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^^e  (Wlittot  of  '^mduB 


THE 


PUBLICATIONS 


OF   THE 


^efben    ^ociti^ 


TTspl  TTavTos  TTjv  sXsv$epiav 


VOLUME    VII. 
FOR    THE    YEAR     1B03 


^ditn   ^ociefg 


Founded  1887 

TO  ENCOUEAGE  THE  STUDY  AND  ADVANCE  THE  KNOWLEDGE 
OF  THE  HISTOBY  OF  ENGLISH  LAW. 


patrons  ; 

HER   MAJESTY  THE   QUEEN, 

HIS  ROYAL   HIGHNESS  THE   PRINCE   OF  WALES. 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS   THE   DUKE   OF   YORK. 

HIS  EXCELLENCY   THE   HON.  T.  F.  BAYARD. 

ffresiDent: 

THE   RIGHT  HON.  LORD  HERSCHELL. 

lDlce=prestOents : 

THE  EIGHT  HON.  LORD  JUSTICE   LINDLEY. 
THE   HON.  MR.  JUSTICE   EOMER. . 


Council : 


The  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Bruce. 
Mr.  a.  M.  Channell,  Q.C. 
Sir  H.  W.  Elphinstone,  Bart. 
Mb.  M.  Ingle  Joyce. 
Mb.  B.  G.  Lake. 
Mr.  H.  C.  Maxwell  Lyte,  C.B. 
Mr.  a.  Stuart  Moore. 
Mr.  E.  Pennington 


Sir  F.  Pollock,  Bart. 

Mr.  W.  C.  Eenshaw,  Q.C. 

Mb.  S.  E.  Scargill-Bibd. 

The  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Stirling. 

Mr.  J.  Westlake,  Q.C. 

His  Honour  Judge  Meadows 

White. 
The  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Wills. 


Uiterarg  director : 

Professor  F.  W.  Maitland  (Downing  College,  Cambridge). 

auDitors: 

Mb.  J.  AV.  Clark.        Me.  Hubert  Hall. 

•fconorarg  Secretary : 

Mb.  B.  Fossett  Lock  (5  New  Square,  Lincoln's  Inn,  London). 

Ibonorarg  C^rcasurer : 

Mb.  Feancis  K.  Munton  (95a  Qneen  Victoria  Street,  London). 

Ibon.  Secretatg  for  tbe  TUnlteD  States  : 

Mr.  Eichabd  W.  Hale  (10  Tremont  Street,  Boston,  Mass.). 


^ef^en   ^ocie^g 


THE    MIEEOE    OF    JUSTICES 


EDITED 
FOR    THE    SELDEN    SOCIETY 

BY 

WILLIAM    JOSEPH    WHITTAKER 


y or  y^^  /4ko-o<v-c >/^/ 


WITH    AN    INTRODUCTION 

BY 

FREDERIC    WILLIAM    MAITLAND 


LONDON 

BERNAllD    QUARITCII,     16    PICCADILLY 

1895 


All    rijhtt     rettrtfi 


""v7 


CONTENTS. 


TAOK 

Introduction ix 


THE   MIRROR   OF   JUSTICES. 

Preface  1 

Book   I.  Of  Sins  against  the  Holy  Peace     .        .        .        .4 

„     II.    Of  Actions 42 

„  III.    Of  Exceptions .        .89 

„    IV.    Of  Judgment 120 

„      V.    Of  Abuses 154 

Index 201 


1  I87nr. 


INTEODUCTION. 


In  the  sixteenth  century  when  the  printing  press  was  at  Discovery  ot 
work  and  the  manuscript  treasures  of  the  monasteries  were 
passing  from  hand  to  hand,  English  lawyers  began  to  turn 
back  their  eyes  to  the  old  days  when  our  law  was  first 
taking  a  definite  shape.  The  names  and  the  books  of 
Glanvill  and  Bracton,  of  Britton  and  Hengham  became 
current  once  more.  Along  with  weightier  matters  there 
had  floated  down  the  stream  of  time  an  enigmatical  treatise, 
The  Mirror  of  Justices.  The  first  tidings  that  we  get  of 
it  are  given  us  by  Plowden  in  his  report  of  a  case  that  was 
argued  before  the  Exchequer  Chamber  in  the  year  1550. 
He  represents  Bradshaw,  the  king's  attorney,  as  contend- 
ing for  the  rule  Testis  unus  testis  nullus,  which  may  be 
deduced  from  the  book  of  Deuteronomy ;  and  (said  Brad- 
shaw) in  ancient  times  the  law  of  this  realm  was  similar, 
as  is  expressed  in  the  book  called  the  Minor  of  Justices, 
which  was  made  before  the  Conquest.'  The  learned  attorney 
had  perhaps  but  cast  his  eyes  upon  the  book  that  he  thus 
cited ;  a  careful  examination  of  it  he  cannot  have  made. 
However,  from  this  time  forward  we  begin  to  see  that 
manuscript  copies  of  the  book  are  being  handed  about 
among  lawyers.  Coke  obtained  one,  and,  as  his  habit  was, 
devoured  its  contents  with  uncritical  voracity.  '  I  have,' 
he  said,  *  a  very  ancient  and  learned  treatise  of  the  laws 

'  Plowden,  Commentaries,  8. 


THE  MIEKOR   OF  JUSTICES. 


Tlie  Mirror 

becomes 

classical 


The  Mirror 
on  its  trial 


The  Miifor 
priuted 


and  usages  of  this  kingdom  whereby  the  commonwealth  of 
our  nation  was  governed  about  eleven  hundred  years  past.' ' 

However,  though  Coke  believed  that  he  had  acquired  a 
treatise  which  set  forth  the  law  of  King  Arthur's  day,  he 
did  not  think  that  it  was  written  in  that  very  distant  age, 
and  he  explained  away  the  words  by  which  Bradshaw 
seemed  to  have  given  it  a  date  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Norman  Conquest.  A  very  slight  inspection  of  it  was  suffi- 
cient to  show  that  it  could  not  as  a  whole  have  been  com- 
piled before  the  reign  of  Edward  I.  Nothing  daunted,  the 
credulous  Coke  filled  his  Institutes  with  tales  from  the 
Mirror,  and,  for  example,  believed  that  he  had  a  precedent 
of  an  appeal  of  treason  which  came  from  the  days  of  King 
Edmund  and  in  which  the  appellor's  name  was  Rocelyn 
and  the  appellee's  was  Waligrot.^  His  final  opinion  seems 
to  have  been  that  the  book  was  \vritten  for  the  more  part 
before  the  Conquest,  but  that  many  things  were  added  to 
it  by  one  Horn,  a  learned  and  discreet,  man  who  flourished 
in  the  reign  of  Edward  I.^ 

It  would  be  long  to  tell  how  much  harm  was  thus  done 
to  the  sober  study  of  English  legal  history.  The  Pseudo- 
Ingulf  himself  has  hardly  done  worse.  Gradually  sus- 
picions collected.  It  became  known  that  the  Mirror  was  to 
be  used  with  some  circumspection,  that  it  was  not  to  be 
put  alongside  of  Glanvill  and  Britton  as  a  co-ordinate 
historical  authority.^  At  length  the  illustrious  scholar  who 
delivered  us  from  the  Crowland  forger  spoke  out  his  mind 
about  Horn  and  the  Mirror :  though  it  is  '  a  very  curious 
specimen  of  the  apocrypha  of  the  law,'  said  Sir  Francis 
Palgrave,  '  we  are  compelled  to  reject  it  as  evidence  con- 
cerning the  early  jurisprudence  of  Anglo-Saxon  England.''' 

Meanwhile  it  had  been  put  into  print.  This  happened 
in  1642,  a  marvellously  appropriate  date  for  the  appearance 
of  a  book  which  proclaimed  as   the   first  and  sovereign 


'  Coke,  Preface  to  9  Eep. 
"  Third  Institute,  5. 
^  Coke,  Preface  to  10  Rep. 
*  Reeves,  Hist.    Eng.  Latv 


(ea. 


1787),   vol,    ii.    pp.    358-9,    speaks 
cautiously  and  judiciously. 

^  Palgrave,     Encjlish     Common- 
wealth, vol.  ii.  p.  cxiv. 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

*  abuse '  that  the  king  is  beyond  the  law  to  which  he  ought 
to  be  subject.  The  title  page  of  the  printed  book  bears 
the  words  *  La  Somme  appelle  Mirroir  des  Justices  vel 
Speculum  lusticiariorum,  factum  per  Andream  Home.'  No 
editor  is  named,  but  a  Latin  note  tells  us  in  effect  that  the 
text  used  was  a  transcript  belonging  to  one  Jecell  (no  doubt 
the  antiquary  Thomas  Jekyll,  who  died  in  1653'),  which 
had  been  copied  from  a  transcript  belonging  to  Francis 
Tate  (another  well-known  antiquary)  but  collated  with  the 
ancient  manuscript  then  lying  in  Benet  (now  Corpus 
Christi)  College  at  Cambridge.  In  1646  there  appeared 
an  English  translation  by  W[illiam]  H[ughe8],  which  was 
republished  in  1768  and  again  in  1840.  Li  1776  Houard 
included  in  his  Traitcs  sur  les  Coutumes  Anglo-Normandes 
the  first  four  of  the  five  sections  into  which  the  book  is 
divided ;  the  fifth  he  rejected  as  being  in  his  opinion  a 
supplement  added  to  the  original  work  by  a  later  hand.  It 
is  plain  enough  that  this  industrious  Norman  lawyer,  who 
did  much  for  which  we  ought  to  be  grateful  in  publishing 
our  English  law-books  to  the  continental  world,  had  no 
text  of  the  Mirror  but  the  poor  printed  text  of  1642,  and, 
as  he  shows  by  his  conjectural  emendations,  he  was  pain- 
fully aware  of  its  imperfection.  This  indeed  was  known  to 
W.  H.  in  1646,  for  he  says  '  And  although  that  the  Manu- 
script Copy  be  in  the  Originall  very  imperfect :  the  French 
impression '  [that  of  1642]  is  *  by  misjoining  of  words  in 
many  places  without  sence,  and  false  printed.'  ^ 

Several  seventeenth  century  copies  of  the  book,  includ-  The  unique 
ing  in  all  probability  those  that  were  used  in  1642,  still 
exist ;  but  Mr.  Whittaker  has  satisfied  himself  that  they 
are  all  derived  immediately  or  mediately  from  the  Corpus 
manuscript,  and  that  seems  to  be  the  one  and  only 
medieval  manuscript  of  the  Mirror. 

'  Diet.  Nat.  Biography.  pas  un  Lectenr  qui  ne   convienne 

'  Translator's  preface.      Houard,  que,  sans  ce  travail,  le  Texte  n'a  pu 

vol.   iv.    p.   469,    says :    '  Mais   de  Hre  jusquici  entendu  des  Anj^lois, 

quelque  mani^re  qu'on  envisage  lo  et  qu'il  n'auroit  pas  6t6  possible  en 

travail  p^nible  que  la  corruption  du  France  d'en  tirer  le  moindre  secours.' 
Texte  a  exig^,  il  n'j  aura  surement 

a  2 


Xll 


THE   MIEROR  OF  JUSTICES. 


Life  of  An- 
arew  Horn 


Cliamberlain 


Our  book  has  long  been  connected  with  the  name  of 
Andrew  Horn,  and  therefore  of  Andrew  Horn,  fishmonger 
of  Bridge  Street  and  Chamberlain  of  the  City  of  London, 
we  must  say  a  few  words.  Early  in  the  reign  of  Edward  I. 
there  was  a  John  Horn  alderman  of  Bridge  Ward,  who 
served  the  City  now  as  sheriff  now  as  coroner.'  Andrew 
may  have  been  his  son,  and,  if  so,  came  of  a  good  civic 
family.  Late  in  the  fourteenth  century  we  again  hear  of  a 
John  Horn  who  is  fishmonger  and  alderman.'^  Already  in 
1305  Andrew  w^as  married,  for  in  that  year  was  born  to 
him  a  son,  who,  however,  lived  for  but  twelve  weeks.^ 
Andrew  himself  died  in  1328,  and  we  may  guess  from  his 
will  that  he  left  neither  wife  nor  child,  for  his  property  was 
to  be  divided  between  his  brother  William  Horn,  rector  of 
the  church  of  Kotherhithe,  William  and  Simon  Doggett  his 
nephews,  and  Christina  his  niece."*  His  executors  were  his 
brother  William,  John  atte  Vyne  and  Master  John  of 
London,  a  notary.  Already  we  hear  of  Andrew  in  1308, 
when  along  with  Eichard  Horn,  Stephen  Horn,  and  other 
fishmongers,  he  was  sworn  to  scrutinise  the  fishmongers' 
baskets,  and  one  of  his  own  baskets  was  found  deficient  in 
capacity.'^  In  1315  he  passed  scatheless  through  a  similar 
ordeal.^  In  1320  he  became  Chamberlain  of  the  City,  and 
this  post  he  filled  until  his  death  in  1328 ;  but  so  early  as 
1311  he  had  been  collecting  statutes,  charters,  and  other 
documents,  and  having  them  transcribed  for  him.^ 

The  time  at  which  he  was  called  to  take  charge  of  the 
chamber  of  the  City  was  critical.  For  nearly  forty-four 
years  London  had  been  spared  the  terrors  of  a  judicial 
eyre.  In  1321  justices  were  sent  to  sit  at  the  Tower. 
There  they  sat  for  four-and-twenty  weeks,  and  even  then 
they  left  their  work  unfinished.^    Apparently  it  was  in  order 


'  Eiley,  Meinoricds,  3 ;  Liber  de 
Antiquis  Legibus,  148,  154,  225 ; 
Liber  Custumarum,  i.  239,  240,  291, 
295. 

-  Riley,  Memorials  of  London, 
371,  431. 

'■'  Stubbs,  Chronicles  of  Edward  I. 
and  Edward  II.  vol.  i.  p.  xxiii. 


*  Sharpe,  Calendar  of  Hustings 
Wills,  i.  344-5. 

^  Liber  Custumanim,  i.  120  ; 
Liber  Albus,  i.  467. 

"  Riley,  Memorials,  116. 

'  Sharpe,  Calendar,  i.  344. 

"  Liber Custumarum,T^T^Aiix%i\,(i. 


INTRODUCTION.  Xlll 

to  meet  their  advent  that  Horn  put  together  some  of  those 
numerous  transcripts  of  documents  which  are  his  best  title 
to  our  gratitude.  As  civic  Chamberlain  it  was  his  duty 
to  be  prepared  with  chapter  and  verse  to  support  every 
real  or  supposed  franchise  of  the  City,  and  to  answer 
every  cavil  that  the  king's  lawyers  could  advance,  for  an 
eyre  meant  that  no  single  privilege  of  the  Londoners  would 
pass  unchallenged.  To  all  seeming  he  did  his  duty  well, 
transcribed  and  arranged  his  documents  with  zeal  and 
industry.  It  is  probably  to  him  that  we  owe  the  valuable 
account  of  this  eyre  that  has  come  dow  to  us.'  As 
chamberlain  he  naturally  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  doings 
of  the  justices,  but  he  had  a  more  private  interest.  The 
civic  authorities  and  the  body  of  lawful  fishmongers  were 
engaged  in  a  bitter  quarrel  with  certain  men  who  carried 
on  their  business  at  the  Fish  Wharf  in  what  was  thought 
an  illegitimate  manner.  This  dispute  came  before  the 
justices,  and  throughout  it  Andrew  Horn  seems  to  have 
acted  as  the  spokesman  of  the  fishmongers.'^  He  has  often 
been  called  a  learned  lawyer,  but,  if  we  put  the  Mirror  of 
Justices  on  one  side,  the  evidence  that  we  have  would  lead 
us  to  speak  of  him  rather  as  of  a  learned  archivist  and 
antiquarian  than  as  of  a  pleader  who  had  made  his  fame 
in  the  courts. 

To  the  little  that  we  know  for  certain  we  must  add  Tiieix)ndon 

Annalist 

something  that  has  been  guessed  by  one  whose  words 
deserve  our  best  attention.  In  1882  Dr.  Stubbs  published 
under  the  name  Annales  Londonienses  a  theretofore  un- 
published chronicle.'  He  took  the  text  from  a  modern 
transcript  of  a  manuscript  which  was  almost  wholly  de- 
stroyed in  the  Cottonian  fire.  This  chronicle  is  acephalous, 
and  begins  abruptly  in  the  year  1194.  For  a  long  while  it 
is  but  an  abridgment  of  those  Flores  Historiarum  that  were 
formerly  ascribed  to  Matthew  of  Westminster ;  but,  as  time 
goes  on,  it  begins  to  contain  matters  which  the  writer  of  it 
seems  to  be  supplying  at  first  hand.    In  1289  it  becomes  an 

'  Liber  Cuatumarum,  i.  285-432.  '  Chronicles    of  Edward  I.  and 

»  Ibid.  i.  394-40y.  Edtoard  11. 


XIV  THE   MIEROR   OF  JUSTICES. 

original  work  ;  between  1293  and  1301  there  is  an  hiatus  ; 
from  1301  to  1316  it  contains,  says  its  editor,  '  a  relation 
which  is  simply  invaluable  of  the  closing  events  of  the  one 
reign  and  the  early  troubles  of  the  next.'  *  At  the  year 
1316  the  narrative  breaks  off  again,  and  the  remainder  of 
the  work  contains  only  a  few  memoranda  of  records  belong- 
ing to  the  civil  history  of  London  at  the  opening  of  the 
reign  of  Edward  III.'  These  continue  untJ  1330,  where 
the  book  ends.  Now,  that  the  important  part  of  the  Annals 
comes  from  a  Londoner,  and  one  who  had  access  to  many 
public  documents,  cannot  be  doubted.  Dr.  Stubbs  has 
shown  cause  for  the  conjecture  that  this  part  comes  from 
Andrew  Horn.  His  argument  is  twofold.  Under  the  year 
1305  the  annalist  tells,  among  the  events  of  national 
history,  that  a  child  was  born  to  Andrew  Horn,  lived  twelve 
weeks,  and  was  buried  at  Coleman  church.  In  the  second 
place,  these  A7inals  contain  a  large  number  of  documents 
which  are  also  contained  in  that  Liber  Custumarum  wdiich 
Horn  bequeathed  to  the  chamber  of  the  Gildhall. 
Horn  and  If  for  a  momcut  we  accept  this  identification  of  the 

tic^arcourte  chrouicler  with  Horn,  we  shall  think  of  the  civic  Chamber- 
lain as  of  one  who  could  write  good,  straightforward  annals, 
a  rational,  observant  man,  interested  in  public  affairs,  and 
alive  to  the  value  of  records  and  state  papers.  If  we  seek 
for  any  more  distinctively  personal  trait,  we  shall  find  it  in 
his  constant  references  to  the  doings  of  the  ecclesiastical 
courts,  and  to  the  disputes  occasioned  by  the  benefit  of 
clergy  and  the  right  of  sanctuary.  This  is  so  marked  that 
Dr.  Stubbs  has  thrown  out  the  suggestion  that  'Andrew 
Horn,  if  he  were  the  author,  may  have  held  with  the 
chamberlainship  of  the  city  some  office  in  connexion  with 
ihe  Court  of  Arches,'  and  though  this  suggestion  is  set 
aside  by  its  maker  in  favour  of  another,  it  is  one  that  we 
shall  have  to  remember. 
Horn's  last  On  Octobcr  9, 1328,  Horn  made  his  will,  and  thereby  he 

bequeathed  to  the  chamber  of  the  Gildhall  certain  books, 
to  wit  (1)  a  great  book  De  Gestis  Anglonim,  wherein  are 
contained    many    useful    things ;    (2)    another    book,  De 


INTRODUCTION.  XV 

Veterihus  Legibus  Angliae,  together  with  (3)  a  book  called 
Bretoun  and  (4)  a  book  called  Speciduin  lusticianorum ; 
also  (5)  a  book  compiled  by  Henry  of  Huntingdon,  and  (6) 
a  book  De  Statutis  Angliae  with  many  liberties  and  other 
matters  touching  the  city.' 

It  seems  fairly  certain  that  some  of  Horn's  gifts  are  at  Ti.e  corpm 
this  day  where  they  ought  to  be,  namely,  at  the  Gildhall. 
It  is  also  fairly  certain  that  some  of  them  passed  into  the 
possession  of  Sir  Eobert  Cotton  and  are  now  represented 
by  a  volume  preserved  at  the  British  Museum  (Claudius, 
D.  II.),  while  others  can,  so  I  think,  be  traced  with  some 
certainty  through  the  hands  of  Archbishop  Parker  into  the 
library  of  that  college  upon  which  he  bestowed  many  a 
priceless  treasure.  We  find  there  in  one  volume  (C.  C.  C. 
258)  a  copy  of  Britton  bound  up  with  the  unique  copy  of 
the  Mirror.  We  find  also  another  volume  (C.  C.  C.  70), 
which  deserves  our  attention.  It  might  well  be  called  a 
Liber  de  Veteribus  Legibus  Angliae.  It  contains  that  com- 
posite body  of  legal  materials  which  Dr.  Liebermann  has 
recently  described  under  the  title  Leges  Anglorum  saeculo 
XIII.  ineunte  Londoniis  collectae,  and  which,  for  the  sake  of 
brevity,  I  will  call  Dr.  Liebermann's  law-book.'*  That  law- 
book comprised  a  Latin  version  of  some  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  dooms  ;  also  the  Leges  Edwardi  Confessoris,  the 
Leges  Willelmi,  the  Leges  Henrici ;  also  Glanvill's  text- 
book, and  some  other  matters.  Its  contents  were  hitched 
together  into  an  historical  sequence  by  some  royal  genea- 
logies and  brief  remarks  about  the  doings  of  the  kings. 
The  collector,  however,  depraved  his  materials  by  many 

'  Sharpe,  Calendar  of  Hustings  made  up  of  sheets  that  came  from  the 
Wills,  i.  344.  Mr.  Eiley's  theory  Gildhall  is,  I  suppose,  indubitable. 
{Liber  Cusiumarum,  i.  pp.  i-xxiv)  Then  Dr.  Stubbs  has  conjectured 
was  that  No.  2  and  No.  6  are  repre-  that  No.  5  was  Henry  of  Uunting- 
Bented  by  the  Liber  Horn  of  the  don's  chronicle  with  a  continuation 
Gildhall ;  that  No.  1  is  divided  be-  represented  to  us  by  the  now  ace- 
tween  the  Liber  Custumarum  of  the  phalous  Annales  Londonienses. 
Gildhall  and  the  Cottonian  Claudius  'Liebermann,  Ueber  die  Leges 
D.  II.  Dr.  Stubbs  {Chronicles  of  Anglorum,  Halle,  1894.  We  have 
Edward  I.  and  Edward  II.  p.  xxiii)  to  thank  Dr.  Liebermann  for  draw- 
thinks  that '  this  identification  is  very  ing  our  attention  to  this  manuscript 
much  matter  of  speculation.'  How-  by  kind  and  learned  letters, 
ever,  that  the  Cottonian  volume  is 


XVI  THE   MIREOR   OF  JUSTICES. 

mythical  interpolations,  which  seem  to  have  had  two  main 
purposes :  first,  the  glorification  of  the  City  of  London,  its 
privileges  and  customs  ;  secondly,  the  assertion  of  an 
ancient  but  enduring  supremacy  exercised  by  England  and 
the  English  king  over  the  whole  of  Britain  and  the  adjacent 
islands.  In  Dr.  Liebermann's  opinion  this  work  was  put 
together  by  some  Londoner  of  John's  reign.  Now  in  the 
manuscript  that  is  before  us  (C.  C.  C.  70)  we  have  of  this 
book  a  copy  written  in  the  early  years  of  the  fourteenth 
century.  A  half-hearted  attempt  has  been  made  to  carry 
on  the  historico-legal  discourse  into  the  reigns  of  Henry 
III.  and  Edward  I.  In  the  first  place,  however,  we  must 
notice  that  at  the  foot  of  one  of  the  pages  (p.  101)  we  see 
the  following  legend  in  red  ink  : — '  Horn  michi  cognomen 
Andreas  est  michi  nomen.'  Above  this  is  drawn  a  fish. 
This  seems  to  tell  us  that  this  manuscript  once  belonged  to 
Andrew  Horn  the  fishmonger. 
The  Liber  But,  further,  the  hand  which  wrote  this  legend  seems  to 

»le  Vetenbus  _  *=■ 

Legibus  have  written  a  good  many  rubrics  and  marginal  notes. 
Close  to  the  end  of  the  volume  it  gives  us  an  important 
remark.  The  text  has  come  down  to  Henry  III.'s  reign,  and 
has  begun  in  a  desultory  way  to  set  forth  some  precedents  for 
pleaders.  Abruptly  it  stops,  and  what  we  may  take  to  be 
Horn's  hand  writes  as  follows  : — '  But  no  more  of  this,  for 
you  have  enough  of  it  in  the  two  subsequent  books,  namely 
the  book  called  the  Mirror  of  Justices  and  the  book  called 
Brethun.  But  these  books  are  not  sealed  by  the  king. 
However,  such  was  the  form  of  pleading  in  the  times  of 
Edward  I.  and  Edward  II.' '  We  see,  then,  that  the  writer 
of  this  intends  that  Dr.  Liebermann's  law-book  shall,  in 
some  sense  or  another,  be  followed  by  the  Mirror  and 
Britton. 
Horn  and  At   tho  top  of  the   next   page  he  tells  us  a  little  of 

law-brjc""    Edward  I.,  remarking  that  he  made  many  statutes  which 

'  C.  C.  C.  70,  p.    190 :  '  Non   erit  non  sunt  libri  sigillati  per  Eegem. 

plus  nunc,   quia   satis  habes  in  ij.  Attamen   taliter  placitabantur  [bre- 

libris  subsequentibus,  videlicet,  libro  via]     temporibus    Regum    Edwardi 

vocato  Speculum  lusticiariorum   et  filii  Regis  Henrici  III.  et  Edwardi 

altero  libro   vocato    Brethun.     Sed  filii  Regis  Edwardi.' 


UNIVERSITY 

OF  » 


INTRODUCTION.  XVll 

are  confirmed  by  his  seal,  but  which  are  not  inserted  in 
this  manuscript.  He  then  gives  a  long  list  of  the  titles  of 
Edward's  statutes,  observing  by  the  way  that  the  Statute 
of  Westminster  the  Second  is  'peroj}timum.  This  list  ended, 
he  tells  us  that  these  statutes  will  not  be  set  forth  in  this 
book,  '  for  I  have  them  elsewhere,  and  I  intend,  please  God, 
at  some  future  time  to  compose  out  of  this  and  other  books 
a  large,  volume,  for  I  have  thought  it  useful  that  the  events 
of  our  own  time  should  be  handed  down  to  posterity.'  ^ 
After  this  he  notes  the  names  of  the  legal  text-books  pro- 
duced under  Edward  I.  :  namely,  Hengham,  Fct  a  saver, 
and  so  on.  Then  he  tells  us  that  Edward  I.  confirmed  the 
Londoners'  privileges  :  *  the  tenour  of  his  charter  is  not  in 
this  book,  but  I  have  it  elsewhere.' 

All  this  seems  to  come  from  a  man  writing  in  Edward 
II.'s  day,  who  has  a  great  mass  of  historical  and  legal 
materials  at  his  command,  and  some  large  projects  before 
his  eyes.  We  can  hardly  doubt  that  his  voice  comes  to  us 
from  the  chamber  of  the  Gildhall,  or  that  it  is  the  voice  of 
Andrew  Horn. 

One  of  his  notes  seems  to  tell  us  that  this  London  Homana 
archivist  is  interested  in  ecclesiastical  law,  and  has  tried  to  Law 
find  his  way  among  the  books  of  the  canonists.  The  Anglo- 
Saxon  law  that  lies  before  him  speaks  of  the  ordeal.  He 
observes  in  the  margin  that  this  mode  of  purgation  was 
condemned  by  Pope  Innocent  HL  in  the  reign  of  King 
John,  about  the  year  1205,  '  per  decretales  libr.  v.  capitulo 
de  purgacione  vulgari.'  Thereupon  he  sets  forth  a  decretal 
of  Honorius  HL,  which  appears  in  the  Gregorian  collection.^ 
Then  he  adds  that  the  ordeal  was  first  canonised  by  the 

'  C.  C.  C.  70,  p.  191 :  '  Ista  statuta  for  if  we  suppose  that  Innocentuis 

quorum   prohemia   hie  intitulantur  is  a  mere  clerical  error  for  ifotiortMS, 

in   libro   isto    non    scribentur    nee  the  reference  to   John's  reign  and 

registerio,  quia  alibi  habeo,  et  quia  1205  will  go  wrong.     The  true  date 

intendo  ex  libro  isto  et  aliis  impos-  of  the  decree  of  Honorius  seems  to 

terum,  deo  dante,  magnum  codicem  be  1222.    One  would  have  expected 

componere,  quia  utile  duxi  posteris  a  citation  of  the  decisive  decree  of 

presencia  temporum  nostrorum  ex-  the   Lateran  Council  of   1215,  and 

primere.'  the  mention  of  Innocent  and  of  1205 

^  It  is  c.  3,  X.  5.  35.     The  blunder  may  be  due  to  some  faulty  recoUeo- 

is  not  one  that  is  easily  corrected,  tion  of  that  Council's  doings. 


xvm  THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES. 

Council  of  Tribur,  and  quotes  a  decree  of  that  Council  and 
another  of  the  Council  of  Mainz,  '  secundum  antiquas 
decretales  per  Bernardum  Papiensem  compilatas.'  '  So  he 
probably  has  at  his  command  some  books  of  canon  law, 
though  he  does  not  seem  to  be  an  expert  in  their  use. 
This  indication  of  a  smattering  of  canonical  learning  may 
be  of  some  service  to  us  hereafter. 
Horns  To  ons  other  small  point  Dr.  Liebermann  has  called 

Germanism  ,  ^ 

attention.  The  annotator  of  this  manuscript  had  heard 
German  speech,  and  held  that  the  Germans  of  his  day 
spoke  the  tongue  which  the  Saxon  invaders  of  Britain  had 
once  spoken : — *  Anglorum  genus  primo  veniebat  de  ilia 
Saxonia  et  in  diebus  modernis  loquuntur  tali  lingua  sicut 
Angli  antiqui  olim  loquebantur.'  He  then  proceeds  to  tell 
us  that  in  Germany  the  King  stands  first,  then  the  Duke, 
then  the  Margrave,  then  the  Landgrave,  then  the  Count, 
then  the  Baron,  then  the  Knight.  A  trifle  this  may  seem ; 
and,  no  doubt,  the  Chamberlain  of  London  had  occasion  to 
converse  with  Hanseatic  merchants ;  but  even  trifles  may 
be  of  importance  to  us  when  we  are  investigating  the 
genesis  of  a  mysterious  book. 
Themanu-  And  now  we  turn  to  the  other  volume  (C.  C.  C.  258), 

mXor  ^  which  contains  the  Mirror  and  Britton  bound  up  together. 
The  hand  which  writes  the  Mirror  seems  to  me  to  be  a 
curial  hand  of  the  early  part  of  the  fourteenth  century. 
We  shall  see  hereafter  that  it  is  the  hand  of  a  somewhat 
stupid  or  careless  clerk.  The  Mirror  fills  four  quires  of 
twelve  folios,  which  are  followed  by  a  quire  of  four  folios, 
the  last  folio  being  left  blank.  The  more  important  capital 
letters  and  the  paragraph  marks  are  in  red.  There  is 
evidence  on  the  first  folios  of  an  intention  to  supply 
marginal  rubrics.  Also  we  can  see  that  the  rubricator's 
task   had   been  marked  out  for  him  in  the  once  ample 

'  The  reference   seems   to   be  to  Gregorian  collection  all  reference  to 

Compilatio  Prima,  5,  30  (Friedberg,  the  ordeal  has   been   carefully  ex- 

Quinque  Compilatlones,  p.  62).  The  punged  from  them.   As  to  the  action 

passages  which  are  cited  appear  in  of  the  Councils  of  Tribur  and  Mainz, 

the  Gregorian  collection  as  c.  1,  X.  5.  see  Lea,  Superstition  and  Force  (4th 

34,  and  c.  2,  X,  5.  38;  but  in  the  ed.),  p.  291. 


INTRODUCTION.  XIX 

margin  by  chalk  or  some  similar  substance,  but  the  margin 
has  been  sadly  shorn  by  a  binder.  This  is  the  more  un- 
fortunate, for  over  a  word  that  puzzles  us  we  may  now  and 
again  see  a  faint  cross,  which  once  referred  to  a  correcter 
word  written  in  the  margin ;  but  most  of  these  emendations 
have  perished  under  the  shears. 

On  the  first  page  there  stares  at  us  in  red  ink  Andrew  Hom-s 
Horn's  name-verse : — '  Horn  michi  cognomen  Andreas  est  "'""*'^"'* 
michi  nomen.'  It  seems  to  me  hardly  doubtful  that  the 
hand  which  wrote  this  was  the  same  hand  that  wrote  the 
same  words  in  that  other  manuscript  which  has  lately  been 
described.  However,  in  the  present  case  this  name- verse 
may  have  a  context.  I  wish  that  it  were  possible  to  set 
before  the  Society  an  exact  facsimile  of  the  first  lines  of  the 
manuscript ;  but  I  must  endeavour  to  find  words  that  will 
describe  them.  At  the  top  of  the  page  the  copying-clerk 
wrote  Liber  Primus.  Then  below  this  a  person,  whom  I 
will  call  the  rubricator,  wrote  in  red  ink,  Lste  liber  vacatur 
speculum  iusticiariorum.  He  inserted  these  words  after 
Liber  Primus  had  been  written,  for  they  curve  round  Liber 
Primus.  Then  come  four  would-be  verses  (three  hexameters 
followed  by  one  pentameter),  written  in  black  ink  by  the 
copying-clerk.  Then,  without  any  interval,  comes  a  fifth 
verse  (an  hexameter),  written  in  red  ink  by  the  rubricator. 
This  fifth  verse  is  Horn's  name-verse.  These  five  verses 
occupy  three  of  the  ruled  lines  of  the  book,  so  that  the  end 
of  a  verse  never  comes  at  the  end  of  a  line.  The  last  word 
of  the  fifth,  the  red,  verse  juts  out  into  the  right-hand 
margin.     On  the  next  line  the  text  of  the  Mirror  begins. 

Now,  a  great  deal  depends  upon  the  question  whether  ti*  my»«^ 
there  is  any  connexion  between  the  first  four  lines  and  the 
fifth.  I  regret  that  a  judgment  on  this  point  must  be 
expected  of  anyone  who  writes  an  introduction  to  the 
Mirror ;  but  on  the  whole,  if  (postponing  for  a  while  any 
discussion  of  the  meaning  of  these  verses)  we  look  only  at 
then*  collocation  on  the  parchment  that  lies  before  us,  I 
think  that  our  decision  will  be  that  from  the  first  it  was 
intended  that  the  four  black  verses  should  be  followed  by  a 


nous  ver»M 


XX 


THE   IIIRKOR   OF   JUSTICES. 


Meaning  of 
the  verses 


Horn  and 
ivory 


fifth  red  verse,  and  that  all  five  verses  should  be  regarded 
as  an  integral  part  of  the  book  that  is  called  Speculum 
lusticiariorum.  It  seems  to  me  that  space  is  left  for  this 
fifth  verse  as  space  is  left  for  other  rubrics.  It  seems  to 
me  that  the  hand  that  writes  this  verse  is  the  hand  that 
writes  Iste  liber  vacatur  speculum  iusticiariorum,  and  that 
writes  other  rubrics  on  the  first  pages  of  the  book.  Lastly, 
it  seems  to  me  that  this  fifth  verse  was  written  by  the  man 
who  wrote  the  same  verse  in  the  other  manuscript.  Putting 
all  this  together,  we  are  brought  towards  the  conclusion  that 
this  very  exemplar  of  the  Mirror  not  only  belonged  to  Horn, 
but  was  produced  under  his  direction. 

So  much  as  to  externals.  And  now  let  us  grapple  with 
the  meaning  of  these  mysterious  verses.     Here  they  are  : — 

Hanc  legum  summam  si  quis  vult  iura  tueri 
Perlegat  et  sapiens  '  si  vult  orator  haberi ; 
Hoc  apprenticiis  ad  barros  ebore  munus 
Gratum  ^  iuridicis  ^  utile  mittit  opus. 
Horn  micbi  cognomen  Andreas  est  micbi  nomen. 

What  can  we  make  of  these  verses  ?  Of  course,  it  is 
possible  for  us  to  detach  the  fifth  from  the  other  four, 
and  to  say  of  it  that  it  is  a  mere  *  name- verse  '  recording 
the  fact  that  the  codex  that  lies  before  us  is  the  property 
of  Andrew  Horn  ;  and,  indeed,  we  have  in  the  other  volume 
evidence  that  Horn  used  this  hexameter  for  this  very  pur- 
pose. But  if  we  take  this  course,  a  difficulty  awaits  us 
when  we  strive  to  construe  the  four  preceding  lines.  The 
first  two  are  easy  enough.  They  amount  to  this : — Any- 
one who  wishes  to  study  the  laws  and  become  an  accom- 
plished pleader  should  read  this  book.  But  what  of  the 
next  two  lines  ?  What  in  the  name  of  sense,  to  say  nothing 
of  metre,  have  we  to  do  with  ivory  {ehore)  ?  To  my  friend 
Dr.  Verrall  I  owe  the  suggestion  that  the  five  verses  must 
be  read  together,  and  that  the  mysterious  Ivory  of  the  third 


'  End  of  first  line. 
2  End  of  second  line. 
'  The   word  iuridicis    has    been 
deliberately    erased,   apparently    in 


recent  times.  It  is  supplied  from 
a  copy  of  the  verses  which  has  been 
written  at  the  bottom  of  the  page  by 
a  modern  hand. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXI 

is  explained  by  the  Horn  of  the  fifth.  Were  there  not  two 
gates  through  which  dreams  came  to  mankind  ?  Horace, 
Vergil,  and  Statius  all  said  so.  The  following  English  ver- 
sion comes  from  Dr.  Verrall's  pen  : — 

Read  me,  whoe'er  the  substance  of  the  laws 
Desires  to  see,  or  plead  with  sage  applause. 
Here  Ivory's  grace  attracts  apprentice  eyes. 
While  profit  for  the  coif  our  book  supplies. 
Horn — Andrew  Horn — the  author  is  who  writes. 
(Aside)  Thus  Horn  with  Ivory,  Truth  with  Grace,  imites. 

The  writer  puts  an  enigma  before  us.  Dr.  Verrall's 
last  line  gives  the  solution.  Here  for  the  apprentices  at 
the  bar  are  pleasant  visions  of  the  law  that  are  not  too 
true ;  here  for  their  seniors  are  profitable  things  that  are 
not  so  pretty.  Horn  is  my  name,  but  you  have  Ivory  also 
here.  Quite  independently.  Professor  Vinogradoff  has  said 
that  Wahrheit  unci  Dichtung  would  have  been  a  proper  title 
for  the  Mirror.^  Is  not  Horn  and  Ivory  a  tolerable  render- 
ing of  Wahrheit  und  Dichtung  ? 

The  author  of  the  Mirror  was,  as  we  shall  soon  see.  The  question 
capable  of  beginning  his  work  with  riddles  and  mystifica-  ship  t.o8t. 
tions,  and  since  we  cannot  say  either  that  Andrew  Horn 
has  unambiguously  asserted  that  he  was  its  author,  or  that 
the  composer  of  these  verses  was  beyond  the  temptation  to 
drag  ivory  or  anything  else  into  them  when  he  was  racking 
his  brains  for  a  word  that  would  (or,  rather,  would  not) 
*  scan,'  we  had  better  leave  both  chamberlain  and  poet  out 
of  account  for  a  while,  treat  the  book  as  one  whose  paternity 
is  unknown,  and  try  to  discover  from  internal  evidence  its 
date,  its  nature,  and  its  purpose.'* 

'   Villainage  in  England,  p.  416.  wrote  the  Mirror  or  professed  to  have 

'■'  Lest    Dr.    Verrall     should    be  written  it.     Several  distinct  theories 

charged  with  conjectures  of  which  are   possible :    (1)   Horn   wrote  the 

he  is  not  guilty,  I  must  not  omit  to  Mirror  and  all  five  verses.    (2)  Horn 

say  that  the  question  about  which  did  not  write  the  Mirror ;  the  first 

he  kindly  gave  me  his  opinion  was  four  verses  come  from  its  author ; 

merely  the  question  whether  a  mean-  the  fifth  is  but  Horn's  claim  to  be 

ing  could  be  found  for  these  verses,  tlic  owner  of  a  certain  MS.  (3)  Horn 

more  especially  for  the  mysterious  did  not  write  the  Mirror,  but  he  wrote 

ebore.    He  has  not  said  that  Horn  all  the  five  verses. 


I>oued 


XXll 


THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES. 


Tlie  author 
ill  prison 


Is  the  im- 
prisonment 
a  fiction  ? 


The  ifin-or 
a  failure 


A  blunder  in  the  edition  of  1642  has  hitherto  concealed 
from  view  the  cardinal  words  of  the  book.  It  is  thus  that 
the  author  introduces  himself  to  his  readers : — .*  I,  the 
prosecutor  of  false  judges,  and  by  their  procurement  falsely 
imprisoned,  searched  out  the  privileges  of  the  king  and  the 
old  rolls  of  his  treasury  wherewith  my  friends  solaced  me 
during  my  sojourn.'  He  wishes  us  to  believe  that  he  has 
been  thrown  into  prison  by  the  false  judges  whose  unrelent- 
ing enemy  he  is,  and  that  while  in  gaol  he  studied  charters 
and  documents  and  compiled  his  book. 

Is  this  tale  true  ?  Perhaps  it  may  be  ;  but  let  us 
remember  that  a  similar  tale  stands  at  the  beginning  of 
another  law-book  coeval  with  the  Mirror.  The  book  that 
we  call  Fleta  purports  to  have  been  written  in  the  Fleet 
Gaol.  Some  have  suggested  that  it  was  written  by  one  of 
the  justices  whom  Edward  I.  imprisoned  in  1289.  The 
thought  may  cross  our  minds  that  the  Mirror  is  a  rival 
book  ;  but  these  two  tales  of  imprisoned  text-  writers  do  not 
corroborate  each  other.  On  the  contrary,  they  cannot  but 
raise  a  suspicion  that,  at  least  in  one  of  the  two  cases,  the 
author's  incarceration  is  a  'common  form,'  a  literary  device 
which  will  awaken  interest  and  sympathy.  At  any  rate  we 
can  see  that  a  man  who  is  going  to  pose  as  the  prosecutor 
or  sworn  foe  of  false  judges  has  a  good  deal  to  gain  by  pre- 
tending that  he  was  imprisoned  by  their  procurement,  even 
though  his  sojourn  in  gaol  was  of  that  easy  and  improbable 
kind  that  was  solaced  by  a  perusal  of  the  rolls  of  the  king's 
court,  to  say  nothing  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  '  and 
the  canon  and  the  written  law.'  But  whether  the  story  be 
true  or  false,  it  is  here  that  the  author  strikes  the  keynote 
of  his  book.  He  is,  or  wishes  to  be  taken  for,  an  enemy  of 
false  judges,  who  himself  has  suffered  by  their  misdeeds. 

One  other  resemblance  there  is  between  the  Mirror  and 
Fleta.  Both  of  them  were  failures  ;  of  each  we  have  only 
one  manuscript.  On  the  other  hand,  the  treatises  of 
Glanvill,  Bracton,  and  Britton  were  exceedingly  success- 
ful ;  they  are  represented  by  numerous  copies.  Even  of 
Bracton's  lengthy  book  at  least  some  forty  costly  examples 


INTRODUCTION.  XXlll 

have  come  down  to  us.     The  Mirror  was  not  taken  very 
seriously  by  those  who  Uved  when  it  was  written. 

When  was  it  written?  The  common  answer  to  this  mteoftiie 
question  is  that  the  whole  of  it  cannot  have  been  compiled 
before  the  reign  of  Edward  II.  Now  in  some  sense  or 
another  this  statement  must  be  true,  for  undoubtedly 
Edward  II.  is  mentioned  in  this  book.'  But  who  is  this 
Edward  II.  ?  Is  he  the  king  who  came  to  the  throne  in 
the  year  1307  ?  We  ought  to  ask  these  questions,  for  we 
ought  to  remember  that  the  king  who  came  to  the  throne 
in  1272  did  not  call  himself  Edward  I.  In  official  docu- 
ments he  was  simply  King  Edward,  and  when  he  was  dead 
such  documents  were  wont  to  call  him  *  King  Edward  son 
of  King  Henry,'  thus  distinguishing  him  from  King  Edward 
son  of  King  Edward.  Again,  when  two  Edwards  had  been 
immediately  followed  by  a  third,  and  it  was  necessary  to 
number  them,  men  were  carefal  to  fix  the  moment  at  which 
the  enumeration  was  to  begin  :  the  reigning  king  was 
'  Edwardus  post  Conquestam  tertius.'  As  to  Edward  fitz 
Henry,  his  contemporaries  might  call  him  the  first  or  the 
second  or  the  third  or  the  fourth,  according  to  the  extent 
of  their  historical  knowledge.  Few,  perhaps,  would  re- 
member Edward  the  Elder  or  Edward  the  Martyr,  but  all 
men  had  heard  of  Saint  Edward. 

What,  then,  is  it  that  our  author  tells  of  '  Edward  the  who  is 

,  Kdward  th« 

Second  '  ?  This,  that  until  his  day  the  punishment  of  rape  sec-oud? 
was  mutilation.  This  seems  to  be  a  plain  reference  to  a 
chapter  in  the  Statute  of  1285,  which  made  rape  a  capital 
crime  ^— a  chapter  against  which  the  compiler  of  the  Minvr 
has,  as  we  see  from  other  passages,^  a  special  grudge.  And 
it  is  not  unlikely  that  he  will  call  our  Edward  the  First 
'  Edward  the  Second.'  lie  knows  Saint  Edward,*  but  no- 
where shows  any  acquaintance  with  Edward  son  of  Alfred 
or  Edward  son  of  Edgar."* 

'  Below,  p.  141.  »  The    editor    of     1642    further 

*  Stat.  West.  II.  c.  34.  argues   that   the   book   must    have 
'  Below,  p.  28,  and  Abuse  117  (p.       been  written  before  17  Edw.  II.   His 

172) ;  also  p.  !'.(.').  arRument,  though  it   seems  to  me 

*  Below,  p.  81.  to  come  to  a  conclusion  that  is  true. 


XXIV  THE   MIEEOR  OF  JUSTICES. 

Tiie  Mirror         Wc  niust  find  better  arguments.    Now,  our  author  ends 

written  -t        •  ■>  ...  »  i.i 

uiuier  his  work  with  a  criticism  of  statutes  which  are  brought  under 

Edward  I.  ,  ° 

review  in  an  order  that  is  nearly  chronological.  He  com- 
ments on  Magna  Carta,  on  the  Statutes  of  Merton  (1236), 
Marlborough  (1267),  Westminster  the  First  (1275),  Glou- 
cester (1278),  De  Viris  Beligiosis  (1279),  Westminster  the 
Second  (1285),  Winchester  (1285), •  upon  the  writ  Circum- 
specte  Agatis,  which  is  attributed  to  1285,  and  upon  the 
Statute  of  Merchants,  which  was  made  in  the  same  year. 
The  last  document  he  calls  a  new  statute.'*  Here  he  stops, 
and  I  cannot  find  any  allusion  to  a  later  statute.  Now,  un- 
fortunately for  us,  the  age  of  grand  legislation  is  nearly 
over  by  the  end  of  1285.  Still  from  1290  we  have  the 
famous  Quia  Emptores,  which  our  author  would  have  re- 
garded as  a  sovereign  abuse ;  ^  from  1295  we  have  the  Be 
frangentibus  prisonam,  which  he  ought  to  have  mentioned 
had  he  known  of  it,"*  while  the  Confirmatio  Cartarum  of 
1297  with  its  new  clauses,  and  the  Articuli  super  Cartas  of 
1300,  would  have  afforded  him  abundant  materials  for 
criticism  and  cavil.  On  the  whole,  it  seems  to  me  that  if 
this  book  had  been  newly  put  into  our  hands  and  we  had 
never  heard  of  Andrew  Horn,  we  should  have  said  that  it 
'  was  written  very  soon  after  1285,  and  probably  before  1290. 
And  here  it  may  be  noted  that  if  we  attribute  it  to  this 
time  we  attribute  it  to  the  only,  or  almost  the  only,  time 
in  English  history  when  a  sweeping  denunciation  of  the 
king's  justices  as  perjurers,  murderers  and  thieves  would 
have  had  enough  truth  in  it  to  be  plausible  and  popular. 
This  is  the  time  of  our  one  great  judicial  scandal,  for  though 

rests  upon  several  propositions  that  ever,  does  not   appear   among    the 

I   believe    to    be   untrue  :    namely,  statutes  criticised  in  the  last  book. 
(1)    that  the   document   known    as  '^  He  gives  his  last  section  to  '  the 

Praerogativa  Regis  is  a  statute  ;  (2)  new    statute    about    debts.'       This 

that  its  date  is  17  Edw.  II. ;  (3)  that  may  be  the  Statute  of  Acton  Burnel 

the  author  of  the  Mirror  is  incapable  (1288),  but,   since   he   mentions   it 

of  representing  as  an  '  abuse '  what  after   Stat.  West.  II.  and  Circutn- 

is  the  existing  law  of  the  land.     As  specie  Agatis,  it  is   more  probably 

to  the  first  two  of   these  premises,  the  supplementary  Statutum  Merca- 

see  Engl.  Hist.  Rev.  vi.  367.     The  torum  of  1285. 

third  is  contradicted  by  almost  every  ^  Abuse  151  (p.  175)  and  p.  181 

page  of  our  book.  (c.  32). 

'  Below,  pp.  27,  48.     This,  how-  *  Below,  pp.  150,  156  (Abuse  8). 


INTRODUCTION.  XXV 

the  justices  and  clerks  who  suffered  in  1289  may  not  have 
been  worse  men  than  were  some  of  their  predecessors  and  • 
successors,  the  exposure  of  judicial  iniquities  on  a  large  scale 
is  a  unique  event.  Also  we  shall  see  hereafter  that  the 
political  ideals  of  our  author  were  such  as  were  becoming 
antiquated  even  in  Edward  I.'s  day.  However,  we  must 
once  more  repeat  that  we  have  before  us  a  man  who  is  quite 
capable  of  deliberately  mystifying  his  readers. 

For  arguments  to  prove  that  the  Mirror  was  not  com-  n'o  traces  of 

"  ail  older 

piled  in  the  days  before  the  Conquest  there  can  be  no  need  time 
at  the  present  time.  But,  further,  it  does  not  look  in  the 
least  like  an  old  treatise  that  has  been  re-edited  by  a  more 
.modern  hand.  To  those  who  are  learned  in  the  history  of 
the  French  language,  more  especially  of  that  dialect  of  it 
which  was  current  in  England,  we  must  leave  all  criticism 
of  words  and  grammatical  forms  ;  but  any  traits  that  would 
point  to  a  time  before  Edward  I.'s  reign  have  been  sought 
in  vain.  Express  references  to  his  statutes  are  found  in 
all  parts  of  the  book,'  while  almost  every  sentence  in  it, 
though  Cnut  or  Alfred  or  Arthur  may  be  mentioned,  has  its 
point  in  the  thirteenth  century  and  in  no  earlier  age.  In 
particular  we  must  decisively  reject  the  theory  that  the 
last  section  of  the  work — that  which  deals  with  *  abuses  ' — 
has  been  tacked  on  by  an  editor  or  continuator  to  the  end 
of  a  previously  existing  book.  We  have  been  carefully  pre- 
pared by  the  author  himself  for  this  last  section.  His  plan 
is  to  lay  down  in  one  of  the  earlier  sections  some  doctrine 
which,  as  he  knows  full  well,  is  not  the  doctrine  of  King 
Edward's  court,  and  then  to  state  in  the  last  section  that 
the  prevailing  doctrine  is  an  abuse,  or  that  Alfred  hanged 
a  judge  for  maintaining  it.  From  first  to  last  he  is  making 
an  attack  on  '  false  judges.' 

If  he  knew  anything  at  all  about  the  law  of  the  Anglo-  ■n.eauthor't 
Saxon  or  of  the  Norman  time,  he  has  studiously  kept  his  o1"o°d'uw 
knowledge  to  himself.     This  is  one  of  the  difficulties  which 

'  Below,  p.  27,  Statute  of  Win-  minster  I. ;  p.  66,  Statute  of  West- 
chester ;  p.  28,  Statute  of  West-  minster  II. ;  p.  138,  an  ordinance  of 
minster  II.  ;  p.  48,  Statute  of  Henry  III. ;  p.  141,  Statute  of  West- 
Winchester  ;  p.  52,  Statute  of  West-  minster  11. 


XXVI  THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES. 

meet  us  if  we  try  to  identify  him  with  Andrew  Horn,  who 
before  the  end  of  his  hfe  had  at  "his  command  the  law-books 
of  the  twelfth  century  and  a  Latin  version  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  dooms.  I  do  not  think  that  the  Mirror  contains  one 
sentence  that  has  been  taken  at  first  hand  from  the  so-called 
Leges  EdwardiConfessoris,  Leges  Willelmi,  or  Leges  Henrici, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  laws  of  Cnut  or  of  his  predecessors. 
What  is  more,  if  we  consider  the  would-be  antiquarianism  of 
this  book,  we  must  pronounce  it  to  be  marvellously  inno- 
cent, not  only  of  real  historical  research,  but  of  traditional 
legendary  learning.  We  have  nothing  of  Brutus,  nor  of 
the  metropolitan  relation  which  Troy  bears  to  London ; 
not  much  of  Arthur  ;  ^  nothing  of  Edgar ;  nothing  of  the 
tripartite  division  of  England  between  Danish,  Mercian, 
and  West  Saxon  law.  Saint  Edward  is  not  made  the  hero 
of  the  tale ;  ^  the  Norman  Conqueror  shows  no  preference 
for  the  Danelaw :  indeed,  the  Norman  Conqueror  is  never 
named.  Our  author's  hand  is  free,  and  he  is  quite  able  to 
do  his  own  lying  for  himself,  without  any  aid  from  Geoffrey 
of  Monmouth  or  any  other  liar.  He  will  not  merely  invent 
laws,  but  he  will  invent  legislators  also ;  for  who  else  has 
told  us  of  the  statutes  of  Thurmod  and  Leuthfred  ?  ^ 
.The  author's         The  right  to  lie  he  exercises  unblushingly.     Now  and 

■wilful  false-  .  .  n  t^ji-  j.  > 

hoods  again  we  may  see  traces  oi  some  little  circumspection.     A 

good  instance  is  given  us  by  the  daring  fable  about  the 
forty-four  false  judges  whom  Alfred  hanged  in  the  space  of 
a  year.''  He  is  going  to  know  the  names  of  these  judges,  and 
he  thinks  that  he  had  better  not  give  them  the  names  cur- 
rent in  the  England  of  his  own  day.  Henry,  John,  Kichard, 
Eobert,  Kalph,  Eoger  will  not  do.  So  let  them  be  Watling, 
Billing,  Bermond,  and  so  forth.  Watling  Street,  Billing's 
Gate,  and  Bermond's-eye  give  him  useful  suggestions. 
Botolph,  Cuthbert,  Dunstan,  Cede  seem  pretty  safe  to  a 
man  who  goes  to  church.     There  is  no  one  to  tell  him  that 

'  See  below,  p.  3.  that  the  mysterious  Leuthfred  was 

*  He  appears  on  p.  81  as  protect-  a  kinsman  of  Pope  Eleutherius  for 
ing  the  villains  and  doing  vengeance  whom  Dr.  Liebermann's  Londoner 
on  those  who  persecute  them.  forged  a  famous  letter  ? 

•  Below,  pp.  107,  152.     Can  it  be  *  Below,  p.  166. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXVU 

he  had  better  keep  clear  of  Scandinavian  names  (and  some- 
how or  another  he  has  collected  a  good  many  of  them),  or 
that  Yve  and  Tristram  and  Talebot  look  a  little  too  French 
or  romantic.  And  then  as  to  the  names  of  the  towns 
whose  suitors  are  to  be  sent  to  the  gallows,  he  chooses  Dor- 
chester, Cirencester,  and  Ancaster.  If  names  ending  in 
Chester  are  not  old,  what  names  are  ?  Let  us  remember 
among  the  exploits  of  Alfred  that  he  hanged  Horn  • — '  Horn 
michi  cognomen.'  But  even  the  rudimentary  caution  that 
we  see  in  this  choice  of  names  is  rare.  Our  author  knows 
nothing  and  dreams  nothing  of  a  time  before  feudalism  and 
knights'  fees,  of  a  time  when,  as  yet  trial  by  jury  had  not 
been  invented.  If  he  has  heard  or  read  of  ancient  law,  of 
thegns  and  ceorls,  of  hot  and  wer  and  wlte,  of  gri^  and 
mund,  he  leaves  all  this  outside  his  story. 

Unless  fortune  has  served  him  or  us  very  ill,  we  must  imaprinary 
hold  that  he  did  not  scruple  to  invent  tales  about  times 
much  later  than  those  of  Alfred.  He  ascribes  a  good  deal 
of  legislation  to  Henry  I.,'*  Henry  II.,'  Eichard,"*  John,^  and 
Henry  III.^  Some  of  the  tales  that  he  tells  of  them  are 
not  obvious  anachronisms ;  but  this  general  rule  holds 
good,  that  he  says  what  others  have  not  said  and  does  not 
say  what  others  have  said.  For  laws  of  Henry  I.  (and  of 
Henry  I.'s  name  he  is  very  fond)  he  does  not  go  to  Henry 
of  Huntingdon,  nor  to  William  of  Malmesbury,  nor  even  to 
the  Leges  Henrici ;  for  laws  of  Henry  II.  he  does  not  go  to 
the  Gesta,  nor  to  Hoveden,  nor  to  Diceto,  nor  to  GlanvilVs 
book.  He  does  not  go  to  Glanvill's  book  even  when  he  is 
going  to  speak  of  Glanvill.^  He  is  not  corroborated;  he 
scorns  corroboration. 

'  Below,  p.  168.  provers. 

*  Below,  p.  14,  security  for  prose-  •  "Below,  p.  34,  sanctuary.     This 

cution ;  p.  14,  curtesy ;  p.  50,  appeal  ascription  to  Henry  the  Third  (the 

of  homicide  ;  p.  59,  imprisonment ;  Second  ?)  of  a  law  made  at  Clarendon 

p.    64,   mainprise ;    p.    64,    suit    of  touching  sanctuary  seems  to  be  oc- 

witnesses ;   p.  126,  mesne  process  ;  casioned  by  a  passage  in  Bracton,  f. 

p.  136,  false  appeals ;  p.  136,  main-  136,   which   our    author  misunder 

prise ;  p.  140,  year,  day  and  waste  ;  stood.     See  also  p.  52. 

p.  141,  pleading.  '  Below,  p.  31,  deodands ;  p.  65, 

»  Below,  p.  32,  tournaments.  novel  disseisin ;  p.  72,  replevin  ;  p. 


*  Below,  p.  132,  petty  larceny.  141,  pleading  exceptions. 

*  Below,  pp.  35  6,  appeals  by  ap- 


b2 


XXVlll  THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES. 

His  leading  If  HOW  WB  Rsk  for  his   motives,  we  had  better  for  a 

while  use  the  word  motive  in  the  sense  that  Eichard  Wagner 
has  made  familiar.  No  other  law-book  is  so  like  '  the  art- 
M'ork  of  the  future.'  It  is  constructed  out  of  a  few  leading 
motives,  each  of  which  is  frequently  reintroduced  in  some 
new  key  with  more  or  less  ornament  and  embroidery.  We 
might  pick  these  out  and  label  them  as  *  the  false  judge 
motive,'  '  the  Hebraic  talion  motive,'  and  so  forth  ;  but  any 
reader  will  soon  see  that  he  can  do  this  for  himself,  and 
•  will  find  the  task  amusing.  Only  of  a  few  main  themes 
shall  we  here  speak. 
The  reii-  A  stroug  rcligious  strain  runs  through  his  work ;  indeed, 

giousmo  ive  ^^^  ^hole  book  might  be  marked  Religioso.  Of  course  in  a 
medieval  law-book,  albeit  a  book  of  temporal  law,  we  expect 
to  see  courteous  words  about  Holy  Church  and  her  juris- 
diction, even  though  some  of  the  extreme  claims  of  the 
ecclesiastical  courts  are  being  strenuously  resisted.  Nor 
are  we  surprised  when  Bracton  in  fervent  phrases  preaches 
a  sermon  against  the  corrupt  judge  and  threatens  him 
with  everlasting  torments.'  We  have  something  very  dif- 
ferent in  the  Mirror,  something  that  we  shall  hardly  find 
elsewhere,  least  of  all  in  ecclesiastical  law-books,  for  we 
shall  not  go  far  wrong  if  we  call  it  Puritanism.  There  is 
a  curious  trait  of  bibliolatry,^  a  tendency  to  collect  prece- 
dents out  of  the  Old  Testament  and  to  find  legal  maxims 
in  the  ancient  laws  of  the  Hebrews,  a  tendency  which  the 
medieval  Church  very  wisely  repressed,  for  it  leads  to  a 
justification  of  the  judicial  combat  by  the  precedent  of 
David  V.  Goliath  ^  and  an  acceptation  of  '  Eye  for  eye  and 
tooth  for  tooth.'  ■*  But,  further,  our  author  chooses  to  re- 
^^  gard  every  breach  of  the  law  as  sin.  It  is  of  sin  that  he 
will  write  even  though  this  brings  him  to  the  flagrant 
absurdity  of  a  classification  of  sins  as  '  real,. personal,  and 
mixed.' ^     Religion,  morality,  law,  these  are  for  him  all 

'  Bracton,  ff.  2,  106.  should  only  be  adjudged  where  there 

*  See  below,  pp.  2,  3.  has  been  wrongful  imprisonment.' 

*  Below,  pp.  77,  109.  ^  Below,   p.    49.      Even   in   his 

*  Below,  pp.  49,  143.     Therefore  application   of  these   adjectives    to 
it  is   that    (p.    184)    '  imprisonment  actions  he  seems  to  depart   widely 


INTRODUCTION.  XXIX 

one  ;  they  are  for  him  law.  He  knows  nothing  of  the 
distinction,  which  any  canonist  would  have  taught  him, 
between  the  forum  externum  and  the  forum  internum.  Hence 
his  enormous  and  intolerable  extension  of  the  boundaries 
of  larceny  '  and  perjury.^  Whatever  is  morally  as  bad  as 
theft  is  theft,  and  should  be  treated  as  such.  Hence  also  the 
freedom  with  which  he  can  give  the  name  of  law  to  some  rule 
directly  contrary  to  that  which  King  Edward's  courts  are 
enforcing.  "What  I  think  right  is  right ;  what  is  right  is  law ; 
any  divergence  from  the  rule  of  right  is  an  '  abuse '  of  the 
law,  even  though  courts  and  legislators  may  be  guilty  of  it. 

What  we  find  is  religiosity  real  or  assumed;  it  is  not  n.e author 
ecclesiasticism  or  sacerdotalism,  it  is  not  high-churchman- 
sliip.  The  distinction  that  is  here  indicated  by  terms  that 
may  not  be  very  apt  is  none  the  less  one  on  which  we 
must  insist.  In  the  thirteenth  century  there  were  quarrels 
enough  between  Church  and  State,  quarrels  about  matters 
which  any  writer  of  a  legal  text-book  would  have  to  men- 
tion :  for  example,  about  the  privilege  of  sanctuary  and 
the  benefit  of  clergy  and  the  writ  of  prohibition.  Now  it 
will  seem  to  us  that  with  these  matters  the  Mirror  deals 
pretty  fairly.^  It  does  not  violently  champion  the  cause  of 
either  party. ''  It  holds  that  the  Great  Chart 3r  and  the 
Statute  of  1275  are  defective  in  not  providing  a  punish- 
ment for  justices  who  are  remiss  in  delivering  accused 
clerks  to  their  ordinaries,  or  who  poach  in  the  ecclesiastical 
coverts.^  On  the  other  hand,  I  cannot  think  that  the 
following  sentence  came  from  one  who  was  an  ecclesiastic 
or  an  ecclesiastically-minded  man  : — '  It  was  forbidden 
[among  the  fundamental  laws  of  the  realm]  that  any  bishop 
bliould  ordain  as  clerks  more  laymen  than  are  necessary 
to  serve  the  churches,  so  that  the  king's  jurisdiction  may 
not   be   decreased   or   diminished.'  "^      And   again : — *  The 

from  the  traditional  P^nglish  use  of  34,  seems  to  fall  short  of  the  dciDands 

words.     He  would  make  all  turn  on  of  the  clergy,     bee  also  Abubo  22 

mesne  process,  but  of  mesne  process  (p.  157). 

he  1ms  theories  that  are  all  his  own.  *  Below,  pp.  92-3. 

'  IJelow,  pp.  25-28.  '  Below,  pp.  176,  185. 

-  Below,  pp.  IG-H).  '  Below,   p.    11,  and   Abuse    1C9 

'  The  passage  about  i^anctuary,  p.  (p.  171). 


xx:^ 


THE  MIRROE   OF  JUSTICES. 


Distinctive 
religiosity 


Is  the 
religiosity 
genuine  ? 


articles  [in  Circumspecte  Agatis]  which  would  compel 
parishioners  to  enclose  churchyards,  to  make  oblations,  to 
give  mortuaries,  to  pay  money  for  confessions,  or  for  the 
blessed  bread,  for  roofing  the  churches,  for  chalices,  lights, 
holy  vestments  or  other  ornaments  of  the  churches,  are 
founded  rather  on  covetousness  than  on  the  amendment  of 
souls,  since  the  parsons  of  the  churches  are  to  be  repre- 
hended in  this  respect,  not  the  parishioners,  and  are  to 
be  charged  for  these  things  to  the  extent  of  one-third  of 
their  tithes.' '  This  surely  is  the  work  of  a  layman.  "We 
seem  to  hear  in  advance  the  voice  of  the  modern  Non- 
conformist who  objects  to  compulsory  church-rates  and 
relies  on  '  the  tripartite  division  of  tithes.'  It  comes  from 
a  man  who,  despite  Pope  and  General  Council,  would  like 
to  see  *  the  judgment  of  God  '  re-established  among  us.^ 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  this  obtrusive  religiosity  is 
a  common  feature  of  medieval  law-books.  It  is  nothing  of 
the  kind  ;  it  is  a  very  distinctive  feature  of  this  book.  No 
doubt  in  sound  and  practical  treatises  we  may  find  religious 
reflexions,  references  to  Holy  Writ,  and  now  and  again 
some  fragments  of  dogmatic  theology.  But  it  was  no  more 
the  fashion  in  the  middle  ages  than  it  is  the  fashion  now- 
adays for  a  lawyer  or  for  anyone  else  to  speak  habitually 
as  if  law  and  law-courts  and  parliaments  existed  for  the 
purpose  of  saving  the  souls  of  sinners.^  Not  every  book  is 
typical  of  the  age  in  which  it  was  produced.  Every  age 
has  had  its  prophets,  its  eccentrics,  and  its  paradoxers. 

Now  the  Puritanism,  the  edificatory  design,  the  unctuous 
language,  may  be  unaffected.  On  the  other  hand,  all  this 
may  be  cant ;  or,  again,  it  may  be  a  convenient  artistic 


'  Below,  p.  199.  See  also  Abuse 
110  (p.  171)  :  clerks  who  have  aban- 
doned the  world  ought  not  to  hold 
lay  fee.  The  word  clerks  seems  to 
show  that  this  is  aimed,  not  at  the 
monks,  but  at  the  secular  clergy. 
If  so,  this  is  Puritanism.  See  also 
p.  183  :  '  A  clerk  has  no  more  right 
to  sin  with  impunity  than  has  a  lay- 
man.' A  staunch  upholder  of  eccle- 
Biastical  privileges  would  have  said 


that  this  last  sentence  hovered  be- 
tween truism  and  heresy. 

*  Below,  p.  110,  and  Abuse  127. 

'  See  e.g.  p.  49,  where  an  ap- 
pellor desires  to  drive  the  appellee 
to  salvation,  and  p.  59,  where  the 
king  is  bound  by  his  office  to  chasten 
sinners  to  salvation,  and  p.  155, 
where  parliaments  are  to  be  held 
twice  a  year  for  the  salvation  of  the 
souls  of  sinners. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXXI 

drapery.  By  assuming  the  garb  of  the.  preacher,  and 
boasting  his  familiarity  with  inspired  books,  this  writer 
may  be  forging  a  title  to  lay  down  for  law  whatever  rules 
he  would  like  to  enforce,  and  to  tell  tales  that  are  not 
easily  credible.     So  let  us  be  upon  our  guard. 

Then  we  may  see  a  tendency  to  dabble  in  the  Canon  The  canoDi- 

cal  motive 

Law,  and  yet  may  be  sure  that  our  author  is  not  an  in- 
structed canonist.  He  probably  could  command  a  copy  of 
the  Decretum.  His  queer  account  of  divination  takes  us 
back  ultimately,  if  not  directly,  to  a  passage  of  St.  Augus- 
tin  that  Gratian  has  excerpted."  From  the  same  source 
he  has  obtained  a  proof  that  homicide  can  be  committed  by 
word  as  well  as  by  deed  :  a  proof  which,  in  passing,  seeks  to 
explain  the  apparently  discrepant  statements  as  to  the 
hour  of  Christ's  death  that  are  contained  in  the  Gospels." 
Once  he  cites  '  the  canon  itself '  as  to  the  position  of  serfs 
who  have  been  ordained,  a  topic  about  which  there  is  much 
to  be  found  in  the  Decretum  and  the  Decretales  GregoriiJ* 
From  some  canonical  text-book  he  has  borrowed  the  classical 
definition  of  afiSnity  ;  but  this  he  could  come  by  easily.*  It 
is  not  impossible  that  the  title  of  his  book  was  suggested 
to  him  by  the  work  of  William  Durant,  the  celebrated 
Speculum  ludiciale,  which  soon  earned  for  its  author  his 
well-known  title  '  Speculator.'  The  first  edition  of  this 
l)Ook  was,  we  are  told,  compiled  before  1276,  the  second 
before  1287,^  and  it  very  soon  won  a  foremost  place  in  the 
libraries  of  all  practising  canonists.  On  the  other  hand, 
it  is  possible  that  our  author,  who,  like  Andrew  Horn,* 
believed  that  the  English  were  Saxons,^  and  could  talk 
about  the  law  of  Germany,"  had  heard  the  name  of  a 
famous  German  law-book,  the  Saxon  Mirror  (Sachsen- 
spiegel)  of  Eike  von  Eepgau,''  and  it  is  a  curious  coincidence 
that   German   historians   are   now  telling  us  that  Eike's 

'  See  below,  p.  16.  '  Below,  p.  6. 

*  See  below,  p.  23.  •  Below,  p.  46. 

*  See  below,  p.  78.  •  The  date  of  this  book  is  not  very 

*  See  below,  p.  21.  certain,    ichrdder,  Deutsche  Rechts- 

*  Schnlte,  Oeschichte  dcs  canoni-       gcschichte,  p.  622,  plaoes  it  between 
schrn  liechts,  ii.  I-IO.  1215  aud  1235. 

*  See  above,  p.  xviii. 


DO  cauuuiiit 


XXXll  THE   MIRROE   OF  JUSTICES. 

statements  of  law  bear  a  markedly  '  subjective  character,' 
or,  in  other  words,  do  not  accurately  represent  the  actual 
practice  of  the  courts  of  his  own  day.  There  is  a  faint 
resemblance  between  the  beginning  of  our  Mirror  and  the 
beginning  of  the  Sachsenspiegel,  and  our  author  might  well 
have  called  his  book  Speculum  Saxonicum,  so  positive  is  he 
that  all  that  is  English  is  Saxon. ^  However,  the  word 
*  Mirror '  lay  ready  to  the  hand  of  anyone  who  desired  a 
title  for  a  manual  of  theology,  law,  or  any  other  science. 
The  author  But,  to  retum  from  a  digression,  we  shall  not  easily 

believe  that  our  author  is  an  expert  in  the  law  of  the 
Church.  Had  he  been  this,  he  would  assuredly  have 
shown  us  his  hand  by  some  scientific  citation.  Your  pro- 
fessional canonist  would  hardly  have  admitted  that  the  sun 
shone  at  noonday  without  sending  you  to  Gratian  for  the 
proof,  and  would  never  have  written  pages  about  law 
without  one  ut  Extra.  Besides,  the  ideas  which  attract 
our  English  Speculator  in  the  books  at  which  he  glances 
are  the  mere  curiosities.  He  is  pleased  with  the  notion 
that  the  Almighty  made  Moses  a  doctor  ^ — utriusque  iuris, 
we  suppose — and  that  Christ  '  sat  in  his  consistory  '  to 
judge  the  woman  taken  in  adultery.^  Augustin's  detailed 
account  of  heathen  magic  strikes  his  eye,''  and  so  does  that 
apology  for  the  seeming  variance  between  evangelists 
which  is  also  a  lesson  in  the  law  of  homicide.'^  He  is 
fascinated  by  the  idea  of  hei'esy  as  crimen  laesae  malestatis 
divinae,^  and  though  there  are  no  heretics  in  England,  or 
none  worth  persecuting,  he  likes  to  imagine  an  '  appeal '  of 
heresy ;  it  would  be  a  picturesque  event ;  ^  almost  as  pic- 

'  Compare  the  prologue  Dieii  tout  Spiegel,  we  are  not  of  necessity  at- 

pussant  of  the  Mirror  with  the  pro-  tributing  to  him  a  knowledge  of  the 

logue  Got   die   clar  is   begin    unde  German  tongue,  for  we  are  told  that 

ende  aller  dinge  of  the  Spiegel.   The  Eike  wrote  his  work  in  Latin  before 

prologue  done,  the  Englishman  de-  he  produced  the    German    version 

scribes    the    division    of     England  that  has  come  down  to  us. 

among    forty    Saxon    counts ;    the  ^  Below,  pp.  5,  123. 

German  sets  forth  the  titles  of  the  '  Below,  pp.  43-4. 

Saxon  nobles,  though  this  account  *  Below,  p.  16. 

of  them  does  not,  it  is  said,  belong  *  Below,  p.  23. 

to  the  first  edition  of  his  work.     In  ^  Below,  p.  15! 

suggesting  that   the   author   of   the  '  Below,  pp.  59,  60. 
Minor   may   have    glanced   at   the 


INTRODUCTION.  XXXIU 

turesque  as  the  indictment  of  Nolling  for  a  sacrifice  to 
Mahomet.'  But  of  the  strict  Bcho'aetic  method,  the  labo- 
rious logic  that  he  would  have  learnt  in  a  school  of  canon 
law,  there  is  no  trace.  Here,  as  elsewhere,  we  see  the 
amateur.  He  has  caught  hold  of  some  doctrines  oiinfamia^ 
and  of  '  notoriety,' '  and  of  the  various  kinds  of  ignorance 
which  Bracton  had  wisely  left  on  one  side.  He  would  like 
to  be  taken  for  a  well-read  decretist ;  but  really  his 
canonical  lore  seems  to  be  of  the  kind  that  an  outsider 
would  pick  up  pretty  easily  if  he  haunted  the  consistories 
and  now  and  then  glanced  at  a  handbook.  The  confusion 
between  *  capital  crimes  '  and  *  mortal  sins,'  the  talk  of 
'mortal  actions'  and 'venial  actions,' of  'real,  personal, 
and  mixed  sins,'  the  attempt  to  force  upon  our  temporal 
law  the  distinction  between  '  notoriety  in  fact,'  and  '  noto- 
riety in  law,'  the  attempt  to  represent  the  suitors  in  the 
local  courts  as  'judges  ordinary':  all  this,  if  it  be  not  a 
display  of  mere  ineptitude,  is  a  display  of  a  perverse  origin- 
ality which  amuses  itself  by  playing  havoc  among  technical 
terms.  And  at  this  point  we  remember  that  Dr.  Stubbs, 
without  mentioning  the  Mirror,  threw  out  the  suggestion 
that  Andrew  Horn  may  at  one  time  have  held  *  some  office 
in  connexion  with  the  Court  of  Arches.'  The  Canon  Law 
of  this  book  looks  like  the  Canon  Law  of  some  aspiring 
usher,  who  adorns  his  conversation  with  the  cast-off  phrases 
of  those  learned  doctors  to  whose  discourses  he  is  compelled 
to  listen. 

So  with  his  Roman  Law.  Almost  all  the  Romanesque  Roman  Law 
tracks  in  bis  book,  and  they  are  many,  lead  us  in  the  first  mrror 
instance  to  Bracton,  with  whose  work  he  certainly  was 
familiar.  Indeed,  but  one  passage  has  caught  my  eye  in 
which  he  distinctly  betrays  a  knowledge  of  a  Roman  text 
that  he  could  not  have  obtained  from  Bracton.  This  is 
the  definition  of  theft.  Let  us  compare  the  three  following 
passages :  — 

Institut.  4.  1.  1.  Furtum  est  contrectatio  rei  frau- 
dulosa  vol  ipsius  rei  vel  etiam  usus  eius  possessionisve. 

'  Below,  p.  60.  '  Below,  p.  133.  •  Below,  p,  122. 


XXXIV  THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES, 

Bracton,  f.  150  b  [Fleta,  p.  54]  :  Furtum  est  se- 
cundum leges  contrectatio  rei  alienae  fraudulenta  cum 
aiiimo  furandi  invito  illo  domino  cuius  res  ilia  fuerit. 

Mirror,  p.  25 :  Larcin  est  prise  dautri  moeble 
corporel  trecherousement  contre  la  volunte  celi  a  qi  il 
est  pur  male  gaigne  de  la  possession  ou  del  us. 

It  seems  fairly  clear  that  the  compiler  of  the  Mirror  com- 
bines Bracton  with  the  Institutes.  He  restores  the  usus 
eius  possessionisve,  which  Bracton  had  advisedly  suppressed, 
and  yet  retains  Bracton's  invito  domino.  However,  this 
one  instance  would  be  an  insufficient  cause  for  allowing 
him  even  a  copy  of  the  Institutes.  The  classical  definition 
oi  furtum  he  might  find  in  many  places.  And  so  when  he 
talks  nonsense  (for  nonsense  it  is,  if  he  is  describing  the 
English  law  of  his  own  day)  about  the  double  damages 
paid  for  theft  and  the  fourfold  paid  for  robbery,'  we  gather 
that  he  has  heard  just  enough  of  Eoman  law  to  make  this 
rubbish  possible.  But  of  any  study  of  the  Eoman  books 
we  can  see  no  evidence,  while  it  is  almost  incredible  that 
he  had  ever  been  through  a  school  of  professional  legists.^ 
Theim-  And  yet  he  is  the  man  who  writes  what  may  in  one 

perialist  ,      .  . 

motive  sense  be  called  the  most  Eomanistic  passage  that  is  to  be 
found  in  any  English  book.  Not  only  as  a  matter  of 
general  theory  does  he  attribute  force  to  *  the  written  law  ' ' 
and  place  the  Emperor  on  a  level  with  the  Pope  and  above 
all  kings '' — Bracton,  with  Azo's  work  before  him,  had  been 
careful  to  exclude  imperial  pretensions  ^ — but  he  has  the 
sublime  impudence  to  say  that  a  chapter  of  an  English 
statute,  which  he  particularly  dislikes,  is  void  because  it 
has  not  received  the  sanction  of  Pope  or  Emperor.'^  This 
doctrine  of  imperial  supremacy  he  may  have  heard  from  a 
civilian  or  from  a  German  merchant.  Had  it  gained  a 
foothold  in  England  a  '  reception  '  of  Eoman  law  would 
have  been  imminent.     But  we  have  here  only  a  dream, 

'  Below,  p.  150.  Instit.  4.  3.  §§  6.  7. 

^  The  talk  about  homicide  com-  '  Below,  p.  5. 

mitted  by  negligent  physicians  (be-  *  Below,  p.  123. 

low,"  p.  137)  is  not  due  to  Bracton,  '  Bracton,  f.  5  b,  107. 

and  some  phrases  in  it  remind  us  of  "  Below,  p.  195. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXXV 

and  one  that  came  through  the  ivory  gate.  The  orthodox 
English  doctrine,  among  men  who  cared  to  have  any 
doctrine  at  all  about  so  obvious  a  matter,  was  that  the  king 
of  England  was  within  his  realm  an  emperor  vel  quasi.^ 

It  seems  plain  that  this  man  has  Bracton  at  his  elbow,  rhc  mrror 

and  English 

There  are  in  his  book  passages  that  might  have  been  uw-books 
borrowed  from  Fleta  or  from  Britton.  But  I  think  it  clear 
that  he  has  gone  to  the  fountain-head.  We  will  take  for 
fexample  his  academic  discourse  on  homicide  and  the  kinds 
thereof.  The  very  practical  Britton  has  no  such  discourse. 
Fleta  has  abridged  that  which  he  found  in  Bracton,  who 
in  his  turn  had  borrowed  from  Bernard  of  Pavia. 

Mirror,  p.  22 :  Homicide  est  occision  de  homme 
par  homme  fete.  Car  si  par  heste  ou  mescheaunce 
adunc  nest  pas  homicide.  Cest  pecchie  chiet  en  ij. 
maneres  :  par  langue  e  par  fete.  Par  langue  en  iij. 
maneres  :  par  conseil,  comandement  e  defense. 

Fleta,  p.  33  :  Homicidium  est  hominis  occisio  ab 
homine  nequiter  facta,  et  potest  quis  corporaliter  occidi 
facto  et  lingua :  facto, — iustitia,  necessitate,  casu  et 
voluntate;  lingua, — praecepto,  consilio,  defensione. 

Bracton,  f.  120  b :  Et  est  homicidium  hominis 
occisio  ab  homine  facta,  si  enim  a  hove,  cane  vel  alia 
re  non  dicetur  proprie  homicidium.  .  .  .  Species  homi- 
cidii  sunt  plures.  .  .  .  lingua  vel  facto.  Lingua, 
tribus  modis.  .  .  . 

Bernardus  Papiensis  :  Homicidium  est  hominis 
occisio  ab  homine  vel  ab  hominibus  facta,  nam  et  si 
quatuor  vel  plures  homines  aliquem  vulneraverint  et 
ipse  inde  mortuus  fuerit  omnes  qui  eum  vulneraverint 
homicidae  reputantur  .  .  .  Species  homicidii  plures 
sunt  .  .  . 

The  remark  that,  if  a  man  is  killed  by  a  beast,  this  is 
not  homicide,  is  common  to  the  Mirror  and  Bracton ;  it 
does  not  come  from  Bernard  ;  it  is  not  received  by  Fleta.' 

'  See  Rishanger,  Chronica  et  An-  '  In  a  forthcoming  book  Bracton's 

nales  (Rolls  Ser.),  p.  255 :  '  quia  text  will  be  compared  with  Ber- 
hie  censetur  Imperator.'  nard's. 


XXXM 


THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES. 


Was  Britton 
used  ? 


The  Mirror 
and  Bracton 


Suppression 
of  Bracton's 
Dame 


That  Britton  as  well  as  Bracton  was  used  is  possible, 
but  cannot,  so  it  seems  to  me,  be  proved.  The  niost  strik- 
ing coincidence  is  the  following.  Britton  has  told  a  tale 
about  one  Kobert  Walerand,  who  was  a  prominent  justice 
and  a  royal  favourite  in  the  last  days  of  Henry  III.'  As 
I  understand  Britten's  words,  they  mean  that  to  Robert 
Walerand  was  due  an  ordinance  which  gave  the  king  the 
wardship  of  the  lands  of  all  born  fools.  We  find  the  same 
story  in  the  Mirror?  However,  Walerand  was  a  dis- 
tinguished man,  and  the  story  has  its  point  in  the  well- 
attested  fact  that  his  own  heir  was  an  idiot,^  so  that  his 
connexion  with  the  ordinance  would  be  easily  remembered, 
and  we  need  not  be  surprised  if  it  is  mentioned  a  few  yeai-s 
after  his  death  by  two  independent  writers.  The  author 
of  the  Mirror  will  mix  some  true  tales  with  his  fables. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  what  English  law-books  he  has  or 
what  he  has  not  used,  for  he  borrows  nothing  without 
distorting  it.  His  procedure  may  be  illustrated  by  what 
he  writes  about  the  crime  of  mayhem.  He  seems  to  have 
Bracton's  account  of  the  law  before  him,  but  he  adorns  it 
by  attributing  certain  dicta  to  three  ancient  judges  whom 
he  calls  Turgis,  Senwel,  and  Billing.''  Whether  this  is 
the  same  Billing  that  King  Alfred  hanged  he  does  not  tell 
us,  and  the  question  is  unanswerable,  for  Billing  is  the 
creature  of  his  brain.  He  is  borrowing  from  Bracton,  and 
concealing  the  enforced  loan  by  romance. 

When  once  we  have  been  persuaded  that  our  author 
has  been  studying  Bracton's  book,  our  estimate  of  his 
knowledge  of  law  of  any  sort  or  kind,  whether  Roman, 
Canon,  or  English,  will  not  be  very  high.  'Action  nest 
autre  chose  qe  loiale  demande  de  son  droit ' ;  ^  this  we  say 
comes  from  the  Institutes  until  we  see  that  Bracton  has 
already  borrowed  it.''  As  to  English  law,  it  seems  to  me 
that  when  the  Mirror  makes  any  statement  that  is  sober 
and  verifiable  and  yet  is  a  statement  that  goes  beyond  that 


Britton,  i.  243. 

Below,  p.  138. 

Engl.  Hint.  Rev.  vi.  3G9. 

Below,  p.  2i.    Compare  Bracton, 


145. 

'  Below,  p.  43. 

'  Bracton,  f.  98  b. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXXVU 

sort  of  knowledge  which  every  layman  may  have  of  the 
law  of  his  own  time,  the  source  of  that  statement  is 
Bracton.  That  Bracton's  name  should  nowhere  occur  in 
the  book  (though  Bracton's  hero,  Martin  of  Pateshull,  is 
mentioned  '),  that  is  exactly  what  we  might  expect.  The 
man  who  professed  to  have  read  records  that  never  existed 
was  the  very  man  to  conceal  the  name  of  the  writer  from 
whom  he  learnt  almost  all  that  he  knew. 

That  he  deliberately  stated  as  law  what  he  knew  "was  wiifui  mig- 
not  law,  if  by  law  we  mean  the  settled  doctrines  of  the  cfiaw 
king's  court,  will  be  sufficiently  obvious  to  anyone  who 
knows  anything  of  the  plea  rolls  of  the  thirteenth  century. 
If  at  the  present  day  a  man  wrote  a  law-book  and  said  in 
it,  *  Law  forbids  that  murderers  should  be  hanged ;  estates 
tail  cannot  be  barred  ;  bills  of  exchange  are  not  negotiable 
instruments,'  he  would  be  guilty  of  no  extravagance  for 
which  a  parallel  might  not  be  found  in  the  Mirror.  Let  us 
take  for  example  the  following  sentence :  *  The  law  also 
forbids  that  anyone  should  lease  or  take  to  farm  land,  or 
fee,  or  possession  for  any  term  of  years  beyond  the  term  of 
forty  years,  and  that  any  contracts  should  be  made  for  a 
perpetual  fee  farm,  or  for  any  term  at  a  higher  rent  than 
the  fourth  part  of  the  annual  value,  and  that  any  woman 
should  be  endowed  of  the  advowson  of  a  church.'  ^  One 
word  is  wanted  to  make  this  true ;  the  word  *  not.'  Our 
author  knows  that  as  well  as  we  know  it.  Let  us  take 
another  example.  *  If  rent,  suit,  or  other  service  due  to 
any  lord  from  his  fee  be  in  arrear,  the  tenant  is  not  to  be 
distrained  by  his  movable  goods.' '  This  statement  was 
as  false  in  Edward  I.'s  time,  as  obviously  and  notoriously 
false,  as  it  would  be  if  it  were  written  nowadays.  But  the 
author  has  a  feudal  fad ;  instead  of  distress  he  wants  to 
see  proceedings  taken  by  the  lord  in  his  seignorial  court. 
A  quantitative  analysis  of  his  work  which  would  accurately 
distinguish  all  that  is  true  from  all  that  is  false  we  can 
hardly  make.     We  are  naturally  unwilling  to  contradict 

'  Below,  p.  147.  "  Below,  p.  75  ;  see  also  p.  1C4. 

*  Below,  p.  129 ;  see  also  p.  175. 


XXXVlll 


THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES. 


Absence  of 

lawyerly 

interest 


The  parlia- 
mentary 
motive 


flatly  a  man  of  a  remote  age  who  talks  to  us  about  the 
law  of  his  own  time,  and  so  this  man  has  been  able  to 
trade  upon  our  diffidence  and  ignorance.  But,  when 
once  we  know  his  character,  we  shall  begin  to  suspect  that 
those  passages  in  his  book  which  successfully  stand  a  com- 
parison with  plea  rolls  and  honest  treatises  are  the  most 
deceptive,  having  been  designed  for  the  very  purpose  of 
inducing  us  to  swallow  the  fables  that  lurk  amongst  them. 

For  this  reason  it  is  hard  for  us  to  estimate  the  extent 
of  his  legal  knowledge.  He  is  wilfully  and  of  set  purpose 
misplacing  his  '  nots.'  But  of  a  lawyerly  interest  in  law 
we  see  very  few  signs.  He  does  not  love  to  argue,  as 
Bracton  loves  to  argue.  He  takes  no  delight  in  a  nice  case 
or  a  moot  point.  When  we  do  get  from  him  anything  that 
by  courtesy  could  be  called  a  legal  argument,  it  is  fantastic 
or  it  is  puerile,'  and  this  we  say  judging  it,  not  by  any 
standard  of  our  own  day,  but  by  the  standard  set  by  Glan- 
vill  and  Bracton,  by  Britton  and  Hengham. 

His  political  theory  is  simple.  He  is  strongly  opposed 
to  an  unfettered  monarchy  and  to  a  king  who  is  above  the 
law.  But  his  ideal  of  the  body  which  is,  or  ought  to  be,  a 
check  upon  the  king,  is  quaint  and  impracticable.  He 
first  puts  it  before  us  in  the  guise  of  ancient  history.  We 
must  go  back  to  *  the  coming  of  the  English.'  Further 
back  than  that  we  need  not  go.  He  is  as  ardent  a  Teu- 
tonist  as  was  the  la.te  Mr.  Freeman ;  more  ardent,  for  of 
the  Norman  Conquest  he  says  no'  word.  Of  British,  of 
Scandinavian,  of  French  elements  in  our  history,  he  will 
know  nothing.  The  very  name  of  William  he  ignores. 
And  yet  how  came  he  to  be  writing  in  French  of  English 
law  ?  He  can,  indeed,  allude  to  the  times  of  King  Arthur,'^ 
but,  at  all  events  for  political  purposes,  '  the  coming  of  the 
English  '  gives  us  the  requisite  tabula  rasa.  God  abated 
the  pride  of  the  Britons,  and  handed  over  the  land  to  those 
'  humble  and  simple '  Saxons  who  came  from  the  parts  of 
Almain.    These  Saxons  had  forty  sovereigns,  who  in  course 


'  See  e.g.  p.  162  (Abuse  73).     See  also  the  marvellous  mistake  about 
realiler  on  p.  190.  *  Below,  p.  3. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXXIX 

of  time  chose  a  king  to  reign  over  them.  Then  the  king- 
ship became  hereditary,  and  the  forty  princes  became  the 
king's  cornites  or  counts.  Each  of  them  governed  a  county.' 
A  parliament  of  counts  or  earls  meeting  twice  a  year  in 
London,^  which  aids  the  king  in  governing  the  people  and 
hears  all  causes  in  which  the  king  is  defendant,^  seems  to 
be  our  author's  political  ideal :  *  a  curiously  oligarchic  and 
aristocratic  ideal.  Even  of  the  barons  we  read  very  little, 
while  the  prelates  seem  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  tem- 
poral affairs.  Of  the  representation  of  shires  and  boroughs 
we  have  no  syllable ;  no  syllable  of  the  right  of  the  com- 
munity of  the  land  to  take  part  in  legislation  or  even  in 
taxation.  The  ideal  is  a  belated  ideal  even  in  the  days  of 
Edward  I. ;  indeed,  we  may  doubt  whether  at  any  time  a 
council  of  forty  earls  ever  stood  in  the  political  programme 
of  any  English  party.  But  then  we  do  not  know  that  our 
author  is  serious.     Is  it  not  all  a  dream  ? 

He  shows  some  curious  leanings  towards  liberty  and  Theequaii- 

"  ''  tarian 

equality,  an  intense  and  a  very  unmercantile  dislike  of  motive 
imprisonment,  more  especially  imprisonment  for  debt ;  *  a 
tendency  to  argue  that  the  lord  owes  just  as  much  to  his 
man  as  the  man  owes  to  his  lord ;  a  desire  to  give'the  bailiff 
just  the  same  remedy  against  the  master  that  the  master 
has  against  the  bailiff.  He  holds  that  the  villains  are 
being  unjustly  treated.  For  all  this,  however,  he  is  neither 
demagogue  nor  socialist.  The  feudal  arrangement  of 
society  is  for  him  a  sacred,  primeval,  unalterable  arrange- 
ment. He  does  not  denounce  it  as  modern  or  alien.  It 
was  established  here  immediately  after  *  the  coming  of  the 
English.'  Knights'  fees  and  wardship  in  chivalry  and 
seignorial  justice  were  among  the  first  institutions  of  '  our 
holy  predecessors.'  He  is  decidedly  opposed  to  that  free 
alienation  of  land  for  which  Bracton  argued  warmly. 
Indeed,  at  many  points  he  appears  as  a  stricter  feudist 

'  Below,  pp.  6-8.  •  Below,  p.  164  (Abuse  81) ;  p.  179 

*  Below,  pp.  8,  156.  (c.    29) ;     p.   184  :    '  imprisonment 
"  Below,  p.  7.                                        should  only  be  adjudged  in  case  of 

*  Below,  p.  36.    King  John  legis-      wrongful  imprisonment.' 
lates  with  the  assent  of  the  earls. 


xl 


THE   MIKROR   OF  JUSTICES. 


Absence  of 
civic  pre- 


No  mercan- 
tile motive 


than  Bracton  was.  He  has  exceedingly  severe  notions  con- 
cerning fealty  and  homage ;  the  tenant  may  easily  forfeit 
the  land,  the  lord  may  easily  forfeit  the  seignory. 

With  Andrew  Horn,  fishmonger  and  citizen,  in  our 
minds,  we  naturally  are  on  the  outlook  for  any  phrase 
which  may  exalt  the  City  of  London  or  magnify  civic 
privileges  or  civic  pretensions.  Especially  will  this  he  so 
if  we  remember  that  Horn  possessed  and  annotated  a  copy 
of  what  I  have  called  Dr.  Liebermann's  London  law-book, 
a  book  whose  compiler  was  ever  tampering  with  his  texts 
in  order  that  he  might  advocate  some  claim  dear  to  the 
hearts  of  London  citizens.  But,  if  I  am  not  mistaken, 
there  is  only  one  matter  about  which  the  author  of  the 
Mirror  speaks  in  the  municipal  key.  That  is  the  r-esidence 
of  aliens  within  the  realm.  He  holds  that  a  foreigner 
should  not  be  suffered  to  dwell  here  for  more  than  forty 
days  without  being  put  in  frankpledge.^  A  claim  of  this 
sort  is  a  distinctively  urban  or  municipal  claim,  and  is 
urged  in  the  London  law-book  at  the  expense  of  historic 
truth.^  On  the  other  hand,  we  may  find  in  the  Mirror  a 
passage  which,  if  written  by  a  London  citizen,  is  either 
marvellously  impartial  or  marvellously  well  devised  for  the 
purpose  of  throwing  hunters  off  the  trail.  It  is  explained 
to  us  that  the  ancient  liberties  which  are  guaranteed  to 
the  City  of  London  by  the  Great  Charter  are  only  such 
liberties  as  have  been  lawfully  granted  and  confirmed  by 
the  kings  and  have  not  been  forfeited  by  abuse.  Also  we 
are  told  that  no  distinction  in  this  respect  is  to  be  drawn 
between  London  and  other  places.^  Not  a  word  of  Troy, 
but  a  confession  that  Londoners  hold  their  franchises  by 
royal  grant  and  may  forfeit  them,  and  then  a  confession 
that  the  great  city  is  at  most  prima  inter  pares.  Our  author 
does  not  like  franchises,  whether  seignorial  or  municipal. 
Franchises  are  inequalities,  and  he  is  for  equality. 

Again,  we  can  catch  no  specifically  mercantile  strain, 
no  enhancement  of  the  law  merchant  at  the  expense  of  the 


■'  Liebermann,  Leges  Anglorum,  p.  13. 
-  Below,  p.  156  (Abuse  6) ;  p.  180  (c.  30). 


Below,  p.  177. 


INTRODUCTION.  xH 

common  law.  On  the  contrary,  our  compiler  has  a  marked 
hatred  for  King  Edward's  '  new '  mercantile  statute.'  It 
allows  imprisonment  for  debt.  So  doing,  it  infringes  the 
law  of  nature  and  the  law  of  God.  It  must  be  confessed 
that  if  this  book  comes  from  a  London  citizen  and  a 
wealthy  fishmonger,  he  has  allowed  his  own  private  theories 
and  fancies  to  override  the  interested  opinions  and  pre- 
judices of  the  class  to  which  he  belongs,  or  else — for  we 
must  take  nothing  for  granted  —knows  how  to  perplex  his 
readers. 

But  we  wrong  the  man  if  we  wish  to  make  him  the  Treatment 
representative  of  a  class.  He  stands,  for  the  sake  of  art  magnate. 
or  of  mystery,  outside  all  classes,  and  is  not  going  to  tell 
us  whether  he  is  hallowed  or  lay,  gentle  or  simple,  free  or 
bond,  from  town  or  from  country.  If  one  of  his  '  motives  ' 
would  suggest  one  inference  about  such  matters,  he  will  be 
careful  to  suggest  another  inference  by  another  motive. 
His  political  scheme  of  a  parliament  of  earls  and  his 
attacks  on  royal  officers  might  induce  us  to  call  him  a 
member  of  an  oligarchic  and  feudal  party.  But  he  has 
assaulted  the  dearest  interests  of  that  party  with  an  energy 
that  a  law  officer  of  the  Crown  might  envy.  In  the  first 
half  of  Edward  I.'s  reign  one  of  the  most  flagrant  disputes 
between  the  king  and  any  class  of  his  subjects  was  that 
which  related  to  the  '  franchises  '  of  the  magnates.  The 
royal  doctrine  was  that  franchises  could  not  be  claimed  by 
prescription,  while  many  of  the  prelates  and  barons  could 
show  no  other  title  for  those  jurisdictional  privileges  which 
they  exercised.  In  the  end  the  king  had  to  give  way.  In 
1290  he  conceded  that  a  seisin  continued  from  the  reign  of 
Richard  I.  might  be  pleaded  in  reply  to  a  quo  tiaranto. 
Now,  about  this  warmly  controverted  matter,  we  may  find 
in  the  Mirror  a  doctrine  which  an  attorney- general  could 
have  subscribed.  To  the  full  it  sanctions  the  extremest 
claims  that  had  been  put  forward  in  the  name  of  kingly 
prerogative.     The   man  who  attempts   to  prescribe   for  a 

■  Below,  p.  164  (Abuse  81) ;  p.  179  (c.  29) ;  p.  199. 


xlii 


THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES. 


The  author's 
disinterest- 
edness 


Treatment 
of  the 
Tillains 


franchise  does  but  aggravate  his  offence  by  asserting  that 
he  is  an  old  offender.'  Shall  we  say,  then,  that  our  author 
is  a  royalist  pamphleteer  ?  Far  from  it.  Let  the  nobles 
wait ;  their  turn  will  come,  for  *  it  is  an  abuse  that  a  tenant 
can  without  punishment  enfeoff  a  third  person  in  the  fee  of 
his  lord  to  his  lord's  prejudice.'^  This  is  a  handsome  con- 
cession to  the  great  folk  at  a  time  when  Quia  emptores  is 
imminent;  and,  though  the  franchises  are  attacked,  the 
seignorial  jurisdiction  of  the  court  baron  which  is  exercised 
by  the  suitors  as  'judges  ordinary'  is  warmly  defended 
against  the  new-fangled  writs  which  encroach  upon  its 
domain.^ 

Is  not  this  man  a  little  too  disinterested  ?  Have  we  not 
a  little  too  much  difficulty  in  assigning  the  class  to  which 
he  belongs  ?  Have  we  not  here  the  disinterestedness  of  the 
smart  j'oung  man  who  is  amusing  himself  and  laughing  in 
his  sleeve  ?  Having  told  us  how  Nolling  was  indicted  for 
a  sacrifice  to  Mahomet,  he  may  be  allowed  the  licence  of 
the  artist.  The  man  who  about  the  year  1289  says  that 
there  can  be  no  prescription  for  franchises,  and  yet  that 
the  lord's  consent  is  necessary  if  a  tenant  wishes  to  make 
a  feoffment,  is  giving  his  opinion  on  two  burning  questions. 
One  he  decides  against  the  nobles,  the  other  in  their  favour. 
In  each  case  his  opinion  is  that  which  the  statute  roll  is 
going  to  reject.  Such  a  man  is  a  representative,  not  of  the 
spirit  of  the  age,  but  of  a  disinterested  spirit,  the  spirit  of 
contradiction.* 

Of  late  years  the  pa.ssages  in  the  Mirror  which  have 
attracted  most  attention  are  those  which  speak  of  villainage. 
The  author  warmly  protests  that  according  to  law  villains 
and  serfs  are  not  all  one,  that  the  villains  are  free  men  and 
are  or  ought  to  be  protected  in  their  holdings  by  the  assize 
of  novel  disseisin.^     This  no  doubt  is  worthy  of  remark, 


'  Below,  pp.  113,  147. 

^  Abuse  151  (p.  175) ;  p.  181  (c. 
32). 

»  Below,  p.  179  (c.  24) ;  p.  182  ; 
p.  191  (c.  7). 

*  The  Statute  Quia  Emptores  and 
the  Statute   of   Quo  Waranto   both 


come  from  the  year  1290,  and  from 
what  seems  to  have  been  considered 
one  and  the  same  parliament.  See 
Statutes,  i.  106-7. 

'  Below,  pp.  79,  81, 162, 165, 177, 
194. 


INTRODUCTION.  xliii 

and  it  may  fairly  be  used,  as  it  has  been  used,  by  way  of 
argument  to  prove  that  the  legal  theory  of  villainage  which 
we  find,  not  merely  in  the  text-books,  but  in  the  records  of 
the  king's  court,  ran  counter  to  older  doctrines  which  would 
have  kept  the  servi  and  the  villani  apart  from  each  other.' 
At  the  same  time  we  must  observe  that  the  author's  heresy 
about  villainage  is  closely  connected  with  other  heresies 
which  can  hardly  have  any  traditional  basis.  If  it  is  an 
•  abuse '  to  deny  the  assize  of  novel  disseisin  to  the  tenant 
in  villainage,  it  is  also  an  '  abuse  '  to  deny  the  same  assize 
to  the  ejected  tenant  for  term  of  years,  and  it  is  also  an 
'  abuse '  to  hold  that  this  assize  does  not  protect  the  seisin 
of  advowsons.*  The  plea  in  favour  of  the  villains  loses  some, 
though  not  all,  of  its  force  when  we  find  it  mixed  up  with 
these  crotchets. 

Our  author  would  not  be  angry,  he  would  be  pleased,  if  ReaeMonwy 

,  motives 

we  called  him  a  '  reactionary  '  or  a  '  retrogressist.'  Like 
most  of  his  contemporaries  he  believes  rather  in  the  good 
old  time  than  in  the  good  time  coming,  and  it  is  his  cue  to 
restore  to  pristine  purity  those  '  usages  '  of  '  our  holy  pre- 
decessors '  which  have  been  '  turned  to  abuse.'  But  his 
hst  of  abuses  is  a  strange  medley.  As  to  a  few  of  them  we 
may  say  with  some  certainty  that  if  King  Edward's  justices 
and  oflBcers  were  guilty  of  the  practices  that  are  denounced, 
they  were  knowingly  breaking  the  law.  That  in  and  about 
1289  there  were  in  high  place  men  who  were  quite  capable 
of  knowingly  breaking  the  law  we  may  learn  but  too  easily 
from  sources  incomparably  more  trustworthy  than  the 
Mirror.  But  then  these  few  '  abuses '  are  mixed  up  with 
many  other  '  abuses '  which  really  are  the  newer  develop- 
ments of  the  common  law.  The  man  who  calls  them 
'  abuses  '  wants  (or  makes  believe  that  he  wants)  to  see  the 
stream  of  law  flowing  backwards.  Of  any  really  remote 
time,  even  of  the  twelfth  century,  he  does  not  know  enough 
to  enable  him  to  demand  the  revival  of  many  archaisms. 
But  Bracton's  book  and   living  tradition   teach  him  that 


Vinogradoff,  Villainage  in  England,  pp.  416-421. 
'  Below,  pp.  67,68,  162,  164.  ISM. 


C  2 


xliv  THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES. 

certain  doctrines  and  practices  are  novelties.  In  a  good 
many  instances  the  *  abuse  '  would  disappear  if  the  law  of 
1200  or  even  of  1250  could  be  restored.  Let  us  cite  a  few 
which  seem  to  belong  to  this  class. 

4.  It  is  an  abuse  that  force  may  be  used  in  disseisins 
after  the  third  day  of  peaceable  seisin. 

9.  It  is  an  abuse  that  there  are  so  many  forms  of  plead- 
able writs. 

13,  It  is  an  abuse  that  treason  is  not  more  commonly 
attainted  by  appeals. 

19.  It  is  an  abuse  that  justices  drive  a  lawful  man  to 
put  himself  upon  his  country  when  he  offers  to  defend  him- 
self by  his  body. 

50.  It  is  an  abuse  that  men  can  alienate  more  than  a 
quarter  of  their  inheritances  away  from  their  heirs. 

56.  It  is  an  abuse  to  make  a  man  answer  to  the  king's 
suit  when  he  is  not  indicted  or  appealed. 

85.  It  is  an  abuse  to  outlaw  a  man  for  a  default  when 
the  original  cause  of  the  proceedings  against  him  is  not  a 
felony. 

117.  It  is  an  abuse  that  rape  is  a  mortal  sin. 

124.  It  is  an  abuse  that  anyone  should  be  bound  to 
render  an  account  of  the  profits  of  land  whereof  he  is 
guardian  by  lawful  title. 

126.  It  is  an  abuse  that  there  is  no  trial  by  battle  in 
personal  actions  as  there  is  in  case  of  felony. 

127.  It  is  an  abuse  that  proofs  and  purgations  are  not 
made  by  the  miracle  of  God  when  no  other  proof  can  be  had. 

Abuses  new  Now  in  thesc  and  some  other  cases  the  rules  or  institu- 

tions that  are  struck  at  seem  to  be  novelties,  and  if  by  an 
'  abuse  '  the  author  merely  meant  that  they  were  novelties 
to  which  he  objected,  he  was  free  to  use  that  word.  And 
of  course  it  is  still  open  to  question  in  our  own  day  whether 
some  of  these  innovations  were  wisely  made  :  whether,  for 
example,  a  little  more  courage  might  not  have  avoided  the 
multiplication  of  new  writs ;  whether  there  was  any  need 
for  the  criminal  information  which  is  neither  appeal  nor 
indictment ;  whether  outlawry  should  not  have  been  con- 


and  old. 


INTRODUCTION.  xlv 

fined  to  cases  of  felony ;  and  so  forth.  Our  author's  voice 
is  (we  are  happy  to  say  it)  the  one  and  only  English  voice 
that  we  have  heard  pleading  for  a  restoration  of  'the 
miracle  of  God.'  Still  he  is  here  pleading  for  the  old 
against  the  new,  and  the  so-called  *  abuse  '  is  more  or  less 
of  a  novelty ;  some  yet  living  men  may  in  their  earliest 
childhood  have  seen  an  ordeal.  If  in  these  last  years  of 
the  nineteenth  century  a  man  said,  '  It  is  an  abuse  that 
fines  and  recoveries  are  not  permitted  ;  it  is  an  abuse 
that  the  peine  forte  et  dure  is  not  inflicted  ;  it  is  an  abuse 
that  choses  in  action  are  assignable,'  we  might  call  him  a 
lunatic,  but  still  should  have  to  credit  him  with  some 
knowledge  of  legal  history.  However,  many  of  the  Specu- 
lator's *  abuses  '  are  not  even  novelties.  Let  us  take  this 
for  example : — '  It  is  an  abuse  to  suppose  that  terms  of 
years  and  presentments  to  churches  cannot  be  recovered 
by  the  assize  of  novel  disseisin.'  '  Now,  without  daring 
to  say  that  never  in  any  single  instance  had  a  term  of 
years  or  the  presentment  of  a  church  been  recovered  by 
this  assize  (accidents  will  happen  even  in  courts  of  justice), 
we  can,  now  that  we  have  in  print  many  excerpts  from  the 
oldest  plea  rolls,  say  with  some  confidence  that  the  doctrine 
that,  is  here  reprobated  as  an  abuse  is  as  old  as  the  novel 
disseisin  itself.  But,  further,  the  practice  on  which  the 
lash  of  '  reprehension  '  falls  is  sometimes  no  novelty  ;  it  is 
an  almost  obsolete  archaism  that  is  lurking,  if  anywhere, 
in  the  local  courts.  Thus :  *  It  is  an  abuse  to  allow 
voucher  to  warranty  in  larceny  or  in  any  other  personal 
action.'  *  If  this  voucher  in  the  *  action  of  theft '  is  being 
allowed  in  Edward  I.'s  day,  we  have  here  no  new-fangled 
rule,  but  one  of  the  most  ancient  traits  of  primitive  Ger- 
manic law.  In  truth,  no  serious  attempt  is  being  made  to 
separate  the  old  from  the  new,  and  to  restore  the  law  of  a 
past  time.  This  manufacturer  of  '  abuses  '  knew  so  little 
of  any  history  that  such  an  attempt,  had  he  made  it, 
would  not  have  prospered  in  his  hands.  But  he  is  not 
making  it.     He  is  enjoying  himself. 

'  Abuse  76  (p.  164).  *  Abuse  106  (p.  166). 


xlvi 


THE   MIRROE  OF  JUSTICES. 


Pedantry  of 
the  Mirror 


The  attack 
on  the 
iuages 


When  we  have  to  deal  with  some  anonymous  and  im- 
personal book  we  gladly  catch  at  any  sentence  which 
seems  to  reveal  by  chance  some  little  of  the  author's 
life,  and  sometimes,  perhaps,  we  rear  too  lofty  an  edifice 
of  conjectural  biography  upon  a  very  slight  foundation. 
In  the  present  case  we  are  scarcely  tempted  to  any  such 
constructive  feat.  The  indications  are  too  many  and  too 
contradictory.  And  so  we  are  not  going  to  say  that  this 
book  comes  from  one  of  the  oppressed  villains,  or  from  one 
who  has  lain  in  prison  for  debt,  or  from  one  whose  favourite 
crime  was  rape.  But  perhaps  we  shall  say  that  it  comes 
from  one  whose  opinions,  or  professed  opinions,  are  the 
bport  of  small  philological  or  biblical  pedantries  ;  who  would 
oblige  a  lord  to  find  maintenance  for  every  serf,  since  servi 
are  derived  a  servando  ; '  who  holds  that  imprisonment 
should  never  be  inflicted  except  as  a  punishment  for  false 
imprisonment,  because  the  Mosaic  law  demands  strict 
retaliation  ;^  who  prides  himself  on  knowing  that  the  crime 
that  in  English  law  is  called  rape  (Lat.  rapum)  is  not 
exactly  the  raptus  of  the  Canon  law.*  His  book  is  an 
impersonal  book,  not  because  it  is  scientific,  nor  because 
he  is  modest,  but  because  he  is  fantastic  and  irresponsible. 

Howbeit,  the  strain  that  dominates  the  whole  book  is 
the  dislike  of  the  king's  officers  and  their  ways.  ■  Corrupt 
are  they  and  become  abominable  in  their  doings ;  there  is 
none  that  doeth  good,  no  not  one.  From  the  chancellor 
and  the  false  judges  downwards,  they  are  all  guilty  of 
offences,  which,  to  give  them  their  plain  names,  are  per- 
jury, larceny,  and  murder.  If  King  Alfred  came  back 
among  us  he  would  hang  such  folk  by  the  score.  The 
system  of  government  is  as  bad  as  those  who  administer 
it.  What  our  author  seems  to  detest  most  is  any  rule 
that  puts  the  king  or  any  of  his  subordinates  outside  the 
ordinary  course  of  common  justice.  Writs  should  run 
against  the  king  himself.  The  punishments  that  have 
been  denounced   of  late   against   official  oppressions  are 


Below,  p.  78 ;  Abuse  89  (p.  165). 
Below,  pp.  28-29. 


^  Below,  p.  184. 


INTRODUCTION.  xlvii 

inadequate ;  those  who  are  guilty  of  them  are  simply 
perjurers  and  larceners,  and  should  be  treated  as  such. 
May  we  not  guess  that  here,  if  anywhere,  our  author  is 
really  in  earnest,  and  that  a  good  deal  of  the  rest  of  his 
book  is  but  a  cloud  in  which  he  wraps  up  his  dangerous 
opinions — opinions,  I  mean,  that  may  bring  him  into 
danger '?  The  man  who  wants  to  revive  the  ordeal,  the 
man  who  holds  that  the  emperor's  consent  is  necessary  if 
rape  is  to  be  made  a  capital  crime,  can  always  laugh  at 
you  if  you  take  his  words  literally.  May  we  not  dream 
and  tell  our  dreams  ? 

