demands a Debt or any thing by Deed he shall not be Barred but by deed or a thing of as high a nature AS Trespass for taking of an Apprentice it is no Plea to say he discharged him â—â—â—â—out speciality Mich. 22 H. 6. The same Law in Debt upon an Obligation it is no Plea for the Defendant to say that the Plaintiff hath received parcel at such a place depending the Writ Judgment 7 E. 3. The same Law in Debt upon Arrearages of Account the Defendant Pleaded Arbitrement it is no Barr because that Debt upon Arbitrement is not of so high a nature as Debt upon Arrearages of Account for there he cannot wage Law The same Law in Debt upon an Obligation it is no Plea to say that he hath paid the Summ in demand to the Plaintiff because that he ought if he will avoid the Deed to say that he hath the Plaintiffs Release or Acquittance to shew The Disseisor Levies a Fine with Proclamations the Five years pass the Disseisee is bound afterwards the Disseisor reverseth the Fine by a Writ of Error then the Disseisee may enter and yet he was once Barred Vide Barr pro tempore Where a man shall Plead a Barr which shall comprehend one matter in fait and where it shall comprehend two matters IF a man Pleads in Barr an Arbitrement he ought to say where the Submission was and also where the Award was made and so to make the Plea certain But when he Pleads a Plea which comprehends two matters he ought not to shew the certainty until the Plaintiff hath Traversed one of them Of Barrs perpetual A Woman is bound to me in an Obligation and I afterwards take her to Wife I am once Barred and allwayes Barred Tenant in Tail leaves Assets which is Pleaded against him who is Heir both he and all his Heirs are Barred for ever A man is bound to pay the Abbot of Westminster and his Successors every year Twenty shillings the Abbey being dissolved he is discharged of the Twenty shillings for ever Also if a man be obliged to keep my Court in Dale I purchase all the Copy-holds and Free-holds of the said Mannor he is discharged from keeping the said Court for ever See Pleas and Pleadings Cinque-Ports AN Elegit to extend Lands within the Cinque-Ports was directed to the Constable of Dover But he would not extend so that the Plaintiff was compelled to have a Certiorari to remove the Record out of the Kings-Bench into the Chancery And from thence by Mittimus sent to the Constable to make Execution Custom 's and Prescriptions ALI Customes against Cannon-Law are to be Tryed at Common-Law and not in the Ecclesiastical Courts Customs are payable to the King by the Common-Law the Reasons why they are so paid see in Davies Rep. fo 9. ct 10. Le case del Customs See the difference between Malum in se etmalum prohibitum and how the King may Pardon it but not licence it to be done 11 H. 7. fo 12. et Davies Rep. fo 73. Where Debt or damages are recovered in a Court-Baron the Bailiff ought not to sell the Goods of the Defendant and deliver the money to the Plaintiff But to impound them and keep them as pledges until the Defendant makes his agreement but where it hath been the use of the Court to award a Levari facias it is good by Custome Where the younger son in Burrough-English dyes the Middle Son not the Eldest shall have the Land The same Law for Customary or Copy-hold Lands It was the Custom of the Kings-Bench every Term once or twice to send the Coroner of that place to the Marshal to view the Prisoners that are in the Marshals Custody by Commititur or matter of Record and if any of them are wanting that he could not find them there then to mark their names in his Coroners Book and to inform the Court thereof And thereupon the Court did pose the Marshal who was to inform the Justices what was become of those Prisoners And if he found not sufficient cause of excuse the Court would Record their escape against the Marshal And the abusing of an Office is the escape of Prisoners in the Marshal an abuse of his Office and just cause of Forfeiture If an Alien have a son that is also an Alien and after the Father is made free and then hath another Son and after purchaseth Lands and dyes The second Son born after the Freedom shall be Heir and not the Eldest by the Common-Law and usage of the Realm And also if there be three Brothers and the middlemost purchaseth Lands and dyes without Heir of his Body the Eldest Brother shall inherit and not the Youngest By the Custom of London a Feme Covert that is to say a Sole Merchant may sue and be sued in absence of her Husband Bulstrode part 1. fo 14. where you may read of three sorts of Customs that are void and against Law 1. a Custom against Justice 2. a Custom against the Benefit of the Common-Wealth and 3. a Custom that is to the Prejudice of a third Person Custom and usage in the intendment of the Law is such a usage as hath obtained the force of Law and is binding to such particular place as Gavelkind in Kent and Burrough-Euglish in many Corporations in England When the Custom of the Realm is the Common Law WHen it is the Common-Law a Custom ought not to be alleadged or Pleaded But an Action against a Carrier Hoyman Common Hosteler and for negligently keeping of Fire the Plaintiff may declare upon the General Custom of the Realm or not at his Election And note That a Custom is always Local and to be alleadged in one certain place but a Prescription is personal and ought to be alledged in some persons certain as in such a man his Ancestors or Predecessors or those whose Estate he hath 22 H. 6. 