said Offier thereto deputed as well in the said Countors as at Guild-hall and it is the use to award a capias in plain of Debt Accompt Covenant and other Actions personall whatsoever c. Item Action of debt Hee that is so arrested at the suite of the party for Debt or other action personall may finde Sureties in the said Courts or elsewhere before the Sheriffes or their Clarkes thereto deputed to come to the next Court at the said Guild-hall holden before the same Sheriffe before whom the plaint was made upon this condition that if the Defendant come not at the said next Court to keepe his day then he shall be condemned in the debt mentioned in the plaint Saving the Plaintiffe if he be present or may well come in Court shall be examined upon his Oath what summe is cleerly due to him and for what cause more then which is found to be due by examination the Plaintiffe shall recover nothing but his dammages which shall be judged by taxation of the Court or by enquest if need be And if the Defendant cannot be found then shall the main pernors be taken and charged for the Debt and the aforesaid Dammages Item Action of trespasse If there be a plaint of trespasse of battery of goods taken or other personall action where a man ought to recover dammages if the Defendant make default in such case after that he is arrested and hath found sureties as is aforesaid then he shal be judged as convicted and the Plaintiffe shall declare by bill the cause of the suite and the quantity of such dammages and such place And thereupon an enquest of office shall be brought from the same place to taxe the dammages for the Plaintiffe And if the defendant be not to be found the main Pernors shall be charged as afore And if the Court may be truly certified by the same Enquest or by sufficient examination of the Plaintiffe that the Defendant is not culpable in such case the Plaintiffe shall recover nothing notwithstanding the default c. Item When any such main pernors be arrested and committed to prison because the principals are not found yet notwithstanding whensoever the principall may be found and is under arrest at the suit of the maine prenors then the said maine prenors shall be delivered If a man be arrested in a plea of Accompt and finde Sureties to come at his day or if he do not plead to the issue or plead in Judgment and find Snreties to attend untill the suit be determined according to the Custome of the City yet notwithstanding at what houre that the principall Sureties will come into Court then if the Sureties come Auditors shall be assigned to take the Accompt in presence of the Plaintiffe and the main pernors And the Sureties shall be demanded if they know any thing to say in discharge of the Accompt And if the Sureties will not come then the Plaintiffe shall recover his arrearages by examination and his Oath And in the same manner it shall be if the defendant be convict of Accompts by enquest Item Of common Free-men of the City and of those that be resiant in eht same If a plaint be made against any Free-men being sufficient or against another sufficient man and resident within the City such a Defendant shall be summoned by any Sergeant of the Sheriffe to come to Guild-hall to answer to the party Plaintiffe at the Court of Denizens At which Court if he make default he shall be amerced and the grand distresse shall be presently awarded by usage of the City and it shall then be awarded that the dores of the Defendant shall be fastned and ensealed untill he shall come to answer to the party plaintiffe And at every Court of Denizens that he is demanded and comes not he shall lose his issues And if hee breake the sequestration and that be testified in Court by the Sergeant then it shall be awarded that the defend be arrested by his body And if he pay a fine for the contempt and when he is so arrested he shall finde sufficent pledge to come then at the next Court to answer to the party upon a pain limited before the capias is awarded And if such a defend make more delayes and it be testified by the Sergeant that the defendant like to escape a way or is not sufficient then shall be awarded the capias to take his body or to arrest and take his goods And that after the Defendant hath accorded with the plaintiffe there shall be a commandement that the Defendants dore shall be opened and the goods taken and of them to make return at the Court as of forreign attachment Item If any parties come and plead to the Enquest or in Judgment then they shall be ordered according to the usages of the City without any essoyne had as such personall actions before or after Challenges after default And although that such a Defendant that hath pleaded to an Enquest make default after the Enquest be joyned yet notwithstanding if he come afterwards when the Enquest shall be charged he shall have his challenges to the Jurors and shall give his evidences notwithstanding the default Item That when the Enquest is summoned veturned in court the Defendant is not demandable How a Freeman ought to wage his law with seven mens bands After the parties be at issue of enquiry the same parties are not demandable before that the Enquest be summoned but the Enquest may be summoned as well at the suit of the Defendant as at the suit of the plaintiffe And it is to be understood that in a plea of Debt the Defendant may wage his law by usage of the said City that he oweth nothing to the