The  dream  that  the  king  of  old  time  could  be  sued  in  The  scandal 

of  1289 

his  own  court  is  a  dream  that  is  becoming  popular.  It  is 
becoming  an  article  of  faith  among  those  who  have  com- 
plaints against  the  king  for  the  time  being.  Here,  more 
definitely  than  anywhere  else,  we  can  connect  the  Mirror 
with  a  political  programme  that  many  will  accept.'  Again, 
if  we  suppose  that  the  book  was  written  about  the  year 
1289,  the  talk  of  '  false  judges,'  the  hints  that  the  chancery 
and  the  exchequer  are  full  of  perjurers  and  thieves,  are  not 
without  point  and  truth.  It  was  the  time  of  the  great 
scandal,  the  time  of  Solomon  of  Rochester  and  Thomas 
Weyland,  the  time  of  Adam  of  Stratton,  the  time  when 
Edward  appointed  commissioners  to  try  his  judges,  and 
even  a  Hengham  hardly  escaped  with  untarnished  fame.' 
Even  here,  however,  our  friend  is  not  going  to  speak  out 
in  simple  and  straightforward  words.  He  will  imply  and 
he  will  allude.  He  will  not  talk  of  Stratton  and  Weyland  ; 
he  will  talk  of  Billing  and  Watling.  He  will  mix  up  real 
grievances  with  fables  and  falsehoods  and  views  and 
visions.     He   will  carp  at  Edward's  reforming   statutes, 

'  Pollock     and     Maitland,    Hist.  Ann.    Waverley,    408 ;  Ann.   Dun- 

Engl.  Law,  i.  500.  stable,  355  ;    Thomas  Wykes,  319  ; 

*  The    Records    relating   to  this  Ann.  Worcester,  499  ;  Barth.  Cotton, 

scandal  deserve  to  be  printed.     It  is  p.   171 ;    l^ic.    Trivet    (Eng.    Hist, 

mentioned  by  many  chroniclers.   See  Soc),  816.     ^ee  &\iO  Parliamentary 

French  Chrofiiclc  of  London  {C&md.  Writs  (ed.  Palgrave),  vol.  i.  Chron. 

Soc.),  p.  32 ;  Contimiator  of  Florence  Abstr.  14  ;  Stubbs,  Ccmst.  Hist.  ii. 

of   Worcester  (Eng.   Hist.  Soc),  ii.  120. 
240;   Rishanger   (Rolls  Ser.),  118; 


xlviii  THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES. 

urging  now  some  pedantic  trifle  and  now  some  flighty 
fancy.  It  is  the  oddest  jumble.  At  one  moment  we  seem 
to  hear  the  voice  of  Bentham,  when  codification  is  de- 
manded,' and  at  the  next  moment  we  are  back  among 
inalienable  fiefs.  All  is  wrong  ;  yes,  all. 
Summary  What,  then,  shall  we    say  of  this   book  ?    and   what 

shall  we  call  its  author  ?    Is  he  lawyer,  antiquary,  preacher, 
agitator,  pedant,  faddist,  lunatic,  romancer,  liar  ?     A  little 
of  all,  perhaps,  but  the  romancer  seems  to  predominate. 
He  would  like  that  some  of  his  tales  should  be  believed. 
He  hopes,  as  other  romancers  have  hoped,  to  edify  as  well 
as  to  amuse  his  readers.     But  he  is  careful  not  to  tell  us 
when  he  is  in  earnest  and  when  he  is  at  play.     So  to  do 
would  not  merely  be  an  inartistic  blunder  :  it  might  end  in 
his  being  taken  but  too  seriously.     He  is  making  an  attack 
on  powerful  persons,  on  the  king's  justices  and  ofl&cers.    He 
is  hinting  that  the  royal  court  is  a  den  of  thieves.     It  is 
well  for  him  that,  if  called  to  account  for  his  words,  he  can 
say  that  he  was  but  telling  stories  of  Alfred  and  Arthur, 
and  ask  you  whether  you  cannot  see  a  joke.     That  is  what 
makes  his  work  so  puzzling  to  us  nowadays.     We  guess 
that  he  wanted  his  readers  to  believe  some  things  that  he 
said.     We  can  hardly  suppose  him  hoping  that  they  would 
believe  all.     We  feel  sure  that  in  Paradise,  or  wherever  else 
he  may  be,  he  was  pleasantly  surprised  when  Coke  repeated 
his  fictions  as  gospel  truth,  and  erudite  men  spoke  of  him 
in  the  same  breath  with  Glanvill  and  Bracton.     And  yet 
we  cannot  say  with  any  certainty  when  he  intends  to  de- 
ceive, when  to  instruct,  when  to  divert.     That  is  just  what 
he  wished.     He  has  puzzled  us,  and  will  puzzle  us  until  we 
know  much  more  than  we  know  as  yet  of  the  times  in 
which  he  lived.     It  is  a  variegated,  tessellated  book,  this 
book  of  his  :  Dichtung  und   Wahrheit — or  shall  we  adopt 
Ihering's  Scherz  und  Ernst  in  der  Jurisprudenz  ?     But  why 
borrow  from  Germany?      Perhaps   (but  even  of  this  we 

'  Abuse  3  (p.  156) :  '  It  is  an  abuse       {hir  enchesons),  are  not  put  in  writ- 
that   the   laws   and   usages   of   the       ing,  so  that  they  might  be  known 
.  realm,  with    the    reasons  for  them       to  all. 


INTRODUCTION.  xlix 

cannot  be  sure)  we  have  his  own  description  of  his  own 
work  :  it  is  Ivory  and  Horn. 

To  elaborate  a  theory  as  to  the  origin  of  such  a  book  a  theory  of 

•^  .the  book 

would  be  hazardous  ;  but  we  have  seen  how  two  lines  of 
investigation  seem  to  converge.  In  order  to  discover  the 
date  of  its  composition  we  ask  what  statutes  are,  and  what 
are  not,  noticed  in  it,  and  we  are  thus  led  to  the  years 
between  1285  and  1290.  Then  we  see  that  its  main  and 
ever-recurring  theme  is  a  denunciation  of  '  false  judges,' 
and  we  call  to  mind  the  shameful  events  of  1289.  The 
truth  was  bad  enough ;  no  doubt  it  was  made  far  worse  by 
suspicions  and  rumours.  Wherever  Englishmen  met  they 
were  talking  of  *  false  judges  '  and  the  punishment  that 
awaited  them.  All  confidence  in  the  oiBficial  oracles  of 
the  law  had  vanished.  Any  man's  word  about  the  law 
might  be  believed  if  he  spoke  in  the  tones  of  a  prophet  or 
apostle.  Was  not  there  an  opening  here  for  a  fanciful 
young  man  ambitious  of  literary  fame  ?  Was  not  this  an 
occasion  for  a  squib,  a  skit,  a  *  topical '  medley,  a  '  variety 
entertainment,'  blended  of  truth  and  falsehood,  in  which 
Bracton's  staid  jurisprudence  should  be  mingled  with  freaks 
and  crotchets  and  myths  and  marvels,  and  decorated  with 
queer  tags  of  out-of-the-way  learning  picked  up  in  the  con- 
sistories ?  While  the  '  false  judges  '  were  being  soundly 
lashed,  and  the  gallows  was  being  erected  within  their  view, 
many  other  classes  of  men,  especially  those  which  were 
privileged,  could  be  made  to  feel  uncomfortable  by  attacks 
on  their  interests  and  their  cherished  beliefs.  Then  over 
the  whole  a  solemn  veil  of  religiosity  could  be  thrown,  and 
startled  readers  might  be  assured  that  all  that  was  written 
in  this  book  was  sanctioned  by  holy  writ  and  *  the  usages 
of  our  holy  predecessors.'  This,  no  doubt,  is  guess-work. 
It  is  very  possible  that  some  reader  more  learned  or  more 
acute  than  the  writer  of  these  lines  will  discover  some 
serious  purpose,  some  practical  scheme  of  reform,  running 
through  the  Mirror;  I  have  looked  for  it  and  have  not 
found  it. 

And  what  of  Master  Andrew,  the  Chamberlain  ?     Did 


1 


THE   MIEROR   OF  JUSTICES. 


Arguments 
for  Horn's 
authorship 


Arguments 
against 
Horn's 
authorship 


he  write  this  book  ?  Let  us  sum  up  the  evidence  which 
points  to  him  as  its  author.  In  the  first  place,  we  have 
those  five  verses.  They  are  obscure  enough ;  but  one 
plausible  interpretation  of  them  is,  that  by  contrasting 
Ivory  and  Horn  they  half  reveal,  while  they  half  conceal, 
the  author's  name.  In  the  second  place,  we  trace  the  only 
known  copy  of  the  book  into  Andrew's  possession,  and  have 
reason  to  believe  that  this  copy  was  made  for  him  and 
under  his  eye.  Thirdly,  we  find  in  his  possession  another 
book,  a  law-book  stuffed  with  fables,  which  may  well  have 
suggested  the  compilation  of  the  yet  more  fabulous  Mirror. 
Fourthly,  we  learn  that  he  regarded  these  two  books  as 
forming  part  of  a  grand  collection  of  materials  which  were 
to  serve  as  a  Corpus  luris  Anglicani.  Lastly,  we  may  attri- 
bute to  Horn,  as  well  as  to  the  composer  of  the  Mirror,  a 
tendency  to  trifle  with  Canon  law  ;  also  a  tendency  to 
speak  of  English  law  as  Saxon,  and  to  listen  to  what 
Germans  tell  of  Germany,  the  old  home  of  the  Saxons. 

On  the  other  hand,  we  have  some  scruple  in  attributing 
this  fantasia  to  the  patient  archivist  of  the  Gildhall,  who 
filled  volume  after  volume  with  trusty  transcripts  of  genuine 
documents,  or  to  the  chronicler  who  left  behind  him  those 
creditable  London  Annals.  The  Statute  of  Westminster  the 
Second,  which  in  the  Mirror  becomes  a  target  for  cavil  and 
reprobation,  was  for  the  civic  Chamberlain  peroptimum 
statutum.  That  some  thirty  or  forty  years  after  the  book 
was  written  an  honest  antiquary  should  treat  it  as  sound 
historical  material  would  not  surprise  us.  In  the  middle 
ages  the  clumsiest  forgers  deceived  the  gravest  critics,  and 
we  have  seen  how  Horn  treasured  and  annotated  a  copy  of 
another  law-book  which,  though  much  less  mythical  than 
the  Mirror,  contained  many  a  purposeful  falsehood.  Again, 
Horn  did  not  die  until  1328,  while  the  Mirror  looks  as  if 
it  had  been  written  about  forty  years  earlier.  But  perhaps 
it  is  here  that  lies  the  solution  of  the  difficulty.  We  may 
have  before  us  the  work  of  a  young  man  who  grew  wiser  as 
he  grew  older.  In  the  Mirror  he  sowed  his  wild  oats.  He 
began,  as  clever  youths  often  will,  with  the  romance  of  law, 


INTRODUCTION.  li 

with  a  very  '  general  jurisprudence,'  with  history  written  a 
priori,  with  a  full  persuasion  that  he  is  wiser  than  the 
judges  and  that  those  who  differ  from  him  live  in  *  mortal 
sin.'  He  lived,  as  perhaps  even  a  clever  youth  sometimes 
will,  to  love  the  document  and  collect  materials  for  the  Selden 
Societv.  In  that  case,  however,  we  shall  have  to  add  that 
to  the  end  of  his  life  he  kept  his  early  work  by  him, 
thought  no  great  evil  of  it,  and  proposed  to  include  it  in 
his  collection  of  legal  treatises  along  with  the  prosaic 
Britton.  But  we  are  none  of  us  severe  enough  judges  of 
what  we  wrote  while  the  ivory  gate  stood  open. 

Were  we  sitting  as  a  jury  to  try  Horn  for  the  publica-  xhevenuot 
tion  of  this  book,  we  should  have  to  give  him  the  benefit  of 
the  doubt,  though  we  could  hardly  say  that  he  '  left  the 
court  without  a  stain  upon  his  character.'  However,  we 
need  be  in  no  hurry  to  decide  the  question.  A  good  deal 
about  Horn  has  been  discovered  in  recent  years,  and  pro- 
bably much  more  will  be  discovered.  He  was  an  important 
man  in  the  City.  A  few  more  facts  might  turn  the  scale 
one  way  or  another.  For  example,  could  we  see  him  im- 
prisoned, we  might  begin  to  believe  that  the  Mirror  was 
written  in  gaol.  At  present  there  is  evidence  against  him, 
but  it  is  by  no  means  conclusive.  We  should  almost  cer- 
tainly acquit  him  were  it  not  for  those  verses  ;  and  on 
them  we  must  not  lay  much  stress,  for  we  cannot  be  sure 
that  they  have  come  to  us  in  their  original  shape,  and  it 
may  be  within  our  memories  that  in  days  not  long  gone 
by,  when  'verses'  were  'compulsory,'  a  promising  dactyl 
such  as  ebnre  seemed  to  certain  schoolboys  too  providential 
to  be  meaningless. 

Once  more  let  it  be  repeated  that,  if  this  book  was  Failure  of 

/        .  .  .the  Mirror 

meant  to  be  read  and  copied,  it  was  a  miserable  failure. 
Our  libraries  teem  with  Glanvills  and  Bractons,  with 
Brittons  and  Henghams,  with  Fct  a  saver  and  Cadit  assisa. 
The  copy  of  the  Mirror  that  Horn  gave  to  the  Gildhall 
remained,  so  far  as  we  know,  a  unique  copy  until  it  was 
unearthed  by  a  generation  which  had  forgotten  the  thir- 
teenth century  and  was  greedy  of  old  tales.     No  doubt  a 


lii 


THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES. 


Defects  of 
the  manu- 
script 


This  edition 


well-read  and  circumspect  historian  may  find  valuable 
hints  in  this  book ;  but  the  statements  of  law  that  are 
in  it  he  will  often  construe  by  '  the  rule  of  contrary,' 
and  he  will  insert  a  '  not '  whenever  the  author  is  more 
than  usually  positive.  If  ever  we  are  tempted  to  accept 
any  statement  made  in  the  Mirror  and  not  elsewhere 
warranted,  we  shall  do  well  to  ask  ourselves  whether  we 
believe  that  an  Englishman  called  Nolling  was  indicted  for 
a  sacrifice  to  Mahomet,  and  to  speculate  as  to  what  may 
happen  if  six  centuries  hence  The'  Comic  Blackstone  is 
mistaken  for  the  work  of  the  great  commentator. 

If  the  book  was  composed  so  early  as  1290  or  there- 
abouts, the  existing  MS.  cannot  be  the  original.  But  I  do 
not  think  that  in  any  case  it  can  be  the  first  MS.  that  was 
written.  It  is  full  of  mistakes.  Some  of  these  look  to  me 
like  the  mistakes  of  a  clerk  who  is  writing  from  dictation  : 
they  are  mistakes  committed  by  the  ear  ;  but  others  seem 
to  be  mistakes  of  the  eye.'  If  we  suppose  Horn  to  be  its 
author,  we  may  perhaps  think  of  him  as  getting  this  MS. 
made  near  the  end  of  his  life  from  an  older  and,  it  may 
have  been,  a  very  rough  copy. 

Mr.  Whittaker's  endeavour  has  been  to  put  before  the 
Society  an  exact  transcript  of  this  MS.,  the  letters  that  in 
the  MS.  are  m  compendia  being  here  represented  by  italic 
letters  ;  but  the  capricious  punctuation  of  the  MS.  has  not 
been  preserved.  In  one  respect  he  has  departed  from  the 
original.  The  original  is  divided  into  four  books.  The 
printed  text  of  1642  is  divided  into  five  chapters,  the  third 
book  of  the  MS.  having  been  divided  into  two  chapters  in 
the  printed  text.  As  a  good  many  of  our  law-books  contain 
references  to  the  Mirror,  it  has  seemed  well  that  we  should 
at  this  point  preserve  the  arrangement  made  in  1642.  Our 
third  and  fourth  books,  therefore,  represent  the  third  book 
of  the  MS. ;  our  fifth  book  is  its  fourth. 


'  '  In  particular  he  has  a  curious 
trick  of  writing  r  instead  of  i  at  the 
beginning  of  a  word.  On  many  occa- 
sions he  has  written  requis  instead 
of  ieques  {moi.Fr.jusque).     When, 


as  frequently  happens,  rf;es  is  put  for 
scs,  this  looks  like  a  mistake  of  the 
ear ;  but  we  often  find  ces  for  ceo, 
and  this  is  a  mistake  of  the  eye. 


INTRODUCTION.  llll 

The  text  is  so  corrupt  that  a  good  editor  of  the  Mirror  corruption 

.  ,  ,     J  of  the  text 

ought  to  have  that  perfect  and  scientific  knowledge  of 
medieval  French  which  would  enable  him  to  suggest 
numerous  emendations.  In  particular  he  ought  to  know 
what  medieval  French  would  sound  like  when  spoken  by  a 
medieval  Englishman  and  listened  to  by  a  sleepy  clerk. 
Any  such  knowledge  we  cannot  pretend  to  have,  but  Mr. 
Whittaker  may,  I  think,  claim  that  his  text  is  at  all  events 
far  better  than  that  which  has  hitherto  been  current.  The 
editor  of  1642  made  many  blunders  and  allowed  himself  a 
marvellous  licence.     One  specimen  may  be  enough  : — 

MS.     par  quoi  qe  ne  fet  mie  a  crere  mesdisaunz  ne  a 

la  veine  voiz  del  poeple. 
1642.     per  quoy  que  ne  fit  my  tryer  misdemeanors  ne 

al  a  vicine  del  people.' 

Perhaps  the  oddest  mistake  is  one  which  speaks  of  the 
crimes  '  de  heresie  et  de  Romery.'  Well,  *  Romery  ' .  might 
be  an  offence  afid  a  sort  of  heresy  in  1642,  but  hardly  in 
the  days  of  Andrew  Horn  or  King  Alfred.  The  MS.  has 
reneire — that  is,  renegation.  It  is  not  very  seemly,  however, 
for  us  to  be  pointing  out  errors  when  we  are  but  too 
conscious  that  we  have  not  done  all  that  philological  skill 
and  legal  learning  might  have  done  for  the  restoration  of 
our  text.  In  translating  it  an  attempt  has  been  made  to 
make  the  translation  of  bad  passages  serve  as  a  comment 
upon  them  :  in  other  words,  conjectural  amendments  are 
thrown  into  the  translation  instead  of  being  thrown  into 
footnotes.  A  few  passages  we  have  been  compelled  to  leave 
untranslated. 

We  owe  our  best  thanks  to  the  Master  and  Fellows  of  t^*  '•<>"*• 
Corpus  Christi  College  for  allowing  us  to  transcribe  the 
MS.,  and  to  two  successive  librarians  of  the  College,  namely, 
the  late  Mr.  S.  S.  Lewis  and  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Harmer  (now 
Bishop  of  Adelaide),  for  many  courtesies ;  our  debts  to 
Dr.  Verrall  of  Cambridge,  and  Dr.  Liebermann  of  Berlin, 
we  have  already  acknowledged.     Mr.  H.  S.  Milman  has 

'  Ed.  1642,  p.  141 ;  below,  p.  59. 


liv  rur.  mjrkok  of  justices. 

been  kind  enough  to  allow  us  to  see  some  valuable  notes 
on  the  authorship  of  the  Mirror  that  he  wrote  a  few  years 
ago.  We  could  wish  that  the  book  had  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  an  editor  who  would  have  solved  all  its  riddles. 

F.  W.  M. 

Apnl  18,  1895. 


Postscript.— Whether  our  author  intended  his  book  to 
be  a  Mirror  of  Justices  or  a  Mirror  for  Justices  is  not  very 
certain.  Near  the  beginning  we  find  '  Mireur  a  Justices  ' 
(p.  3),  while  in  the  Explicit  we  find  'Mireour  des  Justices.' 
The  Latin  Ivcipit  gives  us  '  Speculum  lusticiariorum.' 

It  has  been  pointed  out  to  me  that  there  may  be  in 
those  mysterious  verses  a  pun  that  I  had  not  detected.  We 
have  the  words  apprenticiis  ad  barros  immediately  followed 
by  the  word  ebore.  I  do  not  think  that  the  word  barros 
(which,  though  rubbed,  is  fairly  legible)  need  surprise  us, 
for  a  masculine  barrus  seems  to  have  been  in  use  as  well  as 
the  more  common  barra.  Again,  the  plural  of  the  word 
seems  to  have  been  sometimes  used  to  describe  what  we 
should  call  the  bar  of  a  court.  Besides,  the  versifier  may 
be  speaking  of  the  apprentices  at  the  bars  of  the  various 
courts.  But,  if  an  undesigned,  it  is  a  curious  coincidence 
that  he  has  brought  into  close  contact  with  ivory  {ebur)  a 
word  {barros)  which  may  mean  elephants.  This  word  (barrus) 
occurs  in  Horace,  Epod.  12.  1,  and,  though  a  very  rare 
word,  seems  to  have  made  its  way  into  medieval  glossaries. 
If  we  suppose  that  there  is  a  pun,  then,  as  our  Secretary, 
Mr.  B.  F.  Lock,  suggests  to  me,  the  apprentices  to  the 
bars  are  also  apprentices  to  the  elephants  and  receive  a 
gift  'graced  with  tusks'  (ebore  gratum).  This  book,  we 
may  say,  conveys  to  the  apprentices  a  present  grateful  as 
tusks  to  young  elephants  (for  it  will  enable  them  to  fight), 
while  it  provides  solid  food  for  older  lawyers.  He  also 
suggests  that  gratum  may  be  a  mistake  for  gratius.  This, 
if  we  assume  that  inridicis  was  pronounced  with  an  initial 


INTRODUCTION.  Iv 

vowel  sound,  might  '  scan,'  while  it  would  make  grammar 
and  sense  without  the  pun,  and  yet  would  not  interfere 
with  the  pun,  if  pun  there  be  :  *  a  gift  to  the  law  students 
*  more  precious  than  ivory  (to  elephants),'  Either  of  these 
suggestions  might  enable  us  to  say  that  the  first  four  lines 
can  dispense  with  the  fifth,  and  that  the  juxtaposition  of 
ivory  and  Horn  is  accidental.  Whether  barms  (elephant) 
was  a  word  with  which  our  author  was  likely  to  be  ac- 
quainted is  a  question  that  I  must  leave  to  others.  The 
supposition  that  the  copyist  of  the  manuscript  wrote  ebore 
when  he  ought  to  have  written  something  else  will  not  be 
ignored  by  those  who  know  him. 


EBB  AT  A. 

48,  line  10  :  le  denger  should  be  ledenger,  meaning  to  abase,  to  insult. 
See  the  next  correction. 

107.  This  passage  about  Leuthfred's  statute  appears  again  on  p.  152,  in 
a  correcter  form.  Instead  of  des  suz  estuz  et  mis  we  should  read  des- 
vestuz  et  nus.  Translate  as  follows  :  '  who  ordained  that  one  might 
defend  [=  deny]  opprobrious  words  [=  charges  of  having  used  oppro- 
brious words]  and  naked  and  devested  contracts  by  one's  law  [  =  by 
compurgation].'  The  word  ledenge  means  insulting,  opprobrious.  See 
Ducange,  Oloss.  franq.  s.  v.  Udangier,  ledenge  ;  La  Came  de  Sainte- 
Palaye,  s.  e.  v. ;  Diez,  s.  v.  laido.  It  is  coimected  with  Mod.  Fr.  laid  ; 
litttrd,  B.  v.  laid. 


LE    MIEEUB   A.  JUSTICES 


THE    MIREOE   FOR   JUSTICES 


ISTE   LIBER   VOCATUR   SPECULUM 
JUSTITIARIORUM. 


Ilanc  legum  summam  si  quis  vult  iura  tueri 
Perlegat  et  sapiens  si  vult  orator  haberi. 
Hoc  apprenticiis  ad  barros  ebore  munus 
Gratum  juridicis  ^  utile  mittit  opus. 
Horn  mihi  cognomen  Andreas  est  mihi  nomen. 

Cum  jeo  maperceyvoie  devers  de  ^  qe  la  lei  deveroyenc 
govemer  par  rieules  de  droit,  aver  regard  a  lur  demeine 
terriens  proffiz,  e  as  princes  seignurages  e  amis  plere,  e 
a  seignitries  e  avoir  amassier,  e  nient  assentir  qe  les  dreiz 
usages  fusent  unqes  mis  en  escrist,  par  unt  poer  ne  lur 
fuse  toleit,  des  uns  par  colour  de  jugement  prendre,  les 
autres  exiler,  ou  enpnsoner,  ou  desheriter,  saunz  peine 
emporter,  coveranz  lur  pechie  par  les  excepcions  de  errour 
e  de  ignoraunce,  e  nient  ou  poi  pernaunte  regard  as  almes 
de  peccheours  sauver  de  dampnacioun  par  leaux  jugementz, 
solom  ceo  qe  lur  office  demaunde,  e  eient  usez  en  cea  a 
juger  la  gent  de  lur  testes  par  abusions  e  examples  dautres 
erpanz  en  la  lei  plus  qe  par  droites  riules  de  seint  escripture, 
en  arrerissement  g?'antment  de  vostre  ^  aprise,  qi  edefiez 
sanz  foundement  e  apernez  a  juger  eins  ces  *  qe  vows  \ous 
conoissez  en  jurideccion  qest  pie  de  vostre  aprise,  e  en  lei 
de  terre  einz  ceo  qe  en  lei  de   persones,  auxi  com  est  de 


'  The  ■word  juridicis,  which  is  not  now  legible,  is  supplied  from  a 
comparatively  modern  copy  of  the  verses,  which  has  been  written  on  the 
first  page  of  the  MS. 

-  Supply  ceux.  ^  Or  nostre.  *  Corr.  ceo. 


THE   MIRROR   OF   JUSTICES. 


Kead  me,  whoe'er  the  substance  of  the  laws 
Desires  to  see,  or  plead  with  sage  applause. 
Here  Ivory's  grace  attracts  apprentice  eyes, 
While  profit  for  the  coif  our  book  supplies. 
Horn — Andrew  Horn — the  author  is  who  writes 
[Thus  Horn  with  Ivory,  Truth  with  Grace  unites]. 

When  I  perceived  that  divers  of  those  who  should  govern 
the  law  by  rules  of  right  had  regard  to  their  own  earthly 
profit,  and  to  the  pleasing  of  princes  and  lords  and  friends, 
and  to  the  amassing  of  lordships  and  goods,  and  would 
never  assent  that  the  right  usages  should  be  put  in  writing, 
whereby  would  be  taken  from  them  the  power  of  arresting 
some  by  colour  of  judgment,  and  of  exiling,  imprisoning, 
or  disheriting  others,  without  suffering  punishment  there- 
for, and  when  I  saw  them  cloaking  their  sin  by  the 
*  exceptions  ' '  of  error  and  ignorance,  and  having  little  or 
no  regard  to  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  sinners  from 
damnation  by  lawful  judgments,  as  their  office  demands, 
and  having  hitherto  used  to  judge  folk  out  of  their  own 
heads  by  abuses  and  precedents  of  others  erring  in  the 
law,  and  not  by  the  right  rules  of  Holy  Writ,  to  the  great 
hindrance  of  your  endeavour,  all  ye  who  build  without 
foundation,  and  take  on  yourselves  to  judge  before  that  ye 
are  learned  in  jurisdiction,  which  is  the  very  groundwork 
of  your  profession,  and  hold  yourselves  out  as  learned 
in  the  law  of  land  before  ye  have  mastered  the  law  of 

'  We  might  say  *  special  pleas,'  or  simply  excuses ;   but  our  author 
chooses  to  use  a  technical  term. 

b2 


2  SPECULUM   JUSTITIARIORUM. 

ceux  qe  apernent  arz  avant  les  parz  : — Je  persecutor  de 
faus  juges  e  par  lur  exsecucion  fausement  enprisone,  les 
privileges  le  Eoi  e  les  vieuz  roulles  de  sa  tresorie,  dount 
amis  me  solacerent  en  mon  soiour,'  cerchai,  e  le  founde- 
ment  e  la  nessaunce  des  usages  dEngleterre  donez  por  lei, 
oveqe  les  gueredouns  des  bons  jugez  e  la  peyne  des  autres 
i  trovai,  e  a  plus  bref  qe  jeo  savoie  la  necessite  mis  en 
remenbraunce,  a  quoi  compaigno72S  meiderent  destudier  el 
viel  testament,  el  novel,  el  canon  e  en  lei  escrist. 

Trovames  qe  lei  nest  autre  chose  qe  riules  donees  par 
nos  seinz  predecessors  en  seinte  esc7-ipture  por  sauver  almes 
de  dampnacion  perpetuele,  tut  soit  ele  par  faus  juges  de- 
fuscez.  E  trovames  qe  tote  seinte  escWpture  remeint  el 
vieu  testament  e  el  novel.  Le  viel  contient  treis  ordres,  lei, 
prophetes  e  agiograffes.  En  la^  sont  vj.  volums  pentateuc. 
Genesis,  Exode,  Leviticus,  le  livre  de  Numeri  e  le  livre 
Deuteronomii.  En  lordre  des  prophetes  sunt  viij.  volums, 
Josue,  Judicum,  Samuel  qi  est  le  primer  e  le  secunde  des 
Rois,  le  quart  Malachiel  qi  est  des  Rois  e  contient  le  tierz 
livre  e  le  quart  des  Eois ;  le  quint  est  Isaie ;  le  sisime 
leremie ;  le  setime  Ezechiel;  le  utime  le  livre  de  xij.' 
prophetes.  En  lordre  des  agiograffes  sunt  ix.  volums,  lob, 
le  livre  de  Psaumes,  les  Proverbes  de  Salomon,  dEcclesiastes, 
Cantica  Canticorww,  Daniel,  Paralipomenon,  Esdras,  e 
Hester.  E  estre  ces  ■*  sunt  autres  livres  el  viel  testament, 
tut  ne  soient  il  auctorizes  el  canon,  sicom  Thobie,  Judith, 


'  Or  sorour.  '  Sn-piplj  petits  (?). 

'  Supply  lei.  *  Corr.  ceo. 


THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES.  2 

persons  '  (like  to  those  who  study  the  Hberal  arts  before  the 
parts  of  speech  ^) :  I,  the  prosecutor  of  false  judges,  and 
falsely  imprisoned  by  their  order,  in  my  sojourn  [in  gaol] 
searched  out  the  privileges '  of  the  king  and  the  old  rolls 
of  his  treasury,  wherewith  my  friends  solaced  me,  and  there 
discovered  the  foundation  and  the  generation  of  the  customs 
of  England  which  are  established  as  law,  and  the  guerdons 
of  good  judges  and  the  punishment  of  others,  and  as  l)riefly 
as  I  could  I  set  in  remembrance  what  is  essential,  for 
which  end  my  companions  aided  me  in  the  study  of  the 
Old  Testament  and  the  New,  and  the  canon  and  the  written 
law. 

And  we  discovered  that  law  is  nothing  else  than  the 
rules  laid  down  by  our  holy  predecessors  in  Holy  Writ  for 
the  salvation  of  souls  from  everlasting  damnation,  although 
it  be  obscured  by  false  judges.  And  we  found  that  all 
Holy  Writ  consists  of  the  Old  Testament  and  of  the  New. 
The  Old  contains  three  divisions — the  law,  the  prophets, 
and  the  hagiographers.  In  the  law  there  are  the  live  * 
volumes  of  the  Pentateuch :  to  wit.  Genesis,  Exodus,  Levi- 
ticus, Numbers,  and  Deuteronomy.  In  the  class  of  the 
prophets  there  are  eight  volumes  :  to  wit,  Joshua,  Judges, 
Samuel  (which  is  the  First  and  Second  of  Kings) ;  the 
fourth  is  Malachiel,  concerning  the  kings,  and  contains 
the  Third  and  Fourth  Books  of  Kings  ;  the  fifth  is  Isaiah, 
the  sixth  Jeremiah,  the  seventh  Ezechiel,  the  eighth  is  the 
book  of  the  twelve  minor  prophets.  In  the  class  of  hagio- 
graphers there  are  nine  volumes :  to  wit.  Job,  Psalms, 
Proverbs  of  Solomon,  Ecclcsiastes,  the  Song  of  Songs, 
Daniel,  the  Chronicles,  Esdras,  and  Esther.  And  besides 
there  are  other  books  in  the  Old  Testament,  albeit  they  are 
not  in  the  canon,  such  as  Tobit,  Judith,  Maccabees,  and 

'  It  appears  from  the  last  sentence  •  Perhaps  in  the  sense  of  privi- 

of  the  book  that  our  author  regards  legia  granted  by  the  king— charters 

his  work  as  a  treatise  on  '  the  law  of  of  immunity  and  the  like, 

persons,'  which  is  more  elementary  *  As  the  text  stands  our  author 

than  the  law  of  land.  seems  to  make  six  volumes  by  add- 

*  It  is  believed  that  this  jingling  ing  the  Pentateuch  to  its  five  corn- 
contrast  between   artes   and  partes  poncnt  books, 
was  not  uncommon. 


3  SPECULUM  JUSTITIAEIOEUM. 

Machabees  e  ceo  qe  lenz  est  de  Salomon  e  dEcclesiastes. 
Le  novel  testament  contient  les  evangelistres,  les  apostres 
e  les  seinz  peres.  Les  evangellistes  contienent  iiij.  volu7«s. 
Le  scripture  des  apostres  contienent  iiij. ;  les  epistres  Pol, 
les  epistres  del  canon,  le  Apocalips  e  les  Actes  des  Apostres. 
De  lescnpture  des  piers  nen  ad  nul  ce?-tein  noumbre  de- 
termine. 

E  de  nows  usages  fiz  concordaunce  a  lescripture.  E  en 
langage  plus  entendable  en  eide  de  vows  e  del  comun  del 
poeple  e  en  vergoigne  de  faus  juges  compilai  ceste  petite 
Bumme  de  la  lei  des  pe?'Sones,  des  genz,  en  v.  chapitrcs, 
ceste  assaver,  en  pecchiez  countre  la  seinte  pees,  accions, 
excepcions,  jugemenz,  abusions,  qe  jeo  appellai  Mireur  a 
Justices,  solum  ceo  qe  jeo  t?-ovai  les  vc?-tues  e  les  substaunces 
embullees  e  puis  le  temps  le  Eoi  Arthur  usez  par  seinz 
usages  accordaunce  '  as  riules  avantdites.  E  yous  pri  qe  les 
defautcs  voillez  redrescier  e  aiouster  solom  ceo  qe  par  verrei 
garraunt  enporrez  estre  garantiz  e  procurer  a  rep?'endre  e 
confondre  les  cotidienes  abusions  de  la  lei. 


Corr.  accordauntz. 


THE   MIRROR   OF  JUSTICES.  3 

what  is  therein  of  Solomon  and  Ecclesiastes.  The  New 
Testament  contains  the  Evangehsts,  the  Apostles,  and  the 
Holy  Fathers.  The  Evangelists  contain  four  volumes  ;  the 
writings  of  the  Apostles  contain  four,  the  Epistles  of  Paul, 
the  Canonical  Epistles,  the  Apocalypse,  and  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles.  Of  the  writings  of  the  Holy  Fathers  there  is 
no  certain  number  determined. 

And  I  made  a  concordance  of  our  usages  with  the 
Scriptures.  And  in  a  language  easy  to  be  understood,  and 
for  your  aid  and  that  of  the  commonalty  of  the  people,  and 
to  the  shame  of  false  judges,  I  compiled  this  little  summary 
of  the  law  of  persons,  or  the  law  of  the  folk,  in  five  chapters: 
to  wit,  (1)  Of  sins  against  the  holy  peace,  (2)  Of  actions, 
(8)  Of  exceptions,  (4)  Of  judgments,  (5)  Of  abuses.  And 
this  summary  I  have  called  The  Mirror  for  Justices, 
according  as  I  found  the  virtues  and  the  substances  sanc- 
tioned by  bulls  and  by  holy  usages  which  have  obtained 
since  the  time  of  King  Arthur  in  accordance  with  the  rules 
aforesaid.'  And  I  pray  you  to  redress  and  adjust  the 
defaults  as  best  you  may  be  warranted  by  good  warrant, 
and  to  procure  that  the  daily  abuses  of  the  law  may  be 
reproved  and  brought  to  naught. 


'  Apparently,  embullces  (Lat.  im- 
bullatas)  must  mean  comprised  in 
bulls  or  charters  under  seal,  such  as 
those  privileges  of  the  kings  to  which 


the  anthor  has  recently  referred. 
He  is  to  give  us  the  virtues  and 
substances,  that  is,  the  force  and 
substance  of  charters  and  usages. 


♦b  4 


[LIBEE   I.     DE   PECCHIEZ   COUNTKE  LA  SEINTE 

PEES.]  ' 


De  la  nessaunce  de  la  seinte  lei. 
De  la  venue  des  Engleis. 
Des  premiers  constituciouns. 
De  pecchie  e  de  sa  devisioun. 
Del  crime  de  mageste. 
De  fausonerie. 
De  traison. 
De  arson. 
De  homicide. 


De  larcin. 

De  hamsokne. 

De  rap. 

Del  office  de  corouner. 

Del  eschere.^ 

Des  menues  courtz. 

Des  cours  de  viscountes. 

Des  veuues  de  fr«nc  pleges. 


'  The  MS.  does  not  give  this  heading.  -  Corr.  del  escheqiiere. 


BOOK  I.     OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE. 


1.  Of  the  generation  of  Holy  Law. 

2.  Of  the  coining  of  the  English. 

3.  Of  the  first  constitutions. 

4.  Of  sins  and  their  classification. 

5.  Of  the  crime  of  lacsa  majostas. 

6.  Of  forgery. 

7.  Of  treason. 

8.  Of  arson. 

9.  Of  homicide. 


10.  Of  larceny. 

11.  Of  hamsoken. 

12.  Of  rape. 

13.  Of  the  office  of  the  coroner. 

14.  Of  the  exchequer. 

15.  Of  petty  courts. 

16.  Of  the  sheriff's  courts. 

17.  Of  views  of  frankpledge. 


DE   PECCHES   CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 


LIBER    I. 

DE    PECCHES    CONTEE    LA    SEINTE    PEES. 

[Ch.  I.     De  la  nessaunce  de  la  seinte  ley.']  ' 

Dieu  tut  pussiint  moustra  plus  de  affeccion  a  creature 
humeyne  qe  a  autre  q?/ant  il  la  fist  a  sa  semblaunce  e  la  ^ 
dona  discrecion,  regardant  qele  estoit  continuelement  aticee 
a  pecchie  par  iij.  manere  de  adversaries,  e  la^  dona  lei  pur 
chacier  peccheours  a  sauvacion  par  terriens  peynes,  qi  de 
pwre  amour  dever  Dieu  ne  voillent  cesser  de  pecchier  e  en 
fist  Moysen  doctour  qi  lu  tient  ore  lapostoille. 

Cele  lei  par  lordeinement  de  nos  seinz  predecessors  est 
partie  en  deux  volu?«s,  el  canon  qe  se  conoist  en  amende- 
menz  de  pecchiez  espiritieus  par  amonicions,  prters,  reprjses, 
e  escomengez  :  en  lei  escWste  qe  se  conoist  en  corrections 
des  pecchiez  materieus  par  somonses,  attachementz  e 
peynes.  Lespiritele  guient  les  prelatz.  Les  autres  guient 
les  lais  princes  ;  e  se  eide  lune  par  lautre. 

La  lei  dunt  ceste  sum?»e  est  fete  est  estrete  des  aunciens 
usages  garantiz  de  seinte  escrtpture,  e  pur  ceo  qele  est 
generalement  done  a  touz  est  ele  apele  comune.  E  por  ceo 
qe  nul  autre  lei  est  for  cele,  est  ele  une  ^  dantiquite  en 
concilx  generalx  ou  parlemenz  est  sufifert  destre  use  pa;- 
seins  usages.  E  ceo  diversement  par  lus  solom  les  diverse 
qualites  de  la  gent  de  divers  regiouns  e  lus.     E  ces  usages 


'  The  titles  of  this  and  the  follow-       of  Contents, 
ing  chapters  are  in  some  cases  sui^-  '■'  Corr.  hii. 

plied  by  us  from  the  preceding  Table  '  Some  mistake  may  be  suspected. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE. 


BOOK    I. 

OF    SINS    AGAINST    THE    HOLY    PEACE. 

[Ch.  I.     Of  the  Generation  of  Holy  La?r.] 

Almighty  God  showed  more  affection  for  human  than 
for  any  other  heings,  since  He  made  them  in  His  own 
image,  and  gave  them  discretion,  considering  that  they 
were  ever  enticed  to  sin  by  three  manner  of  adversaries, 
and  He  gave  them  the  law  to  drive  sinners  to  salvation  by 
earthly  pains,  since  for  pure  love  of  God  they  would  not 
cease  from  sin ;  and  He  made  Moses  a  doctor,  whose  place 
the  Pope  now  holds. 

This  law,  by  the  ordainment  of  our  holy  predecessors, 
is  divided  into  two  volumes  :  to  wit,  (1)  the  canon,  which  is 
conversant  with  the  reformation  of  spiritual  sins  by  ad- 
monitions, prayers,  reprehensions,  and  excommunications ; 
and  (2)  the  written  law,  which  is  conversant  with  the 
correction  of  material  sins  by  summonses,  attachments, 
and  punishments.  The  prelates  guide  the  one,  the  spiritual 
law  ;  the  lay  princes  the  other ;  and  each  aids  the  other. 

The  law  of  which  this  summary  is  made  is  extracted 
from  ancient  customs  warranted  by  Holy  Writ,  and  because 
it  is  given  to  all  in  common  it  is  called  common  law.  And 
for  that  there  is  no  other  law  than  this,  it  exists  as  one 
from  of  old,'  and  in  general  councils  or  parliaments  it  is 
suffered  to  be  observed  by  way  of  holy  usages.  And  these 
differ  from  place  to  place  according  to  the  different  qualities 
of  the  folk  of  divers  regions  and  places.     And  in  certain 

>  Translation  doubtful. 


6  DE   PECCIIES   CONTIIE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

en  plusours  lus,  citez  e  bourgs  sunt  changies  par  auncienes 
privileges  al  aisement  del  poeple  de  ceus  lus. 

Touz  nos  usages  sunt  ausi  fondez  por  la  sauvacion  e 
la  exaltacion  de  la  seinte  pees  Dieu,  car  le  seu '  e  li  saver 
qe  de  Dieu  vient  nen  est  mie  ajuger  la  gent  a  la  volee^  par 
similitudes  e  examples  nient  canonizes,  eins  est  amour  de 
pees,  de  chastetie,  dattemprure,  damiable  amonestoment 
de  merci  e  des  bones  oeuvres. 


[C/i.  II.     De  la  venue  des  Engleis.']  ^ 

Apres  ceo  qe  Dieux  avoit  abatue  la  nobleie  des  Bretons 
qe  plus  userent  force  qe  droit,  livera  il  le  reaume  as  plus 
humbles  e  simples  de  tuz  pais  joygnauntz,  cest  assaver  a 
Saxnes,  qe  le  vindrent  conquere  des  parties  d'Alemaync. 
De  la  quele  gent  ieurent  jesqes  a  xl.  soveins  *  qe  touz  sei 
tindrent  a  compaignouns.  Ceus  appellerent  p?7mes  ceste 
tc7-re  Engelonde  qe  avant  fu  nomee  Bretaigne  le  Majour. 

Ceux  apres  grantz  gueres,  tribulacions  e  peynes  par 
longe  tens  suffertz  ellurent  il  de  eus  a  ^  Eoi  pur  regner  sur 
eus  e  pur  governer  la  poeple  Dieu,  meyntenir  e  defendre 
les  persones  e  les  biens  en  quiete  par  les  riules  de  droit. 

Al  corounement  le  firent  jurer  qil  meintendreit  la  seinte 
foi  cristiene  a  tut  son  poer,  e  son  poeple  guieroit  par  droit 
saunz  regard  a  nule  pcrsone,  e  serreit  obeissant  a  seinte 
eglise  e  justisiable  a  suffrir  droit  com  autre  de  son  poeple. 
E  pus  est  le  reaume  torne  en  heritage.  Solom  le  nombre 
de  compaignons  qe  remistrent  estoit  le  reaume  pa^-tie  pa?- 
pais  e  a  chescun  estoit  j.  pais  livre  a  garder  pur  defendre 
de  enemis  solom  chescuni  estat,  cest  assavoir  :— en 


Norfouke 

Hertford 

Kant 

Suffouk 

Middlesex 

Surreie 

Essex 

Londres 

Sussexe 

'  Or  sen. 

2  Corr.  volunte  (?). 

'  Supplied  from  the  Table  of  Contents. 

*  Corr.  sovercins. 

*  Corr.  un. 

OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY   PEACE.  6 

places,  cities  and  boroughs,  these  usages  are  varied  by 
ancient  privileges,  to  the  easement  of  the  folk  of  those  places. 
All  our  customs  are  also  founded  for  the  salvation  and 
exaltation  of  the  Holy  Peace  of  God ;  and  the  knowledge 
and  wisdom  that  comes  from  God  is  to  judge  the  folk,  not 
at  will  by  analogies  and  precedents  that  are  not  canonised, 
but  by  love  of  peace  and  chastity  and  temperance,  and  by 
friendly  admonition  towards  mercy  and  good  works. 


[Ch.  II.     Of  the  Coming  of  the  English.] 

After  that  God  had  abated  the  nobility  of  the  Britons, 
who  had  recourse  to  force  rather  than  to  law,  He  delivered 
the  kingdom  to  the  humblest  and  simplest  of  all  the  neigh- 
bouring nations :  to  wit,  the  Saxons,  who  came  to  conquer 
it  from  the  parts  of  Almaine.  Of  which  folk  there  were  as 
many  as  forty  sovereigns,  who  all  aided  each  other  as 
fellows.  They  first  called  this  land  England,  which  thereto- 
fore was  called  Britannia  Major.  And  they,  after  great  wars 
and  tribulations  and  pains  long  time  suffered,  chose  from 
among  themselves  a  king  to  reign  over  them  and  to  govern 
the  people  of  God  and  to  maintain  and  defend  their  persons 
and  goods  by  the  rules  of  right. 

And  at  his  crowning  they  made  him  swear  that  he 
would  maintain  the  Christian  faith  with  all  his  power,  and 
would  guide  his  people  by  law  without  respect  of  any 
person,  and  would  be  obedient  to  holy  Church,  and  would 
submit  to  justice  and  would  suffer  right  like  any  other  of 
his  people.  And  after  this  the  kingdom  became  heritable. 
And  according  to  the  number  of  the  companions  who  re- 
mained the  kingdom  was  divided  into  districts,  and  to  each 
companion  a  district  was  delivered,  to  hold  and  defend 
against  enemies,  according  to  the  estate  of  every  of  them  : 
to  wit — 


Norfolk 

Hertford 

Kent 

Suffolk 

Middlesex 

Surrey 

Essex 

London 

Sussex 

DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 


Suhampteschirc 

Ilerefordschire 

Wiltcschire 

Somerset 

Dorset 

Devonschire 

Cornewaille 

Gloucestreschire 

Salopsechire 

Staffordschire 


Cestreschire 

Derbischire 

Notinghamschire 

Leicestreschire 

Lancastreschire 

Westmereland 

Cumberland 

Norhumberland 

Everwickschire 

Nichole 


Norhamptoneschire 

Oxenefordschire 

Wirecestreschire 

Warwickschire 

Koteland 

Grantebiggeschire 

Huntingdonschire 

Bokinghamischire 

Bedefordschire 

Barrocschire 


E  tut  seit  qe  le  Eoi  ne  deit  aver  nul  pier  en  sa  terra,  pur 
ceo  neqedent  qe  le  Eoi  de  son  tort  sil  pecche  vers  ascun  de 
son  poeple  ne  nul  de  ces  commissaires  ne  poet  estre  juge  e 
partie,  eonvenist  par  droit  qe  li  Roi  ust  compaignouns  pwr 
oir  e  terminer  as  pa?*lementz  trestuz  les  brefs  e  les  pleintes 
de  torz  le  Roi,  de  la  Reyne,  e  de  lur  enfanz,  e  de  lur  espe- 
ciaus,  de  qi  torz  len  ne  poet  aver  autrement  comun  dreit. 

Ceus  compaignows  sunt  ore  appellez  contes  apres  le  latin 
de  comites,  e  issi  sont  hui  ceux  pais  appellez  comtiez  e  en 
latin  comitatus,  e  ceo  qest  dehors  ces  countiez  as  Engleis  est 
de  conquest  puis  cele  tens. 

Ceus  compaignouns  apres  la  partie  del  reaume  en  pais 
partirent  lur  genz  e  la  gent  qil  troverent  remise  en  centeines, 
e  a  chescun  assignerent  un  centener,  e  solom  le  nombre  de 
centeines  partirent  chescun  pais  e  a  chescun  centener 
assignerent  sa  partie  en  certeines  metes  -pur  gardre  e  defendre 
ovesqes  sa  centeine,  issi  qil  fusent  aperesz  a  coure  a  armes 
a  totes  les  foiz  qe  cri  levast  pur  enemis  ou  qe  mestier  en  fut. 
E  celes  parties  sunt  en  alcuns  lus  appellez  hundredes  solonc 
la  noumbre  de  cele  primere  gent ;  e  en  ascuns  lus  tridengs 


OF  SINS   AGAINST  THE   HOLY   PEACE. 


Southamptonshire 

Herefordshire 

Wiltshire 

Somerset 

Dorset 

Devonshire 

Cornwall 

Gloucestershire 

Salopshire 

Staifordshire 


Cheshire 

Derbyshire 

Nottinghamshire 

Leicestershire 

Lancashire 

Westmoreland 

Cumberland 

Northumberland 

Yorkshire 

Lincoln 


Northamptonshire 

Oxfordshire 

Worcestershire 

Warwickshire 

Rutland 

Cambridgeshire 

Huntingdonshire 

Buckinghamshire 

Bedfordshire 

Berkshire ' 


And  albeit  that  the  king  should  have  no  peer  in  his 
land,  nevertheless  in  order  that  if  the  king  should  by  his 
fault  sin  against  any  of  his  people,  in  which  case  [neither 
he]  nor  any  of  his  commissioners  could  be  judge,  he  being 
also  party,  it  was  agreed  as  law  that  the  king  should  have 
companions  to  hear  and  determine  in  the  parliaments  all 
the  writs  and  plaints  concerning  wrongs  done  by  the  king, 
the  queen,  their  children,  and  their  special  ministers,  for 
which  wrongs  one  could  not  otherwise  have  obtained 
common  right. 

These  companions  are  now  called  counts,  from  the  Latin 
comites,  and  therefore  these  districts  are  now  called  counties, 
and  in  Latin  comitatus,  and  whatever  outside  these  counties 
belongs  to  the  English  has  come  by  conquest  since  that 
time. 

These  companions  after  the  partition  of  the  kingdom 
into  districts,  partitioned  their  folk  and  the  people  that  they 
found  remaining  into  hundreds ;  and  to  each  hundred  they 
assigned  a  hundredor,  and  according  to  the  number  of  the 
hundreds  they  divided  each  district,  and  they  assigned  to 
each  hundredor  his  part  by  certain  bounds,  to  hold  and 
defend  with  his  hundred,  so  that  they  should  be  ready  to 
run  to  arms  whenever  the  cry  should  be  raised  on  account 
of  enemies,  and  whenever  there  should  be  occasion.  And 
these  divisions  are  in  some  places  called  hundreds,  atfer 
the  numerical  divisions  of  these  first  occupiers  ;    and  in 


Durham  may  be  purposely  omitted. 


8 


DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 


ou  wapentaes  apres  les  Engles  qest  prise  darmes  en 
Fraunceis,  Tieles  divisions  se  furent  par  quoi  la  pees  Dieu, 
qest  charite  e  verroie  amor,  fust  meyntenue. 


DelBei 
ilelfred 


De  amour 
entre  gens 


De  deo- 
dandes  e  des 
c  hoses  apur- 
tenaunt  an 


Rey 


[_Ch.  III.  Des  premiers  constitudouns.']  ' 

Pur  lestat  del  reaume  fist  le  Roi  Alfred  assembler  ces 
contes  e  ordena  pwr  usage  perpetuele  qe  a  ij.  fois  par  an  ou 
plus  sovent  pur  mestier  en  tens  de  pees  sassemblerent  a 
Londres  pur  parlementer  sur  le  guiement  de  poeple  Dieu, 
coment  genz  se  gardereient  de  peccher,  vivereient  en  quiete 
e  recevereient  droit  par  certeines  usages  e  seinz  jugemenz. 

Par  cele  estatut  se  furent  plusours  ordinances  par 
plusors  Eois  jeqes  al  tiens  ^  dore,  les  queles  ordenaunces 
sunt  desusez  par  meins  sages  e  par  defaut  qe  eles  ne  sunt 
mie  mises  en  escrit  e  pupplies  en  certeine. 

Une  des  ordenaunces  estoit   qe  chescun   amast   soun* 
Createur  par  esproeve  des  oevres  solom  les  poinz  de  la 
foi  Cristiene ;  e  defendu  fust  tort  e  force  e  chescun  pecchie. 

Assentu  fu  qe  cestes  choses  fussent  appendauns  as  Eois 
e  al  droit  de  la  coroune : — sovereine  juresdiction,  la  sovereine 
seignurie  de  tote  la  terre  jeqes  el  miluieu  ^  fil  de  la  meer 
environ  la  terre,  koin,  franchises,  tresour  auncienement 
mucie  en  terre,^  weif,  estrai,  chatiex  de  felons  e  des  futifs  qe 
remeinent  outre  autri  droit,  countiez,  honurs,  hundrez, 
soknes,  gaoles,  forosz,^  chief  citez,  chief  porz  de  la  meer, 
grantz  maneries. 

Ces  dreiz  retindrent  les  primers  Eois,  e  del  remenaunt 
de  la  terre  fefferent  les  contes,  barons,  chivalers,  serjanz,  e 
autres  a  tenir  des  Eois  par  service  pwrveu  e  ordeine  al  defens 
del  reaume. 


tents. 


Supplied  from  the  Table  of  Con- 


2  Corr.  tens. 


'  Corr.  milieu  (?). 
*  Some  word  has  been  wantonly 
erased.  *  Corr. /ores*. 


OF   SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY   PEACE. 


8 


other  places  they  are  called  trithings  or  wapentakes,  an 
English  word  equivalent  to  the  French  prise  d' amies.  These 
divisions  were  made  in  order  that  the  peace  of  God,  which 
is  charity  and  very  love,  might  be  maintained. 


Of  King 
Alfred 


Of  love 
among  folk 


[Ch.  III.     Of  the  original  Constitutions.'] 

For  the  good  estate  of  his  realm  King  Alfred  caused  his 
counts'  to  assemble,  and  ordained  as  a  perpetual  usage  that 
twice  a  year  or  more  often  if  need  should  be  in  time  of 
peace,  they  should  assemble  at  London  to  hold  parUament 
touching  the  guidance  of  the  people  of  God,  how  the  folk 
should  keep  themselves  from  sin,  and  live  in  quiet  and 
receive  right  according  to  fixed  usages  and  holy  judgments. 

Under  this  statute  divers  ordinances  were  made  by 
divers  kings  down  to  the  present  time,  which  ordinances 
are  disused  by  those  who  are  less  wise  and  because  they 
are  not  put  in  writing  and  published  in  definite  terms. 

One  of  the  ordinances  was  that  everyone  should  love 

his  Creator,  giving  proof  thereof  by  his  works  according  to 

the  articles  of  the  Christian  faith.    And  tort  and  force  and 

every  sin  were  prohibited. ^ 

Of  dcodan.is         It  was  asscutcd  that  the  following  things  should  belong 

belonging  to  to  thc  kuigs  and  to  the  right  of  the  crown  :  to  wit,  sovereign 

the  King  .....  .  .  i,      i        i        i  * 

jurisdiction,  sovereign  seignory  over  all  the  land  as  far  as 
the  mid-stream  of  the  sea  round  the  land,  coin,  franchises, 
treasure  anciently  hidden  in  the  earth,  waif,  estray,  chattels 
of  felons  and  of  fugitives  which  remain  when  rights  of 
others  are  satisfied,^  counties,  honours,  hundreds,  sokens, 
gaols,  forests,  the  chief  cities,  the  chief  ports  of  the  sea,  the 
great  manors.  These  rights  the  first  kings  retained,  and 
of  the  remnant  of  the  land  they  enfeoffed  the  earls,  barons, 
knights,  Serjeants  and  others,  to  hold  of  the  kings  by 
services  provided  and  ordained  for  defence  of  the  realm. 

'   We   write  count  rather  than  sentences  of  Canute's  laws  or  one  of 

earl,  for  our  author  is  playing  with  the  other  ancient  codes, 

etymology.  '  The  felon's  just  debts  ought  to 

''   It   is  just    possible   that   the  be  paid, 
writer   is   referring  to  the  opening 


»«.- 


9  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

Des  articles  Ordenez  furent  coroners  en  chescun  contie  e  viscountes 

par  vels  Rois  t     i  'in 

ordeuez  a  gardir  les  pays  quant  les  countes  se  demistrent  des  gardes 
e  baillifs  el  lu  des  centeners.  E  qe  viscountes  e  baillifs 
fussent  •  assembles  de  fieu  tenauns  de  lur  baillies  as  contiez 
6  as  hundrez,  e  qe  lem  usast  equite,  si  qe  chescun  jugeast 
son  proeine  partier  jugement  ^  cum  len  voissist  autre  foiz 
receivre  en  cas  semblables,  jesqes  a  taunt  qe  les  usages  del 
reaume  fusent  mis  en  escrist  e  establiz  en  certeine.  E  tut 
ne  put  lem  f?-anc  horame  enserver  sanz  son  gre,  comwient  ' 
nequident  estoit  assentu  qe  touz  franc  fieu  tenaunz 
sassemblassent  en  countez,  hundrez,  e  es  contez*  lur  seignurs, 
sil  ne  seient  privileges  ou  exempsz  de  tieles  sutes  fere,  e 
illoec  jugeassent  lur  p7*oeine.  E  qe  dreit  se  hastast  de  xv 
jours  en  xv  devant  le  Rei  e  ces  commissaries,  e  de  mois  en 
mois  en  contiez  si  la  largesce  des  countez  ne  demaundunt 
plus  de  respit,  e  de  iij  simenies  en  iij  se  hastast  droit  en 
autres  cours.  E  qe  chescun  franc  fieu  tenaunt  fust  a  teles 
siutes  fere  oblige,  e  chescun  fieu  tenaunt  ust  juresdiccion 
ordeneire,  e  qe  de  jour  en  jour  se  hastast  droit  destranges 
pleintifs  en  feires  e  marchiez  cum  pe  poudrous  solom  lei 
marchande. 

Ordene  furent  torns  des  viscountes  e  veuues  des  francs 
pleges,  e  qe  nul  del  age  de  xiiij  ans  ou  de  plus  ne  fust 
recettie  el  reaume  outre  xl  jours  forpris  humwes  passanz 
al  foer  de  pelerins  e  de  messagers,  sil  ne  fust  primes  plevi 
de  franc  homme  e  jure  au  Roi  par  serement  de  feaute  e  pus 
resceu  en  disaine. 

Ordene  fust  qe  chescun  pleintif  ust  hrei  remedial  a  son 
visconte  ou  al  seignur  de  feu  en  ceste  forme : — Questus  est 


Corr.  facent.  Corr.  comunemsnt. 

Corr.  par  tieu  jugemmt  Corr.  courtz. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE. 


Of  the  ar-  And  coroners  were  ordained  in  every  county,  and  sheriffs 


tides 


ordained  by  [viceconiites]  to  ward  the  districts  when  the  earls  [comitesl 
^e  Micien  (j^jj^igg^  thcmselves  from  their  wardship  ;  also  bailiffs  in 
the  place  of  the  hundredors.  And  it  was  ordained  that 
sheriffs  and  bailiffs  should  cause  the  fee  tenants  of  their 
bailiwicks  to  assemble  in  the  county  and  hundred  courts, 
and  that  equity  should  be  administered,  and  that  each 
should  judge  his  neighbour  as  he  would  himself  be  judged 
in  a  like  case  at  another  time  ;  and  that  this  should  be  so 
until  the  usages  of  the  realm  should  be  put  in  writing  and 
established  in  definite  terms.  And  albeit  one  cannot  bring 
a  free  man  into  servitude  against  his  will,  nevertheless  it  was 
generally  assented  that  all  free  fee  tenants  should  assemble 
themselves  in  the  county  and  hundred  courts  and  in  the 
courts  of  their  lords,  if  they  were  not  specially  privileged 
and  exempted  from  making  such  suit,  and  that  they  should 
there  judge  their  neighbours ;  and  that  right  should  be 
speeded  before  the  king  and  his  commissioners  from  fifteen 
days  to  fifteen,  and  in  the  county  courts  from  month  to 
month,  unless  the  size  of  the  counties  should  require  a 
longer  respite,  and  in  other  courts  from  three  weeks  to  three 
weeks ; '  and  that  every  free  fee  tenant  should  be  bound 
to  make  such  suit,  and  that  every  fee  tenant  should  have 
ordinary  jurisdiction ;  and  that  right  should  be  speeded 
from  day  to  day  to  foreign  plaintiffs  in  fairs  and  markets  as 
with  dusty  foot  ^  according  to  the  law  merchant. 

And  turns  of  sheriffs  and  views  of  frankpledge  were 
ordained,  and  that  none  of  the  age  of  fourteen  years  or 
upwards  should  be  received  in  the  kingdom  beyond  forty 
days,  except  men  travelling  in  the  guise  of  pilgrims  or 
messengers,  unless  they  were  first  pledged  by  freemen  and 
sworn  to  the  king  by  oath  of  fealty  and  afterwards  received 
into  a  tithing. 

It  was  ordained  that  every  plaintiff  should  have  a  re- 
medial writ  to  his  sheriff  or  to  the  lord  of  the  fee  in  the 

'  This  gives  the  effect  of  the  writ  '  Alluding  to   the   so-called  pi- 

of   1229   printed   in   the  Annals  of      powder  oourta. 
Dunstable,  p.  119. 

c  2 


10  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

nobis  C.  quod  D.  etc.  et  ideo  tibi  vices  nostras  in  hae  parte 
committentes  tibi  precipimus  quod  causam  illam  audias  et 
legitime  fine  descidas. 

Ordene  fust  qe  chescun  ust  del  chanceler  le  Eoi  bref 
remedial  a  sa  pleinte  saunz  nule  difficulte,  e  qe  chescun  ust 
le  proces  de  la  jornee  de  son  plee  souz  le  seal  le  juge  ou  de 
la  partie. 

Ordene  fu  qe  coroners  receussent  apeals  de  felonies  e 
rendissent  les  jugementz  des  utlagaries  e  feissent  les  veuuz  • 
en  cas  apres  dis,  e  qe  les  proschein  villes  presentassent  as 
corouners  es  contiez  les  messaventures  des  charoines  des 
genz  e  les  nouns  de  trovours.  E  qe  chescun  pais  p?'esentast 
felonies,  mescheaunces  e  autres  articles  p?'esentables  en 
heires  pitr  pecchie,  qe  les  Eois  les  vousissent  a  ceo  fere 
somondre  contre  les  venues  des  Eeis  ou  des  justices 
assignes  a  tuz  plez.  E  pur  les  g7-antz  damages  qe  li  comun 
suffri  pa?'  amerciemenz  issanz  des  concelementz  e  des 
defautes  de  tieux  presentemewtz  en  eires,  assentu  fu  qe 
tieux  presentemenz  se  feissent  en  eires  pa?*  coroners  par  tut 
le  com?Mun :  e  issi  sunt  coroners  les  baillifs  al  commun 
quant  as  custages,  e  jalemeins  sunt  il  les  ministres  le  Eey 
pwr  ceo  qil  funt  a  li  serement.  De  personel  trespas  neque- 
dent  sunt  les  coroners  soulement  punisables  saunz  le 
damage  de  ceaux  qe  les  elurent,  si  as  dues  amendes  fere  de 
lur  trespas  suffisent. 

Ordene  fu  leschecker  en  manere  qe  sut,  e  les  peynes 
peccunieles  de  contes  e  de  barons  en  certein  e  aussi  des 
tenaunz  condes  ^  e  baronies  entiers  ou  des  membres,  e  qe 


Or  venuz  *  Corr.  contiez(l). 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE.  10 

form  following : — C.  hath  complained  to  us  that  D.  etc., 
and  therefore  we,  committing  this  matter  to  thee  in  our 
stead,  command  thee  that  thou  do  hear  the  said  cause  and 
determine  it  in  due  form  of  law. 

And  it  was  ordained  that  everyone  should  have  from 
the  king's  chancellor  a  remedial  writ  for  his  complaint  with- 
out difficulty,  and  that  everyone  should  have  a  copy  of  the 
process  relating  to  his  case  '  under  the  seal  of  the  judge  or 
of  the  other  party. 

It  was  ordained  that  coroners  should  receive  appeals  of 
felony  and  give  judgments  of  outlawry,  and  that  they  cause 
views  to  be  made  in  the  cases  mentioned  below,  and  that 
the  neighbouring  townships  should  make  presentment  to 
the  coroners  in  the  county  courts  concerning  the  corpses  of 
men  slain  by  misadventure,  and  the  names  of  the  finders ; 
and  that  every  district  should  present  felonies,  mischances, 
and  other  articles  presentable  in  the  eyres  as  sin,  so  that 
the  kings  may  for  this  purpose  cause  them  to  be  sum- 
moned against  the  coming  of  the  kings  or  of  their  justices 
assigned  to  hold  all  manner  of  pleas.  And  by  reason  of 
the  great  damage  that  the  commonalty  suffered  by  amerce- 
ments issuing  from  concealments  and  defects  in  such  pre- 
sentments at  the  eyres,  it  was  agreed  that  such  present- 
ments should  be  made  in  the  eyres  by  the  coroners  on 
behalf  of  the  whole  commonalty ;  and  thus  coroners  are 
the  bailiffs  of  the  commonalty  so  far  as  expense  is  con- 
cerned, but  none  the  less  are  they  ministers  of  the  king, 
because  they  make  oath  to  him.  Nevertheless  as  regards 
personal  trespasses  the  coroners  alone  are  punishable  with- 
out any  loss  falling  on  those  who  elected  them,  if  they  [the 
coroners]  are  sufficient  for  the  due  amends  of  their  tres- 
passes. 

As  to  the  exchequer  it  was  ordained  in  manner  hereafter 
mentioned,  and  the  pecuniary  punishments  of  earls  and 
barons  and  of  those  who  held  whole  counties  or  baronies  or 
members  thereof  were  determined,  and  their  amercements 

'  Apparently  a  copy  of  the  record  on  each  day  on  which  it  has  come 
of  what  has  been  done  in  the  cause      before  the  court. 


11  DE   PECCHES   CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

ceus  amerciemenz  fussent  affoerez  par  les  barons  del 
eschecqer,  e  qe  len  envoiast  les  estretes  de  lur  amercie- 
mentz  al  escheqere  ou  qil  fussent  amerciez  en  la  court  le 
Eei. 

Ordene  fu  qe  nul  nust  juresdiccion  apres  pleinte  de  tort 
avant  la  pleinte  termine,  cest  assavoir  en  mesme  le  plee,  e 
de  ceo  vient  la  clause  el  brief  de  droit,  et  nisi  fece?-is 
vicecomes  faciat. 

Ordene  fu  qe  chescun  de  age  de  xiiij  ans  en  sus  sap- 
prestast  des  mortieux  peccheours  occire  en  lur  pecchies 
notoires,  ou  de  les  cowsuire  de  vile  en  vile  a  hu  e  cri,  si 
lem  ne  les  poet  occire  ne  deprendre ;  e  de  mettre  les 
contumaz  en  exigendes  e  de  les  utlager  ou  banir  en  manere 
qe  sust ;  e  qe  nul  ne  fust  utlaguie  forqe  por  felonie  mortele, 
ne  nul  part  forqe  el  contie  ou  li  pecchie  se  fist. 

Ordene  fu  qe  la  curt  le  Eei  fust  OYeHe  a  touz  pleintifs 
par  quel  il  usent  sanz  delai  brefs  remedials  aussi  sur  le 
Eei  ou  sur  la  Keyne  come  sur  autre  del  poeple  de  chescun 
injurie,  forpns  en  vengeances  de  vie  e  de  membre  ou  pleint 
tient  leu  sanz  bref. 

Ordene  fu  qe  nul  Eei  de  cete  reaume  ne  puet  changer  sa 
moneye,  ne  empeirer,  ne  amender,  ne  autre  moneie  fere  qe 
dargent  sanz  lassent  de  touz  ces  counties. 

Ordene  fu  qe  felonies  satendissent  par  apeals,  e  qe  apeles 
se  terminassewt  ascune  foiz  par  batailles,  e  qe  les  exigendes 
de  contumaz  durassent  par  iij  contiez  continues  avant  la 
utlagarie. 

Ordene  fu  e  comwnement  assentu  qe  touz  fieu  tenaunz 
fussent  obeissantz  aparer  as  somonses  des  seignurs  des 
fieus,  e  si  lem  feit  homme  aillours  somondre  qe  es  fieus  des 
auctours  ou  plus  sovent  qe  de  curt  en  court  qil  nestovereit 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE.  11 

were  to  be  affeered  by  the  barons  of  the  exchequer ;  and 
the  estreats  of  their  amercements  were  to  be  sent  to  the 
exchequer  or  they  were  to  be  amerced  in  the  king's  court. 

It  was  ordained  that  none  should  have  jurisdiction  after 
a  plaint  of  wrong  has  been  made  before  the  plaint  is  deter- 
mined :  that  is  to  say,  that  none  should  have  jurisdiction  in 
the  same  plea.  Hence  the  clause  in  the  writ  of  right,  Et 
nisi  fexeris  Vicecomes  facial. ' 

It  was  ordained  that  everyone  of  the  age  of  fourteen 
and  upwards  should  be  ready  to  slay  mortal  sinners  in  their 
notorious  crimes  and  to  pursue  them  from  vill  to  vill  with 
hue  and  cry  if  they  could  not  kill  or  catch  them ;  and  should 
put  the  contumacious  in  exigent  or  banish  them  in  manner 
hereafter  mentioned.  Also  that  none  should  be  outlawed 
save  for  mortal  felony,  or  elsewhere  than  in  the  county 
where  the  sin  was  done. 

And  it  was  ordained  that  the  king's  court  should  be 
open  to  all  plaintiffs  so  that  they  might  have  without  delay 
remedial  writs  as  well  against  the  king  and  queen  as 
against  any  other  of  the  people,  for  every  injury,  save 
where  there  is  to  be  vengeance  of  life  or  member,  in  which 
case  procedure  is  by  plaint  without  writ. 

It  was  ordained  that  no  king  of  this  realm  could  change, 
impair,  or  amend  his  money,  nor  make  money  of  anything 
save  silver  without  the  assent  of  all  his  earls. 

It  was  ordained  that  felonies  should  be  attainted  "^  by 
appeals,  and  that  appeals  should  in  some  cases  be  deter- 
mined by  battle,  and  that  the  exigents  of  those  who  were 
contumacious  should  endure  through  three  successive 
county  courts  before  the  outlawry. 

It  was  ordained  and  generally  assented  that  all  fee 
tenants  should  be  obedient  to  appear  at  the  summonses  of 
the  lords  of  the  fees ;  and  that  if  a  man  should  be  summoned 
elsewhere  than  in  the  fee  of  the  author  of  the  summons  or 
moro  often  than  from  court  to  court,  he  should  not  be 


'  Perhaps  the  point  is  that  there      court  to  another ;  Bracton,  (.  329  b. 
is  to  be  DO  appeal  from  uue  scignorial  *  Translatiou  doubtful. 


12  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE  LA  SEINTE   PEES. 

mie  obeir  a  tiels  somonces  si  noun  as  custages  des  auctours 
de  somonses. 

Ordene  fu  qe  feu  de  chivaler  remist  al  einzne  fiz  par 
succession  de  heritage,  e  qe  socage  fieu  fust  portable  par 
entre  les  masles  enfanz.  E  qe  nul  ne  puet  aliener  de  son 
heritage  forqe  le  quart  saunz  lassent  de  son  heir.  E  qe 
nul  ne  puet  ahener  son  purchaz  de  ces  heirs  si  assignee  ne 
fussent  especefies  es  dons. 

Ordene  fu  qe  chescun  puet  doner  sa  femme  al  hus  del 
moustier  de  renable  dowere  saunz  lassent  de  son  homme  '  ; 
que  femeles  heirs  ou  veudues  se  niariassent  saunz  lassent 
de  lur  seignurs  liges,  par  quei  as  seignurs  nestovereit 
p?-endre  les  homages  de  lur  enemis  ou  dautres  descovenables 
persones,  e  ceo  estoit  defendu  sur  peine  de  la  forfeture  des 
fieus  le  quele  qe  lur  parenz  sei  assentissent  ou  noun.  E  qe 
itemoha-  vedues  pcrdisseut  lur  doeires  en  cas  ou  eles  se  mariassent 
aunciens  sanz  lasscnt  des  garans  de  lur  doeires,  qe  seles  aussi 
fussent  disherites  ou  perdissent  lur  doeires  qe  se  lessasent 
refeter  einz  ces  qe  eles  fussent  maries ;  vedues  nequident 
ne  forfirent  lur  heritage  par  putage. 

E  qe  le  fiz  einzne  ne  puet  rien  forfere  en  prejudice  de 
son  auncestre  ne  des  heirs  vivant  le  auncestre  qi  heir  il  est 
plus  apparant. 

Ordene  fu  qe  les  seignurs  des  fieus  feissent  somondre  lur 
tenaunz  par  lagard  de  lur  piers  es  cours  des  seignurs  ou  es 
countiez  ou  es  hundrez  a  totes  les  foiz  qil  recenissent^  ou 
dedissent  a  fere  lur  droiz  semces  ou  forfeissent  vers  lur 
seignur  en  fet  ou  en  dit,  e  le  revers,  cest  assavoir  le  seignurs 
vers  les  tenauntz  e  illoec  saquitassent  ou  forfeissent  lur 
ligeaunce  oveqe  les  apurtenaunces  par  lagard  des  sutiers  de 
tote  lur  tenaunce  des  seignurs,  e  les  seignurs  outraious  e 
torcenous  perdissent  les  fieus  e  les  services,  e  les  tenaunz  se 
chevassent  as  sovereinz  seigmtrs  des  fieus. 


'  Corr.  heir.  '  This  word  is  probably  wrong. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  12 

bound  to  obey  such  summonses  except  at  the  cost  of  their 
authors. 

It  was  ordained  that  a  knight's  fee  should  come  by 
inheritance  to  the  eldest  son,  and  that  a  socage  fee  should  be 
partible  among  the  male  children,  and  that  no  one  should 
be  able  to  alienate  more  than  a  quarter  of  his  inheritance 
without  his  heir's  consent,  or  to  alienate  his  purchase  away 
from  his  heirs  unless  assigns  were  mentioned  in  the  gift. 

It  was  ordained  that  everyone  should  be  able  to  endow 
his  wife  at  the  church  door  without  the  consent  of  his  heir, 
and  that  female  heirs  or  widows  should  [not]  marry  without 
the  assent  of  their  liege  lords,  so  that  lords  might  not  be 
bound  to  take  the  homage  of  their  enemies  or  of  other  unfit 
persons.  And  this  was  prohibited  upon  pain  of  the  forfeiture 
of  the  fees,  whether  the  consent  of  parents  had  been  given 
or  no.  Also  that  widows  should  lose  then-  dowers  if  they 
married  without  the  consent  of  the  warrantors  of  their 
dowers.  Also  they  were  to  be  disinherited  and  lose  their 
dowers  who  allow  themselves  to  be  seduced  before  marriage ; 
but  widows  should  not  lose  their  inheritance  by  unchastity. 

And  that  the  eldest  son  can  forfeit  nothing  to  the 
prejudice  of  his  ancestor  or  his  heirs  in  the  lifetime  of  the 
ancestor  whose  heir  apparent  he  is. 

It  was  ordained  that  the  lords  of  fees  should  cause  their 
tenants  to  be  summoned  by  the  award  of  their  peers  in  the 
courts  of  their  lords  or  in  the  county  or  hundred  courts  so 
often  as  they  should  deny  or  refuse  to  perform  their  right 
services  or  commit  a  forfeiture  as  against  their  lords  by 
deed  or  by  word ;  and  conversely  in  case  the  lords  should 
commit  a  forfeiture  as  against  their  tenants ;  and  that  then 
they  should  be  acquitted  or  should  forfeit  their  liegeance 
with  the  appurtenances  by  the  award  of  the  suitors  touch- 
ing all  they  held  of  their  lords ;  and  that  outrageous  and 
tortious  lords  should  lose  the  fees  and  the  services,  and 
that  the  tenants  should  achieve  '  themselves  to  the  superior 
lords  of  the  fees. 

'  The  tenant  para  vail  achieves  to      ledges  him  as  his  immediate  lord  or 
the  lord  paramount :  that  is,  acknow-      head  (Lat.  accapitare). 


13  DE   PECCHES  CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

Defendu  est  qe  nul  destresce  se  feist  par  les  biens 
moQbles  des  gentz  mes  qe  par  les  cors  ou  par  les  fieus  forpris 
cas  especiaus  apres  diz  ;  e  qe  nul  ne  veast  a  autre  renable 
destresce  ne  alescer  naam  mort  pitr  gage  ne  vif  naam  pwr 
plegges  ou  -pur  gage  suffisaunt. 

Ordene  fu  qe  enfanz  demorassent  en  garde  ovesqe  lur 
chatieus  e  lur  heritages,  e  qe  lur  gardeins  respondissent  de 
trespas  des  enfanz  e  feissent  satisfaccion  as  blesciez  forpris 
des  felonies  ;  e  qe  les  mariages  fussent  as  liges  seignurs  ; 
e  qe  escuages,  relefs  e  aides  se  feissent  des  tenaunz  as 
seignurages  de  lur  heritages  relever,  des  heirs  car'  seignurs 
fere  chivalers  e  de  lur  einz  nesces  filles  marier.  E  qe  les 
heirs  mascles  feissent  homage  a  lur  seignurs,  e  les  femeles 
lur  jurassent  feautie.  E  qe  heritages  descendissent  a  touz 
enfanz  par  garant  del  droit  de  possession  e  qe  li  mascle 
forcloreit  la  femele  e  li  proschein  le  remue  par  garawt  del 
droit  de  propriete. 

Ordene  fu  qe  peccheours  mortiels  ne  fussent  mie  suffertz 
a  demorer  entre  innocenz.  E  qe  le  Eei  ust  lestrep  des  tene- 
menz  as  felons  ou  la  value  des  terres  e  des  rentes  a  un 
an.  E  qil  ust  les  deodandes,  e  qe  les  chastieux  des  usuriez 
fussent  au  Eoi,  e  qe  les  heritages  des  usuriers  remeissent 
eschaetes  as  seignurs  des  fieuz. 

Ordene  furent  essoines  en  mixtes  actions  e  reales  e  ne 
mie  en  personeles  solom  ceo  qe  apres  est  dit. 

Defendu  fu  qe  nul  alienast  hors  del  reaume  nules  issues 
des  terres  ne  de  rentes. 

Defendu  fu  qe  nul  argent  ne  fust  porte  hors  del  reaume. 

Defendu  fu  qe  nul  ne  vendist  vin  el  reaume  forqe  par 
tonel  ou  pipe. 

'  Corr.  lur. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  13 

It  was  forbidden  that  any  distress  should  be  made  by 
men's  movable  goods ;  it  was  to  be  made  by  their  bodies 
or  their  fees  save  in  certain  special  cases  mentioned  below. 
And  it  was  forbidden  that  any  should  deny  to  another 
reasonable  distress  or  withhold  any  dead  naam  on  tender  of 
gage,  or  any  live  naam  on  tender  of  pledges  or  sufficient  gage. 

It  was  ordained  that  children  should  remain  in  ward 
with  their  chattels  and  their  inheritances  and  that  their 
guardians  should  answer  for  their  trespasses,  and  make 
satisfaction  to  the  injured  save  in  cases  of  felony ;  and  that 
their  marriages  should  belong  to  their  liege  lords  ;  and  that 
scutages,  reliefs  and  aids  should  be  given  by  the  tenants  to 
the  lords  for  relieving  inheritances,  for  the  knighting  of 
the  heirs  of  their  lords  and  for  the  marrying  of  their  eldest 
daughters  ;  and  that  heirs  male  should  do  homage  to  their 
lords,  and  that  heirs  female  should  swear  fealty ;  and  that 
inheritances  should  descend  to  all  the  children  under 
warrant  of  the  right  of  possession,  and  that  the  male 
should  exclude  the  female  and  the  nearer  the  more  remote 
by  warrant  of  the  right  of  property.' 

It  was  ordained  that  mortal  sinners  should  not  be 
suffered  to  dwell  among  the  innocent ;  also  that  the  king 
should  have  the  right  to  waste  the  tenements  of  felons,  or 
to  take  the  value  of  their  lands  or  rents  for  one  year  ;  and 
that  he  should  have  the  deodands  ;  and  that  the  chattels 
of  usurers  should  belong  to  the  king  and  that  the  inheri- 
tances of  usurers  should  remain  as  escheats  to  the  lords  of 
the  fees. 

And  essoins  were  ordained  in  mixed  and  real  but  not 
in  personal  actions,  as  will  be  said  hereafter. 

It  was  forbidden  that  anyone  should  alienate  outside 
the  realm  the  issues  of  any  lands  or  rents. 

It  was  forbidden  that  money  should  be  carried  out  of 
the  realm. 

It  was  forbidden  that  wine  should  be  sold  in  the  realm 
save  by  the  tun  or  pipe. 

'  Bracton,  f.  64.  holds  that  all  the  poMfjstotua,  though  the  flrstborn  is 
dead  man's  sons  are  pares  in  jure      preferred  quoad  jua  projuictatU. 


14  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE  LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

Defendu  fu  qe  nul  ne  mcnast  leyne  liors  del  reaume  ne 
tuast  aignel  ne  veel  qe  pust  vivre  ne  be^'bis  ne  chastris. 

Defendu  fu  qe  nul  evesqe  ordenast  lai  homme  al  ordre 
de  clers  outre  le  noumbre  de  taunz  qe  necessaire  fussent  des 
eglises  servir,  par  que  la  jurgsdiccion  le  Eei  fust  descru  ou 
amenusee. 

Ordene  fu  qe  povres  fusent  sustenuz  pa?-  les  persones, 
rectours  des  eglises  e  par  les  parosiens,  si  qe  nul  ne  niorust 
par  defaute  de  sustenaunce. 

Ordene  fu  qe  feires  e  marchez  se  fussent  par  lus,  e  qe 
achatours  de  ble  e  de  bestes  donassent  tolun  as  baillifs  des 
seigmu's  des  marehiez  ou  des  feires,  cestassaver,  maille  de  x 
sondes  de  bien ;  e  de  meins  meins,  e  de  plus  plus,  al  affe- 
raunt ;  issi  qe  nul  tolun  passast  un  dener  de  une  manere 
de  marchaundize.  E  eel  tolun  fu  trove  pur  testmoignir  le 
cont?-act,  car  chescun  privie  contract  fu  defendu. 

Ordene  fu  qe  nuli  action  fust  recevable  en  jugement,  sil 
nen  ust  proeve  present  des  tesmoins  ou  dautre  chose,  ne  nul 
nestovereit  a  respondre  a  bref  en  venial  accion  en  la  court 
le  Eei  devant  juge  commissaire,  einz  ceo  qe  lactour  trovast 
seurte  des  damages  e  despenses  resfcorez,  sil  cheist  en  sa 
pleinte  ;  forpris  de  reconusaunces  de  iiij  petites  assises,  certi- 
ficacions,  atteintes,  redeseisines,  e  autres  cas  qe  sunt  aussi 
qe  del  office  le  Rei ;  a  la  quele  ordenaunce  le  Roi  H.  le 
primer  mist  cele  mitigacion  en  favour  de  povres  pleintifs, 
qe  ceux  navereient  suffisance  seurte  presente  fiansassent  la 
satisfaccion  a  lur  peer,  solom  renable  taxacion.  E  en 
somonses  en  meme  la  manere.  En  haenge  de  pcrjurie  furent 
atteintes  ordenes  en  totes  accions. 

Defendu  fu  qe  nul  marchaunt  aliene  ne  hantast  engle- 
terre  forqe  as  iiij  feires  ne  qe  nul  demorast  en  la  terre  outre 
xl  jours. 

Garantie  fu  de  la  corteisie  le  Roi  Henry  le  primer  qe  tuz 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.        14 

It  was  forbidden  that  any  should  sell  wool  out  of  the 
realm,  or  should  slay  a  lamb  or  calf  capable  of  living,  nor 
sheep  nor  wether. 

It  was  forbidden  that  any  bishop  should  ordain  laymen 
to  the  order  of  clerks  beyond  the  number  necessary  for 
serving  the  churches,  lest  the  king's  jurisdiction  should  be 
decreased  or  diminished. 

It  was  ordained  that  the  poor  should  be  sustained  by 
parsons,  rectors  of  the  churches,  and  by  the  parishioners, 
so  that  none  should  die  by  default  of  sustenance. 

It  was  ordained  that  fairs  and  markets  should  be  held 
in  certain  places,  and  that  buyers  of  corn  and  beasts 
should  give  toll  to  the  bailiffs  of  the  lords  of  the  markets  or 
fairs  :  to  wit,  one  halfpenny  for  ten  shillings  of  goods,  and 
for  less  less,  and  for  more  more,  in  proportion  ;  no  toll, 
however,  was  to  exceed  one  penny  for  one  kind  of  mer- 
chandize. This  toll  was  ordained  as  evidence  of  the  con- 
tract, for  every  privy  contract  was  prohibited.  It  was 
ordained  that  no  action  should  be  received  in  judgment  if 
there  were  not  present  proof  by  witnesses  or  some  other 
thing,  and  that  no  one  should  be  bound  to  answer  a  writ, 
in  a  venial  action  in  the  king's  court,  before  a  judge  com- 
missary, until  the  plaintiff  should  have  found  security  for 
damages  and  reimbursement  of  expenses  if  he  failed  in  his 
action  save  only  the  recognitions  of  the  four  petty  assizes, 
certifications,  attamts,  redisseisins,  and  other  cases  which 
likewise  belong  to  the  king  ex  officio.  King  Henry  I. 
mitigated  this  ordinance  in  the  following  manner  in  favour 
of  poor  plaintiffs,  that  those  who  had  not  sufficient  present 
security  should  pledge  their  faith*  to  make  satisfaction  to 
the  utmost  of  their  power,  and  according  to  a  reasonable 
taxation.  In  summonses  the  same  rule.  In  hatred  of 
perjury  attaints  were  ordained  in  all  actions. 

It  was  forbidden  that  any  foreign  merchant  should 
frequent  England  save  at  the  four  fairs,  and  that  no  [alien] 
should  dwell  in  the  land  for  more  than  forty  days. 

It  was  established  by  the  courtesy  of  King  Henry  I. 
that   all    husbands   surviving   wives   who   had   conceived 


15 


DE   PECCHES   CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 


ceux  qe  sorvequissent  lur  femwes  dunt  eles  usent  conceves 
tenissent  les  heritages  lur  femmes  a  totes  lur  jours. 

Plusours  autres  ordenaunces  se  firent,  e  puys  unt  este 
fetes,  en  eide  de  la  pees  solom  ceo  qe  apres  iert  dist. 

Ch.  IV.     Division  de  Pecche. 

Del  pechie  est  breve  division  ;  car  mortel  ou  venial 
solum  ceo  qe  ipert  es  peynes.  Les  mortiels  sunt  ces,  le 
crim  de  majeste,  le  crim  de  faussonerie,  le  crim  de  traison, 
le  crim  darson,  le  crim  de  homicide,  le  crim  de  larcin,  e  le 
crim  homsokne. 


Ch.  V.     Del  pecchie  de  Majeste. 

Crim  de  majeste  est  un  pecce  horrible  fet  a  Rei,  mes  ceo 
est  au  Eoi  celestre  ou  a  Rei  terrestre.  Ver  le  Rei  de  eel  en 
iij  maneres,  par  heresie,  reneierie,  e  sodemie  :  ver  le  Eoi  de 
la  terre  en  iij  maneres,  par  ceus  qi  occient  le  Rei  ou  com- 
passent  del  fere ;  par  ceus  qe  le  desheritent  del  Reaume, 
ou  traissont  son  host,  ou  compassent  del  fere  ;  e  par  ceux 
avoutres  qi  pwrguissent  la  femme  le  Roi,  ou  la  fille  le  Roi 
einznesce  legitimee  einz  ces  ^  qe  ele  seit  marie  en  la  garde 
le  Roi,  ou  la  norice  letaunt  le  heir  le  Roi. 

De  Heresie  Hercsio  cst  uno  mauveissc  e  fausse  creaunce  sourdant 

de  errour  en  la  dreite  foi  crestiene.  Cest  pecchie  est  sorcerie 
e  divinaille  qe  sunt  membres  de  heresie.  En  cas  nient 
notoires  satteignent  par  mi  presumpcions  de  males  cevres 
defenduez,  sicom  est  de  ceus  qi  par  malart  sourdant  de 
male  creaunce,  e  ascune  foiz  de  defaute  de  ferme  creaunce, 
funt  mervoilles  damaious  ;  e  ascune  foiz  satteignent  par 
confessions,  e  aperte  avouerie  del  errour. 

De  Sorcerie  Sorcerie  cst  un  art  a  deviner.     Devinail  proprement 

soune  en  mal,  sicom  pi-ophecie  soune  en  bien.  De  devinaille 
e  de  ses  membres.     Devinaille  se  soloit  fere  en  plusors 

•  Corr.  ceo. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE.  15 

by  them  should  hold  the  inheritance  of  their  wives  for  all 
their  days. 

Divers  other  ordinances  were  made   then   and   after- 
wards, in  aid  of  the  peace,  as  will  hereafter  be  said. 


Ch.  IV.     Division  of  Sins. 

There  is  a  short  division  of  sins,  for  they  are  either 
mortal  or  venial,  as  the  penalties  show.  The  following 
are  mortal  sins :  the  crime  of  laesa  majestas,  the  crime  of 
falsification,  the  crime  of  treason,  the  crime  of  arson,  the 
crime  of  homicide,  the  crime  of  larceny,  and  the  crime  of 
hamsoken. 

Ch.  V.     Of  the  Sin  of  Laesa  Majestas. 

The  crime  of  laesa  majestas  is  a  horrible  sin  com- 
mitted against  the  king,  and  this  may  be  against  the  king 
of  heaven  or  earth.  Against  the  king  of  heaven  in  three 
ways :  by  heresy,  apostasy,  and  sodomy ;  against  the 
earthly  king  in  three  ways  :  by  those  who  kill  the  king  or 
compass  his  death ;  by  those  who  disinherit  him  of  his 
realm,  or  betray  his  host,  or  compass  to  do  so ;  and  by 
those  avowterers  who  defile  the  king's  wife,  or  his  eldest 
legitimate  daughter  before  her  marriage,  she  being  in  the 
ward  of  the  king,  or  the  nurse  suckling  the  heir  of  the 
king. 

Of  Heresy  Heresy  is  a  wicked  and  false  behef  arising  from  error 

in  the  true  Christian  faith.  This  sin  includes  sorcery 
and  divination,  which  are  species  of  heresy.  In  cases 
which  are  not  notorious  guilt  is  proved  [either]  by  pre- 
sumptions arising  from  evil  and  forbidden  deeds,  as  is  the 
case  with  those  who  by  bad  arts  arising  from  bad  belief,  or 
it  may  be  from  want  of  firm  belief,  work  hurtful  marvels,  or 
else  by  confession  and  open  avowal  of  error. 

Of  Sorcery  Sorccry  is  the  art  of  divination.     We  use  '  divination  ' 

in  an  evil  sense,  as  we  use  '  prophecy  '  in  a  good  sense.  Of 
divination  and  its  species.  Divination  is  wont  to  be  made  in 


16  DE   PECCHES   CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

especes.  Dunt  une  manere  de  divinaille  se  fet  par  le  mal 
feie  par  laquel  la  fitonesse  suscita  Samuel  qi  garni  Saul  de 
sa  mort.  Lautre  espece  est  periromancie  qe  ceo  fet  par  le 
fieu.  Lautre  est  aermancie  qe  se  soloit  fere  par  signes  en 
leir.  Lautre  fu  idromancie  qe  se  fist  par  signes  en  euue. 
Lautre  fu  geomancie  qe  se  fist  par  signes  en  la  terre.  Lautre 
fu  nigromancie  qe  se  fist  par  morz  qe  lem  fesoit  pa^-ler. 
Lautre  fu  augurrie  qe  se  fist  par  signes  en  volz,  chanz,  e 
gargons  doiseaus.  Dautrepart  soloient  ascuns  divinours' 
crere  en  sors,  ascuns  en  songes,  ascuns  en  trouveure  de 
vers  el  psauter,  ascuns  emporter  evvangires  e  charmes  as 
cols,  ascuns  en  esternuers,  ascuns  enchantement  e  charmes, 
ascuns  ensignees  de  boiaus  des  bestes,  e  des  espaules  de 
motouns,  ascuns  es  signes  de  paumes,  ascuns  en  estrenes,' 
e  es  pnners^  encontres.  Ascuns  furent  appellez  mathemaz  e 
mages  qe  devinerent  par  les  estoilles,  autres  furent  arriols 
qi  pristent  respons  del  deable  parmi  mahoumez,  autres 
aruspeaus  qi  aovrerent  es  neuz^  es  jours  e  es  houres  e  issi 
ordenerewt  lur  bosoignes,  e  autre  manere  furent  plusours. 
Dunt  totes  maneres  de  divinaille  es  escomenge  e  maudite  de 
dieu  e  del  eglise,  e  defendu  tant  com  mahoumerie,  e  chose 
contre  la  droite  foi.  E  ceo  pj-oeve  seint  Augustin  par  mouz 
des  resons,  e  de  ceo  est  qe  tuz  ceux  qe  travaillent  a  deviner 
pMr  saver  choses  futttres,  si  dounent  a  creatures  ceo  qe 
appent  soulement  a  dieu.  Parunt  tieux  menestreus  sunt 
tuz  pernables  e  remuables  hors  del  comwwaute  del  seint 
people  deu,  si  qe  nul  bon  crestien  ne  soit  entochie  de  lur 
art,  ne  parcener  de  lur  pecchie. 

Item  de  ceux  qi  encorunt  le  crim  de  majeste  e  pnmere- 
ment  de  perjurie.  Le  pecche  de  majeste  est  vicine  a  plusours 
autres  pecchiez.  Car  tuz  ceux  qi  pecchent  en  perjurie  par 
quel  lem  soit  fei  mentu  ver  le  Eoi  cheent  en  ceste  pecchie, 
sicom  les  ministres  le  Eei  jurez  a  fere  droit  e  se  perjurent 
en  ascun  point,  e  sicom  ceux  qi  descressent  le  Eei  de  ces 
franchises  *  dautre  manere  de  droit  appendaunt  a  la  coroune 


Or  estreues.  '  Or  ueuz. 

Corr,  primers.  *  Supp.  ou, 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  16 

several  ways.'  One  manner  of  divination  is  by  the  devil  by 
which  the  witch  raised  Samuel  who  warned  Saul  of  his 
death.  Another  species  is  pyromancy,  which  is  done  by 
fire.  Another  is  aeromancy,  which  is  done  by  signs  in  the 
air.  Another  was  hydromancy,  which  was  done  by  signs 
in  the  water.  Another  was  geomancy,  which  was  done  by 
signs  in  the  earth.  Another  was  necromancy,  which  was 
done  by  making  the  dead  speak.  Another  was  augury, 
which  was  done  by  signs  in  the  flight,  song,  and  cries  of 
birds.  Again,  some  diviners  were  wont  to  believe  in  lots, 
others  in  dreams,  others  in  the  finding  of  verses  in  the 
psalter,  others  in  carrying  the  evangelists  and  charms  on 
their  necks,  others  in  sneezes,  others  in  spells  and  charms, 
others  in  signs  on  the  entrails  of  animals  and  shoulders  of 
sheep,  others  in  palmistry,  others  in  gifts  and  first  meet- 
ings. Others,  again,  were  called  mathematici  and  magi, 
who  divined  by  the  stars  ;  others  were  haurioli,  who  took 
answers  from  the  devil  among  the  Mahometans.  Others 
were  aruspices,  who  observed  nights,  days,  and  hours,  and 
thus  ordained  their  business,  and  divers  other  sorts  there 
were.  All  these  manners  of  divination  are  excommunicated 
and  cursed  of  God  and  the  Church,  and  forbidden  as  much 
as  Mahometry  and  things  against  the  true  faith.  Saint 
Augustine  shows  this  by  many  reasons,  and  hence  it  is  that 
all  those  who  labour  to  divine  in  order  to  know  future 
things  give  to  the  creature  that  which  pertains  to  God 
alone.  "Wherefore  such  workers  are  all  to  be  seized  and 
removed  out  of  the  community  of  the  holy  people  of  God, 
so  that  no  good  Christian  may  be  tainted  by  their  art,  or 
partaker  in  their  sin. 

Again,  of  those  who  commit  the  crime  of  laesa  majestas, 
and  first  of  perjury.  The  crime  of  laesa  majestas  is  akin 
to  several  other  sins.  For  all  those  who  sin  in  perjury 
whereby  one  belies  one's  faith  to  the  king  fall  into  this  sin  ; 
such  are  the  ministers  of  the  king  sworn  to  do  right, 
who  perjure  themselves  in  any  matter,  and  likewise  those 
who  deprive  the  king  of  his  franchises  or  other  manner  of 
•  See  c.  C,  C.  20,  q.  2. 

D 


17  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

par  occupacions,  ou  pwrprestures,  ou  en  autre  manere,  tut 
ne  pecchent  il  mie  mortelement. 

En  perjurie  pecchent  tuz  ces  feaux  le  Eoi  qi  pwrpernewt 
juresdictionsurleEei,  esefunt  justices,  viscountes,  corouners, 
ou  autres  ministres,  desavoer  ^  de  droit.  En  perjurie  ver  le 
Boi  pecchent  tuz  les  feals  le  Eoi  qi  approprirent  a  eus  juris- 
diction, contie,  honour,  hundred,  sokne,  return  de  bref,  ou 
chose  qe  poit  cheir  en  heritage,  ou  gardes,  eschaetes,  relefs, 
sutes,  services  ou  mariages,  feires,  marchez,  infangenthef, 
utfangenthef,  wrec,  weif,  estrai,  tresor  mucie  enterre 
garennes  en  lur  demeines  terres  ou  en  autri,  travers  tolnen, 
pavage,  pontage,  chiminage,  murage,  cariage,  ou  reles^ 
autres  custumes.  En  perjurie  ver  le  Eei  pecchent  ceux 
fealx  le  Eoi  qi  pement  abjuracions  de  felons,  e  de  futifs,  e  ne 
sunt  mie  corouners,  ne  garantiz  del  Eei.  E  ceaux  qi 
oustent  ascun  enditee  ou  appelle  de  cnm  hors  del  roulle  de 
corouner,  e  ceaux  corouners  qe  plus  defoiz  qe  une  receivent 
apealx  de  provours,  ou  procurent  qe  homme  innocent  soit  a 
tort  appelle  de  provour.  E  ceux  qi  unt  termine  appealx  de 
provors  de  fez  foreins,  ou  par  la  ou  ascun  forein  est 
appelle ;  e  ceux  corouners  qi  suffrent  a  escient  les  chatieux 
de  felons  e  de  futifs  estre  meinprises  del  droit, ^  ou  de  les 
conceler  en  tute  ou  en  partie,  ou  a  lur  oeps  demeyne  les 
eient  retenuz  al  damage  le  Eei,  ou  aillurs  les  unt  fet  liverer 
qe  as  viles,  ou  plus  del  verrai  pris  en  damage  des  villes  funt 
mettre  en  roulle  ;  ou  soffrent  lur  serjanz  aver  garnement 
ou  autre  chose  qe  seit  prisable  al  oeps  le  Eei,  ou  les  garne- 
menz  des  morz,  ou  delaient  de  fere  lur  office  par  coveitise. 

En  perjurie  chient  ver  le  Eoi  ceux  ministres  qi  par- 
dounent  finz  ou  amercimentz  qe  au  Eoi  appendent,  ou 
autre  manere  de  peine  corporele  ou  pur  annele^  sanz 
especial  garant,  e  ceaux  ministres  qe  par  somounces  e 
aiornemenx  funt  bones  genz  travailler  en  vein  sicom  as 


Corrupt.  make  good  sense.    A  negative  may 

Corr.  tiela.  have  been  omitted. 

The  text  as  it  stands  does  not  ♦  Corr.  pecuniele. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.        17 

rights  belonging  to  the  Crown,  by  encroachments,  purpres- 
tures,  or  in  other  manner,  though  they  do  not  sin  mortally. 

By  perjury  sin  all  those  lieges  of  the  king  who  encroach 
upon  his  jurisdiction,  and  of  themselves  make  justices, 
sheriffs,  coroners,  or  other  officers  against  the  law.  By 
perjury  towards  the  king  sin  all  those  lieges  of  the  king 
who  appropriate  to  themselves  jurisdiction,  to  wit  counties, 
honours,  hundreds,  sokens,  return  of  writs,  or  other  here- 
ditaments, wardships,  escheats,  reliefs,  suits,  services, 
marriages,  fairs,  markets,  infangenethef,  utfangenethef, 
wreck,  waif,  estray,  treasure  hidden  in  the  earth,  warrens 
in  their  own  lands  or  in  another's,  toll-traverse  or  other 
toll,  pavage,  pontage,  chiminage,  murage,  carriage,  or  such 
other  customs.  By  perjury  against  the  king  sin  those 
lieges  of  the  king  who  take  abjurations  of  felons  or  fugitives 
and  are  not  coroners  nor  authorised  by  the  king.  And 
those  who  remove  [the  name  of]  any  person  indicted  or 
appealed  of  crime  out  of  the  roll  of  the  coroner,  and  those 
coroners  who  more  than  once  receive  the  appeals  of  ap- 
provers or  procure  the  wrongful  appeal  of  an  innocent  man 
by  an  approver.  And  those  who  have  determined  the 
appeals  of  approvers  concerning  acts  done  out  of  their 
territories  or  whereby  any  foreigner  is  appealed ;  and  those 
coroners  who  knowingly  allow  the  chattels  of  felons  and 
fugitives  to  be  mainprised  against  right,  or  conceal  them, 
wholly  or  partially,  or  retain  them  to  their  own  use  to 
the  damage  of  the  king,  or  who  cause  them  to  be  delivered 
otherwise  than  to  the  townships,  or  who  set  them  down  in 
the  roll  at  more  than  their  true  price  to  the  prejudice  of 
the  townships ;  or  allow  their  servants  to  have  garments 
or  any  other  thing  seizable  for  the  king's  profit,  or  the 
garments  of  the  dead,  or  delay  the  performance  of  their 
duty  through  their  covetousness. 

Into  perjury  against  the  king  fall  those  officers  who 
forgive  fines  or  amercements  belonging  to  the  king,  or 
other  manner  of  corporal  or  pecuniary  punishment,  without 
special  warrant,  and  those  officers  who  by  summonses  and 
adjournments  cause  good  folk  to  labour  in  vain,  as  at  gaol 

D   2 


18  DE   PECCHES  CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

deliverances  de  gaoles,  assises,  enquestes  ou  aillurs.  E  tuz 
cex  fealx  le  Eoi  qe  le  maudient  ou  escomengent,  e  tuz  ces 
fealx  qi  portent  armes  countre  le  Eoi,  e  qi  defuunt  de  sa 
bataille  ou  de  son  host  dreiturel.  E  ceux  ministres  qe 
desavouablement  estoupent  et  concellent  qe  genz  ne  voisent 
en  guerre  ove  le  Eei,  ou  il  sunt  tenuz  daler,  ou  a  ceo  sunt 
renablement  somouns,  e  qe  gentz  ne  seient  fetz  chivalers 
for  solom  les  establisementz  de  Eeaume. 

En  perjurie  cheent  ver  le  Eoi  trestuz  ceux  fealx  le  Eoi 
qe  pledent  ve  de  naam,  e  ne  unt  mie  retourn  de  bref,  ou 
tenent  plez  de  prise  davers  ou  dautre  chose  apurtenaunt  a 
la  jurisdiction  le  Eoi  soulement,  sanz  especiale  commission 
le  Eoi,  ou  conoissent  en  cas  de  vie,  ou  de  menbre,  den- 
prisonment,  de  sane  espandu,  de  faus  jugement,  ou  de 
chose  desavouable  de  droit  sanz  commission  del  bref  le 
Eei ;  e  tuz  ceux  ministres  le  Eei  qe  meintenent  faus  actions 
fausses  appealx  ou  faus  defenses  a  escient. 

En  perjurie  chient  ver  le  Eoi  ceus  ministres  qe  veent  as 
pleintifs  brefs  remediaus  de  possession,  datteintes,  ou  de 
fourme,  ou  autrement  delaient  droit  ou  vendent,  e  ceux 
qe  a  tort  delaient  ou  desturbent  droiz  jugemenz,  ou  les 
fornissemenz,  e  ceux  qe  a  tort  fornissent  torcenous  juge- 
menz, e  tuz  ceux  q^  lur  privileges  ou  franchises  torcenouse- 
mewt  usent  ou  trop  largement.  En  perjurie  vers  le  Eoi 
pecchent  ceux  ministres  qe  pernent  fins  a  autri  oeps  qe 
al  oeps  le  Eoi  por  tresor  trovie  por  wrec  weif  estrai 
aliene,  pwr  sane  espandu,  enprisonement,  ve  de  naam, 
reddisseisine,  ou  disseisine,  ou  per-jurie  '  por  resistence 
fere  qe  loial  jugement  nust  execucion,  de  fornissement  de 
torcenous  jugement,  pur  usure,  pwrpresture  sur  le  Eei,  ou 
ptir  autre  chose  dunt  reconusance  apent  au  Eoi ;  e  ceus 
recevours  qe  rien  ne  paient  des  dettes  le  Eoi  solum  ceo  qe 
enjoint  lur  fust  a  fere  ou  rendent  pa?-tie  por  satisfaccion 
del  entier  e  ne  rendent  au  Eoi  le  remenaunt. 

En  perjurie  ver  le  Eoi  pecchent  ceux  qe  chargent  le  Eoi 
a  tort  de  overaignes  en  chatiex  maynovres  e  aillours,  ou 
dautre  fause  despense.     E    ceux  qe  la  pierre,   la   chauz, 
'  A  mistake  maj  be  suspected. 


OF  SINS   AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE.  18 

deliveries,  assizes,  inquests,  or  elsewhere.  And  all  those 
subjects  of  the  king  who  curse  or  excommunicate  him,  and 
all  those  subjects  who  bear  arms  against  the  king,  and  those 
who  flee  from  his  battle  or  lawful  host.  Likewise  those 
ministers  who  unlawfully  hinder  folk  from  going  to  the  war 
with  the  king,  to  which  they  are  bound  to  go,  or  to  which 
they  have  received  due  summons,  or  connive  at  their  ab- 
sence, or  procure  that  men  be  not  distrained  to  knighthood 
according  to  the  customs  of  the  kingdom. 

Into  perjury  against  the  king  fall  all  those  subjects  who 
hold  pleas  de  vetito  namii  and  have  not  the  [franchise  of] 
return  of  writ,  or  hold  pleas  of  the  taking  of  beasts  or  other 
plea  pertaining  to  the  king's  jurisdiction  only,  without 
special  commission  from  the  king,  or  take  cognisance  of 
cases  of  life,  limb,  imprisonment,  bloodshed,  false  judgment, 
or  thing  disavowable  in  law,  without  commission  under  the 
king's  writ ;  and  all  those  officers  of  the  king  who  knowingly 
maintain  false  actions,  false  appeals,  or  false  defences. 

Into  perjury  against  the  king  fall  those  officers  who 
refuse  plaintiffs  remedial  writs  of  possession,  attaint,  or 
other  writs  of  common  form,  or  otherwise  delay  or  sell 
right,  and  those  who  wrongfully  delay  or  disturb  right 
judgments  and  their  execution,  and  all  those  who  wrong- 
fully execute  tortious  judgments,  and  all  those  who  exercise 
their  privileges  and  franchises  tortiously  or  excessively. 
By  perjury  against  the  king  sin  those  officers  who  take 
fines  to  the  use  of  another  than  the  king,  for  the  alienation 
of  treasure  trove,  wreck,  waif,  estray,  or  bloodshed,  or  im- 
prisonment, ve  de  naam,  redisseisin,  disseisin,  perjury,  for 
resisting  the  execution  of  lawful  judgments,  for  executing 
tortious  judgments,  usury,  purprestures  on  the  king,  or 
any  other  thing  the  cognisance  of  which  pertains  to  the 
king ;  likewise  those  receivers  who  pay  none  of  the  king's 
debts  as  was  enjoined  them,  or  render  part  in  satisfaction 
of  the  whole,  and  do  not  pay  over  the  remainder  to  the  king. 

By  perjury  against  the  king  sin  those  who  wrongfully 
charge  the  king  with  works  [done]  in  repair  of  castles  or 
elsewhere  or  other  false  expenditure.    Likewise  thoso  who 


19  BE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA  SEINTE   PEES. 

merrim,  ou  autre  chose  le  Eoi,  despendent  aillours  qe  en 
sun  service  sanz  suffisant  garant. 

En  perjurie  ver  le  Eoi  cheent  eschaetours  qe  funt  gast 
as  gardes  ou  es  fieus  le  Eoi  ou  pernent  veneison  ou  pesson 
ou  autres  biens  desavouables  ou  seississent  les  chatieux  des 
morz  par  lur  auctorite  e  por  Icier  les  relessent ;  ou  douuent 
vedues  al  damage  le  Eei  ou  funt  damaiouse  estentes  al  Eei 
e  meins  de  la  verrei  value  en  respounewt  au  Eoi  ou  a 
escient  soeffrent  possessions  demorer  en  mortemein  qe 
deussent  estre  pris  en  la  main  le  Eoi,  e  dunt  le  Eoi  doit 
avoir  les  issues ;  ou  qe  plus  rescevent  de  lur  bailies  qil  nen 
respounent  au  Eoi ;  ou  qe  a  escient  soeffrent  feffemenz  de 
possessions  ou  davoiessons  de  eglises  prejudiciels  au  Eoi ; 
ou  qe  unt  suffer z  aliener  gardez  ou  marriages  en  prejudice 
del  Eei ;  ou  soeffrent  a  pro  ver  ages  denfaunz  en  damage  del 
Eei,  ou  pernent  fins  pur  gardes  ou  marriages  sanz  bref  en 
prejudice  del  Eoi,  ou  deseisent  ascun  par  colour  de  lur 
office,  ou  levent  deners  de  ascun  de  son  propre  amerci- 
ment. 

En  perjurie  ver  le  Eoi  pecchent  viscountes  qe  trop 
chargent  lur  ostes  par  surcharge  de  gent  de  chevaus,  ou 
ceo '  chiens,  e  qe  levent  fins  ou  amercimenz  pur  eschaps  de 
prisons,  ou  pur  autre  chose  desavouable  de  droit,  einz  ceo 
qe  les  eschaps  soient  ajugez  par  justices  en  eire,  e  qi  accres- 
sent  ou  amenussent  fins  ou  amercimenz  outre  la  volunte  des 
affoerrours  ou  jurours.  E  ceus  ministres  qe  concelent 
genz  deliverables  en  prison  e  ne  les  presente  mie  en  juge- 
ment. 

En  perjurie  pecchent  touz  ceux  ministres  qi  sunt  reper- 
nables  de  la  soffrance  negligence  ou  consence  des  fraun- 
chises  ou  des  droitz  le  Eei  aliener  a  tort  occuper  ou  sustrere, 
e  ceux  qe  aillours  el  reaume  changent  veille  moneie  defendue 
pur  novele  qe  al  chaunge  le  Eoi. 

'  Corr.  de. 


OF  SmS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  19 

expend  the  stone,  lime,  timber,  or  other  thing  belonging  to 
the  king,  elsewhere  than  in  his  service  without  sufficient 
warrant. 

Into  perjury  against  the  king  fall  escheators  who  make 
waste  in  the  wardships  or  fees  of  the  king,  or  take  venison, 
fish,  or  other  things  unlawfully,  or  seize  the  chattels  of 
dead  persons  by  virtue  of  their  authority  and  release  them 
for  reward,  or  endow  widows  to  the  damage  of  the  king,  or 
make  extents  prejudicial  to  the  king  and  answer  for  less 
than  the  true  value  of  the  property  to  the  king,  or  know- 
ingly allow  possessions  to  remain  in  mortmain  which  ought 
to  be  taken  into  the  king's  hands,  and  of  which  he  ought 
to  have  the  profits.  And  those  who  receive  more  from 
their  bailiwick  than  they  answer  for  to  the  king,  or  who 
knowingly  allow  feoffments  of  possessions  or  advowsons  of 
churches  prejudicial  to  the  king,  or  who  have  allowed  the 
alienation  of  wardships,  or  marriages  to  the  king's  prejudice, 
or  allow  [premature]  proof  of  the  ages  of  children  to  the 
king's  prejudice,  or  take  fines  for  wardships  or  marriages 
without  writ  to  the  king's  prejudice,  or  disseise  anyone  by 
colour  of  their  office,  or  take  money  from  anyone  for  their 
own  amercement.' 