22. A Prescription is always to be of such a thing and in such manner as may be intended to have a lawful and legal commencement or otherwise it is not good but a Custom may be contrary to the Rules and Maxims of the Law as Borough-English Gavelkind Copy-hold Tenures So Lands devisable by Custom So that the Custom be reasonable Co. 6. Gatewards case lib 5. Perimans Case None can prescribe but who hath Fee but all other Estates derived out of the Fee as Lessee for years Life or at Will ought to prescribe in him who hath the Fee Gatewards case ubi supra A Lord prescribed that he and all those whose Estates he hath in the Mannor have hitherto used to have a Herriot after the death of any Tenant for life or for years within the Mannor and good notwithstanding the Estates of the Tenants have no continuance 21 H. 7. 15. Prescription ought not to be in the Negative but if it be in the Negative with an Affirmative it is good 14 H. 6. 3. 22 H. 6. 36. 11 E. 4
a Chest By which he lost his Marriage with A. D. c. I. S. shall have an Action for these words 2 Cro. 323. Mathews Case Mich. 12. Jac. B. R. Sell against Fairee per Cur. To say to a Woman Thou art a Whore I will marr thy Marriage by which she loseth her Marriage an Action lyes Trin. 22 Jac. B. R. Tonson against Spring adjudged upon Arrest of Judgment In Action upon the Case if the Plaintiff declare that she hath many Wooers to marry her and that the Defendant said of her She is with Child and hath taken Physick for it whereby she came into Disgrace Et perdidit consortium vicinorum suorum c. Although that it be not alledged that she lost any Marriage thereby yet the Action lyes Mich. 21. Jac. B. R. Medhurst against Balam adjudged in Arrest of Judgment If a man saith to an other Thou wast found in Bed with J. S. his Wife by reason of the speaking of which words he lost his Marriage with A. S. c. Although that he might be in Bed with her without any ill done yet because that it sounds in Disgrace and he hath lost his Marriage by it the Action lyes Mich. 8. Car. B. R. Southal against Dawson adjudg'd in Arrest of Judgment If the Plaintiff in an Action of the Case for words declare that the Defendant said of him He had the use of my Wife's Body by Force by reason of which words he was brought before certain Justices c. and examined by them for a Rape committed by him upon the said Woman whereupon to purge himself thereof he expended divers Sums of Money an Action lyes upon this Deelaration for the temporal Dimage he had thereby Mich. 9. Car. B. R. Harris against Smith adjudged upon Writ of Error In Action upon the Case if the plaintiff declares that in London by the Custom a Common Whore ought to be carted and a Bason rung before her And that the Defendant spoke these words of the Plaintiff Thou art a Whore and a common Whore and art a Bawd to thy Mistress and I will have a Bason tinged before thee the Action well lyes upon this Declaration for these Words Trin. 15. Car. B. R. Hassell against Capcot adjudged in Arrest of Judgment In Action upon the Case if the Plaintiff declare that in London there is a Custom that a Bawd ought to be carted and the Defendant said these words of the Plaintiff She is a Bawd and I will have her carted Hill 15 Car. B. R. Riley against Lewes adjudged in Arrest of Judgment If the Plaintiff declares in an Action upon the Case that whereas he was a Parishoner of S. the Defendant being Vicar there to the intent to scandalize the plaintiff and to create an evil opinion of the plaintiff among his Neighbours so that they Abstraherent seipsos à consortio of the plaintiff tanquam ab homine excommunicato nulla fide aut credentia digno and to exclude the Plaintiff injustly from the Church and for a long time to deprive him of the benefit of hearing divine Service in the said Church the Defendant in time of divine Service in the Church in the hearing of the parishioners maliciously pronounced the plaintiff excommunicated Praetextu cujusdam Instrumenti by him received from the Ordinary whereas he never had any such Instrument of Excommunication nor was he excommunicated And also at another time to the same Intent aforesaid in time of Divine Service in the hearing of the parishoners maliciously pronounced the plaintiff excommunicated and refused farther to celebrate divine Service until the plaintiff departed out of the Church whereupon the plaintiff was compelled to go out of the Church whereas the plaintiff was not excommunicated whereby the plaintiff was scandalized and hindred from hearing Divine Service for a long time and for the clearing of this Scandal and of his Innocency therein Diversos corporis sui grandes labores capere diversas ingentes denariorum summas errogare exponere coactus fuit in extremam depauperationem ignominium maximum of the plaintiff This Action lyes notwithstanding he doth not shew that any person did avoid his Company or refused to trade or deal with him and notwithstanding he doth not set forth any temporal or spiritual loss for it is a great Scandal and malicious tho to his Soul and spiritual Mich. Car. B. R. Barnabas against Traunter Adjudged in Arrest of Judgment If a man saith of another who hath lands by discent That he is a Bastard an Action upon the Case lyes for it tends to his Disinheritance and disturbance by Suit Mich. 3. Jac. B. R. per Curiam In an Action upon the Case if the plaintiff declare that he was Heir apparent to his Father and B. his Brother and that either of them hath Lands in Fee to the value of 40 l. per annum and that they did intend to suffer the said Lands to descend to him or to convey the same to him yet the defendant intending to disinherit the plaintiff said to the plaintiff Thou art a Bastard