Glossographer saith it is a French word signifying as much as praepositus and Balia or Bativatus is used among our later interpreters of the Civil and Canon law for Provincia as Balliva here in England is used for a County or Shire Balkers See Conders Ballivo amovendo is a writ to remove a Bailiff out of his office for want of sufficient living within his Bayliwick Reg. or fo 78. Bane seemeth to signifie the destruction or overthrow of any thing Bract. l. 2. tract 8. ca. 1. nu 1. as he which is the cause of another mans drowning is said there to be Labane i. Malefactor In that Bracton in the place aforesaid prefixeth a French article to this word it should seem by his opinion that the word is French but I find it not in any French writer that ever I read Baneret banerettus in M. Skenes opinion seemeth to be compounded of baner and rent whom read more at large of this verbo Baneret de verbo sign But our M. Camden rather draweth the word from the German Bannerheires Britan. pag. 109. in meo libro S. Thomas Smith de republ Angl. li. c. 18. saith That Baneret is a Knight made in the field with the ceremony of cutting off the point of his Standard and making it as it were a Banner and they being being Ba chelors are now of greater degree allowed to display their armes in a banner in the Kings army as Barons doe M. Camden ubi supra hath these words of this matter Baneretti cum vasullorum nomen jam desierat à baronibus secundi erant quibus inditum nomen à vexillo Concessum illis erat miliaris virtutis ergo quadrato vexillo perinde ac barones uti unde equites vexillarii à nonulllis vocantur c. Of creating a Knight baneret you may read farther in M. Segar Norrey his book lib. 2. c. 10. That they be next to Barons in dignity it appeareth by the Statute anno 14 R.
Chief Justice of England with three or four Justices assistants four or five as Fortescue saith cap. 51. and Officers thereunto belonging the Clerk of the crown a Praenatory or Protonotary and other six inferior Ministers or Atturneys Camb. Britan. pag. 112. See Latitat How long this Court was moveable I find not in any Writer But in Brittons time who wrot in K. Ed. the 1. his dayes it appeareth it followed the Court as M. Gwin in his said preface well observeth out of him See Justice of the Kings Bench. Kings silver is properly that money which is due to the King in the court of Common Plees in respect of a licence there granted to any man for passing a fine Coke vol. 6. fol. 39. a. 43. b. Kintall of woad iron c. is a certain waight of Merchandize to the value of an hundred or somthing under or over acording to the divers uses of sundry nations This word is mentioned by Plowden in the case of Reniger Fogassa KN Knave is used for a man-servant anno 14 Edward 3. stat 1. ca. 3. and by M. Verstigans judgement in his restitution of decayed intelligence ca. 10. is borrowed of the Dutch enapa cnave or knave which signifie all one thing And that is some kind of officer or servant as scild-knapa was he that bore the weaon or shield of his superiour whom the Latins call Armigerum and the Frenchmen Escuyer Knight miles is almost one with the Saxon Cnight i. administer and by M. Camdens judgement pag. 110. derived from the same With us it signifieth a Gentleman or one that beareth arms that for his vertue and especially martiall prowesse is by the King or one having the Kings authority singled as it were from the ordinary sort of Gentlemen and raised to a higher account or step of dignity This among all other Nations hath his name from the horse because they were wont in antient time to serve in warres on horseback The Romans called them Equites The Italians at these dayes term them Cavallieri The Frenchmen Chevalliers The German Reiters The Spaniard Gavellaros or Varones à Cavallo It appeareth by the Statute anno 1 Ed. 2. cap. 1. that in antient times Gentlemen having a full Knights fee and holding their land by Knights service of the King or other great person might be urged by distress to procure himself to be made knight when he came to mans estate for the answerable service of his Lord in the kings wars To which point you may also read M. Camden in his Britann pag. 111. But these customs be not now much urged this dignity in these dayes being rather of favour bestowed by the Prince upon the worthier sort of Gentlemen than urged by constraint The manner of making knights for the dignitie is not hereditarie M. Camden in his Britan. pag. 111. shortly expresseth in these words Nostris verò temporibus qui Equestrem dignitatem suscipit flexis genibus educto