By  perjury  against  the  king  sin  sheriffs  who  overburden 
their  hosts  with  too  many  folk,  horses,  or  dogs,  and  who 
levy  fines  or  amercements  for  escapes  from  prison,  or  other 
thing  disallowed  by  law,  before  such  escapes  are  adjudicated 
on  by  justices  in  eyre.  Likewise  those  who  increase  or 
diminish  fines  and  amercements  fixed  by  affeerers  or  jurors. 
And  those  officers  who  conceal  in  prison  persons  who  should 
be  delivered,  and  do  not  present  them  for  judgment. 

By  perjury  sin  all  those  officers  who  are  guilty  of  negli- 
gently conniving  at  the  alienation,  occupation,  or  subtraction 
of  the  franchises  and  rights  of  the  king,  and  those  who 
anywhere  in  the  kingdom  change  old  forbidden  money  for 
new  save  at  the  king's  exchange. 


*  A  sheriff  who  has  been  amerced      act  the  amercement  from  his  justioi- 
(or  official  misconduct  must  not  ex-      ables. 


20  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 


Ch.  VI.     De  Fausonerie. 

Faussonerie  se  fet  en  ij.  maners  :  par  fausser  le  seal  le 
Eoi,  e  par  fausser  sa  moneie. 

Son  seal  porra  estre  faussie  en  plusours  maners.  II  est 
faussie  a  totes  les  foiz  qe  bref,  esc?-t8t,  ou  le^tre  en  est  seale, 
dunt  le  gros,  e  la  matire,  ou  la  fourme  nest  avouable  par  le 
Eei,  ne  par  lei,  ou  par  les  droitz  usages  del  reaume,  qe  nest 
mie  a  entendre  de  chescun  bref  abatable.  II  est  faussine 
si  lem  en  seale  apres  ceo  qe  li  chaunceler  ou  autre  gardein 
savera  qil  eit  son  garant  perdu  par  mort  ou  en  autre 
manere.  II  est  faussie  qwant  bref,  ou  lettre,  le  passe 
countre  le  defens  le  Eei.  E  est  faussie  par  ceus  qi  ensea- 
lent  par  plates  '  contrefetes,  e  par  tuz  ceaux  qi  ensealent 
de  male  art,  ou  par  quointes  nient  avouable.  E  si  est 
faussie  pa?-  ceaux  qe  ensealent,  e  ne  sunt  mie  auctorizes  de 
sealer. 

De  la  moneie  falsee.  La  moneie  estoit  ordene  ronde,  e 
quarterable,  e  soleit  issi  estre  ferue  qe  li  forein  cercle  fust 
parant  par  tut  e  entiere,  ou  autrement  ne  fust  point 
pernable,  e  qe  la  livere  fust  de  xij  unces  de  fin  argent,  e 
si  estoit  assentu  qe  le  Eoi  prist  vj  d.  pur  le  seal  de  chescun 
bref  e  xij  d.  piw  le  coin  de  chescun  livre  de  novel  moneye,  e 
qe  plus  de  manere  de  moneies  ne  courreient  el  Eeaume. 
La  moneie  est  faussee  par  ceus  qi  la  funt  nient  avouable 
par  male  coveitise  de  gaigne. 

Ele  est  fausee  par  ceus  qi  la  funt  e  ne  sunt  mie  auctorisez 
ne  garantiz  de  la  fere.  Ele  est  faussee  par  ceus  qe  par 
male  gaigne  le  funt  de  plus  de  allai  del  droit.  Ele  est 
faussee  par  tuz  ceaux  qe  la  funt  sanz  le  coin  le  Eei. 
Ele  est  fausee  par  tuz  ceaux  qi  la  contrefunt  de  mal  art 
e  par  ceux  qi  la  retondewt  ou  liment  par  male  gaigne. 


•  Houard  suggests  pUts. 


OF  SmS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.        20 


Ch.  VI.     Of  Falsification. 

Falsification  is  committed  in  two  fashions :  by  falsifying 
the  king's  seal,  and  by  falsifying  his  money. 

His  seal  can  be  falsified  in  several  ways.  It  is  falsified 
every  time  that  a  writ,  script,  or  letter  is  sealed  with  it,  of 
which  the  substance,  matter,  or  form  cannot  be  warranted 
by  the  king,  by  the  law,  or  the  right  customs  of  the  realm ; 
but  this  is  not  to  be  understood  of  every  abatable  writ.  It 
is  falsified  if  a  man  seals  with  it  after  that  the  chancellor 
or  other  keeper  is  aware  that  he  has  lost  his  authority  by 
the  death  [of  the  king]  or  in  any  other  manner.  It  is 
falsified  when  a  writ  or  letter  passes  it  against  the  king's 
orders.  It  is  falsified  by  those  who  seal  with  counterfeit 
plates,  and  by  all  those  who  seal  by  evil  art  or  unlawful 
trick.  It  is  falsified  by  those  who  seal  with  it  and  are  not 
authorised  to  do  so. 

Falsification  of  money.  Money  was  ordained  round 
and  quarterable,  and  ought  to  be  thus  struck,  so  that  the 
outer  circle  should  be  apparent  all  round  it  and  unbroken, 
or  otherwise  a  coin  was  not  to  pass  ;  and  that  the  pound 
should  be  twelve  ounces  of  fine  silver ;  and  it  was  agreed 
that  the  king  should  take  sixpence  for  the  sealing  of  each 
writ  and  twelve  pence  for  the  coining  of  every  pound  of 
new  money.  It  was  ordained  that  other  kinds  of  money 
should  not  be  current  in  this  realm.  Money  is  falsified  by 
those  who  make  it  unlawfully  through  evil  desire  of  gain. 

It  is  falsified  by  those  who  make  it  and  are  not  autho- 
rised or  warranted  to  do  so.  It  is  falsified  by  those  who 
for  evil  gain  make  it  with  more  alloy  than  is  right.  It  is 
falsified  by  all  those  who  make  it  without  the  king's  die. 
It  is  falsified  by  all  those  who  counterfeit  it  by  evil  art  and 
by  those  who  clip  it  or  file  it  for  evil  gain. 


21  DE  PECCHES   CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 


Ch,  VII.     Diffinicion  de  Traison. 

Traison  ne  se  fet  forqe  -par  entre  alliez  qe  poet  estre 
par  linage  par  affinite  par  homage  par  serement  e  par  loier. 
Par  sane  com  si  lun  parent  face  a  lautre  chose  qe  H  tort  ^  a 
mort  ou  a  desheriteson  ou  a  apert  hontage.  Car  la  qitantite 
de  traison  est  a  courcement  de  vie  ou  doute  de  menbre  ou 
descrees  de  teriene  honour  ou  encrees  de  vilenie  honte.  E 
en  mesme  la  manere  se  fest  cest  pecchie  par  entre  affins 
sicom  par  entre  socres,  gendres  e  parenz.  Car  sicom 
cosinage  est  lien  de  diverse  pa?-ceners  descendantes  de 
.  j  .  cep  e  estretes  de  carnele  engendrure,  aussi  est  affinite 
proscheinetie  de  persones  descendaunt  de  carnele  couple  ou 
nul  parente  nen  est.^  E  sicom  ceste  pecchie  se  fet  par 
entre  affins  e  cosins  aussi  se  fet  par  entre  alliez.  Alliaunce  se 
fet  ascun  foiz  par  loier  par  homage  e  par  serement,  qe  avient 
ascune  foiz  de  feaute  issant  de  servage  de  fieu,  e  ascun  foiz 
issant  de  serement  de  service  del  cors.  E  sicom  li  .  j  .  des 
alliez  parenz  ou  affins  fet  ceste  pecchie  ver  lautre  en  mesme 
la  manere  se  fet  pecchie  al  revers.  Par  loier  cum  si  cil  qe 
jeo  averai  louue  pur  moi  fere  leaute  e  seit  seisi  del  men 
cum  de  manger  ou  dautre  doun,  ou  loier  ou  curtoisie, 
faussee  mon  seel,  ou  porgice  ma  fille  en  ma  chaumbre,  ou 
ma  femme,  ou  la  norice  de  mon  heir  letaunt,  ou  fet  chose 
qe  me  court  a  mort  par  felon  compassemeut  ou  grandment 
a  deshonur,  ou  damage  de  cors,  ou  de  mes  biens,  ou 
descoevre  mon  conseel  qe  seit  chargeant  ou  ma  confession. 
E  loier  fet  a  entendre  fieu,  possession,  robe,  seele,  pension, 
eglise,  rente,  ou  autre  doun,  e  manger  e  boivre,  durant  le 
loier.  E  aussi  com  cist  me  poet  trahir  qil  print  del  mien 
tant  cum  il  en  est  seisi,  en  meme  la  manere  poes  je  pecchier 
ver  li.     E  au  tiel  action  en  ad  il  ver  moi  cum  jeo  de  ver  li. 


'  Corr.  cort  (?)  rum    ex    eo   proveniens,  quod   una 

^  Our  author  is  referring  to  defi-  persona    descendit    ab     altera    vel 

nitions  current  among  the  canonists.  ambae    ab    eadem.       Affinitas    est 

Thus    Johannes    Andreae :    "  Con-  personarum     proximitas    ex    coitu 

sanguinitas   est   attinentia  persona-  proveniens  omni  carens  parentela." 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  21 

Ch.  VII.     Definition  of  Treason. 

Treason  can  only  be  committed  between  those  allied, 
and  they  may  be  allied  by  blood,  affinity,  homage,  oath, 
or  by  hire.  By  blood,  as  if  one  kinsman  does  to  another 
a  thing  which  tends  to  his  death,  disherison,  or  open 
shame.  For  the  essence  of  treason  is  the  shortening  of 
life,  fear  of  limb  or  diminution  of  earthly  honour  or  in- 
crease of  villain  shame,  and  in  like  manner  is  this  sin 
committed  between  persons  connected  by  affinity,  as  be- 
tween sisters  in  law,  brothers  in  law,  and  other  such  kins- 
men ;  for  as  consanguinity  is  a  bond  between  divers 
parceners  descending  from  one  stock  and  arising  from 
carnal  engenderment,  so  affinity  is  the  relation  between 
persons  estabhshed  by  carnal  copulation  where  there  is  no 
common  ancestry.  And  as  this  sin  is  committed  between 
persons  who  are  kin  by  affinity  or  consanguinity,  so  also  it 
can  be  committed  between  those  who  are  allies.  Alliance 
is  created  by  hire,  homage,  or  oath,  which  oath  is  sometimes 
an  oath  of  fealty  issuing  by  way  of  service  from  the  fee, 
and  sometimes  an  oath  of  bodily  service.  And  just  as  one 
of  the  allies,  or  persons  related  by  blood  or  marriage,  can 
commit  this  sin  of  treason  against  the  other,  so  vice  versa. 
By  hire,  as  if  he  whom  I  have  hired  to  do  me  loyal 
service  and  who  is  seised  of  my  property,  for  example  by 
way  of  food  or  other  gift,  wages,  or  guerdon,  either  falsifies 
my  seal,  or  defiles  my  daughter  in  my  room,  or  my  wife,  or 
the  nurse  suckling  my  heir,  or  (Joes  something  with  felonious 
compassing  which  tends  to  my  death,  great  dishonour, 
damage  to  my  body  or  estate,  or  reveals  either  my  counsel 
with  which  he  is  intrusted,  or  my  confession.  By  hire  is 
to  be  understood  fee,  possession,  robe,  seal,  pension,  church, 
rent,  or  any  other  thing  given,  including  meat  and  drink, 
during  the  service.  And  in  the  same  way  that  a  person 
who  takes  of  my  property  and  is  seised  thereof  can  commit 
treason  against  me,  in  like  manner  can  I  sin  against  him. 
Such  action  as  he  can  bring  against  me  can  I  bring 
against  him. 


22  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 


Ck.  VIII.     De  Ardours. 

Ardours  sunt  qi  ardent  cite,  vile,  mesoun,  homme,  beste, 
ou  autre  chatieux  de  lur  felonie  en  tens  de  pees  pur  haine  ou 
vengeaunce.  E  si  ascun  met  le  fu  a  homme  felounessement 
de  quoi  il  est  bruUure  ou  blessure  par  le  feu  tut  ne  seit  il 
occis  par  le  feu  jalemenz  nen  est  le  pecchie  mortel.  En 
cest  pecchie  cheent  ascun  foiz  manaceours  del  arson. 


Ch.  IX.     De  Homicide  e  de  sa  Nature. 

Homicide  est  occision  de  hom?ne  par  homme  fete.  Car 
si  par  beste  ou  mescheaunce  adunc  nest  pas  homicidie. 
Cest  pecchie  chiet  en  ij  maneres  par  langue  e  par  fete.  Par 
langue  en  iij  maners  par  conseil  comawdement  e  defense. 
Conseil  cum  qi  conseil  dautre  occire  e  ausi  de  comawde- 
ment.  Defense  cum  qi  defent  sustenaunce  de  homme.  Par 
fet  en  plusours  maners  ascune  foiz  par  coup,  ascune  foiz 
par  venim  ou  poison,  ascune  foiz  par  necessite  e  ascune 
foiz  par  voluntie.  Par  coup  sicom  apres  piert  en  les 
appeax.  Par  poison  venim  ou  entouche  cum  qi  par  coverte 
felonie  e  feinte  amiste  doune  a  autre  a  manger  ou  autre- 
ment  user  chose  corrosive  ou  entouche  ou  envenime  ascune 
chose  dunt  home  seit  occis  tart  ou  tempre.  Par  enprisone- 
ment  cum  qi  devient  ^  cors  de  homme  par  colour  de  droit 
jesqes  a  la  mort.  Par  cas  cum  qi  gette  ou  trete  a  oisel,  ou 
a  autre  chose,  e  ascun  en  seit  occis  par  mescheaunce,  ou 
par  cheir  de  arbre,  e  tiex  autres  cas  semblables.  Mes  dis- 
tinctez  ou  li  occisour  fet  chose  qe  il  poet  de  droit  e  dune 
ne  pecche  il  nient :  ou  il  fet  chose  qe  il  ne  deit  e  met 
neqedent  la  diligence  qil  poet  criaunt  e  garnissant,  e  uncore 
ne  pecche   il   mie  grantement;  mes  cil   ne  fet   il   pecche 

'  Corr.  detient. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  22 


Ch.  VIII.     Of  Arsoners. 

Persons  committing  arson  are  those  who  burn  city, 
town,  house,  man,  beast,  or  other  chattels  feloniously  in 
time  of  peace  for  hatred  or  vengeance.  And  if  any  put  fire 
to  a  man  feloniously  whereby  he  is  burned  or  wounded, 
notwithstanding  that  he  is  not  killed  by  the  fire,  neverthe- 
less the  sin  is  mortal.  Into  this  sin  fall  sometimes  persons 
who  threaten  arson. 

Ch.  IX.     Of  Homicide  and  its  Nature. 

Homicide  is  the  killing  of  a  man  by  a  man."  For  if 
[the  killing]  is  caused  by  an  animal  or  mischance,  then  it  is 
not  homicide.  This  sin  is  committed  in  two  ways  :  by  word 
and  by  deed.  By  word  in  three  ways  :  by  advice,  com- 
mand, and  refusal.  By  advice  when  a  person  advises  the 
killing  of  another,  and  so  also  in  the  case  of  command. 
By  refusal  when  one  man  refuses  sustenance  to  another. 
By  deed  in  several  ways  :  by  blow,  venom,  or  poison,  and 
the  deed  may  be  either  done  by  necessity  or  of  free  will. 
By  blow,  as  hereafter  is  seen  in  the  chapter  on  appeals.  By 
poison,  venom,  or  drug  when  a  person  by  hidden  felony 
and  feigned  friendship  gives  another  to  eat  or  otherwise 
use  something  corrosive,  poisonous,  or  venomous,  whereby 
he  is  killed  after  a  time  or  directly.  By  imprisonment,  as 
where  a  person  detains  the  body  of  another  under  colour 
of  right  until  he  dies.  By  accident,  as  where  one  throws 
or  shoots  at  a  bird  or  other  thing.  And  such  homicide  may 
be  by  misadventure,  the  falling  of  a  tree,  and  such  other 
similar  accidents.  But  we  must  distinguish  whether  the 
killer  is  doing  a  thing  which  he  may  do  rightfully,  for  then 
he  does  not  sin ;  or  else  he  is  doing  something  he  ought 
not  to  do,  but  nevertheless  exercises  all  the  diligence  he 
can  by  crying  out  and  giving  warning,  and  in  that  case  he 
does  not  sin  greatly  ;  but  if  he  does   not  exercise  such 

'  A  groat  deal  of  what  follows  seemB  to  have  been  taken  with  little 
change  from  Hracton,  f.  120  b. 


23  DE   PECCHES   CONTEE   LA  SEINTE   PEES. 

mortelment.  Par  necessite,  distinctez  le  quel  cele  necessite 
est  eschuable  ou  noun,  e  si  eschuable  li  pecchie  est  mortele. 
Par  volunte  e  ce  purra  estre  de  li  ou  dautre  persone.  De 
ly  si  cum  en  cas  ou  genz  se  pendent  ou  neient  ou  autro- 
ment  se  occient  de  lur  propre  felonie.  Dautre  sicom  par 
coup,  famine,  e  autre  peyne,  en  que  cas  tuz  sunt  homicides. 
Par  volunte  se  fest  aussi  cest  pecche  sicuwi  par  ceux  qi 
peynent  homme  tant  qe  il  gehist  aver  pecche  mortelment 
cum  point  ne  fist  einz  pur  estre  allegie  de  la  peyne 
desiraunt  la  mort  confest  felonie  faussement :  e  ascune  foiz 
diex  '  par  recorz  de  corouners  ou  de  justices  destruz. 
E  si  cum  est  de  ceux  par  queus  contrez,  enfanz,  e  autres 
qi  ne  pount  aler  sunt  gitez  et  lessez  en  deserz,  ou  en 
tieus  lieus  qe  en  eus  ne  remeint  qil  ne  moerent  de  disede  ^  tut 
les  envoit  dieu  socours.  E  ausi  sunt  homicides  de  volunte 
faus  jurours  temoins  e  ceux  qi  apelent  autres  ou  esclandrent 
par  enditement  ou  en  autre  manere  encusent  fausement, 
es  queux  ne  remeint  qe  la  mort  ne  ifust.  E  ausi  ceo  fet  cest 
pecchie  par  ceux  qe  enpn'sounent  gent  en  tiex  lus  ou  en 
teles  peynes  les  mettent  ou  lem  purra  trovir  par  enqueste  qil 
estoient  plus  prees  de  la  mort  par  ceux  mauveis  lus  ou 
celes  peines.  Par  iij.  maneres  estoit  diex  occis  car  Longis  le 
tua  de  fet  ovesqe  les  autres  qe  li  pendirent  ou  penerent. 
Par  langue  ou  par  dit  loccist  Pilast  qe  li  comaunda  doccire. 
E  par  voluntie  loccistrent  les  faus  testmoins  e  toux  ceaux 
qe  si  consentirent.  E  de  ceo  est  qe  les  evangelistes  varient 
des  houres  de  sa  mort  en  ses  passions.  Cest  pecchie 
contient  plusours  braunches  cestasaver  enprisonement, 
mahain,  plaie,  baterie,  e  faus  tesmoignaunce  en  cas. 

Enprtsounement  est  torcenouse  detenue  de  cors  de 
humme.  E  ceo  poet  estre  en  ij  maners,  ou  en  commun 
prison  roiale,  ou  en  prison  privee  e  defendue.  En  la  comun 
prison  ne  fet  nul  a  mettre  si  noun  pwr  mortel  pecchie 
atteint  ou  principalment  appele  ou  endite,  e  par  jugement 

'  Corr.  tiex,  *  Corr.  disete. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  23 

diligence  he  sins  mortally.  And  if  it  be  a  case  of  necessity 
we  must  distinguish  whether  the  necessity  were  avoidable 
or  not ;  if  avoidable  the  sin  is  mortal.  A  voluntary  homi- 
cide may  be  of  oneself  or  of  another  person ;  the  former  is 
the  case  with  persons  who  hang,  drown,  or  otherwise  kill 
themselves  of  their  own  proper  felony.  One  can  kill 
another  by  blow,  famine,  or  other  torment,  in  which  case 
all  [the  partakers]  are  homicides,  and  this  sin  is  also  com- 
mitted by  will  in  the  case  of  those  who  torture  a  man  so 
that  he  confesses  to  a  mortal  sin  he  has  not  committed,  and, 
to  alleviate  torment,  preferring  death,  falsely  confesses  a 
felony.  And  sometimes  such  persons  are  brought  to  their 
end  by  the  records  of  coroners  or  justices.  And  in  like 
case  are  those  by  whom  cripples,  children,  and  others  who 
cannot  walk  are  cast  and  left  in  desert  places,  or  in  such  spots 
that  if  they  do  not  die  of  hunger  it  is  no  thanks  to  those 
who  put  them  there,  albeit  God  sends  them  aid.  And 
homicides  in  will  are  also  false  jurors,  false  witnesses,  and 
those  who  appeal  others  or  defame  them  by  indictment,  or 
in  other  ways  accuse  persons  falsely  so  that  it  is  not  their 
fault  that  death  does  not  follow.  This  sin  is  likewise 
committed  by  those  who  imprison  folk  in  such  places,  or 
put  them  in  such  pain,  that  it  can  be  found  by  inquest  that 
they  were  nearer  death  by  such  evil  places  or  pains.  In 
three  ways  was  God  killed,  for  Longinus  killed  him  in 
fact  with  the  others  who  hung  or  tortured  him.  By  tongue 
or  by  word  Pilate  killed  him,  for  he  ordered  his  killing, 
and  by  will  the  false  witnesses  killed  him,  as  did  all  those 
consenting  thereto.  And  this  is  the  reason  why  the  evange- 
lists vary  the  hour  of  his  death  in  their  stories  of  the  Pas- 
sion.' This  sin  has  several  branches,  to  wit,  imprisonment, 
mayhem,  wounding,  battery,  and  sometimes  false  witness. 

Imprisonment  is  the  tortious  detainer  of  the  body  of  a 
man,  and  is  of  two  kinds : — either  in  the  common  royal 
prison  or  in  a  private  and  forbidden  prison.  Into  the 
common  prison  no  one  is  to  be  put  if  not  attainted,  appealed 
as  a  principal,  or  indicted  for  mortal  sin,  or  by  judgment 
'  Seec.  23,  D.  1,  depoen. 


2  A  DE  PECCHES   CONTRE   LA  SEINTE   PEES. 

de  faus  e  torcenous  enprisonement.  Prison  privee  est  ascune 
foiz  droiturele  e  avouable  e  ascune  foiz  torcenouse.  Ele  est 
droiturele  e  avouable  quant  homme  plevisable  pris  est  mis  en 
garde  jesqes  a  taunt  qil  seit  plevi  de  fere  ceo  qe  il  devera. 
En  gard  sunt  genz  en  plusours  maneres,  en  une  manere 
par  garaunt  de  droit  sicom  est  de  enfanz  dedenz  age,  femmes 
en  la  garde  lur  barouns,  genz  de  religion  en  la  garde  de  lur 
abbez  pnours  ou  autre  chief  de  lur  mesoun,  e  serfs  en  la 
garde  de  lur  possessours.  En  autre  manere  sunt  genz  en 
garde  par  comun  assent  sicu^n.  est  de  fous  nastres,  de  gentz 
trop  gascomes/  dostages,  darrages,  e  de  ceuxqe  sunt  atteinz 
de  prisoner  peccbez  veniaus  infamatoires  qi  sunt  agarder  en 
cas.  El  pecchie  domicide  cheent  mortelement  trestuz 
ceaux  par  queus  homme  moert  en  prison.  E  ceo  poeit  estre 
ou  par  les  juges  qi  trop  delaient  a  fere  droit,  ou  par  duresce 
des  gardeins,  ou  par  autre  encheson  desavouable.  En  ceste 
pecchie  cheent  genz  par  qi  defaute  gens  moerent  de  disete 
qui  les  sunt  tenux  a  sustenir,  e  ceux  qi  occient  homme  en 
prison  par  fur  charge  ^  de  peyne  en  cas  qitant  ascun  est  juge 
a  penaunce,  e  tuz  ceux  qi  jugent  homme  desavouablement  a 
la  mort,  e  tuz  ceaux  qe  sei  assentent,  e  tesmoins  qe  fause- 
ment  testmoignerent  mortel  pecchie  sur  hom7/ie  innocent. 

En  ceste  pecchie  cheent  fous  jures  e  fous  fisiciens  en  cas 
e  manaceours  doccision  e  ceaux  qi  autre  batent  ou  nafifrent 
par  quel  il  soit  plus  loinz  de  sa  vie  e  plus  pres  de  sa  mort. 

Mahain  est  defaute  de  menbre  ou  afebleure  par  brusure 
ou  rasture  de  os  de  hom??ie  par  unt  il  seit  meins  pussant  a 
cumbatre.  E  Turgis  dist  qe  perte  de  denz  devaunt  est  mahain, 
e  reddour  del  poucier  e  del  petit  dei  e  del  dei  joignaunt  e  de 
mes  ces  ortieux  il  tendroit  el  pee  est  ausi  mahain,  e  par  plus 
de  reson  es  cas  ou  plus  de  pierte  piert.  E  Sennale  dist  qe 
pierte  de  coilz  est  mahain  si  nature  ne  les  eit  tolliz.  Mes  perte 
de  denz  messelez  ou  del  nees  ou  desorailles  ou  de  baleures  nest 
mie  mahain,  tut  enseitlicorsrevilie  deshonore.  E  Billing  dist 

'  Corr.  gastours.  '  Corr.  surcharge. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY   PEACE.  24 

for  false  or  tortious  imprisonment.  Private  imprisonment 
is  sometimes  lawful  and  avowable,  and  sometimes  tortious. 
It  is  lawful  and  avowable  in  the  case  of  a  man  plevisable 
who  is  taken  and  put  in  ward  until  he  shall  be  plevied  to 
do  what  he  ought.  In  ward  are  folk  in  several  ways  :  in 
one  way  by  warrant  of  law,  as  is  the  case  with  infants 
under  age,  wives  in  the  ward  of  their  husbands,  men  of 
religion  in  the  ward  of  their  abbots,  priors,  or  other  the 
heads  of  their  houses,  and  serfs  in  the  ward  of  their  pos- 
sessors. In  another  way  are  persons  in  ward  by  a  general 
ordinance,  as  is  the  case  with  idiots,  prodigals,  hostages, 
madmen,  and  those  who,  having  been  attainted  of  venial 
infamatory  sins,  are  imprisoned  as  is  right  in  certain  cases. 
Into  the  sin  of  homicide  fall  mortally  all  those  through 
whom  a  person  dies  in  prison.  And  this  may  be  either 
through  judges  who  too  long  delay  to  do  right,  or  by  the 
duress  of  the  keepers,  or  by  other  disavowable  act.  Into 
this  sin  fall  folk  through  whose  default  those  whom  they 
are  bound  to  support  die,  and  those  who  kill  a  man  in 
prison  by  excessive  pains  when  he  is  adjudged  to  do 
penance,  and  all  those  who  wrongfully  condemn  a  man  to 
death,  and  all  those  assenting  thereto,  and  witnesses  who 
falsely  swear  mortal  sin  against  an  innocent  man. 

Into  this  sin  fall  perverse '  jurors,  and,  in  certain  cases, 
perverse  physicians,  and  those  who  threaten  death,  and 
those  who  beat  or  wound  another  whereby  he  is  further 
from  life  and  nearer  to  death. 

Mayhem  is  loss  of  limb  or  enfeeblement  by  breaking  or 
crushing  of  a  man's  bone  whereby  he  is  rendered  less  able 
to  fight.  Turgis  said  that  loss  of  front  teeth  is  a  mayhem, 
and  of  the  thumb,  and  of  the  little  finger  and  the  finger 
joining;  and  he  held  that  the  loss  of  the  corresponding 
toes  of  the  foot  was  the  same,  and,  a  fortiori,  if  there  be  any 
greater  loss.  And  Senwel  said  that  loss  of  one's  stones  was 
mayhem,  if  one  had  not  been  deprived  of  them  by  nature. 
But  loss  of  molar  teeth,  of  nose,  ears,  or  lips,  is  not  mayhem, 
though  the  body  be  vilified  and  dishonoured.     And  Billing 

'  It  is  difiicult  to  render  fous. 

E 


25  DE   PECCHES   CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

qe  rasture  pitr  tenurer  los  de  la  teste  e  leveure  descarde  del 
teste  en  ^  mahain  e  aussi  des  autres  os. 
De  piaie  Plaie  est  matire  de  la  mort  fete  par  couper  darme  ou  de 

broche  felonessement  qe  se  monstre  par  longour  laour  e 
profundesce,  car  de  coup  de  piere  ou  de  baston  devient 
rerement  plaie  mes  de  brusure. 

Ch.  X.  De  Larcin. 
Larcin  est  prise  dautri  moeble  corporel  trecherousement 
contre  la  volunte  celi  a  qi  il  est  pur  male  gaigne  de  la 
possession  ou  del  us.  Prise  est  dist  car  bail  nest  mie  title 
de  larcin  ne  liveree  einz  la  case.  Moeble  corporel  est  disl 
pur  ceo  qe  en  biens  nient  moebles  ou  nient  corporeles  sicom 
de  terra  ne  de  rentes  ne  davoissons  deglises  ne  se  fet  nul 
larcin.  Trecherousement  est  dist,  por  ceo  qe  si  loignour 
entendi  les  biens  estre  fiens  a  qi  ^  il  les  poeit  bien  prendre, 
en  tel  cas  ne  sei  fet  mie  cest  pecchie.  Ne  en  cas  ou 
lem  pren  lautri  par  la  ou  lem  entent  qil  plest  al  seignur  de 
biens  qe  lem  les  preigne,  mes  a  ceo  covendra  enseigner 
ape7-te  prcsumpcion  e  evidence.  Deux  menbres  sunt  de 
larcin,  lun  qe  se  fet  apertement  par  robberie,  lautre  qe  se 
fet  nuttantre  ou  privement  de  jour.  Eobberie  se  fet  ascune 
foiz  par  larrons,  ascune  foiz  par  torcenouses  destresces  de 
baillifs  e  dautres  qi  sunt '  torcenouses  extorsiouns  al  menu 
poeple,  ascune  foiz  par  extrusours  e  disseisissors  qi  a  force 
e  apertement  pernent  autri  biens  cow  avant  est  dist,  e  ascune 
foiz  par  autres  qi  allopent  autries  femmes  ou  gardes  ovesqe 
lur  biens.  En  cest  pecchie  cheent  tuz  ceaux  qe  pernent 
lautri  par  lautrie  ■*  del  rei  ou  dautre  grant  seignur,  sanz  le 
gre  de  ceaux  as  queux  les  biens  sunt.  Larcin  se  fet  ascune 
fois  par  larrons  aperz,  e  ascune  foiz  par  trecheours,  cum  est 
en  plusour  manere  de  marchaundises,  e  sicom  est  de 
laborours  qi  emblent  lur  labours,  e  cum  est  de  baillifs, 
recevours   e   administrors    dautriz    biens    qi   emblent   en 


Corr.  est.  ^  Corr.  funt,  which  stands  in  margin. 

Corr.  siens  e  qe.  *  Corr.  lautorite. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY   PEACE.  25 

said  that  an  abrasion  of  the  skull,  if  splinters  of  bone  were 
taken  from  the  head,  was  mayhem ;  and  so  with  other  bones. 
Wounding  is  the  cause  of  death  when  it  is  brought 
about  by  cutting  with  spear  or  other  arm  feloniously,  and 
the  wound  has  length,  breadth,  and  depth  ;  for  from  a 
blow  from  stone  or  staff  come  bruises,  but  rarely  wounds. 

Ch.  X.  Of  Larceny. 
Larceny '  is  the  treacherous  taking  of  a  corporeal 
movable  thing  of  another,  against  the  will  of  him  to  whom 
it  belongs,  by  evil  acquisition  of  possession  or  of  the  use. 
Taking,  we  say :  for  bailment  or  livery  excludes  larceny.  A 
corporeal  movable,  we  say :  for  no  larceny  can  be  committed 
of  an  immovable  or  incorporeal  thing  such  as  land  or  rent 
or  advowsons  of  churches.  Treacherously,  we  say  :  because 
if  the  taker  believed  the  things  to  be  his  own,  so  that 
he  could  lawfully  take  them,  in  such  a  case  he  does 
not  commit  this  sin.  Nor  does  he  where  he  takes 
another's  goods  believing  that  his  taking  them  is  agree- 
able to  the  owner;  but  in  this  case  he  must  show  some 
open  presumption  and  evidence.  There  are  two  kinds  of 
larceny :  one  committed  openly  by  robbery,  the  other  by 
night  or  secretly  by  day.  Eobbery  is  committed  sometimes 
by  thieves,  sometimes  by  the  tortious  distraints  of  bailiffs 
and  others  who  make  tortious  extortions  from  the  smaller 
folk,  and  sometimes  by  extruders  and  disseisors  who  for- 
cibly and  openly  take  the  goods  of  others,  as  was  said  before, 
and  sometimes  by  others  who  elope  with  other  men's  wives 
or  their  wards  with  their  goods.  Into  this  sin  fall  all  those 
who  take  a  man's  goods  by  authority  of  the  king  or  other 
great  lord,  against  the  will  of  those  to  whom  the  goods 
belong.  Larceny  is  committed  sometimes  by  open  thieves, 
and  sometimes  by  tricksters,  as  is  the  case  in  many  kinds  of 
merchandise,  and  is  the  case  with  labourers  who  steal  their 
labours,  and  with  bailiffs,  receivers  and  administrators  of 
other  persons'  goods,  who  steal  in  rendering  account. 

'  This  definition,  with  the  words      ton,  whom  our  author  has  been  fol- 
about  the  usus,  seems  to  go  back  to      lowing  in  liis  account  of  mayhem. 
Instit.  4.  1.  1,  rather  than  to  Brae- 

■  2 


26  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE  LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

rendaunt  acounte.  El  pecchie  de  larcin  cheent  ceaux  qi 
emblent  borses  ou  maletes,  e  qi  autre  larcin  lunt  par  niceste 
ou  quointise  des  meins,  e  tiiz  lur  fautours.  En  ceste 
pecchie  ceaux  cheent  qi  soeffrent  les  larrons  passer  cum  il 
les  potreient  arestier.  E  ceaux  aussi  qe  les  porreient  prendre 
ou  desturbir  ou  garnir  autres  de  lur  malice  e  point  nel  funt. 
E  ceux  qi  les  concelent  pur  amiste,  thefbote,  ou  autre  loier, 
ou  a  esciewt  recettent  lur  larcin  ou  lur  persones.  En  ceste 
pecchie  cheent  tuz  ceaux  qi  emblent  par  fauses  mesures,  e 
faus  pois,  ou  en  autre  manere  de  trecherie  par  coverture  de 
marchaundise,  e  ceaux  qi  a  escient  le  soeffrent  cum  il  les 
poreient  desturber,  e  ceaux  qi  robbent  prisons  de  chose  qil 
eient.  En  ceste  pecche  cheent  tuz  ceaux  qe  torcenouse- 
ment  amercient  la  gent,  ou  outraiousement  affoerent 
amercimenz,  ou  qi  outraiousement  ou  torcenousement  con- 
dempnent  lur  proeine  en  damages  ou  en  peyne.  E  ceaux 
qe  vieuz  tresor  qe  au  Eoi  appent  ou  wrec  waif  ou  estrai  qe 
au  Eoi  apent  a  tort  li  detenent.  E  ceux  qe  lautri  troevent 
e  nel  rendent  cum  il  pount  e  scievent  a  qi.  En  ceste  pecche 
cheent  touz  ceaux  qi  pernent  torcenous  ou  outraious  tolnu 
en  marche,  citee,  bourg,  ville,  molin  ou  aillours,  e  ceaux  qi 
pernent  pavage,  murage,  chiminage,  cariage  ou  dautre 
manere  de  custumes  plus  qe  droit  nest.  En  ceste  pecche 
cheent  ceux  baillifs  qe  enquerent  en  tournz  e  en  veuues  de 
plus  darticles  qe  de  peccheours  personeux,  e  de  torz  fetez 
au  Eoi,  e  a  sa  coroune,  e  de  torz  fetz  al  comun  de  poeple. 
E  ceux  qe  par  extorsions  pernent  deners  de  fins  fetes  pur 
bel  pleder,  ou  purquei  les  jurours  ne  seient  enchesonez,  e 
ceaux  qe  amercent  ascun  de  testee  sanz  renable  affoerement 
de  gent  a  ceo  juree.  En  ceste  pecchie  cheent  ceaux  qe 
destreinent  desavouablement,  e  ceux  qe  vendent  nams  -pur 
la  dette  le  rey  dedenz  les  primers  xv.  jours.  En  ceste 
pecche  cheent  ceaux  ministres  de  lescheqere  e  autres  qe 
veent  a  fere  aquitaunce  souz  le  seal  del  escheqere  a  chescun 
de  taunt  cum  il  javera  paie,  e  qi  plus  de  une  foiz  funt  une 
dette  levee,  e  qi  pernent  loiers  par  si  qe  veilles  ne  se  facent 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  26 

Into  the  sin  of  larceny  fall  those  who  take  purses  or 
bags,  and  who  otherwise  commit  larceny  by  sleight  and 
dexterity  of  their  hands,  and  all  their  abettors.     Into  this 
sin  fall  those  who  allow  thieves  to  pass  when  they  could 
arrest  them.     Those  also  who  could  take  or  disturb  the 
thieves  or  warn  others  of  their  malice  and  do  not  do  so. 
And  those  who  conceal  them  for  friendship,  thefbote,  or 
other  reward,  or  knowingly  receive  the  stolen  property  or 
the  thieves.     Into  this  sin  fall  all  those  who  steal  by  false 
measures  or  weights,  or  by  other  manner  of  trickery  under 
pretence  of  merchandise,  and  those  who  knowingly  allow  such 
practices  when  they  could  prevent  them,  and  those  who  rob 
prisoners  of  things  which  they  have.     Into  this  sin  fall  all 
those  who  tortiously  amerce  the  people  or  outrageously  fix 
amercements,  or  who  outrageously  or  tortiously  condemn 
their  neighbour  to  pay  damages  or  to  suffer  pain.    And  those 
who  keep  wrongfully  old  treasure  which  belongs  to  the  king, 
wreck,  waif  or  stray  which  belongs  to  the  king.     And  those 
who  find  the  goods  of  other  persons  and  do  not  restore  them 
when  they  can  and  know  to  whom  they  belong.    Into  this  sin 
fall  all  those  who  take  wrongful  or  outrageous  toll  in  market, 
city,  borough,  township,  mill,  or  elsewhere,  and  those  who 
take  pavage,  murage,  chiminage,  carriage  or  other  kind  of 
custom  to  a  greater  amount  than  is  right.     Into  this  sin 
fall  those  baillifs  who  inquire  in  tourns  and  views  of  other 
matters  than  personal  sins,  and  of  wrongs  done  to  the 
king,  his  crown,  or  the  commonalty  of  the  people.     And 
those  who  by  extortion  take  money  by  way  of  fine  for  beau 
pleder,  or  in  order  that  occasion  may  not  be  found  against 
the  jurors,  and  those  who  amerce  any  out  of  their  own 
heads  without  lawful  affeerment  of  men  sworn  for  the  pur- 
pose.  Into  this  sin  fall  those  who  levy  unavowable  distress, 
and  those  who  sell  naams  for  the  king's  debt  within  the  first 
fifteen  days.   Into  this  sin  fall  those  officers  of  the  Exchequer 
and  others  who  deny  receipts  under  the  Exchequer  seal  to 
anyone  for  the  amount  he  has  paid,  and  who  more  than 
once  require  payment  of  a  debt,  and  who  take  reward  in 
order  that  watch  and  ward  be  not  kept  in  due  manner 


27  DE   PECCHES   CONTKE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

en  due  manere  solom  la  constitucion  de  Wyncestre,  ou  pur 
sojffrir  qe  genz  ne  seient  mie  garnie  de  armes  solom  comun 
agistement.  En  ceste  pecchie  cheent  lierres  dautri  veneson, 
e  de  pesson  enclos,  de  conyns,  levres,  fesanz  e  perdriz  en 
garenez,  e  dautri  colums  e  cines,  e  de  eires  de  tote  manere 
doiseaus.  En  ceste  peche  cheent  tuz  ceux  viscontes, 
baillifs  e  autres  roiales  qi  desavouablement  par  extorsions 
per-nent  deners  del  poeple,  sicom  pur  defautes  desavouables, 
ou  pur  travers  ou  pur  autre  custume  desavouable,  ou  pa?- 
pie  dunt  li  juge  nad  nule  juridiction,  e  ceux  qe  pe?-nent  de 
nouns  pur  ouster  les  des  paneax  e  pur  mettre  autres.  En 
cest  pecchie  cheent  touz  ceauz  qe  receivent  terre  ou  tene- 
ment, cheval  ou  autre  chose,  e  le  usent  outre  le  terrae 
certein  assis  el  louage,  e  ceux  qe  par  lauctorite  de  lur 
baillies  sunt '  desavouables  e  cueillettes  pur  deners  ou 
danrees  cueiller,  ou  ble  ou  garbes  pur  scotales  e  filstuales, 
ou  funt  al  poeple  autre  desavouable  grevance  en  cas  sem- 
blables,  e  ceux  ministres  qe  une  fin  ou  j.  amerciment  ou 
autre  manere  de  dette  funt  plusours  foiz  lever  de  un  hom?/ie 
ou  de  plusours,  sanz  fere  restitucion.  E  ceux  ministres 
qe  pe7-nent  dautre  qe  del  Rei  ou  de  lur  seignurs  pur  lur 
office  fere,  e  ceaux  qe  plus  de  deuz  foiz  par  an  tenent  cours 
de  viscounte,  ou  qe  plus  de  une  foiz  par  an  tenent  veuue  de 
francplege  en  une  court,  e  ceaux  qe  par  articles  desavouables 
am«?'cient  la  gent.  E  ceux  qe  as  molins  ou  as  marchez 
pernent  outraious  tolnu,  e  ceux  qe  amercient  la  gent  par 
garauwt  de  presentemenz  nient  fez  par  duzeine  entiere,  ou 
dautres  qe  de  francs  homwes.  En  cest  pecchie  cheent 
ceaux  qi  funt  chast  dautri  heritage,  pur  mauveise  covitise 
ou  pur  haine.  En  cest  pecche  cheent  countors  qe  pement 
outraious  salaire  ou  nient  deservie,  e  qi  sunt  atteinz  de 
male  defense  ou  dautre  descowvenue,  e  ceaux  qe  dedient  lur 
seals  en  jugement,  e  ceaux  qe  enservent  franc  sane  par 
torcenouses  destresces,  e  ceaux  qe  funt  contraz  defendues. 
En  cest  pecche  cheent  usurers  qi  prcstent  deners  ou  danrees 


'  Corr.  funt. 


UNWERSIT 


c 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY   PEACE. 


according  to  the  Statute  of  Winchester,  or  in  order  that 
people  be  not  provided  with  arms  according  to  common 
assessment.  Into  this  sin  fall  thieves  of  others'  deer,  fish  in 
a  stew,  conies,  hares,  pheasants  and  partridges  in  warrens, 
pigeons  and  swans,  eyrie  of  all  manner  of  birds.  Into  this 
sin  fall  all  those  sheriffs,  baillifs  and  other  royal  officers 
who  unlawfully  by  extortion  take  money  from  the  people, 
as  for  unlawful  default,  or  for  toll-traverse  or  for  other  un- 
lawful custom,  or  for  plea  in  which  the  judge  had  no  juris- 
diction, and  those  who  take  money  to  strike  out  names 
from  panels  and  to  put  others  therein.  Into  this  sin  fall 
all  those  who  receive  land,  tenement,  horse  or  other  thing 
and  use  it  beyond  the  time  fixed  at  the  hiring,  and  those 
who  by  the  authority  of  their  bailiwick  make  disavowable 
collections  of  money  or  money's  worth,  or  take  corn  or 
sheaves  for  scotales  and  filstales,  or  do  to  the  people  any 
other  unlawful  grievance  in  like  case,  and  those  officers  who 
levy  a  fine,  amercement,  or  other  kind  of  debt  several  times 
from  one  man  or  several,  without  making  restitution 
thereof.  And  those  officers  who  take  anything  from 
another  than  the  king  or  their  lords  for  doing  their  office, 
and  those  who  more  than  twice  a  year  hold  sheriffs'  courts, 
or  more  than  once  a  year  hold  view  of  frankpledge  in  one 
and  the  same  court,  and  those  who  under  unlawful  articles 
amerce  the  people.'  And  those  who  take  outrageous  tolls 
in  mill  or  market,  and  those  who  amerce  the  people  by 
waxrant  of  presentments  not  made  by  a  complete  dozen,' 
or  made  by  others  than  freemen. 

Into  this  sin  fall  those  who  make  waste  of  another's 
heritage,  through  evil  covetousness  or  hatred.  Into  this  sin 
fall  pleaders  who  take  outrageous  or  undeserved  salaries, 
and  who  are  attainted  of  bad  or  other  improper  defences, 
and  those  who  deny  their  seals  in  court,  and  those  who 
enslave  free  blood  by  tortious  distresses,  and  those  who 
make  forbidden  contracts.  Into  this  sin  fall  usurers  who 
lend  money  or  money's  worth  at  a  fixed  usury  in  a  manner 

'  The  articles  are  the  '  capitula '  '  Presentments  made  by  a  jury  of 

of  the  view  of  franki)loUye.  IcsB  than  twelve. 


28  DE  PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

a  usure  certein  affoer  fet  par  mauveise  covoitise.  E  ceux 
qi  robbent  ou  emblent  autriz  manages,  ou  allopewt  noneins, 
ou  autri  serfs  oveqe  autri  biens,  e  tuz  forstallours  par 
queux  vitaille  e  danrees  sunt  cheries.  Forstallours  sunt  qe 
de  denz  vile  enfranchie  achatent  pur  regraterie  fere  e  plus 
cher  vendre  desavouablemewt.  E  ceaux  bochiers  qe  venduwt 
char  sussemee  pur  seine,  e  ceaux  pessonwrs  qi  achatent  e 
vendent  countre  droit  establisement,  e  tuz  autres  de  queux 
mestiers  qe  il  seient  fesanz  trecheries  en  lur  mestiers. 


Ch.  XI.     De  Homsokne. 

Homsokne  de  aunciene  ordenaunce  est  mortele  pecchie, 
ear  droit  est  qe  chescun  eit  quiete  en  son  ostiel  qe  a  la  lei 
est.  Cest  pecchie  ne  se  fet  mie  soulement  par  brusure  de 
meeson  einz  se  fet  par  feloun  assaut  de  enemis  en  tiens  de 
pees,  sur  ceux  qi  sunt  en  lur  oustieux  en  lentencion  de 
ruposer  en  pees.  E  le  quele  assaut  se  fet  pur  occire,  ou 
robber,  ou  batre  ceaux  qe  en  lur  repos  sunt  de  dienz 
meeson,  E  tut  soit  qe  tieux  peccheours  ne  complient  lur 
porpos,  sil  facent  neqedent  ascune  brusure  par  lur  assaut 
de  hus,  fenestre,  ou  maisere,  ou  aillurs  pur  entrer  felounes- 
sement,  si  sunt  il  coupables  de  cest  crime.  En  cest  pecche 
cheent  ceaux  qe  felounessement  a  force  entrent  en  autri 
ostel  e  funt  .la  enz  ascune  violence  countre  la  pees,  tut  ne 
facent  il  nule  brusure,  e  ceo  aussi  bien  de  jour  qe  de  nuit. 
E  ceux  aussi  qe  deseisissent  la  gent  en  cas  ou  il  les  engettent 
de  lur  mansions  hors  de  lur  pesible  possessions  a  tort. 


[Ch.XIL  De  Rap.]^ 
Eap  se  fet  en  ij  maneres  cest  assaver  de  choses,  e  de 
femmes.  Cest  pecchie  est  mis  ja  por  ceo  qe  le  Koi  Edward 
le  fist  mortel  par  sa  constitucion  qe  plus  est  funde  sur 
volunte  qe  sur  descrecion.  Car  .  j  .  est  stupre,  autre  forni- 
cacioun,  autre  avouterie,  autre  incest,  e  autre  rap,  pur  pro- 

'  Supplied  from  Table  of  Contents. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE.  28 

which  shows  evil  covetousness.  And  those  who  rob  or 
steal  the  marriages  belonging  to  others,  or  abduct  nuns  or 
the  serfs  of  others  with  other  men's  goods,  and  all  forestallers 
by  whom  victuals  or  goods  are  raised  in  price.  Fore- 
stallers are  those  who  within  an  enfranchised  town  purchase 
to  regrate  or  to  sell  dearer  unlawfully.  And  those  butchers 
who  sell  tainted  flesh  for  sound,  and  those  fishmongers  who 
buy  and  sell  against  lawful  ordinance,  and  all  others,  of 
whatsoever  craft  they  be,  working  trickery  in  their  crafts 
[fall  into  this  sin]. 

Ch.  XI.     Of  Hamsoken. 

Hamsoken  by  ancient  ordinance  is  mortal  sin,  for  by 
law  everyone  who  is  inlaw  is  to  have  peace  in  his  house. 
This  sin  is  committed  not  only  by  breaking  a  house  but 
also  by  the  felonious  assault  of  enemies  in  time  of  peace  on 
those  who  are  in  their  own  houses  with  the  intention  of 
reposing  therein  in  peace.  The  aforesaid  assault  must  be 
made  with  intent  to  kill,  rob,  or  beat  those  within  the 
house.  And  albeit  such  sinners  do  not  accomphsh  their 
intent,  if  nevertheless  they  in  any  way  break  in  door, 
window,  or  outhouse  or  the  like  by  their  assault  in  order 
to  enter  feloniously,  they  are  guilty  of  this  crime.  Into 
this  sin  fall  those  who  feloniously  and  forcibly  enter  into 
another's  house  and  do  therein  any  violence  against  the 
peace,  though  they  make  no  breaking ;  and  that  whether 
by  day  or  by  night.  Likewise  those  who  disseise  folk  by 
casting  them  out  of  their  dwellings  and  out  of  their  peace- 
able possessions  wrongfully. 

[Ch.  XII.     Of  Rape.'] 

Rape  is  committed  in  two  manners  :  it  is  either  of 
things  or  of  women.  This  sin  is  put  here  because  King 
Edward  made  it  mortal  by  his  ordinance,  which  is  founded 
rather  on  arbitrary  will  than  discretion.'  For  stuprum  is 
one  thing,  fornication  another,  adultery  another,  incest 
another,  and  rape  yet  another,  if  we  speak  correctly  and 
■  See  Stat.  West.  II.  c.  xxxiv. 


29  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

prement  parler  e  le  pecchie  destincter,  dunt  li  .  j  .  pecche 
est  greignur  de  lautre.  Stupre  est  a  despuceler  femme 
felounessement.  Fornicacion  est  a  porgesir  femmes  cor- 
rumpues  nient  espouses.  Avouterie  est  a  porgiser  autri 
espouse.  Incest  est  a  porgesir  cosine  parente  ou  affin. 
Eap  est  proprement  alopement  de  fem9?ie  pur  desir  del 
mariage,  Eap  neqedent  solom  la  volunte  del  estatut  est 
pris  pwr  .  j  .  propre  mot  done  pwr  chescun  afforcement  de 
femme  de  quele  condicion  qe  le  seit. 


Ch.  XIII.     Del  Office  de  Coroners. 

As  coroners  furent  enjoinz  auncienement  les  gardes  de 
plees  de  la  coroune  qe  ne  sestent  ore  forqe  as  felonies 
e  aventures  :  solom  ceo  qe  apiert.  ij  maners  sunt  de  coro- 
ners :  coroners  generals  e  coroners  especials.  Al  office  de 
generals  apend  a  recevre  les  appeals  de  tut  le  countie  de 
felonies  fetes  dedenz  Ian,  dagarder  les  exigendes  de  contu- 
maz,  e  a  pronuwcier  les  jugemens  des  utlagaries.  E 
pus  denquere  en  qi  plegeage  tieux  furent  e  ou  dozeine 
ou  qi  meinpaz  ou  en  qi  garde.  Coroners  especiaux  sunt 
corouners  des  franchises,  ou  de  lus  priveleges.  Al  office 
des  uns  e  des  autres  appent  aveoir  les  charoines  as  mortz 
de  felonie  ou  de  mescheaunce,  e  de  veoir  les  arsons  e 
les  plaies,  e  les  autres  felonies  cestasavoir  chescun  en 
sa  baillie.  E  de  veoir  tresor  trove,  e  wrec  de  la  mer, 
e  de  recevir  les  conussaunces  des  felons,  e  de  charger  les 
abjuracions  as  futifs  as  seintuaires,  e  de  prendre  enquestes 
de  felonies  aventures  en  lur  baillies.  Quant  a  veuue 
de  charoine  de  cors  de  homme,  est  son  office  qe  si  tost 
cum  11  enserra  certefie  a  maunder  al  hundreder  de  lu  qil 
face  somondre  suffisaument  assez  de  bons  genz  de  villes 
proscheins,  qe  a  bref  jour  certein  nome  seient  devant  li  a 
tel  lu,  a  quel  jour  seit  la  charoine  veuue.  E  sil  la  troeve 
enfoie  seit  desenfoie,  e  les  nouns  de  enfoiours  appent  as 
corouners  a  mettre  en  remenbraunce.      E  si  ele  eit  este 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE,  29 

differentiate  sins  of  which  some  are  greater  than  others. 
Stuprum  is  the  felonious  taking  away  of  a  woman's  maiden- 
hood. Fornication  is  the  defiling  of  an  unmarried  woman 
who  is  already  corrupted.  Adultery  is  the  defiling  of  another 
man's  wife.  Incest  is  the  defiling  of  a  person  related  by 
consanguinity  or  affinity ;  but  rape  is  strictly  speaking  the 
abduction  of  a  woman  with  intent  to  marry  her.  By  the 
arbitrary  words  of  the  statute,  however,  the  one  word 
*  rape '  is  used  for  every  forcing  of  a  woman  of  whatsoever 
condition  she  m^  be. 


Ch.  XIII.  Of  the  Office  of  Coroners. 

The  keeping  of  the  pleas  of  the  crown  was  anciently 
entrusted  to  the  coroners,  but  now  this  only  extends  to 
cases  of  felonies  and  misadventures :  at  least,  so  it  seems. 
There  are  two  kinds  of  coroners  :  coroners  general  and 
coroners  special.  To  the  office  of  coroners  general  it 
belongs  to  receive  for  the  whole  county  appeals  of  felony 
made  within  the  year,  to  award  process  of  exigent  against 
those  who  are  contumacious,  and  pronounce  judgment  of 
outlawry.  Further  they  are  to  inquire  in  what  frankpledge 
or  dozen,  or  in  whose  mainpast  or  ward,  such  offenders 
were.  Coroners  special  are  coroners  of  franchises,  or  privi- 
leged places.  To  the  office  of  both  it  belongs  to  view  the 
corpses  of  men  killed  feloniously  or  by  mischance,  to  view 
arsons  and  wounds,  and  other  felonies,  each  in  his  own 
bailiwick.  And  to  make  view  of  treasure  trove,  wreck  of 
the  sea,  and  to  receive  the  confessions  of  felons,  and  to 
impose  abjurations  on  fugitives  in  sanctuaries,  and  to  hold 
inquests  on  felonies  which  have  happened  in  their  bailiwicks. 

As  to  the  view  of  the  corpse  of  a  man,  it  is  his  duty  so 
soon  as  he  shall  be  warned  of  it  to  order  the  hundredor 
of  the  place  to  summon  sufficient  good  folk  from  the 
neighbouring  towns,  that  on  a  near  day  named  they  may 
be  before  him  at  such  a  place,  and  on  that  day  they  shall 
view  the  corpse.  If  he  finds  it  interred  let  it  be  disinterred, 
and  he  shall  record  the  names  of  the  buricrs.     And  if  it 


30  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA  SEINTE   PEES. 

detrete  ou  demagee  pa?-  male  garde,  ou  si  longement  ieue 
par  quoi  ele  ne  seit  jugeable  coment  ele  morust,  seit  ensi 
mis  en  roulle,  si  qe  cele  negligence  seit  punie  a  la  venue  le 
Eoi  ou  de  ces  Justiciers  errantz  en  cele  pa^-ties.  E  si  li  un 
seit  trovie  jugeable,  sen  avise  li  corouner  ovesqes  les  bones 
gentz  adunc  presentes  de  la  manere  de  loccision,  le  quel  ii 
morust  dautre  felonie,  ou  de  sue,  ou  de  mescheaunce.  E 
si  de  coup,  le  quel  de  bastoun,  ou  de  piere,  ou  darme.  E 
les  nouns  de  ceaux  qe  ifurewt  somons  e  point  ne  ivindrent, 
face  li  corouner  mettre  en  roulle,  si  qe  li  pecche  de 
inobedience  ne  remeine  despunie  par  quoi  li  coroner  ne 
puisse  a  eel  foiz  fere  son  office  par  defaute  de  jurours. 

En  cestes  enquestes  ne  tenent  mie  lu  excepcions,  actions, 
ne  chalenges  de  parties  vers  les  persones  des  jurours.  Einz 
apent  a  fere  paneax  de  plus  sages  e  par  eus,  e  les  moiens 
par  eus,  e  les  meins  pussanz  par  eus.  E  veuue  la  cha- 
roigne  seit  enterree.  Fetz  les  paneax  j  urgent  les  duzeines  ; 
car  coroners  a  celes  enquestes,  viscountes  a  lur  tourns, 
baillifs  a  lur  veuues,  eschaetours  e  les  ministres  le  Eoi  de 
ses  foresz  unt  poer  del  auctorite  de  lur  offices  a  mettre 
genz  a  serement,  qe  nul  autre  nad  sanz  le  bref  le  Eei,  e 
ceo  est  por  la  savvacion  de  la  pees,  e  pur  le  droit  le  Eei,  e 
pur  comun  prov. 

Les  articles  sunt  ces  : — vows  dirrez  par  vos  seremenz  de 
la  mort  de  cest  vu,  le  quel  il  morust  de  felonie  ou  de 
mescheaunce ;  e  si  de  felonie,  lequel  de  sa  felonie  demeine 
ou  dautri ;  e  si  de  aventure,  le  quel  ele  vint  de  dieu  ou  de 
homwe  ;  e  si  de  famine,  li  quel  de  pove?'te  ou  de  comun 
pestilence.  E  dunt  il  fu,  e  qi  il  fu.  E  sil  morust  dautri 
felonie  queux  il  furent  principals  e  queux  accesories,  e  si 
hu  e  cri  fu  leve  duement  ou  noun,  e  si  les  veisins  y  corrurent 
duement  ou  noun,  e  si  la  menee  y  f u  a  droit  suye  ou  noun. 
E  queux  le  manacerent  de  vie  e  de  menbre,  e  queux  furent 


OF  Sn?S  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  30 

has  been  taken  away  or  damaged  by  careless  keeping,  or  if 
it  has  lain  so  long  that  one  cannot  tell  how  death  happened, 
let  it  be  thus  entered  on  the  roll  so  that  this  neglect  may 
be  punished  at  the  coming  of  the  king  or  his  justices  in 
eyre  into  those  parts.  And  if  it  is  possible  to  judge  the 
cause  of  death,  let  the  coroner  confer  with  the  good  folk 
then  present  as  to  the  manner  of  the  killing,  whether  the 
deceased  died  from  another's  felonious  act,  or  his  own,  or 
from  misadventure.  If  from  a  blow,  whether  from  a  staff, 
stone,  or  arm.  The  coroner  is  likewise  to  set  down  in  the 
roll  the  names  of  those  summoned  thither  and  who  did  not 
come,  so  that  the  sin  of  disobedience  through  which  the 
coroner  has  on  this  occasion  been  prevented  from  fulfilling 
his  office,  from  want  of  jurors,  go  not  unpunished. 

In  such  inquests  there  are  no  exceptions,  actions,  or 
challenges  of  the  persons  of  the  jurors  by  the  parties. 
But  it  is  the  coroner's  duty  to  make  panels  of  the  better 
folk  by  themselves,  the  mean  folk  by  themselves,  and  the 
small  folk  by  themselves.  And  when  the  corpse  has  been 
viewed  let  it  be  buried.  The  panels  being  made,  let  the 
dozens  swear  ;  for  coroners  at  these  inquests,  sheriffs  at 
their  turns,  bailiffs  at  their  views,  escheators,  and  the 
king's  forest  officers  have  power  from  the  authority  of  their 
offices  to  put  folk  to  the  oath,  and  no  one  else  has  this 
power  without  the  king's  writ,  and  this  for  the  preservation 
of  the  peace,  the  king's  right,  and  common  advantage. 

The  articles  are  these  : — You  shall  say  by  your  oaths 
concerning  the  death  of  him  whom  you  have  seen  whether 
he  died  from  felony  or  misadventure ;  if  from  felony, 
whether  by  his  own  felony  or  by  another's ;  if  from  mis- 
adventure, whether  it  came  from  God  or  man ;  if  from 
famine,  whether  from  poverty  or  from  common  pestilence. 
And  you  shall  say  from  whence  he  came  and  who  he  was. 
And  if  he  died  from  another's  felony,  who  were  principals 
and  who  were  accessories,  and  also  if  the  hue  and  cry  were 
duly  raised  or  not,  and  if  the  neighbours  ran  thither  as  was 
right  or  not,  and  if  the  menee  was  rightly  followed  or  not. 
Likewise  who  threatened  his  life  or  limb,  and  who  were 


31  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

pleges  de  sa  pees.  Ou  sil  morust  par  long  enpnsonement 
ou  de  peyne,  e  par  queux  il  fu  plus  loinz  de  la  vie  ou  plus 
prees  de  la  mort.  E  issi  de  tutes  les  circumstaunces  qe 
valer  iporrunt  par  prgsumpcions.  E  en  cas  ou  il  morust 
par  noier  ou  de  cheir  ou  dautre  cheaunce  de  dieu,  issi  qil 
nout  poer  de  parler  avant  sa  mort,  adunqe  nous  diez  les 
nouns  de  troveours,  e  de  iiij.  proscheines  veisins,  e  qe  furent 
ces  parenz.  E  sil  estoit  occis  illoec  ou  aillurs,  e  si  aillours 
par  queux  e  coment  il  fu  illoec  portie.  E  pus  de  la  value 
del  deodande,  e  lespece,  e  as  qi  meins  devient,  car  en  cas 
ou  homwe  moert  par  cheir,  en  tiel  cas  solom  Eandulf  de 
Glanville  est  deodand  qwanqe  est  cause  de  la  mort,  sicom 
est  quanqe  moveit  en  la  chose  dunt  il  chei,  sicom  cheval, 
charette,  molleen,  molin  sigles  e  roes.  Neefs  ausi  e  batex 
sunt  ascune  foiz  deodandes,  mes  ne  mie  en  la  meer.  Les 
sum?nes  sur  chevals,  les  biens  gisanz  en  neef,  molins, 
charettes,  baz,  e  meesons,  ne  sunt  mie  contables  pur 
deodandes.  E  en  cas  dautri  felonie,  dient  les  jurours 
queux  furent  les  felouns,  en  qi  plegeage  ou  en  diseine,  ou 
en  garde  ou  en  meinpaz.  E  dunt  il  vindrent,  e  ou  il 
retornerent  e  devindrent.  E  sil  fust  occis  par  faus  juge- 
ment,  adunqe  deient  queux  e  furent  juges,  queux  ministres 
a  fornir  le  jugement,  e  queux  assessours  ;  e  si  de  faus  test- 
moinage  queux  ifurent  jurours.  E  sil  morust  de  felonie 
de  li  mesmes,  adunqe  dient  la  manere  e  la  value  des 
chatieux,  e  les  nouns  des  parenz,  de  trovors  e  de  veisins,  e 
la  value  del  estrep. 

Eef '  maneres  sunt  de  accessoires — ceaux  qi  comandent, 
ceaux  qi  conseillent,  ceaux  qe  iloent  ou  sei  consentent, 
ceaux  qi  envoient,  ceux  qe  eident,  ceaux  qe  isunt  parceners 
el  gain,  ceux  qi  ensievent  e  nel  destorbent  par  defense  ne 
par  excusement,  e  ceux  qe  les  recettent  a  lur  escient,  e  ceux  qe 
isunt  en  la  force.^    Es  aventures  en  torneiementz,  bohorz, 


Corr.  Nef.  series  are  '  his  force  '  or  are  '  in  his 

The   principal's    armed    acces-       force '  (forcia  sua). 


OF   SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE.  31 

pledges  for  his  peace.  [And  you  shall  say]  if  he  died 
through  long  imprisonment  or  torment,  and  by  whose 
actions  he  was  further  from  life  or  nearer  death.  And 
likewise  of  all  the  circumstances  which  could  furnish 
ground  for  presumptions.  In  cases  where  the  person  died 
from  drowning  or  falling  or  other  visitation  of  God,  and 
had  not  the  power  of  speaking  before  his  death,  you  are 
to  say  the  names  of  the  finders,  and  the  four  nearest 
neighbours,  and  who  were  his  kinsfolk.  And  further  if  he 
were  killed  there  or  elsewhere,  and  if  elsewhere  by  whom 
and  how  he  was  brought  there.  And  then  the  value  of  the 
deodand,  its  species,  and  to  whose  hands  it  has  come,  for 
in  cases  where  a  man  dies  by  an  accident,  according  to 
Eandulf  de  Glanvill,  whatever  is  the  cause  of  death  is  deo- 
dand ;  and  that  is  taken  to  be  whatever  moved  in  the  thing 
which  caused  the  accident,  e.g.  a  horse,  cart,  mill,  sails  or 
wheels  of  a  mill.  Ships  also  and  boats  are  sometimes 
deodands,  but  not  when  on  the  sea.'  Loads  on  horses, 
goods  lying  in  a  ship,  mill,  cart,  boat,  or  house,  are  not 
deodands.  And  in  case  of  the  felony  done  by  another,  the 
jurors  are  to  say  who  were  the  felons,  in  what  frankpledge 
or  what  tithing  they  were,  or  whether  they  were  in  ward  or 
in  mainpast ;  also  whence  they  came,  and  whither  they 
went.  And  if  the  person  was  killed  by  false  judgment,  then 
they  are  to  say  who  were  judges  and  who  officers  in  execut- 
ing the  judgment,  who  assessors  ;  and  if  from  false  evidence, 
who  were  the  swearers  thereof.  Further,  if  he  died  from 
his  own  felonious  act,  they  are  to  say  the  kind  and  value  of 
his  chattels,  the  names  of  his  kinsfolk,  and  the  names  of 
the  finders  and  the  neighbours,  and  the  value  of  the  waste. 
Nine  kinds  of  accessories  there  be  :  those  who  command, 
those  who  counsel,  those  who  hire  or  are  consenting 
thereto,  those  who  send,  those  who  aid,  those  who  are 
partners  in  the  gain,  those  who  acquiesce  and  do  not  dis- 
turb the  offenders  by  \vord  or  deed,  and  those  who  know- 
ingly receive  them,  and  those  who  go  out  armed.  As  to 
adventures  in  tournaments,  combats,  jousts,  and  medleys, 
'  See  BiRcton,  fu.  122. 


82  DE   PECCITES   CONTRE   LA  SEINTE   PEES. 

joustes,  e  lutes,  ordena  le  Eei  Henri  le  second  qe  por  ceo  qe 
tieux  deduz  sunt  aventurous,  se  deit  chescun  aprester  qe 
dieu  le  truice  en  seinte  vie,  si  qe  nul  ne  seit  en  mortel 
pecche  ne  atie  autre,  einz  dona  congie  qe  chescun  en  bone 
amour  assaiast  sa  vigour  a  autres  en  places  communes  es 
avandiz  deduz,  par  unt  il  se  seust  mieux  eider  vers  ces 
enemis.  E  pur  ceoqe  nul  ne  idoit  supposer  felonie  ne 
pecchie,  nestoit  mie  qe  corouners  sentremettent  des  aventures 
qe  escheent  en  teles  com7?mnes  assembles  ou  nule  felonie  ne 
fet  acounter.' 

Corouners  soleient  ausi  fere  lur  veuues  en  sodomies,  e 
es  enfanz  monstres  qe  naveient  rien  de  humanite,  ou  qe 
aveient  plus  dautre  creature  qe  de  homme.  E  ceux  fesoient 
les  corouners  fere  enfoir,  mes  la  seinte  foi  se  ferme  chescun 
jour  de  plus  en  plus,  par  unt  genz  ne  se  cumbrent  mes  si 
commi&ment  de  tieux  orribles  pecchiez  fere  cum  eles 
soloient. 

As  arsons  soloient  aussi  venir  e  enquere  queux  y  mistrent 
le  fieu,  e  coment  e  le  quele  felonie,  ou  de  iveresce,  ou  dautre 
mescheaunce.  E  si  de  felonie,  queux  y  furent  principals, 
queux  accessoires,  e  queux  enfurent  manaceours. 

A  la  veuue  del  veil  tresor  trovie  auncienement  recous 
en  terre  les  apewt  denquere  coment  eel  tresor  fu  trovie,  e 
par  queux,  e  combien.  E  sil  isoit  tut,  ou  attamie,  ou  tut 
emportie,  e  queux  lunt  emporte,  ou,  e  cumbien,  e  qi  sont 
les  troveours  e  les  proscheins  veisins. 

A  lur  veuue  de  wrec  les  appent  denquere  ou  li  wrek  vint 
a  terve,  queles  choses,  cumbien,  e  la  value  destinctement 
par  paj'celes  :  e  si  homme,  beste,  oisel,  ou  autre  chose  vivant, 
vint  ovec  ou  noun.  E  issi  par  dividende  soit  livere  a  la 
proschein  ville  une  ou  plusors,  por  respondre  ent  al  verrai 
seignur,  si  la  veigne  chalenger  e  desresner  de  denz  Ian. 

A  sa  veuue  de  plaie  apent  qil  voie  e  face  mettre  en 
remenbraunce  la  langour,  laour,  e  la  profundesce,  en  eide 

'  ne  fuit  a  comettre,  Houard. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE.  32 

King  Henry  the  Second  ordained  that,  forasmuch  as  such 
sjiorts  are  dangerous,  everyone  ought  to  prepare  himself 
so  that  God  may  find  him  in  holy  life,  that  no  one  may 
he  in  mortal  sin  or  hatred  of  another,  but  gave  leave  to 
every  man  to  try  his  strength  on  others  in  good  fellowship 
in  public  places  in  the  aforesaid  sports,  whereby  he  might 
know  how  the  better  to  defend  himself  against  his  enemies.' 
And  because  felony  or  sin  is  not  to  be  presumed,  coroners 
were  not  to  meddle  with  mischances  that  happened  in  these 
public  assemblies  unless  some  felony  were  reported. 

Coroners  were  wont  also  to  hold  their  views  in  cases 
of  sodomy,  and  on  infant  monsters  who  had  nothing  of 
humanity,  or  who  had  naore  of  the  beast  than  the  man  in 
them  ;  and  these  the  coroners  caused  to  be  buried.  But 
the  holy  faith  grows  stronger  every  day,  whereby  folk  do 
not  burden  their  souls  with  such  horrible  sins  so  commonly 
as  they  used. 

They  are  used  also  to  attend  at  arsons  and  inquire  who 
put  the  fire  there,  and  how  and  by  what  felony,  drunkenness, 
or  other  mischance  it  arose.  And  if  from  felony,  who  were 
the  principals,  who  the  accessories,  and  who  the  threateners. 

At  the  view  of  old  treasure  anciently  hidden  in  the 
earth,  it  is  their  duty  to  inquire  how  the  treasure  was 
found,  by  whom,  and  its  value ;  further,  whether  it  was 
entire,  or  had  been  tampered  with,  or  completely  taken 
away,  and  who  took  it  away,  whither,  and  how  much,  and 
who  were  the  finders  and  the  nearest  neighbours. 

At  their  view  of  wreck  it  is  their  duty  to  inquire  where 
the  wreck  came  to  land,  what  things  there  were,  how  much, 
and  the  value  of  the  separate  parts  thereof;  and  whether 
man,  beast,  bird,  or  other  living  thing  came  with  it  or  not. 
It  is  then  to  be  delivered  to  the  nearest  township,  or  divided 
among  several  townships,  and  they  must  answer  for  it  to 
the  true  owner  if  he  comes  to  claim,  it  and  prove  his  right 
within  a  year. 

At  their  view  of  a  wound  it  is  their  duty  to  see  it,  and 
cause  to  be  put  on  record  the  length,  breadth,  and  depth  of 
>  )ye  know  of  no  each  ordinance.' 


33  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

del  blescie,  en  aventure  si  la  plaie  garrisse  e  il  sen  pleigne, 
qe  li  corouner  pur  tut  le  counte  li  puisse  eider  par  son 
record.  Aussi  apent  a  eus  aveoir  hampsoknes,  e  denquere 
des  nouns  des  felouns,  e  dunt  il  vindrent  e  ou  il  returnerent, 
e  des  manaceours  e  des  autres  circumstaunces. 

Les  jur.ours  soient  severees  par  duzzeines,  si  qe  nul 
duzeine  ne  parle  a  autre,  einz  respoigne  chescun  juree  par 
sei. 

E  receuz  les  presentementz  e  les  verdiz,  tant  tost  sunt 
il  charchables  dencuser  les  conspiratours  qi  eient  procure 
desavoer  '  ascun  peccheour  ou  denditer  innocent  en  teles 
enquestes.  E  bien  list  as  corouners  denquere  aillours, 
plus  sovent,  e  par  autres,  sil  entendent  de  plus  atteindre 
del  fet  restrix.2 

Trestuz  les  enditez  par  devant  corouners,  aussi  ben  del 
accessorie  cu7n  del  principal  sunt  pcrnables  al  mandement 
des  corouners  par  viscountes,  e  les  principals  sunt  recevables, 
e  les  accessories  sunt  liverables  as  meinpernours.  E  en 
presence  de  eus,  e  de  viscountes,  sunt  lur  biens  moebles 
e  noun  moebles  p<?rnables  en  la  main  le  Eoi.  E  par  loiale 
ostente  e  dividende,  sunt  celes  terres  moebles  liverables  as 
vilees,  por  trover  ent  as  p?-rsons  e  a  lur  necessite  ^  mesnee 
renable  sustenaunce,  e  de  respoundre  ent  au  Eoi  del 
remanaunt,  savve  chescun  droit  ou  as  prmcipalx  sil  sen 
aquitent,  e  as  accessoires  par  meinprise. 

E  si  ascun  defut  se  defendre,  ou  defut  ne  voet  estre 
justiciable  a  la  lei,  bien  list  a  chescun  del  occire  si  autre- 
ment  nel  pusse  prendre.  E  Bermond  agarda  qe  les 
chatieux  as  futifs  remeissent  forfez  au  Eoi,  savve  chescun 
droit,  tut  se  rendissent  il  pus  a  la  pees.  E  Iselgrim  dist 
qil  nest  mie  futif  qi  se  presente  en  jugement  einz  ces  ^  qe  il 
Beit  utlaguie. 

Si  ascun  se  defut  en  seintueire  e  demaunde  ent  la 
protection,   fet    destincter,    car.  sil,  est    custumer    Herre, 

'  Corr.  de  sauver. 

•'  Our  translation  is  conjectural.    Houard  refers  to  the  Latin  re^rwdere. 
3  Corr.  necessaire  (?).  *  Corr.  ceo. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  83 

the  wound,  in  aid  of  the  wounded,  so  that  if  the  wound 
heals,  and  he  complains  of  it,  the  coroner,  on  behalf  of  the 
whole  county',  may  aid  him  by  his  record.  It  is  also  their 
duty  to  view  hamsokens,  and  inquire  the  names  of  the 
felons,  from  whence  they  came,  and  whither  they  went, 
and  the  names  of  persons  threatening,  and  other  circum- 
stances. 

The  jurors  are  to  be  separated  by  dozens,  so  that  no 
dozen  may  speak  to  another,  but  each  jury  must  answer 
for  itself.  And  having  received  the  presentments  and 
verdicts,  they  are  bound  to  accuse  conspirators  who  have 
unlawfully  procured  that  a  guilty  person  shall  be  saved,  or 
that  an  innocent  person  shall  be  indicted  at  such  inquests. 
It  is  lawful  for  the  coroners  to  make  inquest  elsewhere,  more 
often,  and  by  others,  if  they  think  they  can  thereby  dis- 
cover more  as  to  concealed  facts. 

All  persons  indicted  before  the  coroners,  accessories  as 
well  as  principals,  are  to  be  taken  on  the  order  of  the 
coroners  by  the  sheriffs,  and  the  principals  are  to  be  kept, 
and  the  accessories  delivered  to  mainpernors.  And  in  their 
presence,  and  in  that  of  the  sheriffs,  their  moveables  and 
immoveables  are  to  be  taken  into  the  hands  of  the  king  ; 
and  by  lawful  extent  and  division  these  lands  and  move- 
ables are  to  be  delivered  to  the  townships,  so  that  they  may 
find  therefrom  for  keep  of  prisoners  and  for  their  necessary 
retinue  a  reasonable  sustenance,  and  may  answer  for  the 
remainder  thereof  to  the  king,  saving  every  right  to  the 
principals  if  they  be  acquitted,  and  to  the  accessories  when 
mainprised. 

And  if  anyone  makes  default  of  defence  or  flees  and 
will  not  be  justiceable  by  the  law,  it  is  lawful  for  anyone  to 
kill  him  if  he  cannot  otherwise  be  taken.  Bermund  decided 
that  a  fugitive's  chattels  should  remain  forfeited  to  the 
king,  saving  every  right,  albeit  that  he  afterwards  came 
into  the  peace.  Iselgrim  said  that  he  is  no  fugitive  who 
presents  himself  in  court  before  he  is  outlawed.  If  anyone 
flees  to  sanctuary  and  demands  therefrom  protection,  a 
distinction  is  to  be  made^  for  if  he  is  by  habit  a  thief, 

r  2 


34  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE-LA  SEINTE   PEES. 

robbour,  murdrur  ou  vagant  nutantre,  e  pur  tele  soit  conu 
e  escrie  del  poeple  e  de  ses  pleges  e  ses  deservers/  ou  si 
ascun  isoit  corue  pur  dette  ou  pur  'peche  nient  mortel,  ou 
sil  eit  este  atteint  par  jugement  de  mortel  pecche,  ou 
autrement  par  sa  conusaunce,  e  eit  forjure  le  Eeaume,  ou 
eit  este  exile,  bani,  utlaguie  ou  weive,  e  retourne  avaunt 
soun  terme,  ou  si  ascun  eit  pecche  mortelement  en  sentuaire 
ou  joignaunt  sur  cele  seurte,  e  cele  esperaunce  de  estre 
defendu  del  seint  lu,  tieu  pora  lem  prendre,  e  trere,  e  boter 
hors  del  seyntueire,  sanz  fere  oifense  ou  prejudice  a  la 
franchise  del  seintueire.  Mes  endreit  des  peccheours  qi  de 
mescheaunce  cheent  en  pecche  mortel  hors  de  seintueires,  e 
par  verrei  repentaunce  courrent  as  mosters,  e  commonement 
se  cowfessent  contriz  e  repentanz,  qi  avant  tiex  trespas 
estoient  de  bone  fame,  si  tieux  demandent  tuicion  de 
leglise,  as  tieux  granta  le  Eoi  Henri  le  tierce  a  Clarendone 
qil  fussent  deffenduz  del  eglise  par  xl  jours,  e  ordena  qe  les 
villes  gardissent  tieux  futifs  par  tute  la  quarantine,  e  man- 
dassent  as  corouners. 

Al  a  venue  del  corouner,  est  en  leleccion  del  pecheour 
de  sei  rendre  a  la  pees^  le  Eei,  ou  de  conoistre  son  pecchie 
al  coroner  e  al  people  e  weifer  la  pees  le  Eei.  Et  sil  se 
rent,  seit  livere  a  la  gaole,^  e  attendre  sa  quitaunce  ou  sa 
condempnacion,  e  sil  conoist  mortel  pecchie,  e  prie  de  isser 
le  Eeaume  sanz  la  tuicion  del  eglise,  voist  a  la  fin  del 
seintuaire,  deschauz,  desceint,  en  pure  sa  cote  ou  chemise, 
e  jurge  qil  tendra  le  droit  chemin  a  tel  port,  ou  a  tel 
passage  qe  il  avera  choisi,  e  ne  demoera  par  nule  part  ij. 
nuz  ensemble  jesqes  a  taunt  qe  pur  tiel  pecche  mortel  qe  il 
avera  conu  en  audience  del  poeple  eit  veudie  ceste  Eeaume, 
ne  point  ne  return erai  en  la  vie  le  Eei  .jj,^  saunz  soun 
counge,  si  li  eit  dieux  e  seintes  evangelies.  E  pus  pregne 
le  signe  de  la  croiz  e  la  porte  taunt  cum  il  ert  en  la  pro- 
teccion  de  leglise. 

1  Corr.  deseiners  (?).  '  These  numerals  must  represent 

"^-"^  In  the  margin.  some  corrupt  reading. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  34 

robber,  murderer,  or  a  wanderer  by  night,  and  known  and 
proclaimed  as  such  by  the  people  and  his  pledges  or 
tithingmen,  or  if  anyone  is  pursued  for  debt  or  sin  not 
mortal,  or  if  he  haB  been  attainted  of  mortal  sin  by  judg- 
ment or  by  his  confession,  and  has  forsworn  the  realm,  or 
has  been  exiled,  banished,  outlawed,  or  waived,  and  has 
returned  before  his  time,  or  if  anyone  has  sinned  mortally 
in  sanctuary  relying  on  his  safety,  and  hoping  to  be 
defended  by  the  holy  place,  such  an  one,  I  say,  can  be  taken, 
dragged  and  thrust  out  of  the  sanctuary,  without  offence  or 
prejudice  to  its  franchise.  But  as  regards  sinners  who  by 
misfortune  fall  into  mortal  sin  outside  the  sanctuary,  and 
who  truly  repenting  flee  to  churches,  openly  declaring 
themselves  contrite  and  repentant,  and  who  before  such 
wrongdoing  were  of  good  report,  if  such  demand  protection 
of  the  Church,  to  them  King  Henry  the  Third  at  Clarendon 
granted  that  they  should  be  protected  by  the  Church  for 
forty  days,  and  he  ordered  that  the  townships  should  guard 
such  fugitives  for  the  whole  quarantine,  and  should  inform 
the  coroners. 

At  the  coming  of  the  coroner  it  is  in  the  election  of  the 
sinner  to  surrender  himself  to  the  king's  peace,  or  to 
acknowledge  his  sin  to  the  coroner  and  to  the  people  and 
waive  the  peace  of  the'king.  And  if  he  should  surrender 
himself  to  the  king,  let  him  be  committed  to  the  gaol  to 
await  acquittal  or  condemnation.  If  he  acknowledges 
mortal  sin,  and  prays  to  go  forth  from  the  kingdom  without 
the  protection  of  the  Church,  let'him  come  to  the  limit  of 
the  sanctuary  bare-footed,  ungirt,  in  his  coat  or  shirt  only, 
and  swear  that  he  will  keep  the  direct  road  to  such  port  or 
such  passage  as  he  shall  have  chosen,  and  that  he  will  not 
remain  in  any  place  two  nights  together  until  that  for  such 
mortal  sin  as  he  shall  have  acknowledged  in  the  hearing  of 
the  people  he  has  left  the  realm,  and  further  that  he  will 
not  return  in  the  king's  lifetime  without  his  leave,  so  help 
him  God  and  the  holy  gospels.  And  then  let  him  take  a 
cross,  and  bear  it  so  long  as  he  shall  be  in  the  protection 
of  the  Church. 


85  DE   PECCHES   CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

E  si  ascun  demoert  en  seintuarie  outre  *la  quara?tteine 
par  taunt  jert  forclos  de  la  grace  de  la  abjuracion  fere,  si  la 
defaute  seit  en  li  outre  qe  le  terme  nul .  ne  lur  list  a  trover 
sustenaunce.  E  tut  seient  tieux  hors  de  la  pees  e  hors  de 
la  foi  le  Eei,  nuli  nequedent  ne  -lur  deit  destourber  taunt 
cum  il  sunt  en  la  proteccion  deleglise,  sil  ne  seient  trovez 
hors  del  chemin  en  volunte  denfreindre  lur  serement,  ou 
autre  meffet  el  chemin. 

Si  li  occis  soit  desconu  en  tieu  cas  apent  as  corouners 
a  mettre  murdre  en  roulle  solom  lestatut.  le  Rei  Knout 
q/tant  il  sen  parti  ver  Danemache,  qi  ordena  pur  la  savva- 
cion  de  ses  daneis  qil  lessa  en  Engleterre,  qe  par  la  ou 
homme  desconu  fust  occis  qe  tut  le  hundred  demorreit  en 
la  merci  le  Roi  par  le  jugement  de  murdre. 

Quartre  choses  excusent  le  jugement  de  murdre :  lune 
si  li  feloMn  soit  conu  ou  le  occis,  car  si  li  ieloun  seit  conu, 
adunqe  porra  leur  atteindre  la  felonie  ;  lautre  si  li  feloun 
soit  pris  ou  fuiz  a  mostier  ;  la  terce  si  loccision  ne  seit  mie 
venue  de  felonie  einz  par  mescheaunce ;  la  quarte  en  cas 
ou  hom?ne  est  feloun  de  li  mesmes.  E  pwr  ceo  qe  de  homme 
conu  ne  se  fet  nul  murdre,  apent  al  corouners  denquere 
en  eels  felonies  de  quel  lignage  tieux  occis  furent,  si  qe  lem 
sache  par  lur  parenz  qe  tieux  occis  furent  engleis  de  nacion. 

Car  si  lem  ne  sache  nomer  nul  des  parenz,  presumpcion 
jert  qe  il  furent  aliens,  •  e  de  ceo  est  qe  lem  appele  eel 
parentie  englescherie,  le  quel  qe  parentie  isoit  troeve  dever 
pere,  ou  dever  mere.  E  si  nul  englescherie  ensoit  troeve 
jert  le  jugement  murdre. 

Al  office  de  corouner  apent  aussi  a  recevre  les  confes- 
sions des  feloims  en  audience  de  testmoins.  Dunt  de  une 
grant  felonie  fet  par  plusours  peccheours  avint  el  tens  le  Rei 
John,  qe  li .  j  .  des  peccheours  fist  p?-eyer  al  Rei  qil  li  grantast 


OF   SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE.  35 

And  if  anyone  remains  in  the  sanctuary  beyond  the 
quarantine  he  shall  be  debarred  from  the  favour  of  abjura- 
tion. If  this  is  by  his  default,  then  after  that  term  none 
may  find  him  sustenance ;  and  albeit  such  people  are  out  of 
the  peace  and  faith  of  the  king,  nevertheless  none  may  dis- 
turb them  so  long  as  they  are  in  the  protection  of  the 
Church,  provided  that-  they  be  not  found  out  of  the  road 
with  intent  to  violate  their  oath  or  are  doing  some  other 
wrong  on  the  road. 

If  the  person  slain  be  unknown,  then  in  such  case  it  belongs 
to  the  coroners  to  enter  a  murdrum  on  their  rolls,  according 
to  the  statute  of  King  Knut,  made  on  setting  out  for  Den- 
mark, who,  for  the  preservation  of  his  Danes  whom  he  left 
in  England,  ordained  that  whenever  an  unknown  man  was 
slain  all  the  hundred  should  be  in  the  mercy  of  the  king 
under  a  judgment  of  murdrum.^  Pour  things  relieve  from 
the  judgment  of  murdrum  :  the  first  if  the  felon  fee  known 
or  the  person  killed ;  for  if  the  felon  be  known  then  he  can 
be  attainted  for  the  felony.  The  second,  if  the  felon  be 
taken  or  has  fled  to  a  church.  The  third,  if  the  killing 
were  not  felonious  but  by  misadventure.  The  fourth, 
where  a  man  is  felo  de  se.  Since  of  a  man  who  is  known 
no  murdrum  can  be  committed,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  coroner 
in  these  felonies  to  inquire  into  the  lineage  of  such  persons 
who  are  killed,  so  that  one  may  know  from  their  kinsmen 
whether  they  were  of  English  birth.  For  if  one  does  not 
know  the  name  of  any  of  their  kinsmen,  the  presumption 
will  be  that  they  were  aliens,  and  it  is  for  this  reason  that 
this  kinship  is  called  Englishry,  whether  such  kinship  be 
found  on  the  side  of  the  father  or  of  the  mother.  If  no 
^^Inglishry  be  thus  found  the  judgment  will  be  murdrum. 

To  the  office  of  coroner  it  belongs  also  to  receive  the 
confessions  of  felons  in  the  hearing  of  witnesses.  Thus  it 
happened  in  a  great  felony  committed  by  several  sinners  in 
the  days  of  King  John,  that  one  of  them  prayed  the  king 


'  This  seemp  tn  ronie  from  Bracton,  folio  134  b,  who  took  it  from  the  so- 
called  Leges  lidwardi  Coufessoris. 


36  "       DE   PECCHES  CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

la  vie  par  si  qil  en  atteinsist  les  autres  peccheours  qe  furent 
ces  cumpaignouns,  e  li  Eoi  lotria.  E  a  la  requeste  le  Eoi 
graunterent  les  contes  qe  en  son  tens  soulement  remeint 
eel  usage  pur  lei,  qe  peccheours  conuz  de  felonies  pussent 
autres  excuser,'  e  ordene  fu  donqe  qe  coroners  prissent 
tieux  confessions  e  tieux  appealx  a  une  foiz  e  ne  mie  par 
plusours. 

A  tieux  apealx  fere  ne  sunt  mie  femnes  recevables, 
nenfanz  de  deinz  lage  de  xxj.  an,  ne  fous .  nastres,  ne 
nieseaux  apertz,  ne  profez  en  ordre  de  religion,  ne  clers, 
nenditez  ou  appelez  de  crim  einz  ces  qil  eient  gehis  ^  de 
eus  mesmes,  ne  atteinz  de  fans  appel,  ne  vencus  de  bataille 
pur  felonie,  ne  nul  aragie. 

Les  appelez  sont  pernables  cors  e  biens  solom  ceo  ^  qe 
avant  est  dist. 

E  si  ascun  forein  soit  appele  de  provour  qe  soit  hors  del 
poer  le  corouner  le  comissaire  le  Eei  le  face  parer  en  juge- 
nient  ou  utlaguer. 


Ch.  XIV.     De  la  Place  del  Escheqere. 

Lescheqere  est  une  place  quarree  qe  soulement  est 
ordene  pur  le  pru  le  Eoi,  ou  ij.  chevalers  e  ij.  clers  ou  ij.' 
homwes  lettres  sunt  assignez,  pur  oir  e  terminer  les  torz 
fetez  au  Eoi  e  a  sa  coroune  endreit  ses  fes  e  ses  franchises, 
e  les  acountes  des  baillifs  e  de  ces  recevours  des  deners  le 
Eoi,  e  des  administrours  de  ces  biens,  par  la  veuue  de  un 
soverein  qest   tresorer  dengleterre. 

Les  ij.  chevalers  soleient  estre  appelez  ij.  barons  pur 
aflfoerer  les  amerciementz  des  countes,  e  des  barouns,  e  de 
tenaunz  counties  e  baronies  si  qe  nul  ne  fust  afifoere  forqe 
par  ces  piers. 

En  cele  place  estoit  assigne  j.  seale  j.  gardien  pur  fere 
ent  aquitaunce  de  chescun  paiement  qe  avoir  la  voleit,  e  de 

'  Corr.  encuscr.  belong  to  a  subsequent  chapter,  and 

'  gehis  interpolated.  which  were  therefore  printed  twice 

'  The  old  edition  gives  at   this  over.      Tliis   was   the    result   of   a 

point  some  sentences  which  really  copyist's  error. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE.  36 

that  he  would  grant  him  his  life  provided  he  attainted  the 
other  sinners  who  were  his  companions,  and  the  king 
granted  this  to  him.  And  at  the  request  of  the  king  the 
earls  granted  that  during  his  life,  but  no  longer,  this  usage 
should  remain  for  law,  that  sinners  confessing  their  felonies 
should  be  able  to  accuse,  others,  and  it  was  then  ordained 
that  coroners  should  take  such  confessions  and  such  appeals 
once,  and  once  only. 

To  make  such  appeals  women  are  not  receivable,  nor 
infants  under  twenty-one  years  of  age,  nor  idiots,  nor  open 
lepers,  nor  persons  professed  in  religious  orders,  nor  clerks, 
nor  those  indicted  or  appealed  for  crime  before  they  have 
confessed  themselves,  nor  those  attainted  for  false  appeals, 
nor  those  vanquished  in  battle  for  felony,  nor  any  madman. 
The  bodies  and  goods  of  those  appealed  are  to  be  taken,  as 
we  have  said  above.  If  any  foreigner  •  be  appealed  by  an 
approver  who  is  out  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  coroner,  the 
king's  commissary  is  to  make  him  appear  in  court  or  out- 
law him. 


Ch.  XIV.     Of  the  Place  of  the  Exchequer.      ■ 

The  Exchequer  is  a  square  place  which  is  established 
solely  for  the  king's  profit,  where  two  knights  and  two 
clerks,  or  two  literate  'men,  are  assigned  to  hear  and  deter- 
mine wrongs  done  to  the  king  and  his  crown  in  respect  of 
his  fees  and  franchises,  and  also  the  accounts  of  his  bailiffs 
and  the  receivers  of  the  king's  revenues  and  administrators 
of  his  goods,  under  the  suparvisiou  of  a  chief  who  is  trea- 
surer of  England. 

The  two  knights  are  commonly  called  barons  for  the  pur- 
pose of  affeering  the  amercements  of  earls,  barons,  and  of 
those  holding  counties  and  baronies,  so  that  no  one  may  be 
affeered  save  by  his  peers. 

To  this  place  was  assigned  a  seal  and  a  keeper  to  make 
acquittance  for  every  payment  to  anyone  who  wished  to 

'  A  man  o(  another  county  is  a  foreigner,  and  probably  the  sheriff  is 
the  king's  '  commiBBary.' 


87  DE   PECCHES   CONTEE   LA  SEINTE   PEES. 

Bealer  les  brefs  e  les  estretes  souz  cire  vert,  issaunt  de  cele 
place  por  le  prou  le  Koi. 

En  la  place  Bont  aussi  chamberleyns  e  plusours  autres 
ministres  qe  ne  touche  mie  mout  a  la  lei. 


Ch.  XV.     Des  Menues  Cours. 

Des  assembles  premers  vindrent  consistoires  qe  len 
appele  ore  cours.  E  ceo  en  dive?'S  lus  e  en  divers  maners. 
Dunt  une  curt  tenent  viscountes  de  mois  eia  mois,  ou  de  .  v  . 
someins  en  v.  solom  les  g7-andours  e  les  largesces  de  paiis. 
E  celez  courz  sunt  appellez  countiez  ou  les  jugemenz  se 
funt  par  les  sieuters  si  bref  ne  isoit.  E  ceo  est  par  garant 
de  jurediccion  ordenaire. 

Autres  menues  cours  sunt  qe  les  baillifs  le  Eai  tenent  en 
chescun  hundred  de  iij.  someins  en  iij.  par  les  siutiers  des 
fieu  tenaunz  des  hundrez. 

Autres  menues  courtz  sunt  es  courtz  de  chescun  seignur 
de  fieu  al  foer  deg  courz  hundredz,  e  aussi  en  feires  e 
marchez  ou  covendra  hastier  droit  sawz  delai,  le  quel  qe 
les  bosoignes  touchent  les  auctours  ou  les  deifendanz  solom 
les  primers  ordenaunces.  En  qeles  courz  unt  conussances 
de  dettes,  covenanz  e  enfreinz,  e  en  trespaz,  e  tieux  autres 
peti  pecchiez  qe  ne  passent  mie  xl.  sous  ne  la  value,  E 
aussi  e  eles^  conoisaunce  d-e  trespas  e  forfeture  des  fieus  par 
ehtre  les  seignurs  pleintifs  e  lur  tenaunz  defendaunz  ou  le 
revers. 

Trestuz  les  tenaunz  de  denz  les  fieus  sunt  obliges  a  celes 
siutes  fere,  e  ne  mie  par  servage  des  persones,  mes  par 
servage  des  fieus;  mes  femmes,  enfanz  de  dienz  lagedexxj. 
an,  sourz  e  muz,  fornastres,^  ceaux  qe  sunt  enditez  ou 
appelez  de  felonie  mortele  avant  due  aquitaunce,  apertz 
meseaux  e  escomengez  sunt  exempz  de  celes  siutes  fere. 
E  soit  qe  tieux  fieu  tenanz  poent  fere  teles  siutes  as  menues 

1  Sic.  ^  Corr.  fous  nastres. 


.OF   SINS   AGAINST  THE   HOLY   PEACE.  37 

have  it,  and  to  seal  writs  and  the  estreats  under  green  wax 
which  issue  from  this  place  for  the  king's  profit. 

In  this  place  also  are  chamberlains  and  several  other 
officers  who  have  not  much  to  do  with  the  law. 


Ch.  XV.     Of  Inferior  Courts. 

Those  primitive  assembhes  *  were  the  origin  of  the  con- 
sistories which  we  now  call  courts.  And  these  exist  in 
various  places,  and  are  of  various  kinds.  Of  these  one 
court  is  held  by  the  sheriffs  from  month  to  month,  or  from 
five  weeks  to  five  weeks,  according  to  the  size  of  the  districts. 
These  courts  are  called  counties,  and  in  them  the  judg- 
ments are  made  by  the  suitors  if  there  be  no  writ.^  This  is 
by  warrant  of  the  jurisdictio  ordinaria. 

Other  inferior  courts  are  those  which  the  king's  bailiffs 
hold  in  each  hundred  every  three  weeks  with  the  suitors  of 
the  fee  tenants  of  the  hundreds.  Other  inferior  courts  are 
the  courts  of  each  lord  of  a  fee  held  in  the  likeness  of  hundred 
courts,  and  those  in  fairs  and  markets,  where,  according  to 
the  primitive  ordinances,  justice  should  be  speeded  without 
delay,  whether  the  business  concerns  the  plaintiffs  or  the 
defendants.  Such  courts  take  cognisance  of  debts,  cove- 
nants broken,  trespasses,  and  such  other  petty  sins  which 
do  not  exceed  forty  shillings  or  its  value.  And  likewise 
have  they  cognisance  of  trespasses,  and  the  forfeiture  of 
fees  between  the  lords  who  are  plaintiffs  and  tenants  who 
are  defendants,  and  vice  versa. 

All  tenants  within  the  fees  are  obliged  to  make  suit  |[to 
these  courts],  by  reason  not  of  the  servitude  of  their  persons, 
but  of  the  servitude  of  their  fees  ;  but  women,  infants  under 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  deaf  mutes,  idiots,  those  indicted 
or  appealed  for  mortal  felony  before  due  acquittal,  open 
lepers,  and  excommunicates  are  exempt  from  doing  such 
suit.     And  albeit  such  fee  tenants  can  do  their  suits  at 


'  See  above,  p.  8.  cause  begun  by  writ,  the  sheriff  is 

'  If  the  county  court  is  hearing  a      judge. 


38  DE   PECCHES   CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

courz  par  lour  atturnez,  par  atturnee  neqedent  nest  jammes 
jugement  rendable  ne  tenable  pur  ferm. 

E  si  ascum  plee  soit  menue  par  le  bref  le  Eoi  en  teles 
courtz,  sicom  de  droit,  de  justicies,  de  replegiari,  de  naifte, 
ou  dautre  nature,  cil  en  ad  la  juresdiccioun  a  qi  le  bref  est 
maunde  principalment  ou  par  retours. 


Ch.  XVI.     De  Toms. 

Les  viscountes  daunciene  ordenaunce  tenant  assembles 
generales  ij.  fois  par  an  en  chescun  hundred  ove  touz  les 
fieus  tenanz  dedenz  le  hundred  sunt  obligez  de  venir  pa?-  le 
servage  de  lur  fieus,  cest  assavoir  une  foiz  apres  la  Seinte 
Michel  e  autre  foiz  apres  Paskes. 

E  pur  ceo  qe  les  viscountes  a  ceo  fere  font  lur  tourns 
de  hundred,  sunt  teles  venues  appelez  tourns  de  viscountes, 
ou  a  viscountes  appent  denquere  de  touz  peccheours  per- 
soneles  e  de  totes  circumstaunces  de  pecchez  fez  en  ceaux 
hundrez,  e  de  torz  des  ministres  le  Koi  e  la  Koyne  e  de  torz 
fetz  au  Eoi  e  al  comun  del  poeple,  solom  les  pointz  avantdis 
as  devisions  de  pecchez. 

Trestuz  feu  tenaunz  es  hundrez  ne  sunt  mie  ore  tenuz 
avaner  a  tieux  tourns,  car  li  Koi  Henri  le  tierz  en  allegea 
ascuns  pe^-sonas,  e  dist  qe  as  tourns  des  viscontes  nestoit 
mees  qe  erseveqas,  abbez,  priours,  countez,  barrons,  gantz 
da  Ealigion  ne  malades  ne  autres  qe  sont  exempz  de  siutes 
fare,  as  manuas  courtz  veignant  en  p?-opres  pcrsonas  si  lur 
presence  ne  isoit  nacessaira  pur  autre  chose  qe  pur  la  veuua 
fere.  E  si  ascun  eit  di verses  tenementz  en  divers  hun- 
draas  sa  presence  na  soit  point '  ne  neqedent  le  gre  le  Eoi. 

■  Some  omission  is  to  be  suspected. 


OF   SINS  AGAINST  THE   HOLY  PEACE.  88 

inferior  courts  by  their  attorneys,  yet  judgment  by  attorney 
can  never  be  given  nor  held  as  binding. 

And  if  in  these  courts  any  plea  be  moved  by  the  king's 
writ,  e.g.  writ  of  right,  of  justicies,  of  replevin,  of  naifty,  or 
of  any  other  kind,  he  to  whom  the  writ  is  sent  immediately 
or  by  way  of  return  has  the  jurisdiction. 


Ch.  XVI.     Of  Turns. 

The  sheriffs  by  ancient  ordinance  hold  general  assem- 
blies twice  a  year  in  each  hundred,  whither  all  fee  tenants 
within  the  hundred  are  obliged  to  come  by  service  of  their 
fees,  to  wit,  once  after  the  feast  of  St.  Michael,  once  after 
Easter. 

And  because  the  sheriffs  in  order  to  do  this  make  turns 
through  the  hundreds,  these  visits  are  called  the  sheriff's 
turns,  where  it  is  the  sheriff's  duty  to  inquire  as  to  all 
personal  sinners  and  into  all  the  circumstances  relating  to 
sins  committed  in  such  hundreds,  and  into  wrongs  done  by 
the  officers  of  the  king  and  queen,  and  into  wrongs  done  to 
the  king  and  the  commonalty  of  the  people  according  to 
the  aforesaid  distinctions  in  our  division  of  sins. 

All  the  fee  tenants  in  the  hundred  are  not  now  bound 
to  come  to  such  turns,  for  King  Henry  the  Third  relieved  cer- 
tain persons,  and  declared  that  archbishops,  abbots,  priors, 
earls,  barons,  men  of  religion,  and  sick  folk,  and  others 
who  are  exempt  from  doing  suit  to  inferior  courts  need 
not  come  in  their  own  persons  unless  their  presence  is 
necessary  for  some  other  purpose  than  the  making  of  the 
view.  And  if  anyone  have  divers  tenements  in  divers 
hundreds  his  presence  is  not  required  unless  the  king 
demands  it.* 


'  Some  words  have  been  omitted.  si  qui  in  hundredis  diversis  habeant 

Our   author  has    been   stating  the  tenementa,    non    habeant    necesse 

.eifect  of  the  Statute  of  Marlborough  venire  ad  huiusmodi  turnos  nisi  in 

cap.    10,    which    ends    thus:  .' Et  ballivis  ubi  fuerint  conversantes.' 


39  DE  PECCIIES   CONTEE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

Ch.  XVII.     De  la  Veuiie  des  Francs  Pleges. 

De  celes  assembles  p?'imers  estoit  aussi  ordene-  qe 
chescun  hundreder  feit  comun  assemble  une  foiz  par  an  e 
ne  mie  soulement  de  fieu  teiiaunz  mes  de  tuz  del  hundred 
estraunges  e  dinzeins  de  xij.  ans  ensus,  forp?'is  ercevesqes, 
evesqes,  a^bbes,  pHours,  e  totes  genz  de  religioun,  e  tuz 
clers,  countes,  barrouns,  e  chevalers,  femme  espouses,  sourz 
e  muz,  malades,  foxnastres  e  mese.aux  e  ceux  qe  sunt 
aillors  en  disseisnie  ^  pwr  enquere  des  poinz  avantditz  e 
des  articles  siuaunz.  E  ne  mie  par  serfs  ne  par  femmes, 
mes  par  les  serementz  de  xij.  f?-ancz  homnes  al  meins,  car 
serf  ne  poet  nule  franc  homme  enditer,  ne  nul  autre  qi  nest 
recevable  a  siute  fere  en  menues  courtz. 

E  pur  ceo  qe  ordene  fu  aunciement  q^  nul  ne  demoerast 
en  Eeaume  sil  ne  fist^  en  diseine  e  plevi  de  franc  homme 
apent  as  hundreders  de  veoir  une  foiz  par  an  les  francz 
pleges  e  les  pleviz  e  pur  ceo  sunt  teles  veuues  appelez 
veuues  de  fz-anc  pleges. 

Les  articles  sunt  ceaux  : — vos  dirrez  par  vos  serementz  si 
trestuz  soient  venues  qe  cea  deivent  venir  a  la  jornee.  Si 
tuz  francz  del  hundred  ou  del  fieu  isoient  presenz.  Si  les 
francz  pleges  i  eient  lur  doseins  enters,  e  tuz  ceaux  qil  unt 
pleinz.  Si  trestuz  ceaux  del  hundred  ou  del  fieu  de  xij.  ans 
en  sus  eient  jure  feaute  au  Eoi,  e  de  recettors  des  autres  a 
escient.  De  tut  sane  peccherousement  espandu.  De  hu  e  cri 
levee  a  tort,  ou  a  droit  levie  e  nient  sui  duement,  e  des  nouTis 
de  ceaux  qi  neient  corruerent.^  De  tuz  mortiels  peccheours 
en  totes  especes  com  des  pnncipaus  e  des  accessoires.  De 
tuz  exules,  utlaguez,  weives,  e  baniz  retornez,  e  qi  les  unt 
puis  recettez.  E  de  ceaux  qi  unt  este  condempnez  a  la 
mort,  ou  forjures  le  Eeaume.  De  cristiens  usurers  e  de  tuz 
lur  biens.  De  tresor  trovie.  De  wrek,  weif,  estrai  e  de 
chescun  porprise  e  occupacion  fet  sur  le  Eei  ou  sur  sa 
dignetie.     De  chesaun  tort  fet  par  ces  ministres  le  Eei  e  par 

Corr.  diseine.  ^  Corr.  fust.  '  Or  perhaps  corrnerent. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  39 

Ch.  XVII.     Of  the  View  of  Frankpledge. 

By  these  first  assemblies  it  was  likewise  ordained  that 
each  hundredor  should  cause  to  assemble  together  once  a 
year  not  only  the  fee  tenants,  but  all  men  of  his  hundred, 
strangers  as  well  as  denizens  of  twelve  years  of  age  and 
above,  except  archbishops,  bishops,  abbots,  priors,  and  all 
men  of  religion,  all  clerks,  earls,  barons,  knights,  married 
women,  deaf  mutes,  sick  folk,  idiots  and  lepers,  and  those 
who  are  in  tithing  elsewhere,  in  order  to  inquire  into  the 
aforesaid  matters  and  the  following  articles.  And  the 
inquiry  must  be  made  not  by  serfs  nor  women,  but  by  the 
oaths  of  twelve  free  men  at  least,  for  a  serf  cannot  indict 
any  free  man,  nor  can  any  who  is  not  receivable  to  make 
suit  in  the  inferior  courts. 

And  because  it  was  anciently  ordained  that  no  one 
should  remain  in  the  realm  if  he  was  not  in  tithing  and 
plevied  by  free  men,  it  is  the  hundredor's  duty  to  view  once 
a  year  the  frankpledges  and  plevies,  and  for  this  reason 
such  views  are  known  as  views  of  frankpledge. 

The  articles  are  these :  You  shall  say  by  your  oaths  if 
all  those  are  come-  who  are  bound* t;o  come  to  this  session, 
if  all  free  men  of  the  hundred  or  fee  are  there  present,  if 
the  frankpledges  have  their  dozens  complete,  and  if  all  that 
they  'have  are  full.  If  all  those  of-  the  hundred  or  fee  of 
twelve  years  and  upwards  have  sworn  fealty  to  the  king, 
and  what  persons  have  knowingly  received  those  who  have 
not  done  so.  Of  all  blood  sinfully  shed.  Of  hue  and  cry 
wrongfully  levied,  or  rightfully  levied  and  not  duly  pursued, 
and  of  the  names  of  those  who  did  not  run  to  it.  Of  all 
mortal  sinners  of  all  kinds,  both  principals  and  accessories. 
Of  all  persons  exiled,  outlawed,  waived  or  banished,  who 
have  returned,  and  of  those  by  whom  they  have  then  been 
'received.  Of  those  who  have  been  condemned  to  death,  or 
have  abjured  the  realm.  Of  Christian  usurers  and  of  all 
their  goods.  Of  treasure  trove,  of  wreck,  waif,  stray,  and 
every  purpresture  or  occupation  made  against  the  king  or 
his  dignity.     Of  every  wrong  done  by  the  officers  of  the  king 


40  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

autres  al  comun  del  poeple,  e  des  prtrprestures  fetes  en  lu 
comun  en  terre  ou  en  euue  ou  aillurs.  Des  bondes  remues 
a  comun  nusaunce.  De  chescun  assise  enfreinte  de  pain, 
ca-voise,  vin,  dras,  pois,  mesures,  trones,  busseaux,  galons, 
alnes,  e  tolhepes,  e  de  totes  fauses  balances  e  qi  les  unt 
useez,  e  qi  unt  achatie  par  une  manere  de  pois  e  de  mesures 
e  vendu  par  autre  manere  en  fraude  des  marchanz.  Des 
destourbeors  de  fornissementz  des  loiax  jugementz,  e  de 
forjurours  ^  de  torcenous  e  des  assessours  e  consentaunz. 
De  chescun  torcenous  detenue  de  cors  de  homme  ou  dautre 
naam.  De  chescun  faus  jugement  done  pur  ^  lautre  veuue 
el  hundred  ou  el  fieu.  De  chescun  forstal  fet  el  chemin 
comun.  De  tuz  torcenouse  vez.  De  totes  torcenouses 
recousses.  De  chescun  outraiouse  destresce  ou  en  autri 
fieu,  ou  en  marche  pur  forein  contract.  De  tutz  pontz 
rompus.  De  chaucees  e  de  chemins  connus  brises  e  qi  les 
doit  refere.  De  adobbours  de  veuz  dras  demoranz  hors  des 
grantz  viles  en  lus  defenduz.  Des  tannours  e  blanchours 
de  quirs  e  des  mainoverours.  Des  bochiers  e  queus  vendaunz 
char  susseme  pwr  seine  e  gascrue  pur  bien  quite.  De  ceux 
qi  vendent  vin  poeri  pur  sein,  e  cervoise  crue  ou  rousse  ou 
de  fenes  ou  de  cineraie  pur  covenable  e  seine.  De  menus 
larcins.  Des  cillours  ^  de  bourses.  De  ceaux  qe  les  soeffrewt 
user  eur  mestier  pur  loiers.  Des  pernours  de  thef bote. 
Des  fesours  e  hantours  de  faus  dez.  Des  outrodours 
tolneours.  De  touz  trecheors  e  decevours.  De  tuz  manners 
conspiratours  e  de  tuz  autres  articles  qe  valoir  iporrunt  a 
pecchie  destrure. 

Les  presentemenz  sunt  sealables  de  seals  des  jurours  si 
qe  Une  ne  i  puisse  fere  fraude  dencrestre  ou  damenuser.  E 
ceo  qe  ne  porra  par  ceaux  presentemenz  estre  illoec  redresce 
est  presentable  al  primer  tourn  de  viscounte ;  e  ceo  qe  les 
viscontes  ne  purrent  redrescer  est  presentable  par  les  vis- 
countes  al  escheqer. 

'  Corr.  fournissour.  ^  Corr.  puis.  '  Corr.  cissours. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST  THE  HOLY  PEACE.  40 

or  others  to  the  community  of  the  people,  and  of  pur- 
prestures  done  on  common  land  or  water  or  elsewhere.  Of 
boundaries  removed  to  the  common  nuisance.  Of  the 
breach  of  any  assize  of  bread,  beer,  wine,  cloths,  weights, 
measures,  trones,  bushels,  gallons,  ells,  toll-dishes.  Of  all 
false  balances  and  those  who  have  used  them.  Of  those 
who  have  bought  by  one  weight  or  measure  and  sold  by 
another  in  fraud  of  the  merchants.  Of  those  who  disturb 
the  execution  of  lawful  judgments,  and  of  those  who  execute 
tortious  judgments  or  take  part  therein  as  assessors  or 
consenting  parties.  Of  every  wrongful  detention  of  the 
body  of  a  man,  or  other  naam.  Of  every  false  judgment 
given  since  the  last  view  in  the  hundred  or  fee.  Of  every 
forestalment  done  in  the  public  highway.  Of  every  tortious 
vee.  Of  every  tortious  rescue.  Of  every  outrageous  dis- 
tress made  in  the  fee  of  another,  or  in  a  market  for  a 
foreign  contract.'  Of  all  bridges  broken.  Of  public  paths 
and  ways  that  are  broken  and  who  ought  to  repair  them.  Of 
redubbers  of  old  clothes  who  dwell  in  forbidden  places  out- 
side the  great  towns.  Of  tanners  and  bleachers  of  leather, 
and  hand  workers.  Of  butchers  and  cooks  who  sell  measly 
flesh  for  sound,  and  half  raw  for  well  cooked.  Of  those 
who  sell  corrupt  wine  for  sound,  and  beer  hard  or  red- 
dened or  made  of  oats  or  of  flea-bane  for  wholesome 
and  sound.  Of  petty  thefts,  of  cutpurses,  of  those  who 
for  reward  permit  them  to  carry  on  their  business.  Of 
those  who  take  thefbote,  and  those  who  make  or  use  false 
dice.  Of  those  who  take  outrageous  tolls.  Of  all  those 
working  treachery  and  deceit.  Of  all  manner  of  con- 
spirators, and  all  other  articles  which  may  avail  for  the 
destruction  of  sin. 