plaintiffe viz. If he be a man in the franchise within the City or resiant within the same City with seven mens hands whereof his own name to be one And such Defendants may make theire Law presently in Court if they have men ready or otherwise shall have day to wage the Law the next Court holden And if the Defendant be a Forreigner Stranger not resiant in the City How a for reigner ought to wage his law with 3 hands he may wage and make his Law presently with three hands his own name being one that he oweth nothing to the plaintiffe and so be quit And if he have not two men ready to make an oath with him This is neither-law nor custome used at this day then the defendant at the request of the plaintiffe ought to go under the custody of a Sergeant of the Court to 6 Churches nearest to Guild-hall and in the same Churches to swear that the oath which he took in Guild-hall was good And then the Defendant shall be brought back to Guild-hall and have his judgment to be quit and the plaintiffe shall be amerced And in the same manner it shal be done in other actions personall where
of the said City and of the merchandizing towne where the contract is supposed to this intent that such merchants may have notice of the same contract Item Of the same The Sheriffes of London have alwaies used to hold pleas before them betweene what merchants soever where both parties are Merchants of all bargaines and personall contracts which touchcing merchandize made beyond Sea at the merchandizing town or place merchandizable where the bargaines and contracts are made by expresse words upon payment or delivery of the merchandize or to render account within the said City of London And in such a case if the parties discend to an issue of Enquest then shal the Enquest be taken of men remayning within the same City viz. of Merchants travelling that use to passe over the Sea which best may have knowledge of the aforesaid bargaines and contracts And if any forraigne Merchant and Alien be party to the plea and such enquest be to be taken then the Merchant Alien shall have the moity of the Enquest of his own Country men Which withdraw them selves out of the City c. Item If a plaint of debt be made and it is testified by the Minister that the defendant is not resiant within the City that he hath absented himself and carryed away his goods And it is testified that he hath lands or tenements within the City then at the pursuit of the plaintiffe the plaintiffe ought to hold them by the same extent untill he be satisfied of his money due unto him finding sureties to uphold the tenements conveniently and also to repay the defendant the money received in the mean time if it be so that the same defendant come in Court of Record within a yeare and a day after the delivery made and can discharge himself that he oweth nothing to the plaintiffe Item Examination in a plea Personall The Sheriffes use to examine the parties in all actions personall depending before them if any of the parties desire the same and to proceed to judgment according as it is found by examination Item Where any personall action is depending before either of the said Sheriffes Of the same and some matter is alledged by the defendant in barre of the action or a thing materiall to delay the plaintiffe And if the plaintiffe puts himself upon the oath of the defendant peremptorily that the plea or the exception given by the same defendant is not true then the said defendant if he be in Court or if he be resiant within the City that he may conveniently come by the discretion of the Court then he shall make his oath that his plea or exception that he hath given is good true And if he come and refuse to make such an oath then he shall be held as convict in the cause and thereupon the plaintiffe shall recover that which lyeth in demand according as it may be found by examination of the plaintiffe or by enquest of office if need be And if he make the oath the plaintiffe shall be outed of his suit or action if he for his part will not swear that the suite or other matter alledged by him is not good and true And if such an oath be required of the plaintiffe and the plaintiffe take the oath he shall recover by the same oath if the exception be materiall and so are such oaths peremptory of the one part and of the other according to the matter of the Exceptions Item Of default after mayn prise If a man be arrested by a plaint of debt or by other personall action and find surety to be ready at the next Court before the Sheriffes to answer to the Party At which Court although the defendant be demanded in convenient time to come and save his maynprise and he make default and the default be recorded yet if the same defendant come sitting the same Court he shall be received to plead saving that in such a case he shall lose the advantage of his Law-wager although he might have had his law if he had come in time Item Of amending Bills Where parties appeare in the Sheriffes Court the usage is that the Plaintiffes may amend their plaints and their Bills before that the said parties be at issue or plead to judgment in Court of Record Item Acton of account In an action of account before the Sheriffes the plaintiffe by usage of the City may not count that the defendant was his Bayliffe in any case but Receiver of his money or of his goods Item An action of account is maintainable by usage against a woman sole and against Infants