whereby his Father and Brother intended to disinherit him and to convey their Lands to another The Action lyes upon this Declaration for the temporal damage which might come to him thereby Pasch 13. Car. B. R. Humfries against Stutfield Adjudged in Arrest of Judgment Where there was Grand-father Father and Son and the Son brought an Action upon the Case and declared that the Grand-father whose heir he is entailed certain Lands upon him and the Heirs males of his Body and the Defendant intending to scandalize his possibility that he hath to inherit this Land as Heir of the body of his Grand-father said that he was a Bastard notwithstanding that the Grand-father and Father were alive yet the Action brought as above by the Son did lye Humfries Case ubi supra In an Action upon the Case if the Plaintiff declare that he exhibited Articles in the Kings Bench against the defendant for the good abearing and swear the Articles to be true before Justice W. Innuendo the said Oath taken upon the said Articles although it be not averr'd that the Oath was taken of Record yet the Action lyes for it shall be intended the Articles exhibited in Court and sworn before a Justice of the Court Mich. 10. Car. B. R. Yolden against Wannel Adjudged in Arrest of Judgment If a man saith of an other He hath written a forged Will wherein I will prove him salse forsworn and perjur'd in a Will that he made of John Hunt an Action lyes for these words for it shall be intended that he was perjur'd in his Oath taken touching the said Will. Hil. 12. Car. in B. R. Cowley against Clough In an Action upon the Case if the plaintiff declare that there was a Writ to inquire of Damages between A. and B. in a Court of C. at the Sessions-house where he was sworn to give Evidence according to his Knowledge
THE TOUCHSTONE OF Precedents Relating to JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS AT Common Law By G. F. of Grayes-Inn Esquire In magnis voluisse sat est Hor. LONDON Printed for Awnsham Churchill at the Black Swan at the lower end of Paternoster-Row near Amen-Corner 1682. TO THE READER NOtwithstanding the present Age hath so plentifully abounded with Books of Pleading in Publick yet certainly there hath been as manifest a Deficiency of some good Directions for the Understanding them tho' perhaps one Reason hath been for that Pleading is esteemed by the Learned the most difficult part of the Study of the Law and therefore Collections of this Kind more liable to the Censure of the Over-critical 'T is true there are two Tracts extant upon this Subject but it happens so unluckily that one is but the particular Observations of a single Person in part of his Time at the Bar and the other as Antique or Obsolete as the Language it is writ in and much wanting the finishing hand of the Designer Such hath been our misfortune as to this Subject and we may well deplore our ill fate that none of the Learned Gentlemen of the Long Robe hath yet given us their Rules and Methods on a Subject so Excellent as the Incomparable Littleton doth Characterize it viz. And know my Son that it is one of the most honourable laudable and profitable things in our Law to have the Science of good Pleading in Actions Real and Personal and therefore I counsel thee especially to employ thy Courage and Care to learn it The Reader will here find most Excellent Directions to guide him in his Practice through the Difficulties of the several Parts of Pleading wherein the Nature of Writs Counts Barrs Pleas Replications Rejoinders Issues as also Disclaimers Discontinuances Estoppels Conclusions Departures Double Pleas c. are Succinctly and Methodically handled from Authorities in the Law both Ancient and Modern far more useful and beneficial than any Collection hitherto Published as will sufficiently appear to any intelligible Person upon a strict and serious perusal of the Book it self Abatement of Writ or Count. IN Debt by two Executors one was summoned and severed and dyed and it was adjudged that it should not abate the Writ Co. 10. Read and Redman's Case If there be two Joynt-Tenants and the one is summoned and severed and dyes the Writ shall abate but in a Stire facias the death of one after Summons and Severance shall not abate the Writ Co. ib. Where note the difference between a Writ Original and a Judicial Writ Two Coparceners one is summoned and severed and hath Issue and dyes there the writ shall abate for that his Issue hath Title to the Moiety Co. ibid. But if one of the Coparceners takes husband the writ shall not abate In all Actions personal or mixt where the intire thing is to be recovered as in Quarâ— Impedit Detinue of writings and the like there after summons and severans the death of one shall not abate the Writ Also the death of one after Judgment in personal Actions shall not abate the writ although there be no severans Co. ib. Where the Writ goes in discharge as an Audita Querela and the one is summoned and severed and dies the Writ shall not abate Co. ib. Note In all personal Actions where no severans lyes there the death of one of the parties shall abate the Writ but not if it be a Judicial Writ after Judgment Co. ubi supra In Formedon against divers some plead Non tenure and others take the Tenancy upon them intirely the writ shall not abate and those who plead Non tenure shall not have Judgment 22 E. 4. 4. 4 E. 4. 33 a. Stat. 25 E. 3. 13. Misnosmer in a Scire facias shall abate the writ 9 E. 4. 35. a. If a Praecipe be brought of a Mannor and 20 s. Rent it is a good Plea to say that the Rent is parcel of the Mannor So in Formedon for Land it is a good plea to say that the Demandant hath brought another Formedon of 20 s. Rent issuing out of the same Land 3 H. 7. 