The  presentments  should  be  sealed  with  the  seals  of  the 
jurors,  so  that  none  may  fraudulently  increase  or  diminish 
them.  And  all  matters  that  cannot  be  there  redressed  by 
these  presentments  must  be  presented  at  the  first  turn  of 
the  sheriff;  and  what  the  sheriflfs  cannot  redress  they  must 
present  at  the  Exchequer. 

'  A  contract  not  made  in  tliat  market. 


41  DE   PECCHES   CONTRE   LA   SEINTE   PEES. 

Trestuz  ceaux  sur  queles  mortel  pecchie  est  presente  e 
baniz  retourne  e  lur  recettours  e  ceux  qe  ne  sunt  mie  a  la 
fei  le  Kei  sunt  pernables  e  lur  biens  en  la  main  le  Eei. 

■  E  tut  isoit  qe  li  baillifs  ne  puet  oir  ne  terminer  nulli 
accion  a  la  jornee,  si  ascun  nequedent  present  se  sente 
greve  par  ascun  torcenous  presentement  e  senpleigne,  ou  si 
li  baillif  eit  suspeceon  qe  les  jurours  soient  en  autre  cas 
parjurs  par  cowcelement  dascun  pecchie  presentable  ou  de 
ascun  peccheour,  bien  list  al  baillifs  par  xij  plus  vaillans 
enquere  ent  la  verite  sanz  delai.  E  tut  seit  qe  les  derreins 
jurours  dient  qe  les  primers  soient  parjurs  por  ceo  neqedent 
qe  nul  tesmoign  ou  jurour  nest  atteignable  de  meins  qe  de 
ij  jurours  e  pur  ceo  qe  la  derreine  juree  nest  mie  pris  forqe 
del  office  le  baillif  e  ne  mie  en  manere  datteinte,  ne  sunt 
mie  les  primers  jurours  tenables  pur  atteinz  einz  sunt 
simplemewi  amerciables. 

E  si  ascun  se  proffre  de  jurer  feautie  au  Eoi  seit 
primes  plevi  de  ascun  franc  plege  e  mis  en  disseisin  e '  e 
puis  jurge  feaute  au  Eoi,  e  pus  li  soit  pecchie  defendue  e 
comune  oveqe  peccheours.  E  li  soit  enjoint  qil  soit  obeis- 
sant  a  son  chief  plege. 

De-  cest  serement  fere  en  celes  veuues  nest  nul  exempt 
qe  soit  del  age  de  xij  ans  homme  ne  femme,  clerk  ne  lai, 
forp?-is  aliens  passanz  al  foer  del  messager,  ou  de  pelerin, 
ou  marchaunt  e  ceaux  qi  sunt  engarde. 

A  cestes  venues  de  tourns  e  de  veuues  tient  lu  essoignes 
par  les  queles  labsence  de  ceux  qe  ne  purruwt  estre  ex- 
cusable, en  "^  teles  essoines  sunt  ajornables  as  courtz  primers 
suanz  qe  les  essoinours  eient  lur  garantz. 

'  Corr.  diseine.  *  Corr,  e. 


OF  SINS  AGAINST   THE   HOLY   PEACE.  41 

All  those  against  whom  mortal  sin  is  presented,  and 
those  who  have  been  banished  and  have  returned,  and  their 
receivers,  and  those  who  are  not  in  the  king's  faith  are 
to  be  taken  into  the  king's  hand  with  their  goods. 

And  albeit  the  bailiffs  cannot  hear  or  determine  any 
action  at  that  session,  nevertheless  if  anyone  present  feels 
himself  grieved  by  any  tortious  presentment  and  complains, 
or  if  the  bailiff  suspects  that  the  jurors  have  perjured  them- 
selves in  another  case  by  concealing  any  presentable  sin  or 
sinner,  it  is  lawful  for  the  bailiffs  by  twelve  more  substantial 
men  to  inquire  into  the  truth  without  delay.  And  although 
such  last  jurors  say  that  the  first  were  perjured,  nevertheless 
because  no  witness  or  juror  can  be  attainted  by  less  than 
two  jurors  at  least,  and  because  this  second  jury  is  taken 
by  the  bailiff  merely  ex  officio  and  not  by  way  of  attaint, 
the  first  jurors  are  not  held  to  be  attainted,  but  are  merely 
amerciable.  And  if  any  of  the  people  proffer  himself  to 
swear  fealty  to  the  king  let  him  first  be  plevied  by  frank- 
pledge and  put  in  a  tithing,  and  then  let  him  swear  fealty 
to  the  king,  and  then  let  sin  and  community  of  sinners  be 
forbidden  him,  and  let  him  be  enjoined  to  obey  his  chief 
pledge. 

From  making  this  oath  at  these  views  no  one  is  exempt 
who  is  of  the  age  of  twelve  years,  man  nor  woman,  clerk 
nor  lay,  save  aliens  who  are  passing  in  the  guise  of  mes- 
sengers, pilgrims,  or  merchants,  and  those  who  are  in  ward. 

At  these  visits,  turns,  or  views  essoins  are  allowed,  by 
which  the  absence  of  those  who  cannot  come  is  excused, 
and  such  essoins  can  be  adjourned  to  the  next  ensuing 
courts,  so  that  the  essoiners  may  produce  their  warrantors. 


o  2 


42 


LIBEE  11.     [DE   ACTIOUNS.] 


Les  chapitres  del  secunde  livre. 


1.  De  actiouns. 

2.  De  juges, 

3.  De  actours. 

4.  De  loiers. 

5.  De  contours. 

6.  De  attachemenz. 

7.  As  queux  action  de  appeller  est 

done. 

8.  De  proces  del  exigendes. 

9.  Des  gaoles  et  gaolers. 

10.  De  pleuissables. 

11.  [De  lappel  de  majeste.] 

12.  [Lappel  de  faussonerie.] 

13.  [De  appeals  de  traison.] 

14.  [Le  appel  de  arsoun.] 

15.  [De  lappel  de  homicide.] 

16.  [Les  appeals  de  roberie  et  lar- 

cin.] 

17.  [De  lappel  de  hamsokne.] 


18.  [Lappel  demprisonment.] 

19.  [Lappel  de  mahim.] 

20.  [Lappels  de  plaie.] 

21.  [Lappel  de  rap.] 

22.  De    pecchies    criminales    a    la 

suite  le  Eei. 

23.  [De  pecchez  venials  a  la  suite  le 

Boi.] 

24.  [De  pecches  venials  a  personeles 

suites.] 

25.  De  assises  de  novel  disseisine  e 

rediseisine. 

26.  Del  ve  de  naam. 
De  acounte.' 

27.  De  contract. 

28.  De  naifte. 

29.  Des  sumonses. 

30.  Des  assoines. 

31.  De  attornez. 


1  The  Table  of  Contents  in  the  ^  The  little  that  our  author  has  to 

MS  does  not  contain  the  headings      say  about  Account  comes  at  the  end 
that  are  here  printed  within  brackets.       of  his  chapter  on  Contract. 


42 


BOOK  II.    OF  ACTIONS. 


The  Chapters  of  the  Second  Book. 


Of  Actions. 

2.  Of  Judges. 

3.  Of  Plaintiffs. 

4.  Of  Guerdons. 
6.  Of  Pleaders. 

6.  Of  Attachments. 

7.  Of  those  who  have  an  action  by 

way  of  Appeal. 

8.  Of  the  process  of  Exigent. 

9.  Of  Gaols  and  Gaolers. 

10.  Of  those  who  are  Plevisable. 

11.  Of  the  appeal  of  Laesa  Majestas. 

12.  Of  the  appeal  of  Falsification. 

13.  Of  appeals  of  Treason. 

14.  The  appeal  of  Arson. 

15.  Of  the  appeal  of  Homicide. 

16.  The   appeals    of    Bobbery  and 

Larceny. 


17.  Of  the  appeal  of  Hamsoken. 

18.  Of  the  appeal  of  Imprisonment. 

19.  The  appeal  of  Mayhem. 

20.  The  appeal  of  Wounding. 

21.  Appeal  of  Rape. 

22.  Of  criminal  sins  at  the  suit  of 

the  King. 

23.  Of  venial  sins  at  the  suit  of  the 

King. 

24.  Of  venial  trespasses  at  the  suit 

of  private  persons. 

25.  Of  the  assize  of  Novel  Disseisin 

and  Be  disseisin. 

26.  Of  Naam  refused. 

27.  Of  Contract. ' 

28.  Of  Naifty. 

29.  Of  Summonses. 

30.  Of  Essoins. 

31.  Of  Attorneys. 


43  DE  ACTIOUNS. 


LIBER     II. 

•    DE    ACTIOUNS. 

Ch.  I.     De  Acciouns. 

Quant  est  dist  qe  les  Eois  e  les  lais  princes  unt  liguie- 
ment '  e  les  corections  des  peccheours  en  eide  des  prelatz,  e 
qe  entant  sunt  il  les  vicaires  dieu  en  terre,  e  a  ceo  fere  unt 
jurediction  pur  assoudre  les  peccheours  par  peines  e  nome- 
me«t  ceaux  peccheours  qe  sunt  mis  en  lour  subjectioun, 
mes  les  Eois  ne  poient  mie  nen  deivent  savver  ^  autriz 
pecchiez  nient  notoires  sanz  actions  de  accusours,  qe  bien 
piert  par  lexample  qe  dieu  monstra  quant  il  fist  ^  juge  en 
consistoire  e  demaunda  laccusour  de  la  femme  peccheresce. 
E  pur  ceo  qe  nul  sei  presenta  contre  la  peccheresce  e  pur 
nous  doner  **  perpetuel  example  qe  dreit  jugement  ne  se  poet 
fere  demeins  de  iij  pe^'sones,  de  juge,  de  auctour  e  de 
defendour,  dist  dieux  a  cele  femme  qele  sen  alast  sanz  jour,^ 
de  si  cum  point  napent  -a  juge  de  sei  presenter  pur  juge  e 
pur  partie.  E  pur  ceo  fet  a  conoistre  de  actions,  e  .queux 
sunt  e  estre  purrent  jugez,  queux  actours  e  queux  defendours. 
Action  nest  autre  chose  qe  loiale  demaunde  de  son  droit/' 
Et  sunt  iij  maneres  de  actions,  person ele,  reale,  e  mixte,  e 
unt  introductions  par  brefs  e  par  pleintes  en  manere  qe 
suit. 


'  Corr.  le  guiement.  nical  phrase  by  which  an  English 

^  For  sauvcr,   apparently  in  the  court  acquits  a  defendant ;  it  tells 

sense  of  our  to  salve.  him  that  his  attendance  is  no  longer 

^  Corr.  se  fist.  required. 

*  e pur  nous  doner;  these  words  "  Inst. 4,  6,  pr. :  ' Actio autem  nihil 
are  in  another  hand.  aliud    est    quam     ius    persequendi 

*  qiiod  eat  indc  sine  die,  the  tech-  iudicio  quod  sibi  debetur.' 


OF  ACnONS.  43 


BOOK    II. 

OF    ACTIONS. 

Ch.  I.     Of  Actions. 

When  we  say  that  the  kings  and  the  lay  princes  have 
guidance  and  correction  of  sinners  in  aid  of  the  prelates, 
and  that  so  far  they  are  God's  vicars  on  earth,  and  for  this 
purpose  have  jurisdiction  to  absolve  sinners  by  penance, 
and  especially  those  sinners  who  are  in  subjection  to  them  ; 
yet  the  kings  neither  can  nor  ought  to  take  cognizance  of 
the  sins  of  others  that  are  not  notorious  without  actions 
brought  by  accusers,  as  well  appears  by  the  example  God 
gave  when  he  constituted  himself  judge  in  consistory,  and 
called  for  the  accuser  of  the  woman  who  had  sinned.  And 
inasmuch  as  no  man  came  forward  against  the  sinner,  and 
to  give  us  a  perpetual  example  that  there  can  be  no  lawful 
judgment  without  three  persons — judge,  plaintiff,  defendant 
— God  told  her  to  go  without  day,  since  it  does  not  pertain  to 
a  judge  to  act  as  both  judge  and  party.  We  must  therefore 
study  actions,  who  are  and  can  be  judges,  who  plaintiffs,  and 
who  defendants.  An  action  is  no  other  thing  than  a  lawful 
claim  of  one's  right.  There  are  three  kinds  of  actions,  per- 
sonal, real,  and  mixed,  and  they  commence  by  writs  and 
plaints  in  manner  following. 


44  DE  ACTIOUNS. 


Cli.  II.     De  J  ages. 

Juges  sunt  qe  unt  juresdiction.  Juges  poent  estre  tuz 
ceaux  a  queux  lei  nel  defent.  As  femmes  defent  droit  qe 
eles  ne  seient  juges,  e  de  ceo  est  qe  femmes  sunt  exemptes 
de  fere  siutes  en  menues  comtz.  Dautrepa?*t  serfs  ne  pount 
estre  juges,  pur  les  ij  estaz  qe  sunt  repugnantz,  ne  atteinz 
de  faus  jugement  ne  poient  mie  estre  juges,  ne  infames,  ne 
nul  demeins  de  age  de  xxj  anz,  ne  meseals  apertz,  ne  fous 
nastres,  ne  atturnez,  continuelement  arragez,  ne  sourz  e 
muz,  ne  parties  es  plez,  ne  escomengez  de  evesqe  ne  hom7ne 
mminal.  Car  dieu  meismes  quant  il  fu  en  terre  entra  en 
consistoire  ou  une  peccheresce  devoit  estre  jugee  a  la  mort, 
ou  diez  escrist  en  la  ierxe  e  dist  a  siuters  qi  la  deivent 
juger  '  Ki  de  vows  est  sanz  pecchie  la  doigne  soun  juge- 
ment,' en  example  de  juges  qe  empernent  a  juger  la  gent 
chescun  jour,  dunt  il  les  apprent  qe  nule  nempreigne  si 
haute  nobleie  a  seer  en  la  chaiere  dieu  pur  juger  les 
peccheours  taunt  cum  eux  meismes  sunt  de  pecchie  con- 
dempnables.  E  ceaux  qi  ne  sunt  a  la  fei  crestiene  ne  poent 
estre  juges,  ne  ceaux  qe  ne  sunt  a  la  fei  le  Eoi,  ne  ceaux  qi 
nunt  nule  com??assion  del  Eoi  ne  poent  estre  justices,  ne 
aver  juresdiction  pur  le  Eoi,  ne  nul  qe  poer  est  repelie,  ne 
nul  apres  jugement  rendu  ne  aprees  son  tort  en  mesme  la 
cause.  Example  piert  el  brief  de  droit  Et  nisi  feceris 
vicecomes  faciat.  Ne  nul  aprees  la  mort  ou  le  reaume  vient  • 
de  son  garaunt  si  la  cause  neit  este  attame,  ne  nul  qe  garant 
est  vicious,  ne  nul  sanz  soun  aioint  si  soun  poer  nel  voille.^ 
Juge  comwissaire  nad  poer  de  juger  forqe  solom  les  poinz  e 
dedenz  les  termes  de  sa  commissioun  e  del  bref  original, 
nient  plus  qe  li  juge  arbitre  ad  poer  daler  hors  des  poinz  de 
sa  cowpromisse. 


'  Corr.  remuement.  justice  to  proceed  without  his  fel- 

^  These  last  words  refer  to  a  Si       lows. 
non  omncs  clause,   permitting   one 


OF  ACTIONS.  44 


Ch.  II.     Of  Judges. 

Judges  are  those  who  have  jurisdiction.  All  save  those 
forbidden  by  law  can  be  judges.  The  law  forbids  women 
to  act  as  judges,  and  hence  it  is  that  women  are  exempt 
from  doing  suit  to  the  inferior  courts.  Again,  serfs  cannot 
be  judges,  for  the  status  of  serf  and  judge  are  repugnant, 
nor  can  those  attainted  for  false  judgment,  infamous  per- 
sons, those  under  the  age  of  twenty-one,  open  lepers,  idiots, 
attorneys,  lunatics,  deaf  mutes,  the  parties  to  the  plea,  those 
excommunicated  by  a  bishop,  nor  criminal  persons.  For 
God  himself  when  on  earth  held  a  consistory  wherein  a 
woman  who  was  a  sinner  was  to  be  adjudged  to  death,  and 
he  wrote  on  the  ground  and  said  to  the  suitors  whose  duty 
it  was  to  judge  her,  '  He  of  you  who  is  without  sin,  let  him 
give  his  judgment,'  thus  setting  an  example  to  judges  who 
every  day  take  upon  themselves  to  judge  folk,  and  teaching 
them  that  none  should  take  upon  himself  so  high  an  office 
as  to  sit  in  God's  seat  to  judge  sinners  when  he  himself  is 
tainted  with  sin.  Those  who  are  not  of  the  Christian  faith 
cannot  be  judges,  nor  those  who  are  not  in  allegiance  to  the 
king  ;  and  those  who  hold  no  commission  from  him  cannot 
be  justices,  or  have  jurisdiction  for  the  king,  nor  he  whose 
power  has  been  withdrawn,  nor  anyone  after  judgment 
given  or  after  his  own  wrongdoing  in  the  same  cause,  as  is 
shown  in  the  writ  of  right,  *  Et  nisi  feceris  vicecomes 
facial ; '  nor  anyone  after  the  death  or  removal  of  his 
warrantor  if  the  cause  has  not  already  been  begun,  nor 
anyone  whose  authority  is  faulty,  nor  anyone  without  his 
colleague  unless  his  commission  authorises  this.  A  judge 
commissary  has  only  the  power  to  judge  according  to  the 
articles  and  within  the  terms  of  his  commission  and  of  the 
original  writ,  just  as  the  judex  arbitrarius  has  no  authority 
to  go  outside  the  articles  of  the  submission  to  arbitration. 


45  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

Ch.  III.     [De  Actours.']  ' 

Queux  poent  estre  actours.  Actours  sunt  qi  siuent  lur 
droit  ou  lautri  par  pleintis.  Accuser  ou  pleindre  poent  tuz 
ceux  a  queux  lei  ne  defent.  Accuser  ne  poent  mie,  meseals, 
ne  fous  nastres  sanz  gardeins,  nenfanz  dedenz  age  sawz 
gardeins,  ne  hom/ne  criminal,  ne  utlaguie,  exille,  bani,  ou 
femme  weive,  ne  serf  sanz  soun  possessour,  ne  femme  marie 
sanz  soun  mari,  ne  gent  de  religioun  sanz  lur  gardeins,  ne 
escomengez,  ne  sourz  ne  mutz  sanz  lur  gardeins,  ne  juges 
es  cas  ou  il  sunt  jugez,  ne  nul  qe  nen  est  a  la  foi  le  Koi  pur  ^ 
quei  il  ert  est  ^  plus  de  xl.  jours  el  reaume,  forpWs  provours 
as  queux  est  suffert  daccuser  cnminalment  gentz  de  sa  con- 
dicioun  pur  favour  de  la  pees. 

Coment  loials  homwies  deivent  pleindre.  II  deivent 
amiablement  amonester  les  peccheours,  cest  a  entendre  lur 
trespassours,  qil  se  amendent  vers  eux,  e  sil  ne  voillent  e 
la  cause  soit  criminale,  distinctez — car  si  ascun  quert  ven- 
geaunce  adunqe  apent  dat  tamer  sa  accion  par  appele  de 
felonie,  e  sil  quert  amende  des  damages  adunqe  appent 
dattamer  laccion  par  bref  qe  contigne  le  noun  le  Eoi  e  de 
partiex  e  les  nouns  del  juge  e  del  countie  e  la  pleinte  ou  la 
demaunde  si  les  damages  ou  la  demaundie  passe  xl  sous. 
E  si  noun  adunqe  suffist  pleinte  sanz  bref.  E  pur  ceo  qe 
tuz  pecchez  ne  sassoillent  mie  par  pe^-soneles ''  siutes  des 
pleintifs  par  quoi  les  Eois  ne  se  pownt  mie  sentire  deschargez 
nettement  par  autries  siutes,  soleient  les  Eois  errer  de 
contie  en  contie  de  vij.  ans  en  vij.  anz  pur  enquere  des 
pecchiez  e  des  trespas  as  ^  peccheours,  e  de  torz  fez  a  eux  e 
a  la  coroune,  e  al  comuw  del  poeple,  e  de  torz,  errours, 
negligences  de  lur  ministres,  e  de  tuz  fauz  jugemewtz,  des 
peines  pardonees  ou  a  tort  juges  ou  outraiouses,  des 
utlaguez  retournez  e  de  lur  recettours,  des  values  des 
countiez,  homirs,  hundrez,  villes,  manoirs,  e  biens  noun 
moebles  qe  as  Eois  e  a  la  coroune  appendent,  des  terres 

'  Supplied  from  the  Table  of  Contents. 

^  Corr.  puis.  ^  Corr.  este. 

*  persone  les,  MS.  ^  Corr.  des. 


OF  ACTIONS.  45 

Ch.  III.     Of  Plaintiffs. 

Who  may  be  plaintiffs.  Plaintiffs  are  those  who  seek 
their  own  right  or  another's  by  plaints.  All  save  those  for- 
bidden by  law  can  bring  accusations  and  plaints.  The 
following  cannot  accuse :  lepers,  idiots  without  guardians, 
children  under  age  without  guardians,  criminals,  outlaws, 
exiles,  banished  men,  women  who  are  waived,  serfs  without 
their  owners,  married  women  without  their  husbands,  men 
of  religion  without  their  guardians,  excommunicated  persons, 
deaf  mutes  without  their  guardians,  judges  in  causes  in 
which  they  are  judges,  those  who  are  not  in  allegiance  to 
the  king  after  that  they  have  been  in  the  realm  more  than 
forty  days,  save  approvers,  who  are  allowed  to  crimin- 
ally accuse  folk  of  their  own  condition  in  favour  of  the 
peace. 

How  lawful  men  should  make  plaint.  They  should  in 
love  admonish  the  sinners,  i.e.  their  trespassers,  to  make 
amends  to  them,  and  if  they  will  not,  and  the  cause  be 
criminal,  then  we  must  make  this  distinction  : — If  anyone 
seek  vengeance  then  shall  he  commence  his  action  by  an 
appeal  of  felony,  and  if  he  seek  compensation  for  damage 
then  shall  he  commence  his  action  by  a  writ  containing  the 
king's  name,  the  names  of  the  parties,  the  judge,  the 
county,  and  the  plaint  or  demand,  if  the  damages  or  sum 
claimed  exceed  forty  shillings  ;"  if  they  do  not,  a  plaint  with- 
out writ  suffices.  And  because  all  sins  cannot  be  absolved  by 
personal  actions  brought  by  plaintiffs,  and  thus  the  kings 
cannot  feel  themselves  fully  discharged  by  suits  brought  by 
others,  they  were  wont  to  journey  through  the  counties 
every  seven  years,  to  inquire  concerning  sins  and  trespasses 
of  sinners,  of  wrongs  done  against  them  and  their  crown, 
and  to  the  commonalty  of  the  people,  and  of  wrongs,  errors, 
and  negligences  done  by  their  ministers,  of  all  false  judg- 
ments, punishments  pardoned  or  wrongfully  or  outrageously 
adjudged,  of  outlaws  returned  and  their  receivers,  of  the 
values  of  counties,  honours,  hundreds,  towns,  manors,  of 
immoveables  belonging  to  the  king  and  the  crown,  of  lands 


46  DE   ACTIO  UNS. 

a  fous  nastres,  des  alienacions  des  fieus,  des  offenses 
a  comuns  inhibicions  des  Eois,  des  privileges  e  franchises 
jDrejudiciels  as  Eois,  des  chaucees  ponz  e  chemins  brisez, 
e  de  tuz  autres  articles  necessaires.  E  soleient  fere 
droit  a  tuz  par  eux  ou  par  lur  chief  justicier.  E  ore  les 
funt  les  Eois  par  lur  justices  com??iissaires  erranz  assignez 
a  tuz  pies.  En  eide  de  celes  eires  sunt  tourns  des  viscountes 
necessaires  e  veuues  des  francs  pleges.  E  quanqe  bones 
gentz  a  teles  enquestes  enditerent  de  pecchie  mortel  soloient 
les  Eois  destrure  sanz  responz,  les  queux  usages  durent 
uncore  en  alamaine.  Mes  par  garaunt  de  pite  e  de  merci, 
e  pur  ceo  qe  la  fresletie  de  homme  ne  sei  poet  tenir  de 
pecchie  si  abstinence  neit  de  la  grace  de  dieu,  acorde  est  qe 
nul  appele  ne  endite  soit  destrut  sanz  responz,  e  ceo  '  qe 
les  Eois  ne  eient  siutes  forqe  des  pecchiez  mortieux,  e  de 
droitz  de  la  coroune,  e  de  lur  droiz  demeine,  de  torz  de  lur 
ministres,  e  de  torz  fetz  countre  comun  droit  e  communes 
ordenaunces  pur  comun  prov,  e  des  articles  des  eires. 


Ch.  IV.     Des  Loiers. 

Les  Eois  soloient  doner  gareison  a  chief  de  vij  anz  a 
tuz  ceux  qe  par  taunt  de  tens  les  avereient  lealment  servi, 
e  de  guerdons  des  Eois  pristrent  autres  example  de  rendre 
services^  a  lur  serjantes.  E  pur  ceo  qe  nul  ne  poet  franc 
home  enservir  countre  soun  gre  par  unt  nul  nestoit  servir 
Eei  nautre  forqe  pur  le  servage  de  soun  fieu  ou  pur  la 
reseantise  e  la  demoere  en  autri  fieu,  sunt  ascuns  louuez  a 
servir  le  Eoi  pur  certein  par  an.  E  a  ceaux  ministres  qe 
pernent  lur  sertein  *  del  Eoi  ne  list  rien  a  prendre  de  nul 
del  people,  mes  a  ceaux  juges  qi  ser-vent  le  Eoi  en  esperaunce 
de  bien  fet  list  bien  a  prendre  xij  deners  del  actour  a  la 
jornee  ou  sieurte  einz  ceux"*  qeli  actour  eit  audience,  e  nient 
plus  tut  isoientil  ij.  juges  ouij.  pleintifs  ou^  une  accion.    E 

'  Omit  ceo  (?).  -  Corr.  guerdons.  ^  Corr.  certein. 

^  Corr.  ceo.  *  Corr.  ew. 


OF  ACTIONS.  46 

belonging  to  idiots,  of  the  alienation  of  fees,  of  offences 
against  the  common  inhibitions  of  the  king,  of  privileges 
and  franchises  prejudicial  to  the  king,  of  paths,  bridges, 
and  roads  broken,  and  all  other  necessary  articles.  And 
they  were  wont  to  do  right  to  all  men  by  themselves  or  by 
their  chief  justices,  but  now  the  kings  do  this  by  their 
justices  commissary  in  eyre  assigned  to  hold  all  manner  of 
pleas.  In  aid  of  these  eyres,  turns  of  sheriffs  and  views  of 
frankpledge  are  necessary.  And  those  whom  the  good  folk 
in  these  inquests  indicted  of  mortal  sin  the  kings  used  to 
destroy  without  [hearing  an]  answer ;  and  this  usage  still 
prevails  in  Almain.  But  through  pity  and  mercy,  and  be- 
cause the  frailty  of  man  cannot  abstain  from  sin  unless  it  be 
by  the  grace  of  God,  it  was  accorded  that  a  person  appealed  or 
indicted  should  not  be  destroyed  without  giving  an  answer, 
and  that  the  kings  should  not  make  suit  save  for  mortal 
sins,  the  rights  of  the  crown,  their  desmesne  rights,  wrongs 
done  by  their  officers,  and  wrongs  done  against  common 
right  and  common  ordinances  made  for  the  common  advan- 
tage, and  lastly  the  articles  of  the  eires. 

Ch.  IV.     Of  Guerdons. 

The  kings  were  wont  to  give  a  reward  every  seven 
years  to  all  those  who  for  that  time  had  loyally  served 
them  ;  and  others  took  example  from  the  kings  to  give 
rewards  to  their  servants,  and  since  no  man  can  enslave  a 
free  man  against  his  will,  so  that  no  one  was  bound  to 
serve  the  king  or  any  other  man  against  his  will,  save  by 
reason  of  services  due  from  his  fee,  or  by  reason  of  his 
residence  and  dwelling  in  the  fee  of  another,  certain  persons 
are  hired  to  serve  the  king  at  a  certain  amount  by  the  year. 
And  it  is  not  lawful  for  these  officers  who  have  a  fixed  sum 
from  the  king  to  take  anything  from  any  man ;  but  those 
judges  who  serve  the  king  in  hope  of  advancement  may  well 
take  from  the  plaintiff  twelve  pence  for  the  day  or  security 
for  the  same  before  the  plaintiff  can  have  audience,  but  not 
more,  though  there  be  two  judges  or  two  plaintiffs  in  one 


47-  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

al  countour  vj  d.,  et  chivaler  tesmoin  jurour  vj  d.,  e  autre 
jurour  iiij  d.  e  les  ij  somenours  iiij  d.  El  tens  nequedent 
le  Eoi  Henri  le  premer  estoit  ordene  e  communement 
assentu  qe  jurours  en  enquestes  e  jurees  doffice  cum  es 
petites  assises,  de  reconoissaunces,  reddisseisines,  certefica- 
cions,  atteintes  et  teles  autres  ne  pmssent  nient  de  loiers, 
pur  ceo  qe  eles  se  funt  aussi  com  de  office  le  Eoi.  E  de 
ceux  deners  rendre  sunt  les  defendaunz  chargeables  entre  ' 
les  damages  sil  cheent  en  jugement.  E  a  ceux  qe  suirent 
le  profit  le  Eoi  e  ne  furent  mie  ses  ministres  dona  le  Eoi 
primer  Henri  le  vintime  del  profite  estre  ^  lur  renables 
mises.  En  meme  la  maner  fet  a  denier  audience  al  actour 
sil  ne  troesse  seurte  a  sa  adversete  pa?-tie  de  rendre  li  ses 
damages  sil  se  pleint  de  li  atort. 


Ch.  V.     Des  Countours. 

Plusours  sunt  qe  ne  sevent  lur  causes  pronuncier  ne 
defendre  en  jugement,  e  plusours  qe  ne  pount,  e  pur  ceo 
sunt  countours  necessaires,  si  qe  ceo  qe  pleintifs  e  autres  ne 
pount  ou  ne  sevent  par  eus  facent  par  lur  serjantz  ou 
procuratours  ou  amis.  Countours  sunt  serjauntz  sachanz 
la  lei  del  Eeaume  qi  servent  al  comun  del  poeple  a 
pronuncier  e  defendre  les  actions  en  jugement  pwr  ceux  qi 
mester  en  unt  pur  loer.  A  chescun  countour  pur  autri 
bosoignes  covendra  aver  regard  en  iiij  choses  qil  eit  persone 
recevable  en  jugement,  qil  ne  seit  herege,  nescomenge,  ne 
criminal,  ne  homme  de  religioun  ne  femme,  ne  dedenz 
seinz  ordre  de  sudeacone  en  amont,  ne  clerk  benefice  de 
cure  des  alme's,  ne  demeins  de  xxj  an,  ne  juge  en  mesme  la 
cause,  ne  mesel  apert,  ne  atteint  de  faussine  centre  le  droit 

'  Corr.  oustre  (?)  °  Corr.  oustre  (?) 


OF  ACTIONS.  -47 

action,'  The  pleader  may  have  six  pence,  and  a  knight 
being  witness  or  juror  six  pence,  any  other  juror  four  pence, 
and  the  two  summonors  four  pence.  In  the  time  of  King 
Henry  the  First  nevertheless  it  was  ordained  and  commonly 
assented  that  jurors  in  inquests,  and  juries  of  office,  as  in 
the  petty  assizes,  recognitions,  redisseisins,  certifications, 
attaints,  and  the  like,  should  not  take  reward,  since  these 
inquests  are  made  as  it  were  by  the  king  ex  officio.  And 
the  defendants  are  bound  to  repay  this  money  in  addition 
to  the  damages  if  they  fail  in  their  action.  And  to  those 
who  sue  for  the  profit  of  the  king  and  who  are  not  his 
officers  King  Henry  the  First  granted  the  twentieth  part 
of  the  profit  besides  their  reasonable  expenses.  And  in  like 
manner  audience  is  to  be  denied  to  the  plaintiff  if  he  do 
not  find  security  to  the  opposite  party  to  restore  to  him  his 
damage,  in  case  the  plaint  be  wrongful. 

Ch.   V.     Of  Pleaders. 

Some  there  be  who  know  not  how  to  state  their  causes 
or  to  defend  them  in  court,  and  some  who  cannot,  and 
therefore  are  pleaders  necessary  ;  so  that  what  plaintiffs 
and  others  cannot  or  know  not  how  to  do  by  themselves 
they  may  do  by  their  Serjeants,  proctors,  or  friends. 
Pleaders  are  Serjeants  wise  in  the  law  of  tlie  realm  who 
serve  the  commonalty  of  the  people,  stating  and  defending 
for  hire  actions  in  court  for  those  who  have  need  of  them. 
Every  pleader  who  acts  in  the  business  of  another  should 
have  regard  to  four  things : — First,  that  he  be  a  person 
receivable  in  court,  that  he  be  no  heretic,  nor  excommuni- 
cate, nor  criminal,  nor  man  of  religion,  nor  woman,  nor 
ordained  clerk  above  the  order  of  subdeacon,  nor  beneficed 
clerk  with  the  cure  of  souls,  nor  infant  under  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  nor  judge  in  the  same  cause,  nor  open  leper,  nor 
man  attainted  of  falsification  against  the  law  of  his  office. 

'  A  distinction  is  drawn  between  ment.     It    is  believed  that   a  great 

the  judges  who  receive  fixed  salaries  deal  of  judicial   work  was  done  by 

and  those  who  are  serving,  e.g.  as  commissioners     who  received     no 

justices  of  assize,  in  hope  of  advance-  salaries. 


48  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

de  son  office.  Lautre  chose  est  qe  chescim  countour  est 
chargeable  pa/*  serement  qil  ne  meintendra  ne  defendra  tort 
ne  faussine  a  soun  escient,  einz  guerpera  son  cHent  quel 
oure  qil  puisse  soun  tort  apercevoir.  La  terce  chose  est  qe 
il  ne  mettra  james  avawt  en  court  faus  delais  ne  faus 
tesmoins,  ne  meura  ne  profera  ne  as  corrupciouns  deceites 
menceonges  ne  as  fauses  leis  ne  consenth'a,  ehiz  loialment 
meintendra  le  droit  de  soun  client  si  qe  il  ne  chece  par  folie 
negligence  ne  defaute  de  li  ne  de  resoun  qe  a  li  apendroit 
de  pronuncier.  E  pa?-'  mestierie  le  denger  despiser  '  coup 
folie  tenesoun  manace  noise  ne  viloigne  ne  desturberai  juge 
partie  serjaunt  ne  autre  en  court  par  quei  il  desturbe  droit 
ou  audience.  La  quarte  est  salaire  en  tour  quei  iiij  choses 
sunt  aregarder,  la  quantite  de  la  cause,  le  travail  del 
serjaunt,  la  value  del  contour  com  de  soun  ^  de  facunde  e 
donur  e  lusage  de  la  court.  Contour  est  suspendable 
quawt  il  est  atteint  de  salaire  resceu  de  ij  adversaires  en  une 
cause,  e  sil.  face  ou  die  al  juge  chargeant  despit,  e  sil  chiece 
en  nul  des  poinz  avantdiz  estre^  les  excepciouns  qe  sunt  a 
la  persone  le  countour,  car  nul  ne  poet  estre  countour  qi  ne 
purra  estre  accusour  ou  actour. 


Ch.  VI.     De  Attachementz. 

Personeles  accions  pc7'nent  introductions  par  attache- 
mentz des  cors,  reales  par  somonses,  e  mixtes  primes  par 
somonses  e  pjts  par  attachementz.  Endreit  de  mortieux 
peccheours  voet  dreit  qil  neient  mie  taunt  de  mitigacion  ne 
favour  qil  seient  amonstez  ne  somonez  ne  destreinz  de 
parer  en  jugement,  pernables  en  lur  oevres  si  lur  pecchiez 
soient  notoires  ou  si  tost  cum  len  purra.  E  si  ascun  se  defut 
adunqe  solom  la  constitucion  de  Wincestre  fet  a  siure  a  hu 
e  a  cri  de  corne  e  de  bouche,  issi  qe  touz  ceux  de  une  ville 


'  These   words  seem  to    be    cor-  '  ouster.     1642. 

rupt :  we  leave  them  untranslated.  ''  Some  words  seem  to  be  missing. 

-'  Supply  savoir  (?) 


OF  ACTIONS.  48 

Secondly,  that  every  pleader  is  bound  by  oath  that  he  will 
not  knowingly  maintain  or  defend  wrong  or  falsehood,  but 
will  abandon  his  client  immediately  that  he  perceives  his 
wrongdoing.  Thirdly,  that  he  will  never  have  recourse  to 
false  delays  or  false  witnesses,  and  never  allege,  proffer,  or 
consent  to  any  corruption,  deceit,  lie,  or  falsified  law,  but 
loyally  will  maintain  the  right  of  his  chent,  so  that  he  may 
not  fail  through  his  folly,  or  negligence,  nor  by  default  of 
him,  nor  by  default  of  any  argument  that  he  could  urge ; 
and  that  he  will  not  by  blow,  contumely,  brawl,  threat, 
noise,  or  villain  conduct  disturb  any  judge,  party,  Serjeant, 
or  other  in  court,  nor  impede  the  hearing  or  the  course  of 
justice.  Fourthly,  there  is  the  salary,  concerning  which 
four  points  must  be  regarded — the  amount  of  the  matter  in 
dispute,  the  labour  of  the  Serjeant,  his  value  as  a  pleader  in 
respect  of  his  [learning,]  eloquence,  and  repute,  and  lastly 
the  usage  of  the  court.  A  pleader  is  to  be  suspended  if  he  is 
attainted  of  receiving  a  fee  from  both  sides  in  one  cause,  or 
if  he  says  or  does  anything  in  contempt  of  the  judge,  or  if 
he  fails  in  any  of  the  points  above  mentioned  concerning 
the  exceptions  which  may  be  taken  to  the  person  of  the 
pleader,  for  none  may  be  a  pleader  who  cannot  be  an 
accuser  or  plaintiff. 

Ch.  VI.     Of  Attachments. 

Personal  actions  are  commenced  by  attachment  of  the 
body,  real  by  summons,  and  mixed  first  by  summons  and 
then  by  attachment.  As  to  mortal  sinners,  the  law  wills  no 
such  mitigation  or  favour  as  that  they  shall  be  admonished, 
summoned,  or  distrained  to  appear  in  court,  but  they  are 
to  be  taken  in  their  crimes  if  they  be  notorious,  or  as  soon 
afterwards  as  may  be.  And  if  anyone  flee,  then,  accord- 
ing to  the  statute  of  Winchester,'  the  hue  and  cry  must  be 
pursued  with  horn  and  mouth,  so  that  all  those  of  one 

'  Stat.  Winchester,  cap.  1. 

H 


49  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

qe  poissanz  soient  de  courre  les  ptwsuient '  jesqes  a  lautre 
ville  proscheine.  E  si  ascun  soit  atteint  seit  occis,  a  ^  aussi 
sil  se  court  a  defense  sil  ne  pusse  autrement  estre  pris. 
Autrement  nequedewt  est  en  felonies  nient  notoires,  li 
pecheour  nient  notoire  ne  funt  mie  a  occire  sanz  lur  respons 
si  lem  les  pousse  prendre  vif.  E  si  ascun  se  vodra  pleindre 
pur  vengeance  avoir  ou  pur  chacer  J)eccheour  a  savvacion 
de  alme,  voist  al  corouner  de  lu  ouli  pecchie  se  fist,  e  monstre 
sa  pleinte  en  la  fourme  qil  la  voudra  prover.  E  li  corouner 
destinctement  la  face  enrouller,  e  li  pleintif  se  face  escnre 
cwn  homicide  pur  la  voluntie  corrumpue  de  occire  son 
proene  pa?-  sa  pleinte  si  qe  il  le  '  jugement  talion  sil  ne  pusse 
atteindre  de  prover  sa  pleinte.  Al  proschein  countie  apres 
soun  appel  enroulle  apent  a  tieux  pleintifs  de  reciter  lur 
apeals  e  trovier  pleges  de  siure,  ou  remeindre  en  prison  tanqe 
il  enseient  meinpris.  E  as  meinpernours  sunt  tieu^  pleintifs 
liverables  par  corouners,  cors  pur-  cors,  qil  suierent  lur 
appealx  e  de  les  aver  avant  en  court  pur  receivre  droit  quant 
il  sereni  demaundez  sil  natteignent  a  lur  appealx  prover. 

Les  personeux  pecchiez  sunt  ces  :  les  mortieux  pecchies, 
enprisonement,  mahaim,  plaie,  baterie,  pe?;jurie,  -usure, 
emport  de  veux  tresor  trovie,  de  wrek,  de  weif,  e  de  estrai, 
recousses,  forstalles,  brusure  dautri  pares,  resistence  de 
fornissemenz  de  loiaux  jugemenz,  execucions  de  faus 
jugemenz,  torcenouses  peccheries  e  tieux  "*  autres  pecchiez 
personels  venals.  Les  attachementz  des  peccheors  mor- 
tieux sunt  par  les  cors  saunz  plevine,  e  les  attachementz 
des  peccheours  venials  personels  sunt  aussi  par  les  cors 
mes  aplevine.  Les  reals  pecches  sunt  ceux  sur  queux  ces 
brefs  sunt  faundez  de  dreit,  de  cosinage,  de  doeire,  de 
avoesson  del  eglise,  deentre,  de  esoheate,  de  quo  jure,  de 
fourme  de  doun,  e  de  tuz  autres  feodals.  Les  pecchiez 
mixtes  sunt  ceux  sur  queux  ces  brefs  sunt  foundez  de 
custumes  e  de  services,  de  naifte,  de  covenaunt,  de  homage 
vee,"**  desc7*iz  rendre,  de  fin  fete,  de  meeson,^   ou  dautre 

'  que  puissent,  sont  a  currer  les  *  tousautrespescMssont(H.on&rd). 

pursuivants.     1642.  '  Or  nee. 

■-'  Corr.  e.  °  Corr.    mesne.     The    action  .  de 

'  Corr.  leit.  medio. 


OF  ACTIONS.  49 

township^  who  are  capable  of  following  the  cry,  shall  make 
pursuit  to  the  next  township.  And  if  the  fugitive  be 
caught  let  him  be  killed,  so  also  if  he  defends  himself  and 
cannot  otherwise  be  taken.  Otherwise  is  it  in  the  case  of 
felonies  which  are  not  notorious,  for  there  the  sinner,  if  he 
can  be  taken  alive,  is  not  to  be  killed  without  being  heard 
to  answer.  And  if  anyone  desires  to  complain  for  the  sake- 
of  vengeance,  or  in  order  to  drive  a  sinner  to  the  salvation 
of  his  soul,  let  him  go  to  the  coroner  of  the  place  where  the 
sin  was  done,  and  show  his  plaint  in  the  form  in  which  he 
will  prove  it.  And  the  coroner  shall  cause  it  to  be  distinctly 
enrolled,  and  the  plaintiff  will  thus  write  himself  down  as  a 
homicide,  because  of  his  corrupt  desire  to  slay  his  neighbour 
by  his  plaint,  so  that  he  will  be  judged  by  the  lex  talionis  if 
he  cannot  prove  his  plaint.  At  the  next  county  court  after 
his  appeal  has  been  enrolled  the  plaintiff  must  recite  his 
appeal  and  find  pledges  to  prosecute  or  remain  in  prison 
until  he  be  mainprised.  And  such  plaintiffs  may  be 
delivered  by  the  coroners  to  mainpernors,  body  for  body, 
who  will  undertake  that  the  appeals  shall  be  pursued,  and 
that  the  plaintiffs  shall  be  produced  in  court  to  receive 
judgment  whenever  they  be  demanded,  if  they  do  not 
succeed  in  proving  their  appeals. 

The  personal  sins  are  these  :  the  mortal  sins,  imprison- 
ment, mayhem,  wounding,  battery,  perjury,  usury,  asporta- 
tion of  old  treasure  trove,  or  of  wreck,  waif,  or  stray,  rescue, 
forestalment,  pound  breach,  resistance  to  the  execution  of 
lawful  judgments,  execution  of  false  judgments,  tortious 
fishing,  and  such  other  venial  personal  sins.  Attachments 
for  mortal  sins  are  by  the  body  without  plevin;  attach- 
ments for  venial  personal  sins  are  also  by  the  body,  but 
with  plevin.  The  *  real '  sins  are  those  upon  which  are 
founded  writs  of  right,  of  cosinage,  of  dower,  of  advowson, 
of  entry,  of  escheat,  of  quo  iure,  of  formedon,  and  all  other 
feudal  writs.  The  *  mixed '  sins  are  those  upon  which  are 
founded  the  writs  of  customs  and  services,  of  naifty,  of 
covenant,  for  homage  denied,  for  detenue  of  (iharters,  de 
fine  facto f  of  mesne,  or  for  other  acquittance,   de  sectitt 

« 
H    2 


50  '         DE  ACTIOUNS. 

aquitaunce,  de  siutes  fere,  de  deste  e  tieux  autres ;  e  pur  la 
medlure  des  introductions  sunt  les  actions  appelez  mixtes. 

CJi.  VII.     As  queux  Action  Dappeler.  est  done. 

Action  dappeler  nest  mie  done  ouelement  a  tuz,  mes 
al  actioun  de  traison  est  receivable  chescun  a  qi  traison  est 
fete  forpns  ceaux  qe  ne  sunt  recevables  en  nule  actioun. 
Al  appel  de  arsoun  est  chescun  recevable  a  qi  le  damage  e 
le  propnete  de  la  chose  arse  estoit.  Al  appeal  de  homicide 
soleient  tuz  parentz  tuz  affins  e  tuz  alliez  recevables, 
mes  lapel  del  espouse  al  occis  est  recevable  devaunt 
tuz  autres.  E  ne  mie  de  totes  les  espouses,  mes 
de  eel  soulement  en  qi  braz  qest  ataunt  adire 
cnm  en  qi  seisine  il  esteit  occis,  car  sil  eit  eu  plusours 
fem?7?es  espouses,  e  totes  furent  en  pleine  vie  en  le  tens  de  sa 
occision,  cele  nequedent  est  recevable  devant  totes  les" 
autres  qe  il  dereinement  tint  cum  pur  sa  femme,  tut  ne  fut 
ele  sa  femme  de  droit,  e  ceo  est  por  ceo  qe  a  la  lei  court 
napent  nient  detrier  quele  fu  sa  femme  de  fet  e  quele  de 
droit,  e  les  appealx  de  touz  autres  aunt  suspendables  pen- 
daunt  lappel  recevable.  Apres  lespouse  est  appel  de  filz 
einzne  legitime  al  occis  recevable  devant  tuz  autres.  Legi- 
time est  dist,  car  bastard  nest  mie  a  counter  par  entre  fiz 
car  lei  counte  celi  pur  fiz  qe  esposailles  le  demonstrerent. 
Apres  lappel  del  fiz  einzne  solent  lappel  de  lautre  proschein 
del  sane  apres  li  recevable  et  issi  de  degre  en  degre  par 
droite  ligne  de  cosinage  descendant ;  e  si  li  sane  defailli  en 
cele  ligne  adunqe  furent  recevables  ceus  de  lignes  collaterals, 
ou  les  affins  ou  sane  failli  solu??i  les  degrez  de  figures  de 
consanguinite  e  daffinite,  e  prmcipalment  en  la  ligne  dever 
le  pere.  Mes  lapees  '  de  homicide  fu  restreint  par  le  Eei 
Henri  le  premer  jesqes  es  quatre  proscheines  degrez  el 
sank.2  E  si  ascun  dedienz  lage  de  xxj.  an  appele,  li  defen- 
daunt  ne  lestovera  ja  de  respoundre  a  si  haute  actioun 
einz  ceo  qil  eit  passe  eel  age,  e  pur  ceo  sunt  tieux  appealx 

I  Corr.  lappel.  ^  We  find  no  trace  of  any  such  legislation. 


OF  ACTIONS.  50 

faciendis,  of  debt  and  the  like;  and  these  actions  are 
called  mixed  because  of  the  mixture  in  the  introductory 
process. 

Ch.  VII.     Of  those  who  have  an  Action  by  Way  of  Appeal. 

The  action  by  way  of  appeal  is  not  given  equally  to  al' 
men  ;  but  to  an  action  of  treason  anyone  may  be  received 
to  whom  the  treason  is  done,  save  those  who  can  be  received 
to  no  action.  To  an  appeal  of  arson  everyone  may  be 
received  who  was  damaged  and  had  the  property  in  the 
thing  burnt.  To  the  appeal  of  homicide  all  persons  con- 
nected by  consanguinity,  affinity,  or  alliance  are  wont  to  be 
received ;  but  the  appeal  of  the  wife  of  the  slain  is  receiv- 
able before  all  others.  This,  however,  is  not  so  with  all 
wives,  but  only  of  her  in  whose  arms,  i.e.  in  whose  seisin, 
he  was  slain,  for  if  he  had  several  wives  and  all  of  them 
were  alive  at  the  time  of  his  death,  the  appeal  of  her  whom 
he  last  held  as  his  wife  is  receivable  before  all  the  others, 
albeit  she  was  not  his  wife  de  lure ;  and  this  is  because  the 
lay  court  cannot  try  the  question  which  was  his  wife  de 
facto  and  which  de  lure;  and  the  appeals  of  all  the  others 
are  suspended  pending  the  appeal  which  is  receivable. 

The  appeal  of  the  eldest  legitimate  son  is  receivable 
next  after  that  of  the  wife.  'Legitimate,'  we  say,  for  a 
bastard  is  not  to  be  accounted  as  a  son,  for  the  law  accounts 
as  a  son  him  quem  nuptiae  demonstrant.  Then  after  the 
appeal  of  the  eldest  son,  the  appeal  of  him  who  stands  next 
in  proximity  of  blood  is  receivable,  and  so  from  grade  to 
grade  down  the  straight  descending  line  of  consanguinity ; 
and  ii  the  blood  fails  in  that  line,  then  the  collaterals,  or 
those  connected  by  affinity,  blood  failing,  were  admissible, 
according  to  their  places  in  the  tables  of  consanguinity  and 
affinity,  and  in  the  first  place  those  in  the  paternal  line, 
but  the  appeal  of  homicide  was  restrained  by  king  Henry 
the  First  within  the  four  nearest  degrees  of  blood.  And  if 
anyone  under  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  appeals,  the 
defendant  need  not  answer  him  in  so  high  an  action  until 
he  has  passed  that  age  ;  and  therefore  these  appeals  are  to  be 


61  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

suspendables  jesqes  ataunt  qe  audeus  ^  les  parties  soient  de 
plener  age,  si  le  noun  age  soit  allegge  en  jugement  en 
fourme  de  excepcioun. 

Appeller  pount  hommes  e  femmes,  clers  e  lais,  enfanz  e 
autres  de  quele  condicion  qil  soient,  forpris  ceaux  qe  ne 
sunt  mie  recevables  en  actions.  E  tut  soit  qe  plusours 
appellent  .  j  .  soul  nequedent  est  recevable  a  la  continuance, 
8  eel  pendant  sunt  autriz  suspendables,  e  en  tuz  cas  sunt 
les  appealx  vers  les  accessoires  suspendables  pewdawt  lappel 
\er  le  principal  j.  ou  plusors. 

Ch.  VIII.     Le  Proces  de  Exigende. 

Al  primer  countie  nappent  nient  plus  a  fere  al  corouner 
forqe  de  entrer  les  pleges  qe  proprement  sunt  meinpernours 
e  de  comaunder  qe  lempreigne  les  appelez  e  tutes  lur 
possessions  e  lur  biens  en  la  main  le  Eoi  solont  ceo  qe 
avant  est  dit.  E  sil  soient  pris  soient  gardez  jesqes  a  due 
delivgraunce,  e  sil  ne  soient  trovez  e  lactour  veigne  a  lautre 
countie  e  recite  soun  appel  ou  ses  appeals,  adunqe  sunt 
tieux  appellez  sotilement  demaundables  e  triables  ^  par  lur 
nouns,  e  lur  nouns  dunt  il  sunt  plus  conus  come  une  foiz 
demaundez  qil  viegnent  a  la  pees  le  Eoi.  Car  si  ascun  soit 
appelie  cum  le  fiz  soun  pere  e  eit  autre  surnoun  conu  par 
taunt  est  lappel  vicious  e  par  conseqent  abatable  al  peril 
del  actour.  Al  tierce  countie  en  meisme  la  manere  com 
par  deuz  foiz  demaunde,  e  al  qwart  countie  cum  par  iij.  foiz 
demaunde,  al  quel  countie  si  les  appellez  ne  se  presentent  en 
jugement  nen  soient  pris  a  main  de  les  aver  avant  al  pro- 
Bchein  countie  soit  jugement  rendu  sur  lur  contumace  paries 
corouner s,  e  ceux  qi  parruwt  avant  jugement  rendu  soient 
meintenaunt  liveres  a  la  gaole  ou  il  leient  ^  receuz  saunz 
difficulte  de  fins  ou  de  preiere.* 


'  Corr.  amhideus.  .  •  Corr.  seient  (?) 

^  Corr.  criabUs.  *  ou  de  payer,  Houard. 


OF  ACTIONS.  61 

suspended  until  both  parties  are  of  full  age,  if  the  nonage 
be  alleged  in  court  by  way  of  exception. 

Appeals  can  be  brought  by  men  and  women,  clerks  and 
lay,  infants  and  others,  of  whatever  condition  they  be,  save 
those  who  cannot  be  received  in  any  action.  And  if  several 
make  an  appeal,  one  only  is  to  be  received  to  continue  it, 
and  pending  his  appeal  the  others  are  to  be  suspended ; 
and  in  every  case  appeals  against  the  accessories  are  to  be 
suspended  pending  the  appeal  against  the  principal  or 
principals. 

Ch.  VIII.     Of  the  Process  of  Exigent. 

At  the  first  county  court  the  coroner  has  only  to  enter 
the  names  of  the  pledges,  who  in  strictness  are  main- 
pernors,  and  to  command  that  the  appellees  be  taken,  they 
and  all  their  possessions  and  goods,  into  the  hand  of  the 
king,  as  aforesaid.  And  if  they  be  taken  let  them  be  kept 
in  ward  until  they  be  duly  delivered;  and  if  they  be  not 
found  and  the  plaintiff  comes  to  the  second  county  court 
and  recites  his  appeal  or  appeals,  then  demand  and  cry  is 
to  be  made  for  the  appellees  by  their  names,  or  the  names 
by  which  they  are  best  known,  that  they  do  come  in  to  the 
king's  peace  as  having  been  exacted  a  first  time.  For  if 
any  be  appealed  merely  as  the  son  of  his  father,  and  has 
some  other  known  surname,  then  the  appeal  is  vicious  and 
can  be  abated  to  the  plaintiffs  peril.'  At  the  third  county 
court  the  same  is  done,  and  this  is  the  second  exaction ; 
and  at  the  fourth  county  court  comes  the  third  exaction  ; 
and  if  on  this  occasion  the  appellees  do  not  appear  in 
court,  and  no  one  has  undertaken  to  produce  them,  then  at 
the  next  court  let  judgment  be  given  against  them  as  con- 
tumacious by  the  coroners ;  and  if  they  appear  before  a 
judgment  given,  then  let  them  be  at  once  delivered  *  to 
gaol,  where  they  are  to  be  received  without  any  difficulty 
as  to  fine  or  petition.* 

'  It  will  not  do  to  appeal  a  mau  as  Henry  le  fit  Roger  if  be  bp  better 
□own  as  Henry  de  Weston.  '  Translation  doubtful. 


52  J3E  ACTIOUNS. 

Ch.  IX.    De  Gaole  e  des  Gaolers. 

Gaole  nest  autre  chose  qe  comun  prisoun.  E  si  com 
lepre  est  une  maladie  revillaunt  cors  de  homme  taunt  qe  il 
nest  mie  suffrable  a  demoerer  entre  senz  genz,  aussi  est 
pecche  mortel  une  manere  de  lepre  qe  fet  lalme  abhominable 
a  deu  e  la  del  part  ^  del  comwun  de  totes  seinz  gentz.  E 
pur  quoi  les  innocens  ne  soient  mie  entochez  de  lur  pecchez 
ordenes  furent  gaoles  en  tuz  countiez  pur  mettre  einz 
mortiels  pecheors  dattendre  illoec  lur  jugementz  es  cas  ou 
li  peccheour  fussent  nient  notoires.  Deuz  maneres  sunt  de 
prisoun,  comwiune  e  pnvee.  Chescune  comun  prison  est 
gaole  e  nul  nad  garde  for  le  Eoi.  Prison  privee  est  autri 
prison  dunt  chescun  list  deschaper  qe  fere  le  poet,  savve  qil 
ne  face  autre  trespas  en  leschape.  En  comun  prison  nest 
nul  emprisonable  forqe.  pur  pecche  mortiel  e  de  ceo  fu 
defendu  par  le  Eoi  Henri  le  tierce  qe  nul  ne  levast  deners 
pur  nul  eschap  en  la  terre  le  Eoi  einz  ces  ^  qe  leschap  fu 
juge  en  eire  des  justices  le  quele  peine  pecuniele  ou  corporele 
fust  agardable  ou  noun,  E  pur  ceo  qe  defendu  est  qe  nul 
soit  pene  avant  jugement,  voet  droit  qe  nul  ne  soit  mis  entre 
vermine  nen  puriosie  nen  lu  orrible  ne  perilloutz  nen  euue 
nen  oscurete  nen  autre  peine,  einz  list  ben  a  gaolers  defirger 
ceaux  dunt  il  se  doute,  sauve  qe  les  fierges  ne  poissent  mie 
plus  de  xij  unces,  e  de  efforcer  lagard  a  ceux  qi  sunt '  en  la 
gaole  violence,  outrage  ou  trespaz. 


Ch.  X.     Des  Plevisables. 

'  Ascuns  appellez  de  mortel  pecchiez  sunt  qe  tut  ne  soient 
il  meinpernables  de  droit,  par  abusion  neqedent  est  suffert 
qil  sunt  liverables  par  bail  einz  ceux  qil  viegnent  en  la  gaole, 
nomeement  les   appellez  de  homicidie,  robberie,  larcin  e 

•     *  et  la  doit  parter,  Houard.  '  Corr.  ceo.  *  Corr.  funt. 


OF  ACTIONS.  62 

Ck.  IX.     Of  Oaol  and  Gaolers. 

A  gaol  is  nothing  else  than  a  common  prison.  And  as 
leprosy  is  a  malady  which  disgraces  the  body  of  a  man  so 
that  he  may  not  be  sufifered  to  dwell  among  healthy  folk, 
so  mortal  sin  is  a  kind  of  leprosy  which  makes  the  soul 
abominable  to  God  and  severs  it  from  the  community  of  all 
holy  folk.  And  in  order  that  the  innocent  may  not  be 
tainted  with  their  sins,  gaols  were  ordained  in  all  the 
counties,  so  that  mortal  sinners  might  be  put  therein  to 
await  their  judgments,  in  case  their  sins  were  not  notorious. 
There  be  two  kinds  of  prison,  common  an^  private. 

Every  common  prison  is  a  gaol,  and  only  the  king  has 
the  keeping  of  it.  Every  other  man's  prison  is  private,  and 
from  this  anyone  may  escape  who  can,  provided  he  do  no 
other  trespass  in  his  escape.  None  is  to  be  imprisoned  in 
a  common  prison  save  for  mortal  sin,  and  it  was  forbidden 
by  King  Henry  the  Third '  that  anyone  should  levy  in  the 
king's  land  any  money  for  any  escape  before  the  escape  had 
been  adjudged  by  justices  in  eyre,  and  a  decision  given  as 
to  whether  any  punishment,  corporal  or  pecuniary,  was  to 
be  awarded  or  not.  And  because  it  is  forbidden  that  any- 
one be  tormented  before  judgment  the  law  wills  that  no  one 
be  placed  among  vermin  or  putrefaction,  or  in  any  horrible 
or  dangerous  place,  or  in  the  water,  or  in  the  dark,  or  any 
other  torment ;  but  it  is  lawful  for  gaolers  to  put  fetters 
upon  those  whom  they  suspect  (of  trying  to  escape)  ;  but 
the  fetters  must  not  weigh  more  than  twelve  ounces ;  and 
they  may  keep  in  stricter  ward  those  who  are  guilty  of 
violence,  outrage,  or  trespass  in  the  gaol. 

Ch.  X.     Of  those  who  are  Plevisahle. 

Some  there  are  appealed  of  mortal  crime  who,  albeit  by 
law  they  are  not  mainpernable,  are  nevertheless — though 
this  is  an  abuse — deliverable  on  bail  before  that  they  have 
been  brought  to  gaol ;  to  wit,  those  appealed  of  homicide, 

>  No,  but  by  Stat.  West.  I.  c.  3. 


68  DE  ACTIOUNS. 

homsokne,  ou  hors  de  la  gaole  en  cas  ou  li  Eoi  troeve  par 
enqueste  qe  il  sunt  appellez  a  tort,  e  pur  tieu  cas  fu  li  bref 
trovie  de  odio  et  atia.  Ceux  qi  sount  condempnez  a  cor- 
porele  peyne,  ne  sunt  mie  plevisables  ne  metables  a 
meinprise  einz  ces '  qil  ensoient  alleggez  par  fin  de  peyne 
peccuniele. 


Ch.  XI.     De  Lappel  de  Majeste. 

Des  crimes  de  Majeste  ne  de  faussonerie  ne  de  rien  qe 
touche  le  droit  le  Roi  ne  surt  nul  appeal  mes  accions  ou 
enditemenz.2  Par  esclaundres  de  sodomie  nassentirent  unqes 
nos  aunciens  peres  qe  len  les  monstrast  en  manere  daccions 
par  accusementz  nenditemenz  ne  nule  manere  de  audience 
nassentirent  destre  done  pur  la  grant  abhominacion  del 
pecchie,  einz  ordenerent  qe  es  pecchez  notoires  saunz  respit 
fuissent  jugez  e  les  jugemenz  forniz  e  en  nient  notoires 
pecchez  sen  teust  chescune  langue. 

De  la  machinacioun  en  la  mort  le  Eoi  e  des  autres 
especes  de  majeste  ver  le  Eoi  terrien  se  funt  accusementz 
mes  ne  mie  enditemenz,  car  chescun  feal  le  Eoi  qe  ensoit 
Be  deit  hastier  pur  fere  en  la  monstrance,  au  Eoi  si  qe  il 
ne  soit  pris  ne  reprts  pur  sa  longe  demoere  e  trop  de 
targe.^  En  queus  cas  les  encusez  sunt  pemables  e  en  plein 
parlement  die  laccusour  par  li  ou  par  serjaunt  solom  ceo 
qe  monstre  fu  en  eel  cas  en  le  tens  le  Eoi  Edmund  en 
cestes  paroles — Eocelin,  ici,  dist  Walegist  illoec,  qe  a  tiel 
jour  tiel  an  del  regne  de  tiel  Eoi,  en  tiel  leu,  vient  celi 
Walegist  a  cesti  Eocelin  e  li  trova*  de  estre  en  eonseil 
.e  en  eide  ensemblement  ovesqes  Atheling,  Thurkild, 
Balbard  e  autres,  de  fere  poison  ou  entouche  pur  occire 
nostre  seignur  le  Eoi  Edmund,  ou  en  autre  manere  par 
coup  felonessement,  e  a  ceo  fere  furent  entre  jurez  a  ceo 
counseil  cowceler  e  a  ceo  felonie  issi  fornir  solom  lur  poer. 


'  Corr.  ceo.  *  Corr.  tarde. 

\  No  Btop  in  MS.  *  This  word  seems  wrong. 


OF  ACTIONS.  58 

robbery,  larceny,  and  hamsoken,  or  are  deliverable  out  of 
gaol,  as  in  the  case  where  the  king  finds  by  inquest  that 
they  are  wrongfully  appealed,  and  for  this  purpose  the  writ 
de  odio  et  atia  was  invented.  Those  who  have  been  con- 
demned to  corporal  punishment  are  not  plevisable  or  main- 
pernable until  they  have  returned  to  the  law  by  making  a 
pecuniary  fine. 


Ch.  XI.     Of  the  Appeal  of  Laesa  Majestas. 

For  the  crime  of  laesa  majestas  or  for  falsification  or 
for  anything  which  touches  the  king's  right  there  is  no 
appeal,  but  there  are  actions'  or  indictments.  Because  of 
the  scandal  of  sodomy  our  ancient  fathers  would  not  -suffer 
that  there  should  be  any  actions,  accusations,  indictments^ 
or  audience  of  any  kind  concerning  so  abominable  a  sin, 
but  ordained  that  those  notoriously  guilty  should  be  judged 
without  respite  and  the  judgments  executed,  and  in  cases 
that  were  not  notorious  every  tongue  should  hold  its  peace. 

As  to  compassing  the  king's  death  and  other  kinds  of  laesa 
majestas  against  the  earthly  king,  there  are  accusations, 
but  no  indictments,  for  every  one  of  the  king's  lieges  who 
knows  thereof  should  hasten  to  show  it  to  the  king,  so  that 
he  may  incur  no  reproof  by  reason  of  his  inaction  or  delay. 
And  in  these  cases  the  accused  are  to  be  arrested ;  and 
then  in  full  parliament  let  the  accuser  by  himself  or  his 
Serjeant  follow  this  precedent  of  the  time  of  King  Edmund 
and  say,  *  Eocelin,  who  is  here,  says  that  Walegist,  who  is 
there,  for  that  on  such  a  day,  in  such  a  year,  in  the  reign 
of  such  a  king,  in  such  a  place,  came  the  said  Walegist 
to  the  said  Eocelin  and  urged  him  to  be  in  councU  and 
aid  along  with  Atheling,  Thurkild,  Balbard,  and  others  in 
making  poison  or  drug  to  kill  our  lord  the  king  Edmund, 
or  otherwise,  by  a  blow  feloniously,  and  to  do  this  were 
they  sworn,  and  to  conceal  this  counsel  (knd  to  execute  this 
felony  to  the  best  of  their  power.' 


54  DE  ACTIOUNS. 

Ch.  XII.    Lappel  de  Faussonerie. 

Cest  pecchie  en  fet  nient  notoire  se  monstre  par  faus 
bref  ou  par  fans  monoie  trovie  en  ascun  possession.  E  tut 
soit  qe  iij.  persones  soient  necessaires  en  jugement  en  cest 
cas  neqedent  dist  Ordmar  ^  qe  possessours  de  mauveistie 
sunt  doffice  de  juge  chaceables  a  respoundre  del  title  de  lur 
possession  qe  nen  est  mie  en  tuz  cas.  E  si  ascun  soit  qe 
nel  voille  dire  en  jugement,  adunqe  iert  retornable  a  la  gaole 
e  trestuz  ces  biens  pernables  en  la  mein  le  Rei  e  recevables, 
sicom  en  totes  criminals  accions  attamez  par  appeals  ou 
par  enditemenz  ;  mes  en  venials  acciouns  soloient  tieux 
contumax  estre  condempnez  par  non  respons  aussi  bien 
cum  par  lur  respounz  e  lealment  atteinz.  E  si  ascun  die 
qil  y  avint  bien  loialmewt  e  ne  seit  par  qi,  ne  nul  ne  se 
profre  countre  li  de  prover  laffirmative  del  accioun,  adunqe 
appent  al  possessour  a  prover  laffirmative  de  soun  responz. 
E  si  ascun  die  qil  avint  par  certeine  homwe  seit  cum  apres 
jert  dit. 


Ch.  XIII.     De  Apeals  de  Traison. 

Traison  se  monstre  par  appeals  en  ceste  manere  solom 
ceo  qe  fu  trove  en  vieus  roulles  del  tens  le  Roi  Alfred — 
Bardulf,  ici,  appele  Dorling,  illoec,  de  ceo  qe  cum  meisme 
celi  Dorling  estoit  lallie  cesti  Bardulf,  vint  cesti  Dorling  tel 
jour  tel  an  e  cet.  e  la  femme  cesti  Bardulf  durant  lalliaunce 
porruist,  ou  soun  seal  faussea,  ou  tiel  autre  mauveiste  fist. 
Ou  issi — Hakon  son  pere  ou  soun  autre  parent  ou  seignur 
ou  lallie  celi  Dorling  occist.  Ou  issi — demoera  en  eide  ou  en 
counseil  ovesqes  Sa£frei  ladversaire  cesti  Bardulf,  en  plee  qe 
toucha  perte  de  vie  ou  de  menbre  ou  de  terrien  honur.  Ou 
issi — soun  counsail  ou  sa  confession  descovri.  Ou  issi — par 
la  ou  ill  devoit  aver  loial  enroullement  dendreit  de  tiel  plee, 
meismes  celi  Derling  fausement  enroiilla  a  sa  desheriteson 

'  est  ordeigne  (1642  and  Houard). 


OF  ACTIONS.  64 

Ch.  XII.     The  Appeal  of  Falsification. 

This  sin  in  a  case  that  is  not  notorious  is  demonstrated 
by  a  false  writing  or  false  money  found  in  anyone's  posses- 
sion. And  albeit  that  three  persons  are  necessary  for  a 
judgment,  nevertheless  in  this  case  Ordmar  said  that  the 
possessors  of  a  fraud  may  be  compelled  by  the  judge  ex  officio 
to  answer  as  to  the  title  of  their  possession,  but  this  is  not 
80  in  all  cases.  And  if  anyone  there  be  who  will  not  make 
answer  in  court  to  this  question,  let  him  be  returned  to  gaol 
and  let  all  his  goods  be  taken  into  the  king's  hand,  as  in  the 
case  of  criminal  actions  begun  by  appeal  or  indictment ; 
but  in  venial  actions  the  contumacious  are  usually  con- 
demned for  want  of  answer,  as  though  they  had  answered 
and  had  been  lawfully  convicted.  And  if  any  answer  that 
he  came  by  the  [fraudulent  writing  or  money]  lawfully,  but 
does  not  know  from  whom  he  got  it,  and  no  one  offers  to 
prove  against  him  the  affirmation  of  the  action,  then  the 
possessor  must  prove  his  answer  affirmatively.  And  if  he 
says  that  he  had  the  thing  from  some  certain  person,  then 
the  case  proceeds,  as  will  be  said  below. 

Ch.  XIII.     Of  Appeals  of  Treason. 

Treason  is  declared  by  appeals  in  this  manner,  as  is 
found  in  old  rolls  of  the  time  of  King  Alfred  :  Bardulf,  who 
is  here,  appeals  Dorling,  who  is  there,  for  that  whereas  this 
Dorling  was  the  ally  of  this  Bardulf,  came  this  Dorling  on 
such  a  day  in  such  a  year,  etc.,  during  the  alliance,  and 
defiled  the  wife  of  this  Bardulf,  or  falsified  his  seal,  or  did 
such  other  wickedness.  Or  thus  :  This  Dorling  killed  Hakon, 
his  father,  or  other  kinsman,  or  lord  or  ally.  Or  thus :  was 
in  aid  or  counsel  with  Saflfrei,  the  adversary  of  this  Bardulf, 
in  a  plea  which  concerned  life  or  member  or  earthly  worship. 
Or  thus :  disclosed  his  counsel  or  confession.  Or  thus : 
Whereas  he  ought  to  have  made  a  lawful  enrolment  of  such 
a  plea,  this  Dorling  made  a  false  enrolment  to  his  disherison 


55  DE  ACTIOUNS. 

ou  autrement  a  son  damage.  Ou  issi — par  la  ou  illi  mist  en 
soun  lieu  en  tele  parole  par  de vaunt  tieux  juges  pur  gaigner 
ou  pur  perdre  e  li  dust  aver  fet  loialte,  la  perdi  il  par  sa 
defaute,  ou  par  sa  folie,  ou  negligence,  ou  collusion,  ou 
rendi  la  demande  ou  tiel  autre  mauveiste  li  fist.  Ou  issi 
— par  la  ou  il  dist  ^  aver  accuse  ^  ou  essoneie  tiel  jour  ecet, 
la  li  lessa  il  perdrei  del  possession  ou  tiel  autre  chose  par  sa 
defaute.  Ou  issi — par  la  ou  il  dust  loialment  pronuwcie  pur 
li  en  tiel  cas,  e  com  mesme  cell  Dorling  malement  li  counsela 
ou  pur  li  pronuwcia  en  tiel  point.  E  puis  issi : — cele 
traison  li  fist  celi  Dorling  felonessement  cum  feloun,  e 
traiterousement  come  traitre ;  e  si  len  voille  dedire  prest 
est  cesti  Bardulf  del  prover  sur  li  par  soun  cors,  ou  sicom 
homme  mahaigne,  ou  a  femme,  ou  a  clerk  appent  de  prover. 
E  tut  soit  qe  quis  seit  a  ascuns  qe  nestovereit  a  nul  actour 
a  monstrer  la  proeve  de  sa  action  einz  ceo  qele  fust  dedete 
de  sa  partie  adversie,  pur  haster  droit  neqedent  est  cele 
usage  suffert  sicome  en  cest  cas  siuaunt  e  en  autres.  Soit 
qe  ascun  viscounte  ou  autre  mette  sus  a  autre  homwe 
plegeage  ou  meinpnse,  e  cil  le  dedie,  al  actour  appent  a  dire 
qe  a  tort  le  dedist,  e  pur  ceo  a  tort,  car  en  tiel  an,  tel  jour, 
e  cum  devaunt  tel  e  tiel,  devient  le  plege  tiel  de  soun  gre  e 
a  ceo  prover  ad  siute  e  deresne.  Pur  hastier  droit  est 
suffert  qe  lactour  die  en  la  monstraunce  de  sa  pleinte  issi — 
e  sil  le  dedie  e  cet — car  en  tele  manere  se  haste  droit  plus  qe 
suffrir  primes  le  respons  de  la  partie  adverse  e  puis  descendre 
a  eel  proffre  par  replicacion. 


Ch.  XIV:     Le  Appel  de  Arsown. 

Les  appeals  darsouns  se  funt  en  tele  manere^Cede,  ici, 
appelle  Harding,  illoec,  ovesqe  les  surnouns,  de  ceo  qe  cum 
meme  ce&ti  Cede  avoit  une  meeson  ou  plusours,  ou  j.  tas  de 

'  Corr.  duist.  ^  Corr.  excuse. 


OF  ACTIONS.  66 

or  otherwise  to  his  damage.  Or  thus :  Whereas  Dorling 
was  Bardulfs  attorney  in  a  certain  cause  to  gain  or  lose 
before  certain  judges,  and  should  have  acted  loyally,  he  lost 
the  cause  by  his  default,  folly,  negligence,  or  collusion,  or 
surrendered  the  thing  in  demand,  or  did  such  other  wicked- 
ness. Or  thus  :  whereas  he  ought  to  have  excused  him  or 
essoined  him  on  such  a  day,  etc.,  he  allowed  him  to  Ipse 
possession  or  the  like  by  his  default.  Or  thus :  whereas  he 
ought  by  law  to  have  pronounced  for  him  in  such  a  case,  he 
pronounced  for  him  badly  or  gave  him  bad  counsel  on  such 
a  point.'  And  then  at  the  end : — This  treason  did  the 
said  Dorling  feloniously  as  a  felon,  traitorously  as  a  traitor ; 
if  he  will  deny  it  this  Bardulf  is  ready  to  prove  it  by 
his  body — or  as  a  maimed  man,  or  as  a  woman,  or .  as  a 
clerk  should  prove.  And  albeit  some  think  that  no  plaintiff 
is  bound  to  show  the  proof  of  his  action  before  a  denial  has 
been  given  by  his  opponent,  nevertheless  that  right  may 
be  speeded  this  usage  is  suffered  in  the  following  case  and 
in  others.  Suppose  that  a  sheriff  or  other  person  surmises 
against  a  man  that  he  is  a  pledge  or  mainpernor,  and  this 
is  denied,  then  the  plaintiff  must  say  that  the  denial  is 
wrongful,  for  that  in  such  a  year,  on  such  a  day,  before 
so  and  so,  the  defendant  became  a  pledge  of  his  own  free 
will,  and  of  this  the  plaintiff  offers  suit  and  deraignment. 
But  for  the  sake  of  expedition  the  plaintiff  is  allowed  to  put 
in  his  count  the  clause  And  if  he  will  deny  it,  etc.,  for  in 
this  way  justice  may  be  done  more  speedily  than  if  the 
defendant  gave  his  answer  and  then  the  plaintiff  offered  his 
proof  by  way  of  replication.' 

Ch,  'XIV.     The  Appeal  of  Arson. 

An  appeal  of  arson  is  made  in  this  manner :  Cede,  who 
is  here,  appeals  Harding,  who  is  there  (add  the  surnames), 
for  that  whereas  this  Cede  had  a  house  or  several  houses,  a 

'  Probably  this  refers  to  a  pleader  last  clause  of  the  common  form  of 

who  fails  in  his  duty  of   speaking  count,  which  seems  to  anticipate  the 

(pronouncing)  for  his  client.  defendant's   answer,  and   so  trans- 

'  Our  author  is    explaining  the  gress  the  order  of  logic. 


56  DE  ACTIOUNS, 

ble,  ou  un  moillon  defein,*  ou  autre  manere  des  biens  en  tiel 
lu,  ou  issi — par  la  ou  Weland  pere  ou  parent  cesti  Cede  estoit 
en  tiel  lu  tel  jour  ecet,  la  vient  cell  Harding  e  en  la  dite 
meeson  mist  le  fieu  &  le  dist  Weland  art  laenz  le  quel  qil  en 
morust  ou  noun.  Ceste  arson  li  fist  celi  Harding  felonesse- 
ment  e  cet. 


Ch.  XV.    De  lappel  de  Homicidie. 

Del  pecchie  de  homicide  sunt  les  appeals  tieles.  Knotting, 
ici,  appelle  Carling,  illoec,  de  ceo  qe  cum  Cadi  pere,  frere, 
fiz,  ou  uncle  cesti  Knotting  estoit  en  la  pees  dieu  e  la  pees 
nostre  seignur  le  Eoi  en  tiel  lu,  la  vient  mesme  celi  Carling 
e  le  djt  Cadi  tel  jour,  tel  an,  ecet  de  una  espie,  ou  dautre 
manere  nomee  brocha  par  mi  le  cors  ou  tiel  plaie  li  enfist 
en  tiel  endroit  del  cors,  dunt  il  estoit  plus  prees  de  la  mort 
e  plus  loinz  de  la  vie ;  ceste  occision '  li  fist  il  en  assaut 
pwrpense  felounessement  ecet.  Ou  issi — de  une  hache,  ou 
coignee,  ou  de  pere,^  ou  de  baston  le  dit  Cadi  feri  en  la  test 
ou  aillours,  de  quel  coup  il  morust  tiel  jour  tel  lu  eteet. 
Ou  issi — par  la  ou  mesme  celi  Cadi  estoit  feru  en  tiel  en- 
droite  del  cors  de  coup  curable,  ou  tieu  malon  ou  autre 
blesceure  curable  avoit,  dunt  il  se  mist  en  la  cure  cesti 
Carling,  qi  se  dist  estre  mestre  mire  de  practike,  la  vient 
cesti  Carling  e  la  gareison  le  dit  Cadi  emprist,  e  par  sa 
folie,  negligence  ecet,  tiel  jour  ecet,  felonessement  le  occist. 
Ou  issi — li  sustret  sa  sustenaunce,  par  quel  tel  jour  ecet  li 
occist.  Ou  issi — taunt  delaia  sa  deliveraunce  a  fere  par 
quel  il  le  tua.  Ou  issi — le  pendi  e  felonessement  loccist. 
Ou  issi  —  comaunda  ou  envoia  ou  fu  en  leide  ou  en  la  force 
ou  recetta.  Ou  faussement  jugea  Eaghenild,  qe  primermewt 
atteint  les  xij.  faus  jurours  tesmoina  qi  pendirent  Godrun 
soun  mari  atorl  par  xxiv.  jurours,  qe  pus  par  divers  appeals 
pendi  le  primers  xij.  jurours.    Ou  issi — tant  li  pena  pur  fere 

'  ou  violin,  ou  fein,  Houard.  *  Corr.  piere. 


OF  ACTIONS.  5  b 

stack  of  corn,  or  rick  of  hay,  or  other  goods  in  such  a 
place  ;  or  thus  :  whereas  Weland  the  father,  or  kinsman  of 
this  Cede,  was  in  such  a  place  on  such  a  day,  etc.,  came  this 
Harding  and  set  fire  to  the  said  house  and  burnt  the  said 
Weland  therein,  so  that  he  died  or  otherwise.  This  arson 
did  the  said  Harding  feloniously,  etc. 

Ch.  XV.     The  Appeal  of  Homicide. 

Touching  the  sin  of  homicide,  appeals  are  made  thus  : 
Knotting,  who  is  here,  appeals  Carling,  who  is  there,  for 
that  whereas  Cadi,  the  father  (brother,  son,  or  uncle)  of 
this  Knotting  was  in  the  peace  of  God  and  in  the  peace  of 
our  lord  the  king  in  such  a  place,  there  came  the  said 
Carling  and  on  such  a  day  in  such  a  year,  etc.,  with  a  sword 
(or  in  some  other  specified  manner)  pierced  him  through 
the  body  (or  gave  him  such  a  wound  in  such  a  part  of  his 
body),  whereby  he  was  nearer  to  death  and  further  from 
life  ;  and  this  slaying  he  did  in  premeditated  assault, 
feloniously,  etc.  Or  thus :  With  an  axe,  hatchet,  or  stone, 
or  staflf,  struck  the  said  Cadi  on  the  head  (or  elsewhere),  of 
which  stroke  he  died,  on  such  a  day,  at  such  a  place,  etc. 
Or  thus :  Whereas  the  said  Cadi  was  struck  on  such  a  part 
of  his  body  by  a  curable  stroke  (or  had  such  a  curable 
disease  or  wound),  for  the  cure  whereof  he  had  placed 
himself  under  this  Carling,  who  professed  himself  a 
master  of  medical  practice,  there  came  this  Carling,  and 
undertook  the  case,  and  by  his  folly  and  negligence,  etc., 
feloniously  slew  him.  Or  thus  :  withdrew  sustenance  from 
him,  whereby  on  such  a  day,  etc.,  he  slew  him.  Or  thus : 
so  long  delayed  his  delivery  [from  prison]  that  thereby  he 
slew  him.  Or  thus  :  hanged  and  feloniously  slew  him. 
Or  thus  :  commanded  or  procured  [some  one  to  slay  him], 
or  was  in  aid  and  force  [at  the  slaying],  or  received  [the 
slayers].  Or  falsely  judged  Raghenild,  who  had  in  the  first 
instance  attainted  by  twenty-four  jurors  the  twelve  false 
jurors  who  wrongfully  hanged  her  husband  Godrun,  and 
had  then  by  divers  appeals  hanged  the  first  twelve  jurors. 

I 


67  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

li  conoistre  e  de  devenir  provour,  qil  se  conust  fausement 
aver  pecchie  ou  nient  ne  peccha,  e  li  fist  appeller  innocenz 
de  cnm,  si  qe  en  Carling  ne  remist  qe  ceste  Knotting  ne  fu 
jugee  a  la  mort.  Ou  issi — par  la  ou  cesti  Knotting  gist 
mahaigne  countre  lit,  ou  fu  countrez,  ou  si  joesnes,  ou  si 
veuz,  ou  si  malades  qe  il  ne  poeit  aler,  la  vient  celi  Carling 
e  cesti  Knotting  porta  ou  caria  de  tiel  lu  tiel  jour  e  ce«.  jesqes 
en  tele  euue,  fossie,  pus,  marlere  ou  desert  e  illoec  le  geta, 
e  issi  lessa  saunz  eide  e  sustenaunce,  si  qe  en  li  ne  remist  qe 
il  ne  fust  illoec  mort  de  feim  e  de  disete.  Cest  mauueistie 
li  fist  il  felounessement  cum  feloun  e  cet. 


Ch.  XVI.     Les  Apeals  de  Roherie  e  de  Larcin. 

Les  apeals  de  robberie  sunt  tieux :  Osmwnd,  ici,  apele 
Saxemund,  illoec,  de  ceo  qe  cum  cesti  0.  aveit  un  cheval  de 
tiel  pris,  la  vint  celi  Saxemund  e  del  cheval  li  robba  tiel 
jour  ecet.,  ou  de  tant  dargent,  ou  de  tiel  garnement  de  tiel 
pris,  felonessement  e  cet.,  ou  ses  ij  boefs  de  tiel  pris  ou 
dautre  manerg  de  chatieux  de  tiel  pris  e  cet.,  on  les  dits 
biens  issi  robbez  recetta,  ou  fu  en  leide  ou  autrement  con- 
sentaunt.  De  larcin  issi — Athelwold,  ici,  apele  Osketel,  illoec, 
de  ceo  qe  cwn  cesti  A.  aveit  ces  biens  nomement  e  cet.,  e 
ceus  biens  larcenousement  cum  lierre  li  embla  e  cet.  En 
cestes  actions  courrent  ij  droiz,  le  droit  de  la  possessioun  cum 
est  de  chose  robbe  ou  emble  hors  de  la  possessioun  celi  qe 
rien  nad  el  droit  de  la  propriete,  cu?n,  est  de  chose  prestee, 
baillee  ou  lesee,  e  le  droit  de  la  propnete,  com  est  de 
chose  emblee  ou  robbe  de  la  possessioun  celi  aqi  la  propnete 
de  la  chose  est. 


OF  ACTIONS.  57 

Or  thus  :  tortured  him  into  confessing  and  becoming  an 
approver,  so  that  he  falsely  confessed  to  have  sinned  where 
he  had  not  sinned,  and  caused  him  to  appeal  innocent  folk 
of  a  crime,  so  that  it  was  not  for  want  of  will  on  Carling's 
part  that  Knotting  was  not  adjudged  to  death.  Or  thus  : 
Whereas  this  Knotting  lay  maimed  in  bed,  or  was  so  lame, 
or  so  young,  or  so  old,  or  so  sick,  that  he  could  not  walk, 
there  came  this  Carling  and  fetched  or  carried  this  Knotting 
from  such  a  place  on  such  a  day  etc.,  to  such  a  pool,  ditch, 
well,  marl-pit,  or  desert  place,  and  there  threw  him  and 
left  him  without  aid  and  sustenance,  so  that  it  was  no 
fault  of  his  [Carling's]  that  he  [Knotting]  did  not  die  there 
of  hunger  and  thirst.  This  wickedness  did  he  feloniously 
as  a  felon,  etc. 

Ch.  XVI.     Appeals  of  Robbery  and  Larceny. 

Appeals  of  robbery  are  made  thus :  Osmund,  who  is 
here,  appeals  Saxmund,  who  is  there,  for  that  whereas  this 
Osmund  had  a  horse  of  such  a  price,  there  came  this 
Saxmund  and  robbed  him  of  the  horse  on  such  a  day,  etc., 
or  of  so  much  money,  or  of  such  a  garment  of  such  a  price, 
feloniously,  etc.,  or  of  his  two  oxen  of  such  a  price,  or  of 
such  other  kind  of  chattels  of  such  a  price,  etc.,  or  received 
the  said  goods  thus  taken  in  robbery,  or  was  aiding  or 
otherwise  consenting.  Of  larceny  thus :  Athelwold,  who 
is  here,  appeals  Osketel,  who  is  there,  for  that,  whereas  this 
Athelwold  had  his  goods,  and  in  particular,  etc.,  these  goods 
he  [Osketel]  stole  from  him  larcenously  as  a  larcener,  etc. 
In  these  actions  two  rights  may  be  concerned — the  right  of 
possession,  as  is  the  case  where  a  thing  is  robbed  or  stolen 
from  the  possession  of  one.  who  had  no  right  of  property  in  it 
(for  instance,  where  the  thing  has  been  lent,  bailed  or  let) ; 
and  the  right  of  property,  as  is  the  case  where  a  thing  is 
stolen  or  robbed  from  the  possession  of  one  to  whom  the 
property  in  it  belongs. 


I  2 


58  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

Ch.  XVII.     De  lappel  de  HomsoJcne. 

De  homsokne  sunt  tieux  appeals :  Athulf,  ici,  apele 
Colgrum,  illoec,  de  ceo,  qe  cum  cesti  A.  estoit  en  tiel  lu  en 
la  pees  e  cet.,  la  vient  celi  C.  soun  dist  oustiel  a  force  e  as 
armes  assailli  e  en  tiel  droit  ^  brisa,  ou  tel  autre  violence 
ifist  felonessement  e  cet. 

Ch.  XVIII.     Lappel  demprisonnement. 

E  a  lappel  denprisonement  ici :  ^  Darling,  ici,  appelle 
Wloc,  illoec,  de  ceo  qe  cum  cesti  ecei.,  la  vint  ceste  Wloc  e 
le  dist  D.  prist  e  de  illoec  le  mena  iesqes  en  tiel  lu,  ou  il 
tel  jour  ecet.  le  mist  en  ceps  ou  enfirgez,  ou  en  autre  peine, 
ou  en  encloustre  de  eel  jour  iesqes  a  tiel  jour  ecet.  Ou 
issi — e  countre  suffisaunte  meinprise  offerte  pur  li  en  cas 
plevisable  retient,  ou  apres  jugement  rendu  de  sa  delive- 
raunce — de  tel  houre  iesqes  a  tiele.  Ceste  felonie  li  fist  ecet. 


Ch.  XIX.     Lappel  de  Mahim. 

De  mahaim  sunt  tieux  :  Umberd,  ici,  apele  Maimound, 
illoec,  de  ceo  cum  ecet.  la  vint  le  dist  M.  currant  de  assaut 
prepense  e  de  tele  manere  darme,  le  pie  ou  le  poin  le  dit 
Umberd  coupa,  ou  de  j.  tiel  baston  la  summa  en  la  teste 
dunt  il  li  enfondra  le  tet  de  sa  teste,  ou  de  j.  pierre  li  feri 
hors  troiz  denz  devaunt  dunt  il  li  mahaima.  Cest  mahain 
li  fist  il  felon  e  cet. 


Ch.  XX.     Lappel  de  Plate. 

De  plaie  sunt  tieux  appeals :  Briming,  ici,  appelle  Olof, 
illoec,  de  ceo  qe  cum  ecet.,  de  tiele  arme  li  feri  e  nauffra  ea 
tel  endroit  del  cors,  dunt  la  plaie  conteient  taunt  delaour 
taunt  de  longour  e  taunt  de  profundesce.  Ceste  plaie  li  fist 
il  felon  c  ce^ 

'  cnd'roit  (Ilouavd).  ^  Corr.  issi. 


OF  ACTIONS..  58 

Ch.  XVII.    Appeal  of  Hamsoken. 

Of  hamsoken,  appeals  are  made  thus :  Athulf,  who  is 
here,  appeals  Colegrum,  who  is  there,  for  that,  whereas  this 
Athulf  was  in  such  a  place  in  the  peace,  etc.,  there  came 
this  Colegrum  and  assaulted  his  said  house  with  force  and 
arms,  and  broke  it  in  such  a  place,  or  did  therein  such  other 
violence  feloniously. 

Ch.  XVIII.     Appeal  of  Imprisonment. 

An  appeal  of  imprisonment  thus :  Darling,  who  is  here, 
appeals  Wloc,  who  is  there,  for  that,  whereas  this  [Darling], 
etc.,  there  came  this  Wloc  and  took  the  said  Darling  and 
carried  him  to  such  a  place,  and  there  on  such  a  day,  etc., 
set  him  in  stocks  or  in  fetters,  or  in  other  torment,  or  in 
restraint  from  such  a  day  to  such  a  day,  etc.  Or  thus : 
And  detained  him  in  spite  of  sufficient  mainprise  offered 
for  him  in  a  case  that  was  replevisable,  or  after  a  judgment 
given  for  his  delivery,  from  such  an  hour  to  such  an  hour. 
This  felony  did  he,  etc. 

Ch.  XIX.     Appeal  of  Mayhem. 

Of  mayhem  thus :  Umberd,  who  is  here,  appeals 
Maimound,  who  is  there,  for  that  whereas,  etc.,  there  came 
this  Maimound  running  in  forethought  assault  and  with 
such  manner  of  arms  cut  off  the  foot  or  the  hand  of 
this  Umberd,  or  with  such  a  staff  struck  him  on  the  head, 
so  that  he  broke  the  crown  of  his  head,  or  with  a  stone 
knocked  out  three  of  his  front  teeth  so  that  he  maimed 
him.     This  mayhem  did  he  feloniously,  etc. 

Ch.  XX.     Appeal  of  Wounding. 

Appeals  of  wounding  are  made  thus  :  Briming,  who  is 
here,  appeals  Olof,  who  is  there,  for  that,  whereas,  etc., 
with  such  an  arm  he  struck  and  wounded  him  in  such  a 
part  of  his  body,  with  a  wound  that  was  of  such  a  width 
and  of  such  a  length  and  of  such  a  depth.  This  wound  he 
gave  him  feloniously,  etc. 


59  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

Ch.  XXI.     Appeal  de  Rap. 

Appeal  de  rap  se  fet  en  ceste  manere :  Arnebourgh, 
ici,  appele  Athelin,  illoec,  de  ceo  qe  cum  ecet.,  la  vint  cell 
Athelin  e  ceste  Arnebourgh  abati  aforcea  e  purrust  maugrie 
felon  contre  la  pees.  E  pur  ceo  qe  chescun  rap  ne  soloit  mie 
estre  tenu  pecche  mortiel  nestoit  nule  tiel  appeal  covenable 
si  ele  ne  dust '  e  soun  pucelage  li  toli. 


Ch.  XXII.     Des  Pecchiez  criminals  a  la  suite  le  Roi. 

Plusours  sunt  qi  point  ne  querent  absolucion  tut  eient 
pecchie  ver  lur  proeine  mortelement.  E  por  ceo  qe  le  Koi 
est  tenu  de  soun  ofl&ce  achastier  tieux  a  sauvacioun,  soloient 
les  Eois  errer  de  vij.  anz  en  vij.  par  touz  paiis  en  soun 
Keaume  por  enquere  solom  ceo  qe  avant  est.^  Cestre ' 
ceo  en  eide  de  celes  eires  furent  corouners  troviez,  tourns 
de  viscountes,  veuues  de  iranc  pleges  e  autres  enquerours, 
pur  enquere  de  tieux  peccheours  sicom  dist  est.  Mes  pur 
ceo  qe  ascuns  sunt  atort  esclaundrez  par  quoi  qe  ne  fet 
mie  a  crere  mesdisaunz  ne  a  la  veine  voiz  del  poeple,  ordena 
le  Eei  Henri  le  premer  qe  nul  ne  fust  pris  nenpnsonie  pur 
esclaundre  de  pecchie  mortel,  einz  ces''  qe  il  en  fust  enditee 
par  serement  des  prodeshomes  par  devant  tieux  qe  fuissent 
auctorizes  de  tieux  enditemenz  resceivre.  E  adunqe  aprimes 
fussent  pemables,  e  cors  e  biens  al  foer  des  appellez  e  gar- 
dables  en  pnsoun  tauntqe  lur  enfamie  en  fust  purge  par 
devant  le  Eoi  ou  ces  comwissaires. 

Del  crim  de  maiestie  en  nule  espece  ne  sourt  enditement 
forqe  de  heresie  e  de  reneire,  dunt  si  ascun  ensoit  enditee 
e  soit  mene  en  jugement,  si  ert  lenditement  pronuwciable 
pur  le  Eoi  par  ascu?i  de  soun  poeple  en  ceste  manere,  solom 
ceo  qe  trovie  est  es  vieuz  roulles  des  Eois  auncienes. 

Je  dis  Sebourgh,  illoeC,  est  defame  de  bone  gent  del 
pecchie  de  heresie,  pur  ceo  qele  de   mal  art   e  creaunce 

'  Corr.  dist.  ^  Supply  dist. 

Corr.  Estre.  *  Corr.  ceo. 


OF  ACTIONS.  69 

Ch.  XXL     Appeal  of  Rape, 

An  appeal  of  rape  is  made  in  this  wise :  Arnebourgh, 
who  is  here,  appeals  Athelin,  who  is  there,  for  that,  whereas, 
etc.,  there  came  this  Athelin  and  knocked  down,  forced, 
and  corrupted  this  Arnebourgh,  against  her  will,  feloniously, 
against  the  peace.  And  because  it  was  not  every  rape 
that  was  accounted  a  mortal  sin,  such  an  appeal  was  not 
in  due  form  unless  she  said,  *  and  took  away  her  virginity.' 

Ch.  XXII,     Of  Criminal  Sins  at  the  Suit  of  the  King. 

There  are  who  do  not  seek  absolution,  albeit  they  have 
sinned  mortally  against  their  neighbour.  And  for  that 
the  king  is  bound  by  his  office  to  chasten  them  to  salva- 
tion, the  kings  were  wont  to  journey  through  all  the  lands 
of  their  realm  every  seven  years  to  inquire  in  manner 
aforesaid.  Also  in  aid  of  those  eyres  coroners  were 
established,  sheriffs'  tourns,  views  of  frank  pledge,  and 
other  inquests,  to  inquire  of  such  sinners,  as  has  been  said. 
But  for  that  some  were  accused  falsely  and  it  is  not  right  to 
put  faith  in  slanders  and  the  idle  talk  of  the  people,  King 
Henry  I.  ordained  that  none  should  be  taken  or  imprisoned 
on  a  charge  of  mortal  sin  until  they  were  indicted  by  the 
oath  of  good  men  before  those  who  were  authorised  to 
receive  such  indictments.  And  they  in  the  first  instance 
were  to  be  taken,  their  bodies  and  goods,  and  imprisoned 
like  appellees,  and  to  be  kept  in  prison  until  their  evil 
repute  should  be  purged  before  the  king  or  his  commis- 
sioners. 

Of  the  crime  of  lese-majeste  no  indictment  arises,  save 
for  heresy  and  for  renegation,  whereof  if  any  be  indicted 
and  be  brought  to  judgment,  the  indictment  may  be 
proffered  on  behalf  of  the  king  by  any  one  of  his  people  in 
manner  following,  as  is  found  in  the  old  rolls  of  the  ancient 
kings : 

I  say  that  Sebourgh,  who  is  there,  is  defamed  by  good 
folk  of  the  sin  of  heresy,  for  that  she  by  evil  art  and  for- 


60  DE  ACTIOUNS. 

defendue,  e  par  charmes  e  enchauntemenz  toll  a  Brightiene 
sa  voisine  tel  jour  e  cet.,  la  flour  de  sa  cervoise,  par  unt  ele 
enperdi  la  vente,  issi  qe  jugement  ne  se  face  de  meins  de 
iij.  persones.  Ou  issi :  NoUing,  illoec,  est  defamie  de  bona 
giens  qe  atiel  jour  ecet.,  reneia  il  son  baptesme  e  se  fist 
circumcire  e  devient  jeu,  ou  sarasin,  ou  adora  ou  sacnfia  a 
Mahoumet  en  despit  de  di«u  e  en  dampnacion  de  sa  alme. 
Cest  pecchie  fest  il  felonnessement  ecet.  E  pus  issi  en 
chescun  cas  sembtable  pur  le  Eoi.  E  sil  ne '  voille  dedire  prest 
siu  del  prover  sur  li  pur  li  Eoi  com  appent  al  Eoi  de  fere, 
cest  assavoir  al  foer  denfaunt  de  denz  age.  De  faussonerie 
issi  je  dis  pur  le  Eoi  qe  Wymund,  illoec,  est  defamie  ecef., 
de  ceo  qil  tiel  jour  ecet.,  fausa  le  seal  le  Eoi  ou  sa  monoie 
en  tele  espece  ou  tiele  ecet. 

De  traisoun  cessent  ore  enditemenz.  De  arsoun  issi : 
je  dis  ecet.,  qe  Seburgh,  illoec,  est  defamee  ece^.,  de  ceo  a 
tel  jour  ecet  en  tele  meesoun  ou  biens  mist  le  fu  ecet.  De 
homicide  je  dis  ecet.  de  tiel  arme  feri  Aiold  en  tiel  en  droit 
del  cors,  par  quel  coup  il  occist.  Les  degrez  accessoirea 
sunt  monstrables  apres  les  principals  solom  lur  droit. 

De  larcin  en  ceste  manere  :  jadis  ^  qe  Cutberd,  illoec, 
est  ecet.,  tiel  hom?we,  conu  ou  desconu  robba  de  soun  cheval 
ou  dautre  manere  de  bien  e  cet.,  ou  larcenousement  embla, 
ou  al  pecchie  de  tiel  larroun  conu,  ou  de  larrons  desconus 
fu  assentaunt  par  prise  de  thefbote,  qest  reschat  de  larcin, 
qil  prist  a  e&cient  pur  li  soffrir  a  tele  foiz  passer,  ou  pur 
estoper  sute,  ou  pur  procurer  a  tort  sa  sauvacioun  ecet. 


Corr.  le.  ^  Corr.  je  dis. 


OF  ACTIONS.  60 

bidden  miscreance,  and  by  charms  and  enchantments,  on 
such  a  day,  etc.,  took  from  Brightwine  her  neighbour  the 
flower  of  her  ale,  whereby  she  lost  the  sale  of  it,  and  in  such 
case  judgment  shall  not  be  given  by  less  than  three  persons. 
Or  thus  :  Nolling,  who  is  there,  is  defamed  by  good  folk  for 
that  on  such  a  day,  etc.,  he  denied  his  baptism,  and  had 
himself  circumcised  and  became  a  Jew,  or  a  Saracen,  or 
adored  or  sacrificed  to  Mahomet,  in  despite  of  God  and  to 
the  damnation  of  his  soul.  This  sin  did  he  feloniously,  etc. 
And  so  forth  in  every  similar  case  for  the  king.  And  if  he 
will  deny  it,  ready  am  I  to  prove  it  against  him  on  behalf 
of  the  king,  as  is  proper  in  the  king's  case — that  is  to  say, 
as  one  would  do  on  behalf  of  an  infant  within  age.'  And 
of  forgery  thus  :  I  say  for  the  king  that  Wymund,  who  is 
there,  is  defamed,  etc.,  for  that  on  such  a  day,  etc.,  he 
forged  the  seal  or  the  money  of  the  king  in  this  wise  or  in 
that,  etc. 

Of  treason  there  are  no  longer  indictments.  Of  arson 
thus :  I  say,  etc.,  that  Seburgh,  who  is  there,  is  defamed, 
etc.,  for  that  on  such  a  day,  etc.,  to  such  a  house,  or  to 
such  goodsf  she  set  fire,  etc.  Of  homicide  :  I  say,  etc.,  that 
with  such  a  weapon  he  struck  Aiold  on  such  a  part  of  his 
body,  by  which  stroke  he  slew  him.  The  accessory  degrees 
must  be  declared  in  their  proper  sequence  after  their  prin- 
cipals. 

Of  larceny  thus :  I  say  that  Cuthbert,  who  is  there,  etc., 
robbed  such  a  man,  known  or  unknown,  of  his  horse  or  of 
other  manner  of  goods,  or  larcenously  stole  them  from  him, 
or  was  assenting  to  the  sin  of  such  a  thief  whose  name 
is  known,  or  of  such  thieves  whose  names  are  unknown,  by 
taking  theftbote — that  is  to  say,  a  ransom  for  the  theft 
knowingly  taken  to  allow  the  thief  to  pass  on  such  and  such 
an  occasion,  or  to  stop  a  prosecution,  or  wrongfully  to  pro- 
cure his  safety,  etc. 

'  One  of  the  author's  favourite  doctrines  is  '  Bex  fungitur  vice  minoris.' 


61  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

Ch.  XXIII.     Des  Pechez  personels  a  la  suite  le  Roi. 

Venial  pecche  se  devise  en  ij.  menbres ;  duntlun  sestent 
as  persones,  e  lautre  al  biens.  Li  pecchie  venial  qe  sestent 
as  persones  est  devisable  en  gros  pecchiez,  e  en  menuz.  E 
tut  soit  qe  li  Eoi  eit  conoissawce  des  pecchez  toutz  materieux, 
labsolucion  des  gros  pecchiez  venials  personels  retient  le 
Eoi  a  sa  juresdictioun,  e  la  conoissaunce  des  menuz  relest  il 
a  touz  francs  homes  qi  unt  court  sur  lur  mesnee,  E  Athel- 
brus  dist  touz  ceux  estre  de  sa  meisnee  qe  furent  resceaunz 
en  sow  fieu.  E  sur  cele  devision  des  pecchiez  ad  le  Eoi 
devisee  sa  pees  issi  qe  tieux  seignurages  e  baillifs  eient  le 
guiement  de  la  pees  es  menuz  pecchez. 

Li  pecche  venial  qe  sestent  as  biens,  est  aussi  devisable, 
et  sestent  lun  menbre  as  biens  moebles.  Le  primer  se 
fourche  car  de  xl.  s.  ou  de  xl.  soudees  en  aval  se  conoist 
chescun  qi  court  tient,  en  annoi  ^  taunt  soul  les  Eois. 

Les  venials  pecchez  personeles  sont  ceaux : — perjurie 
dunt  len  ^  est  foi  mentu  ver  le  Eoi,  e  perjurie  des  nient 
ministres,  les  pecchez  mortels  nent  moustrez  felounesse- 
ment,  enpnsonement,  mahaim,  plaie,  baterie  moustrez 
saunz  appeals,  alienaccioun  de  veu  tresor  trovie,  disseisine, 
reddisseisine,  plusours  autres. 

Les  demostraunces  des  personels  pecchez  venials  in- 
famatoires  sunt  mostrables  a  la  sieute  le  Eoi  en  ceste 
manere :  Je  dis  pur  nostra  seignur  le  Eoi  qe  ci  illoec  est 
perjurs  e  fei  mentu  ver  le  Eoi,  pur  ceo  qe  par  la  ou  mesme 
cesti  si  est  ou  esteit  le  chaunceler  le  Eoi,  e  fu  juree  qil  ne 
verroit,^  venderoit,  ne  delaiereit  droit  ne  bref  remedial  a  nul 
pleintif,  mesme  cesti  a  tel  jour  ecet.,  vea  a  tiel  tiel  bref 
datteinte,  ou  tel  autre  bref  remedial,  e  meins  ne  li  voloit 
grauntier  qe  -pur  demi  marc  ece*.  Ou  issi — par  la  ou  il  fu 
soun  juge  assigne  e  fu  juree  a  faire  dreit  ece^.,  delaia  droit 
en  tiel  manere  ou  en  tiel,  ou  tel  court  sift  ■*  ou  tel  jugement, 
ou  en  tiel  autre  point  de  tele  pertes  ou  tele  peine  relessa,  ou 


'  Corr.  amont.  '  Corr.  hin{f). 

^  Con.  veeroit.  *  Con.  fist  (7).    This  passage  is  corrupt. 


Of  ACTIONS.  61 

Ch.  XXIII.     Of  Personal  Sins  at  the  King^s  Suit. 

Venial  sins  are  divided  into  two  classes ;  the  one  extends 
to  persons  and  the  other  to  goods.  Venial  sins  which  ex- 
tend to  persons  are  divisible  into  gross  sins  and  small 
sins.  And  albeit  that  the  king  has  cognisance  of  all  material 
sins,  he  retains  the  absolution  of  the  gross  venial  personal 
sins  for  his  own  jurisdiction,  while  the  cognisance  of  the 
smaller  he  leaves  to  all  free  men  who  have  a  court  for  their 
mesnee.  And  iEthelbirht  said  that  all  those  men  belonged  to 
the  mesnee  who  were  resident  in  his  fee.  And  over  this  class 
of  sins  the  king  has  delegated  his  peace,  so  that  lords  and 
bailiffs  have  the  control  of  the  peace  in  case  of  the  small  sins. 

Venial  sins  which  extend  to  goods  are  likewise  divisible  ; 
the  one  class  of  them  extends  to  moveable  goods,  and  has 
two  branches,  for  up  to  forty  shillings,  or  the  worth  of 
forty  shillings,  everyone  who  has  a  court  has  cognisance, 
but  above  that  amount  the  king  only. 

Venial  personal  sins  are  these  :  perjury,  where  it  con- 
sists in  belying  faith  to  the  king,  or  is  committed  by  one 
who  is  not  the  king's  officer,  and  the  mortal  sins  when 
they  are  not  charged  as  felonies,  such  as  imprisonment, 
mayhem,  wounding  and  battery  when  they  are  charged 
otherwise  than  by  way  of  appeal,  and  the  alienation  of  old 
treasure  trove,  disseisin  and  redisseisin,  and  many  others. 

Charges  of  the  venial  personal  sins  which  are  infamatory 
may  be  made  at  the  suit  of  the  king  in  this  wise  :  I  say 
for  our  lord  the  king  that  such  an  one,  who  is  there,  is 
perjured  and  has  belied  his  faith  to  the  king,  for  that 
whereas  he  is,  or  was,  the  king's  chancellor,  and  was  sworn 
not  to  deny,  sell,  or  delay  justice  or  remedial  writ  to  any 
plaintiff,  he  on  such  a  day,  etc.,  denied  to  such  an  one  a 
writ  of  attaint,  or  such  another  remedial  writ,  and  would 
not  grant  it  to  him  for  less  than  a  half-mark,  etc.  Or  thus  : 
"Whereas  he  was  a  judge  appointed  by  the  king,  and  was 
sworn  to  do  right,  etc.,  he  delayed  right  in  such  or  such  a 
manner,  or  [gave  a  false  judgment],  or  released  such  an 
one  in  such  a  matter  from  such  damages  or  such  punish- 


62  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

tiele  jurisdictioun  porprist  sur  le  Roi  e  se  fist  juge,  ou 
corouner,  viscounte,  baillif,  ou  tel  autre  ministre  le  roi 
saunz  garaunt.  Ou  issi — par  la  ou  il  fu  chaunceller  del 
eschecqer  ecet.,  vea  a  tel.  afere  acquitaunce  de  taunt  qil 
avoit  paie  al  eschecqer  de  la  dette  le  Eoi  souz  le  seal  del 
eschecqer,  ou  delaia  de  fere  aquitaunce  de  tiel  jour  iesqes 
a  tiel,  ou  ne  volloit  fere  aquitaunce  einz  ceo  qil  achatast 
por  taunt.  Ou  issi — de  ceo  qil  tient  del '  plee  couwtre  le 
deffens  le  Eoi  e  en  prejudice  de  la  dignete  de  sa  coroune, 
de  sicom  a  nul  juge  ecclesiastre  nappent  a  nul  plee  seculer 
tenir  forqe  de  testament  e  de  matrimoigne,  en  prejudice  del 
poer  le  Eoi.  Ou  issi — destourba  le  fornissement  de  tiel 
jugement,  ou  sursist  del  fere  par  mauveise  negligence 
ou  consence.  En  ceste  manere  sunt  les  presentemenz 
mostrables  a  la  sieute  le  Eoi  des  pe?*sonels  torz  de  tuz 
ministres  le  Eoi  grandz  e  petiz,  e  ausi  vers  autres  meint  ^ 
ministres  de  touz  tortz  fetz  au  Eoi  par  ceus  qe  li  unt  jure 
feautie. 


Ch.  XXIV.    De  Trespas  venials  a  personels  Soutes. 

As  ceaux  qe  unt  actioun  e  ne  vollent  mie  suire  a 
vengeaunce  socourt  droit  par  pleintes  des  trespas  pur 
recoverer  damages.  De  trespas  neqedent  distinctez  ou  de 
trespas  fet  as  persone  de  hom^ne  ou  as  chatieux.  E  si  a  la 
persone  chescun  ad  actioun  a  qi  le  trespass  est  fet,  forpris 
ceaux  qe  unt  nule  actioun  sans  lur  gardein.  E  si  as  biens, 
destinctez  si  propres  ou  communs.  Si  propres  distinctez  si 
propres  a  homme  ou  propres  a  autre  chose,  sicom  a  la 
coroune  ou  a  ascun  eglise.  Si  a  homme,  distinctez  si  a 
homme  franc  de  soi  ou  a  homme  engarde.  Si  a  homme 
franc  de  sei  il  ad  severale  action.  E  si  propres  a  autre 
chose  engarde,  al  gardein  appent  lactioun  qi  qe  unqes  le 


Corr.  tiel.  ^  Corr.  nient. 