within age if they be Merchants or if they keepe common shops of trade or of Merchandize And actions of debt in the same manner of that which toucheth their trade or their merchandizes Item Of plaints removed out of the Shrieffes courts Where pleas are depending before the Sheriffs the usage is alwayes that the Mayor of London that is for the time may send to the Sheriffes to cause the complaint and the processe to be brought before him and their Aldermen to determine and discusse the same complaint before them or to send back the said complaint before the same Sheriffes further to proceed in the said processe according to that which the Mayor and Aldermen shall see fitting to be done and to command the Sheriffes to surcease at their wills Item Where the debtor shall be arrested before the day conteined in the obligatio Of fugitives When a debtor is bound within the said city by obligation in a certain summe to pay at a certaine day to come the which debtor was held sufficient at the time when he was bound and after is become fugitive or not sufficient then if the creditor come before the Mayor and Sheriffes of the said City making such a suggestion and hath with him six or foure credible men of the same City that will truly testifie that the debtor will withdraw and convey his goods out of the City or that he is not sufficient to make payment then the Mayor or one of the Sheriffs before whom the suggestion is made useth to arrest the debtor although the day contained within the obligation be not yet come and to keepe the same debtor in prison untill the day of payment be come or otherwise that he shall find pledges to attend at the same day and so to arrest for Houshire before the day Houshire if the tenant be fugitive Item To arrest a debtor without a sergeant If a Freeman of the City find his debtor suddenly within the same City which debtor hath absented himself before or that he be sugitive and the which debtor will escape away before that the creditor can have an officer the usage is in such a case that the Freeman himselfe with ayd of his neighbors without other officer may arrest his debtor and carry him to the office of one of
and customes and that by a Statute made after the last Eyre and to put their franchises and customes in certain which things no man can remember May it please your Majesty to command all the said Justices that they be ordered in point of challenge of their said franchises and customes as they were wont anciently to be ordred in other Eyres before the Statute and that by no Statute repugnant to their said franchises and customes they be bound or deprived of their Franchises and ancient customes and thereupon a Writ was sent to the Justices to surcease Whereas in time past A Writ to surcase there arose by some a matter of doubt of and upon the most ancient custome had and used in the city of London An ancient custome in the city of London for tenants for fixing goods of those things which by tenants for terme of life or for yeares were fixed to the houses without speciall licence of the Lord of the Soyl whether they should remaine to the Lords of the Soyle as parcell of the same or whether it should be lawful for such Tenants at the end of their tearme all such things that be fixed to remove Whereupon ancient Books being viewed and many Records searched and ancient proceedings and Judgments of the said city It was declared by the Mayor and Aldermen That by the old prescript custome of the aforesaid city That every of the said kinds of easments fixed to houses or to the ground by such kind of Tenants without speciall and expresse licence of the Lord of the Soyle if they be fixed with nailes of Iron or of wood as Pantises Glasse Locks Benches or such like or if they be affixed with Lime or clay commonly called Morter as Fornace Lead Candirons Chimneyes Corbels Pavements and such other or else if Plants they be rooted in the ground as Vines Trees Orchards c. It shall not be lawfull for such Tenants at the end of there Termes or at any time to pluck down remove or root out them or any part of the premises by any meanes but they alwayes remain to the Lord of the Soyle as parcell of the same Soyle or Tenements Mustings c. It is to be understood that all the Lands and Tenements Rents and Services within the city of London and in the Suburbs thereof are pleadable at Guild-Hall within the same city in two Hustings whereof the one Husting is called Husting of Plea of Land and the other Hasting is called Husting of Common-Pleas And the which Hustings are held in the said Guild-hall before the Mayor Sheriffes and Aldermen of the said city every weeke the dayes Munday and Tuesday viz. On the Munday to demand the demaudauts and to award nonsuites to allow essoynes and the Tuesday to award the default and to plead Writs of right Pattents But for certaine times no Hastings may be held by the custome of the city afore said viz. Husting of plea of Land ought to be held a week by it selfe at the aforesaid dayes But the enrolments and titles of the said Hustings make mention of Munday only Writs of Right Pattents In Husting of Plea of Land are pleaded Writs of Right Pattents directed to the Mayor and Sheriffes of London which Writs have this processe by custome of the city viz The Tenant or Tenants shall first have three summons at the cenements demanded at three Hustings of Plev of Land next ensuing after the livery