3. A Writ was brought against A. Rector of B. de placito debiti 100 s. The Defendant pleaded That die impetrationis predicti brevis he was commorant at C. in another County but the Court would not allow the Plea because a Rector is always supposed to be resident upon his Benefice quod nota So a man that hath two Benefices shall be intended to dwell upon them both although he doth not deny that he is Parson 10 H. 6. 8. Co. 11. Magdel Colledg Case In a Writ of Right of Advowson against A. B. Dean of C. he pleaded That by Authority of Parliament the Corporation was defeated and avoided and it was held by Brian to be a good Plea 4 H. 7. 7. Rast Entr. 101 182. In Assise it is a good plea to the Writ to say that the Plaintiff was seised of the Freehold of the Lands in the Plaint but in a Forcible Entry it is no plea to say that he was seised the day that the Writ was purchased 5 H. 7. 41. Death or Coverture at the time of purchasing the writ shall abate the writ de facto but Coverture afterwards makes it but abateable 32 H. 6. 11. 3. Br. 138. Co. Entr. 173. Rast Entr. 107 108 126 161. It is no Plea to the Writ to say that the Summons were of other Lands for the Defendant may wage his Law de non Sum. 37 H. 6. 26. A Quare Impedit was brought and the Plaintiff made his Title to the Advowson as appendant The Defendant said that a Moiety was in Gross and it was doubted whether this Plea should go to the Writ or to the Action 32 H. 6. 10 11 12. A Quare Impedit is brought against the Incumbent without naming the Patron he being alive this makes the Writ only abateable and is not good upon a Writ of Error In a Writ of Quare Impedit or other Original Writs the death of the King before Judgment shall abate the Writ de facto but it is otherwise where the Defendant dies But in an Information for the King or for the King and the Informer upon the death of the King before Judgment the whole Proceedings are discontinued but the Information it self shall stand good and Process shall be awarded against the party de novo So of Indictments that are not for Felony or Treason for after Trial they are within the Statute of 1 E. 6. ca. 7. When the Original bears Teste before the cause of Action accrues the Writ shall abate de facto propter defectum Anderson 1. 241. a. 96. Rast Entr. 459. Co. Entr. 624. Brown's Entries 1. Part Tit. Abatement The death of the Plaintiff of Plaintiffs or of one or more of the Plaintiffs where there be many shall abate the writ Rast Entr. 416. Fitz. N. Br. 35. B. Where it appears by the plaintiffs own shewing that he had
Plea in Abatement of the Writ before the default saved 40 E. 3. 2. In a Writ of Aiel Besaiel and Cosinage one shall not plead to the points of the Writ after he hath pleaded in Barr but it is otherwise in an Assise of Mortd ' ancestor as it seems 40 E. 3. 19. Where the Writ abates in part by the Act of the Court and where it is abated by the Parties own Confession As if an Executor brings an Action de clauso fracto de bonis asportatis in this case the Writ shall abate for part and as to the rest it shall be effectual But where the Writ is abated by the Plaintiff it is reason although that it be of his own Conusans that if it abate that the whole shall abate In Assise against two the one pleads in Barr as to a moiety the other pleads jointenancy with a third person the Plaintiff may choose him who pleads in Barr for his Tenant and confess that his writ is false for the other part In Assise against two the one is Tenant the other is Disseisor which Disseisor makes default the other accepts his Companion Tenant with him and pleads in Barr the Plaintiff dissables the Tenant and doth not answer to the Barr for in this case he hath accepted a Tenant which is not Tenant As if Praecipe quòd reddat be brought by two where one is a Bastard or by two persons as Heirs where one of them in truth is not Heir in these cases the whole Writ shallabate because that that is meerly false whichis supposed to be true Two Executors bring an Action of Trespass of Goods carried away in the life-time of the Testator and also of Trees cut down here the Writ is good notwithstanding that the Executors cannot have the Writ for the Trees cut down and if they pray to have an other Writ for the Trees cut down then the whole Writ shall abate quod nota A Defendant or Tenant cannot abate a Writ by his Act but the Act of the Plaintiff or Demandant and the Act of God and also the Act of an Estranger may abate the Writ In a writ of Ravishment de gard by the death of the Infant the writ shall not abate Tenant by Statute-Merchant is disseised the disseisor lets for life the Tenant by the Statute brings an Assise the Lessee dyes the writ shall not abate because he shall recover all in damages But it is otherwise where he is to recover the Freehold because in that case he cannot have the effect of his Judgment A Writ of Admesurement of Common is brought by one against three depending the writ the Plaintiff and one of the Defendants exchange their Lands to which the common is appendant if the writ shall abate it seems not because that notwithstanding the exchange the Plaintiff may have the effect of his Suit which is that the Common may be admesured and at all times pending the writ the Plaintiff and the Defendant who made the exchange were Tenants and the Writ of Admesurement granted between them by reason of their Tenure for there was no mean-time between the parting from the Free-hold in one