OF  ACTIONS.  62 

ment,  or  usurped  such  jurisdiction  from  the  king  and 
made  himself  judge,  coroner,  sheriff,  baiHff,  or  other  minister 
of  the  king  without  warrant.  Or  thus :  Whereas  he  was 
chancellor  of  the  exchequer,  etc.,  he  refused  such  an  one 
an  acquittance  under  the  seal  of  the  exchequer  of  a  sum 
paid  by  him  at  the  exchequer  for  a  debt  to  the  king,  or 
delayed  to  give  an  acquittance  from  such  a  day  to  such  a 
day,  or  would  not  give  him  an  acquittance  unless  he  would 
purchase  it  for  so  much.  Or  thus  :  For  that  he  held  such 
a  plea  contrary  to  the  king's  prohibition,  and  in  prejudice 
of  the  dignity  of  the  crown,  whereas  it  belongs  to  no  eccle- 
siastical judge  to  hold  secular  plea,  if  it  be  not  concern- 
ing testament  or  matrimony,  in  prejudice  of  the  king's 
power.  Or  thus:  For  that  he  disturbed  the  execution  of 
such  a  judgment,  or  by  wrongful  negligence  refrained 
from  doing  execution,  or  consented  to  the  default.  In  such 
wise  may  charges  be  preferred  at  the  king's  suit  for  the 
personal  torts  of  his  ministers  great  and  small,  and  also 
against  all  others  who  are  not  ministers  for  all  torts  done 
to  the  king  by  those  who  have  sworn  fealty  to  him. 

Ch.  XXIV.     Of  Venial  Trespasses  at  the   Suit  of  Piivate 

Persons. 

Those  who  have  actions  and  yet  do  not  wish  to  sue  for 
vengeance,  law  succours  by  plaints  of  trespass  for  the 
recovery  of  damages.  As  to  trespass  nevertheless,  distin- 
guish whether  it  be  to  a  man's  person  or  his  chattels.  And 
if  to  his  person,  then  the  person  to  whom  the  trespass  is 
done  has  an  action,  save  in  the  case  of  those  who  can  bring 
no  action  without  their  guardians.  And  if  to  goods,  then 
distinguish  whether  those  goods  are  owned  in  severalty  or 
in  common.  If  in  severalty,  then  distinguish  whether  the 
goods  belong  to  a  man  or  to  another  thing,  as  to  the  crown 
or  to  a  church.  If  to  a  man,  then  distinguish  whether  to 
a  man  who  is  sui  juris  or  to  a  man  who  is  in  ward.  If  to 
a  man  who  is  sui  juris,  then  he  has  a  several  action.  If 
the  thing  to  which  the  trespass  is  done  belongs  to  another 


68  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

soit  -par  successioun  ou  de  conquest.  Si  a  homme  engarde, 
al  gardein  appent  la  sieute  ou  al  proschein  ami  parent 
affine  ou  lallie,  el  noun  ou  al  oeps  celi  qest  en  garde.  De 
communs  biens  ne  tient  lu  nule  severable  actioun.  E  par 
ceo  des  biens  as  gentz  de  religioun  appent  laction  al  chief 
de  la  meesoun  en  soun  noun  pur  li  e  pur  son  covent,  ou  el 
noun  de  celi  qi  est  en  sa  garde  si  laction  soit  personele 
veniale.  E  si  ad  difference  par  entre  mortels  actions  e 
veniales  en  taunt  qe  en  morteles  appewt  a  fere  primerement 
suite  ver  les  prmcipaux  singulerement  e  pus  ver  les 
accessoires ;  e  en  veniales  actions  de  pe^'sonels  trespas 
appent  acumprendre  trestuz  en  une  pleinte  a  une  foiz  en 
commun  les  principals,  les  comaundours,  les  conspiratours, 
e  les  autres  accessoires,  si  qe  len  ne  recoevre  plusours 
amendes  de  j.  trespass  par  pluralite  des  pleintes  ;  nul  des 
accessoires  neqedent  niert  tenu  a  respoundre  al  actioun  einz 
ces '  qe  ascun  principal  eit  respoundu  ou  soit  condemme 
par  contumace. 

Les  personels  trespas  soloient  estre  oiz  e  terminez  es 
courtz  de  meisme  les  fieus,  e  adunqe  se  firent  les  attache- 
menz  par  les  cors  des  peccheours,  e  les  soloit  len  retenir  e 
mener  en  jugement  sil  ne  fussent  meinpris  saunz  offendre 
droit. 

Li  bref  remedial  de  trespas  voet  seurte  de  suire,  qe  nul 
ne  poet  trover  qest  en  garde  sanz  son  gardein,  pur  ceo  qil 
ne  se  pount  obliger  daquinter  lour  pleges.  Si  ascuns 
neqedent  deveignent  pleges  de  sieure  en  tieux  cas  de  lur 
gre  il  sunt  a  ceo  rescevables,  mes  cil  cheent  par  taunt  en 
damage  pur  noun  suite,  il  naverent  nul  recoverir  ver  le 


•  Corr.  ceo. 


OF  ACTIONS.  6S 

thing  which  is  in  ward,  then  the  action  belongs  to  the 
guardian  whoever  he  may  be,  whether  he  has  come  to  it  by 
succession  or  by  purchase.'  If  to  a  man  who  is  in  ward, 
the  suit  belongs  to  the  guardian  or  to  the  next  friend,  by 
consanguinity,  affinity  or  alliance,  in  the  name  and  for  the 
use  of  him  who  is  in  ward.  Of  goods  held  in  common  there 
can  be  no  several  action.  And  therefore  for  the  goods  of 
men  professed  in  religion  the  action  belongs  to  the  head  of 
the  house  in  his  own  name  for  himself  and  his  convent. 
Or  the  action  may  be  brought  in  the  name  of  him  who  is  in 
ward,  if  it  be  a  venial  personal  action.  And  there  is  this 
difference  between  mortal  and  venial  actions,  for  that  in 
mortal  actions  it  behoves  one  to  make  suit  in  the  first 
instance  only  against  the  principals,  and  afterwards  one 
may  prosecute  the  accessories ;  but  in  venial  actions  for 
personal  trespasses  one  must  comprehend  at  one  time  and 
in  one  plaint  all  in  common,  the  principals,  the  commanders, 
the  conspirators  and  all  the  other  accessories,  so  that  one 
may  not  recover  many  compensations  for  one  trespass  by  a 
plurality  of  plaints ;  nevertheless  none  of  the  accessories  is 
bound  to  answer  to  the  action  until  some  principal  has 
answered,  or  been  condemned  for  contumacy. 

Pleas  of  personal  trespass  used  to  be  heard  and  deter- 
mined in  the  courts  of  the  fees  on  which  the  trespasses 
were  committed,  and  in  such  case  the  attachments  were 
made  by  the  bodies  of  the  sinners,  and  without  breach  of 
the  law  were  they  detained  and  brought  before  the  court  if 
they  were  not  mainprised. 

The  remedial  writ  of  trespass  requires  surety  for  pro- 
secution, and  this  no  one  who  is  in  ward  can  find  without 
his  guardian,  because  he  cannot  bind  himself  to  acquit  his 
pledges.  But  if  nevertheless  in  such  a  case  anyone  will 
become  a  pledge  for  the  prosecution  of  his  own  free  will,  he 
may  be  received  as  such,  but  if  any  loss  falls  upon  him  by 
reason  of  a  non-suit,  he  will  have  no  recovery  against  his 

'  An  ecclesiastical  vestment,  e.g.,  the  parson.  So  chattels  may  belong 
belongs  to  another  thing,  namely,  a  to  the  crown,  and  the  crown  is  in 
church,   which  thing  is  in  ward  to       ward  to  the  king. 


64  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

principal.  Seurte  de  suire  se  fet  en  plusors  maneres : — ascun 
foiz  par  pleges  si  com  est  de  ceux  qe  les  perjurent  ^  trouer  ; 
ascun  foiz  par  fiauncer  si  com  est  de  foreins  e  de  povres  qi 
nunt  poer  a  trover  pleges  duzeines  ;  "^  e  ascuns  foiz  par  les 
cors  des  pleintifs  sicom  est  dappellours  qi  nuwt  autre 
sieurte  qe  les  iiij.  murs  de  la  gaole.  E  pur  les  duresces  qe 
lem  soloit  fere  as  cors  de  peccheours  en  personels  pecchiez 
venials,  ordena  le  Eoi  Henri  le  premer  qe  les  len  attache 
T[)rimerem.ent  par  les  cors  jesqes  ataunt  qil  se  justicent  par 
meinpernours,  e  sil  ne  soient  troviez,  ou  sil  naquitent  les 
meinspemours,  adunqe  sont  il  naamables  par  lur  fieus  a  la 
vaillaunce  de  la  demaunde,  e  sil  facent  adunqe  defaute  a 
duwc  sunt  les  fieus  liverables  as  pleintifs  a  tenir  jesqes  a 
due  satisf actio  un  par  renable  estewte  sil  avant  ne  sei 
justicent  de  estre  adroit. 

Des  plegges  notez  qe  ceux  sunt  pleges  de  suire  par 
queux  pleintes  safferment,  e  ceaux  sunt  pleges  qe  plevis- 
sent  autre  chose  qi  ^  cors  de  homme,  car  tieux  ne  sunt  mie 
proprement  pleges,  einz  sunt  meinpernours,  pur  ceo  qil 
supposent  qe  tieux  plevissables  sunt  liverez  a  eus  par  bail, 
cors  pur  cors. 

Commune  demonstraunce  des  pleintes  veniales  comen- 
cent  en  ceste  fourme — Ceo  vous  monstre  A.  qe  ci  est,  qe  B. 
qi  illoec  est,  atort  delaia  soun  droit  par  une  faus  essoine  qe 
il  geta  tiel  jour  en  tiel  lu  ecet  a  ces  *  grefs  damages.  Les 
pleintes  des  trespaz  fez  countre  la  pees  le  Eoi  sunt  assez 
esies  a  monstre.  E  les  trespas  aussi  fetz  countre  la  pees 
des  seignurs  ou  de  baillifs. 

E  en  haine  des  fauses  pleintes  ordena  le  Eoi  Henri  le 
primer  qe  audience  fust  vee  as  pleintifs  en  venials  accions, 


Corr.  purrontC^).  ^  Corr.  denzeines  (?). 

orr.  ge.  *  Corr.  ses. 


OF  ACTIONS.  64 

principal.  Surety  for  prosecution  is  found  in  varjous 
ways  : — One  is  by  pledges,  if  such  can  be  found  ;  another 
by  plight  of  troth,  as  in  the  case  of  foreigners  and  poor  folk 
who  cannot  find  denizen  pledges ; '  and  another  by  the 
bodies  of  the  plaintiffs,  as  in  the  case  of  appellors,  for  whom 
no  surety  will  suffice  save  the  four  walls  of  the  gaol.  And 
because  of  the  hardships  which  were  commonly  inflicted  on 
the  bodies  of  the  sinners  charged  with  venial  personal  sins, 
King  Henry  the  First  ordained  that  they  should  in  the  first 
instance  be  attached  by  their  bodies  until  they  should 
submit  to  justice  by  finding  mainpernors,  and  if  main- 
pernors were  not  found  or  if  they  did  not  acquit  themselves 
of  their  undertaking,  then  [the  defendants]  were  to  be  dis- 
trainable  by  their  fees  to  the  amount  of  the  demand,  and  if 
they  then  made  default,  then  those  fees  were  to  be  delivered 
to  the  plaintiffs  to  hold  until  due  satisfaction  should  be  made 
according  to  a  reasonable  appraisement  of  the  profits  of  the 
land,  unless  in  the  meanwhile  they  should  submit  them- 
selves to  justice. 

As  to  pledges,  note  that  some  are  pledges  for  prosecu- 
tion by  whom  plaints  are  affirmed,  and  others  are  pledges 
who  undertake  for  something  other  than  the  production  of 
a  man's  body :  for  those  who  undertake  to  produce  a  man's 
body  are  more  properly  called  mainpernors  than  pledges, 
because  it  is  supposed  that  those  who  are  plevied  by  them 
are  delivered  to  them  by  bailment,  so  that  body  must 
answer  for  body. 

The  common  count  in  the  case  of  venial  plaints  begins 
thus  :  This  sheweth  to  you  A,  who  is  here,  that  B,  who  is 
there,  wrongfully  delayed  his  right  by  a  false  essoin  which 
he  cast  on  such  a  day  and  such  a  place  to  his  great  damage. 
Plaints  of  trespass  done  against  the  king's  peace  can  be 
easily  set  forth,  and  so  can  plaints  of  trespass  done  against 
the  peace  of  the  lords  and  bailiffs. 

And  for  the  suppression  of  false  plaints  King  Henry. the 
First  ordained  that  in  venial  actions  the  plaintiff  should  not 

'  Or,  perhaps, '  a  dozen  pledges.' 


65  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

e  qe  nul  nestoeit  respondre  si  les  actors  ne  eient  testmoinage 
de  loiale  sute  presente. 

En  taunt  est  difference  par  entre  criminale  accioun 
contier  e  veniale,  qe  si  counter  met  avant  paroles  criminales 
si  com  felonessement  com  feloun  ecet.,  en  les  demon- 
straunces  de  venials  accions,  par  tant  sunt  les  counties 
vicious  e  abateables  pur  ceo  qe  li  juge  nad  poer  par  veniale 
pleinte  terminer  felonie.  E  en  mesme  la  manere  est 
countie  vicious  e  abatable  e  ^  li  counte  se  monstre  par 
paroles  sur  le  droit  de  la  propriete  sur  plee  de  possessioun 
ou  le  revers.  E  ascuns  acciouns  sunt  ou  nul  counte 
nappent  sicom  deseisine  redeseisine  certificacioun  faus 
jugement  e  atteinde. 


Ch.  XXV.     De  Novele  Disseisine  Assise. 

Entre  les  autres  personels  trespas  ne  fet  mie  a  oblier  a 
fere  mencioun  del  pecchie  de  disseisine ;  dunt  enpnmers 
fet  aveoir  del  title  purquei  len  appele  cest  ^  lassise  de  novele 
disseisine. 

Assise  en  un  cas  nest  autre  chose  qe  cession  des 
justices  ;  en  autre  cas  une  ordenaunce  de  un  cej-tein,  ou 
rien  ne  poet  estre  meins  ne  plus  par  droit.  Car  pur  les 
g?'anz  malices  qe  lem  soloit  p?'ocurer  en  testmoinage,  e  les 
granz  delais  qe  se  firent  en  les  examinementz  excepcions  e 
attestaciouns  ordena  Eandulf  de  Glanvill  tele  certeine 
assise,  qe  reconussaunces  e  jurees  se  feissent  par  xij.  jurours 
des  proscheines  veisins.  E  issi  est  eel  establissement 
appelle  assise.  El  tierz  cas  est  assise  proprement  done  pur 
actioun  en  iiij.  maners  des  pies  possessoires  ;  novele  dissei- 
sine, mortdancestor,  drein  present,  e  de  ntrum.  Mes  celes 
assises  sunt  appellez  petites  a  la  difference  des  grantz. 
Car  lei  de  fieus  tut  founde  sur  ij.  droiz,  de  possessioun  e  de 
proprtetie.  E  si  com  grant  assise  sert  al  droit  de  propWete, 
aussi  sert  la  petite   assise  al  droit  de  la  possession.     E 


Corr.  ou.  ^  Supp.  assize. 


OF  ACTIONS.  65 

be  heard  and  the  defendant  should  not  be  put  to  answer 
unless  the  plaintiff  produced  the  testimony  of  a  lawful 
secta. 

There  is  this  difference  between  a  count  in  a  criminal 
action  and  one  in  venial  action,  viz.,  that  if  in  a  venial 
action  the  pleader  puts  in  his  count  such  words  as  *  felon- 
iously as  a  felon,'  the  count  is  vicious  and  abatable,  for 
that  the  judge  who  is  trying  a  venial  plaint  has  no  power  to 
decide  about  felony ;  and  similarly  a  count  is  vicious  and 
abatable  if  it  speaks  of  the  right  of  property  in  a  possessory 
action,  or  vice  versa.  And  there  are  some  actions  in  which 
there  is  no  count,  such  as  disseisin,  redisseisin,  certifica- 
tion, false  judgment  and  attaint. 

Ch,  XXV.     Of  the  Assize  of  Novel  Disseisin. 

Among  the  other  personal  trespasses  we  must  not  forget 
to  mention  the  sin  of  disseisin ;  and  in  the  first  place  we 
must  see  why  the  action  is  entitled  to  the  name  assize  of 
novel  disseisin. 

By  assize  we  sometimes  mean  merely  a  session  of 
justices ;  sometimes  we  mean  an  ordinance  which  fixes 
some  certain  measure  and  will  not  permit  excess  or  defect. 
And  because  of  the  malice  shown  in  the  procuration  of 
testimony  and  the  great  delay  that  there  was  in  examina- 
tions, exceptions,  and  attestations,  Ranulf  de  Glanvill 
ordained  this  certain  assize,  to  wit,  that  recognitions  and 
juries  should  be  made  by  twelve  jurors  from  among  the 
next  neighbours.  And  therefore  this  institution  was  called 
an  assize.  In  a  third  meaning  assize  stands  as  the  proper 
name  of  the  action  given  by  the  law  in  four  kinds  of  posses- 
sory pleas — (1)  novel  disseisin  ;  (2)  mort  d'ancestor ;  (3) 
darein  presentment ;  (4)  utrum.  And  these  assizes  are 
called  petty  to  distinguish  them  from  the  grand  assize. 
For  the  law  of  fees  is  all  founded  on  two  rights,  that  of 
possession  and  that  of  property.  And  just  as  the  grand 
assize  serves  for  the  right  of  property,  the  petty  assize 
serves  for  the  right  of  possession.     And  because  these  petty 

K    2 


66  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

purceo  qe  teles  petites  assises  sunt  pernables  as  countiez 
ou  les  fieus  sunt  par  lestatut  le  Eoi  Edward,  appele  lem 
tiels  actions  assises ;  ou  pwr  le  general  assessioun  des  justices 
e  dautres  ;  ou  pur  les  propres  nouns  de  teles  actiouns. 

Novele  est  dit  a  la  difference  de  aunciene,  car  auncie- 
ment  soloient  les  Eois  en  propres  persones  errer  de  paiis 
en  paiis  pur  enquere,  oir,  e  tg?'miner  les  pecchiez  e  pur 
redrescer  les  torz,  e  ceo  qe  nestoit  point  attame  en  teles  eires 
des  pc/*soneux  trespas  fetz  avant  remist  al  jugement  dieu. 
E  puis  par  multiplicacioun  des  pecchez  ne  poieient  mie  les 
Rois  tut  fere  par  eus  e  pur  ceo  envoierent  il  lur  comissaires 
qi  sont  ore  appellez  justices  erranz,  qe  neunt  poer  doir  e 
terminer  nul  personel  trespas  forqe  pur  chose  attame  e  nient 
terminie  en  la  derreine  eire  e  pus  fete.  E  dunt  pur  ceo  qe 
disseisins  en  personel  trespas  pur  ceo  qe  lactione  ou  la 
disseisine  est  aunciene,'  mes  si  deseisine  soit  fet  pus  la 
dereine  eire  a.dunc  est  ele  novele. 

Desseisine  est  un  pe?^sonel  trespas  de  torcenouse  toute 
de  possessioun.  Torcenouse  est  dist  a  la  difference  de 
droiturele  qe  nen  est  mie  pecchie,  cmn  si  jeo  toille  a  ma 
fem7;ie  a  ^  moun  serf  ou  a  autre  qi  est  en  ma  garde  ceo  qe 
mien  est,  ou  si  com  vows  me  toillez  le  miene,  jeo  fresche- 
ment  le  vows  retoille,  jeo  ne  pecchie  nient,  car  jeo  en  su 
garanti  par  lei  naturele,  de  si  com  tel  usage  est  comun  a 
hom?/ies,  bestes,  pessons,  oisealx  e  as  totes  teriens  creatures, 
mes  ceo  ne  poi  jeo  mie  fere  lendimein  ne  pus,  car  si  jeo  de 
ma  force  vous  toille  chose  dunt  vous  avez  eu  pesible  seisine, 
jeo  Yous  faz  deseisine  e  faz  despit  au  Eoi  qitant  jeo  me  defi 
de  soun  dreit  e  use  force  ou  jeo  deusse  user  jugemewt, 

Dautre  pa^'t  ceo  qe  toilleit  me  est  par  loial  jugement  del 
juge  assigne,  ordeneire,  ou  arbitraire  ne  mest  mie  tolleit 
torcenousement.  Toute  est  ici  pris  aussi  bien  pur  deforce- 
ment ou  desturbeancc  cum  pur  ejeccioun.     Deforcement 


'  Doyique  jnir  ceo,  que  le  disseisin      ceo,   le  action  ou  le    disseisin   est 
ou  le  personall  action  fuit  fait  avant      auncient,  Houard.  ^  Corr.  ou. 


OF  ACTIONS.  66 

assizes  are  by  a  statute  of  Eling  Edward '  to  be  taken  in  the 
counties  in  which  the  fees  to  which  they  relate  are  situate, 
they  are  called  assizes ;  or  else  this  is  because  they  come 
before  a  general  session  of  justices  and  others ;  or  else  the 
name  is  merely  a  proper  name  for  these  actions. 

*  Novel '  in  the  term  *  novel  disseisin '  is  opposed  to 
ancient,  for  in  old  times  the  kings  in  their  proper  persons 
used  to  journey  round  the  country  to  inquire  of,  hear  and 
determine  sins  and  to  redress  injuries,  and  any  personal 
trespass  previously  committed  which  was  not  entered  in 
such  eyres  stood  over  for  the  judgment  of  God.  And  after- 
wards, by  reason  of  the  multiplication  of  sins,  the  kings  could 
not  do  all  by  themselves,  and  therefore  they  sent  their  com- 
missioners, who  are  now  called  justices  in  eyre ;  and  they 
have  no  power  to  hear  and  determine  any  personal  trespass 
unless  it  was  entered  but  not  determined  in  the  last  eyre; 
or  was  done  since  then.  And  therefore  a  personal  action 
which  arose  or  a  disseisin  which  was  done  before  that  time 
was  ancient,  but  a  disseisin  done  since  the  last  eyre  is  novel. 

Disseisin  is  a  personal  trespass  by  a  tortious  taking  of 
possession.  *  Tortious '  we  say  to  distinguish  it  from  a 
rightful  taking,  which  is  no  sin  ;  as  if  I  take  from  my  wife 
or  my  serf  or  another  who  is  in  my  ward  that  which  is 
mine,  or  if  you  take  what  is  mine  and  I  at  once  take  it  back 
again,  I  do  not  sin,  for  I  am  warranted  by  the  law  of  nature, 
since  such  a  procedure  is  common  to  men,  beasts,  fishes, 
birds,  and  all  other  earthly  creatures ;  but  I  may  not  do 
this  on  the  morrow  nor  at  a  later  time,  for  if  I  by  my  force 
take  from  you  that  of  which  you  have  had  peaceable  seisin, 
I  do  a  disseisin  to  you,  and  do  despite  to  the  king  when  I 
distrust  his  justice  and  have  recourse  to  force  where  I  ought 
to  have  had  recourse  to  judgment. 

On  the  other  hand,  that  which  is  taken  from  me  by 
lawful  judgment  of  a  judge  assigned,  or  a  judge  ordinary, 
or  an  arbitrator,  is  not  taken  tortiously.  The  word 
'  taking '  as  here  used  includes  as  well  deforcement  or 
disturbance    as    ejectment.      Deforcement    is    as   if    one 

'  Stat.  West.  II.  cup.  xxx. 


67  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

cum  si  ascun  entre  en  autri  tenement  taunt  cum  li  verroi 
seignur  est  al  marche  ou  aillours,  e  retorne  e  ne  poet  aver 
lentre  einz  en  est  deforcie  a  debotie.  Destorbaunce  com 
si  ascun  me  destourbe  atort  de  user  ma  seisine  la  quele  jeo 
ai  euue  pesible ;  e  ceo  purra  estre  en  iij.  maners  :  lun  cum 
qi  me  vee  destresce  qe  jeo  ne  puisse  destreindre  tenement 
a  ma  destresce  oblige,  dunt  jai  este  seisi  avant ;  lautre  cum 
qi  replevist  sa  destresce  par  le  viscounte  ou  hundreder 
torcenousement ;  la  tierce  cum  si  ascun  me  destreigne  si 
outraiousemertt  qe  jeo  ne  puis  moun  fieu  gaigner  ne  user 
duement,  en  quel  cas  suffist  j.  destreignour  outraious  pur 
desseisour  e  pur  tenant.  Eiectioun  cum  si  ascun  me  gette 
de  moun  tenement  dunt  jeo  ai  este  pesiblement  seisi  par 
descente  de  heritage  ou  autre  loial  title. 

De  possession  notez  qe  tut  droit  se  tient  en  ij.  menbres ; 
ou  el  droit  de  la  possessioun  ou  el  droit  de  la  proprietie.  E 
pur  ceo  qe  li  droit  de  proprietie  nest  jammes  terminable 
par  ceste  assise,  est  motoie  possessioun  ^  cum  cele  qe  tut 
savoure  del  droit  possessour. 

Li  remedie  de  disseisine  ne  tient  lu  de  biens  moebles  ne 
de  rien  qe  ne  poet  cheir  en  heritage,  terre,  tenement,  rente, 
avoeson  de  eglise  e  de  meson  de  religioun,  fraunchises, 
apurtenauntes,  e  tieux  autrez  droiz  le  qel  qil  soient  tenues 
perpetuelement  a  touz  jours,  ou  a  certein  terme  de  vie  ou 
ans  solom  le  contract,  aussi  bien  com  de  fieu  engagie  iesqes 
a  tant  qe  tiel  ou  ces  heirs  rendent  taunt  a  tel  tenaunt  ou  a 
ces  heires. 

Ejection  de  terme  des  ans  de  fieu  chest  en  ceste  assise 
qe  ascun  foiz  ment  ^  de  lees  ou  de  bail  ou  de  preste,  e  ascune 
foiz  de  droit  de  garde  par  le  noun  age  de  ascun  heir  e 
appent  le  recoverir  atenir  solom  la  fourme  del  contract. 

'  assise  qui  est  de  notoire  possessioun,  Houard.  ^  Corr.  vient. 


OF  ACTIONS.  67 

enters  into  the  tenement  of  another  while  the  true  owner 
is  at  market  or  elsewhere,  and  he  on  his  return  cannot 
obtain  an  entry,  but  is  deforced  and  repelled.  Disturb- 
ance is  as  if  one  tortiously  disturbs  me  in  the  use  of  a 
seisin  that  I  have  had  peaceably ;  and  this  can  be  in  three 
ways :  first,  if  he  resists  distress  so  that  I  cannot  distrain 
a  tenement  which  is  subject  to  my  right  to  distrain,  of 
which  right  I  have  been  seised  in  the  past ;  secondly,  if 
tortiously  he  replevies  the  distress  by  the  aid  of  the  sheriff 
or  the  hundredor ;  thirdly,  if  one  distrains  me  so  out- 
rageously that  I  cannot  make  profit  of  my  fee  nor  make 
proper  use  of  it,  in  which  case  a  single  outrageous  distrainor 
will  serve  both  as  disseisor  and  as  tenant  in  the  assize. 
Ejectment  is  as  if  one  casts  me  out  of  a  tenement  of  which 
I  am  peaceably  seised  by  the  descent  of  an  inheritance  or 
other  lawful  title. 

As  to  possession,  note  that  every  right  is  of  one  of  two 
kinds :  it  is  a  possessory  or  a  proprietary  right.  And 
because  the  right  of  property  can  never  be  determined  by 
this  assize,  it  is  [called  possessory] '  as  savouring  altogether 
of  the  right  of  possession. 

The  remedy  by  assize  of  disseisin  is  not  applicable  to 
movable  goods  nor  to  anything  save  what  can  come  by 
inheritance,  such  as  land,  tenement,  rent,  the  advowson  of 
a  church  or  of  a  religious  house,  franchises,  appurtenances, 
and  such  other  rights  as  are  held  perpetually  for  ever,  or  for 
a  certain  term  of  life  or  years  under  a  contract ;  also  it  is 
applicable  to  a  fee  which  is  put  in  gage  until  such  time  as 
such  an  one  or  his  heirs  shall  render  such  a  sum  to  the 
tenant  or  his  heirs. 

Ejectment  from  a  fee  of  a  tenant  for  term  of  years  falls 
within  this  assize,  and  such  a  term  may  have  its  origin  in  a 
lease  or  bailment  or  loan,  or  in  right  of  a  wardship  by 
reason  of  the  nonage  of  the  heir,  and  the  tenant  is  entitled 
to  recover  the  land  to  hold  according  to  the  form  of  the 
contract.' 

>  The    meaning  of   the    text    is      tenant  for  years  can  bring  an  assize, 
uncertain.  is  one  of  our  author's  heresies.    By 

'  This  doctrine,  that  the  ejected       the/oc  the  land  itself  is  meant. 


68  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

Villenage  en  eas  chiet  en  eeste  assise  sicom  apres  iert 
dist. 

Presentemenz  de  eglises  cheent  en  ceste  assise  com 
franc  tenement  a  ceaux  qe  sount  engettez  ou  desturbez  de 
continuer  lur  seisine  dendreit  les  presentemenz,  e  dunt  si 
contracts  se  face  par  entre  ascun  donour  e  ascun  pur- 
chaceour,  tut  soit  qe  li  purchaceour  ne  puisse  seisi  ^  vivawt 
le  clerc  le  doneour  institut  de  leglise,  le  title  neqedent  del 
contracte  barre  jalemeins  le  donour  qe  mes  ne  purr  a  resortir 
de  presentir  contre  la  fourme  del  contract,  e  cil  face  cil 
doneour  chiet  en  cest  assize,  e  li  evesqe  oveqe  qi  doune 
linstitucion  a  tiel  qe  point  ne  ^  presentee  par  celi  aqi  le 
droit  de  presenter  appent  en  soun  noun  demeine. 

En  cesti  assise  cheent  aussi  donours  e  purchaceours  qi 
funt  contracts  vicious  de  fieus  e  de  possessiouns,  cum  est 
de  gardeins  e  de  fermers  qi  lessent  autriz  heritages  plus 
loinz  qe  lur  terme  ne  dure,  en  prejudice  de  lur  seignur  de  la 
propretie  ou  de  celi  a  qi  la  reversioun  appent,  cum  est  de 
ceaux  lessours  qe  unt  fieu  taille. 

Dautre  part  cheent  en  ceste  pecche  les  ministres  le 
Eoi  e  autres  qi  desseisent  homme  ou  comowaltie  ^  de  f?-an- 
chise  dunt  il  sunt  enheritez  par  loial  title,  si  noun  pur 
defaute,  abusion  ou  negligence  de  ceaux  ou  de  lur  bailiffs  a 
qi  les  f?-anchises  sunt.  En  cest  pecchie  cheent  aussi  touz 
attornez  qi  rendent  heritage  ou  le  franc  tenement  lur  clientz 
en  jugement,  e  les  justices  aussi  qi  a  ceo  les  retournent  e 
les  tenaunz  ovek,  car  as  attornez  nappent  nient  arendre 
les  droiz  lur  clienz,  einz  appent  a  defendre  les  jesqes  a  droit 
jugement.     En  cest  pecchie  cheent  ausi  tuz  ceaux  qe  funt 


•  Covr.ne  puisse  presenter.  ^  Here    the  MS.  begins    a  new 

'  Corr.  nest.  paragraph. 


OF  ACTIONS.  68 

A  tenement  held  in  villainage  is  in  some  cases  "within 
this  assize,  as  shall  be  said  hereafter.' 

Presentations  to  churches  fall  within  this  assize  as 
being  the  free  tenement  of  those  who  are  ejected  or  dis- 
turbed in  the  continuance  of  their  seisin  in  the  matter  of 
the  said  presentations,  and  if  thereof  a  contract  be  made 
between  a  donor  and  a  purchaser,  albeit  the  purchaser  can- 
not present  to  the  church  during  the  life  of  the  clerk 
instituted  by  the  donor,  nevertheless  the  donor  will  at  least 
be  barred  by  his  contract  from  presenting  contrary  to  the 
form  of  the  contract,  and  if  he  does  present,  then  he  is 
within  this  assize,  and  so  is  the  bishop  who  institutes  a 
clerk  who  has  not  been  presented  by  one  who  was  entitled 
to  present  in  his  own  name.'^ 

And  into  this  assize  fall  donors  and  purchasers  who 
make  vicious  contracts  as  to  fees  and  possessions,  as  is  the 
case  with  guardians  or  farmers  who  lease  the  heritages 
which  belong  to  another  for  a  longer  term  than  that  of 
their  own  tenure,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  lord  of  the  pro- 
perty or  of  him  to  whom  the  reversion  belongs,  as  is  the 
case  of  those  lessors  who  have  a  fee  tail.' 

And  so  too  fall  into  this  sin  the  ministers  of  the 
king  and  others  who  disseise  a  man  or  a  commonalty  of 
the  franchises  which  they  have  inherited  by  lawful  title,  if 
it  be  not  because  of  the  default,  abuse  or  negligence  of 
those  to  whom  the  franchise^  belong,  or  of  their  bailiffs. 
Into  this  sin  fall  also  all  those  attornies  who  surrender 
in  court  the  inheritance  or  freehold  of  their  clients,  and 
those  justices  also  who  restore  the  fees  to  them  and  the 
tenants  also,*  for  to  an  attorney  it  belongeth,  not  to 
surrender  the  rights  of  his  clients,  but  to  defend  them  until 
right  judgment  is  given.     Into  this  sin  also  fall  all  those 

'  See  below,  Book  II.  c.  28.  *  The  writer  seems  to  be  thinking 

*  All  this  seems  to  be  heterodox.  of  a  case  in  which  an  attorney 
Was  the  Novel  Disseisin  ever  applied  surrenders  land  in  court  by  fine,  and 
to  advowsons  or  rights  of  prcsenta-  then  takes  it  back  as  his  own.  The 
tion  ?  justices  who   take  part  in  such   a 

*  Our  author  seems  to  think  that  transaction  are,  in  his  eyes,  dis- 
a  feoffment  in  fee  simple  made  by  a  seisors. 

tenant  in  fee  tail  would  be  a  disseisin. 


69  DE  ACTIOUNS; 

gast,  exil  ou  destruction  en  fieus  outre  ceo  qe  nen  est 
avouable  de  droit ;  einz  ceaux  qi  sunt  •  assignez  ou  li 
feffment  de  eux  meimes  ou  de  lur  auncestres  fet  mencion 
forqe  des  heirs,  e  ceo  poet  estre  en  ij.  maneres  ou  as  heirs 
generalment  ou  as  heirs  especials  nomez  sicom  en  fiez 
talliez  ou  nient  nomes  sicom  es  mariages. 

Ceste  actioun  poet  sure  totes  genz  hom?7ies  e  femmes, 
clers  e  lais,  enfauns  e  autres  de  quele  conditioun  qil  soient, 
as  queux  lei  nel  defent. 

Defendu  est  as  serfs  asure  ceste  accioun  taunt  cum  il 
sunt  en  la  garde  lur  seignur  saunz  lur  gardein,  e  en  meme 
la  manere  as  femmes  espouses  e  as  tutz  autres  qi  en  garde 
sunt,  e  as  ceaux  qi  new  furewt  unqe  tenaunz  en  lur  noun 
demeine,  nomement  en  lur  noun  demeine  sure.^  Droit 
defend  aussi  la  suite  as  ceaux  qi  autre  foiz  se  sunt  retrez 
de  meime  lactioun  en  jugement  ou  unt  relessie  e  quite 
clame  lur  droit. 

E  notez  qe  retrere  e  sutrere  nest  mie  j.  Eetrere  se  poet 
homme  de  ij.  choses,  de  soun  bref  e  de  sa  actioun,  mes  de 
lun  ne  del  autre  ne  se  poet  len  james  retrere  si  len  nel  die 
apertement,  car  par  atturne  nel  porra  nul  dire.  Mes 
sustrere  poet  chescun  actour  par  li  ou  par  son  atturnee,  le 
quel  qil  soit  present  en  court  ou  absent.  E  dunt,  tut  soit 
qe  ascun  ne  voille  suire  sa  pleinte  pur  ceo  ne  sei  retret  il 
mie  de  sa  actioun  qil  ne  puisse  resortir  a  novele  bref  e  a 
novele  pleinte,  sil  ne  die  en  jugement  qil  se  retret  del 
actioun. 

Ver  queux  tient  lu  ceste  remedie  ;  ver  le  disseisour  j.  ou 
plusours,  ver  tuz  ceux  qi  lur  venent  en  force  e  en  eide. 


Corr.  funt.  '  Corr.  nomement  en  le  noun  lur  seignur. 


OF  ACTIONS.  C9 

who  commit  waste,  exile  or  destruction  in  lands  beyond 
what  is  by  law  avowable ;  also  those  who  make  assigns 
where  the  feoffment  to  them  or  to  their  ancestors  only 
makes  mention  of  heirs ;  ^  and  this  may  be  in  two  ways  : 
either  mention  is  made  of  heirs  generally  or  of  special  heirs 
as  is  the  case  in  fees  that  are  tailed,  or  again  the  heirs 
may  not  be  mentioned,  as  in  the  case  of  gifts  in  marriage. 

This  action  can  be  sued  by  all  men  and  all  women, 
clerks  and  laymen,  infants,  and  others  of  whatever  condition 
they  may  be,  if  the  law  does  not  deny  it  to  them. 

It  is  denied  to  serfs  so  long  as  they  are  in  ward  to  their 
lords  to  sue  this  action  without  their  guardian,  and  in  the 
same  way  it  is  denied  to  married  women  and  all  others  who 
are  in  ward,  and  to  those  who  have  never  held  in  their  own 
name,  in  particular  if  they  have  been  holding  in  the  name 
of  their  lord.  Law  also  denies  the  suit  to  those  who 
on  another  occasion  have  retracted  themselves  from  the 
same  action  or  have  released  or  quit-claimed  their  right. 

And  note  that  to  retract  and  to  subtract  is  not  all  one. 
A  man  may  retract  himself  from  two  things,  from  his  writ 
and  from  his  action,  but  from  neither  one  nor  the  other  can 
he  retract  himself  unless  he  says  so  openly,  for  by  his 
attorney  he  cannot  say  that  he  does  so.  But  every  plain- 
tiff can  subtract  himself  either  by  himself  or  by  his  attorney, 
whether  he  be  present  in  court  or  absent.  And  therefore, 
albeit  a  man  will  not  prosecute  his  suit,  he  does  not  thereby 
retract  himself  from  his  action  so  as  to  prevent  himself 
from  having  resort  to  a  new  writ  and  new  plaint,  unless  he 
says  in  court  that  he  retracts  himself  from  the  action. 

Against  whom  this  remedy  is  available :  against  the  one 
disseisor  or  the  several  disseisors,  and  all  those  who  come 
to  their  force  or  their  aid. 


■  This  socms  an  attempt  to  restore  what  the  writer  believed  to  be  the 
good  old  law. 


70  DE  ACTIOUNS. 

Ch.  XXVI.     De  Vee  de  Naam. 

Une  accioun  mixte  "  founde  sur  personel  trespas  accrest 
as  genz  torcenousement  naames  qest  appelle  de  naam.  E 
pur  quei  nul  ne  passe  ^  sa  robberie  ne  son  larcin  covrir  par 
naam,  fet  assavoir  qe  naam  est,  la  division  de  naam,  qe  poet 
naamer,  q?tant,  ou  de  queles  choses,  ou  naam  est  metable, 
e  del  vee. 

Naam  nest  autre  chose  qe  renable  destresce,  Eenable 
destresce  est  a  la  vaillaunce  de  droiturele  demaunde  saunz 
autre  vice  car  droit  nanomie  ^  nul  outrage. 

Deus  maneres  sunt  de  naam.  Naam  mort  sicom  de 
blez,  vins,  e  autres  tiez  chateaux,  e  naam  vif,  sico?;i  de 
homme,  beste,  e  tiels  vives  choses.  Naamer  ne  poet  nul  qi 
a  ceo  fere  nen  est  garanti  par  lei,  ou  par  especiall  fet ;  par 
lei,  Bicom  pur  damage  fesant,  e  pur  dettez  e  contract  de 
foreins,  car  foreins  sunt  naamables  par  renable  destresce 
des  biens  moebles  e  nient  somonables  pur  ceo  qil  ne  sunt 
mie  fieus  tenaunz  es  lus  ou  il  sunt  destreinz,  e  si  com  pur 
dette  recoveree  ou  conue  le  quel  ele  isse  de  ame?'cient,^  de 
damages,  darrerages  dacounte,  ou  dautre  chose;  par  fet, 
com  si  vous  me  doignez  ascun  amistie  ^  me  grantez  ades- 
treindre  en  vostre  fieu  pur  les  arrerages  de  eel  doun,  ou 
dautre  service,  e  obligez  vos  possessions  qe  ne  sunt  mie  de 
mon  fieu,  en  qi  meins  qe  eles  deveignent. 

Qmint  lem  purra  naamer.  Naamer  poet  lem  hom^ne, 
beste,  e  tote  vif  chose,  taunt  cum  len  le  troet  el  damage  e 
ne  mie  lendemein  ne  apres.    E  apres  le  terme  del  paiement 


'  jtiste,  1642  and  Houard.  ''  Corr.  amerciment. 

'  Corr.  puisse.  *  Corr.  annuitc  (?). 

*  Corr.  nallowe  {?). 


OF  ACTIONS.  70 

Ch.  XXVI.     Of  Naam  refused.^ 

A  mixed  action  founded  upon  a  personal  trespass 
accrues  to  those  who  are  wrongfully  naamed,  which  is 
called  an  action  of  naam.  And  for  that  no  one  can  cover 
his  robbery  or  his  larceny  by  pretext  that  it  is  a  naam,  we 
should  know  what  naam  is ;  how  cases  of  naam  may  be 
divided ;  who  can  naam ;  when  ;  what  things ;  where  a 
naam  must  be  put ;  and  [we  have  also  to  consider]  the 
refusal  [which  is  the  gist  of  the  action]. 

A  naam  is  nothing  else  than  a  reasonable  distress.  A 
reasonable  distress  is  one  corresponding  to  the  value  of  a 
rightful  demand  and  must  not  be  affected  by  any  other  vice, 
for  law  will  not  justify  any  outrage. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  naam :  dead  naam,  as  of  corn, 
wine,  and  other  such  chattels ;  and  live  naam,  as  of  a  man, 
or  beast,  or  such  living  things.  No  one  can  naam  who  has 
not  a  warrant  for  so  doing  by  law  or  by  special  deed ;  by 
law,  as  for  damage  fesant,  and  for  the  debts  and  contracts 
of  foreigners  (since  foreigners  are  naamable  by  reasonable 
distress  of  their  movable  goods,  and  are  not  summonable 
for  that  they  are  not  tenants  of  fees  in  the  places  where 
they  are  distrained),  also  for  a  debt  recovered  or  confessed 
which  issues  from  an  amerciament,  from  damages,  from  the 
arrears  of  an  account,  or  otherwise ;  or  by  deed,  as  if  you 
give  me  an  annuity  and  grant  that  I  may  distrain  in  your  fee 
for  the  arrears  of  this  gift,  or  for  some  other  service,  and 
oblige  your  possessions,  which  are  not  my  fee,  into  whoseso- 
ever hands  they  shall  come. 

When  one  can  naam.  One  can  naam  man,  beast,  and 
every  other  live  thing,  provided  he  or  it  be  found  doing 
damage,  but  one  must  not  wait  until  the  morrow  or  a  later 
time.    And  one  must  naam  after  the  term  for  payment  is 

'  In  the  translation  of  this  chapter  to  deliver  up  the  naam  is  guilty  of 

the  old   word  naam,  or   7mm,  haa  a  vee  de  naam ;  an  action  dc  vctito 

been  preserved ;  it  signifies  a  taking,  naviii  lies  against  him.    We  could 

or  thing  taken,  in  distress  ;  cf.  our  hardly  give  the  sense  of  the  original 

wiOicmam,  and  the  German  nehmcn,  text   if    we   called    this  action  an 

to  take.    The  distrainor  who,  when  action  of  replevin. 
Buflicient  security  is  oilcrod,  refuses 


71  DE  ACTIOUNS. 

e  ne  mie  avawt.  E  ne  mie  chescun  jour,  car  ipar  dimenclie 
ne  fet  point  a  destreindre  si  noun  pur  damage  fesaunt ;  ne 
en  totes  houres  car  avant  le  soleil  levee,  napres  le  solail 
recousie,  ne  nutantre  deit  nul  destreindre,  si  noun  pur 
damage  fesaunt. 

Ou  len  purr  a  naamer.  En  lus  ou  ierz  *  es  fieus  obligez 
e  ne  mie  dedenz  enfermure. 

De  queux  biens.  Var  tutz  biens  qe  droit  ne  defent. 
Droit  defent  qe  nul  ne  destreigne  par  une  ^  destresce  taunt 
com  len  troeve  suffisantmewt  a  naamer  en  lu  overt  covenable 
naam  mort.  E  covenable  naam  mort  nest  mie  -par 
armeures,  par  vessele,  par  robes,  par  ieueles,  par  esc7-/z, 
tant  cow  len  troeve  autre  naam  suffisalmewt  en  lu  du. 
Covenable  naam  vif  nen  est  mie  par  berbiz,  chastriz, 
motons,  ou  de  meme  ^  mounteure,  par  bestes  charueres,  par 
chiens,  oiseals,  polaille,  poison,  ou  par  sauvagine  tant  com 
leur  troet  autres  bestes  udives/ 

Naam  nest  mie  enportable,  menable,  ou  chaceable  a  la 
volunte  del  destreignur.  Par  cas  einz  si  ascun  destreignur 
ne  troeve  qe  naamer  forqe  dedenz  enclosture,  en  tieu  cas 
napent  autre  defrai  forqe  de  ensealer  les  biens  enclos  e  de 
les  sequestrer  saunz  autre  violence  fere,  e  si  ascun  brise  ou 
enfreigne  tieux  sequestrez  del  seal  ou  de  part,^  si  fet  grand- 
ment  countre  la  pees  e  trespas  au  Eoi  e  al  seignur  del  fieu 
e  as  viscountes  e  as  hundreders  pur  lur  pees  enfreinte,  e  a 
la  partie  pur  la  delai  de  son  droit ;  e  pur  ceo  qe  fet  hu  e  cri 
lever  sur  tieux  cum  sur  ceux  qi  sunt  countre  la  pees. 

Naam  mort  trovie  en  lu  covenable  ne  naam  vif  nest  "^ 
mie  portable  ne  chaceable  hors  del  fieu,  ou  hors  del  hun- 
dred ou  del  countie,  ne  metable  ne  denz  enfermure,  ou 
aillours  ou  cell  a  qi  le  naam  est  ne  en  puisse  aver  linspec- 
cioun,  einz  est  metable  en  lu  ou  li  naam  e  celi  qe  le  deit 
en  purrewt  meins  estre  grevez, 

De  ve  sunt  ij.  maneres,  lune  quant  len  vee  vif  naam 


'  CoiT.  terres  (?).  *  Corr.  vives  or  oisives  [animalia  otiosa]. 

'  Corr.  vive.  *  Corr.  pare  or  pwte. 

*  Corr.  demesne  (?).  *  nest  repeated. 


OF  ACTIONS.  71 

passed,  and  not  before.  And  one  cannot  do  it  on  every 
day,  for  on  Sunday  one  may  not  distrain  save  for  damage 
fesant ;  nor  at  every  hour,  for  one  may  not  distrain  before 
sunrise,  nor  after  sunset,  nor  by  night,  if  it  be  not  for 
damage  fesant. 

Where  one  may  naam.  In  places  or  lands  in  the  fees 
that  are  under  the  obligation  and  not  within  closed  doors. 

What  goods.  All  goods  not  forbidden  by  law.  Law 
forbids  that  one  should  distrain  by  a  live  distress  so  long  as 
one  can  find  in  an  open  place  a  proper  dead  naam.  Armour, 
plate,  clothes,  jewels  and  writings  are  not  a  proper  dead 
naam  so  long  as  another  sufficient  naam  can  be  found  in 
a  proper  place.  Ewes,  wethers,  muttons,  or  horses  kept 
for  riding,  beasts  of  the  plough,  dogs,  birds,  poultry,  fish  or 
waterfowl  are  not  a  proper  live  naam  so  long  as  other  beasts 
of  pleasure  can  be  found. 

A  naam  is  not  to  be  carried,  led,  or  driven  away  at  the 
will  of  the  distrainor.  If  it  happen  that  a  distrainor  can 
find  no  naam  save  within  an  enclosure,  in  such  case  he 
may  do  nothing  else  than  seal  up  the  enclosed  goods  and 
sequester  them  without  further  violence,  and  if  anyone 
breaks  or  forces  open  the  seal  or  the  pound  wherein  the 
things  are  sequestered,  he  commits  a  great  breach  of  the 
peace  and  trespasses  against  the  king  and  the  lord  of  the  fee 
and  the  sheriffs  and  the  hundredors  by  the  breach  of  their 
peace,  and  against  the  party  by  delaying  him  of  his  right ; 
and  for  this  reason  hue  and  cry  shall  be  made  after  such 
as  do  this  as  it  would  be  after  those  who  are  against  the 
peace. 

Neither  dead  naam  found  in  a  proper  place,  nor  live 
naam,  may  be  carried  or  driven  out  of  the  fee,  or  out  of  the 
hundred  or  the  county,  nor  may  it  be  put  within  a  place 
that  is  shut,  nor  elsewhere  so  as  to  prevent  him  to  whom  it 
belongs  from  inspecting  it ;  but  it  shall  be  put  in  such  a 
place  that  both  it  and  he  to  whom  it  belongs  will  suffer  the 
least  hardship. 

Then  as  to  the  refusal ;  of  this  there  are  two  kinds  :  the 
first  where  one  refuses  to  deliver  a  live  naam  on  the  tender 


72  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

countre  pleges  ou  gage  suffisaunt,  lautre  quant  len  ne  se 
soeffre  mie  estre  destreint  a  droit.  E  lun  e  lautre  sunt 
personex  trespas  countre  la  pees.  E  dunt  si  ascun  soit 
naamie  a  tort,  distinctez  ou  par  ceux  qi  poejit  naamer  ou 
par  autres.  E  si  par  autres,  adunc  tient  lieu  appeal  de 
robberie  ou  hailif  ^  jugement  en  fet  notoire. 

E  si  par  ceux  qi  poent,  adunc  appent  adeliverer  la  naam 
par  gage  e  pleges. 

E  si  le  destreignwr  e  lactour  del  naam  en  fet  le  ve, 
adunc  appent  la  conussartwce  del  ve  au  Roi,  e  issi  tient  lu 
remedie  par  le  bref  de  replegiari.  Pur  laise  neqedent  de 
teles  destresces  e  par  hastier  droit,  ordena  Eandulf  de 
Glanville,  qe  viscowtes  e  hundreders  preignent  sieurte  de 
suire  des  pleintif,  e  deliverent  les  naames,  e  eient  ^  e 
terminent  les  pleintes  de  torcenouses  destrescez,  sauve  au 
Eoi  sa  suite  quant  al  ve. 

Deus  choses  cheent  en  ceste  pleinte  par  simples  pleintes, 
prise  e  detenue.  Dunt  iiij.  degres  sunt: — ou  la  pWse  est 
avouable  pur  droiturele  e  la  detenue  aussi  sicom  pur  dette 
due  e  atteinte  ;  ou  ambedeus  sunt  torcenouses,  si  com  teles 
qi  sont  desavouables  de  touz  costes ;  ou  la  p/-ise  droiturele, 
sicom  en  damage  e  la  detenue  torcenouse  sico???,  countre 
gage  e  pleges  suffisaunt  ofiferz  ;  ou  la  prise  torcenouse, 
sicom  en  enfermeure  e  la  detenue  droiturele,  sicom  pur 
dette  conue.  E  de  nient  plus  ne  unt  juges  ordenaires 
conoissaunce.  Mes  en  cas  ou  li  pie  se  moet  par  bref  apent 
aconoistre  de  la  prise,  e  detenue^  tient  lu  remedie  par 
assise  de  novele  disseisine^ 

Prise  e  detenue  se  funt  ascun  foiz  par  j.  home  ascun 
fois  par  plusours,  e  ascune  fois  par  corruz  ^  e  ascune  par 
desconuz,  mes  coment  qe  les  pe^-nours  soient   conuz,  les 


Corr.  hastif.  *  The  manner  in  which  this  sen- 

Corr.  oient.  tence  should  be  punctuated  is  un- 

del  detinue,  Houard.  certain.  *  Corr.  conuz. 


OF  ACTIONS.  72 

of  sufficient  pledge  or  gage,  the  other  where  one  will  not 
suffer  oneself  to  be  rightfully  distrained.  And  both  of  these 
are  personal  trespasses  against  the  peace.  And  therefore, 
if  anyone  be  wrongfully  naamed,  you  must  distinguish 
whether  this  be  done  by  those  who  are  entitled  to  naam  or 
by  others.  In  the  latter  case  an  appeal  of  robbery  will  lie, 
or  there  will  be  speedy  judgment  against  the  distrainor  as 
against  a  thief  taken  in  the  act. 

But  if  the  naam  be  taken  by  one  who  is  entitled  to  dis- 
train, then  the  owner  must  obtain  a  delivery  of  it  by  offer- 
ing gage  and  pledges. 

And  if  the  distrainor  who  has  taken  the  naam  is  guilty 
of  a  refusal,  then  the  cognisance  of  this  refusal  belongs  to 
the  king,  and  the  remedy  by  writ  of  replevin  is  applicable. 
But  for  the  ease  of  those  who  are  distrained  and  to  hasten 
justice,  Eanulf  de  Glanville  ordained  that  sheriffs  and  hun- 
dredors  should  take  from  the  plaintiffs  surety  to  prosecute  > 
and  deliver  the  naams,  and  hear  and  determine  the  plaints 
of  those  who  are  tortiously  distrained,  saving  to  the  king 
his  suit  founded  upon  the  refusal. 

Two  matters  fall  within  this  plaint  where  there  is  a 
simple  plaint  of  taking  and  detaining.  And  here  there  are 
four  degrees  : — (1)  Where  both  the  taking  and  the  detaining 
can  be  avowed  as  rightful,  as  for  a  debt  due  and  recovered ; 
(2)  where  both  are  tortious,  as  when  the  distrainor  cannot 
avow  what  he  has  done  in  any  particular  ;  (3)  where  the 
taking  is  rightful,  as  for  damage  fesant,  but  the  detaining 
is  tortious,  as  being  in  despite  of  an  offer  of  sufficient  gage 
and  pledges ;  (4)  where  the  taking  is  tortious,  as  where  an 
enclosure  has  been  opened,  but  the  detaining  is  rightful,  as 
for  a  debt  that  has  been  confessed.  And  no  judge  ordinary 
has  cognisance  of  any  points  but  these.  But  in  case  where 
the  plea  is  begun  by  a  writ,  then  the  judge  may  take 
cognisance  of  the  taking,  while  as  to  the  detaining  the 
remedy  by  way  of  assize  of  novel  disseisin  is  applicable. 

The  taking  and  detaining  are  sometimes  done  by  one 
man,  sometimes  by  several  men,  sometimes  by  those  who 
are  known,  sometimes  by  those  who  are  unknown ;    and 

L 


73  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

nouns  neqedent  de  detenours  covendra  assavoir,  e  solom 
lavouerie  del  auctour  ou  de  soun  baillif  sil  ne  seit  present 
covendra  fornir  la  monstraunce  e  la  pleinte,  jointement  sur 
les  pernours  e  sur  les  detenours,  ou  severalment  sur  lun  de 
euz.  E  si  sur  ambedeus,  adunc  issi :  atort  prist  e  prendre 
fist  par  tiel  conu  ou  desconu,  e  le  chaca  ou  porta  ecet,  e 
atort  le  detient  countre  gage  e  pleges  e  uneore  en  est  seisi. 
Ou  issi :  a  tort  le  detint  de  tiel  jour  iesqes  a  tiel  qe  il  le 
delivera  par  le  baillif  le  Eoi,  a  ces  damages  ecet.  Car  cele 
parole  qe  uneore  en  est  seisi  sert  a  ceaux  qi  ne  poent  aver 
la  veuue  ^  del  naam,  e  a  ceux  qe  detenent  naam  par  avouerie 
de  propriete. 


Ch.  XXVII.     De  Contract. 

Contract  est  pM7-parlance  dentre  gentz  qe  chose  nient 
fet  se  face.  E  quitent  ^  plusours  especes  dunt  plusours 
sont  perpetueles  si  com  done,  vente,  e  matnmoignes,  e 
autres  sont  temporeles,  sicom  les  bails  e  fermes.  E  une 
espece  est  mixte  si  com  chaunge  qe  ascun  foiz  se  fet  a  tieux ' 
e  ascune  foiz  a  james.  E  une  espece  est  obligacion.  E  pur 
ceo  qe  droit  ne  se  medle  mie  de  chescun  contract,  fet  aveoir 
qi  porrent  fere  cont?-acts,  e  de  quei. 

Contract  list  a  fere  a  touz  ou  droit  nel  defent.  Droit 
defent  qe  nul  ne  face  cont?'act  as  enemis  le  Eoi  celestre  ne 
terestre,  ne  as  mortiex  peccheours,  ne  a  ceux  qe  ne  sunt  a 
la  foi  crestiene^  ne  as  utlaguez  ne  as  weivees,  ne  as.  ceaux 
qi  se  sunt  conuz  pur  felouns,  ne  as  escomengez,  ne  a  nul  qest 
en  garde  si  noun  al  p?'ofit  de  ceux  en  garde,  ne  as  sourz  ne 
a  muz,  ne  as  foux  nastres,  ne  arragez,  ne  appeles  ou  enditez 
de  cnm. 
•   De  queles  choses  list  a  fere  contract.     De  totes  choses 

.  '  Or  ventie.  '  Corr.  de  qui  sont,  Houard.  '  Corr.  terns. 


OF  ACTIONS.  78 

although  the  takers  be  known,  it  is  necessary  to  discover 
the  names  of  the  detainors,  and  one  must  form  one's  count 
and  plaint  according  to  the  avowry  of  the  person  who  made 
the  distress,  or,  if  he  be  not  present,  of  his  bailiff,  so  as 
either  to  charge  the  takers  and  the  detainors  jointly,  or  so 
as  to  charge  them  severally.  And  if  the  count  be  against 
both  takers  and  detainors,  it  is  made  thus :  *  Tortiously 
he  took  and  caused  to  he  taken  by  such  a  person,  known  or 
unknown,  and  drove  or  carried  etc.,  and  tortiously  detains 
against  gage  and  pledges,  and  is  still  seised.'  Or  thus : 
*  Tortiously  detained  from  such  to  such  a  day,  when  he,  the 
plaintiff,  procured  their  deliverance  by  the  king's  baiHff; 
to  the  plaintiff's  damage  etc'  For  this  phrase  '  he  is  still 
seised '  serves  only  where  the  plaintiff  has  not  been  able  to 
obtain  a  view  of  the  naam,  or  where  the  defendant  avows 
the  goods  taken  as  his  own  property. 

Ch.  XXVII.     Of  Contract. 

Contract  is  a  discourse  between  persons  to  the  effect 
that  something  that  is  not  done  shall  be  done.  And  of  this 
there  are  divers  kinds,  some  of  which  are  perpetual,  such  as 
gift,  sale,  matrimony,  and  others  are  temporary,  such  as 
bailments  and  leases.  And  there  is  a  mixed  kind,  such  as 
exchange,  which  may  be  for  a  time  or  may  be  for  ever. 
And  one  kind  of  contract  is  an  obligation.  And  for  that 
law  does  not  meddle  with  every  contract,  we  must  know 
who  can  make  contracts  and  concerning  what. 

Anyone  may  make  a  contract  who  is  not  forbidden  to 
do  80  by  law.  Law  forbids  one  to  make  a  contract  with  an 
enemy  of  the  heavenly  or  the  earthly  king,  or  with  those 
who  are  in  mortal  sin,  or  with  those  who  are  not  of  the 
Christian  faith,  or  with  outlaws  or  those  who  are  waived, 
or  with  confessed  felons  or  excommunicates,  or  with  those 
who  are  in  ward  unless  it  be  for  their  advantage,  or  with 
the  deaf  or  the  dumb,  or  with  born  fools,  or  with  lunatics, 
or  with  those  who  are  appealed  or  indicted  of  crime. 

As  to  what  matters  one  may  lawfully  make  a  contract. 

L  2 


74  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

nient  defendues  de  droit,  car  de  lautri  droit  defent  dreit  qg 
len  ne  face  contract/  coment  si  qe  lem  ne  pecche  ne  qe 
pecche  male  fei  seit  contenu'^  el  contracts  sicom  usure, 
deseisine,  blemure  del  cors,  desheritesoun,  ou  autre  pecchie 
ou  vice. 

Contracts  sei  defent  al  damage  de  la  partie  gaignaunt 
par  vice,  par  defense,  e  par  mellure  de  pecchie.  Contractz 
sunt  vicious,  ascune  foiz  par  mellure  de  pecchie,  ascune 
foiz  par  entremellure  de  male  fei,  ascun  foiz  q%ant  il  se 
funt  countre  defens,  e  ascun  fois  par  faus  supposicioun. 
El  primer  cas  cum  si  jeo  otroi  qe  si  jeo  ne  vous  face  tiele 
chose  ou  tele,  bien  list  a  \ous  ou  a  autre  a  fere  de  moi  le 
peche  de  homicide,  de  plaie,  denprisonement  ou  de  deseisine 
ou  de  usure,  issi  qe  vows  me  puissez  demaunder  u  c  pur  x,^ 
ou  autre  pecchie.  El  secund  cnm  si  jeo  voms  doigne  ou 
bailie  ou  leste,  en  esperaunce  qe  vous  le  me  redoignez,  e 
eel  don  ne  me  retournez  ;  ou  si  com  jeo  devise  en  testament 
avendre  ascun  de  mes  tenemenz  pur  mes  dettes  rendre,  ou 
ipur  autre  chose  fere  des  devers,*  e  vows  executours  eel  tene- 
ment retenez  heritablement  en  propres  us  saunz  fere 
execucion ;  ou  si  com  jeo  vous  vende,  ou  moblige,  ou 
chaunge,  bailie  ou  donne,  ou  lesse  en  beance  de  aver  de 
\ous  tantost  ou  a  te7-meB,^  e  yous  me  detenez  ceo  qe  vous 
me  promistes. 

El  tierz  cas,  com  si  jeo  face  ascun  contract  as  ceux  qe 
ne  list.  Le  contract  neqedent  de  matrimoigne  nen  est  mie 
defendu  par  entre  enfanz  coment  qe  estre  soloit,  forpns  en 
disparagacions,  car  disparagacion  est  un  pecchie  g7'antment 
defendu. 

El  quart  cas,  com  est  de  chartres  e  de  autres  manere 
de  mohumenz  faus  supposanz.  Com  est  de  chartres  de 
feffement  fetes  en  lasseisine  de  doneours,  e  de  chartres  de 
quiteclamance  fetes  hors  de  la  seisine  de  ceux  qe  les  unt, 
car  nule  char^re  nule  vente  ne  nul  doune  vaut  perpetuele- 


'  A  new  paragraph  begins  in  MS. 

^  Coment  que  il  enipesche  tout  en  quoy  mal  foy  est  contenue,  Houard. 

'  This  seems  corrupt.  *  Corr.  deners.  '  Corr.  terns  (?). 


OF  ACTIONS.  74 

As  to  all  matters  not  forbidden  by  law ;  but  as  to  the  right 
of  another,  the  law  forbids  one  to  make  a  contract,  for  it 
prohibits  '  everything  in  which  there  is  any  sin  or  mala 
Jides,  as,  for  instance,  usury,  disseisin,  bodily  hurt,  disherison, 
or  other  sin  or  vice. 

Contracts  are  avoided  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  party 
who  would  have  gained  by  them,  by  reason  of  vice,  or  of  a 
prohibition,  or  of  the  intervention  of  sin.  Contracts  are 
vicious  (1)  by  reason  of  the  intervention  of  a  sin,  (2)  by 
reason  of  the  intervention  of  bad  faith,  (3)  by  reason  of  the 
breach  of  a  prohibition,  (4)  by  reason  of  a  false  supposition. 

(1)  In  the  first  case,  as  if  I  grant  that,  if  I  do  not  do  this 
or  that  thing  for  you,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  you  or  for 
another  to  commit  against  me  the  sin  of  homicide,  of 
wounding,  of  imprisonment,  of  disseisin,  or  of  usury,  e.g. 
that  you  should  demand  from  me  100  for  10,  or  any  other 
sin. 

(2)  In  the  second  case,  as  if  I  give,  or  bail,  or  lease  to 
you,  in  the  hope  that  you  will  give  back,  and  you  do  not 
return  the  gift ;  or  if  I  devise  in  my  testament  any  of  my 
tenements  to  be  sold  for  the  payment  of  my  debts,  or  in 
order  that  something  else  may  be  done  with  the  money,  and 
you,  my  executors,  retain  this  tenement  heritably  for  your 
own  use  without  executing  my  will ;  or  if  I  make  a  sale, 
obligation,  exchange,  bailment,  gift  or  lease  to  you  in 
expectation  to  have  something  from  you  at  once  or  after  a 
time,  and  you  detain  from  me  what  you  have  promised. 

(3)  In  the  third  case,  as  if  I  make  a  contract  with  one 
with  whom  it  is  not  lawful  to  contract.  Nevertheless,  the 
contract  of  matrimony  between  infants  is  not  prohibited, 
as  it  used  to  be  ;  unless  there  be  a  disparagement,  for 
disparagement  is  a  sin  strictly  forbidden. 

(4)  In  the  fourth  case,  as  if  false  supposals  be  made  in 
charters  or  other  muniments.  Such  is  the  case  where  a 
charter  of  feoffment  is  made  but  the  donor  remains  seised, 
or  a  charter  of  quitclaim  is  made  to  one  who  is  not  seised ; 
for  no  charter,  sale  or  gift  will  hold  good  permanently  if 

•  The  text  is  corrupt. 


75         .      ■  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

ment,  si  li  donour  nen  est  seisi  el  tens  del  contract  de  ij. 
droiz  del  droit  de  la  possession  e  del  droit  de  la  propriete. 
E  sicom  chartre  supposaunt  doun  estre  fet  sanz  transmu- 
tacioun  de  seisin  est  viude,  aussi  est  quiteclamance  de 
chose  dunt  li  actour  de  la  chartre  est  memes  en  possession 
de  la  chose  quiteclame.  E  sicom  les  chartres  sont  viudes 
avant  diz  es  cas,  aussi  sunt  les  garanties  e  quant  qe  appent 
par  tiex  escriz,  qe  sunt  sanz  yertn  pur  lour  fausse  suppo- 
sicion. 

Dautrepart  suppose  simple  monument  faus  qe  testmoint 
doun  returnable  al  donour  ou  a  ses  heirs,  ou  autre  manere 
de  condicion ;  car  doun  est  touz  jours  simple  e  ment  •  de 
tele  affectioun  del  donour  qwant  al  droit  del  doun  qe  la  chose 
donee  soit  atteignalment  al  purchaceour  saunz  esperaunce 
de  reversion.  Simple  monument  ^  escrist  sanz  endenture  e 
pur  ceo  voet  droit  qe  les  escritz  tesmonials  de  contracts 
condicionels  e  supposanz  reversioun  soient  endentiez  e 
cirograffes. 

Contracts  suppose  auxi  faus  en  hoinage  prts  en  fraude 
de  la  lei,  cum  si  jeo  preigne  vostre  homage  pur  autre  service 
qe  por  service  issaunt  de  fieu  de  haubert. 

Droit  defent  aussi  qe  nul  ne  lesse  ne  preigne  terre  ne 
feu  ne  possession  a  terme  de  anz  a  ferme,  outre  le  terme  de 
xl.  ans,  ne  qe  nul  contracts  ne  se  face  de  fieu  ferme  per- 
petuelement,  ne  a  terme  rendreent  par  an  plus  qe  la  quarte 
partie  de  la  value.  Ne  qe  nule  femme  soit  douueie  de 
avoueison  de  eglise,  ne  qe  nul  alienacion  davoueison  se  face 
hors  del  sane,  si  noun  par  doun  perpetuel  e  pur,  ne  qe 
avoueison  soit  partie  par  entre  parceners,  einz  remeigne 

'  Corr.  vient^     _  '  Supply  est. 


OF  ACTIONS,  75 

the  donor  be  not  seised  at  the  time  of  the  contract  in  both 
rights,  the  right  of  possession  and  the  right  of  property. 
And  as  a  charter  which  supposes  a  gift  to  be  made  without 
a  transmutation  of  seisin  is  void,  so  also  is  a  quitclaim  if 
the  maker  of  the  charter  be  himself  in  the  possession  of  the 
thing  that  is  quitclaimed.  And  as  in  these  cases  the 
charters  are  void,  so  also  are  the  warranties  and  all  that 
concerns  such  writings,  for  they  have  no  validity  because  of 
their  false  suppositions. 

Again,  a  *  simple  '  muniment  makes  a  false  supposition 
if  it  supposes  a  gift  which  is  to  return  to  the  donor  or  to  his 
heirs,  or  contains  any  other  condition ;  for  a  gift  is  always 
simple,  and  if  the  gift  is  really  a.  gift,  the  donor's  intention 
is  that  the  thing  given  shall  belong  to  the  purchaser  for 
ever,  and  that  there  shall  be  no  hope  of  a  reversion.  A 
*  simple '  muniment  is  a  writing  without  indenture,  and 
therefore  the  law  wills  that  all  writings  which  contain  con- 
ditional contracts  and  contemplate  a  reversion  shall  be 
indented  and  chirographed,^ 

A  contract  may  make  a  false  supposal  as  to  homage 
done  in  fraud  of  the  law,  as  if  I  receive  your  homage  in 
respect  of  any  other  service  than  the  service  which  issues 
from  a  hauberk  fee  [knight's  fee]. 

The  law  also  forbids  that  anyone  should  lease  or  take 
to  farm  land,  or  fee,  or  possession  for  any  term  of  years 
beyond  the  term  of  forty  years,  or  that  any  contracts 
should  be  made  for  a  perpetual  fee  farm,  or  for  any  term 
at  a  higher  rent  than  the  fourth  part  of  the  annual  value, 
and  that  any  woman  should  be  endowed  of  the  advowson  of 
a  church,  and  that  any  alienation  of  an  advowson  should  be 
made  outside  the  blood  of  the  owner,  unless  it  be  by  a  gift 
that  is  perpetual  and  '  pure,*- and  that  an  advowson  should 
be    partitioned  among  parceners,  •  instead   of    Remaining 

•  The    author's  '  simple '    muni-  parchment ;  the  word-  Chirographum 

ment  is  what  we  ghould  eall  a  deed  in  large  letters  is  written  between 

poll.    Chirographing,  like  indenting,  them,  and  then  the  sheet  is  cut  in 

is  a  device  for  proving    that  two  two   by   a  line  which   runs   trans- 

instruments  are  '  parts '  of  one  deed.  versely  through  this  word. 
They  are  written  on  one  sheet  of 


76  DE   ACTIOUXS. 

enterement  al  proschein  heir  launcestre  ou  al  einznesce 
fille,  ne  a  nul  a  tenae  de  ans,  ou  de  vie,  ne  par  fieu  taille  ; 
car  avoueison  deglise  est  aussi  com  une  espiritaltie  qe  ne 
soeffre  nul  alienacion  forqe  perpetuelle. 

Endroit  del  contract  de  bailie  e  daministration  dautri 
biens  e  deners,  bien  list  a  chescun  ces  biens  sagement  des- 
pendre  ou  folement  gastir  qi  voet,  e  pur  ceo  savise  chescun 
daver  tieux  baillifs  e  aministrours  com  il  entendra  tiel  fieu 
bien  sauver  ;  e  sil  cheet  en  damage  par  ascun  fol  serjaunt  ou 
mauveis,  recte  ceo  a  son  fol  contract,  quant  il  ne  prist  de  li 
suffisaunte  sieurte  de  tote  loialte  e  descretion  ;  e  aussi  le 
revers ;  car  ver  celi  qe  nad  rien  ne  doune  droit  nul  recovrir 
ne  nul  remedie  forqe  vengeaunce.  Si  ascun  tel  baillif 
neqedent  soit  qe  ne  voet  loial  acounte  rendre  a  soun  seignur, 
il  est  a  ceo  chaceable  par  bref '  dacounte,  qest  une  accion 
mixte  sil  eit  par  quei  il  soit  justiziable ;  e  sil  ne  soit 
destreignable  ne  fieu  tenaunt  e  defut  soun  seignur  e  ne  voet 
acounte  rendre,  pwr  tele  inobedience  court  laccion  mixte  en 
personel  trespas,  e  solom  le  chaunge  des  natures  des  actions 
se  change  la  fourme  des  brefs  remedials,  E  coment  qe  tieus 
soient  par  contumace  banissables  a  anes  ou  a  james,  nen 
est  nul  utlagable,  enprisonable.  Einz  si  ascun  remeint  en 
arreragez  vers  soun  seignur,  distinctez — sil  eit  dunt  rendre 
soit  li  jugemewt  al  foer  de  dette  atteinte,  en  autre  case  le 
revers. 


Ch.  XXVIII.-   DeNaifte. 

Une  action  mixte  est  founde  sur  j.  personel  trespas  qe 
homme  fet  a  autre  quani  len  travail]  e  franc  homme  pur 
enservir  son  sane,  e  de  li  fere '  vile  condicion  qest  appelle  de 

'  Supply  de. 


OF  ACTIONS.  76 

integrally  to  the  nearest  heir  of  the  ancestor  or  his  eldest 
daughter,  and  that  an  advowson  should  be  alienated  for 
term  of  years,  or  for  life,  or  in  fee  tail ;  for  the  advowson 
of  a  church  is,  as  it  were,  a  spiritual  thing,  which  can  suffer 
no  alienation  that  is  not  perpetual.^ 

As  regards  the  contract  of  bailment  and  the  administra- 
tion of  the  goods  and  money  of  another,  it  is  lawful  for 
everyone  to  expend  his  goods  wisely  or  to  waste  them 
foolishly  if  he  pleases  ;  therefore  everyone  should  be  careful 
to  have  such  bailiffs  and  administrators  as  he  believes  can 
well  preserve  that  fee ;  and  if  he  falls  into  damage  by  reason 
of  any  foolish  or  wicked  servant,  he  must  set  that  down  to 
his  foolish  contract,  since  he  did  not  take  sufficient  security 
for  a  perfect  loyalty  and  discretion ;  and  vice  versa,  for 
against  one  who  has  nothing  law  gives  no  remedy  save 
vengeance.  Nevertheless,  if  any  such  bailiff  will  not  render 
a  loyal  account  to  his  lord,  he  can  be  driven  to  this  by  a 
writ  of  account — which  is  a  mixed  action — if  he  has  any- 
thing whereby  he  can  be  made  legally  responsible.  And  if 
he  is  not  distrainable  and  holds  no  fee,  and  thus  flees  from 
his  lord  and  will  not  render  account,  by  reason  of  this  dis- 
obedience the  mixed  action  becomes  one  founded  on  a  per- 
sonal trespass,  and  according  to  the  change  in  the  nature 
of  the  action  there  is  a  change  in. the  form  of  the  remedial 
writs.  And  although  such  persons  may  be  banished  for 
contumacy  for  a  term  of  years  or  for  ever,  they  cannot  be 
outlawed  or  imprisoned.  Therefore  if  anyone  remains  in 
arre.ar  as  against  his  lord,  we  must  distinguish — if  he  has 
anything  wherewith  he  can  make  payment,  the  judgment 
will  be  as  for  any  other  debt  that  has  been  recovered  ;  but 
otherwise  in  the  other  case. 

Ch.  XXVIII.     Of  Naifty. 

There  is  a  mixed  action  founded  on  the  personal  tres- 
pass that  one  does  to  another  when  one  strives  to  enslave 
the  blood  of  a  free  man,  and  to  make  him  of  that  vile 

'  A  groat   deal  of  what  is   here      vail  in  king's  court.    By  a  ptirt  gift 
said    about    advowsons    is    clearly      is  meant  a  gift  in  fee  simple, 
opposed  to  the  doctrines  which  pre- 


77  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

naifte.  Ceste  action  est  mixte  en  favour  de  franchise,  car 
rerement  se  sustret  nul  del  fieu  soun  seignur  sil  ne  se 
cleime  franc.  Ceste  action  prent  introduction  par  somonses 
e  par  attachement  des  fieus. 

Naif  nest  autre  chose  qe  serf.  E  tut  soit  qe  totes 
creatures  diussent  estre  franches  solom  lei  de  nature,  par 
constitution  neqedent  e  fet  de  hommes  sunt  genz  e  autres 
creatures  enserves,  sicom  est  de  bestes  en  pares,  pesson  en 
Bervours,  e  doiseax  en  cagez. 

Servage  de  homme  est  une  subjection  issant  de  si 
grant  antiquite  qe  nul  franc  cep  nen  purra  estre  trove  par 
humene  remembraunce.  E  le  quel  servage  solom  ascuns 
ist  de  la  maleiceon  qe  Noe  dona  a  Chanaan  le  filz  Cham 
soun  fiz  e  a  sa  issue,  ou  solom  autres  des  Philistiens  qe 
devindrent  serfs  par  foer  fet  a  la  bataille  qe  se  fist  par 
entre  David  pur  ceux  de  Isrel  de  une  part  e  Golie  pur  lea 
Philistiens  dautre.  E  sicom  autres  creatures  enserveis 
sunt  gardables,  aussi  sunt  serfs  agarder  de  lur  possessours. 
E  de  ceo  sunt  dist.  E  issi  sunt  genz  serfs  par  devine  lei 
e  par  droit  de  homme  acceptie  -e  par  droit  del  caaion 
conferme. 

De  Sem  e  de  Japhet  sunt  issus  les  gentils  Cristiens,  e 
de  ceux  de  Chaam  les  serfs  qe  les  Crestiens  poent  doner  e 
vendre  si  com  lur  autre  chatel,  mes  nient  deviser  en 
testament  puis  ceo  qe  il  serent  ascreis  ^  pur  ceo  qe  adunc 
sont  annex  a  franc  tenement,  e  de  ceux  sunt  puis  estriz 
autres.2 

Ceux  sunt  serfs  qe  sont  engendrez  de  serfs  e  nez  de 
serve,  li  quel  qe  se  eit  este  en  matrimoigne  ou  hors  de  matn- 
moigne.  Ceux  sunt  aussi  serfs  qe  sont  engendrez  de  serfs 
e  niez  de  franche  en  matrimoigne.  E  ceux  sont  serfs  qi  sont 
engendrez  de  franc  home  e  de  serve  e  nez  hors  de  matri- 
moigne. Autre  manere  de  serfs  sont  sicom  ceux  qi  sont 
atteintz  pur  serfs  par  mi  brefs  de  naifte,  e  lur  issue  pus. 


'  Corr.  astriers. 

'  This  seems  to  be  corrupt.  Read  e  depuia  sunt  ascriz  a  terrea  (?). 


OF  ACTIONS.  77 

condition  that  is  called  naifty.  This  action  is  mixed  in 
favour  of  liberty,  for  rarely  does  any  man  withdraw  himself 
from  the  fee  of  his  lord  unless  he  claims  to  be  free.  This 
action  commences  by  summons  and  attachment  of  the  fee. 

A  naif  is  nothing  else  than  a  serf,  and  albeit  that  all 
creatures  should  be  free  by  the  law  of  nature,  nevertheless 
by  constitutions  and  the  act  of  men,  human  beings  and 
other  creatures  may  be  enslaved,  as  is  the  case  with  beasts 
in  parks,  fish  in  stew-ponds,  and  birds  in  cages. 

Serfage  in  the  case  of  a  man  is  a  subjection  issuing 
from  so  high  an  antiquity  that  no  free  stock  can  be  found 
within  human  memory.  And  this  serfage,  according  to 
some,  comes  from  the  curse  which  Noah  pronounced 
against  Canaan,  the  son  of  his  son  Ham,  and  against  his 
issue;  or,  according  to  others,  from  the  Philistines,  who 
became  serfs .  by  reason  of  the  battle  which  took  place 
between  David  on  behalf  of  the  Israelites  of  the  one  part, 
and  GoHath  on  behalf  of  the  Philistines  of  the  other  part. 
And  as  other  creatures  that  are  enslaved  are  to  be  pre- 
served, so  also  serfs  are  to  be  preserved  by  their  possessors, 
and  therefore  are  they  called  serfs  [servi  a.  servando] ;  and 
thus  are  men  serfs  by  divine  law,  and  this  is  accepted  by 
human  law  and  confirmed  by  canon  law. 

From  Shem  and  Japhet  are  descended  the  Gentile 
Christians,  and  from  the  sons  of  Ham  the  serfs,  whom  the 
Christians  can  give  and  sell  like  their  other  chattels,  but  not 
devise  by  testament  after  that  they  have  become  astriers,' 
for  from  that  time  forward  they  are  annexed  to  the  free- 
hold and  [thenceforth  they  are  ascript  to  the  land]. 

They  are  serfs  who  are  engendered  by  a  serf  and  born 
of  a  serf,  and  whether  they  be  born  in  or  out  of  wedlock. 
And  one  who  is  begotten  by  a  serf  but  born  of  a  free 
woman  in  wedlock  is  a  serf.  And  one  who  is  begotten  of  a 
free  man  but  born  of  a  bondwoman  out  of  wedlock  is  a 
serf.  There  is  another  kind  of  serfs,  viz.  those  who  have 
been  proved  to  be  serfs  by  a  writ  of  naifty,  they  and  their 
issue  after  them. 

'  The  servua  aslrarius  has  a  hearth  (aatrum)  of  his  own. 


78  DE  ACTIOUNS. 

Serfs  devenent  francs  en  plusours  maneres  ascuns  par 
baptesme,  sicom  est  de  ceux  Sarrazins  qe  sont  pris  de 
Cristiens  ou  achatez  e  amenez  par  de  sa  la  meer  de  Grece  e 
tenent  cum  lur  serfs ;  ascuns  devenent  f?'anc8  par  le  mere  ' 
sein  pere  cum  est  de  ceux  serfs  qi  swnt  ordenez  de  evesqe 
de  sudeacone  en  amount,  mes  tut  seit  eel  issi  suffert  pur 
ceo  ne  perdra;  nul  soun  droit  qe  suire  le  vodra,  testmoin  le 
canon  meismes. 

Dautre  part  devient  serf  franc  si  soun  seignur  li  grant 
daver  franc  estat  si  com  heirs  en  succession  de  sane  ou  sil 
preigne  son  homage  pur  fee,  ou  si  soun  seignur  li  gette  de 
son  fieu  e  ^  li  doune  sustenaunce,  ou  sil  le  met  en  comune 
prison,  si  ceo  ne  soit  pur  crim.  Femme  aussi  allegge  de  la 
possession  soun  seignur  a  franc  list  nest  mes  chalengeable 
pur  serve  tut  deveigne  ele  vedue.  E  si  seignur  soeffre  soun 
serf  respoundre  en  jugement  sanz  li  sur  veniale  action  ou 
jurer  entre  francz  a  foer  de  franc,  sachant  e  saunz  recleim 
del  seignur,  par  tant  ad  il  excepcion  contre  servage,  sil  ne 
recourt  de  son  gree.  Ou  si  seignur  enfranchist  son  serf 
par  manumission  ou  li  relest  e  quitecleime  quanqe  en  li  est. 
E  aussi  devient  serf  franc  par  la  defaute  del  seignur  el  bref 
de  naifte  si  com  par  noun  siute  de  son  bref.  E  aussi  par 
proeve  de  franc  cep,  ou  des  francs  parentz.  E  aussi 
par  le  garanter  soun  seignur  en  court,  e  aussi  par  prescrip- 
cion  de  tens,  e  aussi  par  defaute  de  proeve.  E  aussi  par  le 
negligence  le  seignur,  sicom  par  le  demoere  le  serf  en  la 
citee  ou  es  demeines  le  Eoi  par  un  an  enterement,  ou  sil 
soeffre  son  serf  a  escient  estre  suiter  dautri  court,  ou  estre 
jurour  en  assises  e  aillurs  entre  francs. 

Si  ascun  serf  defut  son  seignur  reclamant  franc  estat, 
pur  ceo  nel  purra  mie  soun  seignur  prendre  hors  de  son  fieu 


'  le  mere  Saint  Piere,  1642  ;  le  mirite  de  Saint  Piere,  Houard. 
*  Supply  ne. 


OF  ACTIONS.  78 

Serfs  bec6me  free  in  divers  manners  :  some  by  baptism, 
as  are  those  Saracens  who  are  captured  by  Christians  or 
purchased  and  brought  from  beyond  the  Grecian  sea  and 
held  as  their  slaves ;  others  become  free  by  the  mark  [?]  -v^v^ 
of  the  Holy  Father,  as  is  the  case  with  those  serfs  who  are 
ordained  by  a  bishop  to  the  degree  of  subdeacon  or 
upwards,  but  though  this  be  suffered  to  be  thus,  no  one  is 
therefore  to  lose  his  right  who  will  sue  for  it — witness  the 
canon  itself.' 

Again,  a  serf  becomes  free  if  his  lord  grants  that  he  may 
have  a  free  estate  such  as  heirs  in  succession  of  blood,  or  if 
his  lord  takes  homage  from  him  for  a  fee,  or  if  his  lord  ejects 
him  from  his  fee  and  does  [not]  give  him  sustenance,  or  if  he 
puts  him  in  the  common  prison,  unless  this  be  for  a  crime. 
A  woman  also  who  has  gone  from  the  possession  of  her 
lord  into  a  free  marriage  bed  is  not  claimable  as  a  serf 
although  she  becomes  a  widow.  And  if  a  lord  suffers  his 
serf  to  answer  in  court  without  him  in  a  venial  action  or  to 
swear  [as  a  juror]  between  free  men  as  though  he  were 
free,  and  the  lord  suffers  this  knowingly  and  without 
putting  in  a  claim,  then  the  serf  thereby  acquires  an 
*  exception  '  against  the  lord's  action  of  naifty,  unless  of  his 
own  free  will  he  returns  to  his  lord.  Or  again,  if  the  lord 
enfranchises  him  or  releases  and  quitclaims  him,  so  far  as 
in  him  (the  lord)  hes,  then  he  becomes  free.  Also  he 
becomes  free  if  the  lord  make  default  in  a  writ  of 
naifty,  by  non-suit  of  his  writ.  Also  by  proof  of  a  free 
stock,  or  of  free  parents.  Also  by  the  warranty  of  his  lord 
in  court,  also  by  prescription  of  time,  also  by  default  of 
proof.  Also  by  the  negligence  of  his  lord,  as  if  a  serf 
dwells  in  a  city  or  on  the  king's  demesnes  for  a  whole  year, 
or  if  the  lord  knowingly  suffers  his  serf  to  be  a  suitor  in 
another  lord's  court,  or  to  be  a  juror  in  assizes  or  otherwise 
a  juror  among  free  men. 

If  any  serf  flies  from  his  lord  claiming  to  be  of  free 
estate,  the  lord  may  not  for  this  capture  him  when  out  of 

>  See  Dist.  54  and  X.  1.  18. 


V  C'-t^ 


79  DE  ACTIOUNS. 

pur  remener,  ne  en  son  fieu  pus  Ian,  ou  pus  son  bref  de 
naiftie  attame,  einz  appent  al  seignur  qil  le  repurchace  pa?* 
cest  action  qest  viscountal,  e  pledable  en  contie  par 
somonses  e  par  destresce  de  soun  fieu.  Car  droit  voet  qe 
len  use  jugement  e  ne  mie  force. 

Presentes  les  parties  en  jugement  en  countie  e  moustre 
laccion,  li  defendaunt  purra  dire  en  fourme  dexcepcion  qil 
est  franc.  E  pur  ceo  qe  franc  estat  est  de  plus  haute 
nature  qe  servage  par  quel  li  viscounte  nad  poer  a  trier  si 
haute  excepcion  par  le  bref  de  naifte,  sunt  tieux  brefs  e 
teles  paroles  suspendables  iesqes  a  la  venue  des  justices 
assignees  a  touz  pleez  en  teles  parties,  si  le  Eoi  nen  maunde 
autre  chose,  mes  pur  ceo  ne  sont  mie  tieus  plez  aiornable 
forqe  de  courte  en  autre. 

La  difference  entre  serfs  e  vileins.^  E  notez  qe 
villeins  ne  sont  mie  serfs,  car  serfs  sunt  dist  de  garder 
sicom  dist  est.  Ceux  ne  poent  rien  purchaser  forqg  al 
oes  lur  seignur,  ceux  ne  sevent  le  vespre  de  quoi  il 
servirent  al  matin,  ne  nul  certein  de  se?'vices.  Ceux  poent 
les  seignurs  firgir,  ceppir,  enprisoner,  batre  e  chastier  a 
voluntie,  sauve  a  euz  les  vies  a  les  menbres  entiers.  Ceux 
ne  devient  capir,^  fuir,  ne  adirer  de  lur  seignwrs  tant  cum 
lies  troevent  dunt  vivre,  ne  a  nul  ne  list  de  les  recetter  sanz 
le  gree  lur  seignurs.  Ceux  ne  poent  aver  nule  maneres 
daccion  ver  nul  homme  saunz  lur  seignurs,  forqe  en  felonies. 
E  si  tieux  serfs  tenent  fieus  de  lur  seignurs  fet  aentendre 
qil  ne  tienent  forqe  de  jour  en  jour  a  la  voluntie  des  sei- 
gnurs, ne  par  nul  certein  de  services. 

Villeins  sunt  cotivours  de  fieu,  demoranz  en  villnages 
upelande,  car  de  vile  est  dit  villein,  de  hours  boriois,  e  de 
cite  cetezein,  e  de  villeins  est  mention  fete  en  la  chartre  des 
franchises,  ou  est  dist  qe  villein  ne  soit  mie  si  griefment 


'  This  stands  in  the  margin.  ^  This  seems  to  be  corrupt. 


OF  ACTIONS.  79 

his  (the  lord's)  fee  to  bring  him  back,  nor  capture  him 
within  the  fee  after  the  lapse  of  a  year,  or  after  his  (the 
lord's)  writ  of  naifty  has  been  commenced ;  but  the  lord 
must  recover  him  by  this  action,  which  is  a  vicontiel  action, 
pleadable  in  the  county  court  by  summons  and  distraint  of 
his  fee.  For  the  law  requires  that  one  should  use  judgment, 
and  not  force. 

When  the  parties  are  present  before  the  county  court 
and  the  ground  of  the  action  has  been  set  forth,  the  defen- 
dant may  say  by  way  of  *  exception  '  that  he  is  a  free  man. 
And  because  free  estate  is  of  a  higher  nature  than  serfage, 
and  the  sheriff  has  no  power  to  try  so  high  an  *  exception  ' 
under  the  writ  of  naifty,  the  writ  and  pleadings  will  be  in 
suspense  until  the  coming  'of  the  justices  assigned  to  hold 
all  pleas  in  such  parts,  unless  the  king  gives  some  command 
to  the  contrary;  but,  for  all  this,  these  pleas  are  only 
adjournable  from  one  county  court  to  the  next.  v  |  \v 

The  difference  between  serfs  and  villains.      Note  that  ^ 

villains  are -not  serfs,  for  serfs  are  '  servi  a  servando,'  as  has 
been  said  above.  They  cannot  acquire  anything  save  to 
the  use  of  their  lord  ;  they  do  not  know  in  the  evening  what 
service  they  will  do  in  the  morning,  and  there  is  nothing 
certain  in  their  services.  The  lords  may  put  them  in 
fetters  and  in  the  stocks,  may  imprison,  beat  and  chastise 
them  at  will,  saving  their  hves  and  limbs.  They  cannot 
escape,  flee,  or  withdraw  themselves  from  their  lords,  so 
long  as  their  lords  find  them  wherewithal  they  may  live, 
and  no  one  may  receive  them  without  the  will  of  their 
lords.  They  can  have  no  manner  of  action  without  their 
lord  against  any  man,  save  for  felony.  And  if  such  serfs 
hold  fees  of  their  lords,  it  must  be  understood  that  they 
hold  only  from  day  to  day  at  the  will  of  their  lords  and  by 
no  certain  services. 

Villains  are  cultivators  of  the  fee,  dwelling  in  upland 
villages,  for  the  villain  gets  his  name  from  the  vill,  the 
burgess  from  the  borough,  the  citizen  from  the  city,  and 
there  is  mention  of  villains  in  the  Charter  of  Liberties, 
where  it  is  said  that  a  villain  is  not  to  be  so  grievously 


80  DE  ACTIOUNS. 

amercie  qe  sa  gaignere  ne  li  soit  sauve.  Car  de  serfs  ne  fet 
ele  mie  mencion  pur  ceo  qe  il  nuwt  rien  propre  qe  perdre. 
Et  de  villeins  sount  lur  gaigneries  appell  villenages. 

E  notez  qe  tenenz  francs  e  quites  de  toiiz  servages 
devenent  enserver  par  contractz  fetz  par  entre  seignurs  e 
tenaunz.  E  sunt  de  fieus  plusours  maneres  de  contractz, 
eicom  de  don,  de  vente,  de  change,  e  de  ferme,  qe  touz  se 
purrent  fere  a  tens  ou  a  james,  e  quitemewt  sanz  obligacioun 
e  charge  de  servage  ou  ovesqe  charge.  E  ces  contractz 
sicome  tuz  autres  se  funt  par  escntz,  cha?-tres  e  monumenz, 
qe  fere  se  soloient  sanz  monumenz  par  solempne  tesmoi- 
nage  al  foer  del  contract  de  esposaille  qe  deit  estre  mireour 
a  touz  autres  contractz.  A  queu  foer  les  contractz  avantdiz 
ee  firent  par  nos  primers  con(fuerous,  quant  les  countez 
furent  feoffez  des  countees,  barons  des  baronies,  chevalers 
des  fieus  de  chevaler,  serianz  de  seriauntes,  villeins  de 
villenages,  burgois  e  marchanz  des  burgages,  dunt  ascuns 
recoivent  fieuz  assouz  de  chescun  obligacioun  sicome  pur 
service  fet,  ou  en  pure  amoigne,  ascuns  a  tenir  pnr  homage  e 
service  al  defens  del  reaume,  e  ascuns  pur  villeins  custumez 
darer,  aver,  charier,  sarclir,  faucher,  sier,  tasser,  batre,^  teles 
autre  manere  des  services,  e  ascun  fois  saunz  reprise  de  man- 
gier, e  dunt  plusours  fins  sunt  troveez  leveez  en  la  tresorie, 
qe  funt  mencion  s  de  tieux  services  e  villes  custumeez  fere, 
aussi  bien  cum  autres  de  plus  cortois  semces.  E  dunt,  tut 
soit  qe  tiele  gent  veient  ^  point  de  chartres  ne  monumenz, 
sil  soient  neqedent  engetez  ou  destourbez  de  lur  possessions 
a  tort,  droit  les  socourt  par  lassise  de  novele  diBseisine 
atenir  en  lestat  qe  devant,  par  si  qil  puissent  aveuer  qil 
savoient  lur  certein  de  services  e  dovenengues  ^  par  an, 
cum  ceux  qi  auncestres  avant  ceux  furent  astrers  de  plus 


Supply  ou.  '•^  Corr.  neient.         '  Corr.  doveraignes  [operationes]. 


OF  ACTIONS.  80 

amerced  that  hia  wainage  is  not  saved  to  him.'  But  of 
serfs  there  is  no  mention,  for  they  have  nothing  of  their 
own  that  they  can  lose.  And  the  wainages  of  the  villains 
are  called  villainages  (villenagia). 

And  note  that  tenants  who  are  free  and  quit  of  all 
services  become  enserfed  by  contracts  made  between  lords 
and  tenants. 

And  there  are  divers  kinds  of  contracts  respecting  fees, 
such  as  gift,  sale,  exchange,  lease,  all  of  which  can  be  made 
either  for  a  time,  or  for  ever,  either  free  and  discharged  of 
all  obligation  and  burden  of  serfage,  or  charged  therewith. 
And  these  contracts,  like  all  others,  are  made  by  writings, 
charters  and  muniments,  and  used  to  be  made  without 
muniments  with  solemn  testimony  [of  eye-witnesses]  like 
the  contract  of  espousal,  which  ought  to  be  a  mirror  for  all 
other  contracts.  And  it  was  after  the  likeness  of  this 
contract  that  the  aforesaid  contracts  [concerning  fees]  were 
made  by  our  first  conquerors,  when  the  counts  were 
enfeoffed  of  counties,  the  b'arons  of  baronies,  the  knights  of 
knight's  fees,  the  Serjeants  of  serjeanties,  the  villains  of 
villainages,  the  burgesses  and  merchants  of  burgages, 
whereof  some  received  fees  absolved  from  all  obligation  in 
respect  of  past  services,  or  in  pure  alms,  some  received 
fees  to  hold  by  homage  and  service  for  the  defence  of  the 
realm,  some  to  hold  by  villain  customs  to  plough,  lead 
loads,  drive  droves,  weed,  reap,  mow,  stack,  thresh  or  to  do 
similar  services,  and  sometimes  without  receiving  food  for 
this,  and  whereof  various  fines  have  been  levied  which  may 
be  found  in  the  treasury  and  which  make  mention  of  such 
services  and  vile  customs,  as  well  as  of  more  courteous 
services.  And  therefore,  albeit  these  folk  have  no  charters 
or  muniments,  nevertheless  if  they  be  ejected  or  disturbed  in 
their  possessions  wrongfully,  the  la^jv  succours  them  by  the 
assize  of  novel  disseisin  to  hold  in  the  estate  that  they 
formerly  had,  provided  that  they  can  aver  that  they  knew 
the  certain  measure  of  their  annual  services  and  works, 
their  ancestors  before  them  having  been  aatriers  for  a  long 
'  Magna  Cbarta  1215,  cap.  20. 

M 


81  BE   ACTIOUNS, 

long  tens,  par  cas  qe  les  disseisours  nen  furent  seignurs. 
E  de  ceo  se  entremist  saint  Edward  en  sons  tens  denquere 
de  totes  les  grevaunces  qe  len  feisoit  a  tel  gaigneours  outre 
lur  droitz  custumeez  e  enfist  granz  vengeaunces.  E  pus 
par  genz  qe  meins  doutent  pecche  qe  fere  ne  duissent,  sunt 
plusours  tieux  villeins  par  torcenouses  destresces  chatieux  ' 
a  fere  a  lur  seignurs  le  service  de  rechat  de  sane,  e  plusours 
autres  custumes  volentrifs  pur  mener  les  en  servage  a  lur 
poer,  dunt  lur  remedie  par  le  ne  vexes  enmorti  par  la 
negligence  des  Eois. 


Ch.  XXIX.     De  Somounses. 

Cest  title  fet  mencion  de  especiale  somounses  a  la 
diiference  de  somounce  general  ou  touz  fieu  tenaunz  e 
autres  devient  venir  solom  la  nature  de  la  crie  ;  e  dunt 
chescun  del  people  poet  fere  la  somounse  par  cojnmone 
criee,  mes  de  cele  somounce  ne  fet  ceste  chapitre  nient  plus 
de  mencioun. 

Somonce  especial  est  amiable  awmonicion  damende- 
ment  de  tort.  E  pur  ceo  qe  nul  nest  tenu  a  respoundre  a 
nuli  action  reale  ne  mixte  avant  somounces,  fet  a  veoir 
queux  pur7*ent  somondre,  queux  sont  somonables,  ou  len 
est  somonable,  cu?^  loinz,  a  qi  custages,  quant  de  foiz, 
queux  purrent  estre  somenours,  e  quele  somounce  est 
renable. 

Auctorite  de  fere  somoundre  unt  touz  ceux  qi  unt 
juresdiction. 

Somonables  sont  touz  ceaux  as  queux  lei  nel  defent. 
Nul  nest  somonable  pur  personel  pecchie  ne  nul  qe  nen  est 
fieu  tenaunt. 

En  touz  lus  nen  est  len  mie  somonable  car  nul  nest 
somonable  ne  tenu  a  receivre  somons  hors  del  fieu  del 
actour  de  la  somounse,  ne  aillurs  forqe  el  fieu  appendaunt 
a  cele  court  ou  len  deit  respondre,  ne  en  touz  lus  del  fieu, 
einz  soulement  al  tenement  mis  en  la  demande. 
'  Corr.  chases. 


OF  ACTIONS.  81 

time  past — that  is  to  say,  if  the  disseisors  were  not  their 
lords.  And  S.  Edward  in  his  day  busied  himself  in  this 
matter  by  making  inquest  as  to  all  the  grievances  that  were 
done  to  these  cultivators  in  excess  of  their  right  customs, 
and  he  did  heavy  vengeance.  And  afterwards,  by  men  who 
had  less  fear  of  sins  that  should  not  be  done,  many  of  these 
villains  were  driven  by  tortious  distresses  to  do  to  their 
lords  the  service  of  blood-ransom  [merchetum]  and  many 
other  arbitrary  customs  to  bring  them  into  serfage  and  the 
power  of  their  lords,  and  their  remedy  by  the  [writ]  Ne 
vexes  perished  owing  to  the  negligence  of  the  kings. 

Ch.  XXIX.     Of  Summonses. 

This  title  deals  with  special  summonses  as  contrasted 
with  the  general  summons  which  calls  upon  all  fee-tenants 
and  others  to  appear  according  to  the  nature  of  the  cry ; 
and  such  a  general  summons  every  one  of  the  people  can 
make  by  a  public  cry  ;  but  of  this  the  present  chapter  will 
say  no  more. 

A  special  summons  is  a  friendly  admonition  for  the 
amendment  of  a  wrong.  And  because  no  one  is  called  upon 
to  answer  to  any  real  or  mixed  action  before  summons,  we 
ought  to  see  (1)  who  can  summon,  (2)  who  are  summon- 
able,  (3)  where  one  is  summonable,  (4)  to  what  distance, 
(5)  at  whose  cost,  (6)  how  many  times,  (7)  who  can  act  as 
summoners,  (8)  what  summonses  are  reasonable. 

Authority  to  summon  have  all  those  who  have  jurisdic- 
tion. 

Summonable  are  all  those  whom  no  prohibitory  law 
excepts.  No  one  is  summonable  for  a  personal  sin,  and  no 
one  who  is  not  a  fee-tenant. 

It  is  not  everywhere  that  one  is  summonable.  One  is  not 
summonable  or  bound  to  receive  a  summons  outside  the 
fee  of  the  author  of  the  summons,  nor  elsewhere  than 
within  the  fee  belonging  to  that  court  in  which  one  is  to 
answer ;  nor  is  one  summonable  in  every  part  of  that  fee, 
but  only  in  the  tenement  that  is  demanded  in  the  action. 

u  2 


82  DE  ACTIOUNS. 

Com  loinz  len  est  somonable.  Ne  mie  hors  del  fieu  de 
la  court  a  la  quel  lem  deit  respondre. 

A  qi  custages.  As  custages  de  ceaux  qi  en  sunt  les 
primers  causes,  forpris  en  jurees  e  enquestes  aussi  com 
doffice.  Car  nul  franc  home  ne  poet  lem  enserver  de 
parer  en  jugement  loinz  a  travailler  a  ses  propres  custages, 
tut  voille  droit  qe  chescun  tenaunt  soit  obeissaunt  a 
somonses  son  seignur. 

Quan  de  foiz  len  est  somonable.  Forqe  une  foiz  sur 
une  cause,  resomonse  neqedent  tient  lu  en  cas. 

Queux  poent  e  deivent  estre  somenours.  Somenour 
nestoit  nul  home  estre  sil  ne  voille  de  son  gre,  touz  ceux 
neqedent  poent  estre  somenours  qi  vodrent  as  queux  lei  nel 
defent ;  femmes  ne  serfs,  nenfanz,  ne  nul  infams,  ne  nul  qe 
nen  est  covenable  en  testmoignage,  ne  nul  qe  nest  fieu 
tenaunt,  ne  poet  estre  bon  somenour. 

Eenable  somonce  est  quant  ele  est  testmoignable  par  ij. 
loials  francz  tesmoigns  veisins  fete  a  la  persone  ou  a  la 
mesnee  ou  al  tenement  contenu  en  la  demaunde,  ovesqe 
garnissement  del  jour,  lu,  partie,  juge  e  de  laccion,  e 
renable  respet  al  meins  de  xv.  jours  de  porvir  respons  e  de 
parer  en  jugement.  En  jurees  neqedent  ne  enquestes  ne 
covendra  mie  pleinement  tant  de  respit. 


Ch.  XXX.     De  Essoignes. 

Essoigne  est  excusation  de  defaute  par  ascun  desturb- 
aunce  encheminant  ver  la  court,  e  ceo  aussi  bien  pur 
lactour  cnm  pur  le  defendaunt.  Le  droit  de  chescune 
essoigne  est  qe  la  cause  de  la  destourbance  soit  enroullee 
en  le  non  del  essoneur,  issi  qe  ci  la  partie  adverse  ou  soun 
attournee  ou  essoneour  voille  la  cause  traverser,  a  ceo  est 
recevable,  qe  si  ele  soit  trovee  fausse,  adunqe  feit  lesoigne 
tornable  en  une  defaute. 

Excuser  se  purrent  touz  ceux  as  queux  droit  nel  defent. 


OF  ACTIONS.  82 

i'o  what  distance  is  one  summonable  ?  Not  outside  the 
fee  of  that  court  in  which  one  is  to  answer. 

At  whose  costs  ?  At  the  cost  of  those  who  are  the 
prime  cause  of  the  summons,  unless  the  summons  be  to 
serve  on  a  jury  or  inquest,  such  as  an  inquest  ex  officio,  for 
no  free  man  can  be  compelled  to  appear  in  court  or  to 
travel  far  at  his  own  costs,  though  the  law  wills  that  every 
tenant  be  obedient  to  the  summonses  of  his  lord. 

How  many  times  is  one  to  be  summoned  ?  But  once 
for  one  cause,  though  in  some  cases  there  may  be  a  re- 
summons. 

Who  can  and  ought  to  act  as  summoners  ?  No  one  can 
be  compelled  to  act  thus  save  of  his  own  free  will.  All 
nevertheless  may  be  summoners  whom  the  law  does  not 
prohibit  if  they  will  so  to  be ;  but  women,  serfs,  infants, 
infamous  persons  and  those  who  cannot  be  witnesses,  and 
those  who  are  not  fee-tenants,  are  not  good  summoners. 

A  reasonable  summons  is  one  testifiable  by  two  free 
and  lawful  neighbour  witnesses,  and  made  to  the  person  in 
question  or  to  his  family  or  on  the  tenement  that  is  demanded 
in  the  action,  with  notice  of  the  day,  place,  party,  judge 
and  action,  and  a  reasonable  respite  of  at  least  fifteen  days 
wherein  to  provide  an  answer  and  to  appear  in  court.  But 
a  summons  to  serve  on  a  jury  or  inquest  need  not  give  so 
long  a  respite. 

Ch.  XXX.     Of  Essoins. 

An  essoin  is  the  excuse  for  a  default  which  is  due  to 
some  hindrance  in  the  way  to  court,  and  this  excuse  may 
proceed  from  the  plaintiff  or  the  defendant.  The  law 
requires  in  every  essoin  that  the  cause  of  the  hindrance 
and  the  name  of  the  essoiner  shall  be  enrolled,  so  that  the 
adverse  party  or  his  attorney  or  essoiner  may  be  received 
to  traverse  the  alleged  cause  of  the  essoin,  and  if  the 
allegation  be  found  to  be  false,  then  the  essoin  counts  as  a 
default. 

All  those  may  excuse  themselves  who  are  not  forbidden 
to  do  80  by  law. 


83  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

Excuser  ne  se  poent  rml  defendaunt  en  pgrsonels 
accions,  ne  nul  apres  defaute,  ne  a  nul  present  en  court; 
ne  en  scire  facias,  ne  en  venire  facias,  ne  en  recordari  facias 
loquelam,  ne  en  amesurement  de  pasture,  ne  apres  ceo  qe 
parties  se  serrent  assentu  en  jugement,  tut  ne  viegnent 
jurours,  nen  cas  ou  li  plaintif  nad  mie  trove  sieurte  a  suire, 
ne  ou  latturne  est  assoneie,  ne  ou  len  ad  attornee  en  court 
si  andeus  '  ne  soient  essoneiez,  ne  en  nule  somonse  nest 
testmoignee,  ne  apres  essoigne  nient  garantie,  ne  a  celi  qe 
point  ne  fu  nomee  el  brief,  ou  en  la  pleinte  forpns  en 
garanties,  ne  nul  qe  est  resomons  en  mort  dauncestre  e 
dreint  present,  ne  quant  le  jour  nest  venu,  ne  ou  lessoneour 
vient  trop  tart,  ne  nul  qe  adversaire  est  mort  ou  ascun  de 
ces  parceners,  ne  celi  qest  aiorne  de  jour  en  jour,  ne 
ministre  le  Eei  tant  cum  ministre,  ne  celi  a  qi  est  maunde  qil 
viegne  sil  voille.  Nul  essoigne  nest  allouable  si  ele  ne  seit 
ordeneemewt  gette,  ne  a  enfant  dedenz  age,  ne  a  nul  qi  est 
garde,  ne  a  plusours  eanz  j.  droit,  si  la  cause  se  diverse. 

Essoneours  purrent  estre  touz  ces  as  queux  droit  nel 
defent. 

Defendu  est  a  femmes,  a  enfanz,  a  serfs  e  a  touz  ceux  qi 
sunt  engarde,  as  arrages,  as  escomewgez,  as  foxnastres,  as 
juges  e  as  parties  en  meme  les  plez,  a  essoneours  autre 
foiz  niewt  garanties,  ou  atteinz  de  faus  delai,  a  cnminale 
gent,  e  a  ceux  qi  ne  sunt  a  la  fei  crestiene,  ou  a  la  foi  le 
Eoi ;  qil  ne  soient  essoneours. 

Deus  maneres  de  essoignes  sont  principalment.  Lune 
del  service  le  Eoi  e  lautre  de  destorbaunce.  La  pnmere 
est  devisable,  ou  del  service  le  Eoi  celestre  ou  del  Eoi 
terrestre.    Del  Eoi  celestre   en  iij.   maneres,  ou  pur  le 


•  Corr.  ambideus. 


OF  ACTIONS.  83 

The  defendant  in  a  personal  action  cannot  essoin  him- 
self, nor  one  who  has  already  committed  a  default,  nor  one 
who  is  present  in  court,  nor  [the  defendant]  in  Scire  facias 
nor  in  Venire  facias,  nor  in  Recordaii  facias  loquelam,  nor 
in  an  action  for  admeasurement  of  pasture,  nor  after  the 
parties  have  assented  to  judgment,  albeit  the  jurors  have 
not  come,  nor  where  the  plaintiff  has  not  found  surety  for 
the  prosecution,  nor  where  the  attorney  is  essoined,  nor 
where  one  has  an  attorney  in  court  unless  both  are 
essoined,  nor  where  no  summons  has  been  testified,  nor 
after  an  essoin  that  has  not  been  warranted,  nor  can  one 
not  named  in  the  writ  or  in  the  plaint  essoin  himself, 
except  in  the  case  of  a  warranty,  nor  one  who  has  been 
resummoned  in  a  Mort  d' ancestor  or  a  Darrein  presentment, 
nor  when  the  day  [for  appearance]  has  not  yet  come,  nor 
when  the  essoiner  comes  too  late,  nor  can  one  essoin  one- 
self when  one's  adversary  or  one  of  his  parceners  is  dead, 
nor  if  one  has  been  adjourned  de  die  in  diem,  nor  can  a 
minister  of  the  king  essoin  himself  qua  minister,  nor  one 
who  has  been  told  to  come  if  he  pleases.  No  essoin  is 
allowable  if  it  be  not  duly  cast,  nor  is  it  allowable  to  an 
infant  within  age,  nor  to  any  who  is  [within]  ward,  nor  to 
several  who  have  one  right  unless  there  be  but  one  cause 
for  the  essoin.^ 

Anyone  to  whom  this  is  not  forbidden  by  law,  may  be 
an  essoiner. 

This  is  forbidden  to  women,  infants,  serfs  and  all  who 
are  within  ward,  to  madmen,  to  excommunicates,  to  natural 
fools,  to  those  who  are  judges  or  parties  in  the  cause,  to 
essoiners  who  on  some  former  occasion  have  failed  to  pro- 
duce their  warrant  or  been  attainted  of  a  false  delay,  to 
criminals,  to  those  who  are  not  in  the  faith  of  Christ  and 
of  the  king : — such  as  these  cannot  be  essoiners. 

There  are  two  chief  kinds  of  essoins.  One  is  the  king's 
service,  the  other  a  disturbance.  (1)  The  first  kind  is  divisible, 
for  the  service  may  be  that  of  the  heavenly  King  or  of  the 
earthly.    One  may  essoin  oneself  as  being  in  the  heavenly 

'  Cf.  UetiglMm  Parva,  cap.  1. 