of the Writ and of the Hustings without demanding the tenements at any aforesaid And after the three summons ended three essoynes at three other Hustings of Plea of Land then next ensuing and at the next ensuing after the third essoyne and the Tenants making default processe shall be made against them by a grand cape or petit cape after the appearance and other processe at the common law And if the Tenants shall appeare the demandants shall count against the Tenants in the nature of what Writ they will except certain Writs which are pleadable in Husting of common-Pleas as shall be declared afterward without making protestation to see in the nature of any writ And the Tenants shall have the view and shall be essoyned after the view as at the common-law And the Tenant shall have an essoyne after every appearance by custome of the City And although that such a writ be abated after the view by exception of joint-tenancie or other exception dilatory and other such Writ be revived the tenants by the custome of the City shall have the view in the second Writ notwithstanding the view before had And if the parties plead to judgment the judgment shall be pronounced by their Recorders mouth and six Aldermen were wont to be present at the least at the giving of every such judgment And every Bedell of the City by the advice of his Aldermen The Jurors summoned against every Hustings of Plea of Land shall summon 12. men Free-holders being the best and most sufficient of his Ward to come to Guild hall for to passe in an Enquest if there be need for the rest of the free-holders in the said Ward And if the parties plead and discend to an Enquest then shall the Enquest be taken of the people inheritors haveing at the least frankten ement of the same Ward where the Tenements are and other three wards next to the place where the Tenements are so that foure sufficient men of the same Ward where the Tenements are shall be sworne in the same Enquest if there be so many And no dammages by custome of the City are recoverable in any such Writ of Right Pattent And the Enquest may passe the same day by such common summons of the Beadell if the parties be at issue and the Jurors come And otherwise processe shall be made to cause the Enquest to come at another Hasting of Plea of Land ensuing by precept of the Mayor directed to the Sheriffes And the Sheriffes shall be ministers by the commandement of the Mayor to serve the writs and to make execution thereof Notwithstanding that the originall writ be directed to the Mayor and Sheriffes joyntly And it is to be understood that as well the Tenants as the Demandants may make their Attornies in such Pleas. And if the Demandants count against those Tenants in the nature of a Writ of right and the parties discend to an enquest upon the meereright then shall the enquest be taken of 34. in the nature of a grand assize according as the custome requires so that alwayes six be of the Ward where the Tenements be if there be so many of the same ward empannelled in the Enquest of 24. Vouching to warranty And the Tenants in all such writs may vouch to warranty within the said City and also in a forreign county if the Vouches haue no tenements within the City And if the Tenants in such writs do vouch to warranty in a forreign County in which case processe may not be made
Pleas and that they warne the parties to heare the Record And after that the Record and Processe be in the Husting although the Defendant come by the warning or make default the errours shal be assigned and there the Judgment shal be affirmed or reversed as the Law requires And it is to be understood that by the usage of the said City when a man is condemned in debt or attaint of dammages in any action personally before the Sheriffs and bringeth such a Writ of Errour he himselfe which bringeth the writ ought and was wont before that he be delivered out of prison to find sufficient surety of men abiding in the same City before the Mayor and Sheriffes to pay the mony or to have the body forthwith comming in case that the Judgment be affirmed And so it shal be done where dammages shal be recovered in Assizes before the Sheriffs and Coroner c. Item In a Replegiarie Replegiarie the processe is such If any man take a distresse in an other mans ground within the said City he to whom the goods belong may come to one of the Sheriffs and have a minister by commandement of the Court to goe to the party that tooke the goods and if he may have the sight to take the same goods by two wise men and then there shal be a plaint made in the Sheriffes paper in this manner Such a one maketh his complaint against such a one of his goods unjustly taken in his house or in his freehold in such a Parrish And the same party shal there find two sufficient pledges to pursue his plaint and to make returne of the goods or the price thereof in case that the returne be awarded and so he shal have the deliverance And the parties shal have a day prefixed at the next Husting of Common-Pleas the Sheriffe shal make a Bil contayning all the matter and the plaint and shal bring the same Bill to the same Husting and there it shal be put on the File and the parties shal be called for At which day the one and the other may be essoyned of common essoyne And at what time soever the Plaintiffe makes default returne shal be a warded to him that hath them and the returne in such case is awardable three