Acre and the taking the Free-hold in the other Acre and that very instant that the Freehold of the one Acre was parted from the other was vested so that there was cause of Admesurement between them as well after the exchange as there was before A Writ of Admesurement is brought against three one hath nothing in the Common so that the Writ ought to abate because that non-tenure is a good Plea in this Action yet if he that hath nothing before any exception be taken to the Writ purchaseth an Acre of Land by which he ought to have Common in the same Land the Writ is made good As in Praecipe quod reddat brought against him that hath nothing and pending the Writ he purchaseth the same Lands the writ is good So it seems the writ is good notwithstanding no time between the exchange ergo à forciori when there is no mean instant But by the better opinion it seems that the writ shall abate notwithstanding that the party may have the effect of his Suit for that ground is not obsolutely general as Praecipe quòd reddat is brought against me and I have nothing in the Land and pending the writ the Land descends the writ shall abate I bring an Action of wast by reason of the reversion or a Quid juris clamat depending the writ I alien the same Reversion and after purchase the Reversion again yet the writ is abated If a writ of Partition or Nuper obiit be brought and pending the writ the demandant aliens and retakes the Estate to him yet the writ shall abate And yet in all these cases the Plaintiff may have the effect of his Suit But that which causeth the writ to abate is the Act of the Plaintiff for the writ depending he hath aliened that which gives him his cause of Action and therefore the writ shall abate as in the cases aforesaid for as to the Plaintaiff's part his own Act shall abate the writ and not the Act of God nor of the Law except in some cases and as for the Defendants or the Tenants part his own Act shall not abate the writ but the Act of God or of the Law may for if the Tenant aliens depending the writ yet the writ shall not abate but the Demandant shall recover and he that comes in by the Tenant shall be bound by that Recovery And if an exchange had been made by the Plaintiff with a stranger who had nothing in the Common the writ should have been abated without question So for that Acr◠which he had when the writ was brought he cannot maintain his writ for put the case that the day the writ was purchas'd the Plaintiff had not any Land by which he ought to have common and afterwards pending the writ he purchas'd an Acre of Land to which the Common is appendant this shall not make the writ good which was nought from the beginning When the writ is made abatable by the Act of the Plaintiff or Demandant Videlicet by his aliening of that thing which gives to him the cause of Action if he pending the writ doth purchase the same again it shall not revive the writ nor make it good WHere the Grant shall be good ab initio although it was incertainat the commencement Note If a Parson will Grant to me all the Wooll which he shall have for Tithe the next year to come this Grant is good and yet the quantity of the Wool is incertain at the time of the Grant But because it may be reduced to a certainty after the Grant it was held good enough 21 H. 6. 43. And so if a man will Grant to me the Perquisits of his Court this incertain Grant is good causâ quâ suprà 21 H. 6. 43. The same Law is where a Feoffment is
2. A Prescription by Que Estate ought not to be of things which lye in Grant as Rents Villein c. but ought to be made only in him who prescribes and his Ancestors or otherwise he ought to shew the Deed and Grant by which he claims But a man may alledg a Que Estate of a thing which lyes in Grant when it is but a Conveyance to another thing as to say that he and all those whose Estates he hath in an Hundred have used alwayes to have a Leet So a man may alledge a Que Estate in another of a thing which lyes in Grant although not privy to the Conveyance as the Plaintiff in Replevin may alledg a Que Estate in the Seigniory in the Avowant Co. Lit. 121. Such things as cannot be forfeited or seised before the Encheson of the forfeiture be found by Record cannot be claimed by Prescription as Bona et Catalla Felonum c. Co. Lit. 113. Lib. 9. Abbot de Strata Marcella's Case When one hath Common by Prescription paying for it such a Summ of money he may prescribe generally and if the Money be not paid it may be shewn of the other side and also is a Condition subsequent but when a Custom is for one to have Pot-water c. paying a peny for it Quaere if it may be claim'd generally because that the other part hath not any Remedy for the peny Co 5. Rep. Grayes Case In Replevin the Avowant said That the Plaintiff and his Ancestors and those whose Estate he hath in such Lands c. have Common in locus in quo c. being the Land of the Avowant and that he and his Ancestors c. have paid 10 s. per annum for the same and so avowes and good per curiam 26 H. 6. 5. When a Corporation which hath any thing by Prescription be changed and incorporated by an other name c. how they ought to prescribe see Co. Lib. 6. fo 66. 7 E. 4. 32. Co. Lib. 8. fo 64. Inhabitants of a Town cannot prescribe but they may alledg a Custom 18 E. 4. 3. A man prescribes that he and his Ancestors and all their Tenants at Will have Common of Turbary it is not good See the Prescription in the Bishop of Winchesters Case 2 Rep. 1. That he and his Predecessors Bishops there have used time out of mind for himself and their Tenants to hold the Demesnes of the Mannor discharged from Tithes 9 H. 6. 