g'adio leviter in humero percutitur Princeps his verbis Gallicè affatur Sus vel sois Chevalier au nom de Dieu id est Surge aut Sis eques in nomine Dei The Solemnity of making knights among the Saxons M. Stow mentioneth in his Annals pag. 159. See the privileges belonging to a Rnight in Ferns Glorie of Generosity pag. 116. Of these Knights there be two sorts one Spiritual another Temporal Cassanaus in gloria mundi parte 9. Considerat 2. of both these sorts and of many subdivisions read him in that whole part The Temporal or second sort of Knights M. Fern in his Glory of generosity pag. 103. maketh threefold here with us Knights of the Sword Knights of the Bath and Knights of the Soverain Order that is of the Garter of all which you may read what he saith I must remember that mine intent is but to explain the terms especially of our common Law Wherefore such as I find mentioned in Statutes I will define as I can M. Skene de verbor significat verbo Milites saith that in the antient Laws of Scotland Freeholders were called Milities which may seem to have been a custom with us also by divers places in Bracton who saith that Knights must be in Juries which turn Freeholders do serve Knights of the Garter Equites Garterii are an Order of Knights created by Edward the third after hee had obtained many notable victories King John of France and King James of Scotland being both his prisoners together and Henry of Castile the Bastard expulsed out of his Realm and Don pedro being restored unto it by the Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitane called the Black Prince who for furnishing of this Honourable Order made a choice out of his own Realm and all Christendome of the best and most excellent renowned Knights in Vertues and Honour bestowing this dignity upon them and giving them a Blew Garter decked with Gold Pearl and precious Stones and a Buckle of Gold to wear daily on the left legge only a Kirtle Crown Cloak Chaperon a Coller and other stately and magnifical apparel both of stuff and fashion exquisite and heroical to wear at high Feasts as to so high and Princely an Order was meer Of which order he and his successours Kings of England were ordained to be the Soveraigns and the rest fellows and brethren to the number of twentie six Smith de Repub. Anglo lib. prim cap. 20. I have seen an antient monument whereby I am taught that this Honorable Company is a College or a Corporation having a Common Seal belonging unto it and consisting of a Soveraign Gardian which is the King of England that alwayes governs this order by himself or his Deputy of twenty five Companions called Knights of the Garter of fourteen secular Chanons that be Priests or must be within one year after their admission 13. Vicars also Priests and 26. poor Knights that have no other sustenance or means of living but the allowance of this house which is given them in respect of their daily Prayer to the Honour of God and according to the course of those times of Saint George There be also certain officers belonging to this order as namely the Prelate of the Garter which office is inherent to the Bishop of Winchester for the time being the Chancellor of the Garter the Register who is alwaies Dean of Windsor The principal King at Armes called Garter whose chief function is to mannage and marshal their Solemnities at their yearly Feasts and installations Lastly the Usher of the Garter which as I have heard belongeth to an Usher of the Princes Chamber called Blacke rod. There are also certain ordinances or Constitutions belonging unto this Society with certain forfeitures and sometime penances for the breakers of them which constitutions concern either the Solemnities of making these Knights or their duties after their creation or the Privileges belonging to so high an order but are too large for the nature of this poor Vocabularie
proferre est testimonium legalium hominum qui contractui inter eos habito interfuerint praesentes producere Fleta lib. 2. cap. 63. § Nullus And secta is used for a witnesse Idem lib. 4. cap. 16. § final Habes tamen sectam unam vel plures c. Secta ad justiciam faciendam is a service due for a mans fee to be persormed being by his fee bound thereunto Bracton lib. 2. cap. 16. num 6. Secta unica tantum facienda propluribus haereditatibus is a Writ that lyeth for that Heir that is distreined by the Lord to more sutes than one in respect of the Land of divers Heirs descended unto him Register original folio 177. a. Sectis non faciendis is a VVrit that lyeth for one in wardship to be delivered of all sutes of