times by the custome and at the third time not replevisable And at what time soever he that hath them maketh default then it shal be awarded that the same goods shal remaine to the Plaintiffe viz. they shal remaine without recovering of any dammages And if so be that the Sheriffe may not have a sight of the distress taken then he shal so certifie in the said Husting and there shal be awarded a Writ of Withernam and thereupon processe shal be made And if the parties come avoury be made they may plead to a Judgment or to an issue of enquest according as the case requires And the parties may be essoyned after every appearance And if the party claime property in the distresse then that certified in the Husting processe shall be made by precept directed to the Sheriffe to try the property And though the party be essoyned to serve the King in a Replegiary and at the day that he hath by essoyne maketh default or brings not in his warranty he shal be amerced In a writ de partitione fac to make partition between partners of tenements in London a writ close shal be directed to the Mayor and Sheriffs containing the matter according to the forme of such a Writ And the parties shall be warned by precept of the Mayor directed to the said Sheriffs and the tenants may be essoyned and if they come they may plead their matter and if they make default the Partition shall be awarded by default Item Of the Bedle every Bedle by the advice of his Alderman against every Husting of Common-Pleas shall summon 6 Free-holders the better and sufficienter of his Ward to come to the aforesaid Guild-hall to passe in Enquest if there be need if there be so many Free-holders in the said Ward And the Enquest shall be presented as is aforesaid in the Husting of Plea of Land Item Of Exigonts Briefs of Exigent are demandable in the Husting as well in the Husting of Common-Pleas as in the Husting of Pleas of Land But those Exigents that are demanded in the one Husting shal not be demanded in the other Husting And at the fifth Husting the outlawries and veniries shall be awarded in full Husting before the Mayor and Aldermen by the mouth of their Recorder And also all Judgments that are given in Husting after every Husting shall be enrolled sent to the Chamber of Guild-hall afore-said Item It is to be understood that all the amerciaments made at those Hustings do appertaine to the Sheriffes of the City Item The Aldermen of London are summoned to come to the husting Of summoning the Aldermen to the Husting and they ought by usage of the said City to be summoned by an Officer of the Sheriffes Of exigents Of summoning the Aldermen to the Husting sitting upon a horse of a 100. S. price at least And if it happen A taile that between Merchant and Merchant or Citizen and Citizen there be debate of Debt and a tayle be shewed forth by the party and such tayle be denyed the partie that bringeth the tayle shall make his proofe according to the Law Merchant but shall prove the same by Citizens or Merchants or other good and loyall men Of assize of Mertdancester not by villaines Item The Assizes of Mordancester are held and determinable before the Sheriffs and the Coroner of London on the Saturdayes from fourteene deyes to fourteene dayes at the Guild-hall the processe wherein is in this manner viz. He that will have such assize shall come in the Husting or in the congregation of the Mayor and Aldermen in the Chamber of Guild-hall any munday as it is said in the assize of freshforce shall make a Bill containing the forme of assize of Mortdancestor according to the case and the Bill shall be enrolled And afterward the common Clerk shall make another Bill containing the whole matter of the first Bill making mention of the title of Husting or of the day of the Congregation of the Mayor and Aldermen and that Bill shall be sent to the Sheriffes or to one of them to serve according to the custome And which Bill shall be ferved by any Sergeant or other Minister of the Sheriffes viz. The said Minister the Wednesday next after the livery of the Bill shall make his summons at the tenements demanded by witnesse of two Free-men of the Cittie which ought to be at Guild hall the Saturday next ensuing to array and summon the Jurors and so afterwards against the Saturday from fourteene dayes to fourteene dayes at their wills and so may the tenants sue if they will for their deliverance And the arraignments of the panneis of such
the Law wager is allowed And where women be in such cases impleaded and wage their Law they may make their Law with men or women at their will That freeman ought to Wage Law in a plea of trespass with 7 hands Item If a Freeman within the City be impleaded by way of trespasse for goods taken or for Battery where no bloud is drawn nor no wound apparent and for other trespasse supposed to be don against the peace such a Freeman so impleaded may wage and make his Law by the usage of the City that he is not culpable with seven hands as is aforesaid Item Actions of Debt or of Covenant are maintainable against Exec. and Admin without especiality and such Exec. and Administrat by usage of the said City when they come to answer they may have their Law by so many hands as the Court will award upon these words That they know nothing of the duty nor of the contract nor of the covenant and that they think in their consciences that their Testator at his death ought nothing to the Plaintiffe