62. A Benefit or Profit apprendre cannot be claimed by Custom in the Lands of another except in Cases of necessity as in the Case of a Copy-holder when he claims Common or other profit in the wasts of the Mannor or in other Lands of the Lord with the Mannor But when he claims it in the Lands of any other within or out of the Mannor he must prescribe in the Lord and the thing where c. be it aliened and severed from the Mannor or comes again to the Lord although the Copy-holder in such Cases may alledg the Custom Co. 6. Gatewards Case Lib. 4. 31. Co. 8. 64. Swains Case An Action upon the Case for stopping a Water-course que currere consuevit was brought against one and held good But if it be against a Terretenant or when a Quod permittat or an Assise is brought there he must prescribe and shew his Title A Custom pro bono privato cannot be alledged in an Upland Town which is neither City or Burrough But Customs which are pro bono publico as to have a Way to the Church to make By-Laws for Reparations of a Church Highways or Bridges or for the good ordering of a Common may be alledged in an Upland Town or Hamlet Co. Lit. 110. A Copy-holder ought not to alledge a Custom to make a Surrender because it is the Custom throughout England so of a Lease for a year for by the general Custom of England Copy-holders may make Leases for a year Co. 9. 751. Combes Case Co. Entr. 576. But particular Customs of particular places may be alledged as the Custom of Gavelkind and of Burrough-English which Customs must be precisely pleaded and alledged 28 H. 8. Dyer 27 b. Rast Entr. 143. Co. Entr. 602. But the Lord Coke in his Commentary upon Littleton fo 175. b. is of Opinion that it is sufficient to say that the Land is of the Custom of Gavelkind or of Burrough-English for that the Law takes notice of the Quality of the Customs How and in what manner a Custom may be pleaded and when it shall be a good plea and when not SEE James Bags Case in the Lord Cokes Reports lib 11. fo 94. where in the Margin of the Pleading in Action upon the Case against the Major and Burgesses of Plimouth it is said that in the Plea of the Major and Burgesses they ought to have first prescribed that they were a Corporation of a Major and Burgesses time out of mind c. Co. 11. 94. Note The Parishoners may prescribe to Choose two Church-Wardens and may put them out of their Office if they see cause The Parishioners may not bring an Action of Account against the Church-Wardens But they may choose other Church-Wardens and they may have an Action of Account against the former No man can prescribe to have a Pew or Seat in a Church but in an Isle adjoyning to the Church which he hath used to repair at his own Charge If a man dwell in one Parish and hold Lands in another Parish he shall be Taxed towards the repair of that Church where the Lands lye For he is accounted a Parishioner there in respect of the Land and the person and not the Land is chargeable But if a man lets Land to another the Lessor is not chargeable in respect of the Rent he receives If a man comes to a Common Inn and delivers his Horse to the Hostler and requires him to put him out to Grass and he doth it accordingly and the Horse is stolen the Inn-holder shall not answer for it Tythes shall be paid for the second mowing of Grass unless there be a prescription to be discharged by payment for the Tythes of the first Mowing But after Tithes are paid for the first Mowing it is thereby discharged for that year for all after pasture for Tythes shall not be paid two ways in one year for the same thing No prescription in Lands maketh a Right Therefore a man must shew some other matter to prove his Right but a prescription of Rents or Profits out of Lands makes a Right A Woman may prescribe that all the Women within such a Town have been endowed of the moiety of all the Lands of their Husbands of which they were seized as of Fee yet she shall not be endowed of the Moiety of the Rent Where there is a Custom That if the Father be hanged for Felony his Son shall Inherit and the Land shall not escheat to the Lord yet if the Father shall
ad distringend ' d'per Ballivum Dni ' Regis The Limitation of this distress to the Kings Bailiff is void and it is good to give a power of distress to I. S. the Grantee and his Bailiffs Bacons Elem. of Law 15. Error IF a Writ of Error be brought and allowed And the Plaintiff in the Writ of Error dyes pendente breve Errore the Plaintiff in the Action may sue out a Scire facias against the Executors or Administrators of the Plaintiff in the writ of Error without mentioning the Writ of Error for that it is no Supersedeas but only to privies and not to Strangers When a Writ of Error is allowed Execution upon the former Judgment ought not to be awarded For by the writ of Error the Record it self is Removed and the Court hath nothing whereupon to award Execution Yet supersedeas the safest way If a man Levy a Fine sur Conusance de droit Come Ceo c. And suffer a Recovery of the same Lands and there is Error in them both He cannot bring Error first upon the Fine because by the Recovery his Title of Error is discharged and released in Law inclusively But he must begin with the Error upon the Recovery which he may do because a Fine executed barreth no titles that accrue de puisne tempus after the Fine levied and so restore himself to his Title of Error upon the Fine If a man levyeth a Fine where he hath nothing in the Land which inureth by way of conclusion only and is executory against all purchases and new titles which shall grow to the Conusor afterwards