84  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

general  passage  de  touz  croizez  a  la  terre  de  lerusalem,  cele 
essoigne  nest  mie  autrement  aiornable  mes  qe  les  parties 
senvoissent  sanz  jour,  e  se  eide  lactour  par  resomonse  al 
revenir  del  deffendawt.  Ceste  essoigne  nest  jammes 
allouable  as  actours,  ne  al  defendant  renablement  somons 
avant  son  partir  de  sa  meeson  ver  soun  pelrinage,  ne  a  nul 
en  personel  accion,  nen  autre  forqe  en  pie  qe  touche  heritage 
meu  par  bref  de  droit  overt,  mes  nient  en  doweire  ne  de 
burgage.  Lautre  essoigne  del  service  le  Eei  eelestre  est  de 
commun  pelrinage  doutre  meer  en  la  terre  seinte.  E  cele 
p?-mt  respit  par  j.  an.  Cele  essoigne  ne  tient  lu  forqe 
solom  ceo  qe  lautre  fet.  La  tierce  de  pelrinage  de  decea 
la  meer  de  Grece  sicom  a  Eoume,  ou  a  seint  Jage.  E  cele 
print  respit  par  demi  an.  E  sunt  cestes  essoignes  garanti- 
zables  as  proscheins  courtz  suanz  les  termes  aiornees. 
Apres  resomonses  tient  lu  la  commune  essoigne  del  mal  de 
venue,  e  ausi  apres  le  toime  de  leniornement,  mes  jam??ies 
ne  tient  lu  cele  comone  essoigne  avant  les  iij.  essoignes 
avantditz.  E  lessoigne  del  service  le  Eoi  terrestre  en  ij. 
maneres.  Lune  sicome  est  de  ceux  qi  le  servent  come 
soudoiers,  com  mesuenges,  ou  com  ministres ;  e  cele  essoigne 
ne  print  respit  forqe  de  court  en  court,  ou  de  comun  jour 
en  comun  jour,  al  foer  de  comun  essoigne,  si  ele  nesoit 
garantie  a  la  p^-oschein  court  par  le  bref  le  Eoi  si  iert 
tornable  en  defaute.  Lautre  est  de  ceux  qi  servent  le  Eoi 
par  obligacion  de  lur  fieus  pur  le  defens  del  reaume,  e  cele 
ne  receit  nul  jour,  einz  fet  adire  al  pleintif  qil  sen  voist 
sanz  jour  e  face  resomondre  la  parole  destre  en  meme 
.lestat  quant  son  adversaire  serra  retornee. 

Cestes     derreins    essoignes    sunt    allouables   en    pies 


OF  ACTIONS.  84 

King's  service  in  three  ways :  (a)  on  account  of  a  general 

passage  of  all  crusaders  to  the  land  of  Jerusalem,  and  this 

essoin  is  adjourned  in  no  other  way  than  this,  that  the 

parties  shall  go  without  day,  and  then  when  the  defendant 

returns  the  plaintiff  can  have  recourse  to  a  resummons. 

This  essoin  is  never  allowed  to  plaintiffs  nor  to  a  defendant 

who  has  received  a  reasonable  summons  before  he  leaves 

his  house  for  the  pilgrimage,  nor  is  it  allowed  in  a  personal  r  ncK 

action,  nor  in  any  other  action  that  does  not  concern  the  r' 

inheritance  and  which  is  not  begun   by  a  writ  of  right 

patent ;  nor  is  it  allowed  in  an  action  for  dower  nor  in  an 

action  for  a  burgage.     (6)  Another  essoin  for  the  service  of 

the  heavenly  King  is  for  a  general  pilgrimage  beyond  sea 

to  the  Holy  Land.     And  this  causes  a  respite  for  one  year. 

This  essoin  is  only  admissible  where  the  previous  essoin 

[the  crusader's]  would  be  admissible,     (c)  The  third  is  that 

for  a  pilgrimage  to  some  place  on  this  side  the  Grecian  sea, 

as  to  Rome  or  to  S.  James  [of  Compostella].     And  this 

causes  a  respite  for  one  half  year.     And  these  essoins  must 

be  warranted  at  the  next  court  after  the  terms  to  which 

they  are  adjourned.    After  resummons,  there  may  then  be 

the  common  essoin  de  malo  veniendi,  and  so  there  may  be 

after  the  term  of  the  adjournment,  but  this  common  essoin 

can  never  be  made  before  any  of  the  three  essoins  just 

mentioned.     (2)  One  may   essoin  oneself  because  of  the 

service  of  the  earthly  king  in  two  ways,    (a)  The  first  case 

is  that  of  those  who  serve  as  soldiers,  or  messengers,  or 

ministers ;  and  this  essoin  is  respited  only  from  court  to 

court  or  from   one   dies   communis   to   the  next,  like  the 

common  essoin  [de  malo  veniendi],  and  unless  at  the  next 

court  it  is  warranted  by  the  king's  writ,  it  is  reckoned  as  a 

default,     {h)  The  second  case  is  that  of  those  who  serve  the 

king  being  bound  to  the  defence  of  the  realm  in  respect  of 

their  fees  ;    and  in  this   case  no  day  is   given,   but   the 

plaintiff  is  told  to  go  without  day  and  to  have  the  suit 

resummoned  in  its  present  condition  when  his  adversary 

shall  have  returned. 

These     last-mentioned     essoins    are    allowed    to    the 


85  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

somonables  as  pleintifs  e  as  defendanz,  forpris  en  doweires 
dunt  iem.me  rien  nad,  quare  impedit,  drein  present ;  ne  a 
femmes,  ne  a  enfanz,  ne  a  celi  qi  sest  pris  a  langour  en 
lessoigne  de  mal  delist,  ne  a  fol  nastre,  ne  a  sourd  e  mut, 
ne  arragiez,  ne  a  nul  qi  est  en  garde,  ou  qi  nest  franc  de 
sei,  ne  a  nul  atturne  tant  cum  attorne,  ne  ou  lessoneour 
conust  en  jugement  la  cause  estre  fausse  ou  qe  tant  vaut, 
ne  apres  nule  cape  ne  apres  destresce  fete  de  fieu. 

Apres  lessoigne  del  service  le  Koi  tient  lu  lessoigne  del 
mal  venue  mes  nemie  le  revers. 

Lessoigne  de  destourbaunce  est  devisable  ou  de  maladie 
ou  dautre  destourbaunce,  cnm  est  de  ceux  qi  sunt  p?-ts  de 
enemis  cheminant  ver  la  court,  e  issi  destourbez,  ou  par 
ponz  brisez  ou  euues  desruees,  ou  par  tempeste  ou  dautre 
renable  destorbaunce,  qil  neunt  poer  de  parer  en  jugement 
al  jour. 

Lessoigne  de  destourbaunce  de  maladie  est  devisable : — 
ou  de  langour  qest  appelle  del  mal  delit  e  cele  print  respit 
par  j.  an,  ou  de  maladie  passant  e  cele  ne  print  respit 
forqe  al  foer  de  lessoigne  commune  e  cestes  essoignes  de 
destourbaunce  sont  essoignes  del  mal  devenue.  Ceste 
essoigne  tient  lu  apres  chescun  somonse  e  resomonse 
generale  ou  especiale  mue  sur  pie,  forpris  a  jurours  e  a  ceux 
qi  sont  somons  pur  comun  prov.  Mes  des  aiornemenz  fet 
a  destincter  ;  car  en  eire  des  justices  est  lenjornement  le 
iij.  jours  ou  le  iiij.,  ou  plus  ou  meins,  solom  ceo  qe  les  lieus 
sunt  proscheines  ou  lointeins,  e  as  foreins  prent  cele 
essoigne  respit  par  xv.  jours  al  meins. 

Lessoigne  de  maladie  passant  tient  la  ^  devant  lessoigne 
del  mal  delit,  e  aussi  apres  Ian  de  la  langour.  E  ou  ele 
tient  lu  devant  apparaunce  tient  lu  e  apres,  forprises  iiij. 
assises,  e  par  la  ou  ele  tient  lu  es  accions  tenent  lu  es  gar- 
anties. 

'  Corr.  lu. 


OF  ACTIONS.  85 

plaintiffs  and  the  defendants  in  actions  which  are  com- 
menced by  summons,  save  in  Dower  unde  nihil  habet,  Quare 
impedit,  and  Darrein  presentment ;  they  are  not  allowed  to 
women,  nor  to  infants,  nor  to  one  who  has  essoined  himself 
de  malo  lecti  and  relied  on  his  languor,  nor  to  a  born  fool, 
nor  to  the  deaf  and  the  dumb,  the  lunatic,  nor  to  any  who 
is  in  ward  or  is  not  sui  juris,  nor  to  an  attorney  qua  attorney, 
nor  where  the  essoiner  confesses  in  court  that  the  excuse  is 
false  or  what  is  tantamount  to  that,  nor  after  a  Cope,  nor 
after  a  distress  against  the  fee. 

After  an  essoin  de  servitio  regis  there  may  be  one  de 
malo  veniendi,  but  not  vice  versa. 

Essoins  by  reason  of  disturbance  are  divisible  thus  : 
they  are  either  for  a  malady  or  for  some  other  disturbance, 
as,  e.g.,  if  one  who  is  on  his  way  to  court  be  captured  by 
enemies,  and  be  disturbed  thus,  or  by  broken  bridges, 
floods  that  are  out,  or  by  tempest  or  other  reasonable  dis- 
turbance, so  that  he  cannot  appear  in  court  on  the  proper 
day. 

Essoins  for  hindrance  by  malady  are  thus  divisible : 
either  they  are  for  a  languor  (a  bed-sickness),  and  these  are 
called  de  malo  lecti  and  are  respited  for  a  year ;  or  they  are 
for  a  passing  malady,  and  these  are  merely  respited  like 
the  common  essoins  for  disturbance  which  are  called  de 
malo  veniendi.  This  essoin  is  in  place  after  every  summons 
and  resummons,  general  or  special,  in  the  plea,  save  in 
the  case  of  jurors  and  those  who  are  summoned  for  the 
common  good.  But  as  to  the  adjournments  we  must  dis- 
tinguish ;  for  in  the  eyre  of  the  justices  the  adjournment  is 
for  three  or  four  days,  more  or  less,  according  as  the  place 
in  question  is  far  or  near,  and  in  the  case  of  foreigners  this 
essoin  causes  a  respite  for  fifteen  days  at  the  least. 

The  essoin  for  a  passing  malady  may  precede  the  essoin 
de  malo  lecti,  and  it  may  also  be  cast  after  the  year  of 
languor.  And  when  it  holds  good  before  appearance  it 
holds  good  after  appearance,  except  in  the  case  of  the  four 
assizes,  and  if  it  will  hold  good  in  an  action  it  will  hold 
good  in  a  voucher  to  warranty  arising  out  of  that  action. 


86  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

Ceste  commone  essoigne  nest  allouable  es  cas  avantdiz, 
ne  forqg  une  foiz  puis  lacord  de  parties  en  juree  ou  enqueste, 
ne  apres  ceo  qe  parties  se  averent  assentu  de  venir  sanz 
essoigne,  ne  la  ou  maundie  est  a  evesqes  qe  il  eit  ou  face 
venir  tel  son  clerk,  ne  la  ou  plusours  cleimewt  par  j.  droit 
ou  soient  tenanz  de  j.  droit,  ne  a  homme  e  a  sa  femme  ne  a 
parceners,  ne  a  plusours  e  j.  heir  forqe  al  foer  de  un  soule 
persone.  Mes  si  ascun  parcener  moerge  sanz  heir  de  sei 
apres  href  purchace  e  attaimee,  le  href  iert  par  tant 
abatable,  pur  ceo  qe  al  jour  de  la  date  nout  lactour  nul 
action  vers  les  autres  parceners  vifs  qwant  a  la  portion  en 
crue.  Ceste  eomune  essoigne  tient  lu  aussi  bien  a  enfanz 
par  la  ou  il  sunt  enpledez  de  lur  purchaz,  cuw  as  genz  de 
pleine  eage.  E  sicom  ele  est  allouable  al  tenant,  aussi  est 
ele  al  garaunt,  ou  nule  langour  nest  a  jugee.  Cest  essoigne 
est  allouable  de  jour  en  jour  solom  com??iun8  aiornemenz 
en  href  de  droit,  jesqes  atant  qe  langour  e  soit  a  juge,  si  li 
tenant  ne  se  leve  avant  de  sa  langour.  Lever  neqedent  ne 
purra  nul  en  tiel  cas,  si  non  del  coungie  del  actour,  ou  del 
comandement  le  Eoi  si  lactour  ne  li  voudra  congie  doner. 

Ceste  essoigne  tient  lu  el  bref  de  droit  overt  mandie  al 
seignur  de  fieu,  e  el  bref  clos  de  fieu  tenu  en  chief  de  Eoi, 
e  el  bref  de  custumes  de  services  apres  ceo  qe  li  deforceour 
avera  respondu  e  dit  cement  bataille  ou  grant  assise  e  purra 
joindre. 

Lessoigne  de  mal  delit  est  getable  en  court  par  ij.  amis 
ou  messages  en  lu  de  essoneours  quant  la  maladie  se  court 
en  langour.  Ceste  essoigne  ne  tient  mie  lu  a  actour.  E 
pus  langour  a  jugee,  est  ele  aiornable  par  j.  an  de  respit  a 
la  tour  de  Londres.  Langour  ne  tient  mie  lu  en  nul  bref 
de  droit  apres  apparaunce  forqe  par  la  ou  bataille  purra 
joindre  ou  grant  assise 


OF  ACTIONS.  86 

This  common  essoin  is  not  allowable  in  the  aforesaid 
cases,  nor  can  it  be  allowed  more  than  once  after  the 
parties  have  agreed  upon  a  jury  or  inquest,  nor  after  the 
parties  have  agreed  to  appear  without  essoin,  nor  when  a 
bishop  has  been  told  to  produce  or  cause  to  appear  such  an 
one  his  clerk ;  nor  again  where  several  persons  claim  in  one 
right  or  are  tenants  in  one  right,  nor  to  a  man  and  his  wife, 
nor  to  parceners ;  nor  again  to  several  persons  who  together 
make  one  heir,  for  here  they  must  behave  as  if  they  were  but 
one  person.  But  if  one  of  several  parceners  die  without  heir 
of  his  body  after  writ  purchased  and  commenced,  the  writ  is 
abateable  for  that  reason,  because  at  the  date  of  the  writ  the 
plaintiff  had  no  action  against  the  other  parceners  who  are 
still  alive  in  respect  of  the  portion  that  has  now  accrued  to 
them.  This  common  essoin  is  available  to  an  infant  who  is 
impleaded  concerning  what  he  has  acquired  by  purchase,  as 
well  as  to  one  of  full  age.  And  as  it  is  allowable  to  the  tenant, 
so  also  is  it  allowable  to  the  warrantor,  where  no  languor  has 
been  adjudged.  This  essoin  is  allowable  from  day  to  day, 
according  to  the  common  adjournments  in  a  writ  of  right, 
until  the  alleged  languor  is  adjudged,  unless  the  tenant 
arises  from  his  bed  before  the  adjudication  of  languor.  But 
in  such  a  case  no  one  is  entitled  to  leave  his  bed  without 
the  permission  of  the  plaintiff,  or,  if  the  plaintiff  will  not 
give  this  permission,  then  by  the  king's  command. 

This  essoin  is  allowable  in  a  writ  of  right  patent  sent 
to  the  lord  of  the  fee,  and  in  the  writ  close  that  is  used 
where  the  tenant  holds  in  chief  of  the  king,  and  in  the 
writ  of  customs  and  services  so  soon  as  the  deforceor  has 
answered  and  pleaded  in  such  a  way  that  battle  or  a  grand 
assize  may  be  joined. 

The  essoin  de  mala  lecti  must  be  cast  in  coart  by  two 
friends  or  messengers  in  the  place  of  essoiners  when  the 
malady  has  turned  to  a  languor.  This  essoin  is  not  allowed 
to  a  plaintiff.  When  a  languor  has  been  adjudged,  a  day 
one  year  thence  is  given  for  appearance  at  the  Tower  of 
London.  There  can  be  no  languor  in  a  writ  of  right  after 
appearance,  save  where  battle  may  be  joined  or  the  grand 
assize. 


87  DE   ACTIOUNS; 

Cest  essoigne  de  mal  del  lit  niert  jammes  allouable  a 
nul  attorne,  ne  a  nul  garant  einzces  qil  eit  garantie,  ne 
devant  la  commone  essoigne  gette  pur  le  tenaunt,  ne  a  nul 
apres  langour  agardee  e  tenue  sanz  lever,  ne  en  eire  des 
justices,  ne  es  brefs  de  quo  jure,  ne  de  renables  devises,  ne 
de  quo  warranto,  ne  de  custumes  e  des  services  einzces  qe 
la  court  seit  certefie  qe  bataille  ipuisse  joindre  ou  grant 
assize. 

Lessoigne  de  maladie  supprenant  est  appele  del  mal  de 
la  vile,  e  cele  tient  lu  en  cas  ou  ascun  qe  fist  profert '  le 
primer  jour  en  jugement  est  suppris  de  maladie  en  la  ville 
sodenement  qil  ne  poet  lendemein  retorner  en  court.  Cele 
essoigne  est  getable  le  secund  jour  par  j.,  mes  le  tierz  jour 
par  autre,  e  le  quart  par  le  tierz.  En  quel  cas  appent  al 
juge  a  fere  receivre  les  attornez  de  tieux  malades,  mes 
ceste  essoigne  ne  tient  mie  lu  forqe  par  la  ou  lessoigne  del 
mal  delit  tient  lu. 


Ch.  XXXI.     Be  Atturnez. 

Avant  parole  mue  en  court  par  essoigne,  par  attache- 
ment  ou  par  apparaunce  des  parties  nest  nul  recevable 
pMr  atturnie,  nient  plws  qe  parole  est  remuable  hors  de 
court  requis  ^  en  plus  haute  court  ou  la  pleinte  ou  le  bref 
nestoit  mie  attamee.  Car  nul  ne  est  recevable  i)ur  attorne 
en  parole  qe  fu,  nen  parole  resera^  einz  soulement  en 
parole  qest  pendaunt.  E  si  ascun  ert  fet  attorne  ceo 
parole  pendant  en  countie  ou  aillours,  ou  ele  est  attamee 
par  bref  le  Eoi,  e  cele  parole  soit  puis  remue  en  plus  haut 
court  pur  eel  remuement  nest  mie  latturne  remue  ;  ne  nul 
attorne  nest  remuable  sanz  celi  a  qi  attornee  il  est  qi  veignt 
en  court  en  propre  persone  e  le  remue,  e  si  noun  en  cas  ou 
lenad  gene?*als  attornez,  car  generals  attornez  poent  mettre 
especialx  e  remuer.     Ne  nul  poet  rescevire  attorne  apres 


Coxr.  fust  present  C^^,  ^  Covx.jesques.  *  Corv.  qe  serra. 


OF  ACTIONS.  87 

This  essoin  de  nudo  lecti  is  never  allowed  to  an  attorney, 
nor  to  a  vouchee  until  he  has  warranted,  nor  before  the 
tenant  has  cast  the  common  essoin,  nor  after  a  languor  has 
once  been  adjudged  and  observed  without  any  arising,  nor 
in  the  eyre  of  the  justices,  nor  in  writs  of  Quo  jure,  nor  in 
writs  De  rationabiUbus  divisis,  nor  in  Quo  waranto,  nor  in 
Consuetudines  et  servitia  until  the  court  is  certified  that 
battle  may  be  joined  or  the  grand  assize. 

The  essoin  of  supervenient  malady  is  called  de  mala 
villae,  and  this  has  its  place  where  one  who  appears  in 
court  on  the  first  day  is  surprised  by  a  sudden  malady 
which  comes  upon  him  in  the  town  in  which  the  court  is, 
so  that  he  cannot  appear  in  court  on  the  morrow.  This 
essoin  may  be  cast  on  the  second  day  by  one  essoiner,  on 
the  third  day  by  another,  on  the  fourth  by  a  third.  And 
in  this  case  it  is  for  the  judge  to  receive  the  attorneys  of 
those  who  are  thus  taken  ill.  But  this  essoin  is  only  per- 
missible in  those  actions  in  which  an  essoin  de  mala  lecti 
will  lie. 

Ch.  XXXI.     Of  A  ttorneys. 

Before  the  suit  has  been  moved  in  court  by  essoin  or 
attachment  or  appearance  of  the  parties  no  one  can  be 
received  as  an  attorney ;  this  is  no  more  possible  than  that 
a  suit  should  be  removed  into  a  higher  court  before  the 
plaint  or  the  writ  has  been  entered;  for  no  one  can  be 
received  as  an  attorney  in  a  plea  which  has  been,  or  in  a 
plea  which  shall  be,  but  only  in  a  plea  which  is  pending. 
And  if  anyone  be  made  an  attorney  while  the  plea  is  pend- 
ing in  the  county  court  or  elsewhere  where  it  has  been 
commenced  by  the  king's  writ,  and  afterwards  the  suit  is 
removed  into  a  higher  court,  the  attorney  is  not  removed 
by  this  removal ;  and  no  attorney  is  removable,  unless  the 
person  whose  attorney  he  is  comes  into  court  in  proper 
person  and  removes  him,  or  unless  it  be  where  one  has  a 
general  attorney,  for  a  general  attorney  can  appoint  and 
remove  special  attorneys.  And  no  one  can  receive  an 
attorney  after  the  suit  has  been  commenced,  save  the  king, 


88  DE   ACTIOUNS. 

pa7*ole  attame  forqg  le  Koi  ou  autre  garanti  par  especial 
bref,  si  noun  en  presence  des  parties. 

Attornez  poent  estre  touz  ceux,  as  queux  lei  nel  soeffre. 
Femmes  ne  poent  mie  estre  attornez,  ne  enfanz,  ne  serfs, 
ne  nul  qi  est  engarde  ou  autrement  nient  franc  de  sei,  ne  nul 
criminous,  ne  nul  escomenge,  ne  nul  qe  nest  a  la  fei  le  Koi, 
ne  nul  qe  ne  porra  estre  contour,  ne  nul  en  nule  personele 
accion,  ne  en  acounte,  ne  en  naifte,  Actours  neqedent 
poent  aver  attornez  en  personals  accions.  Ne  apeser  ne 
rendre  en  jugement  ne  poet  nul  par  atturnee,  einz  deseisist 
son  client  quant  il  le  fet. 


OF  ACTIONS.  88 

or  another  who  is  warranted  thereto  by  special  writ,  unless 
it  be  in  the  presence  of  the  parties. 

All  those  who  are  not  prohibited  by  law  may  be 
attorneys,  but  the  law  will  not  suffer  women  to  be  attorneys, 
nor  infants,  nor  serfs,  nor  any  who  are  in  ward  or  who 
otherwise  are  not  sui  juris,  nor  criminals,  nor  excommuni- 
cates, nor  those  who  are  not  in  the  king's  faith,  nor  one 
who  cannot  be  a  pleader,  nor  can  there  be  an  attorney  in 
personal  actions,  nor  in  account,  nor  in  naifty.  But 
plaintiffs  may  have  an  attorney  in  a  personal  action.  And 
no  one  can  make  a  concord  or  a  surrender  in  court  by 
attorney,  and  an  attorney  who  does  this  disseises  his  client. 


89 


LIBEE  III.     DE   EXCEPCIONS. 


1. 

De  excepcions. 

20. 

De  homsokne. 

2, 

Que  est  excepcion  e  del  ordre 

21. 

De  rap. 

dexcepcion. 

22. 

[Denprisonement.] 

3. 

Excepcions  dilatoires. 

23. 

De  mahaim. 

4. 

Del  excepcion  de  clergie. 

24. 

Juramentum  duelli. 

5. 

Eeplicacion  a  bigamie. 

25. 

Ordinatio  pugnantium. 

6. 

[Excepcion]  al  poer  le  juge. 

26. 

Excepcion  de  personel  trespaz 

7. 

Excepcion  a  la  persone  le  juge. 

27. 

De  purprestures. 

8. 

Excepcion  del  tens. 

28, 

De  tresor  trove. 

9. 

Excepcion  de  lu. 

29. 

De  wrek. 

10. 

Excepcion    a    la    persone    del 

30. 

[D'usure.] 

actour. 

31. 

De  chacer. 

11. 

Excepcion  de  prison  e  de  garde. 

32. 

De  obligacion. 

12. 

Excepcion  de  somonses. 

33. 

De  atteinte. 

13. 

Excepcion  de  vicious  countes. 

34. 

Ordenance  datteinte. 

14. 

Excepcion  a  provours. 

35. 

De  serement  fere. 

15. 

Excepcion  a  enditementz. 

36. 

[De  homage.] 

16. 

Kesponse  a  traison. 

37. 

[Feautie  annex  a  homage.] 

17. 

[Del  arsoun.] 

38. 

Common  serementz. 

18. 

Darsoune  e  homicide. 

39 

De  acorder. 

19 

De  larcin. 

89 


BOOK   III.     OF  EXCEPTIONS. 


1.  Of  exceptions. 

2.  What  is  an  exception,  and  of  the 

order  of  excepting. 

3.  Dilatory  exceptions. 

4.  The  exception  of  clergy. 

5.  The  replication  of  bigamy. 

6.  [Exceptions  to]  the  power  of  the 

judge. 

7.  Exceptions  to  the  person  of  the 

judge. 

8.  Exceptions  founded  on  time. 

9.  Exceptions  to  the  place. 

10.  Exceptions  to  the  person  of  the 

plaintiff. 

11.  Exceptions  founded  on  imprison- 

ment and  wardship. 

12.  Exceptions  to  smnmonses. 

13.  Exceptions  to  vicious  counts. 

14.  Exceptions  against  approvers. 

15.  Exceptions  to  indictments. 

16.  Answer  in  a  case  of  treason. 

17.  Answer  in  a  case  of  arson. 

18.  Arson  and  homicide. 


19.  Of  larceny. 

20.  Of  hamsoken. 

21.  Of  rape. 

22.  Of  imprisonment. 

23.  Of  mayhem. 

24.  Of  the  oath  of  battle. 
26.  The  order  of  combat. 

26.  Exceptions  in  cases  of  personal 

trespass. 

27.  Of  purprestures. 

28.  Of  treasure  trove. 

29.  Of  wreck. 

30.  Of  usury, 

31.  Of  hunting. 

32.  Of  obligation. 

33.  Of  attaint. 

34.  The  order  of  an  attaint. 
85.  Of  oaths. 

36.  Of  homage. 

37.  Fealty  annexed  to  homage. 

38.  Common  oaths. 

39.  Of  accords. 


90  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 


LIBER    III. 

DE  EXCEPCIONS. 

Ch.  I.     De  Excepcions. 

Entendue  la  demonstraunce  del  pleintif  bosoigne  a  la 
partie  adverse  de  bien  respondre.  E  pur  ceo  qe  genz  ne 
sevent  mie  cow7?ionement  totes  les  excepcions  qe  valent 
en  respons,  sunt  countours  necessaires  qe  sachent  les  causes 
avancer  e  defendre,  par  les  riules  de  lei  e  des  usage  de 
roiaume,  e  plus  sunt  necessaires  en  endetemenz  e  appealx 
de  felonie  defendre  qe  en  causes  veniales.  E  pur  eider 
nofctre  remembraunce  qe  chescun  jour  decline  en  obliaunce, 
fet  adire  quoi  est  excepcion,  de  sa  devision,  e  del  ordre 
deccepper,  car  assez  se  veut  '  pur  coupable  qe  ne  respound 
en  jugement  ou  malement  respound  ou  nient  suffisalment ; 
example  si  ascun  vouche  agarant  jugement  passie,  tiel 
respons  nest  nient  plus  allouable  sil  ne  die  quel  an,  ou,  e 
pa?'  devant  queux  juges  li  jugement  passa,  cu7;i  sil  rien  ne 
deit  pur  respons.     E  issi  dautre  cas. 

E  tut  soit  respons  necessaire  chescun  neqedent  nest 
mie  dumemewt  recevable  en  respons,  car  ascuns  sunt 
recevables  a  respondre  sanz  tutors  en  totes  accions,  e 
ascuns  nient  si.en  felonies  noun,  e  ascuns  ne  sunt  recevables 
a  respons  sanz  tutours  en  nul  cas. 

Kespondre  sanz  tutour  poet  chescun  a  qi  droit  nel 
defent.^  Defendu  est  as  fem7nes  mariez  a  respondre  sanz 
lur  mariz.     Mes  destinctez  des  cas  :  car  si  ele  est  de  tenz  ^ 


Corr.  car  ascuns  se  rendent  (?).    ^  defent  repeated  in  MS.    '  Corr.  dedem. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  90 


BOOK  III. 

OF  EXCEPTIONS. 

Ch.  I.     Of  Exceptions. 

When  the  declaration  of  the  plaintifif  has  been  heard, 
the  adversary  is  concerned  to  make  a  good  answer.  And 
because  folk  do  not  generally  know  all  the  '  exceptions ' 
which  can  be  used  by  way  of  answer,  pleaders  are  neces- 
sary who  know  how  to  set  forth  causes  and  to  defend 
them  according  to  the  rules  of  the  law  and  the  usage  of  the 
realm,  and  they  are  the  more  necessary  for  the  defence  in 
indictments  and  appeals  of  felony  than  in  venial  causes. 
And  to  aid  our  memory  which  is  always  slipping  into 
oblivion,  we  must  say  what  an  exception  is,  and  how 
exceptions  are  divided,  and  of  the  order  in  which  they  can 
be  put  forward,  for  some  folk  make  themselves  guilty  by 
not  answering  in  court  or  answering  badly  or  insufficiently. 
Thus,  for  instance,  if  one  vouches  to  warranty  a  previous 
judgment,  such  an  answer,  if  he  does  not  say  in  what  year, 
where,  and  before  what  judges  the  judgment  passed,  is  no 
more  admissible  than  if  he  gave  no  answer  at  all.  And 
so  in  other  cases. 

And  albeit  an  answer  is  necessary,  it  is  not  everyone 
who  can  be  properly  received  to  make  answer,  for  some 
may  be  received  to  answer  without  tutors  in  all  actions, 
and  others  only  in  felonies,  and  others  cannot  answer 
without  tutors  in  any  case. 

Everyone  may  answer  without  a  tutor  who  is  not 
forbidden  by  law.  Married  women  are  forbidden  to 
answer  without  their  husbands.     But  we  must  distinguish  : 


91  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 

le  eage  de  xxj.  an,  ele  ne  respondra  en  nul  cas  sanz  soun 
mari  ne  recevable  nest  forp^-is  en  cas  ou  sa  deheriteson  ou 
qe  tant  vaut  piert  par  la  negligence  ou  la  malice  del  mari  ; 
e  si  ele  soit  de  plener  eage  adunc  respondra  soille  en  mortex 
cas  e  felonies.  E  aussi  est  de  genz  '  de  religioun  e  de 
serfs  e  de  touz  jeux  qi  sunt  en  garde  e  ne  sunt  mie  de  lur 
lige  poer. 


Ch.  II.     Que  est  Excepcion  e  del  ordre  dexcepcion. 

Excepcion  est  un  '•*  e  respons  pttr  delaier  ou  destrure 
accion.  E  sunt  ij.  maneres  de  excepcions,  dilatoires  e 
pgremptoires. 

Lordre  de  excepper  est  tiel  qe  la  peremptoire  est  el 
dIus  haut  degree.  Car  de  la  dilatoire  poet  lem  aver 
rpf.ours  a  la  peremptoire,  e  nient  le  revers.  E  des  dila- 
toires sunt  ascuns  principales  e  ascuns  secundaires,  e  des 
secundaires  nest  nul  recours  as  pnncipales.  E  solom  lur 
degres  sunt  eles  ici  mises  en  partie,  en  eide  de  nos  remen- 
braunces.  E  ascuns  excepcions  sunt  encontrables  de 
replicacions,  e  teles  de  triplicacions,  e  issi  outre  requis  ^  a 
tant  qe  verite  seit  clarifie  en  proces  de  plez  par  unt  lem 
purr  a  surement  descendre  a  clers  jugemenz. 

Voucher  agarant  ne  tient  mie  lu  en  personels  accions, 
tut  seit  qe  averremenz  par  recorz  par  monumenz  e 
testmoines  vaillent. 


Ch.  III.     Excepcions  Dilatoires. 

Excepcions  dilatoires  sunt  plusours,  dunt  le  primer  est 
al  juge,  e  ceo  en  plusours  maneres.  Dunt  lune  est  del  noun 
poer  le  juge,  e  ceo  poet  estre  en  ij.  maneres  pur  les  ij.  maners 
de  juresdiccion,  ou  pur  ceo  qe  le  Eoi  ou  son  juge  delegad 


'  de  genz  repeated  in  the  MS. 

*  chose  allegiM  pur  respons.    1642  and  Houard.  '  Corr.  ieques. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  91 

for  if  the  married  woman  be  within  the  age  of  twenty-one, 

she  shall  in  no  case  answer  without  her  husband,  and  is  /I  A  HI  fY^ 

not  receivable  except  it  be  that  her  disherison  or  what  is  ^  ^^ 

equivalent   thereto  (is   imperilled)    by   the   negligence   or 

malice  of  her  husband  ;  but  if  she  be  of  full  age  she  must 

answer  alone  in  mortal  cases  and  felonies.     And  so  it  is 

with  men  of  religion  and  with  serfs  and  with  all  those  who 

are  in  ward  and  are  not  sui  iuris. 


Ch.  II.  What  is  an  Exception  and  of  the  order  of  Excepting. 

An  exception  is  something  alleged  by  way  of  answer  in 
order  to  delay  or  to  destroy  an  action.*  And  of  exceptions 
there  are  two  kinds,  dilatory  and  peremptory. 

The  order  of  excepting  is  this,  that  peremptory  excep- 
tions are  the  highest,  for  from  a  dilatory  one  may  have 
recourse  to  a  peremptory,  but  not  vice  versa.  And  of  the 
dilatory  some  are  principal  and  some  secondary,  and  from 
the  secondary  one  cannot  have  recourse  to  the  principal. 
And  they  are  here  stated  in  part  according  to  their  various 
degrees  in  aid  of  our  memories.  And  some  exceptions  are 
encounterable  by  replications,  and  these  by  triplications, 
and  so  on  until  the  truth  is  clarified  in  the  process  of 
pleading  so  that  one  may  securely  condescend  to  a  clear 
judgment. 

There  can  be  no  voucher  to  warranty  in  a  personal 
action,  though  averments  by  records  or  by  muniments  and 
evidence  are  available. 


Ch.  III.     Dilatory  Exceptions. 

Dilatory  exceptions  are  of  divers  kinds.  The  first  is 
to  the  judge,  and  this  may  be  of  various  kinds.  One  is  to 
the  power  of  the  judge,  and  of  this  there  are  two  kinds  as 
there  are  two  kinds  of  jurisdiction.  One  may,  on  the  one 
hand,  except  to  the  king  or  his  judge  delegate   that  he 

■  In  this  instance  the  reading  of      seems  much  better  than  that  of  the 
the  old  edition  adopted  by  Houard      MS. 


92  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 

nad  poer  de  conustre  en  la  cause,  sicom  est  de  la  persone 
de  clerc  pwr  privilege  del  eglise ;  ou  pur  ceo  qe  li  juge  orde- 
neire  nad  poer  a  conustre  pur  la  foreinetie  ;  car  nul  nad 
poer  a  conustre  de  fet  fet  hors  de  sa  juresdiccion,  ne  nul 
en  lu  franchie  de  fet  fet  en  gueldable,  ne  les  rois  ne  ceux 
de  j.  co?mtie  ou  de  une  terve  de  fet  fet  en  autre. 


Ch.  IV.     Del  Excepcion  de  Clergie. 

Par  privilege  de  clergie,  cum  si  clerc  ordene  mene  en 
court  devant  lai  juge  e  pwr  respondre  de  personel  trespas 
e  nomeement  en  cause  cnminale  e  mortele  die  qil  est  clerc, 
li  juge  ne  poet  plus  avant  conustre.  Car  leglise  est  si  en- 
franchie  qe  nul  lai  juge  ne  poet  aver  conussance  en  clerc 
tut  le  voisist  clerc  conustre  pur  son  juge,  en  tiex  cas  est 
sanz  delai  deliverable  a  soun  ordenaire.  Por  doner  neqe- 
dent  acciouns  as  actours  vers  les  accessoires  en  appeax  e 
enditementz,  apent  qe  li  juge  tantost  enquerge  de  son  office 
par  seremenz  de  prodes  hom??ies  en  la  presence  del  clerc,  li 
quel  il  soit  coupable  ou  noun.  E  sil  soit  trovie  coupable 
adunc  est  liverable  a  son  ordenaire  sanz  nule  difficultie,  e 
lactour  sue  tantost  vers  les  accessoires  en  la  court  le  Pioi  e 
en  crestiene  court  ver  le  clerc,  e  li  clerc  apres  due  purgacioun 
rehiet  touz  ces  biens  moebles  e  fieus  sanz  difficultie. 


Ch.  V.     Replicacion  a  Bigamie. 

Excepcion  de  clergie  est  ascuns  foiz  encontrable  par 
replicacion  de  bigamie  en  ceste  manere,  Sire  il  ne  deit  joir 
le  benefice  de  eel  privilege,  car  il  ad  forfet  par  vice  de 
bigamie  cwn  cil  q«  ad  espose  vedue  ou  plusours  lemj/ies. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  92 

has  no  power  to  entertain  the  cause  ;  such  is  the  case  where 
the  party  is  a  clerk,  and  this  by  reason  of  the  Church's 
privilege ;  or,  on  the  other  hand,  one  may  except  that  the 
judge  ordinary  has  no  power  to  entertain  the  cause  because 
it  is  foreign  ;  for  none  has  cognisance  of  a  deed  done  outside 
his  jurisdiction,  and  no  one  within  franchise  has  cognisance 
of  what  is  done  in  the  geldable,  and  no  king  or  men  of  one 
county  or  one  land  can  have  cognisance  of  what  is  done  in 
another  county  or  land. 

Ch.  IV.     The  Exception  of  Clergy. 

[An  exception  may  be  based]  on  the  privilege  of  clergy,  as 
if  an  ordained  clerk  brought  into  court  before  a  lay  judge 
to  answer  for  a  personal  trespass  and  more  particularly  in 
a  criminal  and  mortal  cause,  says  that  he  is  a  clerk,  the 
judge  can  take  no  further  cognisance  of  the  matter ;  for 
the  Church  has  this  franchise  that  no  lay  judge  can  have 
cognisance  of  a  clerk,  albeit  that  clerk  himself  is  willing'  to 
acknowledge  him  as  judge ;  and  in  such  a  case  [the  clerk]  is 
to  be  delivered  without  delay  to  his  ordinary.  Nevertheless 
in  order  that  plaintiffs  may  be  able  to  proceed  in  their 
appeals  and  indictments  against  the  accessories,  it  is  right 
that  the  judge  should  at  once  inquire  ex  officio  by  the  oath 
of  good  men  in  the  presence  of  the  clerk,  whether  he  be 
guilty  or  no  ;  and  if  he  be  found  guilty,  then  he  ought  to 
be  delivered  to  his  ordinary  without  any  difficulty,  and  the 
plaintiff  can  at  once  sue  against  the  accessories  in  the  king's 
court  and  against  the  clerk  in  court  Christian ;  and  the 
clerk,  after  due  purgation,  shall  have  back  again  all  his 
movables  and  fees  without  difficulty. 

Ch.  V.     The  Replication  of  Bigamy. 

Sometimes  the  exception  of  clergy  may  be  encountered 
by  the  replication  of  bigamy — in  this  manner : '  Sir,  he  ought 
not  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of  this  privilege,  for  he  has  forfeited 
it  by  the  vice  of  bigamy,  being  one  who  has  espoused  a  widow 


93  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 

E  notez  qe  matrimoigne  est  un  ordre  de  loiale  assemble  de 
homme  e  de  femme  par  lassent  'de  bone  gent ;  e  sicome '  de 
dieu  e  de  bone  gent  crestiene  e  de  deitie  e  de  humanite 
est  fete  unitie  nient  devisable,  issi  fet  matrimoigne,  e  solum 
tiel  unitie  estoit  tiele  assemble  trovie,  e  pur  ceo  ne  poet  nul 
remeindre  en  la  unitie  qi  se  print  a  pluralite,  einz  de 
pluralite  sourt  celi  vice  de  bigamie  le  quel  vice  retret  clercs 
a  laite. 

E  notez  qe  bigamie  se  poet  fere  en  ij.  maneres,  lune  par 
pluralite  dever  fem/nes  cnm  qi  espouse  ij.  femmes  ou  plus, 
lune  apres  lautre  mort,  ou  une  vivant  lautre ;  lautre  est 
par  pluralite  de  horamea,  come  est  de  femme  qe  se  part  de 
unitie  sicom  est  de  vedue  qe  se  lest  esposer  a  autre  homme, 
le  quel  qe  la  veduetie  veigne  par  mort  de  marit,  ou  de  cele- 
bracion  de  devorz.  E  pur  ceo  appent  adire  en  que  point 
clerc  est  bigamus,  si  qe  la  bigamie  soit  triable  en  laie  court. 
Si  jurees  neqedent  dient  qil  ne  sievent,  adunqe  appent  cele 
certificacion  venir  del  ordenaire  al  maundement  le  roi,  sicom 
en  cas  de  matrimoigne  dedit. 

Dautre  part  est  clerk  encontrable  dautres  replicacions, 
com  sil  est  conu  pur  murdres  e  lierre  notoire,  e  de  tiele 
condicion  qe  leglise  nel  deit  garauntir  ensuiant  la  pees  le 
roi. 


Ch.  VI.     Al  Poer  le  Juge. 

Al  poer  le  juge  se  purr  a  li  defendant  eider  par  autres 
excepcions  dilatoires  en  ceste  manere — Sire  jeo  demant  la 
veuue  e  la  oie  de  la  commission  par  qi  vous  clamez  jures- 
diction  sur  mei.  Qe  si  li  juge  ne  la  deigne  ^  ou  ne  puisse 
moustier  nestovera  nul  a  conustre  pur  juge  delegat. 

Moustre  le  poer,  unqore  purra  il  dire  issi — Sire  jeo  ne  dei 
mie  a  cele  commission  obeir  pur  ceo  qele  ne  fet  mie  mencion 
de  la  cause  dunt  jeo  su  tret  en  jugement,  ou  nient  de  tel 

•— '  Omit  these  words,  and  transfer  e  sicome,  which  should  follow  crestiene. 
'  juge  la  deny.    Houard. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  93 

or  several  wives.  Note  that  matrimony  is  a  kind  of  lawful 
union  of  man  and  woman  by  the  assent  of  God  and  of  good 
Christian  folk,  and  as  of  deity  and  humanity  there  has  been 
made  an  indivisible  unity,  so  it  is  in  matrimony,  and  this 
union  of  man  and  woman  is  after  the  form  of  the  unity  of 
deity  and  humanity,  and  therefore  none  can  remain  in  this 
unity  who  betakes  himself  to  plurality,  but  from  plurality 
there  ariseth  this  vice  of  bigamy,  which  drags  down  clerks 
to  the  level  of  the  laity. 

And  note  that  bigamy  may  be  committed  in  two  ways : 
first,  by  a  plurality  of  women,  as  if  one  espouses  two  or 
more  women,  one  after  the  other's  death,  or  one  while  the 
other  is  alive ;  secondly,  by  a  plurality  of  men,  as  is  the 
case  of  a  woman  who  departs  from  unity,  as,  for  instance, 
a  widow  who  allows  herself  to  be  espoused  to  a  second 
husband,  whether  her  widowhood  arises  from  the  death  of 
her  husband  or  from  a  divorce.  And,  therefore,  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  allege  in  what  manner  the  clerk  is  bigamous,  so 
that  the  bigamy  may  be  tried  in  a  lay  court ;  but  if  the 
jurors  say  that  they  are  ignorant,  then  a  certificate  about 
this  point  must  come  from  the  ordinary  at  the  king's  com- 
mand, in  the  same  manner  as  if  a  marriage  had  been  denied. 

And  then,  again,  a  clerk  may  be  met  by  other  replica- 
tions, as  if  he  be  known  for  a  notorious  murderer  and 
robber  and  a  man  of  such  a  kind  that  the  Church  ought 
not  to  warrant  him  out  of  a  respect  for  the  king's  peace. 

Ch.  VI.     [Exceptions  toi]  the  Power  of  the  Judge. 

A  defendant  can  aid  himself  by  other  dilatory  exceptions 
against  the  power  of  the  judge  in  this  manner  : — '  Sir,  I 
demand  sight  and  hearing  of  the  commission  by  which  you 
claim  jurisdiction  over  me.'  And  if  the  judge  refuses  or 
cannot  show  the  commission,  no  one  need  acknowledge  him 
as  a  judge  delegate. 

When  the  commission  has  been  shown,  then  he  may 
still  say,  *  Sir,  I  have  no  need  to  obey  this  commission,  for 
it  makes  no  mention  of  the  cause  in  respect  of  which  I  am 


94  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 

point  dunt  vous  eiez  poer  aconoistre  de  tiel  point,  ou  porce 
qe  ele  est  viciouse,  e  ceo  purra  estre  en  divers  maneres,  cum 
si  ele  ne  soit  seale  del  seal  le  Eoi  de  sa  chancellerie,  car  al 
pnvee  seal  le  Eoi  ne  al  seal  del  escheqer  ne  autre  seal  forqe 
soulement  al  seal  qest  assigne  destre  conu  de  la  comwonaltie 
de  poeple,  e  nomeement  en  jurediccions  e  brefs  originals, 
nestoit  a  nul  obeir  e  leis  e  usages  del  Reaume  si  noun  pur 
soulement  le  Eoi.  Ou  ele  purra  estre  viciouse  pur  le  seal 
contrefet  ou  autrement  faussie,  ou  por  ceo  qe  li  Eoi  nest 
mie  nomie  el  bref  ou  nient  testmoin  del  bref  e  il  vient ' 
hors  de  son  Eeaume  ne  engarde,  ou  pwrceo  qe  li  bref 
contient  la  somonse  ou  la  citation  ou  est^  personele,  ou 
attachement  ou  laction  est  reale  ou  mixte,  ou  pur  ceo  qe 
le  seal  nest  mie  term  al  parchemin,  einz  le  purra  le  remuer 
e  remettre  a  voluntie,  ou  pur  ceo  qe  li  bref  fu  trop  tard 
purchace  ou  trop  tost,  ou  pttrceo  qil  iad  rasture  ou 
entreligneire  ou  deve?-sete  de  meins  e  de  note  ou  faus  latin, 
ou  pur  ceo  qe  li  bref  est  escrist  sur  papir  ou  sur  pa?'chemin 
defendu,  ou  pur  defaute  trovie  el  brief  sicom  de  omission 
ou  transposicion  de  mot,  sillable  ou  de  clause  sicom  est  de 
brefs  abatables,  ou  pur  ceo  qe  le  Eoi  morust  avawt  le  bref 
attamee,  ou  -pur  ceo  qe  li  poer  est  reappele,  ou  pur  ceo  qe 
li  bref  supposa  faus  le  jour  de  la  date,  ou  pur  ceo  qe  la 
comwiission  voet  associacion  de  hom7?ie  nient  present,  ou 
pur  ceo  qe  li  bref  nestoit  unqes  sealie,  ou  pur  ceo  qe  li  fet 
ne  se  fist  mie  en  sa  juresdiccion  ou  en  lu  nient  terminable 
illoec,  ou  por  ceo  qe  li  juge  nad  poer  a  conustre  en  la 
qualite  ou  la  qwantite  de  la  chose. 


Corr.  nest.  '  Corr.  ou  laccion  est. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  94 

brought  into  court,'  or,  *  It  does  not  authorise  you  to  take 
cognisance  of  such  or  such  a  point '  ;  or  he  may  urge  that 
the  commission  is  vicious,  and  this  it  may  be  in  divers 
ways,  as  if  it  be  not  sealed  with  the  seal  of  the  king's 
chancery,  for  to  the  king's  privy  seal,  or  the  seal  of  the 
exchequer,  or  any  other  seal,  save  only  the  seal  that  is 
appointed  to  be  known  by  the  commonalty  of  the  people, 
one  is  not  bound  (more  particularly  in  the  matter  of  juris- 
diction and  original  writs)  to  render  obedience  touching 
the  laws  and  usages  of  the  realm,  but  only  in  such  matters 
as  concern  the  king.  Or  it  may  be  vicious  because  the 
seal  is  counterfeit  or  otherwise  falsified,  or  because  the  king 
is  not  named  in  the  writ  or  does  not  attest  the  writ,  and  yet 
is  not  outside  his  realm  nor  in  ward  ;  or  because  the  writ 
makes  mention  of  a  summons  or  citation  where  the  action 
is  personal,  or  of  an  attachment  where  the  action  is  real  or 
mixed ;  or  because  the  seal  is  not  firm  on  the  parchment, 
but  can  be  removed  and  replaced  at  will ;  or  because  the 
writ  was  purchased  too  soon  or  too  late ;  or  because  there 
is  in  it  a  rasure  or  an  interlineation  or  a  diversity  of  hand- 
writing or  of  phraseology,  or  because  there  is  false  Latin  ; 
or  because  it  is  written  on  paper  or  on  a  forbidden  kind  of 
parchment ;  or  because  a  default  is  found  in  the  writ  such 
as  an  omission  or  transposition  of  a  word,  syllable,  or  clause, 
as  is  the  case  with  abateable  writs  ;  or  because  the  king 
died  before  the  writ  was  commenced ;  or  because  the  power 
thereby  delegated  has  been  revoked ;  or  because  the  writ 
states  falsely  the  day  of  its  date ;  or  because  the  commis- 
sion requires  the  commissioner  to  associate  with  himself 
some  man  who  is  not  present ;  or  because  the  writ  has 
never  been  sealed  ;  or  because  the  deed  was  done  without 
the  jurisdiction  or  in  such  a  place  that  the  question  cannot 
be  there  determined ;  or  because  the  quality  or  quantity  of 
the  matter  in  debate  is  beyond  the  cognisance  of  the  judge. 


96  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 


Ch.  VII.     Excepcion  a  la  Persone  le  Jnge. 

Tut  soit  li  bref  convenable  e  li  poer  suffisant,  uncore 
tenent  lu  excepcions  dilatoires  a  la  persone  le  juge,  sicom 
est  de  celes  persones  qe  ne  poent  estre  juges. 


Ch.  VIII.     Excepcion  del  Tens. 

Autres  dilatoires  sunt  del  tens,  de  lus,  de  houres,  des 
ma,nerea.  E  notez  iij.  maneres  de  tenz  exempz  aplez,  ces 
queux  nul  proces  cedunt  e  court '  ne  jugement  rendu  nest 
estable,  tut  soi  assentent  parties.  Dunt  les  ij.  tens  sunt 
defendu  de  droit  e  li  tierz  de  la  voluntie  le  Eoi.  Lun  tent  ^ 
cowtient  ij.  mois  aust  e  setumbre  qe  sunt  assignez  pur 
cueiller  les  fruiz  des  bles.  Lautre  tens  contient  les  feirez 
e  les  dimenchez  qe  sont  assignez  a  festir  pur  dieu  honurer 
e  les  seinz,  les  qeles  festes  sont  cestes  les  jours  de  Noel,  de 
seint  Estevene,  de  seint  silvestre,  de  la  tiffanie,^  de  la 
purificacioun  noire  dame,  de  pasches  ovesqe  tut  la  simeine, 
des  Roveisows  qe  contienent  iij.  jours,  de  Lassencion,  de  la 
pentecuste,  de  la  Nativite  de  sein  John  le  baptistre,  de  xij. 
Apostres,  de  seint  Lorenz,  de  lasumpcion  la  mere  dieu,  e  sa 
nativitie,  de  seint  michel,  de  tuz  seinz,  e  de  seint  martin 
oveqes  celes  festes  qe  touz  qe  qes  *  tenent  festivables  en  lur 
eveschies  par  si  qe  eles  soient  canonizees,  estre  ces  les  jours 
de  reliqes,  de  la  jurciacion*  de  la  mere  deu  e  de  sa  con- 
cepcion  e  del  invencion  de  la  croiz.  E  notez  qe  de  ceo  qe 
dieu  comaunda  seintilier  le  sabbat  fet  atenir  apres  la 
Resureccion  qe  len  sentefie  les  dimenges.  Li  tierz  tens  est 
deffendu  par  la  proteccion  le  Roi. 

Des  houres  purrent  sourdre  dilatoires,  car  apres  loure  de 
noune  ne  nutantre  ne  se  tient  nul  plee  estable. 


'  nul  parties  sedent  en  court.    Houard  and  1642. 

*  Corr.  tens,  '  Corr.  Epiphanie. 

*  Corr.  levesqes.  *  Corr.  Annunciacion. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  96 


Ch.  VII.     Exception  to  the  Person  of  the  Judge. 

Albeit  the  writ  is  in  due  form  and  the  power  sufficient, 
still  there  are  dilatory  exceptions  to  the  person  of  the  judge, 
as  is  the  case  with  such  persons  as  ought  not  to  be  judges. 


Ch.  VIII.     Exceptions  founded  on  Time. 

Other  dilatory  exceptions  are  founded  on  time,  place, 
hour,  manner.  And  note  that  there  are  three  kinds  of 
times  which  are  exempt  from  pleading,  during  which  no 
process  runs,'  and  if  a  judgment  be  given,  it  is  not  valid, 
albeit  the  parties  agree  to  the  contrary.  Two  of  these 
seasons  are  forbidden  by  law  and  the  third  by  the  king's 
will.  The  one  season  contains  the  two  months  of  August 
and  September,  which  are  appointed  for  the  harvest.  The 
other  season  comprises  the  festivals  and  Sundays,  which 
are  appointed  for  feasting  in  honour  of  God  and  His  saints, 
which  festivals  are  these— the  days  of  Christmas,  S.  Stephen, 
S.  Sylvester,  the  Epiphany,  the  Purification  of  Our  Lady, 
Easter  with  the  whole  week,  the  Rogations,  which  comprise 
three  days,  the  Ascension,  Pentecost,  the  Nativity  of  S.  John 
Baptist,  the  twelve  Apostles,  S.  Lawrence,  the  Assumption  of 
the  Mother  of  God,  her  Nativity,  S.  Michael,  All  Saints,  and 
S.  Martin,  with  those  feasts  which  all  bishops  observe  in 
their  bishoprics  provided  they  be  canonised  ;  also  the  day 
of  the  Eelics,  the  Annunciation  of  the  Mother  of  God  and 
her  Conception,  and  the  Invention  of  the  Holy  Cross.  And 
note  that  because  God  commanded  men  to  keep  holy  the 
Sabbath  day,  it  behoves  us  after  the  Resurrection  to  keep 
Sundays  holy.  The  third  season  is  that  banned  by  the 
king's  protection. 

Exception  may  be  taken  to  the  hour,  for  after  the  hour 
of  noon  or  by  night  no  one  can  hold  plea  so  that  it  will  be 
stable. 

'  Translation  doubtful. 


96  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 


Ch.  IX.     Excepcion  de  Lu. 

De  la  manere  nessent  dilatoires,  car  en  chevachant  ne 
alant,  nen  tavernes  ne  aillours  forqe  en  lu  comun  conu 
pitr  consistoire  ne  se  poet  fere  nule  court. 

Cli.  X.     Excepcion  a  la  Persone  del  Actour. 

Autres  excepcions  dilatoires  nessent  des  persones  de 
ascuns  actours,  sicom  est  de  ceux  qi  sunt  rebotables  daccuse- 
menz. 

Autres  excepcions  dilatoires  accrescent  des  persones  de 
contours,  ou  des  attornez,  ou  des  assoneours,  car  nul  ne 
poet  fere  par  attorne  qe  par  li  mesmes  ne  poet,  ne  nul  ne 
poet  estre  essoneour,  attorne,  ne  contour,  qe  ne  purra  estre 
actour. 

Ch.  XI.     Excepcion  de  Priso7i  e  de  Garde. 

Ou  U  purra  exceppir  de  sa  persone  demeine  e  dire  qil 
nest  mie  de  son  lige  poer,  cum  sil  soit  en  prison  pur  greignur 
pecchie,  ou  en  bail,  ou  appelle  ou  endite  de  crim  ou  de  plus 
haut  crim. ;  ou  il  purra  dire  qil  nest  mie  tenu  a  respondre 
a  ceste,^  desicom  il  nest  mie  mene  en  jugeme?it  par  droit 
ordre  qe  voet  qe  nul  ne  soit  destreint  par  le  cors  tant  cum 
il  est  destreignable  par  fieu  ou  par  autres  biens  si  non  p%r 
personel  pecchie. 

Ou  il  purra  dire  qil  nest  mie  tenu  a  respoundre  a  nul 
accion  qe  touche  perte  de  vie  ou  de  menbre,  ou  droit  de 
proprietie,  jesqes  ataunt  qil  soit  plenereme?it  de  eage  de 
xxij.  2  ans  ou  de  plus.  E  autres  dilatoires  sunt  des  persones 
des  respons  dunt  avant  piert. 


Supply  accion.  '  Corr.  xxj. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  96 


Ch.  IX,     Exceptions  to  the  Place. 

Dilatory  exceptions  may  arise  from  the  mode  of  holding 
the  court,  for  none  can  be  held  by  those  who  are  riding  or 
walking ;  it  must  not  be  held  in  a  tavern  or  elsewhere 
than  in  a  place  which  is  publicly  known  as  a  consistory. 


Ch.  X.     Exceptions  to  the  Person  of  the  Plaintiff. 

Other  dilatory  exceptions  are  founded  on  the  personality 
of  certain  plaintiffs,  as  is  the  case  of  those  who  may  be 
rebutted  from  accusations. 

Other  dilatory  exceptions  are  against  the  persons  of  the 
pleaders,  attornies,  essoiners,  for  no  one  may  do  by 
attorney  what  he  cannot  do  in  person,  and  no  one  can  be 
a  pleader,  attorney,  or  essoiner  who  cannot  be  a  plaintiff. 


Ch.  XI.    Exceptions  founded  on  Imprisonment  and  Wardship. 

Or  one  may  find  matter  for  an  exception  in  one's  own 
person,  and  say  that  one  has  not  liege  power  over  oneself, 
as  if  one  be  in  prison  for  a  sin  greater  than  that  now 
charged  against  one,  or  in  bail,  or  appealed  or  indicted  of 
a  crime  or  of  a  higher  crime ;  or  one  may  say  that  one  is 
not  bound  to  answer  to  this  charge  because  one  has  not 
been  brought  into  court  by  due  process,  and  due  process 
requires  that  one  shall  not  be  distrained  by  one's  body  so 
long  as  one  is  distrainable  by  one's  fee  or  other  goods,  unless 
it  be  for  a  personal  sin. 

Or  one  may  say  that  one  is  not  bound  to  answer  to  any 
action  which  touches  loss  of  life  or  member,  or  the  right  of 
property,  until  one  is  of  the  full  age  of  twenty-one  years  or 
upwards.  And  there  are  other  dilatory  [exceptions]  founded 
on  the  personaUty  of  the  respondents,  as  appears  above. 


1)7  DE.  EXCEPCIONS. 


Ch.  XII.     Excepcion  de  Somotises. 

En  plez  de  somounse  purra  il  dire  qil  ne  deit  mie 
respondre,  pwr  ceo  qe  lactour  ne  tient  sute  ne  desresne 
nautre  manere  de  p?'oeve  nad  present,  ou  pur  ceo  qe  lactour 
nad  trovie  nule  sieurte  a  siure  sa  pleinte  ;  ou  pur  ceo  qe  il 
ne  fu  point  somons,  ou  nient  renablement  somons  de  ci  qil 
ne  recust  la  somonse  pa?-  nule  franc  hom???e  ou  forqe  parun 
franc  hom?ne  ;  ou  pwr  ceo  qil  en  fu  somons  trop  tart,  ou 
pwr  ceo  qil  ne  fu  mie  somons  al  fieu,  ou  p?/r  ceo  qil  nestoit 
unqe  garni  sur  quele  chose  respondre ;  ou  pwr  ceo  qil  nestoit 
unq<?  somons  ver  tiel  actour. 


Ch.  XIII.     Excepcions  de  Vicious  Countcs. 

Sicum  briefs  viciouses  sunt  abatables  aussi  sunt  vicious 
appealx ;  cum  si  appel  ne  seit  comwe?tce  de  dienz  Ian  de  la 
felonie  fete,  ou  nient  devawt  coroner,  ou  nient  el  countie  ou 
li  pecchie  se  fist,  ou  nient  en  lu  du.  Ou  par  variance,  ou 
par  defaute  daffermeure  del  appel ;  ou  par  omission,  ou  par 
inte7Tupcion ;  ou  pur  ceo  qe  lactour  defailli  de  son  appel 
vers  autres  en  meme  lappel. 

Ascune  foiz  avient  qe  chose  robbe  ou  emble  eatrove  en 
la  possession  de  loial  home  ver  qi  le  seignur  de  la  propetie, 
ou  de  la  possession,  fet  a  soun  appeal,  cum  celi  qe  ne  siet 
autre  robbour  ou  lierre  de  la  chose.  En  quel  cas  destinctez, 
car  si  tiel  possessour  troeve  qi  li '  dona  vendi  ou  bailla  la 
chose,  e  cist  avouue  la  chose  sanz  collusion,  en  tel  cas  est 
11  possessour  quite  ou  al  meins  plevissable  jequis  a  la  venue 
des  justices  ;  e  issi  de  plusours  mesnes  ieqes  al  drein,  e  cist 
est  tenable  jesqes  a  son  jugement.  E  qnant  justices  ven- 
drent  li  pn'mer  possessour  ensoit  pnmes  arresonie,  e  cist 
die  coment  il  li  avient ;  sil  voille  voucher  neqedent  a  garant 
ne  poet  il  mie,  ne  adire  le  title  de  sa  possession  a  pcrsonele 


'  que  a  lui  on.    Houard. 


OF   EXCEPTIONS.  97 

Ch.  XII.  .  Exceptions  to  Summonses. 

In  a  plea  commenced  by  summons  one  may  say  that 
one  need  not  answer,  because  the  plaintifif  has  no  suit  or 
deraignment  or  other  manner  of  proof  at  hand,  or  because 
the  plaintiff  has  not  found  surety  to  prosecute  his  plaint ; 
or  because  one  was  not  summoned,  or  not  reasonably  sum- 
moned, since  one  did  not  receive  the  summons  from  a  free 
man,  or  received  it  from  but  one  free  man ;  or  because  one 
was  summoned  too  late,  or  because  one  was  not  summoned 
upon  the  fee  in  question ;  or  because  one  had  no  notice  of 
the  matter  to  which  one  was  to  answer ;  or  because  one 
was  never  summoned  in  respect  of  such  plaintiff. 

Ch.  XIII.     Exceptions  to  Vicious  Counts. 

As  vicious  writs  are  abateable,  so  also  are  vicious 
appeals  ;  as  if  an  appeal  be  not  commenced  within  a  year 
after  the  felony  was  done,  or  be  not  commenced  before  the 
coroner,  or  not  in  the  county  where  the  sin  was  done,  01" 
not  at  a  proper  place.  Or,  again,  because  of  a  variance  or 
a  want  of  affirmation  in  the  appeal ;  or  because  of  an 
omission  or  an  interruption ;  or  because  the  plaintiff  has 
in  the  same  appeal  made  default  against  other  appellees. 

Sometimes  it  happens  that  a  thing  that  has  been  robbed 
or  stolen  is  found  in  the  possession  of  a  lawful  man  against 
whom  the  lord  of  the  property  or  of  the  possession  makes 
his  appeal,  alleging  that  he  knows  no  other  robber  or  thief 
of  that  thing.  In  such  case  we  must  distinguish,  for  if 
such  a  possessor  alleges  that  the  accuser  gave  or  sold  or 
bailed  the  thing  to  him,  and  avows  the  thing  without  collu- 
sion, then  the  possessor  is  quit  or  at  least  plevisable  until 
the  coming  of  the  justices;  and  so  of  several  mesne  [owners] 
up  to  the  last,  and  he  must  abide  his  judgment.  And  when 
the  justices  come  the  first  possessor  must  be  first  arraigned, 
and  he  must  say  how  the  thing  came  to  him  ;  but  though 
he  may  wish  to  vouch  to  warranty  he  cannot  do  this,  and 
no  law  compels  him  in  a  personal  suit  to  plead  the  title  by 


98  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 

Bute  ne  li  chace?-a  nule  lei;  mes  el  noun  de  voucher  purra  il 
dire  qil  ad  defendour  e  qe  il  i  avint  par  ascun  loial  title, 
sicom  par  achat  en  tiel  mar.chie  ou  en  tiel  autre  lu  sanz 
moteier  de  qi,  sil  ne  sache  ou  ne  voil  de  dire  de  qi.  En  quel 
cas  fet  a  maunder  al  viscounte  del  lu  de  fere  venir  jurours  ; 
e  si  li  respons  soit  trove  verroi  quites  en  jert,  e  si  non  si  est 
dampnable  aussi  avant  cnm  si  lactour  eust  la  felonie  provee. 
E  si  ascun  se  met  avant,  e  avoe  la  chose  estre  sue,  ])ur  ceo 
nest  il  mie  tantost  recevable  cum  partie.  einz  jert  primes  la 
cause  triable  par  entre  les  primers  qe  sen  firent  ipur  tieux ; 
e  pus  se  face  lestraunge  partie  sil  voille.  E  si  lachat  par 
cas  se  fist  en  lu  enfranchi,  e  li  viscounte  de  lu  retorne  qe 
il  ne  poeit  fere  lexecution  del  bref  p!/r  la  franchise  de  tiel 
homme  ou  de  tiel  lu,  einz  manda  son  retour  al  seignur  ou 
as  baillifs  de  tiele  franchise  qi  rien  nen  firent,  en  tieux  caa 
fet  amaunder  al  \icecoimte  qil  nel  lesse  p?/r  la  f^-anchise  qil 
ni  entre  e  face  lexecucion :  e  si  li  possessour  die  qe  il  i  avient 
par  ascun  ce?-tein  hovame  e  celi  soit  present  qe  voille  el 
defens  sanz  collusion  soit  a  ceo  resceu,  elautre  en  ancquites.* 
E  sil  dedie  le  contract  cele  affirmature  e  cele  negative  sunt 
terminables  par  bataille  ou  juree.  A  la  sute  neqedent  le  Eoi, 
covient  al  possessour  moustier  title  de  sa  possession  ou  de 
senpurgir,  car  ij.  choses  no7(s  sunt  necessaires  conscience  ptw 
nous  e  fame  vers  autres.  E  ceo  qest  dist  de  la  monstraunce 
del  title  de  la  possession,  est  tenable  es  cas  ou  faus  brief  ou 
fausse  monoie,  ou  larcin,  ou  chose  perdue  trovie,  ou  addirre 
ou  estraree  ou  autre  mauveiste  est  trove  a  la  suite  le  Eei,  e 
tut  soit  qe  li  derrein  possessour  saquite  de  la  felonie,  si 
lactour  neqedent  proeve  la  chose  estre  sue  com  de  sa  pos- 
session ou  de  lautre  emble,  addirre,  ou  autremejit  perdue 


en  alia  quite.     Houa 


or  EXCEPTIONS.  98 

which  he  held  possession  ;  but,  by  way  of  voucher,  he  may 
say  that  he  has  a  defender  and  that  he  came  by  the  thing 
in  a  lawful  way,  e.g.  by  purchase  in  such  a  market  or  other 
place,  without  saying  from  whom,  if  he  does  not  know  or 
does  not  wish  to  say.  In  this  case  the  sheriff  of  the  place 
must  be  bidden  to  cause  jurors  to  come  ;  and  if  the  answer 
be  found  true  he  will  go  quit,  and  if  not  he  is  to  be  con- 
demned just  as  though  the  plaintiff  had  proved  the  felony. 
And  if  any  [third]  person  puts  himself  forward  and  avows 
the  thing  as  his  own,  he  is  not  at  once  to  be  received  as  a 
party,  but  in  the  first  place  the  cause  must  be  tried  between 
those  who  have  first  made  themselves  parties  to  it ;  and 
this  done,  let  the  stranger  make  himself  a  party  if  he 
pleases.  And  if  the  supposed  sale  took  place  within  a 
liberty  and  the  sheriff  returns  that  he  cannot  execute  the 
writ  because  of  the  franchise  of  such  or  such  an  honour  or 
place,  but  has  bidden  the  lord  of  the  franchise  or  the  bailiffs 
make  a  return  and  they  have  done  nothing,  then  the  sheriff 
must  be  told  *  quod  non  omittat  propter  talem  lihertatem,'  but 
must  enter  and  do  execution.  And  if  the  possessor  says 
that  he  came  to  the  thing  by  the  hand  of  such  and  such  a 
man,  whom  he  names,  and  that  man  be  present,  and  will 
enter  into  the  defence  without  collusion,  then  he  shall  be 
received  to  do  this,  and  the  other  [the  person  originally 
accused]  shall  go  quit.  But  if  he  [the  third  person]  denies 
the  alleged  contract,  then  this  affirmative  and  negative  must 
be  tried  by  battle  or  jury.  Nevertheless,  at  the  suit  of  the 
king,  the  possessor  must  plead  his  title  to  possession  or 
must  purge  himself,  for  two  things  are  necessary  to  us, 
conscience  making  for  us  and  a  good  reputation  among  our 
neighbours.  And  what  is  said  about  showing  title  to  pos- 
session holds  good  also  when  one  is  charged  at  the  king's 
suit  with  having  a  forged  writ  or  bad  money,  or  stolen 
goods,  or  things  that  have  been  lost  and  found,  or  that 
have  been  mislaid,  or  that  have  strayed.  And  albeit  that 
the  last  possessor  acquits  himself  of  the  felony,  nevertheless 
if  the  plaintiff  proves  that  the  thing  is  his  as  having  been 
stolen,  mislaid,  or  otherwise  lost  out  of  his  possession,  the 


9)'i  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 

voet  droit  qil  recoere  sa  chose  sanz  chescun  difficultie  de 
paiement. 

Ou  il  purra  aver  excepcion  dilatoire  de  vicious  conte 
pax '  variance  dentre  les  paroles  del  bref  e  la  nature  de 
laccion  e  le  contie,  ou  com  sil  jeit  omission  de  mot  chargeant, 
ou  sil  met  mot  chargeant  en  countie,  qe  ne  fet  mie  a 
pronu?icier  en  cele  accion,  sicom  felonie  en  accion  veniale. 

E  sicom  li  defendant  ad  excepcion  dilatoire  de  vicious 
contie  abate,  aussi  ad  lactour  replicacion  ver  le  defendant 
de  vicious  defens.  Mes  pur  ceo  qe  nul  nest  remanable  ne 
jugeable  pur  noun  defendu  en  apeus  de  felonie,  suffist  a 
chescun  defendre  la  felonie  grossemewt,  tut  nen  countre  il 
piie  en  son  defens  chescun  parole  moteiee  en  lappel.  E  en 
cas  venials  ou  les  deffendanz  rien  ne  dient  en  cxcusacion  de 
ceo  qe  lem  les  met  sus  en  jugement,  sunt  il  jugeables  e 
condempnables  com  noun  defenduz,  e  en  meme  la  manere 
est  en  cas  ou  len  ne  se  defent  mie  duement  ou  nient 
suffisalment. 


Ch.  XIV.    Excepcions  a  Provours. 

A  provour  purra  lem  issi  respondre — Sire,  jeo  sui  loial 
homwie  e  a  la  foi  le  Eoi  e  plevi  de  francs  pleges,  e  cist 
provour  est  feloun  atteint  par  sa  conoissaMwce  e  hors  de  la 
foi  le  Eoi,  e  par  consequent  hors  de  sa  pees,  par  unt  il  ad 
perdu  frarjche  voiz  e  defet  chescun  droit  e  chescun  action, 
si  qe  il  nad  mie  persone  recevable  en  nule  accion,  nient 
plus  qe  homrne  utlaguie  par  jugement.  Ou  il  purra  dire  qe 
il  ne  li  deit  mie  respondre  pur  ceo  qil  nel  appella  mie  en 
son  pWmer  appeal  ou  nient  devant  corouner.  E  si  li  pro- 
vour ne  sei  pusse  eider  par  ceste  replicacion,  adire — qe 
lappelle  soit  enditee  de  meme  le  crim,  ou  ne  puisse  dire  qil 
ne  soit  en  ascune  manere  hors  de  la  foi  le  Eoi,  li  defendant 
ne  li  iert  ia  tenuz  a  respondre,  einz  est  livcrable  as  francz 
pleges  par  la  ou  il  est  en  diseine,  ou  as  autres  meinpcrnours, 
tant  qe  il  soit  appelle  ou  enditee. 

'  Corr.  pur. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  99 

law  wills   that   he  shall  recover  his   thing  without  being 
compelled  to  pay  for  it. 

Again,  we  may  have  a  dilatory  exception  to  a  vicious 
count  on  the  ground  of  a  variance  between  the  words  of  th 
writ  and  the  nature  of  the  action  and  the  count,  as  if  t 
plaintiff  omits  a  charging  word,  or  puts  into  his  count 
charging  word  which  should  not  have  been  pronounced  in 
that  action,  e.g.  *  feloily '  in  a  venial  action. 

And  as  a  defendant  has  a  dilatory  exception  to  abate  a 
vicious  count,  so  the  plaintiff  has  a  replication  against  the 
defendant  for  a  vicious  defence.  But  because,  in  an  appeal 
of  felony,  no  one  ought  to  be  treated  or  judged  as  undefended, 
it  is  enough  for  anyone  to  deny  the  felony  compendiously, 
although  he  does  not  use  in  his  defence  every  word  that  is 
set  forth  in  the  appeal.  But  in  venial  actions  where  the 
defendants  say  nothing  by  way  of  excuse  against  that  which 
is  surmised  against  them,  they  may  be  adjudged  and  con- 
demned as  undefended,  and  the  like  is  the  case  if  one 
defends  oneself  improperly  or  insufficiently. 

Ch.  XIV.     Exceptions  against  A2)provers. 

To  an  approver  one  may  answer  thus : — *  Sir,  I  am  a 
lawful  man  and  in  the  king's  faith  and  pledged  by  frank 
pledges,  and  this  approver  is  a  felon  attainted  by  confes- 
sion and  outside  the  king's  faith,  and  therefore  outside  the 
peace,  so  that  he  has  lost  his  free  voice  and  forfeited  every 
right  and  every  action,  so  that  he  has  no  persona  that  is 
receivable  in  any  action,  any  more  than  has  one  who  is 
outlawed  by  judgment.'  Or  one  may  say  that  he  ought 
not  to  answer  because  he  was  not  named  in  his  accuser's 
first  appeal  nor  before  the  coroner.  And  the  defendant  is 
not  bound  to  answer,  but  is  to  be  delivered  to  his  frank 
pledges,  if  he  be  in  a  tithing,  or  to  other  mainpernors  who 
will  produce  him  if  he  be  appealed  or  indicted,  unless 
indeed  the  approver  can  aid  himself  by  a  replication  to  the 
effect  that  the  appellee  is  indicted  of  the  same  crime  or  is 
in  some  manner  outside  the  king's  faith. 


100  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 

Cli,  XV.     Excepcion  a  Enditementz. 

A  enditemens  unt  lu  cestes  excepcions — Sire,  jeo  demant 
linspeccion  del  enditement  par  unt  excepcions  me  purrewt 
encrestre,  ver  les  persons  des  enditours  e  de  la  mawere  de 
lenditement.  Car  serfs  ne  poewt  enditer  nul  honi77ie.  Ou 
sil  lenditement  ne  seit  fete  par  enterre  duseine  de  francs 
homwes,  ou  par  autres  qe  nul  homme*ne  poent  enditer,  ou  si 
lenditement  ne  seit  seale  des  seals  des  xii.  jurours  ou  de  plus, 
ne  recordie  de  justice  a  ceo  aucternee,  ou  si  lenditement  ne 
face  mencion  de  fet  especial,  ou  si  lenditement  ne  jert  este 
fet  de  denz  Ian  ou  de  creables  genz  e  de  bone  fame,  nest 
nul  tenu  a  tel  enditement  respondre ;  ne  si  lenditement 
neist  este  fet  des  veisins  de  meme  le  countie,  ne  si  lendite- 
ment soit  general,  car  esclaundre  general  ne  defame  nul 
hom?ne  ne  chace  a  respons,  cum  si  lenditement  soit  tiel  est 
homicide  ou  lierre  ou  mauveis,  sanz  dire  de  quel  pecchie 
especial;  car  al  veine  voiz  del  people  ne  fet  mie  adoner 
entendement  fei  ne  creance. 

Ou  il  purra  dire  qe  justices  errerent  pus  eele  felonie  fete 
ou  rien  fu  motie  de  cest  fet. 


Ch.  XVI.     Response  a  Traison. 

Dorling,  ici,  defent  totes  traisons  e  felonies  e  quanqe  est 
countre  la  pees  nostre  seignur  le  Eoi.  E  quani  a  la  con- 
sideracion'  purra  il  dire  issi — Sire,  tut  javeit  il  alliaunce  par 
entre  nous  par  homage  en  ascun  tens,  avant  le  tens  neqe- 
dent  qe  il  conte  qe  jeo  duisse  cele  traison  aver  fete,  li  avere 
jeo  rendu  tut  le  fieu  qe  jeo  ting  de  li,  ou  le  perdi  par  juge- 
ment  ou  par  disseisine  qe  lactour  me  fist,  ou  il  meismes 
me  assigna  achevir  a  autre  del  tut.  En  quel  cas  se  destrut 
la  felonie  e  lactour  est  condempnable. 


Corr.  confederation.     1642. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  100 

Ch.  XV.     Exceptions  to  Indictments. 

To  indictments  there  are  these  exceptions : — '  Sire,  I 
crave  an  inspection  of  the  indictment  whereby  exceptions 
may  accrue  to  me,  as  to  the  person  of  the  indictors  and  to 
the  manner  of  the  indictment.'  For  serfs  can  indict  no 
one.  Or  if  the  indictment  be  not  made  by  a  complete 
dozen  of  free  men,  or  be  made  by  those  who  cannot  indict 
anyone,  or  be  not  sealed  with  the  seal  of  twelve  or  more 
jurors  and  put  on  record  by  a  judge  authorised  thereto,  or 
if  the  indictment  make  no  mention  of  any  particular  deed, 
or  be  not  made  within  the  year  and  by  credible  folk  of  good 
fame,  no  one  is  bound  to  answer  it ;  nor  if  it  be  not  made 
by  neighbours  of  the  same  county,  nor  if  it  be  in  general 
words,  for  a  general  slander  will  not  defame  anyone  nor 
force  him  to  answer,  as  if  the  indictment  be  that  such  an 
one  is  a  homicide,  or  a  thief,  or  an  evil  doer,  without  saying 
what  particular  sin  he  has  committed ;  for  to  the  empty 
voice  of  the  people  one  must  not  give  hearing,  credence,  or 
faith. 

Or  one  may  say  that  since  the  felony  was  committed " 
there  has  been  an  eyre  of  the  justices  in  which  nothing  was 
alleged  about  it. 

Ch.  XVI.    Answer  in  a  Case  of  Treason. 

Dorling,  who  is  here,  defends  all  treasons  and  felonies 
and  all  that  is  against  the  peace  of  our  lord  the  king.  And 
as  regards  the  confederation,  he  may  say  thus : — '  Sir, 
albeit  there  was  an  alliance  between  us  by  homage  at  a  cer- 
tain time,  nevertheless  at  the  time  at  which,  according  to 
his  count,  I  was  guilty  of  this  treason,  I  had  surrendered  to 
him  all  the  fee  that  I  held  of  him,'  or  *  had  lost  it  by  judg- 
ment,' or  'by  a  diseisin  which  the  plaintiff  did  to  me,'  or 
'  he  himself  assigned  me  over  that  I  should  acknowledge 
another  as  my  immediate  lord  for  the  whole  fee.'  In  which 
case  the  charge  of  felony  is  destroyed  and  the  plaintiff  is 
to  be  condemned. 


101  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 

E  q?/ant  a  la  consicleracion '  par  serement  de  feautie, 
purra  il  dire  qe  cele  alliaunce  defist  lactour  ver  li  en  tiel 
point  ou  tiel.  Ou  issi — cele  feautie  issist  de  fieu  dunt 
li  defendant  nen  est  point  tenant  ne  en  demeigne  ne  en 
seignurie. 

E  a  la  liaunce  de  curtoisie  sen  purra  il  dire  qe  tiel 
bienfet  ne  durra  forqg  al  tens  qe  passa  avant  le  tens  nomie 
en  lappel,  car  unke  pus  ne  li  paie  rien  de  tele  pension  ou 
dautre  curtoisie  si  par  jugement  non  e  maugre  soen.  Ou 
issi — avant  le  tens  nomie  en  lappel  li  rendi  il  son  escrit 
de  cele  pensioun  ;  ou  la  li  relessa  e  quiteclama,  par  unt 
lalliaunee  se  defit.  E^  quex  cas  jugement  se  fet  pur  le 
defendaunt. 


Ch.XVII.     [DelArson.y 

Arson  porra  il  dire  qe  laventure  avient  de  mescheaunce 
e  nient  de  felonie  p«rpensee. 

Ch.  XVIII.     Darsoun  e  Homicide. 

Al  apeal  de  homicide  purra  il  dire  qe  laccion  nappent 
mie  a  tele  femme  plentive  desicom  il  nestoit  mie  occis  en  ces 
braz  ne  en  sa  seisine.  Ou  issi — Sire,  cist  actour  ni  ad  nul 
accion,  de  sicom  il  jad  autre  plus  proschein  de  sane,  qi  ad 
attame  son  appeal  e  ad  persone  recevable  a  accusement ; 
ou  il  purra  dire  qil  nest  mie  tenu  a  respoundre  en  engletcrre 
p«r  fet  fet  hors  del  Keaume,  si  now  pur  chose  qe  touche  le 
droit  le  rei,  cum  de  sa  persone  ou  de  son  heritage ;  nen  lu 
privilegee  ou  li  bref  le  Eoi  ne  court  nient  de  fet  fet  el  forein, 
ne  se''  revers,  ne  en  lu  enfranchi  de  fet  fet  el  gueldable, 
ne  le  revers. 

Ou  il  purra  dire : — nent  felonessement  einz  aventu- 
rousement,  ou  par  loial  jugement.     Ou  issi — nient  countre 

'  Corr.  confederation.    1642.        '  Corr.  en.         '  Not  in  MS.        ■•  Corr.  le 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  101 

And  as  to  the  confederation  by  oath  of  fealty,  he  may 
^ay  that  the  plaintiff  undid  the  alliance  between  them 
at  this  or  that  point.  Or  he  may  say  thus  : — '  The  fealty 
in  question  issued  from  a  fee  of  which  the  defendant  is  not 
tenant  either  in  demesne  or  in  seignory.' 

And  as  to  an  alliance  by  courtesy,  he  may  say,  that  the 
said  benefit  endured  only  for  a  time  which  had  elapsed 
before  the  time  named  in  the  appeal,  for  never  after  that 
did  the  appellor  pay  him  the  pension  or  other  courtesy  save 
under  stress  of  judgment  and  against  his  will.  Or  thus, 
that  before  the  time  set  forth  in  the  appeal  the  appellee 
surrendered  to  the  appellor  the  writings  that  secured  the 
said  pension,  or  released  or  quitclaimed  him,  whereby  the 
alliance  was  undone.  In  these  cases  there  will  be  judg- 
ment for  the  defendant. 

Ch.  XVII.     Answer  in  a  Case  of  Arson. 

To  a  charge  of  arson  one  may  say  that  the  event  was 
the  outcome  of  mischance  and  not  of  forethought  felony. 

Ch.  XVIII.     Arson  and  Homicide. 

To  an  appeal  of  homicide  he  may  say,  that  the  action 
does  not  belong  to  the  female  plaintiff,  since  the  dead  man 
was  not  slain  in  her  arms  or  in  her  seisin.  Or  thus :  — 
'  Sir,  this  plaintiff  has  no  action,  since  there  is  one  nearer 
in  blood  to  the  dead  man  who  has  entered  his  appeal  and 
is  the  person  to  make  the  accusation.'  Or  he  may  say 
that  he  is  not  bound  to  answer  in  England  for  a  deed  done 
out  of  the  realm  unless  it  be  for  something  that  touches  the 
right  of  the  king,  e.g.  the  king's  person  or  heritage ;  nor 
need  he  answer  in  a  privileged  place  where  the  king's  writ 
does  not  run  for  what  was  done  outside  its  boundaries,  nor 
vice  versa,  nor  in  a  franchise  for  what  was  done  in  the 
geldable,  nor  vice  versa. 

Or  he  can  say : — '  not  feloniously,  but  by  misadventure, 
or  by  lawful  judgment.'     Or  thus : — '  not  against  the  peace 


102  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 

la  pees  cmn  futif  ou  cu?^  felon  notoire  ou  emu  cil  qe  nestoit 
mie  a  la  pees  le  Eoi  ne  a  sa  fei  el  tens  de  sa  occision. 


Ch.  XIX.     De  Larcin. 

'  Lappel  de  robberie  ou  de  larcin  porra  il  dire  — qil  fet 
atort  cest  appel,  de  sicom  meme  cesti  actour  sui  meme 
laccion  vers  memes  les  persons  venialment  en  fourme  de 
trespas  par  devaunt  tieux  juges.  E  si  ascun  voille  soun 
larcin  coverer  par  avouerie  de  estrai  ou  de  weif,  en  tiel  cas 
covendra  qe  il  moustre  title  allouable  de  cele  franchise; 
mes  cele  excepcion  est  encontrable  de  cesti  replicacion 
peremptoire — Sire,  tiel  avouerie  ne  li  deit  valer,  pur  ceo 
qil  cele  estrai  ou  weif  ou  trouveure  enloigna  meintenant, 
ou  mucea,  e  vendi,  ou  occist  ou  le  mist  hors  de  la  veuue  e 
de  la  notice  des  veisins,  ou  il  le  dust  aver  pupplie  par  criees 
solempnes  en  marchie  e  moustrez  joingnanz,  e  moustrie  e 
tenu  en  lu  commun  par  tut  Ian  entierement. 

Al  excepcion  de  destresce,  tient  lu  tele  replicacion — 
Sire,  tiele  avouerie  ne  li  deit  valer,  pur  ceo  qil  nestoit  mie 
baillif  conu  en  cele  hundred,  ou  pur  ceo  qil  ne  fist  nient 
en  manere  de  destresce,  sico?^  nient  en  tens  ne  en  houre 
due  ne  garant  ne  en  moustra,  einz  nutantre,  ou  en  tiele 
autre  manere  felonessement  la  robba  ou  embla,  etc.  E  en 
meme  la  manere  purra  replicacion  tenir  lu  contre  robberie 
fete  par  colour  de  disseisine. 


Ch.  XX.     De  Homsokne. 

A  homsokne  purra  il  dire  qil  entra  ces  tenemenz  sanz 
felonie  fere,  e  nient  countre  la  pees,  sico?/t  el  soen  demeine 
e  propre. 

'  Supply  A. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  102 

Lilt  as  one  slain  while  fleeing  from  justice,  or  as  a  notorious 
felon,  or  as  one  who  when  slain  was  not  in  the  king's  peace 
or  in  the  king's  faith.' 


Ch.  XIX.     Of  Larceny. 

To  the  appeal  of  robbery  or  larceny  he  may  say :— that 
wrongfully  he  makes  this  appeal,  since  he  himself  brought 
an  action  against  the  same  persons  venially  in  the  form  of 
trespass  before  such  and  such  judges.  And  if  anyone 
wishes  to  cover  his  larceny  by  avowing  the  goods  as  waif 
or  stray,  he  ought  to  show  a  title  to  the  franchise  of  waif 
and  stray ;  but  this  exception  may  be  encountered  by  this 
peremptory  replication :  — *  Sir,  such  an  avowry  ought  not 
to  avail,  for  that  he  at  once  renewed  this  estray,  or  waif,  or 
those  goods  that  had  been  found,  or  hid  them,  or  sold  or 
slew  the  beasts  in  question,  or  put  them  where  no  view  or 
notice  of  them  could  be  had  by  the  neighbours,  whereas 
he  ought  to  have  published  the  matter  by  solemn  cry  in 
the  neighbouring  markets  and  churches,  and  displayed  and 
kept  them  in  a  public  place  for  a  whole  year.' 

To  the  exception  founded  on  a  distress  there  is  this 
replication  : — *  Sir,  this  avowry  should  not  avail  him,  for 
he  was  not  a  known  bailiff  in  this  hundred,'  or  '  for  he 
did  it  not  in  the  way  of  distress,  for  he  did  not  take  the 
things  at  a  proper  season  or  hour,  and  he  showed  no 
warrant,  but  by  night,'  or  in  some  other  manner,  'he 
robbed  or  stole  them  feloniously,'  &c.  And  in  the  same 
manner  there  may  be  a  replication  as  to  robbery  done 
under  colour  of  disseisin. 


Ch.  XX.     Of  Hamsoken. 

To  a  charge  of  hamsoken  he  may  say  that  he  entered 
into  the  tenement  without  felony  and  not  against  the  peace 
but  as  into  his  own  demesne. 


103  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 


Ch.  XXL     De  Eaj). 

Al  appel  de  rap  purra  il  defendre  la  felonie  e  dire  qe 
maugrie  soen  la  poriust  il  mie,  einz  soi  assenti  qe  bien 
parust  par  ceo  qe  ele  conceust  de  li  ameme  loure,  dautre 
part  nule  presumpcion  ne  sei  moustra  unke  qil  la  prinst 
maugre  soen  par  descirure  de  dras,  ne  par  sane  espandn, 
ne  par  Im  cri  levee,  ne  par  autre  evidence  de  violence. 


Ch.  XXII.     [^Den2)risonemc7it.y^ 

Lappel  denpr/sonement  purra  il  dire  qil  le  fist  par  loial 
jugement  de  tel  juge.  Mes  a  tele  excepcipn  tient  lu  ceste 
replicaeion  qe  apres  ceo  qe  garant  li  vint  de  li  delive?-er,  li 
retient  il  par  le  tens  nome  en  lappel. 


Ch.  XXIII.     De  Mahaim  [e  Plaiey 

Mahaim  purra  il  defendre  les  moz  defensables  e  deman- 
der  ent  la  veuue,  car  de  tiel  endroit  se  purra  il  pleindre  qe 
nul  mahaim  ne  iert  jugeable.  E  de  lappel  de  plaie  en  meme 
la  manere. 

Mort  le  Eoi  soloit  len  clore  les  seax  le  Eoi,  suspendre 
tuz  plez,  totes  gaoles  overer,  nul  justice,  nul  baillif  ne  nul 
ministre  le  Eoi  se  soloit  mes  de  nul  office  entremettre  par 
defaute  de  garawt ;  e  tuz  utlaguiez,  touz  weives,  e  ceux 
qe  aveint  forjure  le  Eeaume  e  touz  baniz  soloient  dune 
retourner,  forp7'?s  les  exillez  e  baniz  a  touz  jours. 

Si  ascun  recourt  avant  pur  ceo  nel  appent  mie  detre 
courre  sil  ne  voile  justicier  a  la  pees.^     E  sil  soit  meni  en 


'  Not  in  MS.  ceo    ne    luy    appcndoit    viy    desire 

2  Supp.  from  1642  and  Houard.  corue  sil  voiloit  justifier  a  la  peace. 

'  Si  ascun  retonrnoit  avant,  piir      Ilonard. 


OF   EXCEPTIONS.  103 


Ch.  XXI.     Of  Rape. 


In  an  appeal  of  rape  he  may  defend  the  felony  and  say  jA^^^^-MJ2^  <rf, 

,t  he  did  not  corrupt  her  against  her  will,  but  with  her  I 


that  he  did  not  corrupt  her  against  her  will,  but  with  her 
assent,  as  fully  appeared  from  this  that  she  conceived  a 
child  by  him  at  the  same  hour,  and  on  the  other  hand  no 
presumption  arises  that  he  took  her  against  her  will  since 
there  were  no  torn  clothes,  bloodshed,  hue  and  cry,  or 
other  evidence  of  violence. 

Ch.  XXII.     Of  Imprisonment. 

To  an  appeal  of  imprisonment  he  may  say  that  what 
he  did,  he  did  by  the  lawful  judgment  of  such  a  judge. 
But  to  this  exception  there  is  the  replication  that,  after 
a  warrant  had  come  to  him  for  the  delivery  of  the  appellor, 
he  kept  him  in  prison  for  the  time  named  in  the  appeal. 

Ch.  XXIII.     Of  Mayhem. 

In  mayhem  he  may  defend  the  words  that  have  to  be 
defended  and  crave  a  view  of  the  wound,  for  the  appellor 
may  be  complaining  of  a  wound  given  to  such  a  part  of  his 
body  that  it  cannot  be  adjudged  a  mayhem.  And  so  with 
an  appeal  of  wounding. 

'  On  the  king's  death  his  seals  are  put  away  in  safety, 
all  pleas  are  suspended,  all  gaols  opened  ;  no  justice,  bailiff, 
or  minister  of  the  king  can  discharge  any  duty,  for  his 
warrant  fails  him ;  and  all  outlaws  and  waifs  and  those 
who  have  abjured  or  been  banished  from  the  realm, 
return,  save  those  who  have  been  exiled  or  banished  for 
ever. 

In  case  anyone  returns  before  this,  he  is  not  therefor 
to  be  pursued  unless  he  will  not  come  mto  the  peace  and 
submit  to  justice ;  and  if  he  be  brought  into  court  and 

'  It  is  plain  that  here  or  here-  the  numeration  of  the  chapters  given 
aboutH  a  new  chapter  begins;  but  in  tlic  ohi  edition. as  rpferences  may 
we  have  scrupled  to  interfere  with       have  been  made  to  it. 


104  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 

jugement  e  soit  encopie  de  utlagarie,  si  purra  il  dire  qil  est 
inlaguie  par  la  chartre  le  Koi,  ou  il  purra  dire  qe  le 
utlaguerie  ne  li  deit  grever  par  la  reson  qil  ne  out  mie  lage 
xxj.  an  le  jour  del  utlaguerie.  E  pur  ceo  qil  nestoit  mie 
utlagme  pwr  felonie,  ou  pur  ceo  qe  la  felonie  ne  se  fist  mie 
en  tiel  countie  ;  ou  pur  ceo  qil  ne  fu  mie  utlaguie  en 
engleterre,  ou  nient  en  la  terre  le  Eoi  ou  son  bref  court ; 
car  utlaguerie  pronuncie  sur  hovame  en  levesche  de  Durham 
ou  aillours  en  la  terre  ou  le  bres  le  Eoi  ne  court  nient  ne 
greve  a  nul  qi  demoert  en  la  terre  ou  li  bref  le  Eoi  court, 
ne  le  revers ;  ou  pur  ceo  qe  la  felonie  ne  fist  mie  el  tens  de 
cesti  Eoi,  ou  nient  pus  la  dareine  eire  en  tel  countie ;  ou 
pur  ceo  qe  li  proces  del  utlaguerie  fu  fausse  ou  par  fans 
garant  ou  sanz  garant ;  ou  pur  ceo  qil  gust  en  langour  de 
lessoigne  de  mal  de  lit ;  ou  pwr  ceo  qe  cist  est  en  pleine 
vie  pur  qi  mort  il  fut  utlaguie ;  ou  pur  ceo  qil  fu  en  prison 
le  jour  de  utlaguerie;  ou  pur  ceo  qil  estoit  el  service  le  Eoi 
de  ciel  ver  la  terre  de  Jerusalim. ;  ou  el  service  le  Eoi  de 
la  terre  pur  commun  p^'ofit  del  reaume ;  ou  pur  ceo  qil 
estoit  en  la  protection  le  Eoi ;  ou  pur  ceo  qil  fu  arragie  de 
rage  continuele,  ou  folnastre,  ou  sourd  e  mut,  ou  proffes  en 
religion,  en  quex  cas  sil  prie  destre  resceu  a  respons,  il  est 
a  ceo  recevable,  e  fet  a  demander  al  pleintif,  ou  fet  atrier ' 
qe  si  nul  sache  dire  pur  quoi  tel  ne  deit  estre  inlaguie  qe  il 
soit  a  certein  jour  sicom. 

Trestuz  presens  en  jugement  qi  necessaires  e  sunt  e  les 
brefs  lus  en  audience  loriginal  e  le  commission,  die  li 
pleintif  la  quantite  ou  la  qualite  de  sa  pleinte,  e  li  disseisour 
ou  lur  baillifs  dient  chescun  pur  sei  en  ceste  manere — II 
respont  e  dit  pur  li  qil  nad  nul  tort  fet  en  nule  disseisene 
ne  rien  nad  es  tenementz  mis  en  la  pleinte.  E  il  respond 
en  memo  la  manere,  e  issi  de  ceo  e  de  autres  requis  ^  ataunt 
qe  ce  veigne  al  tenant  en  qi  noun  la  disseisine  fu  fete,  e  celi 


'  Corr.  acrier.  ^  Corr.  jeques. 


OF  BXCEPTIONS.  104 

accused  of  outlawry,  he  can  say  that  he  has  been  inlawed 
by  the  king's  charter;  or  he  can  say  that  the  outlawry 
should  not  hurt  him,  since  he  had  not  reached  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years  on  the  day  of  the  outlawry ;  or  that  he 
was  not  outlawed  for  felony ;  or  that  the  felony  was  not 
done  in  that  county;  or  that  he  was  not  outlawed  in 
England,  or  not  in  the  land  of  the  king  where  his  writ  runs, 
(for  an  outlawry  pronounced  against  a  man  in  the  bishopric 
of  Durham  or  elsewhere  in  the  lands  where  the  king's  writ 
does  not  run  harms  no  one  who  dwells  in  the  land  where 
that  writ  does  run,  and  vice  versa) ;  or  because  the  felony 
was  not  done  in  the  time  of  the  king  that  now  is,  or  was 
not  done  since  the  last  eyre  of  the  justices  in  such  a  county; 
or  because  the  process  of  outlawry  was  false  or  upon  a  false 
warrant  or  without  warrant ;  or  because  he  was  lying  sick 
in  bed  under  an  essoin  de  malo  lecti ;  or  because  the  man 
for  whose  death  he  was  outlawed  is  alive ;  or  because  on 
the  day  of  the  outlawry  he  was  in  prison  ;  or  because  he 
was  in  the  service  of  the  King  of  heaven  on  his  way  to  the 
land  of  Jerusalem,  or  in  the  service  of  the  earthly  king  for 
the  common  good  of  the  realm ;  or  because  he  was  in  the 
king's  protection;  or  because  he  was  mad  with  a  continuous 
madness,  or  a  born  fool,  or  deaf  and  dumb,  or  professed  in 
religion  :  in  which  cases  if  he  prays  to  be  received  to  answer, 
he  is  receivable,  and  then  the  question  must  be  put  to  the 
plaintiff,  or  proclamation  must  be  made  that  if  anyone 
knows  any  cause  why  this  man  should  not  be  inlawed,  he 
must  appear  on  a  certain  day. 

"When  all  necessary  parties  are  present  in  court  and  the 
writs,  the  original  writ  and  the  justices'  commission,  have 
been  read  in  their  hearing,  then  the  plaintiff  must  set  forth 
the  quantity  and  quality  of  his  plaint,  and  then  the 
disseisor  or  his  bailiffs  must,  each  for  himself,  make  answer 
in  this  manner  : — He  answers  and  says  for  himself  that  he 
has  done  no  tort  and  no  disseisin,  and  has  nothing  in  the 
tenements  mentioned  in  the  plaint.  And  so  each  one 
answers  in  the  same  way,  until  it  comes  to  the  tenant  in 
whose  name  the  distteisiu  was  done,  and  he  may  answer 

P 


105  DE  EXCEPCIONS; 

poet  respondre  e  dire  qil  nest  mie  entre  par  disseisine  einz 
est  par  D.  qi  lenfeffa  qi  point  niest  nomee  el  bref,  e  poez 
estre  qe  D,  entra  par  E.  issi  purrewt  estre  plusours  mesons  * 
solum  divers  feoffmenz  par  entre  le  primer  disseisour  e  le 
tenant,  en  queu  cas  nul  voucher  a  garant  tient  lu  pur  le 
personel  trespas ;  e  pur  ceo  sen  garde  chescun  a  fere 
contract  de  chose  vicious  e  preigne  tiel  caucione  tele  sieurte 
el  contract  ou  il  puisse  aver  recours  e  recouvrir  si  li  estovera 
la  chose  perdu,  car  poi  de  covoitise  rent  sovent  damaious 
guerdoun.  E  pur  ceo  soleient  les  seignurs  fere  si  bien  garder 
lur  fieus  qe  nul  ni  poieient  entrer  par  entrusions  ou  par 
disseisines  ou  par  autres  vicious  contractz,  ne  autrement 
sanz  ceo  qe  les  contractz  ne  fuissenl  soulement  ^  recordiz  en 
lur  pleners  courz,  parunt  ne  covendreit  mie  as  seignurs  de 
recetter  lur  enemis  en  lur  fieus  e  prendre  lur  homage 
maugrie  lur ;  ne  nul  ne  isoloit  entreer  einzces '  qe  pleges 
fuissent  trovez  de  restorer  al  purchaceour  ou  a  ces  heirs 
la  chose  ou  la  value,  si  par  droit  jugement  li  covenist  pus 
la  chose  perdre  par  la  pecchie  le  alienour  ou  par  son  noun 
poer  de  garantie.  Al  principal  disseisour  bosoigne  bien 
aprendre  garde  si  li  pleintif  mette  trop  en  sa  pleinte,  si  qe 
il  ne  respoigne  forqe  a  cele  qwantite  qe  il  purra  avouuer. 
II  purra  dire  qe  il  iad  variance  entre  loriginal  e  le  comission, 
ou  qe  ascun  bref  est  vicious. 

Contenu  est  el  bref — pleintsestavotts.A.qc.B.E.;  queles 
paroles  lem  purra  cueiller  excepcions  sic,  sicom  en  mesprision 
de  nouns,  ou  de  nouns  sornouns,  Bicom  Eenaud  pur  Arnaud, 
Margerie  pur  Margarete  e  tieux  autres.  Ou  il  purra  dire  qe 
li  bref  est  vicious  par  vices  sournons,  ou  si  les  sournons  de 
dignetiez  ifaillent  cum  si  evesqes,  abbes,  priours  e  autre 
prelatz  seit  disseisi  del  droit  de  sa  dignetie,  e  il  se  pleint 
simplement  de  trespas  fet  a  sa  persone  e  nient  a  sa  eglise 


Corr.  mesnes  (?).  ^  Corr.  solemnelment.  Houard.  ^  Corr.  cim-ceo. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  106 

and  say  that  he  entered  not  by  disseisin  but  by  the  feoffment 
of  one  D.  who  is  not  named  in  the  writ,  and  it  may  be  that 
D.  entered  by  E.,  and  so  there  may  be  several  mesne 
tenants  by  divers  feoffments  between  the  first  disseisor  and 
the  now  tenant ;  but  in  this  case  there  can  be  no  voucher 
to  warranty,  because  of  the  personal  trespass  ;  and  there- 
fore everyone  should  beware  how  he  makes  a  contract 
touching  a  thing  that  is  vicious,  and  should  take  such  a 
security  or  pledge  in  the  contract  that  he  may,  if  need  be, 
have  a  way  of  recovery  open  to  him  if  he  loses  the  thing, 
for  a  little  covetousness  often  returns  a  hurtful  reward. 
And  for  this  reason  lords  are  wont  to  guard  their  fees  so 
well  that  no  one  may  enter  them  by  intrusions  or  disseisins 
or  by  other  vicious  contracts,  or  otherwise  than  by  contracts 
which  are  solemnly  recorded  in  the  full  courts  of  those 
lords,  so  that  the  lords  may  not  be  obliged  to  receive  their 
enemies  into  their  fees,  or  against  their  wills  take  the 
homage  of  their  enemies ;  and  also  it  is  usual  that  no  one 
shall  enter  until  pledges  have  been  found  to  make  restitution 
to  the  purchaser  or  his  heirs  of  the  thing  or  its  value,  in 
case  by  lawful  judgment  he  shall  afterwards  lose  the  thing 
by  the  sin  of  the  alienor  or  by  his  inability  to  warrant. 
The  person  charged  as  a  principal  disseisor  should  take 
good  care  that  the  plaintiff  does  not  put  too  much  land 
into  his  plaint,  so  that  he,  the  defendant,  does  not  answer 
for  a  larger  quantity  than  he  can  avow.  He  can  say  that 
there  is  a  variance  between  the  original  writ  and  the 
justices'  commission,  or  that  there  is  some  vice  in  one  of 
the  writs. 

In  the  writ  it  is  said : — *  A .  complains  to  yon  that  B.E.'; 
— to  these  words  an  exception  may  be  taken  on  the  score  of 
a  mistake  in  names  or  surnames,  as  if  Reynold  be  put  for 
Arnold,  or  Margery  for  Margaret,  or  the  like.  Or  he  may 
say  that  the  writ  is  vicious  because  of  a  flaw  in  the  sur- 
names, or  the  omission  of  titles  of  dignity.  Thus  if  a 
bishop,  abbot,  prior,  or  other  prelate  be  disseised  in  right 
of  his  dignity  and  complains  simply  of  a  trespass  done 
to  his  person  and  not  to  his  church  or  dignity,  and  speaks 

F  2 


106  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 

ou  dignete  en  ceste  manere  :  pleint  cest  a  vous  A.  simple- 
ment,  ou  il  dust  dire  pleint  cest  a  vows  A.  evesqe  de  Londres, 
e  aussi  est  des  disseisours. 

Ou  il  purra  dire  qe  li  bref  est  vicious,  pur  ceo  qe  li  pleintif 
qe  soul  est  en  la  pleinte,  nad  nule  accion  si  non  pur  autre 
persone  qe  point  nest  nomie  el  bref;  ou  il  purra  estre 
vicious  si  contenu  soit  el  bref  disseisivit  eum,  ou  dust  estre 
disseisivit  earn  ou  eos,  ou  dust  estre  eum  ou  earn  ou  le 
revers. 

Contenu  est  el  bref  a  tort  e  sanz  jugement  ecei.,  a  ceo 
poet  lem  dire  qe  nient  atort  mes  adroit  sicom  rebotant 
ou  freschement  engetaunt  autri  force. 

E  notez  qe  lem  poet  estre  disseisi  a  tort  e  sanz  jugement, 
e  a  tort  e  par  jugement,  com  est  de  ceux  qi  sunt  deseisis  de 
lur  franc  tenement  par  justices  qi  a  ceo  fere  nwwt  nule 
juresdiction,  e  forjugent  neqedent  homme  estre  engete  de  sa 
possession.  E  len  poet  disseisi  a  droit  e  sanz  jugement 
cum  es  cas  avandiz.  E  estre  ceo  a  dreit  e  par  jugement. 
E  de  ceo  sourdent  excepcions ;  issi  nient  sanz  jugement 
mes  par  jugement,  e  ceo  poet  estre  ou  par  jugement  des 
juges  commissaires,  ou  de  juges  ordenaires  cum  sunt 
sutiers. 

Dautre  part  purrent  briefs  estre  vicious  par  mesprison 
des  nons  des  villes,  com  si  hamelez  soit  nomee  pur  ville,  ou 
si  la  ville  ne  soit  adroit  nomee,  ou  si  la  ville  ne  soit  destincte 
ou  ij.  semblables  nons  de  villes  sunt  en  j.  countie. 

E  de  eel  mot  pus  le  terme  purrent  sourdre  excepcions 
cum  si  ne  mie  pus  le  terme. 

Destresce  purra  il  avoer  pur  arrerages  de  pension  ou  de 
especial  obligacion,  sauve  qil  neit  fet  nul  tort,  ou  pur  ceo 
qe  autre  brief  de  meme  laccion  est  uncore  pendant  entre 
meme  les  parties.     Ou  il  purra  dire  qe  a  tort  se  pleint 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  106 

thus  :  *  A.  complains  to  you,'  whereas  in  this  case  he  should 
have  said  '  A.,  Bishop  of  London,  complains  to  you ' ;  and 
so  it  is  with  the  names  of  the  disseisors. 

Or  he  may  say  that  the  writ  is  vicious,  for  that  the 
plaintiff  who  is  named  in  the  plaint  as  sole  plaintiff  has  no 
action  unless  it  be  in  right  of  another  who  is  not  named 
in  the  writ ;  or  because  the  writ  says  *  disseisivit  eum,' 
where  it  ought  to  have  said  '  disseisivit  eam '  or  *  eos,' 
or  that  it  should  have  said  not  '  eam '  but  *  eum,'  or  vice 
versa. 

And  the  writ  says  *  injuste  et  sine  judicio  ' ;  and  to  this 
one  may  say  '  not  wrongfully,  but  rightfully  as  one  who  was 
repelling  the  violence  of  another  or  making  a  speedy  re- 
ejectment.' 

And  note  that  one  may  be  disseised  'injuste  et  sine 
judicio,'  or  *  injuste  '  but  not  *  sine  judicio,'  as  is  the  case  of 
those  who  are  disseised  of  their  freehold  by  justices  who 
have  no  warrant  to  do  this,  but  nevertheless  adjudge  that 
a  man  be  ejected  from  his  possession.  And  one  may  be 
disseised  'juste  '  but  *  sine  judicio,'  as  in  the  cases  [of  speedy 
re-ejectment]  mentioned  above.  Or  again  it  may  be  both 
'juste '  and  '  per  judicium.'  And  out  of  this  exceptions 
may  arise ;  thus — '  not  sine  judicio  but  per  judicium,'  and 
this  may  be  by  the  judgment  of  judges  delegate  or  of 
judges  ordinary,  such  as  are  the  suitors  of  a  court. 

Again,  a  writ  may  be  vicious  because  of  the  misnomer  of 
the  vill,  as  if  a  hamlet  be  called  a  vill,  or  a  vill  bo  not  rightly 
named,  or  if  the  vill  be  not  distinguished  where  there  are 
two  vills  of  the  same  name  in  one  county. 

And  an  exception  may  arise  out  of  the  words  '  infra 
terminum,'  if  the  disseisin  took  place  before  the  term  of 
limitation. 

A  distress  one  may  avow  as  having  been  made  for  the 
arrears  of  a  pension  or  under  an  obligation  by  specialty,  but 
with  the  saving  clause  that  one  has  done  no  tort.  [And  an 
exception  may  be  taken]  because  another  writ  in  the  same 
action  is  pending  between  the  same  parties.  Or  the  tenant 
may  say  that  the  plaintiff  complains  wrongfully,  because 


i 


107  DE   EXCEPCIONS. 

desicom  a  sa  pleinte  demeine  perdi  meme  le  tenement  par 
loial  jugement  vers  meme  le  tenant,  ou  de  sicom  il  ad 
relesse  e  quiteclamie  tut  son  droit  ameme  le  tenant  ou 
autrement '  ratifie  son  estat,  ou  pwr  ceo  qil  se  retret  autre- 
foiz  de  sa  accion  par  devant  tieux  juges. 

En  eides  des  memoires  des  genz  sunt  escriz,  chartres,  e 
monumenz  mout  necessaires  pur  tesmoigner  les  conditions 
e  les  poinz  des  contracz  par  lestatut  LeuthfL-ed,^  qe  ordena 
qe  len  put  defendre  ledenges  diz  e  contractz  des  suz  estuz, 
e  miz  par  sa  lei.^  E  qe  actours  prouassent  lur  escriz  ou 
lur  chartres  dedites  e  nient  p?'ouables  par  jurours  en 
engleterre,  por  foreinz  contractz  ou  de  lus  enf?'anchis  ou 
aillours,  ou  le  bref  ne  court  nient  par  copie  e  coUacion  de 
autres  seals,  ou  par  jurours  ou  par  bataille  solom  laccion 
des  actours. 

Pur  doner  matire  e  voie  a  excepcions  en  eide  de  res- 
poneurs,  bon  est  assavoir  le  terme  e  la  limitacion  des 
accions  e  des  pleez,  par  si  qe  pleez  preignent  fin,  e  -pur  ceo 
furent  ordene  prescripcions  e  usucapcions.  Duwt  Thurmod 
ordena  qe  accions  cnminales  a  siure  vengeaunce  cessent  a 
la  fin  de  primer  an,  si  avant  ne  soient  attamez,  e-meme  le 
terme  assigna  il  en  accions  de  wrec,  weif,  estrai,  e  de  chose 
perdue,  car  as  veillanz  soulement  eide  droit.  En  personeles 
accions  veniales  dona  il  le  te^Tue  pus  la  derreine  eire  en  teles 
pav'ties,  en  reales  accions  e  mixtes  dona  il  xl.  ans  de  te?Tiie. 
Al  Eei  neqedent  q^ant  al  dreit  de  la  coroune  ne  a  franc 
estat,  ne  poet  nul  tens  encourre. 

Al  accion  daccounte  purra  il  dire  qil  nestoit  unqe  soun 
recevour,  ne  administrour  de  ses  doners  ne  de  ces  biens, 
dunt  il  li  soit  tenu  dacounte  rendre,  e  qe  il  recust  de  li  souz 
le  title  demprwmt  e  duwt  il  li  fist  escrtst  de  rendre  a  termes 
certeines.     Ou  issi — tut  fut  il  son  recevour  ou  administrour 


'  ou  autrement  occurs  twice  in  contracts  des  cas  et  moyens  per  sa 

MS.  ley.  Houard.    Perhaps  estuz  should 

2  d' Alfred.    Houard.  be  escriz  ;  but  we  are  unable  to  re- 

'  Que  Von   voit  deffeiidre  diis  et  store  this  passage. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  107 

the  plaintiff  on  his  own  plaint  has  already  by  a  lawful 
judgment  lost  this  land  to  the  tenant,  or  has  released  or 
quitclaimed  all  his  right  to  the  tenant,  or  otherwise  ratified 
the  tenant's  estate,  or  on  a  previous  occasion  withdrew  from 
his  action  before  such  and  such  judges. 

'  By  way  of  aid  for  men's  memory,  writings,  charters 
and  muniments  are  very  necessary  to  testify  the  conditions 
and  the  terms  of  contracts  under  a  statute  of  Leuthfred,  who 
ordained  that  one  might  deny  .  .  .  sayings  and  contracts 
...  by  making  one's  law,^  and  that  plaintiffs  should  prove 
their  writings  or  charters  when  these  have  been  traversed 
and  cannot  be  proved  by  jurors  in  England,  being  contracts 
made  in  foreign  parts  or  in  franchises,  or  elsewhere  where 
the  king's  writ  does  not  run,  either  by  jurors  or  by  battle, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  plaintiff's  action,  and  not  by 
copies  or  a  collation  of  other  seals. 