nor had broken any Covenant and by such manner be discharged And if a man be impleaded by plaint of Debt for victuals dispended in the house of the Plaintiffe or of rent of his houses let called Hushire in which cases the Defendant shal not have his Law nor no protection in such cases hath beene allowed Item Where a woman that hath a husband useth any Craft within the said City by her selfe only wherewith her husband doth not meddle such a woman shall be charged as a sole woman for all that which toucheth her said Craft And if the husband and the wife bee impleaded in such a case the wife shal plead as sole in a Court of Record and shal have her Law and other advantages by way of plea as a sole woman and if she shal be condemned she shal be put in prison untill she hath made agreement Item The husband nor his goods shall be in such a case charged nor impeached c. Item If a woman that hath a husband A house hired by a woman sale as a woman sole hire any house or shop within the City she shal be charged to pay the rent of the said house and shop and shall be impleaded and pursued as a sole woman by way of debt if need be notwithstanding that she was marryed at the time of the Lease the lessor not knowing thereof Trespasse done by the Wife Item If a plaint of trespasse be made against a man and his wife for a trespasse done by the wife solely then the wife shall answer sole without her husband if the husband come not and shal have plea as a sole woman and if she be attainted of trespasse she shal be condemned and committed to prison untill shee hath made a greement Item Trespass don to the Wife If a playnt of trespasse be brought by the husband and the wife of Battery done to the wife in such case the wife shal be received for her selfe and her husband to pursue and recover damages against the defendant although the husband be not present Item Action of debt where a plaint of debt brought against the husband and the plaintiffe acknowledgeth that the husband made the contract with him by the hand intervening and transaction of the defendants wife Aid of the Wife then the same defendant shal have ayd of his wife and shal have day untill the next Court to consult with his wife and the same day shal be given to the Plaintiffe c. Item How a man shall he termed a Freeman of London When any defendant in plea of debt or other action personall wageth his law as a Freeman of the City and the plaintiffe demands how he is free it behoveth that the defendant alleage that he is free by redemption and if he say that he is free by redemption the plaintiffe may cause that the defendant to shew his Record at the next Court. And if he faile of his Record then he shall be attainted and adjudged convict in the cause And if the defendant alleage that he is free by birth the plaintiffe may say that he was not borne in the City that shall be enquired by the Enquest taken in the said City of such a place where the defendant will alleage that he was borne and that issue is peremptory Item Of contribution by obligees where two or more are obliged with in the City by obligation of debt and every of them in the whole sum then if one of the obligees pay the whole or he to whom the obligation is made bringeth a suite in the same City and recovers the debt against one of the obligees solely then he that paid the debt or is so condemned may sue against the other obligees by playnt or debt jointly or severally to make contribution so that every one shal pay his part according to the usage of the said City saving reasonable answer to the parties Item Of forraigne attachments when a plaint of debt is brought before any of the said Sheriffs and testimony is given by the Officer that the defendant hath no sufficient within the said City and it is alleaged that the defendant hath goods and chattles or debts in other hands or in others keeping within the said City and the plaintiffe prayeth that such goods and chattles may be arrested and an extent may be made of the debts then at the suite and suggestion of such plaintiffe such goods and chattles shal be arrested wheresoever they be found within the City and an extent shall be made of the debts at the perill of the plaintiffe and this done the plaintiffe shal pursue at four courts before the same Sheriffe before whom the plaint was affirmed untill the defendant be four times demanded And if the defendants come not at the fourth Court and hath made four defaults then shal the goods and chattles arosted be taken and delivered to the plaintiff And if the goods amount not to the value of the debts then the debts extended in the hands of the debttors shal be levied and delivered to the same plaintiffe in part of payment of the debt demanded And such arrests of goods and extents of the mony are called forrain attachments according to the custome of the City And thereupon the plaintiffe shall find sufficient surety to the Court by pledge before that the livery there of be made upon this condition to make restitution to the defendant of all the goods and chattles so taken or of the value of the same and of such mony whereof he hath had execution if so be that the defeudane come within the yeare and the day next ensuing into the Court and that he can discharge himselfe and justifie by law that he ought nothing to the plaintiffe at the time in the plaint mentioned And if the same defendaut wil come within the yeare and the day