And he purchaseth the Land and suffer a Recovery to the Conusee and in both Fine and Recovery there is Error this Fine is Janus Bifrons and will look forward and Barr him of his Writ of Error brought of the Recovery And therefore it will come to the reason of the first case of the Attainder That he must reply that he hath a Writ also depending of the same Fine and so demand Judgment Execution IN Escape against the Sheriff The Case was That a Prisoner being in Executition the Gaoler lets him out of Prison about his occasions and after the Prisoner returns to the Goal and another Sheriff comes in and then the Prisoner escapes and comes no more It was held That an Action did not lye against the last Sheriff for the Prisoner was utterly discharged of the Execution by the first permissiom of going at large by the Gaoler The Sheriff may not break open the doors of any man to execute a Fieri facias much less a Landlord to distrain by the same reason Judgment in Debt against three and a Capia's ad satis faciendum against the Principal the Sheriff retorns non est inventus upon which issued a Scire facias against the Sureties and before the retorn the Principal came into Court and prayed his Body might be taken in Execution which was done accordingly Mich. 10 Jacobi in C. B. And with this agrees the Course of the Court of King's-Bench and divers Presidents of this Court A Writ of Error was brought 4 November retornable 10 January whereupon the Court was moved for Execution because it seemed to be but for delay in regard the Retorn is so long and with this agrees 4 H. 6. an Execution was granted by the Court Mich. 16 Jac. in C. B. Of Estoppels and Conclusions HE who claims nothing by him that was estopped shall not be estopped As two jointenants are disseised the disseisor lets to the one now he is stopped to say that he hath another Estate than for Life Afterwards he to whom the Land was so let dyes the other Jointenant shall have the Land and he shall not be by that Deed estopped for he claimed nothing by him who was estopped by the Survivor If I am named W. B. and I bring my Action by the name of I. B. and recover by that name afterwards if I will bring my Action against another person by my right name he shall not estop me by that Recovery of the same name for if I had been estop'd I should not have had my Action against the other person but he that is party may estopp me well enough 26 H. 6. 30 H. 6. et 10 E. 4. contr Where he in Reversion or Remainder claims nothing by Tenant for Life he shall not be estopped AS the Father disseiseth the Son and Levies a Fine thereof to a Stranger where Recovery is had against the Father and afterwards the Father dyes the Son enters or he that recovers or he that was party to the Fine between him and the Son brings an Assise and the other pleads the Fine or Recovery by way of Estoppel this is no Plea because that notwithstanding that the Son is privy to him that was estopped yet he claims nothing by him Where there is Lord and Tenant and the Lord lets his Seigniory to one for Life the Tenant for Life of the Seigniory distrains the Tenant and he bring an Action of Trespass against him and he justifies for that he holds of him by ten shillings of Rent and the other traverses it and it is found against the Lord for Term of Life This shall be no Estoppel to him in the Reversion If a man pleads a Plea in which he confesseth a thing that is not material it shall not be an Estoppel As if a man voucheth one as Son and Heir to such a person and when he comes he is bound to warranty by his own Deed yet may say afterwards in an Assise of Mortdancestor that the same person which I vouched before as Son and Heir is a Bastard for the words Son and Heir in his voucher are not material The same Law in a Writ of Trespass brought by one Executor of Goods taken out of his possession Where a writ of Debt is brought by an Executor who counts of a duty due to himself there the word Executor is not material and he shall not be estopped but he may say afterwards that he never was Executor nor ever administred as Executor If a man will plead a Record to estopp him that was privy he ought to shew what end the Action had AS if I bring an Action against you in which Action you plead that at anotheâ—â—ime viz. such a day c. I brought an Action of Trespass against you and the Defendant pleaded Villenage and the Plaintiff confest it he ought to shew further by force of which he was nonsuited and to shew what end the Plea had and demand Judgment if against that he shall be answered Where a man hath Judgment to recover Land by that Judgment he shall be estopped to claim any other Title than he hath by the Recovery AS if a man recover by Writ of Right Sur disclamer if the Tenant ceaseth afterwards he shall not have a Cessavit to recover the Land though he sues not out Execution for he shall be estopped to claim