In  order  to  provide  matter  for  respondents  who  are  in 
search  of  exceptions,  it  is  well  to  know  the  periods  of  limi- 
tation for  actions  and  pleas,  that  so  pleas  may  find  their 
limits,  and  for  this  purpose  prescriptions  and  usucapions 
were  ordained.  And  about  this  matter  Thurmod  ordained 
that  criminal  actions  in  pursuit  of  vengeance  should  cease 
at  the  end  of  the  first  year,  if  they  were  not  entered  before 
that  period,  and  he  assigned  the  same  period  in  actions  for 
wreck,  waif,  estray  and  lost  goods,  for  *  vigilantibus  '  only 
will  the  law  aid.  In  personal  venial  actions  he  fixed  the  last 
eyre  in  those  parts  as  a  term  of  limitation,  and  in  real  and 
mixed  actions  he  allowed  forty  years.  But  time  does  not 
run  against  the  king  in  respect  of  the  rights  of  the  crown 
or  his  &ce  estate. 

In  an  action  of  account,  he  may  say  that  he  never  was 
the  plaintiff's  receiver,  nor  the  administrator  of  his  money 
and  goods,  so  as  to  be  bound  to  account,  and  that  what  he 
received  he  received  by  title  of  loan  and  under  a  writing 
which  provided  for  redelivery  at  a  time  certain.  Or  thus  : 
— 'Albeit  he  was  the  plaintiff's  receiver  or  administrator 

'  This  parafsraph  occurs  again ;         '  The  text  as  it  stands  is  unintel- 
sec  lY.  0.  xxvii.  ligiblc. 


i/Xi 


108  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 

en  France  ou  aillurs  hors  del  reaume,  ou*  en  lu  enfranchi, 
pur  ceo  ne  li  est  il  nient  plus  tenu  daeounte  rendre  el  reaume 
ou  li  bref  le  Eol  court,  ou  el  gueldable  qe  le  re  vers. 

Ou  il  purra  dire  qe  li  bref  eat  vicious  par  fausse  supposi- 
cion,  e  suppose  faussement  le  defendant  estre  futif  e  estre 
ceo  nient  fieu  tenant  en  la  baillie  celi  a  qi  li  bref  est  maunde. 
Ou  il  ne  li  est  tenu  en  nul  acounte,  de  si  qe  il  nestoit 
unqe  son  recevour  forqe  de  mein  en  goule,  e  de  cotidiene 
receite  tendi  cotidien  acounte,  ou  riew  ne  despendu  nacata 
forqe  a  la  veuue  del  actour  ou  des  soens.  Ou,  pur  ceo  qe 
lactour  est  seisi  des  tallies  e  des  roulles  e  de  quanqe  valleit 
purreit  al  defendant  daeounte  rendre.  Ou,  pur  ceo  qil  en 
ad  aquitaunce.  Ou  pur  ceo  qil  nestoit  unqe  gardein  de  son 
heritage  cum  son  gardein,  einz  fu  gardein  cum  de  sa  chose 
p?'opre  durant  de  tens  cum  celi  a  qi  la  garde  del  fieu 
appendi  de  droit,  quel  fieu  qe  ceo  fust  socage  ou  autre. 

Accion  de  naifte  purra  il  dire  qe  il  est  franc  e  sil  la 
proeve  adunqe  ou  autre  foiz  par  bref  de  sa  franchise  prover, 
si  iert  quite  del  chaleng  del  actour  a  tuz  jours  si  renable 
replicacion  nel  encountre.  E  quant  a  seisine  de  villeins 
services,  porra  il  dire  qe  tieux  services  li  fet  atort  e  par 
extorsions  e  durescea  de  li  e  de  ces  baillifs,  ou  pur  le  servage 
del  villenage  e  del  villein  fieu  qe  il  tient  de  li  e  ne  mie  par 
servage  de  son  sane.  E  notez  ij.  choses  :  lune  qe  si  le  de- 
fendant puisse  moustrer  franc  cep  de  ces  auncestres  en  la 
concepcion  ou  en  la  nativite,  ou  pus,  li  defendant  iert 
tenable  pur  franc  a  touz  jours,  tut  isoient  presens  pere,  e 
mere,  frere,  e  cosins  e  touz  son  parentie  qe  se  conoissent 
estre  serfs  al  actour  e  tesmoignent  le  defendant  estre  serf ; 
lautre  notabilite  est  qe  nient  plus  ne  fet  lunge  tenure  de 
villenage  franc  homrwe  serf  qe,longe  tenure  de  franc  fieu  ne 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  108' 

in  France  or  elsewhere  out  of  the  realm  or  within  some 
franchise,  he  is  not  bound  to  render  an  account  in  this 
realm,  or  where  the  king's  writ  runs,  or  in  the  geldable, 
and  vice  versa. 

Or  one  can  say  that  the  writ  is  vicious  because  of  a 
false  Bupposal,  in  that  it  falsely  supposes  the  defendant  to 
be  a  fugitive  and  also  no  fee  tenant  within  the  bailiwick  of 
him  to  whom  the  writ  is  sent.  Or  again,  that  he  is  not 
bound  to  account,  for  that  one  was  only  the  plaintiffs 
receiver  from  hand  to  mouth  and  rendered  daily  account 
of  daily  receipts,  or  spent  and  bought  nothing  save  under 
the  eyes  of  the  plaintiff  or  of  his  folk.  Or,  for  that  the 
plaintiff  is  seised  of  the  tallies  and  rolls  and  all  that  would 
enable  the  defendant  to  render  an  account.  Or,  because 
the  defendant  has  an  acquittance.  Or,  because  he  never 
was  guardian  of  the  plaintiffs  inheritance  as  being  the 
plaintiffs  guardian,  but  was  guardian  of  the  thing  as  of 
his  own  proper  thing  during  the  time  in  question  as  he 
to  whom  the  wardship  of  the  fee  belonged  by  right,  whether 
that  fee  were  socage  or  otherwise. 

'  In  an  action  of  naifty,  the  defendant  may  say  that  he  is 
free,  and  if  he  proves  this  now  or  on  another  occasion  by 
writ  de  libertate  probanda,  then  he  is  quit  for  ever  from  all 
claim  on  the  part  of  the  plaintiff,  unless  some  reasonable 
exception  encounters  him.  And  as  to  the  seisin  of  villain 
services,  he  may  say  that  these  services  he  did  wrongfully 
and  under  the  extortion  and  duress  of  the  plaintiff  and  his 
bailiffs,  or  by  way  of  the  services  due  from  the  villainage  or 
villain  fee  that  he  held  of  the  plaintiff,  and  not  by  reason  of 
any  serfage  in  his  blood.  And  note  two  things  :  first,  that 
if  the  defendant  can  show  a  free  stock  among  his  Euicestors 
at  his  conception,  or  his  birth,  or  afterwards,  he  is  ac- 
counted a  free  man  for  ever,  although  there  be  present  his 
father,  mother,  brothers,  cousins,  and  all  his  kindred,  who 
confess  themselves  to  be  the  plaintiffs  serfs  and  testify  that 
the  defendant  is  a  serf ;  secondly,  that  long  tenure  of  vil- 
lainage will  not  make  a  serf  out  of  a  free  man  any  more 
than  long  tenure  of  a  free  fee  will  make  a  free  man  out  of 


109  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 

fet  homme  serf  franc,  car  franchise  ne  se  defet  jammes  par 
presenpscion  de  tens. 

Proeve  dediz  desdiz  se  font  en  plusours  maneres,  asciine 
foiz  par  recordz,  ascune  foiz  par  batailles,  ascune  foiz  par 
tesmoins,  ascune  foiz  par  confessions  des  parties  adverses. 

Par  recorz  cum  en  cas  ou  parties  sassentent  en  ascun 
enroullement,  ou  el  dit  dacun  juge  ordenaire  ou  assigne. 

Par  bataille,  car  sur  le  garaunt  del  combat  qe  se  prist 
jadis  par  entre  David  pur  le  peopel  de  isrel  dune  part,  e 
Golie  pwr  les  philistiens  dautre  part  nostre  sire  Dieu,  est ' 
usage  tenu  pur  lei  en  engleterre  issi  qe  proeve  de  felonie  e 
en  autres  cas  se  face  par  cumbat.  Se  diverse  solom  les 
diversetez  daccions,  car  sicom  il  iad  personele  accion  e 
reale,  aussi  ad  il  personel  combat  e  real — personel  en  per- 
soneles  accions,  real  en  reales.  E  ces  combatz  diversent, 
en  tant  qe  en  personeles  cumbat  pur  felonie  ne  poez  nul 
combatre  pur  autre,  en  personeles  accions  neqedent  veniales 
list  as  actours  de  fere  les  batailles  pur  ^  lur  cors  ou  par  loial 
tesmoiner,  dendreit  reales  combatz  pur  ceo  qe  nul  ne  poet 
estre  tesmoin  de  li  memes  e  nul  nest  recevable  a  desrener 
son  roial  ^  droit  demeine,  covient  qe  tieux  combatz  se  facent 
pur  les  actours  par  tesmoins,  les  defendanz  neqedent  pur- 
rent  lur  droit  demeine  defendre  par  lur  cors  demeine,  ou 
par  les  cors  de  lur  francs  hommes.  E  estre  ceo  diversement 
en  taunt  qe  en  appeaux  ne  poet  nul  cumbatre  pur  autre, 
mes  en  reales  accions  est  autrement,  car  si  lune  des  pa?-ties 
meschece  qe  ele  ne  puisse  combatre  son  fiz  einzne  legitime 
purea ''  fere  la  bataille  pur  li. 

Cumbat  est  bataille  de  ij.  hommes,  suffert  ^  a  monstrance 
de  verite,  issi  qe  victoire  isoit  tenue  pur  proeve.  Cumbaz 
se  font  en  plus  des  cas  qe  en  felonies,  car  il  se  funt  en 
plusours  faussetez  atteindre,  cum  si  ascun  meit  fet  ascune 
faussetie  en  fet  ou  en  dit,  dunt  il  soit  appelie  ou  enpecche 
en  jugement,  sil  le  dedie,  a  mei  list  de  prover  cele  accion 


'  Corr.  cest.  *  Corr.  purra. 

*  Corr.  par.  »  Corr.  stiffist  (?). 

'  Corr.  real. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  109 

a  serf,  for  freedom  is  never  destroyed  by  prescription  of 
time. 

Proofs  of  controverted  statements  are  given  in  divers 
ways,  sometimes  by  record,  sometimes  by  battle,  sometimes 
by  witnesses,  sometimes  by  the  confession  of  the  adverse 
parties. 

(i.)  By  record,  as  if  the  parties  have  assented  to  some 
enrolment,  or  to  the  award  of  some  judge  ordinary  or 
delegate. 

(ii.)  By  battle,  for  this  usage  is  held  for  law  in  England 
by  the  warrant  of  our  Lord  God  in  the  matter  of  the  battle 
joined  between  David  on  behalf  of  the  people  of  Israel  of 
the  one  part,  and  Goliath  on  the  part  of  the  Philistines  of 
the  other  part,  so  that  proof  in  cases  of  felony  and  in  other 
cases  is  made  by  combat.  But  there  are  distinctions  to  be 
drawn  according  to  the  diversity  of  actions,  for  as  there  are 
personal  and  real  actions,  so  there  are  personal  and  real 
combats — personal  combats  in  personal  actions,  real  in 
real.  And  these  combats  differ  thus  :  in  personal  combats 
for  felony  no  one  can  fight  for  another,  though  in  venial 
personal  actions  it  is  lawful  for  a  plaintiff  to  do  battle  by 
the  body  of  a  lawful  witness ;  but  in  the  case  of  real 
combats,  because  no  one  can  be  a  witness  on  his  own  be- 
half and  no  one  can  be  allowed  to  deraign  his  own  real 
right,  it  is  right  that  such  combats  should  be  fought  on  the 
plaintiff's  part  by  a  witness,  but  a  defendant  may  never- 
theless defend  his  own  right  by  his  own  body  or  by  the 
body  of  a  free  man  of  his.  And  there  is  this  further  dif- 
ference that  in  appeals  no  one  can  fight  in  the  stead  of 
another,  but  in  real  actions  it  is  otherwise,  for  if  a  mis- 
chance happens  to  one  of  the  parties  so  that  he  cannot 
fight,  his  eldest  legitimate  son  may  do  battle  for  him. 

Combat  is  a  battle  between  two  men,  and  this  suffices 
to  prove  the  truth,  in  that  victory  is  accounted  proof. 
Battles  are  joined  in  other  cases  besides  felonies,  for  they  are 
used  for  the  attainting  of  various  falsehoods,  for  if  anyone 
has  done  me  any  falsehood  in  deed  or  in  word,  and  if  this 
is  appealed  or  impeached  in  court,  then  if  he  denies  it,  I  can 


110  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 

par  jurours,  ou  par  mon  cors,  ou  par  le  cors  de  .j.  testmoin. 
E  si  ceo  Boit  de  faus  jugement  de  plusours  adunc  appent  la 
proeve  soulement  ver  le  pronunciour  del  jugement  pur  tote 
la  court  e  aussi  en  cas  ou  \ous  dediez  vostre  don,  bailie, 
vente,  plegeage,  escrit,  seal  ou  autre  manere  de  contract  ou 
dist  qe  vous  delates  ou  fet  qe  vous  feistes. 

Des  qualites  des  causes  neqedent  destinctez,  car  en 
appeals  de  felonie  ne  poet  nul  combatre  pur  autre  sicom  est 
dit,  mes  en  venales  causes  tut  seit  qe  ascun  seit  occis  de 
bataille  pur  ceo  ne  fet  il  nul  homicide  aconter,  einz  soleint 
tieux  vencuz  ou  lur  cliens  pur  eus  rendre  as  cumbatanz 
vencanz  .Ix.  en  nom  de  recreantise  e  maille  pur  la  borse  a 
mettre  einz  ces  deners,  estre  le  jugement  sur  le  principal. 
Es  cas  ou  bataille  ne  se  poet  joindre  ne  nul  tesmoinage 
nestoit,  se  soloient  genz  eider  en  personeles  accions  par  les 
miracles  dieu,  en  ceste  manere — si  li  defendant  fu  femme 
ou  tiel  pur  qi  condicion  bataille  ne  se  poet  joindre,  e  lactour 
nout  point  de  testmoins  a  prover  sa  accion,  adunqe  estoit 
en  le  leccioun  del  defendour  a  purgir  sa  fame  par  la  miracle 
dieu,  ou  doner  la  proeve  sil '  actour.  E  es  cas  revers 
appendi  la  proeve  soulement  al  actour.  Al  jour  de  la  proeve 
ou  de  la  purgacion,  apres  la  beneiceon  e  la  maleiceon,  le 
p?*estre  revestu  des  garnemenz  de  la  messe,  e  apres  les 
s<"remenz  des  parties,  soloit  len  a  gardir  a  la  partie  e  la 
porter  a  la  mie  mein  une  pece  de  fer  flaumbant  sil  fust 
f7*anc  homwe,  ou  de  mettre  la  mein  ou  le  pie  en  euue 
boillant  sil  ne  fu  franc,  ou  tele  autre  chose  a  fere  qe  impos- 
sible smoit  a  fere  sanz  la  miracle  dieu,  e  cil  ne  se  blesseast, 
la  diverse  partie  remeindroit  cum  atteint.  Mes  seinte 
crestiene  qe  ne  soeffre  mie  qe  dieu  soit  par  tiez  acorz  si  len 
poet.'' 

Entre  totes  genz  ne  se  joint  mie  bataille,  car  ele  ne  se 
joint  forqe  par  entre  parigals,  ne  uncore  nient  entre  touz 


'  Corr.  aZ.  '  ;par  tiels  a  torts  silun  jpoet  avoider  mctrement.    1642. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  110 

prove  against  him  by  jurors,  or  by  my  body,  or  by  the  body 
of  a  witness.  And  if  my  complaint  be  of  a  false  judgment 
given  by  more  than  one,  then  I  need  prove  this  only  against 
him  who  pronounced  the  judgment  on  behalf  of  the  court. 
And  so  if  you  deny  your  gift,  bailment,  sale,  pledge,  writing, 
seal,  or  other  contract  or  speech  or  deed  said  or  done  by  you. 

Nevertheless  we  must  draw  a  distinction  as  regards  the 
quality  of  causes,  for,  as  already  said,  in  appeals  of  felony 
no  one  can  fight  for  another,  but  in  venial  cases,  although 
one  be  slain  in  the  battle,  for  all  that  no  homicide  is 
considered  to  have  been  committed,  but  those  who  are 
vanquished  or  their  clients  for  them  are  .wont  to  render  to 
the  vanquishers  sixty  shillings  in  the  name  of  '  recreancy ' 
and  a  halfpenny  for  a  purse  to  put  this  money  in,  and 
besides  this  there  is  judgment  against  the  principal.  In 
a  case  in  which  battle  cannot  be  joined  and  there  is  no 
witness,  men  used  to  have  recourse  in  personal  actions  to 
the  miracles  of  God,  in  this  manner : — if  the  defendant  was 
a  woman  or  of  such  condition  that  battle  could  not  be 
joined  and  the  plaintiff  had  no  witnesses  to  prove  his  case, 
then  it  was  at  the  election  of  the  defendant  to  purge  his 
fame  by  the  miracle  of  God  or  to  concede  the  proof  to  the 
plaintiff.  And  in  the  reverse  case  [where  the  plaintiff  could 
not  fight]  the  proof  [by  ordeal]  belonged  to  the  plaintiff 
only.  On  the  day  of  the  proof  or  purgation,  after  the 
benediction  and  malediction  by  the  priest  robed  in  his  mass 
vestments,  and  after  the  oaths  of  the  parties,  the  practice 
was  to  keep  the  party  in  ward '  and  to  place  in  the  middle 
of  his  hand  a  piece  of  red-hot  iron,  in  case  he  was  a  free 
man,  or  if  he  were  not  a  free  man  then  to  put  his  hand  or 
foot  in  boiling  water — or  something  else  that  it  was  impos- 
sible for  him  to  do  without  a  miracle  of  God,  and  if  he 
suffered  no  harm,  the  adverse  party  remained  as  one 
attainted.  But  holy  Christianity  would  not  suffer  that  God 
[should  be  tempted  thus  if  it  could  be  avoided ']. 

Battle  cannot  be  joined  between  all  folk,  for  it  can  only 
be  joined  between  '  peer-equals,'  nor  even  between  all  peers, 

'  Translation  doubtful. 


Ill  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 

piers,  car  ne  mie  par  entre  pere  e  filz  ne  par  entre  fem?nes, 
ou  enfanz,  ou  clers,  ou  parenz,  ou  affins.  Parigal  ne  sunt 
mie  hom?ne  e  femme,  ne  homme  seint  e  hom?we  escome?zge, 
ne  cristiene  nient  cristiene,  ne  homme  sein  e  meseal,  ne 
homme  en  bon  estat  e  homme  arragie,  ne  homme  sage  e 
homme  folnastre,  ne  homme  entier  e  homme  mahamie,  ne 
homme  e  enfant,  ne  clerc  e  lai,  ne  homme  profes  en  rehgion 
e  homme  seculer,  ne  homme  loial  e  felon,  ne  homme  a  la  fei 
le  Eoi  e  homme  nient  a  sa  foi,  ne  seignur  e  tenant  ou  famuler. 
Petuesce  de  chose  aussi  qe  chiet  en  debat  e  en  demande 
destorbe  bataille,  e  plusours  autres  resons  solom  ceo  qe 
piert  en  lei  de  fieus;  si  ceux  neqedent  qe  ne  sunt  mie 
recevables  a  bataille  voillent  cumbatre  si  bataille  se  joigne 
par  entre  eus  qi  la  desirent,  qe  lur  fet  tort,  e  si  ascun  se 
profre  a  cumbatre  armie  qi  avant  nestoit  mie  proffert  par 
nule  des  parties,  e  la  partie  adve^'se  demande  jugement  de 
la  defaute  soun  adversaire  sicom  il  tendi  tesmoin  qi  se 
proffir  a  fere  la  desrenee  e  ore  profifre  a  fornir  la  bataille 
par  autre  qi  avant  nestoit  veu  ne  oi  en  court,  ne  qi  ne  poet 
nen  deit  la  bataille  fere  ne  fornir,  en  queu  cas  appent  atrier 
lexcepcion  cu?/i  peremptoire  del  accion  si  les  parties  le 
voelent  attendre. 


Ch.  XXIV.    Juramentum  Duelli. 

Apres  bataille  jointeajorne,  eprcsentes  les  parties  e  due- 
ment  armees en  primes  jurge li  defendant,  en  ceste  forme: — 
Ceo  oiez  vous  homme  qe  jeo  par  la  mein  tieng,  qi  \ous  fetes  N. 
appeller  par  droit  non  de  baptesme,  qe  jeo  noccis  unqes  tiel, 
vostre  piere — ou  tiele  autre  chose  ne  dis  ou  ne  fis  tel  jour  e 
cet.,  si  meid  dieux  e  les  seinz  euangires. 

Puis  appent  qe  lactour  jurge  en  ceste  manere  : — Ceo  oiez 
vous  homme  qe  jeo  par  la  mein  tient  qe  vous  fetes  J.  appeller 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  Ill 

for  not  between  father  and  son,  nor  between  women,  nor 
infants,  nor  clerks,  nor  kinsmen  by  blood  or  by  affinity. 
Men  and  women  are  not  '  peer-equals,'  nor  a  holy  man 
and  an  excommunicate,  nor  a  Christian  and  one  who  is  no 
Christian,  nor  a  sound  man  and  a  leper,  nor  a  man  in  good 
estate  and  a  mad  man,  nor  a  sane  man  and  a  born  fool,  nor 
a  whole  man  and  a  maimed  man,  nor  a  man  and  a  child, 
nor  a  clerk  and  a  layman,  nor  a  man  professed  in  religion 
and  one  who  is  secular,  nor  a  loyal  man  and  a  felon,  nor  a 
man  who  is  in  the  king's  faith  and  one  who  is  not,  nor  lord 
and  tenant  or  servant. 

Battle  also  may  be  prevented  by  the  triviality  of  the 
thing  that  lies  in  debate  or  demand,  or  by  many  other 
reason  as  appears  in  the  law  of  fees ;  but  nevertheless  if 
those  between  whom  battle  does  not  lie  wish  to  fight  and 
battle  is  joined  between  them,  this  is  no  injury  to  them ; 
and  if  a  man  offers  to  fight  armed  and  was  not  originally 
tendered  as  a  champion  by  either  of  the  parties,  and  the 
adverse  party  craves  judgment  of  his  opponent's  default  as 
having  tendered  a  witness  who  offered  to  deraign  the  matter 
and  now  tenders  to  furnish  the  battle  by  another  who  has 
not  previously  been  seen  or  heard  in  court,  and  who  there- 
fore cannot  fight  or  furnish  the  battle,  then  this  exception 
must  be  tried  as  one  that  is  peremptory  of  the  action,  if  the 
parties  will  demur  on  this  point. 


Ch.  XXIV.    The  Oath  of  Battle. 

After  battle  joined  and  adjourned,  when  the  parties  are 
present  and  duly  armed,  the  defendant  shall  swear  in  the 
first  place  as  follows  : — Hear  this  thou  man  whom  I  hold  by 
the  hand,  who  hast  thyself  called  N.  by  thy  right  name  of 
baptism,  never  did  I  slay  such  an  one  thy  father — or  never 
did  or  said  such  a  thing  on  such  a  day,  &c. — so  help  me 
God  and  the  holy  Gospels. 

Afterwards  the  plaintiff  shall  swear  thus : — Hear  this 
thou  man  whom  I  hold  by  the  hand,  who  hast  thyself 


112  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 

par  droit  noun  de  baptesme  qe  vous  estez  pe^^jurs,  pur  ceo 
qe  vous  a  tiel  jour  ecet.  felonessement  occistes,  ou  tele  chose 
deistes  ou  feistes. 


Ch.  XXV.     Ordinatio  Pugnantium. 

Pris  les  seremenz,  fet  ap7^endre  garde  qe  les  parties  soient 
armees  solom  lancien  usage  de  quele  condicion  qeles  soient, 
chevalers  ou  autres.  Lancien  usage  destre  armee  en  touz 
cas  de  cumbat  est  tel — les  cors  soient  armees  sanz  fer,  corn  e 
balenie,  e  les  testes,  les  cols  e  les  meins  soient  descovertes, 
les  reins,  qesses,  e  jambes,  e  piez,  soient  armez  de  quir,  e 
chescun  eit  escu  quire,  e  bastown  cornu  dune  assise. 

Lactour  viegne  en  la  place  de  devers  lorient,  e  li  defen- 
daunt  devers  loccident,  e  j  urgent  en  la  place  en  ceste  manere 
qil  nen  unt  sur  eus  charme  ne  deceite,  rien  nunt  mangie 
beu  ne  usie  dunt  verite  puisse  estre  destourbe,  ou  abesse  e 
la  lei  al  deable  eshancee,  si  lur  eid  deus  e  les  seintes 
evangires.  Pus  fet  acrier  tel  lun  qe  nul  ne  destorbe  la 
bataille  par  fet,  cri  ne  noise,  sur  peine  de  peine  corporele. 
E  tantost  sen  voisent  entre  ferir,  e  si  li  defendaunt  puisse 
sei  defendre  iequis  apres  le  solail  rescousie  e  demande  juge- 
ment  de  la  defaute  lactour,  se  fet  en  tel  cas  jugement  pur 
le  defendaunt.  E  si  fraude  soit  trovie  ovesqes  .j.  des 
pa?-ties  com  darme  privee  e  dautre  chose  desavouable  e  la 
partie  adverse  demande  jugement  de  la  fraude,  tantost  sont 
seve?'ables,  e  jugement  en  est  tantost  rendable.  E  li 
vencuz  conoisse  sunt '  pecchie  en  audience  de  people,  ou  die 
lorrible  mot  de  c?'avent  en  noun  de  recreantise,  ou  li  pe 
senestre  li  soit  desarme  e  descovert  en  signe  de  recreantise, 
e  maintenant  soit  jugement  rendu  sur  le  principal. 


Corr.  sun. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  112 

called  J.  by  thy  right  name  of  baptism,  that  thou  art  per- 
jured, for  that  on  such  a  day  etc.  feloniously  didst  thou 
slay — or,  saidest  or  didst  such  a  thing  etc. 


Ch.  XXV.     The  Order  of  Combat.    . 

The  oaths  having  been  taken,  it  must  be  observed  that 
the  parties,  of  whatever  condition  they  may  be,  whether 
knights  or  others,  are  armed  according  to  the  ancient  usage. 
The  ancient  usage  as  to  armour  in  all  sorts  of  battles  is 
this  :  the  bodies  shall  be  armed  without  iron,  horn  or  whale- 
bone, and  the  heads,  necks  and  hands  shall  be  bare,  and  the 
reins,  thighs,  legs  and  feet  shall  be  armed  with  leather,  and 
each  shall  have  a  shield  of  leather  and  a  horned  baton  of  a 
certain  length. 

The  plaintiff  shall  come  to  his  post  facing  the  east,  and 
the  defendant  facing  the  west,  and  at  their  posts  they  shall 
swear  that  they  have  not  on  them  any  charm  or  deceit,  and 
that  they  have  eaten,  drunken  and  used  nothing  whereby 
the  truth  may  be  disturbed  or  abased  or  the  law  of  the 
devil  exalted,  so  help  them  God  and  the  holy  gospels. 
After  this  a  cry  shall  be  made  that  none  do  disturb  the 
battle  by  deed,  cry  or  noise,  upon  pain  of  corporal  punish- 
ment. And  thereupon  they  are  to  begin  their  strokes, 
and  if  the  defendant  can  defend  himself  until  the  sun 
goes  down  and  craves  judgment  of  the  plaintiff's  default, 
in  that  case  judgment  is  given  for  the  defendant.  And  if 
fraud  be  found  in  one  of  the  parties,  as  a  privy  weapon 
or  other  unallowable  thing,  and  his  adversary  craves 
judgment  of  the  fraud,  then  they  shall  at  once  be  separated 
and  judgment  shall  at  once  be  given.  And  if  the  vanquished 
confesses  his  sin  in  the  hearing  of  the  people,  or  says  the 
horrible  word  '  craven  '  in  sign  of  his  recreancy,  or  his  left 
foot  be  disarmed  and  uncovered  in  sign  of  his  recreancy, 
judgment  is  at  once  given  upon  the  principal  matter. 


113  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 


Ch.  XXVI.     Excepcion  de  personel  Trespaz. 

Quant  as  ^'^^soneles  trespas  tient  en  cas  lu  ceste  excep- 
cion— Sire  atort  me  plede  il  de  cest  trespas,  car  meme  cell 
enpleda  tiel  ou  tieux  devant  tieux  juges  en  tiel  lu  e  de 
meme  le  trespas  e  ne  mie  nust  ^  point  en  cele  pleinte,  e 
desicom  il  recovera  plein  damages  par  jugement  ver  ceaux 
adunqe  nomez  en  sa  pleinte,  e  ne  fet  ore  ceste  sieute  ver 
moi  si  noun  mes  qe  pur  damages  recovrir,  e  dreit  ne  donne 
mie  qe  len  recoevre  dubles  damages  pwr  sengles,  e  demang 
jugement  de  sa  accion. 

Quant  a  alienacions  e  occupacions  des  franchises  realea 
appendantes  a  la  dignitie  de  la  coroune,  ne  tenant  mie  lu 
voucher  a  garant,  ne  veuue  demander,  ne  title  de  prescnp- 
scion  de  tieux,  car  de  teles  dignitez  ne  poet  nul  estre  eide 
del  excepcion  de  longe  prescripscion,  einz  sunt  teles  avou- 
eries  de  longe  continuance  plus  contables  pwr  contumace 
de  tort  qe  loiales  excepcions,  desicum  nul  tens  nen  court  au 
Eoi  en  ses  franchises,  einz  use  le  Eoi  al  foer  denfant  qe  ne 
poez  perdre,  einz  coment  qe  chescun  pur  le  personel  trespas 
del  occupacion  apent  a  chescun  descuser  son  tort  fet  au 
Eoi  ou  a  autre,  e  ceo  purra  estre  en  .  ij  .  maneres :  ou  pur  ceo 
qe  son  auncestre  qi  heir  il  est  morust  seisi,  e  issi  lad  il  usie 
par  title  de  succession  cum  chose  annexe  a  son  fieu ;  ou 
pur  ceo  qe  tel  de  qi  il  purchaca  son  fieu  al  quel  tele  franchise 
appent  e  fu  seisi  tantcum  il  en  fu  possessour.  Mes  ceste 
excepcion  est  contrable  par  tele  replicacion — Sire  par  cest 
avouerie  ne  se  porra  il  mie  covrtr  nescuser,  car  tut  enfust 
tiel  son  predecessour  seisi,  il  neqedent  ne  poet  tele  franchise 
aliener,  car  les  Eois  ne  feffent  james  issi  qe  les  feffez  puis- 
sent  fere  assignez. 

>  Corr,  e  ne  moi  mist,    1642  and  Houard. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  118 


Ch.  XXVI.    Exceptions  in  cases  of  Personal  Trespass. 

As  to  personal  trespasses  this  exception  is  available : 
*  Sir,  wrongfully  he  impleads  me  for  this  trespass,  for  he 
himself  impleaded  another  or  others  before  such  and  such 
judges  at  such  a  place  for  the  same  trespass  and  said  nothing 
of  me  in  his  plaint ;  and  forasmuch  as  he  recovered  by  judg- 
ment full  damages  against  those  who  were  thus  named  in 
his  plaint,  and  now  is  only  bringing  this  suit  against  me 
to  recover  damages,  and  law  will  not  concede  that  one 
should  have  double  damages  for  one  wrong,  I  crave  judg- 
ment of  his  action.' 

As  regards  alienations  and  occupation  of  the  royal  fran- 
chises belonging  to  the  dignity  of  the  crown,  there  can  be 
no  voucher  to  warranty,  nor  demand  of  a  view,  nor  reliance 
on  a  title  by  prescription,  for  as  regards  these  dignities  no 
one  can  aid  himself  by  the  exception  of  long  prescription, 
but  such  avowries  of  long  continuance  are  rather  to  be 
reckoned  as  persistence  in  wrongdoing  than  as  lawful 
exceptions,  since  no  time  runs  against  the  king  in  his  fran- 
chises, but  the  king  is  treated  in  the  likeness  of  an  infant 
who  cannot  lose  [by  negligence]  ;  so  that  it  behoves  every 
person  to  excuse  himself  for  his  own  personal  trespass 
against  the  king  or  another  in  occupying  a  franchise  ;  and 
this  he  may  do  in  two  ways :  either  he  may  allege  that  his 
ancestor  whose  heir  he  is  died  seised,  so  that  he  has  used 
the  franchise  as  a  thing  annexed  to  his  fee ;  or  he  may 
allege  that  he  from  whom  he  purchased  his  fee  was  seised 
of  this  franchise  as  annexed  to  that  fee  so  long  as  he  wag 
in  possession.  But  this  exception  is  enoounterable  by  thie 
replication  : — *  Sir,  by  this  avowry  he  cannot  shield  or 
excuse  himself,  for  albeit  such  a  one  his  predecessor  was 
seised,  he  could  not  alienate  such  a  franchise,  for  kings 
never  make  feoffments  in  such  wise  that  their  feoffees  cau 
make  assigns.' 


« t 


114  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 


Ch.  XXVIl.    De  Purprestures. 

A  purprestures,  si  li  defendant  puisse  excuser  son  tort, 
ne  convendra  mie  qil  en  respoigne  sanz  bref  nient  plus  qe 
al  aecion  de  franchises,  ne  de  son  propre  tort  de  terre  ou  de 
fieu  ou  des  apurtenaunces  dever  autre  qe  dever  le  Eoi,  ne 
pur  le  Eoi  forqg  en  sa  presence.  E  si  li  tort  original  nen 
soit  mie  le  fet  le  defendant,  si  tient  lu  voucher  garant. 


Ch.  XXVIII.    De  Tresor  Trove. 

Alienacion  de  tresor  trove  purra  il  avouer  sil  en  soit 
privilege  Ou  auctorize,  ou  il  purra  dire  qe  il  meismes  li  y 
mist,  ou  tel  autre  ou  memoire  court,  par  unt  le  Eoi  ne  iad 
nule  aecion. 


Ch.  XXIX.    De  Wrek. 

Al  aecion  de  wrek  purra  il  dire  qe  li  Eoi  nen  ad  nul 
dreit  pwr  ceo  qe  Ian  de  lautri  aecion  nest  mie  uneore  passie, 
e  en  meme  la  manere  de  estrai,  de  weif,  e  de  tote  autre 
chose  trovee ;  ou  pur  ceo  qe  len  siet  a  qi  les  biens  estoient 
qest  en  pleine  vie,  ou  pur  ceo  les  biens  furent  pris  loinz  en 
la  meer  e  neseeient  mie  gete  a  terre  par  le  refoill  de  la 
meer. 


Ch.  XXX.     lUUsure.'] 

A  usure  porra  il  dire,  qe  tut  prestat  il  ses  blez  en  yver 
pwr  receivre  en  septembre  solom  ceo  qe  ble  se  vendroit  plus 
chir  en  mesn  tens,  ou  tut  prestat  il  ses  doners  pur  receivre 
ent  les  meillour  deintes  par  anees  pw  ceo  nest  il  mie 
usurer. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  114 


Ch.  XXVII.     Of  Purprestures. 

As  to  purprestures,  if  the  defendant  can  excuse  his  tort, 
he  need  not  answer  without  writ,  any  more  than  to  an 
action  for  franchises,  or  to  an  action  founded  on  some 
wrong  done  by  him  in  respect  of  land  or  fee  or  appur- 
tenances against  some  one  other  than  the  king,  not  even  at 
the  king's  command  unless  it  be  in  the  king's  presence. 
And  if  the  original  tort  [of  purpresture]  was  not  the  deed 
of  the  defendant,  then  there  may  be  voucher  to  warranty. 


Ch.  XXVIII.     Of  Treasure  Trove. 

An  alienation  of  treasure  trove  one  may  avow  if  one  has 
privilege  or  authority  in  the  matter,  or  one  may  say  that 
oneself  put  the  treasure  where  it  was  found,  or  some  one 
else  within  time  of  memory,  so  that  the  king  has  no  action. 

Ch.  XXIX.     Of  Wreck. 

In  an  action  of  wreck  he  may  say  that  the  king  has 
no  right,  for  that  the  year  given  to  the  other  [i.e.  the 
owner  of  wrecked  goods]  for  his  action,  is  not  yet  passed ; 
and  80  with  waif,  estray,  or  other  goods  lost  and  found ; 
or,  for  that  the  man  to  whom  the  goods  belonged  is  known 
and  alive ;  or,  for  that  the  goods  were  taken  far  out  at  sea 
and  were  not  thrown  on  the  land  by  the  tide. 

Ch.XXX.    [OfUsui-y.'] 

To  a  charge  of  usury  he  may  say  that  although  he  lent 
his  corn  in  the  winter  and  was  to  receive  in  September  the 
best  price  that  could  have  been  obtained  for  it  during  the 
mean  time ;  or,  although  he  lent  his  money  and  was  to 
receive  for  it  the  best  return  '  by  the  year — for  all  this,  he 
was  no  usurer. 

'  Translation  doubtful. 


115  DE  EXCEPCI0N9. 


Ch.  XXXI.    De  Chacer. 

As  accions  de  chace,  de  coure,  e  de  peschier  purra  il 
dire  qil  nad  nul  tort  fet,  car  cest  son  droit  de  chacer 
illoec  e  de  coure,  ou  est  sa  common  pescherie  apurtenant  a 
son  fieu  de  tel  lu. 


Ch.  XXXII.     De  Obligacion. 

Quant  a  obligacions,  purra  il  dire  qe  tut  soit  cele  obliga- 
cion son  fet  ele  neqedent  ne  li  deit  grever  cum  tele  qest 
viciouse,  ou  par  faus  supposcicion,  ou  pur  ceo  qe  li  defen- 
dant nen  ont  unt  nul  dener  ne  autre  chose  a  la  vaillaunce, 
ou  par  entremedlure  de  peschie  ou  de  malefei,  sicom  dist 
est  de  vicious  contractz  abatables,  ou  il  purra  allegger 
Boute  ou  quiteclamawce,  ou  plus  tardif  contract. 

A  gast,  ou  par  ceo  qil  nen  ad  rien  fet  qe  jugeable  soit 
a  gast,  ou  pur  ceo  qil  nen  ad  rien  pris  forqe  renables 
estovers  par  li  housbote  e  heibote,  ou  il  purra  clamer  fie 
et  tenement  par  ascun  loial  title. 

Ch.  XXXIII.     De  Atteinte. 

Si  ascune  partie  die  qe  jurours  eient  fet  faus  serement 
en  ascune  juree,  uncore  socurt  dreit  a  pleintifs  par  accion 
datteinte  qe  fet  aprendre  par  xxiiij.  jurours,  si  qe  chescun 
tesmoin  faus  seit  atteint  de  ij.  jurours.  En  que  cas  si  lea 
primers  jurours  de '  latteinte  bosoigne  al  actour  aver 
present  souz  le  seal  le  Roi,  ou  de  la  partie,  ou  del  juge,  le 
partes  ^  del  plee  e  qe  il  die  en  quel  point  il  unt  fet  faus 
serement ;  ou  li  tenant  purra  dire  qe  lactour  ne  deit  estre 
respondre  a  cele  atteinte  par  la  reson  qe  li  premer  juge- 
ment  nad  mie  uncore  plein  effect,  pur  ceo  qe  le  principal 
en  tut  ou  en  partie,  ou  endroit  de  la  satisfaction  de  damages 
remeint  uncore  a  fornir.  Autres  excepcions  sunt  qwant  a 
chalenger  les  persones  des  jurours,  eicom  piert  en  cest 
chapitre  suant. 

'  dinient  (Houard).  *  procet  1 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  115 

Ch.XXXI.     Of  Hunting. 

To  actions  for  hunting,  coursing  or  fishing  he  can  say 
that  he  has  done  no  injury,  because  it  was  his  right  to 
hunt  and  course  there,  or  because  it  was  his  common 
fishery  appendant  to  his  fee  in  such  a  place. 

Ch.  XXXII.     Of  Obligation. 

As  to  obligations,  he  can  say  that  although  this  obliga- 
tion is  his  deed,  it  cannot  charge  him,  being  one  that  is 
vicious,  or  founded  on  a  false  supposal,  or  because  he  has 
received  no  penny  or  other  thing  by  way  of  equivalent,  or 
because  of  an  intermixture  of  sin  or  bad  faith,  as  has  been 
said  above  about  contrapts  that  are  abateable  as  vicious  ; 
or  he  can  allege  payment  or  quit-claim,  or  a  later  contract. 

In  a  case  of  waste  [he  may  say]  that  he  has  done  nothing 
which  can  be  adjudged  waste,  or  that  he  has  taken  nothing 
beyond  reasonable  estovers  for  his  housebote  and  haybote, 
or  he  may  claim  a  fee  in  the  tenement  by  some  lawful 
title. 

Ch.  XXXIII.     Of  Attaint. 

If  either  party  say  that  the  jurors  in  any  jury  have 
made  false  oath,  the  law  will  succour  the  plaintiff  by  an 
action  of  attaint,  which  must  be  taken  before  twenty-four 
jurors,  so  that  each  false  witness  may  be  attainted  by  two 
jurors.  In  which  case  if  the  first  jurors  [contest  the 
falsity  of  their  oath],  it  behoves  the  plaintiff  to  have  pre- 
sent under  the  seal  of  the  king,  or  of  the  party,  or  of  the 
judge,  the  process  of  the  plea  and  to  say  in  what  particular 
they  swore  falsely ;  or  else  the  tenant  may  say  that  the 
plaintiff  should  not  be  answered  in  this  attaint  because  the 
former  judgment  has  not  yet  taken  full  effect,  because  the 
principal  matter  in  whole  or  in  part,  or  as  regards  the 
satisfaction  of  damages,  has  yet  to  be  executed.  Other 
exceptions  there  are  which  go  to  challenge  the  persons  of 
the  jurors,  as  will  appear  iu  the  following  chapter. 


116  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 


Ch.  XXXIV.     Ordenance  datteinte. 

Pur  ceo  qe  al  actour  appent  a  prover  sa  accion,  e  al 
affermant  sa  affirmacion  e  ne  mie  al  niant  sa  negation,  e  ij, 
tesmoins  covenables  soluw  le  dit  dieu  suffisent  a  chescun 
tesmoinage,  voellent  nos  usages  qe  la  partie  affirmative 
face  venir  par  leide  de  la  court  les  plus  covenables  veisins 
en  tesmoignage,  tant  qe  une  juree  se  puisse  fere  al  meins 
de  xij.  hommes,  par  certein  assise  a  ceo  ordene  dantiquite, 
des  queux  si  deux  hommes  soient  p«r  plain  verdit  ^  de  eus 
e  des  autres  jurours  ou  par  bon  examinement  si  trestuz 
les  jurours  par  cas  ne  soient  mie  de  .  j  .  assent  troeve 
covenables  suffit  e  si  noun  ou  si  les  jurours  dient  touz 
gene?-alment  qil  rien  nen  soievent,  ou  soient  en  doute,  ou  sil 
ne  dient  mie  expressement  contre  le  defendaunt,  ou  sil 
dient  pwr  le  defendant,  en  tieux  cas  fet  a  juger  contre 
lactour  ne  proeve  mie  suffisaument  son  dit.  E  tut  voille  li 
defendaunt  retorner  a  autre  defense  a  ceo  niert  point 
rescevables.  Contre  ^  jurours  tenent  lu  chalenges  sicom 
countre  tesmoins,  en  cest  manere — *  Sire,  cist  nest  mie 
covenable,  pur  ceo  qil  est  .  j  .  de  ceus  qe  menditent  de  cnm 
mortel  si  qe  en  li  ne  remeint  qe  jeo  ne  fuisse  destrite,  e  issi 
mest  il  mortel  enemi,  ou  pur  ascun  autre  cas  de  enemiste, 
ou  pur  ceo  qil  est  escomenge  ou  enditee  ou  appelie  de  mortel 
felonie,  ou  pur  ceo  qil  est  ^  a  la  fei  le  Eoi,  ou  pur  ceo  qil 
estoit  autre  foiz  atteint  de  faus  serement,  ou  de  faus 
tesmoinage ;  ou  tele  corporele  penaunce  soffri  par  son 
pecche  ou  autrement  est  infamis,  ou  pur  ceo  qil  est  familler 
ou  coein  ou  parent  ou  lallie  ou  affin  de  la  partie  adverse, 


'  soient    contraints    en    verdict  stands  gives  nothing  like  this. 
(Houard).     Brunner  has  suggested  *  In   the   margin,  Excepcions  e 

'  contraires    en    verdict'    (Schwur-  cJialengcs  countre  cestes. 
gericht,  p.  370),    But  the  text  as  it  '  Corr.  n'est. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS. 


116 


Ch.  XXXIV.     The  Order  of  an  Attaint. 

For  that  it  is  the  plaintiff's  duty  to  prove  his  action, 
and  the  affirmer  must  prove .  his  affirmative,  not  the  denier 
his  negative,  and  according  to  the  word  of  God  two  proper 
witnesses  are  sufficient  for  every  testimony,  our  usages 
decree  that  the  affirming  party  shall  by  the  aid  of  the  court 
cause  to  come  the  fittest  of  the  neighbours  as  witnesses,  so 
that  a  jury  may  be  formed  of  at  least  twelve  men,  as  has 
been  ordained  by  an  ancient  assize,  and  if  two  of  these 
men  are  by  the  full  verdict  of  themselves  and  the  other 
jurors,  or  (in  case  all  the  jurors  are  not  of  one  opinion) 
then  by  good  examination  of  all  the  jurors,  found  to  be  fit 
witnesses,'  this  is  sufficient,  and  if  this  be  not  so,  or  if  the 
jurors  say  quite  generally  that  they  know  nothing  or  are 
in  doubt,  or  if  they  do  not  find  expressly  against  the  de- 
fendant, or  if  they  find  for  the  defendant,  in  such  cases 
judgment  must  be  given  against  the  plaintiff,  since  he  has 
not  proved  his  assertion.  And  although  the  defendant  may 
wish  to  have  recourse  to  some  other  defence,  he  is  not  to  be 
received  to  this. 

Challenges  may  be  made  against  jurors,  as  against 
witnesses,  in  this  manner  : — *  Sir,  such  an  one  is  not  a  fit 
juror,  for  he  is  one  of  those  who  indicted  me  of  mortal 
crime,  so  that  if  I  was  not  destroyed  I  owe  him  no  thanks 
for  that,  and  thus  he  is  my  mortal  enemy : '  or  some  other 
cause  of  enmity  may  be  named — or  *  because  he  is  excom- 
municate or  indicted  or  appealed  of  mortal  felony ; '  or, 
*  because  he  is  not  in  the  king's  faith — or,  has  been  pre- 
viously attainted  of  a  false  oath,  or  of  false  witness — or,  has 
suffered  such  and  such  a  corporal  punishment  through  his 
sin — or,  is  otherwise  infamous— or,  is  the  famiUar,  the 
cousin  or  kinsman  of  the  adverse  party  or  connected  with 


'  This  is  the  only  translation 
that  we  can  give  without  suggesting 
large  emendations.  The  author, 
who  has  just  referred  to  the  canonical 
rule  about  two  witnesses,  seems  to 
require  that  there  shall  be  among 


the  twelve  jurors  two  men  who  are 
proved,  by  the  opinion  of  their  fel- 
lows or  by  an  examination  made  by 
the  judge,  to  be  witnesses  of  the  fact 
in  dispute.  But  the  passage  may 
be  corrupt. 


117  DE  EXCEPCI0N8. 

ou  pur  ceo  qil  est  serf  ou  autrement  en  garde,  ou  pur  ceo  qil 
est  Ion  vie,*  ou  procurie,  ou  tenant  ladversaire,  ou  pur  ceo 
qil  est  femme,  ou  pur  ceo  qil  fu  utlagie,  ou  pur  ceo  qil  forjura 
le  reaume,  ou  pur  ceo  qil  se  procura  destre  en  la  juree,  ou 
pur  ceo  qil  est  dedenz  age,  ou  pur  ceo  qil  est  lunatic  ou 
frenetic.  E  plusours  autres  excepcions  de  challenges  sunt 
allouables,  des  queles  si  ascun  soit  dedite,  soit  si  chaleng 
trie  par  covenables  jurours,  e  solom  le  triement,  seit  le 
jurour  rescieu  ou  rebote.  E  si  nule  juree  ne  se  puisse  fere 
a  une  foiz  par  defaute  de  jurours  se  face  a  autre. 

Ch.  XXXV.     De  Serementfere. 

Seremenz  varient  en  plusours  maneres  dunt  li  principal 
serement  est  de  feaute  qe  est  annex  a  chescun  homage 
issant  de  fieu,  e  ascun  foiz  ist  li  serement  de  feautie  de 
reseantise  e  demoere  en  autri  fieu,  e  ascune  foiz  en  autri 
service.  Li  serement  de  feautie  ceo  fet  en  cestes  ^  paroles — 
Jeo  porterai  fei  a  tel  Eei  par  nom  de  vie  e  de  menbre  e  de 
terrien  honour  sur  touz  tieux  qe  vivre  porrent  et  morer,  de 
cest  jour  en  avant  si  meit  deux  e  les  seintes  evangires. 


Ch.  XXXVI.     [De  Homage.'] 

Homage  se  fet  en  cestes  paroles :  Jeo  deviengai  voire 
homme  de  tiel  fieu,  issi  qe  tote  la  quantite  soit  moteie  e 
especefie  e  certein,  par  quoi  li  seignur  sache  cuwben  e  quoi 
il  dout  garanter  a  son  tenant,  e  de  combien  il  oblige  son 
fieu  a  la  garantie,  e  qe  li  tenant  sache  de  cumbien  il  devient 
son  homme. 


Ch.  XXXVII.     [Feautie  annex  a  Homage."] 

Li  serement  de  feautie  annex  a  homage  se  fet  en  cestes 
paroles — Jeo  porterai  fei  a  tel  par  now  de  vie  e  de  menbre 
ecet.  tant  cum  jeo  en  serrai  soun  tenant,  sur  tuz  ceux  ecet., 
'  Corr.  homme  1642  and  Houard.  *  en  cestes  repeated  in  MS. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  117 

him  by  alliance  or  aflSnity — or,  is  a  serf  or  otherwise  in 
ward — or,  is  [hired]  or  procured  by  or  the  tenant  of  my 
adversary — or,  is  a  woman — or,  was  outlawed  or  has  abjured 
the  realm — or,  has  procured  himself  to  be  on  the  jury — 
or,  is  within  age,  or  lunatic  or  frantic'  And  many  other 
exceptions  by  way  of  challenge  are  allowable,  and  if  these 
be  denied,  the  challenge  shall  be  tried  by  fit  and  proper 
jurors,  and  according  to  this  trial  the  juror  shall  be  received 
or  repelled.  And  if  for  want  of  jurors  a  jury  cannot  be 
taken  at  one  time,  it  must  be  taken  at  another. 

Ch.  XXXV.     Of  Oaths. 

Oaths  vary  in  divers  ways.  The  chief  is  the  oath  of 
fealty  which  is  annexed  to  every  homage  issuing  from  a  fee, 
and  sometimes  the  oath  of  fealty  issues  from  a  residence  or 
dwelling  on  the  fee  of  another,  and  sometimes  from  a  re- 
tainer in  the  service  of  another.  The  oath  of  fealty  is  in 
these  words : — *  I  will  bear  faith  to  such  a  king  of  life, 
member  and  worldly  worship  against  all  those  who  can  live 
and  die,  from  this  day  forward,  so  help  me  God  and  the 
holy  gospels.' 

Ch.  XXXVI.     [Of  Homage.] 

Homage  is  done  in  these  words : — *  I  become  your  man 
of  such  a  fee,'  so  that  the  quantity  of  the  fee  be  expressed 
and  specified  and  certain,  and  the  lord  may  know  how 
much  and  in  what  manner  he  must  warrant  to  his  tenant, 
and  to  how  much  he  obliges  his  fee  by  the  warranty,  and 
the  tenant  may  know  for  how  much  he  becomes  his  lord's 
man. 

Ch.  XXXVII.     [Fealty  annexed  to  Homage.'] 

The  oath  of  fealty  annexed  to  homage  is  in  these 
words  : — '  I  will  bear  faith  to  such  an  one  (naming  him)  of 
life  and  member  etc.  so  long  as  I  shall  be  his  tenant, 
against  all  those  etc.,  saving  my  faith  to  the  oath  that  I  have 


118  DE  EXCEPCIONS. 

sauve  ma  fei  al  serement  qe  jai  fet  a  tel  Eoi.  E  si  jeo  eie 
jure  feaute  a  autres  qe  au  Eoi,  adunqe  issi,  sauve  ma  fei 
qe  jai  jure  au  Eoi  e  a  mes  autres  seignurages.  E  si  li 
homagez  soit  fet  au  Eei,  ou  a  autre,  a  qi  le  tenant  eit  avant 
jurie  feautie,  en  teux  cas  ne  covendra  mie  autrefoiz  jurer 
feautie,  si  lalliance  neit  estie  rompue  par  ascun  cas. 


Ch.  XXXVIII.     Common  Serementz. 

Communs  serementz  se  funt  en  cestes  paroles — Jeo  veoir 
dirrai  de  ceo  qe  wous  me  demandrez  de  cele  chose  si  meit 
dieux  ecet.  Les  seremenz  en  assizes  se  font  en  cestes 
paroles  : — Jeo  voir  dirrat  del  fieu  dunt  jeo  ai  la  veuue  fete 
par  lauctorite  de  ceste  assise — ou  del  fieu  dunt  laccion  de 
ceste  redesseisine  est  ajrramie — ou  de  la  pasture  e  del  fieu — 
ou  de  la  nusance,  ou  del  mur,  ou  del  fossie,  ou  del  estanc,  ou 
del  euue,  ou  del  eglise,  ou  de  la  rente,  ou  del  fieu  oblie — e 
pur  rien  ne  lerrai  qe  voir  rien  dirrai  ecet. 

De  vie  e  de  menbre  e  de  terrein  honur  voet  a  tant  cu?7i 
qe  il  ne  serrai  jammes  assentant  qe  li  Eoi  ou  son  autre 
seignur  eu  damage  de  sa  vie  ne  de  nul  de  ces  menbres, 
nen  assentera  qe  sa  honur  soit  de  rien  defame  en  poer  nen 
fame. 

Ch.  XXXIX.    De  Aeorder. 

Pees  ne  aeord  ne  defent  nul  droit,  par  unt  bien  list 
a  chescun  dacorder  a  son  adversaire  e  relesser  e  quitclamer 
son  droit  e  sa  accion :  pus  ceo  neqedent  qe  ascun  aura 
affermee  e  attame  sa  personele  accion  dunt  infamie  est 
surdant  ne  purr  a  nul  apeeser  del  congie  le  juge,  coment  qil 
se  pusse  sustrere,  car  chescun  actour  daccion  infamant  qe 
natteint  son  adversaire  solom  ceo  qil  ad  atthache  sa  pleinte 
est  jugeable  infamis,  al  foer  qe  son  adversaire  serreit  sil  en 
fust  atteint.    En  favour  neqedent  de  sauver  hom??ie  de  la 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  118 

made  to  such  a  king.'  And  if  I  have  already  sworn  fealty 
to  others  than  the  king,  then  I  must  say  thus : — *  saving 
my  faith  which  I  have  sworn  to  the  king  and  to  my  other 
lords.'  And  if  homage  is  to  be  done  to  the  king  or  to 
another  to  whom  the  tenant  has  already  sworn  fealty,  it  is 
needless  to  swear  fealty  again,  unless  the  alliance  has  been 
broken  for  some  cause  or  another. 

Ch.  XXXVIII.    Common  Oaths. 

Common  oaths  are  made  in  these  words : — *  I  will  speak 
truth  of  that  which  you  shall  ask  of  me  about  such  a 
matter,  so  help  me  God  etc'  Oaths  in  assizes  are  made 
in  these  words  : — *  I  will  speak  truth  concerning  the  fee  of 
which  I  have  had  a  view  by  the  authority  of  this  assize — or, 
concerning  the  fee  about  which  this  action  of  redisseisin  is 
summoned — or,  of  the  pasture  and  fee — or,  of  the  nuisance, 
wall,  ditch,  pond,  water-course,  church,  rent — or,  of  the  fee 
burdened  with  the  right  in  question — and  for  naught  will  I 
let  to  tell  the  truth  etc' 

The  words  *  of  life  and  member  and  worldly  worship ' 
mean  that  he  will  never  assent  that  the  king  or  his  other 
lord  shall  have  damage  in  life  or  in  member,  or  that  his 
honour  shall  in  any  wise  be  diminished  in  power  or  fame. 

Ch.  XXXIX.     Of  Accords. 

No  law  forbids  peace  and  accord,  and  therefore  every- 
one may  agree  with  his  adversary  and  release  and  quit- 
claim his  right  and  his  action.  Nevertheless,  so  soon  as 
one  has  affirmed  and  entered  a  personal  action  which  im- 
ports infamy,  he  cannot  make  peace  without  the  leave  of 
the  judge,  though  he  may  *  subtract '  himself  from  hia 
action,  for  every  plaintiff  in  an  action  that  imports  infamy, 
if  he  does  not  attaint  his  adversary  according  to  the  words 
of  the  plaint  that  he  has  raised,  may  be  adjudged  infamous, 
just  as  his  adversary  would  have  been  had  he  been  attainted. 
However,  in  order  to  save  from  death  men  who  are  not 


119  DE  EXCEPCI0N3. 

mort  qi  nen  est  mie  atteint  de  pecche  mortel  est  sufifert  qe 
advcrses  parties  sacordent  apres  batailles  gagees,  lune  des 
parties  neqedent  remeint  infamis. 

Apeser  ne  poet  nul  qe  ne  seit  del  age  de  xxj.  an  ou  de 
plus,  ne  nul  qest  en  garde,  ne  nul  par  attornee.  En  garde 
sunt  serfs,  femmes  espouses,  proffes  de  religion,  enfanz 
dedenz  lage  de  xiiij.  ans,  heirs  foxnastres,  heirs,  sourz  e 
muz,  heirs  meseaux,  e  ceux  qi  sunt  en  prison  e  par 
meinprise,  e  femwes  qe  sunt  en  la  garde  de  lur  avoe  en  qi 
mariages  eles  sont. 


OF  EXCEPTIONS.  119 

attainted  of  mortal  sin,  the  parties  are  suffered  to  make 
accord  after  battle  has  been  waged,  but  one  of  them  will 
remain  infamous. 

No  one  can  make  accord  who  is  not  of  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years  or  upwards,  no  one  who  is  in  ward,  no 
one  by  attorney.  In  ward  are  serfs,  married  women,  those 
professed  in  religion,  infants  within  the  age  of  fourteen 
years,  heirs  who  are  born  fools,  heirs  who  are  deaf  and 
dumb,  heirs  who  are  lepers,  those  who  are  in  prison  or  under 
mainprise,  and  women  who  are  in  ward  to  the  '  advocates ' 
who  have  the  right  to  give  them  in  marriage. 


120 


LIBER  IV.     DE   JUGEMENT. 


1.  De  jugement. 

2.  Ordenaunce  de  jugement. 

3.  De  jurediccion. 

4.  Defautes  punisables. 

5.  De  defautes. 

6.  De  personele  accion. 

7.  De  defaute  de  real  accion. 

8.  Des  accions  mixtes. 

9.  De  plegge  e  meinpernour. 

10.  De  defautes  apres  somonses. 

11.  De  champeon. 

12.  De  peynes. 

13.  De  infams. 

14.  De  majestic. 


15.  De  arson. 

16.  De  jugement  domicide. 

17.  De  peines  en  divers  manerea 

18.  De  faux  justices. 

19.  De  perjurie. 

20.  De  office  des  justices  en  eire. 

21.  Des  articles  en  eire. 

22.  Des  fraunchises. 

23.  De  satisfaccion  de  dette 

24.  Gas  de  deseisine. 

25.  De  amerciement. 

26.  Damerciement  taxable. 

27.  Doffice  des  justices  en  eire 


120 


BOOK  IV.     OF  JUDGMENT. 


1.  Of  judgment. 

2.  The  order  of  judgment. 

3.  Of  jurisdiction. 

4.  Of  punishable  defaults. 

5.  Of  defaults. 

6.  Of  personal  actions. 

7.  Of  defaults  in  a  real  action. 

8.  Of  mixed  actions. 

9.  Of  pledges  and  mainpernors. 

10.  Of  defaults  after  summons. 

11.  Of  a  champion. 

12.  Of  punishments. 

13.  Of  the  infamous. 

14.  Of  laesa  majcstas. 


15.  Of  arson. 

16.  Of  the  judgment  of  homicide. 

17.  Of  various  kinds  of  punishment. 

18.  Of  false  justices. 

19.  Of  perjury. 

20.  Of  the  oflSce  of  justices  in  eyre. 

21.  The  articles  of  the  eyre. 

22.  Of  franchises. 

23.  Of  the  satisfaction  of  debts. 

24.  Disseisin. 

25.  Of  amercements. 

26.  Of  taxable  amercements. 

27.  Of  the  office  of  justices  in  eyre. 


R 


121  *  DE  JUGEMENT. 


LIBER   IV. 

DE   JUGEMENT. 

Ch,  I.    D&  Jugement. 

La  flur  e  la  necessaire  de  lei  depent  en  seint  jugement, 
sanz  quel  lei  ne  poet  prendre  effect  ne  due  fin.  E  pur  ceo 
fet  descendre  as  jugemewz,  qe  ne  sunt  mie  en  tuz  poinz  ici 
solom  la  reddour  del  veil  testament  e  les  usages  uses  par 
Moisen  e  les  prophetes  avant  la  incarnacion  dieu,  einz 
isunt  solom  mitigacion  e  la  temprure  de  grace  e  de  verite 
de  merci  e  de  dreit,  qe  dieu  memes  usa  en  terve  e  comanda 
de  user  el  nouvel  testament  e  qe  ces  apostres  e  lur  succes- 
sours  unt  usez  pus  sa  incarnacion  en  ca,  e  solom  les 
jugemenz  des  auncienes  sages  en  pleez  tochanz  les  usagez 
de  cest  reaume. 


Ch.  II.     Ordenaunce  de  Jugement. 

Jugement  vient  de  juresdicion  qest  la  plus  grant  dignite 
qe  apent  al  Eoi,  e  sont  ij  maneres  de  juresdiccion  ordenaire 
e  assigne.  Ordenaire  ad  chescun  si  pecchie  ne  la  li  toille, 
car  chescun  poet  juger  son  proene  solom  les  seintes  riules 
de  droit.  Mes  cele  juresdiccion  est  ore  restreinte  par  poir 
des  Rois,  en  tant  qe  nul  nad  poer  a  tenir  plee  des  trespas 
ou  de  dette,  qe  passe  xl  s.  forqe  le  Roi,  ne  nul  nad  poer  a 
conustre  de  fieu  sanz  bref ;  a  chescun  neqedent  list  doccire 
les  mortieux  peccheours  ou  les  troez  a  meinoevre  fesanz 
lur  pecchie  par  bon  tesmoignage,  par  garant  de  jurisdiction 


OF  JUDGMENT.  121 


BOOK    IV. 

OF  JUDGMENT. 

Ch.  I.     Of  Judgment. 

The  flower  and  the  essence  of  the  law  are  to  be  found 
in  holy  judgment,  without  which  the  law  cannot  take  effect 
or  attain  its  due  end.  And  therefore  we  must  pass  to  judg- 
ments. And  these  are  not  [to  be  pronounced]  'altogether 
according  to  the  rigour  of  the  Old  Testament  and  the  usages 
that  were  used  by  Moses  and  the  prophets  before  the  In- 
carnation of  God,  but  with  mitigation  and  temperament  of 
grace  and  truth,  of  mercy  and  right,  such  as  God  Himself 
used  upon  earth,  and  in  the  New  Testament  commanded  to 
be  used,  and  such  as  the  apostles  and  their  successors  have 
used  since  the  incarnation,  and  according  to  the  judgments 
of  the  wise  men  of  old  in  pleas  touchiiig  the  usages  of  this 
realm. 

Ch.  II.     The  Order  of  Judgment. 

Judgment  springs  from  jurisdiction,  which  is  the  highest 
dignity  belonging  to  the  king.  And  there  are  two  kinds  of 
jurisdiction — ordinary  and  delegate.  Ordinary  jurisdiction 
has  everyone  who  is  not  deprived  of  it  by  sin,  for  everyone 
may  judge  his  neighbour  according  to  the  holy  rules  of 
right.  But  this  jurisdiction  is  now  restrained  by  the  power 
of  kings,  so  that  none  but  the  king  has  power  to  hold  plea 
of  trespass  or  debt,  if  it  exceeds  forty  shillings,  and  no  one 
can  have  cognisance  of  fee  without  writ ;  but  still  it  is 
lawful  for  everyone  to  slay  mortal  sinners  where,  having 
good  testimony,  he  finds  them  in  the  very  act  of  their  sin. 

Mi 


122  DE  JUGEMENT. 

ordenaire,  le  quel  lea  peccheours  clers  ou  lais,  de  non  age 
de  plein  age,  e  tuz  autres  de  quele  condicion  qil  soient. 
E  en  tieux  cas  sunt  tieux  pecches  appellez  notoires  pecchez. 
Deus  maneres  sunt  de  notoritie,  notoire  de  fet  e  notoire  de 
droit.  Notoire  de  fet,  est  ou  nul  contredit  ne  tien  lu  ne 
nul  juree  nad  mestre  pur  se  se  testmoinage  *  del  poeple. 
Notoire  de  dreit  est  ou  les  peccheours  sunt  atteinz  de  lur 
pecchiez  par  lur  gehir,  ou  par  jurees  des  tesmoigns,  ou 
autrement  en  jugement.  Ceste  juresdiction  ne  poet  nul 
clamer  pa?'  assignacion. 

E  juresdiccion  assigne  est  cele  qe  li  Eoi  assigne  par  ces 
commissions  de  ces  briefs,  car  sanz  biref  ne  poet  il  mie  de 
droit  assigner  nule  juresdiccion  si  noun  en  presence  e  par 
lassent  des  parties.  Juresdiccion  ne  poet  nul  assigner  forqe 
le  Eoi,  e  .ceo  est  pur  ceo  qil  ne  suffitz  mie  sanz  eide  a 
porter  le  charge  qe  a  li  apent  a  punir  les  trespassours  e  de 
assoudre  les  peccheours  qil  ad  a  governer.  E  issi  ordene- 
rent  nous  aunciens  .  j  .  seal  e  .  j  .  chaunceller  pur  le  gardir, 
e  pur  doner  brefs  remediares  a  tuz  pleintifs  sanz  donger.^ 

Es  briefs  soleient  estre  de  ceste  assise  :  il  furent  sanz 
rasture,  sanz  entreligneire,  sanz  faus  latin,  sans  usuele 
transposicion,  e  sanz  chescun  vice  de  parchemin  de  encre 
e  de  lettre,  e  escriz  de  note  engleche,  de  mein  notaire  conu 
pM,r  familler  de  la  Chanceller.  E  soloit  contenir  les  nouns 
des  parties,  e  la  substaunce  de  la  pleinte  e  le  noun  del  juge 
e  le  noun  del  Eoi,  ou  dautre  tesmoin  del  brief,  qe  ascune 
foiz  fu  escrit  al  seignur  del  fieu,  ascune  foiz  as  baillifs, 
ascune  foiz  as  Justices  del  banc,  ascune  foiz  as  Justices  en 
eire,  e  ascune  foiz  as  genz  nomeez,  e  ascune  foiz  nient 
nomeez  sicom  as  baillifs,  justices,  e  viscontes ;  e  soloit 
chescun  pleintif  aver  commission  a  son  juge  par  bref  patent 
avantdit.     E  ore   poent  justices,  viscountes,  e  lur    clers 


a  cause  du  tesimonage.    Houard.  ^  delay.    1642  and  Houard. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  122 

and  this  is  warranted  by  his  ordinary  jurisdiction,  be  the 
sinners  clerks  or  lay,  within  age  or  over  age,  and  all  others 
of  whatever  condition  they  be.  In  such  cases  the  sins  are 
called  notorious  sins.  Of  notoriety  there  are  two  kinds — 
notoriety  in  fact,  and  notoriety  in  law.  Notoriety  in  fact : 
this  is  where  no  denial  is  possible  and  there  is  need  of  no 
jury  by  reason  of  the  testimony  of  the  people.  Notoriety 
in  law  :  this  is  where  the  sinners  are  attainted  of  their  sin 
by  confession  or  by  jurors  who  bear  testimony,  or  otherwise 
in  court.  Jurisdiction  of  this  kind  no  one  can  claim  by 
assignment. 

Assigned  [or  delegated]  jurisdiction  is  that  which  the 
king  assigns  by  the  commissions  of  his  writs,  for  without 
writ  he  cannot  lawfully  assign  any  jurisdiction,  unless  it  be 
in  the  presence  and  with  the  assent  of  the  parties.  No  one 
can  assign  jurisdiction  but  the  king,  and  he  may  do  this 
because  he  is  not  able  to  bear  without  assistance  the  charge 
that  belongs  to  him  for  the  punishment  of  the  trespassers 
and  the  absolution  of  the  sinners  whom  he  has  to  govern. 
And  therefore  our  forefathers  ordained  a  seal  and  a  chan- 
cellor to  keep  it  and  to  grant  remedial  writs  to  all  plaintiffs 
without  [charge]. 

Writs  used  to  be  of  this  fashion  :  they  were  without 
rasure,  interlineation  or  false  Latin,  without  transposition,* 
without  any  flaw  in  the  parchment,  in  the  ink,  or  the 
writing,  and  they  were  written  in  English  characters  in  a 
hand  well-known  as  that  of  the  Chancery.  And  they  con- 
tained the  names  of  the  parties,  the  substance  of  the  plaint, 
the  name  of  the  judge,  and  the  name  of  the  king  or  other 
the  witness  to  the  writ.  Sometimes  they  were  addressed 
to  the  lord  of  the  fee,  sometimes  to  the  bailifif,  sometimes 
to  the  justices  of  the  bench,  sometimes  to  the  justices  in 
eyre,  sometimes  to  men  whose  names  were  given,  sometimes 
to  men  whose  names  were  not  given,  but  who  were  addressed 
as  bailiffs,  justices,  or  sTieriffs ;  and  every  plaintiff  had  a 
commission  to  his  judge  by  writ  patent  as  aforesaid.  And 
now  justices,  sheriffs,  and  their  clerks  can  falsify  and  sup- 

'  Wc  cannot  translate  the  itsuelc  of  the  text. 


123  DE  JUGEMENT. 

forger  brefs  e  retrere,  perdre,  amender  e  empeirer  sanz 
ape?-tenaunce  ou  peyne,  pur  les  briefs  qe  se  funt  clos  par 
abusion  de  droit.  Par  cele  seal  soulement  est  juresdiccion 
assignable  a  touz  plemtifs  sanz  diflficultie;  e  de  ceo  fere 
est  li  chaunceller  chargeable  par  serement  en  alleggeaunce 
del  charge  le  Koi  qil  vendra  delaera  ne  veera  droit  ne  brief 
remedial  a  nul. 


Ch.  III.    De  Jurediccion. 

Jurediccion  est  poer  a  dire  dreit.  Cele  poer  dona  deux 
a  Moysen  e  eel  poer  unt  ceaux  qi  tenent  ore  son  lu  en 
terre,  sicom  lapostoill  e  lempereur,  e  de  souz  euz  tient  ore 
le  Eoi  cele  poer  en  son  reaume. 

Li  Eoi  par  lauctorite  de  sa  dignitie  fet  eel '  justices  en 
divers  degrez  e  limite  chescun  poer,  e  ceo  en  div^rses 
maneres,  ascune  foiz  en  certein  especialment  sicom  en 
commissions  de  menues  assises,  ascune  foiz  en  certein 
generalment  sicom  est  des 'commissions  des  justices  errawtes, 
e  des  chiefs  justices  tenaunz  les  pleez  le  roi,  e  as  justices 
del  banc  as  queux  poer  est  donie  doir  e  a  te?'miner  les  fins 
nient  tenues,  les  grantz  assizes,  les  translacions  des  pies  e 
les  droiz  le  roi  e  de  la  royne  de  ces  fieus,  e  les  paroles  de 
briefs  le  Roi  ou  il  Hunt  nomez  generalment  e  ou  especial- 
ment. Estre  ceo  unt  les  barons  del  escheqer  jurediccion 
Bur  les  recevours  e  les  baillis  le  Eoi  e  sur  alienacions  des 
fieus  e  droiz  appendaunz  au  Eoi  e  al  droit  de  sa  coroune. 
Ascune  foiz  est  jurec^iccion  done  as  viscountes  par  autri 
defautes,  sicom  piert  el  brief  de  droit  qe  dist  E  si  \ous 
nel  tiegnez  a  droit  le  viscount  del  pais  ferra ;  ascune  foiz 
par  ceux  qi  unt  retourn  de  brefs  retornables.  Ascune  foiz 
accrest  jurediccion  as  justices  del  banc  par  remeuemenz 
des  paroles  hors  des  contiez  requis  ^  par  devaunt  les  ditz 
justiciers,  e  ascune  foix  par  fere  recordir  les  paroles  vivees  ^ 


'  Corr.  ses.  '  Corr.  jesqties. 

*  tenues,  Houard ;  corr.  7noves  or  mtiea  ? 


OF  JUDGMENT.  123 

press  and  lose  and  amend  and  impair  writs  without  dis- 
covery or  punishment,  because  the  writs  now  are  close 
writs  by  an  abuse  of  the  law.  And  by  the  said  seal  only  is 
jurisdiction  assignable  to  all  plaintiffs,  and  no  difficulty 
should  be  made  ;  and  the  chancellor  is  charged  to  do  this, 
by  oath  upon  his  allegiance,  for  he  is  charged  by  the  king 
that  he  will  not  sell  or  delay  or  deny  remedial  writ  to  any- 
one. 

Ch.  III.     Of  Jurisdiction. 

Jurisdiction  is  the  power  jus  dicere.  This  power  God 
gave  to  Moses,  and  this  power  have  those  who  now  hold 
His  place  upon  earth,  such  as  the  pope  and  the  emperor, 
and  beneath  them  the  king  has  now  this  power  in  his  realm. 

The  king  by  the  authority  of  his  dignity  makes  his 
justices  in  divers  degrees  and  limits  to  each  his  power,  and 
this  in  various  ways,  sometimes  for  one  special  case,  as  in 
the  commissions  for  the  petty  assizes,  sometimes  with  a 
greater  generality,  as  in  the  commissions  of  the  justices  in 
eyre,  and  of  the  chief  justices  who  hold  the  pleas  of  the 
"king,  and  of  the  justices  of  the  bench,  to  whom  power  is 
given  to  hear  and  determine  cases  of  the  infringement  of 
fines,  grand  assizes,  pleas  that  have  been  removed  into 
their  court,  and  those  which  concern  the  rights  of  the  king 
or  the  queen  in  respect  of  their  fees,  and  suits  founded 
on  the  king's  writs,  where  they  are  named  generally  or 
specially. 

Beside  this,  the  barons  of  the  exchequer  have  jurisdic- 
tion over  the  king's  receivers  and  bailiffs,  and  over  the 
alienation  of  fees  and  rights  belonging  to  the  king  in  right 
of  his  crown.  Sometimes  jurisdiction  is  given  to  sheriffs 
on  default  being  made  by  others,  as  appears  when  a  writ 
says  Quod  nisifeceris,  vicecomes  meus  de  comitatu  illo  faciet; 
and  sometimes  by  the  default  of  those  who  have  the  return 
of  returnable  writs  [i.e.  the  franchise  retumus  hreviuin]. 
Sometimes  jurisdiction  accrues  to  the  justices  of  the  bench, 
as  when  causes  are  removed  out  of  the  county  courts,  that 
they  may  come  before  the  said  justices  ;  and  sometimes  in 


124  DE  JUGEMENT. 

en  menues  courtz  sanz  hreis  requis  '  par  devaunt  les  justices 
del  banc  ;  mes  sicom  tieux  recordz  ne  devient  valer  as  plein- 
tifs  si  noun  apres  jugementz  renduz  qe  les  paroles  ^  sunt 
returnables  requis '  apres  lur  jugemenz,  e  sicom  les  paroles 
muez  sur  le  brief  de  dreit  sunt  rechaceables  es  courz  des 
eeignurs  es,  ou  lur  seignurs  ne  y  unt  point  faillez  de  droit, 
aussi  sunt  les  paroles  remuees  par  pone  returnables  es 
countiez  es  cas  ou.  les  parties  ne  parurent  unt  en  court  pwr 
pleder. 

Al  office  de  chief  justices  appent  des  torcenouses  jugemenz 
e  les  tortz  e  les  errours  dautres  justices  redrescer  e  punir ; 
par  bref  neqedent  de  fere  venir  devant  le  Koi  le  proces  e  le 
record  ovesqe  le  bref  original.  E  par  devant  teles  justices 
suns  touz  brefs  pledables  returnables  e  terminables  ou 
mencion  est  fete  devant  le  Roi  mesmes,  e  les  briefs  nient 
pledables  returnables  devant  le  Eoi  sunt  returnables  en  la 
Chancellme.  E  si  appent  a  lur  office  doir  e  terminer  totes 
pleintes  fetes  de  personeles  tortz  fetz  a  xij  lues  dentour  le  roi 
e  des  gaoles  deliverer  des  persons  deliverables,  e  a  terminer 
qttanqe  est  terminable  par  justices  erranz,  e  plus  e  meins 
solom  la  nature  de  lur  commission. 

Dautre  part  est  une  manere  de  jurediccion  qest  appelle 
arbitraire,  qe  nest  ordenaire  ne  assigne ;  sicom  est  cele  qe 
vient  de  lassent  des  parties  adverses. 

De  jurediccion  vient  jugement,  qad  plusours  significa- 
cions.  En  lune  est  jugement  au  taunt  adire  com  absolucion 
de  pecchie.  En  autre  a  tant  cum  sentence  qe  ascune  foiz 
Boune  en  bien  come  de  guerdon,  e  daquitaunce  de  peyne, 
e  ascune  foiz  en  mal  com  escomenge.  E  en  autre  autant 
come  issue  de  plee  e  fin  de  jurediccion  assignee,  qe  poez 
estre  a  tens  ou  james;   a  tens,  sicom  ascune  excepcion 


Corr.  jesques.  *  rendvs  par  ceux  a  q^ui  Us  paroles,    Houard. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  124 

order  that  record  of  suits  [pending]  in  the  inferior  courts 
without  writ  may  come  before  the  justices  of  the  bench  ;  but 
whereas  the  reoordari  facias  ought  not  to  avail  a  plaintiff 
until  after  judgment  has  been  given  [by  those  to  whom]  the 
suits  ought  to  be  returned,  and  as  suits  begun  by  writ  of  right 
are  to  be  sent  back  from  the  bench  to  the  courts  of  the 
lords  in  case  the  lords,  have  not  made  any  default  of  right, 
so  also  suits  which  have  been  removed  by  pone  are  to  be 
returned  to  the  county  courts  in  case  they  were  removed 
before  the  parties  had  ever  appeared  in  the  county  courts 
for  the  purpose  of  pleading. 

To  the  office  of  the  chief  justices  it  belongs  to  redress 
the  wrongful  judgments,  the  wrongs  and  errors  of  other 
justices,  and  to  punish  them ;  but  this  must  be  done  by 
writ  Quod  venire  facias  coram  ipso  rege  processum  et  recordum 
cum  brevi  originali.  And  it  is  before  these  justices  that  all 
writs  are  pleadable  and  returnable  and  to  be  determined 
in  which  are  the  words  coram  ipso  rege,  and  writs  which 
are  not  pleadable  and  returnable  coram  rege  are  returnable 
in  the  chancery.  And  it  belongs  to  their  office  to  hear  and 
determine  all  plaints  of  personal  torts  done  within  twelve 
leagues  round  the  place  where  the  king  is,  and  to  deliver 
the  gaols  of  all  prisoners  who  are  deliverable,  and  to  de- 
termine all  that  is  determinable  by  justices  in  eyre — but 
their  power  may  be  greater  or  less  according  to  the  nature 
of  their  commission. 

And  again  there  is  a  kind  of  jurisdiction  which  is  called 
*  arbitral,'  and  which  is  neither  *  ordinary '  nor  'assigned' ; 
such  is  that  which  comes  from  the  agreement  of  the  parties. 

From  jurisdiction  arises  judgment,  but  judgment  has 
several  meanings.  In  one  of  these  judgment  is  the  same 
as  absolution  of  sins.  In  another  it  is  the  same  as  sentence, 
which  sometimes  sounds  in  good,  as  when  it  is  for  a  reward, 
or  for  an  acquittal  from  punishment,  and  sometimes  it 
sounds  in  ill,  as  when  it  is  for  excommunication.  In  an- 
other sense  judgment  is  the  issue  of  a  plea  and  the  end  of 
an  *  assigned '  jurisdiction,  and  this  may  be  a  temporary  or 
a  final  end  :  temporary,  as  when  there  is  a  dilatory  excep- 


125  -DE  JUGEMENT. 

dilatoire  ou  laccion  remeint  enterre,  a  james  sicom  par 
sentence  diffinitive  sur  laccion. 

Jugemenz  varient  solom  les  variaunces  des  pecchiez ; 
des  semblables  pecchiez  neqedent  semblables  jugemenz ;  car 
les  pechiez  mortiels  solom  le  garant  del  viel  testament 
sassoillent  par  la  mort  en  terre,  quant  as  jugemenz  de  lais 
juges.  Car  el  viel  testament  est  troevie  qe  dieu  comanda 
a  Moysen  qil  ne  suffrit  point  les  felouns  vivre,  issi  qe  peyne 
temporele  allegge  peccheours  de  la  perpetuele.  Mes  einz- 
ces  '  qe  plus  soit  parle  de  peynes,  fet  a  veoir  par  quele 
introduccion  peccheours  sunt  contumax  chaceables  de  parer 
en  court  e  par  queux  jugemenz. 

Ch.  IV.     Defautes  Punisahles. 

Defautes  sunt  punisahles  en  plusours  maners.  En 
appeals  de  felonies  sunt  eles  punisahles  par  le  jugement  de 
utlaguerie  le  quel  jugement  est  tel  qe  puis  ceo  qe  ascun  eit 
eistie  solewpnment  criez  e  demandie  de  venir  a  la  pees  le 
Eei  par  iij  countiez  continuelement  pur  felonie,  e  point  ne 
vient,  qe  des  adunc  le  tiegne  lem  pur  lou  e  est  criahle 
Wolvesheved,  pur  ceo  qe  lou  est  heste  haie  de  tote  gent; 
e  des  adunc  list  a  chescun  del  occire  al  foer  de  lou.  Dune 
custumie  soloit  estre  de  porter  les  testes  al  chief  lu  del 
countie,  ou  de  la  franchise,  e  soloit  len  aver  decim  '^  marcs 
del  contie  pwr  chescuw  teste  de  utlague  e  de  lou.  E  tiex 
futifs  forfunt  par  lur  contumace  le  reaume,  le  pais,  ames,  e 
quanqest  de  la  pees  e  a  la  pees,  e  tote  manere  de  droit  qil 
unqe  urent  par  ascun  title  e  tote  manere  de  lei  e  ne  mie 
soulement  a  eus  mes  a  eux  e  a  lur  heirs  a  touz  jours. 
Dautrepart  tote  consideracion  ^  de  homage,  dalliaunce, 
daffinitie,  de  service,  de  amunitie,'*  des  seremewz,  e  de  tote 
manere  dobligacions  entre  utlaguez  e  autres  de  meillur 
condicion  se  derumpent,  desiognent  e  se  defunt  par  tiel 
jugemenz,  e  tote  manere  de  dons,  ventes,  e  contractz  en^ 
totes  maneres   daccions   qil   urent   ver    queuqes  persones 

'  Corr.  eim  ceo.  ^  Corr.  confederation  ? 

'  demi.    1642  &  Houard.  *  Corr.  amistie.  '  Corr.  e. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  125 

tion  but  the  suit  remains  in  its  integrity ;  final,  as  when 
there  is  a  definitive  sentence  in  the  action. 

Judgments  vary  as  sins  vary ;  but  for  like  sins  there 
should  be  like  judgments  ;  for  mortal  sins  according  to  the 
warrant  of  the  Old  Testament  are  absolved  by  death  upon 
this  earth,  so  far  as  lay  judges  are  concerned.  For  in  the 
Old  Testament  it  is  found  that  God  commanded  Moses  that 
he  should  not  suffer  felons  to  live,  so  that  a  temporal 
punishment  excuses  sinners  from  the  eternal  punishment. 
But  before  we  say  any  more  of  punishments  we  ought  to 
see  by  what  means  and  by  what  judgments  contumacious 
sinners  can  be  driven  to  appear  .in  court. 

Ch.  IV.     Of  Punishable  Defaidts. 

Defaults  are  punishable  in  divers  ways.  In  appeals  of 
felony  they  are  punishable  by  judgment  of  outlawry,  which 
judgment  is  this,  that  when  on  account  of  a  felony  any- 
one has  been  ordered  by  solemn  cry  to  come  to  the  king's 
peace  in  three  successive  county  courts,  and  he  does  not 
come,  then  he  shall  be  accounted  a  wolf,  and  *  Wolfs- 
head !  '  shall  be  cried  against  him,  for  that  a  wolf  is  a 
beast  hated  of  all  folk ;  and  from  that  time  forward  it  is 
lawful  for  anyone  to  slay  him  like  a  wolf.  And  there  was 
a  custom  to  bring  the  heads  to  the  chief  place  in  the 
county  or  the  franchise,  and  one  received  ten  marks  from 
the.  county  for  the  head  of  every  outlaw  or  wolf.  And 
these  fugitives  forfeit  by  their  contumacy  the  realm,  the 
peace,  their  friends  and  all  that  is  of  the  peace  or  at  the 
peace,  and  every  kind  of  right  that  they  ever  had  by  any 
title,  and  all  manner  of  law,  not  only  for  themselves  but 
for  their  heirs  for  ever.  And  again,  all  confederation  of 
homage,  alliance,  affinity,  service,  friendship,  oaths,  and 
all  manner  of  obligations*  between  outlaws  and  those  of 
better  condition  are  broken,  disjoined,  and  undone  by  the 
judgment,  and  all  manner  of  gifts,  sales,  contracts,  and  all 
manner  of  actions  which  they  had  against  any  are  annulled, 


126  DE  JUGEMENT. 

aventissent,  e  ne  mie  soulemewt  puis  eel  jugement  mes  puis 
le  tens  de  sa  felonie  pwr  laquele  tiel  jugement  se  fist,  e  ces 
adunc  ne  purrent  il  jaiwes  resortir  a  respondre  de  la  felonie 
si  li  proces  neit  este  vicious,  si  noun  par  gmnt  m^rci '  e 
^race  du  Eoi.  Femmes  estre  pleives  e  mises  en  diseine  a 
foer  des  hommes  einz  furent  weives. 


Ch.  V.     De  Defautes. 

Cil  personels  accions  veniales  solerent  defautes  estre 
puniez  en  ceste  manere,  lempnst  des  defendaunz  a  la 
vaillaunce  des  demande  en  biens  moebles  ou  nient  moebles, 
e  puis  furent  somons  doir  lur  jugemenz  de  lur  defautes. 
E  par  defaute  apres  defaute  torn  jugement  pur  les  pleintifs. 
Pus  changea  eel  usage 'el  tens  le  Eoi  H.  le  primer  qe  nul 
franc  home  ne  fust  destreint  par  le  cors  pur  personele 
accion  veniale  tancum  il  eust  fieu,  en  quel  cas  li  jugement 
de  defaute  se  fist,  tant  qe  al  tens  le  Eoi  Henri  le  tierz,  qe  li 
pleintif  recoverat  seisine  del  fiux  a  tenir  en  demeine  apres 
defaute  iequis  a  due  satisfaction,  issi  qe  defaute  fust  plus 
damageous  as  eontumaz  qe  profitable. 

Ascuns  accions  sont  personeles  el  non,  e  mixtes  en  le 
introduccion  sicom  de  naifte,  daconte,  de  covenant,  e  de  ve 
de  naam.  E  ascunes  accions  sunt  qe  tut  soit  qeles  savourent 
de  personeles  accions  e  reales  quawt  al  introduccion  neqe- 
dent  ne  tienent  mie  les  reuUes  des  accions  dunt  eles  savou- 
rent, sicom  es  reeonussances  de  menues  assises ;  es  queles 
si  les  tenanz  fasent  defautes,  pur  ceo  nappent  nule  destresce 
ne  prise  de  fieu  ou  dautre  chose  en  la  mein  le  Eoi,  einz 
sunt  les  reconussaunces  pemables  aussi  com  doffice  e  les 
jugemenz  pronuneiables  solom  le  verdit  des  jurours  en 
despit  de  teles  defautes. 


'  The  ed.  of  1642  and  Houard  have  a  different  punctuation. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  126 

and  not  merely  as  from  the  date  of  the  judgment  but  as 
from  the  date  of  the  felony  in  respect  whereof  the 
judgment  is  given,  and  from  thenceforth  he  never  can  go 
back  [behind  the  outlawry]  to  a  denial  of  the  felony  unless 
the  process  of  outlawry  was  vicious,  except  it  be  by  the 
great  mercy  and  grace  of  the  king.  Women  are  [not] 
pledged  and  put  in  tithing  like  men,  but  are  waived  [instead 
of  being  outlawed]. 

Ch.  V.     Of  Defaults. 

In  venial  personal  actions  defaults  were  punished  thus  : 
one  took  from  the  defendant  moveable  goods  or  immov- 
ables to  the  amount  of  the  demand,  and  then  they  were 
summoned  to  hear  judgment  on  their  defaults.  And  on 
default  after  default  judgment  was  given  for  the  plaintiff. 
Afterwards  the  usage  was  changed  in  the  time  of  king 
Henry  I.  so  that  no  free  man  should  be  distrained  by  his 
body  in  a  venial  personal  action  so  long  as  he  had  a  fee, 
in  which  case  judgment  was  given  by  default,  [and  this 
was  so]  until  the  time  of  king  Henry  IH.,  so  that  the 
plaintiff,  after  the  default,  recovered  seisin  of  the  fee  to 
hold  in  demesne  until  due  satisfaction  was  made,  so  that  a 
default  brought  more  damage  than  profit  to  the  person 
guilty  of  contumacy. 

Some  actions  are  personal  by  name,  but  mixed  in  their 
introduction,  such  as  *  naifty,'  *  account,'  and  '  vee  de  naam.' 
And  there  are  some  actions  which  savour  of  personal  ac- 
tions or  of  real  actions  in  their  introduction,  but  which, 
nevertheless,  do  not  observe  the  rules  of  the  actions  of 
which  they  savour ;  such  is  the  case  in  the  '  recognitions ' 
of  the  petty  assizes;  for  if  in  these  the  tenants  make 
default,  there  is  no  distress  and  no  taking  of  the  fee  or 
any  other  thing  into  the  king's  hand,  but  they  are  taken 
as  if  they  were  recognitions  ex  officio,  and  the  judgments 
are  pronounced  according  to  the  verdict  of  the  jurors  not- 
withstanding such  defaults.' 

'  In  the  petty  assizes  the  mesne      thing    in    dispute.     Brocton   wonid 
process  is  not  directed  against  the      not  have  called  them  real  actions. 


127  DE   JUGEMENT. 


Ch.  VI.     De  Personele  Accion. 

En  personeles  accions  veniales  ou  les  defendanz  ne  sunt 
mie  '  fieu  tenanz  soloient  les  defautes  estre  punies  en  ceste 
manere :  en  primes  soloit  len  agardir  aprendre  les  cors, 
e  ceux  qi  ne  furent  trovez  furent  mis  en  exigende  en 
queqe  court  qe  li  pie  fust,  e  furent  par  iij  courtz  soulement 
demandez  e  criez,  e  sil  ne  parussent  a  la  quarte  court, 
adunqe  furent  il  baniz  de  la  juresdiccion  le  seignur  ou 
baillis  de  la  court  a  anees  ou  a  james  solom  les  quantites 
des  trespas. 


Ch.  VII.     De  Defaute  de  Real  Accion. 

Les  defautes  de  reales  accions  sunt  punissables  en  cest 
manere  :  a  la  primer  defaute  est  la  demande  ou  a  la  vail- 
launce  pernable  en  la  main  le  seignur  de  la  court,  e  les 
tenaunz  sunt  somonables  doir  lur  jugement  des  defautes  ; 
ou  apres  apparaunce,  en  est  la  seisine  jugeable  as  actours  a 
tenir  el  noun  de  destresce  tant  qe  dreit  jugement  len  oustre ; 
e  si  ascun  viegne  en  court  en  primes  plevisse  la  chose 
demaunde  e  sanz  delai  respoigne  a  la  defaute.  En  quel  cas 
il  purra  dedire  la  somonsz,  ou  pur  ceo  qil  nen  fu  unke 
somons  ou  nient  renablement  somons,  e  a  ceo  purra  il  estre 
a  sa  lei  countre  le  testmoinage  des  somen  ours,  tut  soient  il 
presenz ;  e  sil  fornist  sa  lei  meintenant  respoigne  al  accion 
ou  a  la  pleinte. 


Ch.   VIII.     Des  Accions  Mixtes. 

Des  mixtes  accions  sunt  defautes  punissables  en  ceste 
manere :  les  defendanz  sunt  distreignables  par  touz  biens 
moebles  e  l&eus,  sauve  qil  ne  soient  engetez  de  lur  posses- 
sions, de  court  en  court  tant  qe  il  perent  e  respoignewt,  e  les 
issues  deviegnent  as  proffiz  des  seignurs  des  courz. 

'  MS.  repeats  ne  sunt  mie. 


OP  JUDGMENT.  127 

Ch'.  VI.     Of  Personal  Actions. 

In  the  venial  personal  actions,  if  the  defendants  are  not 
fee  tenants,  defaults  used  to  be  punished  in  this  wise ;  in 
the  first  place  it  was  awarded  that  their  bodies  should  be 
taken,  and  if  they  could  not  be  found  they  were  put  in 
exigend  in  whatever  court  the  plea  was,  and  they  were 
demanded  and  cried  for  in  three  courts  and  no  more,  and 
if  they  did  not  appear  at  the  fourth  court,  they  were 
banished  from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  lord  or  the  bailiffs  of 
the  court  for  years  or  for  ever  according  to  the  amount  of 
the  trespass. 

Ch.  VII.     Of  Default  in  a  Real  Action. 

Default  in  a  real  action  is  punishable  thus :  on  the 
first  default  the  thing  demanded  or  its  value  is  taken  into 
the  hand  of  the  lord  of  the  court,  and  the  tenant  is  sum- 
moned to  hear  judgment  of  the  default ;  but  if  the  default 
be  made  after  appearance,  then  the  seisin  is  awarded  to 
the  plaintiff  to  hold  by  way  of  distress  until  he  shall  be 
ousted  of  it  by  lawful  judgment ;  and  then,  if  the  tenant 
appears,  in  the  first  place  he  must  replevy  the  thing  that 
is  demanded,  and  then  must  without  delay  answer  for 
his  default.  And  in  this  case  he  may  deny  the  summons, 
saying  that  he  was  never  summoned  or  never  duly  sum- 
moned, and  about  this  he  may  make  his  law  against  the 
testimony  of  the  summoners,  although  they  be  present ; 
and  if  he  can  furnish  his  law  he  shall  answer  then  to  the 
action  or  the  plaint. 

Ch.  VIII.     Of  Mixed  Actions. 

Defaults  in  mixed  actions  are  punishable  thus:  the 
defendants  are  distrained  by  all  their  movable  goods  and 
their  fees,  save  that  they  are  not  ejected  from  their  pos- 
sessions, and  this  from  court  to  court  until  they  appear 
and  answer,  and  the  issues  come  to  the  profit  of  the  lord 
of  the  court. 


128  DE  JUGEMENT. 


Ch.  IX.    De  Plegge  e  Meinpernour. 

Plegge  G  meinpemours  sunt  dune  signifiaunce  tut 
diversent  il  es  nons ;  mes  pleges  sunt  ceaux  qe  plevissent 
autre  chose  qe  cors  de  homme,  sicom  en  reales  accions  e 
mixtes ;  meinpemours  sont  en  personeles  accions  soule- 
ment  ceux  qi  plegent  cors  de  homme.  Sauf  pleges  sunt 
qe  suffirent '  a  rendre  la  demande  ou  la  value,  e  soient  feaus 
humes  e  fieu  tenaunz  de  celi  a  qi  la  pleinte  est  fete  e  en 
qi  cjourt  le  pie  iert  attamable,  e  si  ascun  pert  son  cors  ou 
son  fieu  pur  defaute,  assez  est  puni  tut  ne  soit  il  mie 
amercie,  mes  adunc  apnmes  est  li  peccheour  amerciable 
quant  il  est  paru  en  jugemewt,  e  ne  poet  son  tort  escuser 
ne  sa  defense  saver.^  E  sicom  nul  qe  rent  avant  somonse 
nest  amerciable,  aussi  nest  nul  pleintif  amerciable  ne  ses 
pleges  de  suire  par  noun  sieute,  ou  li  tenaunt  rend  solom 
le  comaundement  del  garant  de  la  somonse,  ou  autrement 
en  face  satisfaccion.  Sicom  es  cas  ou  li  rei  comande  al 
viscount  qil  comaunde  a  tel  de  rendre  ou  de  fere,  e  sel  ne 
face  e  li  pleintif  face  sieurtie  de  sur,  qe  adunc  le  face 
somondre,  ou  attacher,  destre  ^  e  cet.,  en  quel  cas  si  li 
viscounte  namoneste  le  tenant  de  rendre  ou  de  fere  solom 
les  poinz  del  garaunt,  einz  ces  *  qil  preigne  sieurte  del 
pleintif  il  fet  tort.  Mes  adunc  a  primes  sunt  pleintif s  e 
lur  pleges  de  suire  amerciables  quant  les  defendaunz  se 
proffrent  en  jugement  countre  eus  ou  il  funt  defaute  par 
non  sute. 

E  aussi  font  ceux  viscountes  tort  qe  soursient  a  fere 
les  execucions  des  comandemenz  le  Eoi  einz  ces ''  qe  les 
pleintifs  eient  trove  sieurte  de  sure  les  pleintes,  ou  nule 
mencion  ne  se  fet  es  brefs  de  sieurtie  fere. 


Repeated  in  MS.  *  Dedens.  •  Houard. 

Corr.  defaute  sauver.  *  Corr.  ceo. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  128 


Ch.  IX.     Of  Pledges  and  Mainpernors. 

Pledges  and  mainpernors  are  all  one,  though  they  have 
different  names ;  but  pledges  are  those  who  pledge  some- 
thing other  than  a  man's  body,  as  in  real  and  mixed 
actions ;  mainpernors  are  found  in  personal  actions  only, 
and  they  pledge  a  man's  body.  Safe  pledges  are  those 
who  are  sufficient  to  render  the  thing  in  question  or  its 
value,  and  are  free  men  and  fee  tenants  of  him  to  whom 
the  complaint  is  made  and  in  whose  court  the  plea  is  to  be 
commenced,  and  if  anyone  loses  his  body  or  his  fee  by  a 
default,  this  is  punishment  enough  without  his  being 
amerced,  but  the  sinner  is  not  at  once  amerciable  until  he 
has  appeared  in  court  and  has  not  been  able  to  excuse  his 
tort  or  salve  his  default.  And  as  no  one  is  amerciable  who 
appears  before  summons,  so  also  the  plaintiff  and  his 
pledges  for  prosecution  are  not  to  be  amerced  for  a  non-suit 
if  the  tenant  renders  according  to  the  words  of  the  writ 
which  warrants  the  summons,  or  otherwise  makes  satis- 
faction.^ Thus  if  the  king  bids  the  sheriff  order  a  certain 
person  to  render  or  to  do  something  and  that  if  he  does 
not  do  it  and  the  plaintiff  finds  surety  to  sue,  then  he  is  to 
summon,  attach,  or  distrain  the  defendant  etc.,  in  this  case 
if  the  sheriff  does  not  admonish  the  defendant  to  render 
or  to  do  according  to  the  terms  of  the  warrant,  but  at  once 
takes  security  from  the  plaintiff,  he,  the  sheriff,  does  an 
injury.  So  the  plaintiff  and  his  pledges  for  "prosecution 
do  not  become  amerciable  until  the  defendant  proffers 
himself  in  court  against  them  and  the  plaintiff  then  makes 
default  by  non-suit. 

And  those  sheriffs  also  do  wrong  who  defer  to  execute 
the  commands  of  the  king  until  the  plaintiffs  have  found 
surety  for  the  prosecution,  when  the  writs  make  no  mention 
of  any  requirement  of  surety. 


129  DE   JUGEMENT. 


Ch.  X.     De  Defautea  aprea  Somonsea. 

Sicom  defautes  se  font  de  persones,  e  aussi  se  funt  de 
choses,  sicom  de  services  issanz  de  fieus  dunt  fieus  sent 
enservez.  E  dunt  si  rente,  suite  ou  autre  service  Boit 
arere  a  ascun  seignur  de  son  fieu  pur  ceo  nest  mie  li  tenant 
destreignable  par  ses  biens  moebles,  einz  appent  a  fere 
Bomondre  tieux  tenantz  pur  saver  les  defautes  ou  pwr 
eatisfaccion  fere,  ou  pur  respondre  purquoi  tieux  services 
duz  de  lur  possessions  sont  areres  a  lur  seignurs ;  e  sil 
ne  viegnent  a  somonses,  par  lagard  des  sieuteres  sunt  les 
fieus  pernables  en  la  main  les  seignurs,  tant  qe  il  se  justi- 
cent  par  pleges,  e  il  sunt  estre  ceo  somonables  doir  le 
jugement  de  lur  defautes ;  e  tut  ne  viegne  ascune  par  la 
Becunde  somonse,  pur  ceo  nest  il  mie  amerciable  einzces  ' 
qil  viegne ;  uncore  purra  il  rendre  le  fieu,  ou  alleger  privi- 
lege, ou  dire  chose  pur  qi  il  ne  dust  a  la  somonse  obeir. 
E  si  le  seignur  neit  court  propre  ne  sutlers,  ou  ne  seit  mie 
de  poer  de  justicier  ses  tenanz  en  manere  avantdit,  e  adunqe 
tient  lu  de  ce  fere  en  countie,  ou  en  hundred,  ou  aillurs  en 
la  court  le  Roi,  ou  al  drein  par  bref  de  custumes  e  de  services 
e  autre  briefs  remediaux.  E  si  ascun  eit  meesn  qi  aquiter 
le  dust,  pur  ceo  nest  li  seignur  de  rien  perdaunt  de  son 
dreit,  tut  ensoit  il  delaie,  einz  se  preigne  li  seignur  a  son 
fieu  sicom  diet  est,  e  le  tenant  recoevre  ses  damages  par  ou 
il  purra,  e  rette  a  sa  folie  dentrer  ou  demorir  en  autre 
fieu  sanz  le-  gre  le  seignur.  E  si  ascun  se  ouste  dautri  fieu 
e  de  son  terre  feffe  ascune  certe  persone  a  tenir  de  li  e  se  fet 
moien  par  entre  le  seignur  e  le  tenaunt  en  prejudice  del 
seignur  en  tel  cas  eoloit  droit  tenir  le  cours  apres  diet. 


Corr.  einz  ceo. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  129 


Ch.  X.     Of  Defaults  after  Summons. 

Ab  there  may  be  default  of  persons,  so  there  may  be 
default  of  things,  e.g.  of  services  issuing  from  a  fee  which 
is  bound  to  render  them.  And  if  rent,  suit,  or  other  ser- 
vice due  to  any  lord  fronj  his  fee  be  in  arrear,  the  tenant 
is  not  to  be  distrained  by  his  movable  goods,  but  ought  to 
be  summoned  to  salve  his  default,  or  to  make  satisfaction, 
or  to  answer  why  the  services  due  to  his  lord  from  his  pos- 
sessions are  in  arrear ;  and  if  he  does  not  appear  on  the 
summons,  then  by  the  award  of  the  suitors  of  the  lord's 
court  the  fee  is  to  be  taken  into  the  lord's  hand  until  he 
shall  find  pledges  that  he  will  submit  to  justice,  and  in 
addition  he  is  to  be  summoned  to  hear  judgment  for  his 
default;  and  if  he  comes  not  at  the  second  summons,  he 
is  not  amerciable  for  that  until  he  appears,  for  he  may 
still  surrender  the  fee,  or  allege  a  privilege,  or  give  some 
reason  for  not  having  obeyed  the  summons.  And  if  the 
lord  has  no  court  or  suitors  of  his  own,  or  has  not  the 
power  to  do  justice  on  his  tenants  in  manner  aforesaid, 
then  this  is  to  be  done  in  the  county,  or  in  the  hundred 
court,  or  else  in  the  king's  court,  or  in  the  last  resort  by  a 
writ  of  '  customs  and  services,'  or  some  other  remedial  writ. 
And  if  the  tenant  has  a  mesne  [lord]  who  is  bound  to 
acquit  him,  the  lord  by  this  loses  nothing  of  his  right, 
though  he  may  be  delayed ;  but  the  lord  as  aforesaid  shall 
betake  himself  to  his  fee  and  the  tenant  may  recover  his 
damages  wherever  he  can  do  so,  and  he  must  account  it 
his  own  folly  that  he  entered  or  abode  in  another  man's  fee 
without  the  leave  of  the  lord.  And  if  anyone  alienates 
another's  fee  and  enfeoflfs  a  third  person  of  the  tenement  to 
hold  of  him  (the  alienor),  and  thus  makes  himself  a  mesne 
between  lord  and  tenant,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  lord,  in 
that  case  the  law  used  to  take  the  course  which  will  bo 
described  below. 


8  2 


130  DE  JUGEMENT, 

Ch.  XI.     De  Champeon. 

Si  ascun  face  ou  die  a  son  seignur  de  qi  il  tient  chose 
qe  li  court  a  damage  de  son  cors,  ou  a  sa  desheriteson,  ou 
a  grant  deshonur,  pnmCT'ement  par  agard  de  son  court  ou 
dautre  est  tiel  somonable  sil  seit  soun  tenaunt,  e  puis 
sil  fet  defaute  est  destreingnable  par  son  fieu,  ou  par  la ' 
seignurie  taunt  qil  viegne  ;  e  sil  piert  e  ne  se  puisse 
aquiter  par  la  lei  sei  xij  demein  ou  meins  solom  lagard  de 
la  court,  si  iert  desheritable  del  tenaunce  qil  tient  del 
seignur  en  tiel  fieu  par  le  jugement  des  suitiers.  E  issi 
covient  qe  les  tenaunz  departent  de  lur  mesons,^  e  se  chevewt 
as  chiefs  seignurs.  E  si  ascun  dedie  service  qil  deit,  purra 
estre  dit  de  par  le  seignur  qe  atort  le  dedist  el  tut  ou  en 
partie,  e  pur  ceo  atort  e  cet.,  e  issi  outre  contaunt  de  la 
seisine  e  par  mi  qi  mein  ^  e  puis  issi  e  qe  tiel  soit  le  dreit 
e  cet.,  sicom  apres  iert  dist.  E  le  tenaunt  purra  eslire  a 
defendre  eel  droit  par  soun  cors  ou  par  autre,  ou  descendre 
en  la  grande  assise  e  prier  reconoissaunce  li  quel  il  eit 
majour  droit  a  tenir  tiel  fieu  especefie  de  A.  quite  de  tiel 
service  sicom  il  tient,  ou  le  dist  A  .  daver  le  dit  fieu  en 
demeyne  sicom  il  cleime. 

E  si  le  defendaunt  voille  son  droit  deffendre  par  le  cors 
dautri,  distincter,  car  si  laccion  soit  personele  ne  lestovera 
mie  aver  suite  present,  e  si  laccion  seit  reale  e  le  tenaunt 
eit  son  champion  present,  adunqe  covient  qe  lactour  presente 
le  son  champion  contre  le  champion  del  defendant,  ou  il 
piert  son  counte  e   son  bref;  e   li   defendaunt   neit   mie 


'  MS.' has  a  space  at  this  point;  '  Ilprouveqe  mestne  le  tenant  a 

a  word  is  apparently  omitted.  payS.    Houard. 

'  Corr.  mesnes. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  130 


Ch.  XI.     Of  a  Champion. 

If  anyone  says  or  does  to  the  lord  of  whom  he  holds 
anything  which  makes  for  the  damage  of  his  body,  or  for  his 
disherison,  or  for  his  great  dishonour,  in  the  first  place  by 
the  award  of  the  lord's  court  or  some  other  court,  such 
person,  if  he  is  the  lord's  tenant,  is  to  be  summoned,  and 
then  if  he  makes  default  he  is  to  be  distrained  by  his  fee, 
or  by  his  seigniory,  until  he  appears ;  and  if  he  appears 
and  cannot  acquit  himself  by  his  law  with  twelve  hands  or 
fewer  according  to  the  award  of  the  court,  then  he  shall  be 
disinherited  of  the  tenancy  which  he  holds  of  his  lord  in 
that  fee  by  the  judgment  of  the  suitors.  And  therefore  it 
is  fit  that  the  tenants  shall  leave  their  mesne  lords  and 
achieve  themselves  immediately  to  the  chief  lords.'  And 
if  anyone  denies  a  service  that  he  owes,  then  on  the  part 
of  the  lord  it  may  be  said  that  wrongfully  he  denies  it,  in 
whole  or  in  part,  ajid  wrongfully  because  etc.,  and  so 
forth,  the  lord  counting  on  the  seisin  that  he  has  had  of 
the  service  by  the  hand  of  such  an  one  whom  he  names, 
and  then  going  on  to  say  '  and  that  such  is  his  right  etc' 
as  will  be  explained  below.  And  the  tenant  may  elect  to 
defend  that  right  by  his  own  body  or  by  that  of  another,  or 
may  descend  to  the  grand  assize  and  pray  that  a  recogni- 
tion be  made  whether  he  hath  greater  right  to  hold  the 
said  fee  of  A  [the  lord]  acquitted  from  that  service  as  he 
now  holds  it,  or  the  said  A  to  have  the  said  fee  in  demesne 
as  he  claims  it. 

If  the  defendant  wishes  to  defend  his  right  by  the  body 
of  another,  then  we  must  distinguish,  for  if  the  action  is 
personal,  then  it  is  not  necessary  for  him  to  have  pregent  any 
suit;  but  if  the  action  is  real  and  the  tenant  has  his 
champion  present,  then  the  plaintiff  must  present  his 
champion  against  the  defendant's  champion,  or  he  loses  hia 
count  and  his  writ ;  but  if  the  defendant  has  no  champion 

'  If  the  mesne  lord  drops  out  o(  [ae  accapilarc]  to  the  superior  lord, 
the  tenure  by  forfeiting  his  rights,  whose  inuuediate  teuaut  he  now 
the  sub-tenant  must  achieve  himself      becomes. 


181  DE  JUGEMENT. 

champion  present,  adunc  Bont  les  parties  aiornables  sil 
Boient  descenduz  en  bataille  qe  eles  eient  lur  champions  a 
la  proscheine  court.  Sicom  piert  el  proces  de  Saxling  a  qi 
Huwstan  eestoit  oblige  en  x  li.  de  dette  par  escrit  obliga- 
toire  fet  a  Eome,  lequel  Hunstan  dedist  qe  point  nestoit 
son  fet ;  a  quoi  Saxling  respondi  par  replicacion  qe  atort  le 
dedit,  e  pur  ceo  atort  car  il  lenseala  de  son  seal,  ou  del 
seal  tiel,  qil  empromta  de  li  tel  jourjiel  an  e  tiel  lu :  e  sil 
le  vousist  dedire  prest  fu  del  prover  par  son  cors  A  .  qe  le 
vi,  ou  par  B.  ou  C.  qi  le  virent,  e  si  de  eus  misavenist  prest 
fu  del  prover  par  autre  qi  poeit  e  deveit.  E  issi  piert  qe 
nest  mie  mester  dever  suite  present  en  teles  personels 
accions  le  primer  jour,  einz  fet  aiorner  les  parties  sicom  il 
est  dit.  E  si  ascun  qe  ne  poetz  est  covenable  en  test- 
moignage,  ou  qi  seit  champions  lonuriz  '  se  proffre  pur  lune 
des  parties  a  cumbatre  qe  ne  fu  mie  avant  nomie  pur  fere 
la  bataille,  e  la  partie  adverse  le  chalenge  e  demande  juge- 
ment  de  la  defaute,  en  tiel  cas  se  fet  jugement  contre  le 
proffrour.  E  sil  mesavient  a  ascun  champion  pur  quoi  il 
ne  puisse  cumbatre  solom  son  proffre,  nul  nest  recevable 
pur  li  a  fornir  la  bataille  forqe  son  einzne  fille  ^  legitime, 
sicom  avant  est  dit.  E  si  le  champion  le  tenant  soit 
vencus  par  tant  se  dejoint  tote  homage  e  tote  alliance  e 
touz  seremenz  de  feautie  e  tut  homage  par  entre  le  seignur 
pleintif  e  li  tenaunt  defendaunt,  e  li  seignur  recoevre  son 
fieu  a  tenir  en  demeine,  aussi  com  il  recoverret  par  la 
grande  assise.  E  si  li  champion  le  seignur  seit  vencu  a 
dune  iert  li  jugement  qe  li  tenaunt  tiegne  a  remenaunt 
del  seecle  son  fieu  quite  del  service  mis  en  la  demaunde. 