Court during his wardship Register origin fol. 173. b. See other use of this writ eodem fol. 174. touching women that for their Dower ought not to perform sure of Court Secunda superoneratione pasturae is a writ that lyeth where measurement of pasture hath been made and he that first surcharged the common doth again furcharge it the measurement notwithstanding Register original fo 157. Old nat br fol. 73. Secundarie secundarius is the name of an Officer next unto the chief Officer as the Secundary of the fine Office the Secundary of the Counter which is as I take it next to the Shyreeve in London in each of the two Counters Secundary of the Office of the privy seal anno 1 Ed. 4. cap. 1. Secundaries of the Pipe two Secundary to the remembrancers two which be Officers in the Exchequer Camden pag. 113. Securitatem inveniendi quòd se non divertat ad partes exteras sine licentia Regis is a writ that lyeth for the King against any of his subjects to stay them from going out of his Kingdom The ground whereof is this that every man is bound to serve and defend the Common-wealth as the King shall think meet Fitz. nat br fol. 85. Securitate pacis is a writ that lyeth for one who is threatened death or danger against him that threateneth taken out of the Chancery to the Shyreeve whereof the form and farder use you may see in the Register orig fo 88. b. and Fitz. nat brev fo 79. Se defendendo is a plee for him that is charged with the death of another saying that he was driven unto that which he did in his own defence the other so assaulting him that if he had not done as he did he must have been in peril of his own life Which danger ought to be so great as that it appear inevitable As Stawnford saith in his plees of the Crown lib. 1. cap. 7. And if he do justifie it to be done in his own defence yet is he driven to procure his pardon of course from the Lord Chanceller and forfeiteth his goods to the King As the said Author saith in the same place Seignior Dominus is borrowed of the French seigneur It signifieth in the general signification as much as Lord but particularly it is used for the Lord of the see or of a Mannor even as Dominus or senior among the Feudists is he who granteth a fee or benefit out of the Land to another And the reason is as Hotoman saith because having granted the use and profit of the land to another yet the property i. Dominium he still reteineth in himself See Hotoman in verbis Feudal verbo Dominus Senior Seignior in grosse seemeth to be he that is Lord but of no mannor and therefore can keep no Court. Fitz. nat br fol. 3. b. See Signorie Seignourage anno 9 H. 5. stat 2. cap. 1. seemeth to be a regality or Prerogative of the King whereby he challengeth allowance of gold and silver brought in the Masse to his Exchange for coyn Seignorie Dominium is borrowed of the French seigneury i. ditio dominatus Imperium principatus potentatus It signifieth peculiarly with us a Manor or Lordship Seignorie de soke mans Kitchin fol. 80. Seignorie in grosse seemeth to be the Title of him that is not Lord by means of any Manor but immediately in his own person as Tenure in capite whereby one holdeth of the King as of his Crown is seignorie in grosse because it is held of the King for the time being and not of the King as of any honour manor c. Kitchtn fol. 206. See Seignior Seisin seisina is borrowed of the French seisine i. possessio and so it signifieth in our Common law and to seise is to take possession Primier seisin prima seisina is the first possession See Primier seisin Of the French word seisir is made a Latine seisire used by the Canonists cap. Clericis § Nos igitur non semel de immunitate Ecclesiae num 6. as also the Civilians Guido Pap. singulo 865. Seisire est etiam possessionem tradere Tiraquellas in Tractatu Le mort saisit le vif pag. 53. num 3. Seisin with our Common Lawyers is two fold seisin in fact and seisin in Law Perkins Dower 369.370 Seisin in fact is when a corporal possession is taken seisin in Law is when something is done which the Law accounteth a seisin as an Inrollment Seisin in Law is as much as a right to Lands and Tenements though the Owner be by wrong disseised of them Perkins Tenent per le courtesie 457.478 And it seemeth by Ingham that he who hath had an hours possession quietly taken hath seisin de droit de claim whereof no man may disseise him by his own force or subtilty but must be driven to his action § Bref de novel disseisin Sir Edward Cook lib. 4. calleth it seisin in Law or seisin actual fol. 9. a. The Civilians call the one civilem possessionem the other