abjure the Realm for Felony or be outlawed of Felony the Land shall escheat and the Son shall not inherit and yet both are Attainders in Law But every Custom that is against the Common-Law shall be taken strictly Debt DEbt super obligationem in London the Defendant Pleads Delivery as an Escroul in Midd super Conditionem c. et Issint non est factum by the Issint c. the special matter is weighed and amounts to the general Issue to be tryed in London per distre in Midd. et issint Rien luy doit is a waver of the special matter and tender of the general Issue P. 27 H. 8. Pl. 34. Debt against two Executors one Pleads plene administravit the other Pleads non est factum Testatoris and if they sever and have those several Pleas in Barr multum altercatur Choke they may Moyle they may not Danby Executors may sever but if they shall have these several Pleas doubted vide I' 37 H. 6. one Pleads Misnomer the other that he is Administrator doubted if Pleadable and ibidem the Authorites they are cited and vide 21 E. 3. 10 11 12. Defendants plead not Executors cannot plead severally in dilatories but in Barr they may P. 7 E 4. Pl 19 Debt upon Obligation to perform Covenants all being in the Affirmative he Pleads Performance general and by Inglefield and Fitz he ought to shew how he performed each specialty Sed vide Co. 1 Jnst 303. a. b. In Debt upon an Obligation conditioned to discharge the Sheriff Plea That he discharged the Sheriff without shewing how M. 5 E. 4. Pl. 21. Debt super Obligationem conditioned to pay to the Chamberlain of London and his Successors he Pleads Payment to A. Chamberlain and his Successors he must Plead how he came out of his Office and how the Successor came in Else A. shall be intended to continue in M. 4. E 4. Pl. 30. Debt against three Executors who Plead several Pleas and each goes to the whole per Danby Moy'e and Clark the Plaintiff may elect which he will have Tryed first Needham contra the most peremptory shall be Tryed first Hill 8 E. 4. Pl. 3. Debt against Executors they Plead a Judgment against the Testator by A. for 200 l. and another by B. for 100 l. And that they have not Assets but to satisfie the 200 l. per Bryan the Plea is double having Pleaded 2 Judgments and rely upon one 9 Eâ— 4. 12. a. Bond to pay 20 l. when A. comes into England from Venice Plea That A. was not at Venice not good for where part is to be done within part without the Tryal must be within Tr. 19. El. et B. Hales Case Ow. 6. One bound to save another harmless Pleads that he had saved him harmless and shewed not how 't is not good but non fuit damnificat generally is good et Pop. 297. dictum per Jones If the first be generally demurred on the advantage of it is lost for which I think it not Law for in Mansels Case Co 2. the Demurrer is general upon such a Plea and Judged ill et 2 Cro. 165. 363. One Action against several Defendants for one Debt c. they may sever in Barrs but not in Dilatories Hatton 26 Hob. 245. In Debt upon a Lease for years the Defendant pleads non habuit nec occupavit adjudged no Plea other then Tenant at Will by Fitz Herbert Dy. 14. In Debt upon an Obligation with Condition payment is a good Plea with Acquittance as appears Dyer 15 b. 1 Cro. 55. 2 Cro. 59. 360. 558. but payment on a single Bill Obligatory is no plea without Acquittance nor it seems upon an Indenture to pay so much for a forfeiture Dy. 6. a. 51. a. Co 5. rep 43. 2 Cro. 86. 377. 3 Cro. 157. 3 Cro. 455. Debt upon a Statute of Usury and misrecites the Statute of Usury and sayes in the Action the Defendant lent money usuriously and received the principle and so much for Usury and that is Traversed and found against the Defendant and moved to be a Jeofail but it seems both Surplus and he need not shew the Cause of Action in the Writ And shewing the Receipt was more then received for the very lending usuriously is against the Statute though he never received it Where one has special matter and pleads it and concludes with the general Issue It waves not the matter precedent as in Debt to plead unlettered issint non est factum or a special Payment issint Riens â—uy doit or for one to Plead that he was Joyntenant with his Feoffee at the time of the Feoffment et issint Riens passe per le fait 10 E. 4. 3. b. M. 9 E. 4. Pl. 15. et fo 19 b. Debt on a Bond against an Abbot he pleads Predecessors imprisoned the Prior and threatned the Monks to imprison them if they would not seal it double one the Imprisonment of the Prior the other the threatning of the Monks And if both should be traversed and one found for the other against the Plaintiff the Court should not know for whom to give Judgment M. 15. E 4. Pl. 2. In Debt of 100 l. the Administrator pleads Judgment of 200 l. to another So plene administravit and that he had not goods preterquam non attingen ' ad 200 l. the Plaintiff demurrs generally because he shewed no certain summ whereto the goods amounted according to Co 9. Merriel Treshams Case 109 b. Hob. and Winch held performance the substance Hob 133 Moore vers Andrews The King brought an Action of Debt and averdict upon non est factum pleaded and after pardoned the Debt which Debt he at the day in Bank pleaded and was allowed to do it because he could have no Audita Querela or sei facias against the King Co. 3. Jâ—st 135. Debt and shews that he made a Lease for years Rend c. the Lessee was thereby possessed and devised it to the Defendant and he entred and Null possession c. ill first because he shewed not that any was made Executor or that he entred by his Assent nor 2 that virâ—ute legationis he entred and then it might be for another Title Dy 254. b 3. Cro 537. Debt of an Obligation conditioned that he and his Wife should appear he pleads that at the time of the Obligation he was solus and innuptus Rolls held it did not amount to ne unque Loyalment accouple and ruled for Judgment upon Demurrer nisi Causa Yeane vers Skelton H 23 Car. 1. B. R. Sti. 17. Debt to perform an Award made 10 May ready to be delivered the 11 th of May Nul Award pleaded he replyes that the Award was made the 10 th of May to be delivered the same 10 th day of May The Defendant demurred for doubtfulness or departure Resolved not yet being a thing whereof Issue is to be of the Award not of the day of the Award Tyers Case Trin 23. Car.