naturalem Seisiua habenda quia Rex habuit annum diem vastum is a Writ that lyeth for delivety of seisin to the Lord of his Land or Tenements that formerly was couvicted of felony after the King in the right of his Prerogative hath had the year day and waste Reg. orig fol. 165. a. Selion selio is borowed of the French sello i. terra elata inter duos sulcos in Latine Porca in English a Ridge or land It signifieth even so with us also and is of no certain quantity but sometime containeth half an Acre sometime more and sometime less West parte 2. symbol titulo Recovery sect 3. Therefore Crompton in his jurisdictions fol. 221. saith that a selion of Land cannot be in demand because it is a thing uncertain Seneshall senescallus is a French word but borrowed from Germany being as Tilius saith compounded of Scal i. servus aut officialis and Gesnid i. familia we English it a Steward As the high Seneshall or Steward of England pl. cor fo 152. High Seneshall or steward and South Seneshall or Understeward Kitchin fol. 83. is understood for a steward or understeward
of Courts Seneshat de l'hostel de Roy Steward of the KINGS Houshold Cromptons Jurisdictions fol. 102. Senescallo Mareshallo quod non teneant placita de libero tenemento c. is a writ directed to the Steward or Marshal of England inhibiting them to take cognizance of any action in their Court that concerneth either Freehold debt or Covenant Register original fol. 185. a. 191. b. Senie aliâs Sene sena is a leaf of a medicinable herb that bringeth forth stalks of a cubit high purging Phlegmatick Cholerick and also Melancholick humours without great violence The farther use whereof you may read in Gerrards Herbal lib. 3. cap. 8. This is mentioned among other Drugs and spices to be garbled anno 1 Jac cap. 19. Septuagesima is a Sunday certain and alwaies the third Sabbath before Shrove sunday from the which until the Octaves after Easter the solemnizing of mariage is by the Canon laws forbidden The reason whereof is given for that all this time until Easter is a time of mourning for the fall of Adam and for the misery of man thereof insuing And Easter with the Octaves thereof is a time of Christs glorification and so of ours also in him for his and by him our conquest over death and sin And that therefore all carnal affection onght during that space to be wholly mortified in us See Quinquagesima see Advent see Rogation week Sequitur sub suo periculo is a writ that lyeth where a summons adwarrantizandum is awarded and the Sheriff returneth that he hath nothing whereby he may be summoned For then goeth out an Aliâs and Pluries And if he come not at the Pluries then shall go out this writ Old nat br fol. 163. Sequestration sequestratio is a separating of a thing in controversie from the possession of both those that contend for it And it is double voluntary or necessary Voluntary is that which is used by the consent of each party Necessary is that which the Judge of his Authority doth whether the parties will or not It is used also for the act of the ordinary disposing of office the goods and chattels of one deceased whose estate no man will meddle with Dyer fol. 232. num 5. fol. 256. num 8. fol. 160. num 42. fol. 271 num 26. as also in the gathering of the fruits of a Benefice void to the use of the next Incumbent anno 28 H. 8. cap. 11. Fortescue cap. 50. and in divers other cases Sequestro habendo is a writ judicial for the dissolving of a seqnestration made by the Bishop at the Kings commandement of the fruits of a benefice thereby to compell the Parson to appear at the sute of another for the Parson upon his appearance may have this writ for the release of the sequestration Register judicial fol. 36. a. Sergeants servians commeth of the French sergeant i. satelles accensus a man of the Guard a kind of Souldier so called because he was sepè accitus ad res necessarias in exercitu peragendas Calepin M. Skene de verb. signif verb. Serjeant hath these words Sergeant commeth from Sergent quae est vox composita de Serrer quod est inclndere gent. quod pro gente populo vel plebe usurpatur Itaque Serjandus disitur qui jussu magistratus quemlibet de populo reum crimints in carcerem corjicit seu includit This word Sergeant is diversly used in our Law and applyed to sundry offices and callings First a Sergeant at Law or of the Coyfe is the highest degree taken in that profession as a Doctor in the Civil law And to these as men best learned and best experienced of all others is there one Court severed to plead in by themselves and that is the Court of Common pleas where the Common law of England is most strictly observed These are made by the Kings mandat or VVrit directed unto them commanding them upon a great penalty to take upon them that degree by a day certain therein assigned Dyer fol. 72. num 1. see Counte And of these one is the Kings Sergeant being commonly chosen by the King out of the rest in respect of his great learning to plead for him in all his causes as namely in causes of treason pl. cor li. 3. ca. pri And of these there may be more if it so please the King This is called in other Kingdomes Advocatus Regius Cassan de consuet Burgund pag. 850. VVith what solemnity these Sergeants be created read Fortescue cap. 50. This word Sergeant seemeth to be used in Britton for an Officer belonging to the County who in his first Chapter speaking of Appeals made before the Coroner hath these words in effect And then let the Coroner cause his appeal to be entred and the names of his sureties And afterward let commandement be given to the Sergeant of the County where the felony was committed that he have the body of the persons appealed at the next County And it is probable that this Officer was all one with him whom Bracton in his fifth book cap. 4. num 2. calleth Servientem Hundredi of whom he hath these words Post probationem defaltae faciet serviens Hundredi incontinenti summonitionem vel affidet partibus diem si praesentes sint ad proximum Comitatum c. This is like to be the same Officer which in antient time was called the Bayliff of the Hundred who as is declared in Bayliff had the like authority in his Hundred that the Shyreeve had in the County though inferiour to him and to be controlled by him as appeareth by divers antient presidents set down by Kitchin in his Tractat of Returns in Court Hundred Court-Baron c. I read also in Bracton lib. 3. tractat 2. cap. 28. Of the Kings Sergeant who is like to be also an Officer in the County in these words speaking of a woman ravished and what she ought to do for the pursute of the Ravisher sic ire debet ad prepositum Hundredi ad servientem Domini Râ—gis ad coronatores ad Vicecomitem ad primum comitatum faciat appellum suum And again eod l. c. 32. in these words si sine secta cognoverit se inde esse latronem coram vicecomite vel coronatore vel serviente Domini Regis c. And again lib. 5. tract 3. cap. 4. num 8. in these words Quid si servien Domini Regis dederit partibus diem ad Comitatum c. And by Fleta it seemeth that this Term was general to the Shyreeve Coroner and Bayliffs of Counties who in his sixt book cap. 3. § 1. hath these words Com. quis igitur senserit dominum suum vel euriam suam sibi de recto defecisse tunc ost ense hoc Vicecomiti statim praecipiat ballivo Hundredi vel iteneranti vel alteri servienti Regis quòd assumptis sibi l beris legalibus hominibus de viceneto illo ad curiam illius
defined as when a servant killeth his Master or a VVife her Husband or when a secular or religious man killeth his Prelate to whom he oweth faith and obedience And in how many other cases petit treason is committed see Cromptons Iustice of peace And this manner of treason giveth forfeiture of Escheats to every Lord within his own fee anno 25 Edw. 3. cap. 2. Of treason see Bracton lib. 3. tract 2. cap. 3. nu pri et 2. Treason compriseth both high and petit treason anno 25 Ed 3. stat 3. ca. 4. Treasure trove Thesaurus inventus is as much as in true French Tresor trouve i. treasure found and signifieth in our Common law as it doth in the Civil law id est veterom depositionem pecuniae cujus non extat mâ—mâ—â—ia ut jam dominum non habcat l. 31. sect prim de acquir rerum Dom. Neer unto which definition commeth Braction lib. 3. tract 2. cap. 3. num 4. And this treaâ—ure â—ound though the Civil law do give it to the finder according to the law of nature yet the law of England giveth it to the King by his Prerogative aâ— appeareth by Bracton ubi supra And therefore as he also saith in the 6 Chapter it is the Coroners office to enquire thereof by the Country to the Kings use And Stawnford pl. cor lib. prim cap. 42. saith that in antient times it was doubtfull whether the concealing of treasure found were felony yea or not and that Bracton calleth it gravem praesumptionem et quasi crimen furti But the punishment of it at these daies as he proveth out of Fitzh Abridgement pag. 187. is imprisonment and fine and not life and member And if the owner may any waies be known then doth it not belong to the Kings Prerogative Of this you may read Brâ—ton also cap. 17. who saith that it is every Subjects part as soon as he hath found any treasure in the Earth to make it known to the Coroners of the County or to the Bailiff c. See Kitchin also fol. 40. Treasurer thesaurarius commeth of the French treserier i. quaestor praefectus fisci and signifieth an Officer to whom the treasure of another or others is committed to be kept and truly disposed of The chiefest of these with us is the Treasurer of England who is a Lord by his Office and one of the greatest men of the Land under whose charge and government is all the Princes wealth contained in the Exchequer as also the check of all Officers any way imployed in the collecting of the Imposts Tributes or other Revenues belonging to the Crown Smith de Repub. Anglor lib. 2. cap. 14. more belonging to his Office see anno 20 Edw. 3. cap. 6. et anno 31 Henr. 6. cap. 5. et anno 4 Edw. 4. cap. prim et anno 17 ejusdem cap. 5. et anno prim R. 2. cap. 8. et anno 21 Henr. 8. cap. 20. et anno pri Ed. 6. cap. 13. Ockams Lucubrations affirm that the Lord chief Iustice had this authority in times past and of him hath these words Iste excellens Sessor omnibus quae in inferiore vel superiore schaccio sunt prospicio Adnutum ipsius quaelibet officia subjects disponuntur sic tamen ut ad Domini Regis utilitatem justo perveniant Hic tameninter caterae videtur excellens quod potest his sub testimonio suo breve domini Regis fâ—cere fieri ut de thesauor quaelibet summa libixetur ved us computetur quod sibi ex Domini Regis mandato pranoverit computandum vel si maluerit breve suum sub aliarum testimonio faciet de his rebus This high Officer hath by varetie of his Office at this day the nomination of the Eschetors yearly throughout England and giveth the places of all Customers Controllers and Searchers in all the Ports of the Realm He sitteth in the Chequer Chamber and with therest of the Court ordereth things to the Kings best benefit He with the Barons may by Statute stall debts of three hundred pounds and under And by Commission from his Majesty he with others joyned with him letteth leases for lives or years of the lands that came to the Crown by the dissolution of Abbies He by his Office giveth warrant to certain men to have their wine without impost He taketh declaration of all the mony paid into the Receipt of the Exchequer and of all Receivers accompts Then is there a Treasurer of the King houshold who is also of the Privy Councel in the absence of the Steward of the Kings Houshold hath power with the Controller and the Steward of the Marshalsea without commission to hear and determine treasons misprisions of treasons murder homicide and blood shed committed within the Kings Pallace Stawnfopl cor l. 3. c. 5. In the statute an 28 R. 2. c. 18. et 11 H. 7. ca. 16. mention is made of the Treasurer of Calis In Westm. 2. cap. 8. of the Treasurer of the Exchequer et anno 27 Edw. 3. stat 2. cap. 18. et anno 35 Eliz. cap. 4. of the Treasurer of the Navy or Treasurer of the wars or garrisons of the Navy anno 39 El. 7. Treasurer of the Kings Chamber anno 26 H. 8. cap. 3. et anno 33 ejusdem cap. 39. Treasurer of the wars anno 7 Henr. 3. cap. prim anno 3. Honr. 8. cap. 5. Treasurer for the Chancery West parte 2. symbol titulo Fines sect 152. Treasurer of the Kings Wardrope anno 15 Edw. 3. stat prim cap. 3. et anno 25 ejusdem stat 5. cap. 21. whose office you have well set out in Fleta lib. 2. cap. 14. Treasurer of the County for poor Souldiers anno 35 Eliz. cap. 4. And most Corporations through the Kingdom have an Officer of this name that receiveth their rents and disburseth their common expences Treat commeth of the French traire i. emulgere and signifieth in the Common law as much as taken out or withdrawn As a Iurour was challenged for that he might not dispend forty pounds and for that cause he was treat by the Statute Old nat br fol. 159. that is removed or discharged Bread of treat anno 51 H. 3. Statute of Bread c. what it signifieth I cannot learn Trespasse Transgressio is a French word signifying a much as Mors obitus excessus The reason whereof I take to be because in interpretation it is a passage from one place or estate to another for in Britton cap. 29. I find trespassants for passengers In our Common law and language it is used for any gransgression of the law under treason felony or misprission of treason or of feâ—ony or may be gathered out of Stawnf pl. cor fol. 38. where he saith that for a Lord of the Parliament to depart from the Parliament without the Kings license is neither treason nor felony but trespals And again fol. 31. saying that where it was wont before the Statute made anno prim Edw. a