E  si  le  Koi  face  tort  a  ascun  de  sea  hommes  fieus  tenanz 
de  li  en  chief,  si  est  tenable  meme  le  cours,  ou  les  contes 
as  parl^mens  e  les  autres  sinters  en  unt  la  jurediccion,  de 


'  ineonnu.    Houard.  '  Corr.  ^/«. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  181 

present,  then  the  parties,  if  they  have  submitted  to 
battle,  must  be  adjourned  to  the  next  court,  in  order  that 
they  may  then  have  their  champions  present.  And  this 
appears  in  Saxling's  case :  Hunstan  had  bound  himself  in 
a  debt  of  ten  pounds  to  Saxling  by  an  obligatory  writing 
made  at  Eome ;  Hunstan  denied  the  writing  as  *  not  his 
deed  ' ;  Saxling  answered  by  way  of  replication,  that  wrong- 
fully did  Hunstan  deny  it,  and  wrongfully  for  that  it  was 
sealed  with  his  seal,  or  with  the  seal  of  such  an  one  which 
[Hunstan]  had  borrowed  in  such  a  day,  year,  and  place ;  and 
[Saxling  added]  that  if  Hunstan  would  deny  this,  he, 
Saxling,  was  ready  to  prove  it  by  the  body  of  A,  who  saw 
it,  or  by  B  or  C,  who  saw  it,  and  if  any  mischance  should 
befall  them,  then  by  another  who  could  and  would  prove  it. 
And  thus  it  appears  that  there  is  no  need  to  have  suit 
present  on  the  first  day  in  these  personal  actions,  but,  as 
already  said,  the  parties  may  be  adjourned.  And  if  anyone 
who  cannot  be  a  proper  witness,  or  who  is  a  hired  [?] 
champion  and  was  not  named  when  the  battle  was  waged, 
proffers  himself  to  fight  for  one  of  the  parties,  and  the 
adverse  party  challenges  him  and  demands  judgment  of 
the  default,  then  judgment  must  be  given  against  him 
who  proffers  this  champion.  And  in  case  any  mischance 
happens  to  a  champion  so  that  he  cannot  fight  according  to 
his  proffer,  no  one  may  be  received  to  do  battle  in  his 
stead,  unless  it  be  his  eldest  legitimate  son,  as  has  been 
said  above.'  And  if  the  champion  of  the  tenant  is  van- 
quished, thereby  all  homage,  alliance  and  oaths  of  fealty 
and  homage  between  the  lord  who  is  plaintiff  and  the 
tenant  who  is  defendant  are  undone,  and  the  lord  shall 
recover  his  fee  to  hold  in  demesne,  as  he  would  have  re- 
covered it  by  a  grand  assize.  And  if  the  lord's  champion  is 
vanquished,  then  the  judgment  is  that  the  tenant  do  hold 
his  fee  for  ever  quit  of  the  service  that  has  been  demanded. 
If  the  king  does  any  tort  to  any  man  of  his  wjio  holds 
a  fee  of  him  in  chief,  the  same  procedure  is  to  be  observed, 
but  the  earls  in  parUament  and  the  other  suitors  there  have 

•  P.  109. 


132  DE   JUGEMENT. 

teles  causes  oir  e  terminer  pur  qe  le  Eoi  ne  poez  par  li  ne 
par  ses  justices  les  causes  terminer,  ne  les  jugemenz  pro- 
nuwcier  ou  li  roi  est  actour.  E  sicom  les  seignurs  poent 
chalenger  lur  tenaunz  de  torz  e  de  despit  fez  a  euz  entre 
les  articles  de  lur  feautie,  en  meme  la  manere  sunt  les 
seignurs  chalengeables  de  tortz  e  despiz  featez  par  eus  a 
lur  tenauntz,  e  si  les  seignurs  ne  deignent  de  parer  en 
jugement  a  respondre  a  lur  tenaunz,  a  dune  fest  agarder 
qe  les  tenaunz  mes  ne  facent  service  pur  lur  fieus  einz  ceo  ' 
qe  les  seignurs  les  eient  responduz. 

Ch.  XII.     De  Peynes. 

De^  peine  est  satisfaccion  de  trespas  ou  de  pecchie. 
Deus  maneres  sunt  de  peine,  voluntire  e  violente.  Voluntire 
est  cele  qe  tient  son  actour  de  son  gre,  sicom  est  en  cowi- 
promisses,  pur  chacer  gentz  a  tenir  lur  contractz  :  mes  de 
celes  peines  ne  sentremet  mie  droit.  Des  peines  violentes 
dunt  dreit  sentremet  sont  ij  maners,  corporele  e  peccuniele. 
Des  corporeles  sunt  ascuns  morteles,  e  ascuns  veniales. 
Des  mortels  se  funt  ascuns  par  perte  de  testes,  ascuns  par 
longe  trayne,  ascuns  par  pendre,  ascuns  par  arson,  ascuns 
par  vif  enfoeure,  ascuns  par  saut  de  faleise  ou  dautre  lu 
perilous,  e  ascuns  par  noer  e  ascuns  autrement  solon 
aunciens  privileges  ou  usages.  Les  pecchiez  qe  demaun- 
dent  morteles  peines  sunt  les  pecchiez  mortiels.  Des 
veniales  peines  corporeles  ascuns  se  funt  par  pierte  de 
menbre  sicom  la  felonie  de  mahain  en  cas  de  toute  de 
menbre,  ascuns  par  pierte  del  poueif '  cuw  est  de  faus 
notaires,  e  de  cillours  de  bourses  oveqe  larcin  de  meins  de 
xij  d,  e  plus  de  vj  d.,  e  qe  par  le  roi  Kichard  se  changea  a  la 
perte  doreille,  ascuns  par  perte  des  bous  des  langes  com 
soleit  estre  de  faus  tesmoins,  ascuns  par  plaie,  ascuns  par 
enprisonement  sicom  pur  enprisonement,  ascunes  par 
perte  de  iouz  biens  moebles  e  noun  moebles  sicom  de  faus 


ces  MS.  '  Omit  De.  *  poucc  ?  (Houard). 


OF  JUDGMENT.  132 

jurisdiction,  for  the  king  cannot  hear  and  determine  such 
causes  or  give  judgment  in  them  by  himself,  nor  by  his 
judges,  because  the  king  is  plaintiff.  And  as  the  lords  may 
challenge  their  tenants  for  tort  and  despite  done  to  them 
within  the  terms  of  their  fealty,  so  the  lords  may  be  chal- 
lenged for  tort  and  despite  done  by  them  to  their  tenants ; 
and  if  the  lords  will  not  deign  to  appear  in  court  to  answer 
their  tenants,  then  it  should  be  adjudged  that  the  tenants  do 
them  no  service  for  their  fees  until  the  lords  have  answered 
them. 


Ch.  XII.    Of  Punishments. 

Punishment  is  satisfaction  for  a  trespass  or  a  sin. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  punishments,  (1)  voluntary, 
(2)  violent.  A  voluntary  punishment  is  one  to  which  a  man 
submits  himself  of  his  own  free  will,  as  in  the  case  of  a 
compromise,  and  thus  men  may  be  driven  to  fulfil  their  con- 
tracts ;  but  with  such  punishments  the  law  does  not  concern 
itself.  It  concerns  itself  with  violent  punishments,  which 
are  of  two  kinds,  (a)  corporal,  (h)  pecuniary.  Of  corporal 
punishments  some  are  mortal,  some  venial.  Of  mortal 
punishments  some  are  by  loss  of  head,  some  by  a  long 
•drawing,'  some  by  hanging,  some  by  burning,  some  by 
burial  alive,  some  by  leap  from  a  cliff  or  other  perilous 
place,  some  by  drowning,  and  some  otherwise  according  to 
ancient  privileges  or  usages.  The  sins  which  demand 
mortal  punishments  are  the  mortal  sins.  Of  venial  corporal 
punishments  some  are  by  loss  of  limb  (as  for  the  felony  of 
mayhem  where  a  member  has  been  destroyed),  others  by 
loss  of  thumb  (such  is  the  punishment  of  false  notaries, 
and  of  the  cutting  of  purses  with  larceny  of  less  than 
twelve,  but  more  than  six  pence,  but  King  Richard  sub- 
stituted for  this  the  loss  of  an  ear),  others  by  loss  of  the 
tip  of  the  tongue  (as  was  the  case  with  false  witnesses) ; 
some  by  wound,  some  by  imprisonment  as  a  punishment  for 
false  imprisonment,  some  by  loss  of  all  goods  movable  and 
immovable  (as  in  the  case  of  delegated  judges  who  give 


188  DE  JUGEMENT. 

juges  assignez,  e  sicom  est  de  usuriers  atteinz  de  usure  apres 
lur  deces,  mes  ne  mie  sil  en  soient  atteinz  en  lur  vivant, 
car  adunc  ne  perdent  il  forqe  soulement  les  biens  moeblea, 
pur  ceo  purrent  amender  par  penaunce  e  repentaunce  e 
aver  heirs,  ascuns  par  exil  e  abjuracion  de  la  cristienetie, 
ou  del  reaume  on  de  la  ville  on  del  fieu  e  aneesS  sicom  est 
de  ceus  qi  sunt  atteint  en  personeles  trespas  e  ne  unt  poer 
a  fere  satisfaccion,  ascuns  par  ban  sicom  dist  est  de 
contumaz  en  personels  accions  veniales  nul  fieu  tenaunz, 
ascuns  par  autres  corporeles  peines  solom  ceo  qe  piert  apres 
par  lus. 

E  coment  qe  lem  pecche  en  fet  ou  en  dit,  en  tuz  juge- 
mentz  sur  personeles  accions  sont  vij  choses  a  peser  en 
balaunce  de  seinte  conscience,  cest  assavoir,  la  cause,  la 
persone,  le  lu,  le  tens,  la  qualite,  la  quantite,  e  la  fin.  La 
cause,  le  quele  ele  soit  mortele  ou  veniale ;  la  persone  del 
pleintiflf  e  del  defendaunt ;  le  lu,  le  quel  en  seintuaire  ou 
nient ;  le  tens,  le  quel  de  jour  ou  de  nuit ;  la  qualite,  le 
quel  li  trespas  soit  leger  ou  led  ;  la  quantite  piert  en  sei ; 
la  fin,  li  quel  prisee  se  fet  en  manere  de  destresce  par  avou- 
able  enparkment  ou  en .  manere  de  larcin  par  alienacion 
desavouable. 


Ch.  XIII.     De  Infams. 

Touz  ceux  qi  loialment  sunt  atteinz  de  pecchie  dunt 
corporele  peine  sunt,  sunt  infames.'*  Infames  sunt  touz 
ceux  qi  pecchent  mortelement  ou  felonessement ;  tuz  ceux 
qi  se  perjurent  en  faus  testmoignage  ;  tuz  faus  juges  ;  tuz 
usuriers  ;  e  tuz  ceux  qi  sunt  atteinz  de  personels  trespas  as 
queux  overte  penaunce  est  enjointe  par  droit  jugement 
e  pur  ceo  desuse  dreit  par  fins  e  amerciemenz,  par 
garant  de  pite.  Estre  ceo^  sont  infams  ceus  qi  ceurent* 
tumbes  e  sarcus  nutauntre  ou  mucetis  pur  maufere  ;  ceus 
qi  enservent  franc  homme  contre  son  gree  ou  blemissent  la 

'  amies  1642  and  Houard.  '  mfuist  1642  and  Houard. 

*  ces  MS.  *  feurent  1642,  furitent  Houard. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  188 

false  judgment,  and  of  usurers  attainted  of  usury  after 
their  deaths,  but  not  if  attainted  while  alive,  for  in  that 
case  they  only  lose  their  movables  and  may  amend  their 
sin  by  penance  and  repentance  and  have  heirs) ;  some  by 
exile  and  abjuration  of  Christendom,  or  of  the  realm,  or  of 
the  vill  or  the  fee  and  ....  (as  is  the  case  of  those 
attainted  of  personal  trespass  who  have  not  wherewith  to 
make  satisfaction),  some  by  banishment  (as  said  above 
about  those  who  are  contumacious  in  venial  personal  actions 
and  who  hold  no  fee) ;  some  by  other  corporal  punishments, 
as  will  appear  incidentally  hereafter. 

And  albeit  one  sins  by  deed  or  by  word,  in  all  judg- 
ments in  personal  actions  seven  things  must  be  weighed  in 
the  balance  of  holy  conscience,  to  wit,  (1)  the  cause,  (2)  the 
person,  (3)  the  place,  (4)  the  time,  (5)  the  quality,  (6)  the 
quantity,  (7)  the  event.^  (1)  the  cause — this  may  be  mortal 
or  venial ;  (2)  the  person  of  the  plaintiff  and  of  the  defen- 
dant ;  (3)  the  place — whether  in  sanctuary  or  no ;  (4)  the 
time — whether  by  day  or  by  night ;  (5)  the  quality — 
whether  the  trespass  be  light  or  grave  ;  (6)  the  quantity — 
this  is  self-evident ;  (7)  the  event — e.g.  whether  a  taking 
was  made  by  way  of  distress  and  lawful  impounding,  or  by 
way  of  larceny  and  unlawful  alienation. 

Ch.  XIII.     Of  the  Infamous. 

All  who  are  lawfully  attainted  of  a  sin  whence  corporal 
punishment  ensues  are  infamous.  All  who  sin  mortally  or 
feloniously  are  infamous ;  all  who  perjure  themselves  by 
false  testimony  ;  all  false  judges ;  all  usurers  ;  and  all  who 
are  attainted  of  those  personal  trespasses  for  which  open 
penance  is  enjoined  by  right  judgment  but  is  forborne  in 
favour  of  fines  and  amercements,  the  infliction  of  which 
instead  of  open  penance  is  warranted  by  compassion. 
Also  they  are  infamous  who  hunt  after  tombs  and  coffins 
by  night  or  hidden  things  for  evil  purposes ;  also  those  who 
enslave  a  free  man  against  his  will  or  blemish  the  repute  of 

•  Dig.  xlviii.  19, 16  ,  Bracton,  f.  105. 


134  DE  JUGEMENT. 

fame  de  sa  franchise  par  extorsion  ou  par  ascun  pwrchaz  ; 
ceux  aussi  qi  portent  atteintes  e  ne  poent  mie  prover  le 
perjurie  par  unt  loiaux  jurours  sunt  esclaundre ;  e  ceux  qi 
enditent  ou  appellent  hom^ne  innocent  de  crim  en  blemisse- 
ment  de  sa  fame  ou  dautre  personel  trespas  infamant  a  tort. 
Car  ceus  iij  plees  sunt  tenables  odious  ;  lem '  par  ceo  qe 
seinte  escripture  ne  sacorde  mie  a  vengeaunce,  eins  retient 
deus  vengeaunce  de  pecchez  a  li  e  comande  merci.  E  ceo 
est  countre  apeax  de  felonie.  Lautre  datteindre  perjurie 
est  odious  pur  la  peine  corporele  qe  ensuit.  Le  tierz  est 
odious  pur  ceo  qe  lei  naturele  le  transverse  e  ne  sei  acorde 
a  nul  servage  de  homme  ne  dautre  creature. 

Dautrepa?'t  ceus  qi  combatent  mortelemmt  pur  loier ; 
ceux  qe  sont  vencus  de  combat  joint  par  jugement  entre  ij 
homes  ;  ceux  qi  se  retreent  de  batailles  pus  ceo  qil  aveient 
aflfermie  de  combatre  si  en  eux  soit  la  defaute ;  ceux  qe 
tienent  bordel  de  femmes  lorices;  ceus  qe  repernent  lur 
femmes  apres  le  pecchie  de  lur  avoutire  a  lur  escient  ou  la 
retiegne  cuw  suspecte  de  eel  pecche ;  ceus  qe  font  le  pecchie 
de  avouterie ;  ceux  qi  espousent  autres  femmes  vivantes  les 
primers ;  ceux  qi  allopent  ou  porgisent  noneyn ;  ceus  qe 
pernent  loier  pur  soffrer  stupre ;  celes  qi  gisent  lur 
enfans  a  la  mort ;  ceux  qi  porgisent  lur  cosins  e  lur  affins  ; 
ceus  qi  espousent  femwie  dedenz  Ian  apres  la  mort  lur 
femme  avant ;  celles  qe  se  lessent  marier  dedenz  Ian  apres 
la  mort  lur  autre  mari ;  ceux  e  celes  qe  afferment  mariages 
aillours  vivanz  lur  femmes  ou  lur  mariz ;  e  celes  qi  trop  tost 
se  purefient.  E  plusours  autres  infames  e  punisables  par 
corporele  peine  en  divers  maners. 


'  Corr.  lun. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  184 

his  liberty  by  extortion  or  by  purchasing  [writs] ;  also 
those  who  bring  attaints  and  cannot  prove  the  perjury, 
and  thus  bring  slander  on  lawful  jurors ;  also  those  who 
wrongfully  indict  or  appeal  an  innocent  man  to  the  blemish- 
ment  of  his  repute  for  any  crime  or  other  infamous  personal 
trespass.  For  these  three  pleas  are  accounted  odious  :  the 
first  because  holy  writ  does  not  agree  with  vengeance,  but 
God  has  retained  for  Himself  vengeance  for  crimes  and 
enjoins  mercy — and  this  is  against  the  appeal  of  felony  ; 
the  second,  namely,  the  attaint  for  perjury,  is  odious 
because  of  the  corporal  punishment  to  which  it  leads  ;  the 
third  is  odious  because  the  law  of  nature  forbids  it  and  will 
not  accord  with  the  serfage  of  man  or  of  any  other 
creature. 

Also  those  are  infamous  who  do  mortal  battle  for  hire ; 
those  who  are  vanquished  in  a  battle  adjudged  between  two  ( 
men ;  those  who  withdraw  from  the  battle  after  they  have 
afiSrmed  that  they  will  fight,  if  the  default  be  due  to  them  ; 
those  who  keep  brothels  of  hired  women ;  those  who  know- 
ingly take  back  their  wives  when   guilty  of   the   sin   of^ 
adultery ;  those  who  retain  their  wives  whom  they  suspect  j 
of  that  sin ;  those  who  commit  the  sin  of  adultery ;  those 
who  while   their   wives  are  alive  espouse   other   women  ; 
those  who  elope  with  or  corrupt  a  nun ;  those  who  take 
reward  for  suffering  fornication ;  those  who  overUe  their 
children  to  death  ;    those  who  corrupt  their  relations  by 
consanguinity  or  affinity ;    those   who  espouse   a  woman  | 
within  a  year  after  the  deaths  of  their  former  wives ;  those 
who  suffer  themselves  to  be  married  within  a  year  after  the  / 
death  of  their  former  husbands ;  those  who,  being  married, 
affirm  that  they  have  other  wives  or  husbands;    those 
women  who  purify  themselves  too  soon  :— these  and  divers 
others  are  infamous  and  punishable  by  corporal  punish- 
ment in  divers  manners. 


135  DE   JUGEMENT. 


Ch.  XIV.     [De  Majestic] 

Li  mortiel  pecchie  de  magestie  ver  le  Eoi  celestre  de 
sodomie  se  fornist  par  enfoir  lea  peccheours  tut  vifs  par 
fund  en  tere  qe  memoire  sen  esteigne,  pwr  la  grant  abomina- 
cion  del  fet,  cum  eel  pecche  qe  crie  vengeaunce  e  qe  plus  est 
orrible  qe  de  porgiser  mere.  Mes  eel  pecche  ne  satteint 
James  devant  juge  par  accusement,  einz  en  est  laudience 
defendue. 

Li  jugement  de  reneire  se  fornist  par  le  feu  cum  par 
ardour  en  poudre.' 

Li  jugement  del  herege  si  est  quadruple ;  lun  est 
Bacomenge,  lautre  degradacion,  li  tierz  desheriteson,  e  la 
quartre  destre  ars  en  cendre. 

Les  jugemenz  de  magestie  ver  le  Eoi  de  la  terre  se 
fornist  par  peines  al  ordenance  e  a  la  voluntie  le  Eoi  e  par  la 
mort.  Les  jugemenz  de  faussonerie  e  de  traisson  se  fornis- 
eent  par  trayner  e  pendre  a  la  mort. 


Ch.  XV.     De  Arson. 

Le  jugement  darson  se  fornist  par  pendre  a  la  mort,  qe 
se  soloit  fornir  par  ardour ;  e  en  cas  ou  li  fieu  damaious 
sest  pris  par  everesce  de  ascun  custumablement  yveroigne, 
soloit  len  geter  tieux  el  j&eu  e  ardoir  quant  len  les  trova 
freschement  el  fet. 


Ch.  XVI.     De  Jugement  Domicide. 

Li  jugement  domicide  se  fornist  commonement  par 
pendre  jequis  a  la  mort,  en  felonies  nient  notoires ;  e  en 
notoires  se  fornist  par  -perte  des  testes.  E  homicidez  neqe- 
dent  distinctez  ;  car  ascuns  sunt  homicides  qe  point  ne 
pecchent  ne  peyne  ne  deservent,  ascuns  sunt  homicides  en 
significacion  e  ne  mie  en  nouns,  e  ascuns  de  eus  memes 
sont  homicides.  El  primer  cas  sicom  est  de  loiaux  juges 
'  ou  pendre.  Eouard. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  186 


Ch.  XIV.     Of  Laesa  Majestas. 

The  mortal  sin  of  laesa  majestas  against  the  heavenly 
King,  namely  by  sodomy,  is  punished  by  burying  the  sinners 
alive  in  the  earth  that  their  memory  may  be  extinct, 
because  of  the  great  abomination  of  the  deed,  since  this  sin 
cries  for  vengeance  and  is  more  horrible  than  that  of 
corrupting  one's  mother.  But  this  sin  is  never  attainted 
before  a  judge  by  accusation,  for  the  hearing  of  it  is  for- 
bidden. 

The  judgment  of  renegation  is  provided  by  fire  and  by 
burning  to  dust. 

The  judgment  of  heresy  is  quadruple  :  the  first  element 
is  excommunication,  the  second  degradation,  the  third  dis- 
herison, and  the  fourth  burning  to  cinders. 

The  judgment  for  laesa  majestas  against  the  earthly  king 
is  executed  by  torment  according  to  the  ordinance  and  will 
of  the  king  and  by  death.  The  judgment  of  forgery  and 
treason  is  that  one  be  drawn  and  hanged. 

Ch.  XV.     Of  Arson. 

The  judgment  for  arson  is  that  one  be  hanged  to  death ; 
it  used  to  be  that  one  be  burned  ;  and  in  case  the  fire  that 
did  the  damage  was  due  to  the  drunkenness  of  an  habitual 
drunkard,  one  used  to  throw  him  on  the  fire  and  burn  him 
if  one  caught  him  freshly  in  the  act. 

Ch.  XVI.  Of  the  Judgment  of  Homicide. 

The  judgment  of  homicide  is  usually  that  one  be  hanged 
to  death  if  the  felony  be  not  notorious  ;  but  if  it  be  noto- 
rious, then  that  one  lose  one's  head.  But  as  to  homicides 
we  must  distinguish  ;  for  some  men  are  homicides  who  do 
not  sin  or  deserve  punishment,  some  are  homicides  in 
signification  though  not  in  name,  and  some  are  homicides 
of  themBclves.     (1)  The  first  case  is  that  of  lawful  judges 


136  DE   JUGEMENT. 

qi  par  dreit  jugement  e  par  seine  conscience  occient,  e  les 
ministres  assentanz  e  fornissanz  les  execucions  de  loiaux 
jugemenz  de  mort  de  homme  ;  e  sicom  est  de  ceus  qi  occient 
saunz  jugement  e  sanz  pecchie,  com  est  des  homicides  sanz 
descretioun,  sicom  est  darragez,  foxnastres,  e  enfans  de 
meins  de  vij.  ans  de  eage,  e  sicom  est  de  ceux  qi  occient 
pur  la  pees  meintenir  e  de  ceux  qi  occient  par  lei,  sicom  est 
des  homicides  qi  occient  les  mortels  peccheours  en  lur 
pechez  notoires  de  fet,  e  sicom  est  de  ceux  qi  occient  pur 
eus  memes  sauver  qi  autrement  ne  poent  lur  propre  mort 
eschuire. 

En  lautre  cas  cum  est  de  ceux  qi  sont  en  voluntie  doccire 
e  point  noccient,  sicom  est  de  ceus  qi  gettent  enfanz,  veillz 
e  malades  en  tieux  lus  ou  il  entendent  qil  moergent  pur 
defaute  de  eide,  e  sicom  ceux  qi  peinent  homjne  innocent  e 
le  font  conoistre  e  gehir  felonie  e  aver  pecchie  mortelement, 
ceux  sont  jugeables  a  la  mort  pur  lintencion  corrumpue, 
tut  noccient  il  mie  solom  ceo  qil  quideroit.  E  sicom  des 
homicides  de  voluntie  qi  appellent  ou  enditewt  homme 
innocent  de  crim  mortel  e  ne  proevent  nient  lur  apeals  ou 
lur  ditz.  E  coment  qe  ceus  soloient  estre  jugeables  a  la  mort, 
le  Eoi  Henry  neqedent  li  primer  iordena  cele  mitigacion, 
qil  ne  soient  mes  juges  a  la  mort  einz  sunt  jugeables  a 
corporele  peine.  E  de  ceux  qi  atort  appellent,  distinctez  ; 
car  si  ascun  eit  autre  appelie  si  fausement  qil  neit  tule  '  de 
son  appel  par  enditement  ne  autre  renable  proeve,  en  tiel 
cas  iert  jugeable  qil  face  satisfaccion  a  la  partie  pleyntive  e 
pus  a  peine  corporele. 

Des  meinpemours  usa  le  Eoi  Knut  a  juger  les  al  foer  des 
principals  quant  les  principaus  ne  parurent  en  jugement ; 
mes  li  roi  Henri  le  primer  imist  cele  destincteison  qe  lor- 
denaunce  Knut  se  tenist  en  dreit  des  meinpcrnours  consen- 
tanz  a  la  sute,^  e  les  autres  fuissent  condempnables  vers  les 
pleintifs  al  foer  des  principals  sil  fuissent  presenz,  e  de  ver 
le  Roi  fussent  punis  par  peine  peccuniele. 


1  Corr.  title.  -  Corr.  fuitc  (?). 


OF  JtJDGMENT.  136 

who  kill  by  right  judgment  and  holy  conscience,  and  that 

of  the  ministers  who  assent  to  and  execute  lawful  judg-  (YV>^ 

ments  of  death ;  such  is  also  the  case  of  those  who   kill  \ 

without  a  judgment,  but  still  without  sin,  being  homicides  A-^ 

without  discretion,  e.g.  madmen,  born  fools,  and  infants 

under  seven  years  of  age ;  and  such  is  also  the  case  of  those 

who  kill  to  maintain  the  peace  or  who  kill  by  law,  e.g.  who 

kill  mortal  sinners  in  sins  which  are  notorious  in  fact,  or 

those  who  kill  to  save  themselves  and  could  not  otherwise 

escape  death. 

(2)  Our  second  case  is  that  of  those  who  have  the  will 
to  kill  but  do  not  kill,  e.g.  those  who  abandon  infants,  old 
or  sick  folk  in  places  where  they  intend  them  to  die  for  want 
of  help,  and  those  who  torture  an  innocent  man  and  make 
him  acknowledge  and  confess  felony  and  mortal  sin ;  and 
these  are  to  be  adjudged  to  death  for  their  corrupt  inten- 
tion, albeit  they  did  not  kill  according  to  their  purpose. 
Such  is  the  case  also  of  those  who  are  homicides  in  will, 
who  appeal  or  indict  an  innocent  man  of  a  mortal  crime  and 
do  not  prove  their  appeals  or  their  assertions ;  and  such  were 
formerly  adjudged  to  death,  but  King  Henry  I.  ordained  this 
mitigation,  that  they  should  be  adjudged,  not  to  death,  but 
to  corporal  punishment.  And  as  to  those  who  make  wrong- 
ful appeals,  let  us  distinguish ;  for  if  a  man  has  appealed 
another  so  falsely  that  he  has  no  title  for  his  appeal  in  any 
indictment  or  other  reasonable  proof,  in  such  a  case  he 
shall  be  awarded  to  make  satisfaction  to  the  party  grieved 
and  also  to  suffer  corporal  punishment. 

As  to  mainpernors.  King  Knut  used  to  judge  them 
as  though  they  were  principals  when  the  principals  did  not 
appear  in  court;  but  King  Henry  I.  made  this  distinction, 
that  Knut's  ordinance  should  hold  good  if  the  mainpernors 
were  consenting  to  the  flight,  but  if  not,  then  they  were  to 
be  condemnable  to  make  satisfaction  to  the  plaintiff  as  their 
principals  would  have  been  condemnable  had  they  been 
present,  but  as  regards  the  king  they  should  only  be  con- 
demned to  a  pecuniary  punishment. 

T 


137  DE   JUGEMENT. 

El  tierz  cas  com  est  de  ceux  qi  se  ardent,  pendent, 
noient  ou  autrement  se  occient.  Dautrepart  fet  a  destiner  ^ 
dautres  homicides  sicom  de  fisiciens,  mirs,^  justices,  test- 
moins,  de  ceus  qi  ferent  e  neqedent  mie  occire,  de  fous  ^ 
darragez  e  de  futifs.  Car  fisiciens  cirurgiens  soient  sages 
en  lur  facultez  e  facent  loials  cures  provablement  e  eient 
seines  les  consciences,  si  qe  rien  neit  failli  al  pacient  qe  a 
lur  art  appendi,  si  lur  paciens  moerent  pur  ceo  ne  sunt  il 
mie  homicides  ne  mahairaours  ;  mes  cil  enpreignent  a  fere 
cure  qil  ne  sievent  a  bon  chef  mettre  ou  sil  a  bon  chef 
sevent  e  eentremettent  neqedent  follement  ou  negligealment, 
issi  qil  y  mettent  froid  pur  chaud  ou  le  revers  ou  trop  pou 
de  cure,  ou  ne  mettent  une  due  diligence,  e  nomeement 
en  arsons  e  abscissions,  qe  sunt  defendues  a  fere  forqe  al 
peril  des  mestres,  si  lur  paciens  moerent  ou  perdent  menbre, 
en  tel  cas  sunt  il  homicides  ou  mahainours.  Juges  jugent 
ascune  foiz  hom^ne  a  la  mort  faussement  a  escient,  e  ascune 
foiz  par  ignoraunce.  El  primer  cas  sunt  il  homicides  e 
pendables  par  jugement;  e  ne  soulement  les  juges,  mes  les 
fornissours,  assessours,  consentanz,  e  tieux  qe  nel  destor- 
berent  cum  fere  le  poieient. 

El  secund  cas  distinctez,  car  une  manere  dignoraunce 
est  sicom  de  chose  nient  sue  ne  nestoit  estre  sue,  e  cele 
escuse ;  autre  est  de  chose  nient  sue,  qe  estoit  estre  sue  tut 
ne  seit  lem  point  tenu  del  saver,  e  cell  escuse  aussi ;  la 
tierce  manere  est  qe  vient  de  non  savance  de  ceo  qe  len  est 
tenu  a  savoir,  e  cele  nescuse  nient.  E  notez  par  ignoraunce 
en  sei  nest  mie  pecchie,  mes  la  negligence  de  savoir  est 
pecchie ;  ne  li  juge  ne  pecche  mie  de  ceo  qe  il  ne  siet  la  lei, 
einz  pecche  de  sa  folie  empnse  de  juger  folement  ou  fause- 
ment. 

La  quarte  manere  dignoraunce  est  de  ceo  qe  len  quide 
de  chose  autre  qe  droit,  e  si  tiele  ignoraunce  viegne  de  fet 
se  escuse  ele,  e  si  de  droit  a  dune  nescuse  ele  mie.    Ou  issi, 


Corr.  distincter.  ^  jurees  1642. 

'  MS.  repeats  de  fous. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  137 

(3)  Our  third  case  is  that  of  those  who  burn,  hang, 
drown,  or  otherwise  kill  themselves. 

And  then  again  we  must  make  distinctions  as  to  other 
homicides  :  thus  physicians,  leeches,  justices,  witnesses, 
those  who  strike  but  do  not  slay,  fools,  madmen,  fugi- 
tives. Physicians  and  surgeons  being  learned  in  their 
faculties  and  provably  making  lawful  cures,  and  having 
clear  consciences*  so  that  in  nothing  have  they  failed 
their  patients  that  to  their  art  belongs,  if  their  patients 
die,  are  not  homicides  nor  mayhemers ;  but  if  they  under- 
take to  make  a  cure  which  they  do  not  know  how  to  bring 
to  a  successful  end,  or,  although  they  have  such  know- 
ledge, they  behave  stupidly  or  negligently,  as  by  applying 
heat  instead  of  cold,  or  the  reverse,  or  too  little  of  the  cure, 
or  if  they  do  not  apply  a  due  diligence,  more  especially  in 
their  cauterisings  and  amputations,  which  are  things  that 
cannot  lawfully  be  done  save  at  the  peril  of  the  practi- 
tioners, then,  if  their  patients  die  or  lose  a  limb,  they  are 
homicides  or  mayhemers.  As  to  judges  who  falsely  adjudge 
a  man  to  death,  sometimes  they  do  this  knowingly,  some- 
times in  ignorance.  In  the  first  case  they  are  homicides 
and  should  be  adjudged  to  be  hanged ;  and  not  they  only, 
but  those  also  who  execute  their  judgments,  sit  with 
them,  or  consent  to  their  doings,  and  also  those  who  do  not 
interfere  with  them  when  able  so  to  do. 

In  the  other  case  we  must  distinguish,  for  one  kind  of 
ignorance  is  that  of  a  thing  that  is  unknown  and  not  to  be 
known,  and  this  is  an  excuse ;  another  is  ignorance  of  a 
thing  that  is  unknown  but  which  is  to  be  known  though  one 
is  not  bound  to  know  it,  and  this  also  is  an  excuse ;  but  the 
third  is  ignorance  of  that  which  one  is  bound  to  know,  and 
this  is  no  excuse.  And  note  that  ignorance  in  itself  is  no 
sin,  but  neglect  to  know  is  a  sin ;  and  the  judge  does  not 
sin  by  not  knowing  the  law,  but  he  does  sin  if  of  his  folly 
he  undertakes  to  judge  and  does  so  foolishly  or  falsely. 

And  there  is  a  fourth  kind  of  ignorance  which  consists 
in  thinking  otherwise  than  is  right  of  some  matter,  and  if 
this  be  ignorance  of  fact  it  excuses,  but  if  it  be  ignorance 


138  DE   JUGEMENT. 

une  manere  dignoraunce  est  qe  lem  poet  veincre,  e  cele  ne 
escuse  nient ;  une  autre  est  qe  lem  ne  poet  nient  veincre,  e 
cele  escuse,  le  quel  qe  ele  viegne  de  nature  sicom  par  trop 
de  eage,  ou  de  maladie  sicom  de  rage.  E  ceo  qest  dit 
dendroit  des  juges  est  entendable  des  jurours  tesmoins  en 
cas  notoires. 

Ou  plusours  sentremedlent  felonessement  e  ascun  ensoit 
occis  e  nul  nel  quident  occire,  en  cas  aussi  ou  enfant  est 
occis  par  trop  batre,  e  en  cas  ou  plusours  unt  nauffri 
homwie  qi  de  une  soule  plaie  morust,  sunt  trestuz  grosse- 
ment  jugeables  pur  homicides  pur  laperte  evidence  del  fet, 
car  les  volentez  des  ferours  qi  point  ne  voillent  occire  ne 
poeit  nul  juger  for  deu  soul,  ne  pwr  qwant  pur  ceo  qe 
ascuns  sembatent  en  teles  medlees  por  destorber  mal  e  en 
bone  entencion.  Ascuns  y  comandent  aler  qe  poet  estre 
pur  bien  e  poet  estre  pur  mal ;  ascuns  tenent,  autres 
fierent ;  ascuns  donnent  entre  a  meffesours,  ascuns 
gueitent  qe  nul  ne  surveigne  ;  si  tiex  cas  ne  soient  notoires 
se  tiegne  lur  aquitance  ou  lur  condempnacion  en  la  des- 
crecion  des  jurours.  E  aussi  en  cas  quant  genz  occient 
defendant  eux  e  lur  dreit,  cum  eschiet  en  disseisines. 
Dautre  part  si  homme  tret  a  autre  de  quarel  dare  ou  de 
sete,  e  len  plaie  aussi  com  mortelement,  sil  engarrit,  tut  fut 
sa  voluntie  de  occire,  pur  ceo  nest  il  mie  jugeable  pur  homi- 
cide quard  a  homme,  qe  ne  poet  juger  for  qe  solom  les  fez  e 
ne  mie  solom  les  pensees. 

Des  fous  ausi  distinctez,  car  touz  fous  sunt  contables  pur 
homicides  quant  al  jugement  forpris  les  foux  nastres  e 
enfanz  de  meinis  de  vij  ans  de  eage,  car  crim  ne  se  poet  fere 
ne  pecche  si  noun  parmi  voluntie  corumpue,  e  corrupcion 
de  volunte  ne  poet  issi  si  de  discrecion  noun  e  innocente 
de  conscins  sauve  fous  ragie.^  E  pur  ceo  ordena  'Robert  Wal- 
raund  qe  fous  nastres  heirs  soient  en  la  garde  le  Eoi  pur 


»  MS.  has  a  full  stop  after  nouiu 


OF  JUDGMENT.  138 

of  law  it  is  no  excuse.  Or  put  it  thus :  there  is  an  ignorance 
that  is  superable,  and  that  is  no  excuse ;  and  there  is  an 
ignorance  that  is  insuperable,  and  that  is  an  excuse,  whether 
it  arises  from  nature,  as  from  excessive  age,  or  from  a  malady, 
such  as  madness.  And  what  has  been  said  of  judges  is  to 
be  understood  also  of  jurors  who  testify  in  notorious 
cases. 

Where  divers  persons  are  engaged  in  a  felonious  medley 
and  one  of  them  is  killed,  but  no  one  thought  to  kill  him  ; 
and  again,  where  a  child  is  killed  by  too  much  beating  ; 
and  again,  where  divers  persons  have  wounded  a  man  and 
he  dies  of  one  wound — in  these  cases  all  of  them  in  mass 
are  to  be  adjudged  homicides  upon  the  open  evidence  of  the 
fact,  for  the  will  of  the  strikers  who  did  not  wish  to  kill  no 
one  can  judge  save  God  only,  albeit  that  some  took  part 
in  the  medley  for  the  prevention  of  evil  and  with  good 
intentions.  Some  command  others  to  go,  and  this  may  be 
for  good  or  for  ill ;  some  hold  down  while  others  strike  ; 
some  let  the  evil-doers  into  the  house  while  others  are 
keeping  watch  to  prevent  their  being  interrupted  :  if  such 
cases  as  these  be  not  notorious,  then  acquittal  and  condem- 
nation must  be  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  jurors.  So  also 
when  men  kill  who  are  defending  themselves  or  their  right, 
as  is  apt  to  happen  in  disseisins.  On  the  other  hand,  if  a 
man  shoots  at  another  with  a  bolt  from  a  bow  or  with  an 
arrow  and  wounds  him  as  it  were  mortally — if  none  the 
less  the  wounded  man  recovers,  the  wounder  is  not  to  be 
adjudged  a  homicide  by  human  judgment,  albeit  his  intent 
was  to  kill,  for  man  can  judge  only  of  deeds  and  not  of 
thoughts. 

Then  as  to  fools  let  us  distinguish,  for  all  fools  can  be 
adjudged  homicides  except  natural  fools  and  children 
within  the  age  of  seven  years  ;  for  there  can  be  no  crime  or 
sin  without  a  corrupt  will,  and  there  can  be  no  corruption 
of  will  where  there  is  no  discretion  and  an  innocent  con- 
science, save  in  the  case  of  raging  fools  (?).  And  therefore 
Robert  Walerand  ordained  that  heirs  who  were  born  fools 
should  be  in  ward  to  the  king,  to  be  married  along  with 


189  DE   JUGEMENT. 

marier  ovesqe  lur  heritages  de  qi  fieus  qil  tiegnent.  Des 
arragez  ensement  fet  a  destincter,  car  les  frenetics  e  les 
lunatics  poent  felonessement  pecchir,  e  issi  sunt  il  contables 
pur  homicides  ascuns  foit  e  jugeable,  mes  ne  mie  les  con- 
tinuelement  arragez. 

Denfanz  ensement  distinctez,  des  enfantz  homicides  e 
des  enfantz  occis  : — les  homicides  dedenz  lage  de  xxj  an  ne 
sunt  mie  tantost  jugeables  a  la  mort  en  fez  nient  notoires 
de  fet  einz  qe  il  soient  de  plener  eage.  Des  enfaunz  occia 
distinctez,  li  quel  il  soient  occis  es  ventres  des  meres  ou  pus 
lur  nativite ;  el  pHmer  cas  nest  nul  homicide  jugeable  pur 
ceo  qe  nul  ne  poet  juger  enfant  avant  ceo  qil  soit  veu  el 
Becle  le  quel  il  soit  monstrie  ou  non.  E  des  enfawz  occis  el 
pnmer  an  de  lur  eage  soit  a  la  conoissaunce  del  eglise. 

Des  futifs  e  de  eus  deffendaunz  est  la  destincteson  cele, 
qe  cist  qe  occist  futif  apres  ceo  qil  sest  rendu  a  la  pees  en 
fet  nient  notoire  de  fet,  il  iert  jugeable  a  la  mort  cum 
homicide;  autrement  nient.  E  cist  qe  occist  homwe  soi 
defendaunt  qe  porroit  foier  e  eschuire  doccire  est  aussi 
jugeable  a  la  mort ;  e  autrement  nient. 

Des  crims  de  robberie,  larcin  e  de  homsocne  ou  le 
damage  e  laffrai  passe  xij  d.  sunt  les  peccheours  pris  en 
pecchiez  occizables  par  la  perte  des  testes  si  poeple  soit 
present  qe  puisse  le  fet  e  la  felonie  tesmoiner.  E  es  cas 
nient  notoires  est  li  jugement  la  mort  -par  pendre. 

Si  li  defendant  soit  femme,  distinctez ,  le  quel  ele  out 
mari  ou  noun,  e  uncore  en  soit  vestue,  e  del  accion  le  quele 
ele  soit  mortele  ou  noun  ;  car  si  ele  soit  e  fu  soule  e  sanz 
baron  qil  eit  espose  al  hus  de  mouster,  e  laccion  soit  mortele, 


OF  JUDGMENT.  139 

their  inheritances,  of  whosesoever  fees  those  inheritances 
might  be  held.'  As  to  madmen  we  must  distinguish,  for 
those  who  are  frantic  or  lunatic  can  sin  feloniously,  and 
thus  may  sometimes  be  accountable  and  adjudged  as  homi- 
cides ;  but  not  those  who  are  continuously  mad. 

As  to  infants  who  are  homicides  and  infants  who  are 
slain  we  must  distinguish  thus  :  homicides  who  are  within 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years  are  not  to  be  adjudged  to  death 
until  they  have  attained  full  age,  unless  their  crime  be 
'  notorious  in  fact.'  As  to  an  infant  who  is  slain  we  must 
distinguish  whether  he  is  slain  en  ventre  sa  mere  or  after 
birth,  for  in  the  former  case  there  is  no  homicide,  for  no 
one  can  be  adjudged  an  infant  until  he  has  been  seen  in  /^ 

the  world  so  that  it  may  be  known  whether  he  is  a  monster  > 

or  no ;   and  as  to  infants   slain  in   their  first   year,  this  ^     ^v 

belongs  to  the  cognisance  of  the  church. 

As  to  fugitives  and  those  who  defend  themselves  the 
distinction  is  this — that  if  one  kill  a  fugitive  after  that  he 
has  surrendered  to  the  peace  and  the  fugitive's  crime  be 
not  *  notorious  in  fact,'  then  one  is  to  be  adjudged  to  death 
as  a  homicide ;  otherwise  not.  And  one  who  in  self-defence 
slays  a  man,  if  he  (the  slayer)  could  have  fled  and  avoided 
the  killing,  is  to  be  adjudged  to  death  ;  otherwise  not. 

As  to  the  sins  of  robbery,  larceny,  and  hamsoken,  where 
the  damage  and  the  affray  exceeds  twelve  pence,  the  sinners 
taken  in  their  sins  are  to  be  killed  by  loss  of  their  heads  if 
there  be  people  present  who  can  testify  to  the  fact  and  the 
felony.  But  in  cases  that  are  not  notorious  the  judgment 
is  death  by  hanging. 

If  the  defendant  is  a  woman,  then  we  must  distinguish 
whether  she  is  married  or  no  and  whether  she  is  still 
vested  [with  a  husband],  and  as  to  the  action  whether  it  is 
mortal  or  no,  for  if  she  is,  and  was,  an  unmarried  woman 
and  without  a  husband  whom  she  espoused  at  the  church 
door  and  the  action  is  mortal,  she  must  answer  by  herself 

'  The  introduction  of  the  rule  a  favourite  and  a  justice  of  Henry 
that  all  idiots  arc  in  ward  to  the  III.  See  Britton,  i.  243,  and  English 
king  is  ascribed  to  llobcrt  VValcrund,       Historical  Itevicw,  vi.  3G"J. 


140  DE   JUGEMENT. 

respoigne  soule  al  foer  de  homwe ;  e  si  ele  seit  coverte  de  mari, 
distinctez,  car  si  ele  seit  encopee  de  mortel  crim  prmcipal- 
ment,  respoigne,  e  si  del  accessoire,  distinctez,  car  si  ele 
soit  encoupee  del  consentement  a  la  felonie  son  mari,  ou 
dautre  sachaunt  soun  mari,  uncore  distinctez  del  cnm,  car 
es  crims  de  larcin,  de  homsokne  e  de  tote  autres  meindres 
pecchez  purra  ele  respondre  qele  est  souz  la  verge  son  mari 
e  qe  ele  ne  poet  contredire :  tel  respons  est  peremptoire  en 
larcin.  E  si  nient  sachant  son  mari,  respoigne.  E  de 
i&mme  sanz  mari  encopee  de  la  cumpagnie  de  larron  cum 
de  mie  nuit  ou  de  poi  de  tens  porra  ele  dire  qele  nestoit  en 
sa  cumpagnie  mes  cum  puteine  louice.' 

De  mortiels  jugemenz,  de  utlagarie,  de  abjuracion  del 
reaume,  des  vencuz  de  bataille  pur  felonie  mortele,  e 
dautrement  atteinz  de  pecche  mortiel  notoire  ou  nient 
notoire,  est  tiel  effect  qe  par  la  corrupcion  del  cep  qi  est 
enmorti  par  la  felonie  mortele  des  peccheours  est  le  dreit 
del  sane  esteint  e  de  la  descente  de  chescun  dreit  el  sane, 
si  qe  rien  ne  porra  descendre  de  eus  a  nul  de  lur  heirs 
proscheins  ne  remuez  par  descente  ne  par  nul  resort,  einz 
en  remeinent  eschaetes  as  seignurages  des  fieus,  del  tens 
qe  les  peochiez  se  firent,  qi  qe  unques  ensoient  tenaunz,  par 
quel  qe  contractz  el  moien  tens  e  totes  feuties,  contractz,  e 
obligacions  se  delient,  e  funt  solom  ceo  qe  dit  est  de  utlaguez, 
e  les  bens  moebles  remeignaunz  outre  autri  dreit  remeignent 
forfet  au  Eoi ;  e  le  Roi  en  le  remembraunce  de  lur  felonies 
e  despit  des  felons  fere  estrepper  totes  lur  mansions,  lur 
gardins  arracer,  lur  bois  couper  e  gaster,  e  lur  prez  arrer  ou 
autrement  reverser  ;  qe  li  roi  Henri  le  premer  modefia  a  la 
requeste  del  comun  en  ceste  manere  qe  pur  sauver  les 
fieus  de  villein  gast  prendrent  les  rois  les  fieus  de  felons 
mortieux  en  lur  mein  de  qi  fieu  qil  fussent,  e  les  tendrent 


louee  (1642  and  Houard). 


OF  JUDGMENT.  140 

like  a  man ;  and  if  she  is  coverte  of  a  husband,  then  we 
distinguish,  for  if  she  is  accused  of  mortal  crime  as  a 
principal  she  must  answer,  and  if  as  an  accessory  then  we 
must  distinguish,  for  if  she  is  accused  of  consenting  to  the 
felony  of  her  husband  or  to  that  of  another  with  her  hus- 
band's knowledge,  then  once  more  we  must  distinguish,  for 
to  the  crime  of  larceny  or  of  hamsoken  and  all  other  lesser 
sins  she  may  answer  that  she  is  under  her  husband's  rod 
and  that  she  may  not  contradict  him,  and  in  larceny  this 
answer  is  peremptory  ;  but  if  what  she  did  was  done  without 
her  husband's  knowledge,  then  she  must  answer.  And  an 
unmarried  woman  accused  of  being  in  the  company  of  a 
thief  at  midnight  or  for  a  little  while  may  plead  that  she 
was  only  in  his  company  as  a  hired  prostitute. 

The  effect  of  a  judgment  of  death,  of  outlawry,  of 
abjuration  of  the  realm,  of  those  who  are  vanquished  in 
battle  for  a  mortal  felony  or  otherwise  attainted  of  a  mortal 
sin,  whether  notorious  or  not  notorious,  is  that  by  the 
corruption  of  the  stock,  which  is  mortified  by  the  mortal 
felony  of  the  sinners,  the  right  of  blood  is  extinguished 
and  the  descent  of  every  right  in  the  blood,  so  that  nothing 
can  descend  from  them  to  any  of  their  heirs,  near  or 
remote,  either  by  descent  or  by  resort,  but  such  rights 
remain  escheated  to  the  lords  of  the  fees  from  the  time 
when  the  sins  were  committed,  whoever  may  have  become 
tenants,  so  that  contracts  made  in  the  meantime  and  all 
fealties,  contracts,  and  obligations  are  undone ;  and  they 
are  treated  in  the  manner  set  forth  above  in  connexion 
with  outlawry ;  and  such  movable  goods  as  remain,  when 
those  that  were  held  in  right  of  another  are  subtracted, 
are  forfeited  to  the  king  ;  and  the  king  in  remembrance  of 
their  felonies  and  in  despite  of  the  felons  shall  cause  their 
houses  to  be  pulled  down,  their  gardens  to  be  rooted  up, 
their  woods  to  be  cut  down  and  wasted,  their  meadows  to  be 
ploughed  or  otherwise  destroyed;  but  King  Henry  I.  modified 
this  at  the  request  of  the  community,  so  that,  to  save  the 
fees  from  villainous  waste,  the  kings  took  into  their  hands 
the  fees  of  mortal  felons,  of  whosesoever  fee  they  might  be, 


141  DE  JUGEMENT. 

e  emprendroient  les  profiz  par  un  an  pur  tiel  estrep  si  len 
en  feist  autre  gre. 

Le  crim  de  rap  se  fornist  ore  pur  pendre  a  la  mort  sanz 
aver  regard  li  quel  la  femme  ravie  seit  pucelle  ou  noun  ou 
sanz  destincter  de  quele  condicion  ele  seit,  ou  le  quel  a  sute 
personele  ou  a  la  sieute  le  Eoi,  li  qel  crim  avant  le  tens  le 
Eoi  Edward  le  secund  se  fornist  par  crevure  de  euz  e  la 
perte  des  'coilz  pur  lappetit  qe  entra  par  mi  les  eulz,  e  la 
chalor  de  stupre  vegnaunt  es  reins  del  leccheour. 

Set  choses  destorbent  mortieux  jugemenz :  lune  faus 
jugement  ou  fol  jugement,  lautre  faus  testmoinage,  la 
tierce  defaute  de  meillour  respons,  la  quartre  la  hastivesce 
le  Eoi,  la  quinte  de  feme  ceinte  denfaunt.  Les  primers  iij 
cas  prenent  respit  par  xl  jurs,  le  quarte  par  trente  jours,  e 
la  quinte  par  xl  simenes  ou  plus  ^  lenfaunt  ne  seit  einz  ces  ^ 
vie,^  La  sisime  est  defaute  de  discrecion  sicom  est  de  foux 
nastres,  des  arragez  e  denfanz  e  de  trop  liens  ou  de  eles 
esperet. 

La  setime  est  povertie ;  en  quel  cas  distinctez,  ou  de  la 
povertie  del  peccheour,  ou  de  la  chose.  Car  li  poure  qe 
defuie  famitie  prent  vitaille  pur  sa  vie  sustenir,  ou  garne- 
ment  qil  ne  moere  pur  froit  si  par  tant  se  sauve  de  la  mort 
nest  mie  pur  taunt  jugeable  a  la  mort  sil  ne  soit  de  poer  del 
aver  achatie  ou  empromptie,  desico?7i  teus  en  sunt  garantiz 
par  lei  naturele.  E  tut  seit  qe  lei  neit  regard  forqe  as  quer 
des  peccheour,  le  Eoi  Edward  neqedent  limita  la  quantite 
de  robberie  e  de  larcin  en  ceste  manere,  cest  assaver  qe  nul 
ne  ust  jugement  de  la  mort  si  soun  larcin,  son  hampsocne 
ou  sa  robberie  ne  passast  xij  d.  desterlings. 

E  notez  qe  li  Eoi  Henri  le  primer  par  Eanulf  de  Glanvil 
ordena  en  totes  mortels  accions  qe  par  la  ou  laccion  fust 


Supply  si.  2  Corr.  ceo.  *  Perhaps  nie. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  141 

and  held  them  and  took  the  profits  thereof  for  a  year,  if 
[the  lords]  made  agreement  with  him  that  he  should  have 
this  instead  of  wasting  the  land. 

The  punishment  for  the  crime  of  rape  is  nowadays 
death  by  hanging,  and  this  whether  the  ravished  woman 
were  a  maid  or  no,  and  without  regard  to  her  rank,  and 
whether  the  conviction  be  at  her  personal  suit  or  at  the 
king's  suit ;  and  until  the  time  of  King  Edward  II.  this 
crime  was  punished  by  tearing  out  of  eyes  and  loss  of 
testicles,  because  of  the  appetite  which  entered  through  the 
eyes  and  the  heat  of  fornication  which  came  into  the  reins 
of  the  lechers.^ 

There  are  seven  causes  which  disturb  a  mortal  judg- 
ment :  * — (1)  a  false  or  foolish  judgment ;  (2)  false  testi- 
mony ;  (3)  default  of  a  better  answer ;  (4)  the  hastiness  of 
the  king ;  (5)  in  the  case  of  a  woman,  pregnancy — the  first 
three  causes  give  respite  for  forty  days,  the  fourth  for  thirty 
days,  the  fifth  for  forty  weeks,  or  more  if  the  child  be  not 
then  born ;  (6)  want  of  discretion,  as  in  the  case  of  born 
fools,  madmen,  infants,  and  ; '  (7)  poverty. 

In  the  case  of  poverty  we  must  distinguish  poverty  of  the 
sinner  and  poverty  of  the  thing  in  question.  For  the  poor 
man  who  to  escape  starvation  takes  victuals  to  sustain  his 
life,  or  a  garment  to  prevent  death  by  cold,  if  thereby  he 
saves  himself  from  death,  is  not  to  be  adjudged  to  death,  if 
he  had  no  power  to  buy  or  borrow,  for  such  doings  are  war- 
ranted by  the  law  natural.  And  albeit  the  law  only  has 
regard  to  the  sinner's  heart,  nevertheless  King  Edward  set 
a  limit  to  the  amount  of  robbery  or  larceny  [that  would 
serve  to  hang  a  man]  in  this  manner,  to  wit,  that  no  one 
should  be  adjudged  to  death  if  his  larceny,  hamsoken,  or 
robbery  did  not  exceed  twelve  pence  sterling. 

And  note  that  King  Henry  I.*  by  Randolph  Glanvill 
ordained  that  in  all  mortal  actions  if  the  action  was  met 

'  By  Edward  II.  onr  author  means  '  The  last  words  of  this  sentence 

the  king  whom  we  call  Edward  I. ;  have  not  been  translated, 
he  refers  to  Stat.  West.  11.  c.  34.  *  Either  this  should  be   Henry 

'  These  are  causes  for  arrest  of  II.,   or  our    author    has    forgotten 

jadgment.  Ulanvill's  date. 


142  D£   JUGEMENT. 

encontre  de  excepcion  affirmative  qe  cele  affirmacion  fust 
pnmerement  recevable  a  prover,  en  favour  de  sauvacion.  E 
de  ceo  soloit  estre  qe  si  homme  surmeist  autre  felonie  e  il  deit 
al  actour  qil  menti,  qe  la  proeve  fust  agarde  al  defendant 
del  affirmacion  de  la  menceonge,  cestasavoir  par  son  cors  ou 
autrement.  E  aussi  si  li  defendaunt  deist  qe  a  tel  fet  ne 
poet  il  estre  al  jour,  lu  e  Ian  nomee  en  la  pleinte,  e  par  la 
reeson  qil  estoit  aillurs  en  lu  ou  presumpcion  ne  se  poeit  fire 
qil  poeit  aver  este  a  tiel  fet,  ou  sil  deit  qe  il  li  avint  par 
ascun  loial  title,  pur  sauvacion  apendi  la  proeve  al  defendant 
sur  peril  peremptoire  de  laccion  e  del  excepcion.  Mes  si  li 
defendant  vie  ou  dedie  simplement  laccion,  en  tieux  cas 
appent  la  proeve  al  actour. 

Des  utlagez,  veive,^  es  exiillz,  baniz  e  de  ceux  qi  unt 
forjure  le  reaume  retornez  avant  avouable  terme,  pris  e 
detenuz,  se  fornist  li  jugement  par  pendre  a  la  mort. 


Ch.  XVII.     De  Peines  en  divers  manere. 

Passie  des  peines  corporeles  morteles  fet  a  descendre  as 
corporel  veniales,  qe  se  funt  par  overtes  penaunces  infama- 
toires.  E  primes  des  peines  taillons,  qe  se  funt  en  treis 
cas,  cest  assaver  en  mahain,  plaie  e  enprisonement,  en 
queux  si  les  plez  soient  attamez  par  appeals  de  felonie  pur 
vengeaunce  soulement,  adunc  appendent  jugemenz  talions, 
sicom  mahain  pur  mahain,  plaie  pur  plaie,  e  enprison- 
ment  ^  pur  enprisonement.  E  si  venialement  en  forme  de 
trespas,  adunc  tienent  lu  tieux  jugemenz  qe  les  peccheours 
facent  renable  satisfaccion  as  pleintifs,  e  pus  sont  agardables 
a  fere  overte  penaunce  as  qwantites  des  trespas.  Overtes 
penaunces  sunt  cestes,  amendemenz  de  chemins,  de 
chaungees,^  e  des  poinz,  elevacion  al  pillorie,  al  tumbrel, 

'  Corr.  weives.         *  MS.  repeats  e  enprisonment.        '  Corr.  chaticees. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  142 

by  an  affirmative  exception,  this  affirmative  should  be  first 
received  in  proof,  and  this  in  favour  of  the  salvation  of 
defendants.  And  formerly  if  one  man  surmised  felony  against 
another  and  that  other  replied  to  the  action  by  giving  the 
lie,  then  the  proof  of  this  affirmation,  namely,  the  '  You  lie,' 
was  awarded  to  the  defendant  and  was  to  be  given  by  his 
body  or  otherwise.  And  so  too  if  the  defendant  said  that 
he  could  not  have  been  present  at  the  crime  at  the  time  and 
place  alleged,  for  that  he  was  in  some  other  place,  such  that 
the  presumption  was  that  he  could  not  have  been  at  the 
deed,  or  if  he  said  that  he  came  to  the  thing  in  dispute  by 
some  lawful  title,  then  in  favour  of  salvation  the  proof 
was  awarded  to  the  defendant,  but  under  a  peremptory 
peril  of  being  defeated  both  in  the  exception  and  the  action. 
But  if  the  defendant  simply  traverses  or  denies  the  action, 
then  in  this  case  the  proof  is  with  the  plaintiff. 

The  judgment  of  death  by  hanging  is  provided  for  out- 
laws, and  waifs,  and  for  persons  who  have  been  banished 
or  exiled  or  have  abjured  the  realm,  if  they  return  before 
the  lawful  term  and  are  taken  and  detained. 


Ch.  XVII.  Of  various  Kinds  of  Punishment. 

Having  treated  of  mortal  corporal  punishments,  we  must 
descend  to  venial  corporal  punishments,  which  take  the 
form  of  public  and  infamatory  penances.  And  first  we 
speak  of  retaliatory  punishments,  and  these  are  awarded  in 
three  cases,  to  wit,  mayhem,  wounding,  and  imprisonment, 
in  which  cases  if  the  pleas  be  commenced  by  way  of  appeals 
of  felony  for  vengeance  only,  then  retaliatory  judgments 
are  to  be  given,  thus,  mayhem  for  mayhem,  wound  for 
wound,  imprisonment  for  imprisonment ;  but  if  the  pleas 
be  commenced  venially  in  the  form  of  trespass,  then  the 
judgment  is  that  the  sinners  do  make  reasonable  satisfaction 
to  the  plaintiffs,  and  further  an  overt  penance  according  to 
the  quantity  of  the  trespass  is  to  be  awarded  them.  Overt 
penances  are  these  :  [compulsion  to]  the  repair  of  highways, 
footways,  or  bridges,  being  put  in  the  pillory  or  the  tumbrel, 


143  DE  JUGEMENT. 

empnsonement  par  jugement,  abjuracion  del  reaume,  exil, 
bannissement  de  lu,  ou  de  ville,  ou  de  terre,  ou  de  fieus,  de 
entrer  en  lu  ou  de  issir  de  lu  par  jugement  e  ranceon  de 
tele  peine  par  peine  peccuniele,  ou  par  autre  fin,  e  tieles 
autres  maners  de  jugemenz  penales. 

E  si  les  peccheours  soient  enfaunz  ou  autrement  en 
garde,  en  tieux  cas  sunt  les  gardeins  jugeables  a  la  satisfac- 
cion  des  damages,  e  les  gardeins  se  preignent  as  biens  des 
trespassours,  mes  la  penaunce  overte  est  suspendable  taunt 
cnm  il  sont  en  garde.  E  solom  les  differences  des  peccliiez 
e  des  peccheours  varient  les  peines  en  manere  qe  suit.  E 
p?"tmes  de  faus  juges  qi  pecchiez  poissent  plus  pttr  tant  qi\ 
sunt  en  plus  haut  degre  dautres  genz. 

Ch.  XVIII.     De  Faus  Justices. 

De  faus  juges  assignez  or  den  a  le  Eoi  Alfred  tiel  juge- 
ment qe  pur  le  despit  qil  funt  a  Dieu  qi  vicaires  il  se  funt 
e  al  Eoi  qi  tant  les  honure  qil  les  met  en  si  noble  siccom 
est  la  chaire  Dieu,  e  lur  donne  si  grant  •  dignetie  de  repre- 
sentir  la  persone  Dieu  e  la  sine  p^r  jugerles  peccheours,  en 
p7*tmes  sunt  agardables  a  fere  satisfaccion  as  blessiez,  e  le 
remenant  de  lur  biens  sont  remanables  forfez  au  Eoi,  sauve 
autriz  droiz  e  dettes,  e  totes  lur  possessions  forfetes,  ovesqes 
totes  lur  possessions  par  eus  purchacees,  en  qi  meins  qe 
eles  seient  devenus,  e  pus  sunt  trebuchables  al  foer  del  faus 
Lucifer  si  bas  qe  jammes  ne  relevent,  e  des  cors  sunt  pe- 
nables  ou  exillables  a  la  voluntie  le  Eoi ;  e  de  mortel  juge- 
ment faus  sunt  il  pendables  al  foer  dautres  homicides,  e 
pur  mahaim  mahaim,  pur  plaie  plaie,  e  pur  enpnsone- 
ment  enp?7"sonment,  tieus  pur  tieus,  en  meme  le  lu,  e  en 
meme  lestat. 

Li  jugement  de  faus  juges  ordenaires  nest  mie  en 
venials  jugemenz  si  chargeant  cum  est  des  juges  delegat 


'  MS.  repeats  si  grant. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  148 

imprisonment  under  judgment,  abjuration  of  the  realm, 
exile,  banishment  from  the  place,  or  the  vill,  or  the  land,  or 
the  fee,  to  enter  such  a  place  or  to  leave  it  under  judgment, 
and  ransom  of  such  punishments  by  a  pecuniary  punish- 
ment or  some  other  fine— and  other  such  sorts  of  penal 
judgments.  And  if  the  sinners  are  infants  or  otherwise  in 
ward,  their  guardians  are  adjudged  to  pay  the  damages  and 
may  betake  themselves  to  the  goods  of  the  trespassers,  but 
the  overt  penance  is  suspended  so  long  as  the  sinner  is  in 
ward.  And  punishments  vary  according  to  distinctions 
between  sins  and  between  sinners  in  manner  following. 
And  first  of  false  judges  whose  sins  are  heavier  than  those 
of  others,  since  they  are  of  higher  rank  than  others. 

Ch.  XVIII.     Of  False  Justices. 

As  to  false  justices  delegate.  King  Alfred  ordained  this 
judgment,  that  (for  the  desi)ite  which  they  do  to  God,  whose 
vicars  they  make  themselves,  and  to  the  king,  who  has 
honoured  them  by  placing  them  in  a  noble  seat,  namely  in 
the  chair  of  God,  and  has  given  them  the  great  dignity  of 
representing  the  person  of  God  and  of  the  king  for  the 
punishment  of  sinners),  they  should  first  be  adjudged  to 
make  satisfaction  to  the  injured,  and  that  the  remnant  of 
their  goods  should  be  forfeited  to  the  king,  with  a  saving 
for  the  rights  and  debts  of  others,  and  that  all  their  posses- 
sions should  be  forfeited,  and  all  the  possessions  purchased 
by  them,  into  whosesoever  hands  they  shall  have  come, 
and  that  then  they  should  be  cast  down,  after  the  likeness 
of  the  false  Lucifer,  so  low  that  they  should  never  rise 
again,  and  that  their  bodies  should  be  punishable  and  exile- 
able  at  the  king's  will ;  and  that  for  a  false  mortal  judgment 
they  should  be  hanged  like  other  homicides,  and  mayhem 
for  mayhem,  wound  for  wound,  imprisonment  for  imprison- 
ment, and  like  for  like  in  all  particulars  of  place  and  con- 
dition. 

The  judgment  of  false  judges  ordinary  in  the  ease  of 
venial  judgments  is  not  so  heavy  as  that  of  judges  delegate. 


144  DE  JUGEMENT. 

avantdit,  einz  enpnmes  sunt  condempnables  a  la  satisfac- 
cion  des  pleintifs,  e  de  ver  le  Eoi  sunt  punissables  par 
peine  peccuniele  e  foriugeables  de  chescun  juresdiccion,  e 
des  cas  mortieux  e  tallions  solom  ceo  qe  dit  est  dautres 
juges. 


Ch.  XIX.    De  Perjurie. 

De '  perjurie  est  grant  pecchie  distinctez  ou  de  perjurie 
de  faus  testmoinage,  ou  de  perjurie  cum  fei  mentir  contre 
le  serement  de  feautie.  Del  primer  perjurie  fet  a  destincter 
ou  de  perjurie  mortel  ou  de  venial.  Si  de  mortel  adunc 
siut  mortel  jugement  al  foer  daperz  homicides.  E  notez 
qe  en  totes  personels  accions  atteintes  ^  torcenouses  a 
personeles  siutes  appent  tiel  agard  qe  due  satisfaccion  ne  ^ 
face  as  pleintifs,  e  les  peccheors  soient  puniz  par  corporele 
peine,  les  qeles  peines  sunt  achatees  par  ranceons  de 
deners.  E  si  de  venial  perjurie  adunc  soloient  les  con- 
dempnables a  exil  a  anees  ou  a  jammes,  e  lur  bois,  prez, 
mansions  e  gardins  atirables  al  foer  des  homicides,  sauve 
qe  lur  heirs  ne  remeissent  desheritez. 

De  lautre  perjurie,  distinctez  ou  cum  fei  mentir  au  Eoi 
ou  a  autre.  E  si  au  Eoi  distinctez  ou  cum  son  tenaunt  ou 
noun.  E  si  de  serement  de  feautie  issant  de  fieu  e  la 
feautie  soit  blemie  en  ascuns  de  ses  poinz,  a  dune  tient  lu  le 
proces  avant  dit  es  defautes.  E  si  de  serement  nient 
issaunt  de  fieu  distinctez  ou  de  commune  feautie  juree  au 
Eoi  pur  la  demoere  en  son  fieu,  e  adunqe  tient  lu  simple 
peine  corporele  qe  passe  la  peine  qe  serreit  jugeable  a  autres 
nient  ministres  solom  la  voluntie  le  Eoi.'' 


'  Omit  De.  *  Corr.  attames  (?).  *  Corr.  se. 

*  A  loss  of  words  from  the  preceding  sentence  may  be  suspected. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  144 

which  has  been  stated  above,  but  in  the  first  place  they  ar^ 
to  be  condemned  to  satisfy  the  plaintiffs,  and  then  to  be 
punished  in  relation  to  the  king  by  pecuniary  penalties, 
and  they  are  to  be  forjudged  of  every  jurisdiction  ;  but  in 
mortal  cases,  and  those  which  demand  retaliation,  they  are 
to  be  punished  like  other  judges  in  manner  aforesaid. 


Ch,  XIX,     Of  Perjury, 

As  to  the  great  sin  of  perjury,  we  distinguish  between 
perjury  by  false  testimony  and  perjury  by  belying  the 
faith  of  one's  oath  of  fealty.  In  the  former  case  we 
distinguish  mortal  from  venial  perjury.  In  the  case  of 
mortal  perjury  there  is  mortal  judgment,  as  in  the  case  of 
open  homicide.  And  note  that  in  all  personal  actions 
[entered  as  tortious]  at  the  suit  of  the  party,  the  judgment 
is  that  due  satisfaction  be  made  to  the  plaintiff,  and  that 
the  sinners  be  punished  by  a  corporal  punishment,  which 
can  be  redeemed  by  a  ransom  in  money.  And  for  venial 
perjury  those  convicted  may  be  condemned  to  exile  for 
years  or  for  ever,  and  their  woods,  meadows,  houses,  and 
gardens  may  be  destroyed  as  though  they  were  homicides, 
but  their  heirs  will  not  be  disinherited. 

As  to  the  other  sort  of  perjury,  we  distinguish  between 
faith  belied  to  the  king  and  faith  belied  to  another.  And 
in  the  king's  case  we  distinguish  whether  the  swearer  was 
his  tenant  or  no.  If  the  oath  of  fealty  was  issuing  from 
the  fee,  and  the  fealty  is  blemished  in  any  point,  then  the 
procedure  is  that  described  in  our  chapter  on  defaults.  If 
the  fealty  does  not  issue  from  the  fee,  then  we  must  dis- 
tinguish the  common  fealty  sworn  to  the  king  by  those  who 
dwell  within  his  fee,  in  which  case  there  is  a  simple  corporal 
punishment,  which  exceeds  at  the  king's  will  the  punish- 
ment which  would  be  awarded  to  others  who  are  not  the 
king's  ministers. 


145  DE   JUGEMENT. 

Ch.  XX.     De  Office  des  Justices  en  Eire. 

Presentemenz  des  pecchiez  se  funt  par  loffice  de 
corouners,  par  viscontes  e  baillifs  en  tourns  e  veuues,  par 
enquerours  e  justices  especiaux,  e  par  loffice  des  Eois,  ou 
de  lur  chief  justices,  ou  de  lur  justices  generales.  E  pur 
ceo  qe  les  uns  nunt  poer  a  terminer  les  pecchez  de  tieux 
presentemenz  ne  de  punir  les  trespassours,  e  les  autres  qe 
point '  ne  voellent,  ou  ne  funt  mie  duement  ceo  qe  droit 
douroit,'^  ou  punissent  les  innocens  e  esparnient  as  cou- 
pables,  estoit  auncienement  ordene  qe  les  Eois  par  eus  ou 
par  lur  chief  justices  ou  par  justices  generals  a  tuz  plez  oir 
e  terminer,  errasent  de  vij.  aunz  en  vij,  ans  par  mie  tuz 
countiez,  pur  receivre  les  roulles  de  totes  justices  assignez, 
de  corouners,  denquerours,  de  eschateours,  de  viscountes, 
de  hundreders,  de  bailifs,  e  de  touz  seneschaus  de  trestuz 
lur  jugements,  enquestes,  presentment  e  touz  lur  offices,  e 
de  ceux  roulles  diligealment  examiner,  si  ascun  eust  erre 
taunt  ne  quant  en  la  lei,  ou  quant  al  damage  del  Koi,  ou  en 
grevaunce  del  poeple ;  e  ceo  qil  trovassent  nient  termine 
terminassent  en  eire,  redresseasse?<t  eles  ministres  e  les 
negligenz  punirent  solom  les  riules  de  droit,  e  puis  enques- 
sent  de  touz  pecchiez  qe  a  la  juresdiccion  e  la  sute  des  Eois 
appendissent.  E  notez  qe  tut  eient  les  Eois  sute  entor ' 
mortieus  pecchiez,  e  es  torz  fez  au  lei  e  al  droit  de  la 
coroune,  pur  ceo  ne  fet  mie  a  entendre  qil  eit  sute  en  touz 
pecchiez.  Mes  si  ascun  soit  pleintif  ne  sue  mie  sa  pleinte 
apres  ceo  qele  averad  este  afferme,  distinctez,  car  si  de 
pecchie  personel  venial,  suffit  por  les  defendaunz,  car  la 
noun  sieute  des  pleintifs  suppose  satisfaccion  des  blesciez  ; 
e  si  de  pecche  mortiel,  uncore  niad  le  Eoi  nule  siute  si  noun 
par  garaunt  dappel  ou  denditement,  en  queux  bosoigne  as 
appellez  e  enditent  *  qil  se  hastent  a  due  aquitaunce,  ne  lur 
est  nul  tenu  a  respondre  de  nule  meindre  ^  accion  pur 
lexcepcion  de  la  mortiele  infamie  qe  les  forbarre. 

'  Corr.  poient.  '  en  tous  or  eiivers. 

'  de  droit  Us  ptiissent,  1642  and  *  Corr.  encZtices,  1642  and  Houard. 

Houard.  °  maniere,  1642  andHouard. 


OF  JUDGMENT,  145 

Ch.  XX.     Of  the  Office  of  Justices  in  Eyre. 

Presentments  of  sins  are  made  ex  officio  to  the  coroners, 
sheriffs,  and  bailiffs  at  turns  and  views  [of  frankpledge],  to 
inquisitors  and  special  justices,  and  ex  officio  to  the  kings 
or  their  chief  justices  or  general  justices.  And  because 
some  have  no  power  to  *  determine '  the  sins  thus  pre- 
sented, or  to  punish  the  trespassers,  and  others  who  can 
do  it  will  not,  or  will  not  duly  do  what  law  requires,  or 
punish  the  innocent  and  spare  the  guilty,  it  was  ordained 
of  old  that  the  kings  in  person,  or  by  their  chief  justices, 
or  their  general  justices  appointed  to  hear  and  determine 
all  pleas,  should  journey  every  seven  years  throughout  all 
counties  to  receive  the  rolls  of  all  justices  delegate,  coroners, 
inquisitors,  escheators,  sheriffs,  hundredors,  and  bailiffs, 
and  of  all  stewards,  containing  all  their  judgments,  in- 
quests, presentments,  and  official  doings,  and  should  dili- 
gently examine  these  rolls,  to  see  whether  any  one  had 
erred  in  any  point  in  the  law,  or  to  the  damage  of  the 
king,  or  to  the  grievance  of  his  people;  and  what  they 
found  undetermined  they  were  to  determine  in  their  eyre, 
and  should  redress  the  deeds  of  officials,  and  punish 
neglects  according  to  the  rules  of  right,  and  afterwards 
inquire  of  all  sins  which  are  within  the  king's  jurisdiction 
and  prosecution.  And  note  that  though  the  king  has  suit 
[of]  mortal  sins  and  of  wrongs  done  to  the  law  or  to  the 
right  of  the  crown,  still  it  is  not  to  be  understood  that  he 
can  make  suit  for  all  sins.  But  if  any  plaintiff  will  not 
pursue  his  plaint  after  that  he  has  affirmed  it,  then  we 
must  distinguish,  for  if  it  be  for  a  venial  personal  sin,  that 
is  enough  for  the  defendants,  for  non-suit  supposes  a  satis- 
faction of  the  harm  done ;  and  even  if  it  be  for  a  mortal 
sin,  still  the  king  cannot  sue  unless  he  has  warrant  for  this 
in  an  appeal  or  an  indictment,  in  which  case  it  behoves  the 
appellees  or  indictees  to  be  quick  to  get  an  acquittal,  for 
until  then  no  one  will  be  obliged  to  answer  them  in  any 
lower  action,  because  the  exception  of  mortal  infamy  will 
bar  them. 

V  2 


146  DE   JUGEMENT. 


Ch.  XXI.     Des  Articles  en  Eire. 

Chescun  pais  solloit  estre  garni  al  meins  par  xl.  jours 
par  generale  somonses  des  venues  des  Eois  ;  ou  apres  les 
essoignes  aiornees,  e  les  assizes  de  vitaille  ordenez,  e  les 
bans  des  ordenancez  criez,  e  ceux  des  franchises  aiornees, 
e  les  jurours  triez,  jurez,  e  chargiez  de  lur  articles,  e  les 
cliens  de  franchises  e  les  roulles  des  justices,  des  corouners, 
de  touz  seneschaux  e  dautres  e  tote  manere  des  pleez  e  de 
presentemenz  pus  la  dereine  eire  priz  e  receux,  soleit  len 
enprimes  enquere,  oir,  e  terminer  les  articles  presentez  en 
la  derreine  eire  attamez  e  nient  terminez;  e  pus  oir  e 
terminer  brefs  e  pleintes,  deliverer  prisons,  examiner  roullez 
e  redrescer  errours  e  tuz  torz  par  loials  jugemenz  saunz 
regard  de  nuli  persone.  E  tuz  ceux  juges  ordenaires  e 
assignes,  viscountes,  baillifs,  e  seneschaux  des  seignurs  de 
lieus,  e  touz  autres  qe  clamerent  jurediccion  qe  lem  poet 
attendre  dascun  tort  fet  co autre  les  seintes  riules  de  droit 
dempna  len  par  jugement  de  torcenous  juges  ova  le  regard 
a  lei  distincteison  des  greez.  Corouners,  eschateours,  vis- 
countes, baillifs,  e  autres  ministres  fesaunz  torz  al  Koi  ou 
al  poeple  soloit  len  punir  al  foer  dautres  e  outre  solom  la 
voluntie  le  Eoi.  Les  peccheours  qe  len  trova  usaunz  fausses 
balaunces  e  fans  detz  '  e  gainaunz  par  assise  enfreinte  de 
pain,  vin,  cervoise,  dras  e  de  autres  marchaundises  soloit 
len  lever  al  pillorie,  e  les  femes  a  tumeril,  e  mes  nestoient 
sufferz  de  marchaundir,  e  ia  ne  se  poient  courir  par  usage 
ou  franchise  de  ville  ou  de  lu,  par  quoi  lusage  fust  con- 
traiaunt  a  dreit.  Les  cillours  de  bourses  soloit  lem  prendre 
en  lur  pecchiez  notoires  de  fet,  e  pur  la  coupeure  de  bourses 
e  dautres  biens  vaillaunz  meins  de  xij.  deners  e  plus  de  "vj.  d. 

^  metes,  1642  and  Houard. 


or  JUDGMENT.  146 


Ch.  XXL     The  Articles  of  the  Eyre. 

Every  county  was  warned  at  least  forty  days  in  advance 
of  the  king's  coming  by  a  general  summons ;  and  then 
after  the  essoins  were  adjourned,  and  the  assizes  of  victual 
were  ordained,  and  the  bans  of  ordinances  were  proclaimed, 
and  days  were  given  to  the  men  of  the  franchises,  and  the 
jurors  were  challenged,  sworn  and  charged  with  their  articles, 
and  the  claims  of  franchises,  and  the  rolls  of  the  justices 
and  the  coroners  and  the  stewards,  and  others,  and  of  all 
manner  of  pleas  and  presentments  since  the  last  eyre,  were 
taken  and  received — after  all  this,  then  the  first  business  was 
to  inquire  of,  hear,  and  determine  the  matters  which  were 
presented  in  the  last  eyre,  and  which  were  then  commenced 
but  not  finished  ;  and  the  next  was  to  hear  and  determine 
the  plaints  and  writs,  to  deliver  the  prisoners,  examine  the 
rolls,  and  redress  errors  and  all  injuries,  by  lawful  judg- 
ment without  respect  of  persons.  And  all  these  judges 
ordinary  or  assigned,  sheriffs,  bailiffs,  stewards  of  the  lords 
of  fees,  and  all  others  who  claimed  jurisdiction  could  bo 
attainted  of  any  tort  done  against  the  holy  rules  of  right, 
and  were  condemned  by  the  judgment  provided  for  tortious 
judges,  with  due  respect  to  their  degrees.  Coroners, 
cscheators,  sheriffs,  bailiffs,  and  other  officers  guilty  of 
wrongs  against  the  king  and  the  people  were  punished  like 
other  men,  and  in  addition  they  were  punished  at  the 
king's  will.  The  sinners  who  were  found  using  false  scales 
and  false  weights,  and  making  gain  by  breach  of  the 
assize  of  bread,  wine,  ale,  cloth,  and  other  merchandise, 
were  sent,  if  males  to  the  pillory,  if  women  to  the  tumbrel, 
and  were  forbidden  further  merchandise,  and  were  not 
allowed  to  excuse  themselves  by  the  usage  or  franchise  of 
any  town  or  place,  for  such  a  usage  would  be  contrary  to 
law.  Cutpurses  were  seized  in  their  crimes  *  notorious  in 
fact,'  and  for  cutting  a  purse,  or  taking  other  goods  to  the 
value  of  less  than  twelve,  but  more  than  six,  pence,  one 


147  DE   JUGEMENT. 

soloit  len  fere  freschement  saunz  mener  les  en  prison  ou 
aillours  devant  juge  assigne  couper  lune  oreille,  e  de  banir 
les  de  la  ville  ou  del  fieu  a  lautre  foit.  E  pur  lour  larcin 
meins  vaillaunt  de  vj.  d.  soloient  tieux  estre  levez  al  pillorie 
al  primer  foiz  e  destre  baniz  a  lautre. 

En  jugemenz  des  pe?-sonels  trespas  venials  soloit  Martin 
de  Pateshull  user  quant  a  taxacion  des  damages  mises  en 
pleintes  cest  cours ;  11  soloit  enquere  doffice  des  jurors  par 
queux  ascun  p?'mcipal  trespassour  fut  atteint  devant  li,  des 
nons  de  trestuz  ceus  qi  coupables  estoient  el  principal 
degrie  e  en  laecessoire,  e  einz  ces '  qil  alast  al  jugement  des 
damages  solom  le  noumbre  des  enditez,  issi  qc  nul  pleintif 
ne  recoverast  plusours  entiers  damages  par  pluralite  des 
pleintifs  ^  de  un  soul  trespas  vers  les  trespassours  several- 
ment. 


Ch.  XXII.     Des  FraiincJiiscs. 

Des  fraunchises  notez  qc  pur  ceo  qe  le  Eoi  ne  use  forqe 
al  foier  denfant  dendreit  les  e  les  dignetiez  de  sa  coroune, 
nest  nule  feffement  de  loiale  fraunchise  si  estable  qe  les 
Eois  ne  les  poent  rapelir  par  dreit  proces,  par  si  qil  en  facent 
satisfaccion  a  la  valante  cum  pur  la  garauntie.  E  ben  list 
a  chescun  qi  sensent  greive  a  fere  la  siute  pur  le  Eoi  pur 
fere  anentir  chescun  fraunchise  forfete  par  contumace,  cum 
si  baillif  de  fraunchise  ne  face  execucion  del  retorn  de  vis- 
counte  del  comandement  le  Eoi,  par  abusion  cum  par 
desus  de  la  fraunchise  sicom  trop  largement  ou  nient 
duement ;  car  par  le  href  suaunt  qe  li  viceconte  entre  en  la 
fraunchise,  recovere  le  Eoi  sa  seisine  e  issi  devent  jug^ 
gueldable  ceo  qc  avant  fu  enfraunchi,  E  tuz  ceux  soloient 
forfere  la  fraunchise  de  garde  de  gaole  aver  en  feu  qe  -par 
title  de  fraunchise  de  infangenetheof  ou  de  retorn  des 
briefs,   nenvoierent    sanz    delai    les   prisons   pris   en   lus 

'  Corr.  ceo.  ^  Coir,  pleintes.  '  Corr.  juge. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  147 

used,  on  the  spot,  without  taking  them  to  prison  or  else- 
where before  a  judge  delegate,  to  cut  an  ear  off  for  a  first 
offence,  and  to  banish  them  from  the  vill  or  from  the  fee 
for  a  second  offence ;  and  if  the  larceny  was  to  a  less 
amount  than  sixpence,  they  were  put  in  the  pillory  for  the 
first  and  banished  for  the  second  offence. 

As  regards  the  taxation  of  the  damages  that  were  laid 
in  venial  personal  actions,  Martin  of  Pateshull  used  to 
proceed  thus  :  he  inquired  ex  officio  from  the  jurors  by 
whom  any  of  the  principal  trespassers  had  been  attainted 
before  him,  concerning  the  names  of  all  who  were  guilty  as 
principals  or  as  accessories,  and  then  he  proceeded  to  give 
judgment  for  the  damages  according  to  the  number  of  the 
persons  thus  indicted,  so  that  no  plaintiff  should  recover 
his  whole  damages  more  than  once  for  one  trespass  com- 
mitted by  several  trespassers  by  means  of  a  plurahty  of 
[plaints]. 

Ch.  XXII.     Of  Franchises. 

As  to  franchises,  note  that  as  the  king  in  his  enjoyment 
of  the  [rights]  and  dignities  of  his  crown  is  comparable  to 
an  infant  (fungitiir  vice  minoris),  no  feoffment  of  a  lawful 
franchise  is  so  stable  that  kings  cannot  repeal  it  by  right 
process  on  making  recompense  for  its  value  as  in  the 
case  of  a  warranty.  And  everyone  who  thinks  himself 
grieved  can  make  suit  for  the  king  to  annul  a  franchise 
forfeited  by  contumacy  (as  if  a  bailiff  of  a  franchise  does 
not  execute  the  king's  command  which  the  sheriff  has 
handed  to  him  for  his  return),  or  by  abuse  or  disuse  of  the 
franchise,  as  if  its  limits  are  exceeded  or  it  is  not  duly 
observed  ;  for  by  the  writ  which  follows  on  such  a  procedure, 
and  which  bids  the  sheriff  enter  the  franchise,  the  king 
recovers  his  seisin,  and  so  that  which  before  was  enfran- 
chised becomes  geldable.  And  all  those  forfeit  the  franchise 
of  keeping  a  gaol  in  fee  by  reason  of  the  franchise  of 
iiifangthicf  or  of  return  of  writs,  who  will  not  send  to  the 
gaol  of  the  geldable  all  those  who  have  bein  arrested  in 


148  DE   JUOEMENT. 

fraunchis  pur  felonie  fete  el  gueldable  jesqes  a  la  gaole  del 
gueldable,  si  qc  le  Eoi  ne  pe?'dra  les  pelfres  ne  les  chatieux 
des  felouws  ne  autres  proffiz  e  droiz  ;  car  le  Eoi  ne  donne 
nule  fraunchise  en  prejudice  de  li  ne  de  nul  autre,  nomee- 
ment  de  retorn  de  bref  ne  garde  de  gaole  avoir.  Example 
poeit  estre,  sicom  par  entre  ij.  veisins  enfraunchis,  qe  sicom 
lun  ne  poet  nul  prison  retenir  en  prejudice  del  autre,  aussi 
ne  poet  nul  homme  enfraunchi  retenir  prison  en  prejudice 
del  Eoi,  e  sil  le  face  il  forfet  la  frauncbise.  E  aussi  appent 
qe  jurours  veignent  hors  des  fraunchises  requis  '  par  devaunt 
le  Eoi  e  ces  comwdssaires  requis  '  el  gueldable  e  aillours  a 
Boun  mandement,  aussi  ben  sur  criminals  accions  qe  sur 
reales.  E  si  ascun  recette  felouw  en  sa  fraunchise  a  escient 
cist  en  est  chalengeable. 


Ch.  XXIII.     De  Satisfaccion  de  Dette. 

Des  damages  recove?-ez  vers  autre  .j.  ou  plusours  iert 
jugement  rendable  countre  lactour;  sicom  en  cest  cas,  si 
plusours  deivent  une  dette  dunt  chescun  seit  tenu  el  tut, 
si  lun  de  eus  en  face  gre,  tut  ne  face  il  gre  especialment 
pur  touz  les  dettours  trestiiz,  neqedent  en  sunt  quites  pur 
Qeo  qe  satisfaccion  regarde  la  dette  ne  mie  les  persones. 


Ch..  XXIV.     Cas  de  Deseisine.^ 

Si  les  jurours  en  petites  assises  soient  de  un  assent,  die 
un  le  comMW  verdit  pur  touz.  E  sil  dient  qil  nen  savent 
nient,  lactour  ne  recovre  nient  pur  ceo  qil  ne  proeve  mie  sa 
accion.  E  sil  seient  de  divers  assenz,  pur  ceo  ne  sent  il 
mie  manasables  ne  enprisonables,  einz  sunt  tretables  e 
severables  e  examinables  diligealment ;  e  si  ij  jurours  soient 
trovez  accordaunz  entre  trestuz  les  autres,  suffit  pur  celi 

'  Coxi.  jeques.  ^  The  letters  cis  are  obliterated  in  MS. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  148 

their  franchise  for  felonies  committed  in  the  geldable,  so 
that  the  king  may  not  lose  the  pelf  [stolen  goods]  nor  th© 
chattels  of  the  felons,  nor  other  profits  and  rights ;  for  the 
king  gives  no  franchise  to  the  prejudice  of  himself  or  of 
another,  more  especially  the  return  of  writs  and  the 
custody  of  gaols.  To  take  an  example :  just  as  if  two 
neighbours  enjoy  franchises,  one  cannot  retain  a  prisoner 
to  the  prejudice  af  the  other,  so  no  man  witli  a  franchise 
can  retain  a  prisoner  to  the  prejudice  of  the  king,  and  if 
he  does  it  he  forfeits  his  franchise.  And  it  behoves  also 
that  jurors  must  come  from  the  franchises  before  the  king 
and  his  commissioners  into  the  geldable  and  elsewhere  at 
his  command,  as  well  in  criminal  as  in  real  actions.  And 
if  anyone  knowingly  receives  a  felon  into  his  franchise,  it 
is  challengeable  on  that  account. 

Ch.  XXIII.     Of  the  Satisfaction  of  Debts, 

If  damages  be  recovered  against  one  or  more,  judgment 
[in  a  subsequent  action]  must  be  given  against  the  plaintiff ; 
in  this  case,  for  example,  namely,  if  divers  persons  owe  a 
debt  in  such  wise  that  each  of  them  is  bound  for  the  whole, 
then  if  one  of  them  makes  accord  with  the  plaintiff,  albeit 
he  does  not  expressly  make  the  accord  on  behalf  of  all  the 
debtors,  nevertheless  all  of  them  are  quit,  for  satisfaction 
has  relation  to  the  debt,  and  not  to  the  persons  of  the 
debtors. 

Ch.  XXIV.     Cases  of  Disseisin. 

If  the  jurors  in  petty  assizes  are  of  one  miAd,  let  one  of 
them  on  behalf  of  all  give  their  common  verdict ;  and  if 
they  say  that  they  know  nothing,  the  plaintiff  will  recover 
nothing,  for  he  has  not  proved  his  action  ;  and  if  they  are. 
of  different  minds,  they  are  not  on  that  accoun,t  to  be 
threatened  or  imprisoned,  but  are  to  be  separated  frona. 
each  other,  and  argued  with,  and  diligently  examined  ;  and, 
if  any  two  jurors  out  of  the  whole  set  agr^e,  tha^t  is  enough, 


149  DE   JUGEMENT. 

pur  qi  il  testmoingnent ;  e  rien  ne  sunt  examinables  sur  le 
title  de  sa  possession  einz  suffist  al  juge  savoir  mon  si 
lactour  estoit  desseisi  de  sa  possession,  le  quel  qe  ele  estoit 
droiturele  ou  torcenouse,  solom  la  pleinte,  car  si  ele  fu 
torcenouse,  pur  ceo  neqedent  qe  li  tenaunt  usa  force,  ou  il 
dust  aver  use  jugement,  e  ceo  fist  memes  juge,  est  jugement 
rendable  pur  lactour,  issi  qil  recovere  sa  seisine  tele  quele, 
sauve  chescun  droit  par  autre  bref.  Car  assise  ne  tient  mie 
lu  sur  assise  de  ,j.  tenement  entre  meme  les  parties  ne 
atteinte  sur  atteinte.  E  si  les  jurours  dient  pur  le  quel 
qil  eient  juree  sur  laccion  ou  sur  ascun  excepcion  fet  ajuger 
pur  li.  E  appent  denquere  des  autres  nomeez  el  bref,  e 
si  les  disseisours  ininterent  a  force  e  a  armes,  tut  soit  qil 
ne  feirent  damage  a  nul  de  son  cors,  trestuz  neqedent  sunt 
agardables  a  peine  corporele  solom  la  quantite  del  pecchie. 
E  sil  engeterent  de  sa  mansion  ou  de  meson  ou  de  sa  meinee 
demoera  la  felonie  de  tel  homsokne  est  punissable  a  la  sute 
le  Eoi  ou  de  la  partie.  Car  nul  nest  engetable  de  sa  meeson 
ou  il  iad  demore  e  la  quele  qil  ad  usee  pur  sue  propre  par 
un  an  saunz  jugement,  tut  nen  eit  il  nul  title  forqe  par 
disseisine  ou  entrusion.  E  suffist  pur  force  e  armes  soule 
montreison  darmes  pur  enpourir  les  adversaires.  E  en 
noun  darmes  sunt  compris  arcs,  saietes,  arbalastes,  baches, 
lances,  espeies,  bastons,  fondes,  targes,  e  ling  armure  e  de 
fer.  Pus  fet  enqere  des  damages  cestassavoir  des  issues  des 
tenemenz  puis  la  disseisine  fete  e  qe  meins  celes  issues 
soient  pus  devenues,  e  des  mises  castagez  e  renables 
despenses  qe  lactour  ad  suffert  entour  soun  recoverer,  e  en 
totes  choses  de  cumbien  il  en  est  endamagie  en  descrees  de 
ses  biens  e  de  sa  honur.  E  les  damages  assummez,'  soit 
agarde  qe  li  pleintif  recovere  sa  seisine  tele  quele  par  la 

>  Doubtful. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  149 

for  the  party  for  whom  they  testify ;  and  they  are  not  to  be 

examined  about  his  title  to  the  possession,  for  it  is  enough 

for  the  judge  to  know  that  the  plaintiff  was  disseised  from 

hia  possession,  whether  that  possession  were  rightful  or 

wrongful ;  for  albeit  it  was  wrongful,  nevertheless  because 

the  defendant  had  recourse  to  force  instead  of  judgment, 

and  made  himself  a  judge,  judgment  shall  be  given  for  the 

plaintiff,  that  he  recover  his  seisin  such  as  it  was,  with  a 

saving  for  every  right  which  may  be  asserted  under  any 

other  writ ;   but  there  cannot  be   assize   upon  assize,  or 

attaint  upon  attaint,  between  the  same  parties  as  to  the 

same  tenement.     And  if  jurors  find  for  one  party,  then 

judgment  must  be  given  for  him,  whether  they  have  been 

sworn  to  give  a  verdict  on  the  action  or  on  an  '  exception.' 

And  inquiry  must  bo  made  as  to  the  other  persons  named 

in  the  writ,  and  as  to  whether  the  disseisors  came  with 

force  and  arms;  and  if  they  came  with  force  and  arms, 

albeit  they  did  no  damage  to  the  body  of  anyone,  all  of 

them  shall  be  adjudged  to  a  corporal  punishment  according 

to  the  quantity  of  their  sin.   And  if  they  ejected  the  plaintiff 

from  his  mansion  or  his  house  where  some  of  his  family 

dwelt,  the  felony  of  this  hamsoken  is  punishable  at  the  suit 

of  the  king  or  of  the  party ;  for  no  one  is  to  be  ejected 

without  judgment  from  his  house  in  which  he  has  dwelt 

and  which  he  has  used  as  his  own  for  one  year,  albeit  he 

has  no  title  save  by  disseisin  or  intrusion.     And  there  is 

'  force  and  arms  '  enough  if  there  be  but  a  show  of  arms  Vj 

to  frighten  the  adverse  party  ;  and  under  the  name  of '  arms ' 

are  comprised  bows,  arrows,  cross-bows,  axes,  lances,  swords, 

staves,  slings,  shields  and  armour  whether  of  linen  or  of  iron. 

And  afterwards  inquiry  must  be  made  as  to  the  damages, 

that  is,  of  the  issues  of  the  tenements  after  the  disseisin, 

to  whose  hands  those  issues  have  come,  and  of  the  costs, 

charges,  and  reasonable  expenses  to  which  the  plaintiff  has 

been  put  in  and  about  his  recovery,  and  in  all  respects  how 

much  he  is  damaged  by  decrease  of  his  goods  or  of  his 

honour.    And  the  damages  being  taxed,  it  shall  be  awarded 

that  the  plaintiff  do  recover  his  beisin,  such  as  it  was,  by  the 


150  DE  JUGEMENT. 

veuue  des  jurours  e  les  damages,  e  les  disseisours  sunt 
punissables  solom  les  poinz  des  pecchiez. 

Dendreit  les  biens  trovez  es  tenemenz  dunt  nul  ne  poeit 
savoir  lestimacion  par  cas  sicom  pur  chartres,  escriz  loiaux, 
tresor  e  teles  choses  enserrees,  ad  lactour  accion  par  appel 
de  robberie  ou  par  bref  de  trespas. 

Li  jugement  de  larcin  atteint  venalment  a  fere  satisfac- 
cion  as  pleintifs  al  double  de  la  value  de  la  chose  emble. 
^  de  robberie  al  quadruple. 


Ch.  XXV.     B£  Amerciement. 

Peine  peceunielle  appelluns  nous  amerciementz  qe  soient 
reales  peccheours  '  e  mixtes,  qe  ascuns  poinz  sont  en  ce^-tein 
e  en  ascuns  pointz  nient.  En  certein  amerciementz  sunt 
en  certein  ascuns  foiz  solum  les  dignetiez  des  gentz,  sicom 
est  de  contes  e  des  barrens.  Car  cum  tenaunt  contie 
enteree  est  amerciable  a  c.  li.  q^ant  meins  est  amercie.  E 
baron  de  baronie  en  entcre  a  c.  marz.  E  qi  meins  entenent 
ou  pltts,  solom  la  quantite  de  sa  tenure.  E  ascune  foiz  pa?- 
certein  assize  en  aut?-e  cas  sicom  est  de  eschaps  de  genz 
retenues.  En  quel  cas  distinctez.  Car  ou  len  escbape  de  la 
prison  le  Eoi,  ou  de  lautri  prison  le  Eoi,^  distinctez  ou  la 
cause  est  mortele  ou  veniale.  E  si  mortiele  distinctez  ou 
la  cause  fu  atteinte  ou  noun.  E  si  atteinte  par  notorite  de 
fet  ou  de  droit,  adunc  tient  lu  peine  corporele  non  certein. 
Car  si  li  gardein  .j.  ou  plusours  soient  assentaunz  a  leschap, 
adunc  sue  mortele  peine.  E  si  la  cause  ne  fu  mie  atteinte 
e  le  gardein  ne  fu  le  ministre  le  Eoi  ne  assentaunt  a  leschap, 
adunc  est  lassiae  de  la  peine  c.  souz  desterl.  ou  plus  solom 
lusage  del  pais  ou  de  lu  ou  del  prisone.  E  si  la  cause  soit 
veniale,  adunc  nest  mie  leschap  punissable.     E  si  leschap 


Corr,  personcls  (?).  '  Om.  le  Boi  (?). 


OF  JUDGMENT.  150 

view  of  the  jurors,  and  his  damages,  and  the  disseisors  are 
punishable  according  to  the  particulars  of  their  sins.  As 
to  the  goods  found  in  the  tenement,  of  which  the  value 
cannot  perhaps  be  estimated,  e.g.  charters,  legal  writings, 
treasure,  and  other  things  that  are  locked  up,  the  plaintiff 
has  his  action  by  appeal  of  robbery  or  writ  of  trespass. 

The  judgment  for  larceny,  when  this  has  been  proved  in 
a  venial  action,  is  for  satisfaction  to  the  plaintiffs  to  the 
double  value  of  the  things  stolen,  and  in  case  of  robbery  to 
the  fourfold  value. 


Ch.  XXV.     Of  Amercements. 

Pecuniary  punishments  we  call  amercements,  which  are 
real,  personal,  or  mixed,  and  sometimes  are  certain  and 
sometimes  uncertain.  Amercements  are  certain  in  some 
cases  according  to  the  dignity  of  the  persons  amerced  ; 
thus  it  is  with  earls  and  barons,  for  one  who  holds  a  whole 
earldom  is  amerced  at  one  hundred  pounds  at  the  least, 
and  a  baron  for  a  whole  barony  at  a  hundred  marks ;  and 
those  who  hold  less  or  more  are  amerciable  in  proportion 
to  what  they  hold.  In  some  other  cases  the  amercement  is 
fixed  by  a  certain  assize,  as  is  the  case  where  prisoners  have 
escaped.  And  here  you  must  distinguish  whether  the 
escape  be  from  the  king's  prison  or  from  another  prison, 
and  if  from  the  king's  prison,  then  whether  the  cause  of 
imprisonment  was  mortal  or  venial,  and  if  mortal,  whether 
this  cause  had  been  proved  [attainted]  or  no ;  and  if  it  has 
been  proved,  whether  by  notoriety  of  fact  or  notoriety  of 
law,  then  there  is  an  uncertain  corporal  punishment ;  for 
in  this  case  if  the  guardian  or  guardians  of  the  prison  were 
assenting  to  the  escape  then  a  mortal  punishment  ensues  ; 
but  if  the  cause  was  not  yet  proved,  and  the  guardian  was 
not  the  king's  minister  and  was  not  assenting  to  the  escape, 
then  the  assessment  of  the  punishment  is  a  hundred  shil- 
lings sterling,  or  more  or  less  according  to  the  usage  of  the 
country  or  place  or  prison.  And  if  the  cause  be  venial, 
then  the  escape  is  not  punishable.     And  if  the  escape  be 


a. 


151  DE  JUGEMENT. 

se  face  de  lautri  prison,  distinctez  de  la  cause  de  la  capcien 
ou  la  cause  est  mortele  ou  veniale.  E  si  mortele,  adunc 
tient  lu  veniale  peccunielle  avantdit.  E  de  venial  cause  ne 
sont  nulle  peine  pur  nul  eschap. 


Ch.  XXVI.     Damerciement  Taxable. 

Somoouns^  amerciemenz  sont  taxables  ipao-  le  serement  e 
lafoermewt  de  piers  de  ceux  qi  cheent  en  la  merci  solom  la 
constitucion  de  la  chartre  des  franchises,  qe  voet  qe  franc 
hovame  soit  afeere  qwant  il  chiet  en  la  merci  solom  la 
quantite  de  trespas,  e  issi  qe  sa  contenaunce  ne  soit  abaissee, 
marchant  sauve  sa  marchaundise  e  villein  sauve  sa  gai- 
gnerie ;  e  ceus  affoerours  sont  elizables  par  lassent  des 
parties  sil  voillent  estre.  Les  ministres  le  Eoi  neqedent 
sont  plus  grevables  pur  lur  fei  enfreinte. 

Plusours  cas  sont  qe  peines  corporeles  sunt  rachatees 
par  fins  de  deners.  E  celes  fins  sont  appellables  raunceons 
qe  sunt  a  taunt  a  dire  com  redempcions  de  corporeles 
peines.  E  dune  ascuns  fins  sunt  comuns  sicom  pur  murdres 
e  pur  personeux  trespas  de  villes  e  de  comuns  des  queles  finz 
le  Eoi  Edward  ordena  qe  eles  soient  assises  en  la  presence 
des  justices  si  qe  les  nouns  de  ceux  qi  escoter  idevient 
soient  mis  en  roulles  des  justices,  si  qe  les  estretes  veinent 
as  viscountes  allever  par  parceles  e  nemie  par  les  totales 
summes.  En  cas  ou  lem  recoere  dette  ou  damages  pur 
jugement  ordena  le  Koi  Edward  qe  en  leleccion  soit  de  ceux 
a  fere  les  execucions  par  fere  lever  tieles  dettes  ou  tieux 
damages  des  biens  moebles  as  dettours  ou  de  avoir  touz  lur 
biens  moebles  par  verroi  pris  requis  ^  a  la  vaillaunce  des 
demandes  forpWs  les  boefs  e  les  affres  des  charues  ensemble- 
ment  ovesqe  la  moite  des  terres  e  tenemenz  as  dettors,  si  les 


Commons,  Houard.  ^  Corr,  jeques. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  151 

from  a  prison  of  some  one  other  than  the  king,  you  must 
distinguish  whether  the  cause  of  arrest  be  mortal  or  venial ; 
and  if  it  be  mortal,  then  the  aforesaid  pecuniary  penalty  is 
appHcable  ;  and  if  it  be  venial,  then  there  is  no  punishment 
for  the  escape. 

Ch.  XXVI.     Of  Taxable  Amercements. 

Common  amercements  are  taxable  by  the  oath  and 
affeerment  of  the  peers  of  those  who  fall  into  mercy  accord- 
ing to  the  constitution  of  the  charter  of  liberties,'  which 
wills  that  the  amercement  of  a  free  man  shall  be  affeered 
according  to  the  quantity  of  the  trespass  and  so  that  his 
countenance  be  not  abased,  and  the  merchant  with  a 
saving  for  his  merchandise,  and  the  villain  with  a  saving 
for  his  wainage.  And  the  affeerors  are  to  be  chosen  by  the 
assent  of  the  parties  if  they  wish  to  be  present.  But  the 
king's  ministers  are  to  be  more  severely  charged,  because 
of  their  broken  faith. 

There  are  divers  cases  in  which  corporal  punishments 
are  redeemed  by  fines  in  money ;  and  these  fines  are  called 
ransoms,  which  means  that  they  are  redemptions  of  corporal 
punishments.  And  some  fines  are  '  common,'  such  as  the 
murder  fines  and  those  inflicted  on  vills  and  communes  for 
personal  trespasses,  and  as  to  these  King  Edward  ordained 
that  they  should  be  assessed  in  the  presence  of  the  jus- 
tices, so  that  the  names  of  those  who  ought  to  scot  for 
them  should  be  set  down  in  the  justices'  rolls,  so  that  the 
estreats  might  come  to  the  sheriffs  in  parcels  and  not  in 
gross  sums.^ 

In  cases  where  one  recovers  debts  or  damages  by  judg- 
ment. King  Edward  ordained  that  it  should  be  in  the  elec- 
tion of  the  creditors  to  have  execution  made  by  levying 
such  debts  or  damages  from  the  movable  goods  of  the 
debtors,  or  to  have  all  their  movable  goods  at  the  true  price 
to  the  extent  of  the  demand,  save  oxen  and  beasts  of  the 
plough,  together  with  a  moiety  of  the  lands  and  tenements 

'  Mag.  Cart.  1216,  c.  20.  »  Stat.  West.  I.  c.  18. 


152  DE   JUGEMENT. 

biens  moebles  ne  suffisent  a  tenir,  par  certeine  estente  taunt 
qe  les  dettes  ou  les  damages  soient  levez. 

Es  dreit  de  ceux  qi  sunt  appellez  ou  enditez  de  felonie  e 
ne  sunt  trovez,  appent  denquere  coment  il  sunt  cruz  e  nome- 
ment  devant  le  Eoi  e  ces  justices  erranz.  E  sil  soient  cruz 
par  copables,  adunc  sunt  il  comandables  a  mettre  en  exi- 
gendes  issi  qe  al  p?*imer  countie  apres  leire  soit  li  p?-imer 
jour ;  e  issi  sunt  il  demandable  par  troiz  countiez  requis  ' 
al  utlaguerie  sil  ne  se  rendent  a  la  pees. 


Ch.  XXVII.     Dqffice  des  Justices  en  Eire. 

Al  office  des  justices  en  heire  appent  especialment 
enquere  par  jurours  e  par  examinement  des  roulles  as 
corouners  de  trestuz  les  utlaguiez  pus  la  derreine  heire,  e 
pus  la  certificacion  des  nouns  appent  enquere  des  nouns  de 
lur  pleges,  cest  adire  ou  il  furent  en  deseine  ou  en  veuue  de 
franc  plege.  E  si  lur  pleges  soient  de  meme  lur  contie, 
adunc  sunt  les  pleges  punissables  par  peine  peccunielle  pur 
ceo  qe  il  neurent  avant  tieux  cu??^  il  meinpristerent.  E  sil 
furent  aillours  en  diseine,  adunc  appent  denqere  qi  les  recetta 
en  eel  countie  en  qi  meinpai  il  furent.  E  ceux  sunt  punis- 
sables al  foer  des  pleges  par  meme  la  reson. 

Escrit  eide  des  memoires  des  genz,  sunt  escriz  chartres  e 
monumenz  mout  necessaires  pur  tesmoignir  les  condicions 
e  les  poinz  des  contractz,  de  dons,  des  ventes,  de  fermes,  e  de 
autres  par  le  statut  Leuthfred  qi  ordena  qe  lem  pust  defendre 
ledengues  diz  e  contractz  nuz  e  desvetuz  par  sa  lei  ordena 
qe  actours  provassent  lur  escriz  dediz  e  nient  pj-ovables  par 
veisins  en  Engleterre  pur  les  foreins  contractz  par  bataille 
ou  par  copie  e  collacion  dautres  seales  ou  par  jurours  solom 
leleccion  des  actours. 


Corr.  jeques 


OF  JUDGMENT.  152 

of  the  debtors,  if  the  movable  goods  were  not  sufficient,  to 
hold  according  to  a  fixed  '  extent '  until  the  debts  and 
damages  should  be  levied.' 

As  to  those  who  are  appealed  or  indicted  of  felony  and 
who  are  not  to  be  found,  it  behoves  that  inquiry  be  made, 
and  more  particularly  before  the  king  and  his  justices  in 
eyre,  as  to  their  credit.  And  if  they  be  believed  to  be 
guilty,  then  command  is  to  be  given  that  they  be  put  in 
exigend,  so  that  the  first  county  court  after  the  eyre  shall 
be  the  first  of  the  days  [for  their  exaction],  and  then  they 
are  demandable  at  three  county  courts  until  they  are  out- 
lawed, unless  they  will  surrender  themselves  to  the  peace. 

Ch.  XXVII.     The  Office  of  Justices  in  Eyre. 

To  the  office  of  justices  in  eyre  it  especially  belongs  to 
inquire  by  jurors  and  by  examination  of  the  coroners'  rolls 
concerning  all  those  outlawed  since  the  last  eyre,  and,  after 
their  names  have  been  certified,  to  inquire  also  as  to  the 
names  of  their  pledges,  that  is  to  say,  where  they  were  in 
tithing  or  view  of  frankpledge ;  and  if  their  pledges  are  of 
the  same  county,  then  they  are  punishable  by  a  pecuniary 
punishment  for  not  having  produced  those  who  were  in 
their  mainprise;  and  if  the  pledges  be  elsewhere,  then 
inquiry  must  be  made  as  to  who  received  those  men  in  that 
county  and  in  whose  mainpast  they  were,  and  these  are 
punishable  as  pledges  would  be,  and  for  the  same  reason. 

To  aid  the  memory  of  men,  writings,  charters,  and  muni- 
ments are  very  necessary,  to  testify  the  conditions  and  par- 
ticulars of  contracts,  gifts,  sales,  and  so  forth,  by  the  statute 
of  Leuthfred,  who  ordained  that  one  might  deny  by  one's  law 
injurious  words  and  contracts  which  are  naked  and  devested, 
and  he  ordained  that  plaintiffs  should  produce  their  docu- 
ments if  they  were  denied  and  were  not  provable  by  neigh- 
bours in  England,  because  they  were  foreign,  and  should  prove 
these  documents  by  battle,  or  by  copy  and  collation  of  other 
seals,  or  by  jurors,  according  to  the  election  of  the  plaintiffs.' 
'  Stat.  West.  II.  c.  18.  »  Text  obscure  and  translation  doubtful. 


153  DE   JUGEMENT. 

Si  jurees  par  cas  eient  oscurement  dotousement  ou 
nient  suffisaument  pronuncie  lur  verdit  en  jugement  en 
queuqe  accion  ou  excepcion  ou  ascune  des  parties  ensoit 
grevie,  la  tient  lu  remedie  par  commission  de  ce?-tificacion 
pur  autre  foiz  fere  revenir  les  jurours  e  les  parties,  ou 
covendra  as  pleintifs  ou  actours  aver  suz  le  seal  le  Eoi  ou 
del  juge  ou  de  la  partie  le  p?*oces  de  la  pa?-ole  avawtdite  e 
monstrer  la  defaute  e  le  pecchie  des  jurours.  En  qe  cas  si 
juge  troeve  doute  par  examinement,  cele  doute  est  remenable 
en  certein  e  oscuritie  en  claritie  e  errour  a  varitie  e  issi  est 
le  primer  jugement  redresceable. 


OF  JUDGMENT.  153 

If  perchance  jurors  have  too  obscurely,  dubiously,  or 
insufficiently  given  their  verdict  in  court  on  any  action 
or  'exception,'  or  either  of  the  parties  feels  aggrieved 
thereby,  in  that  case  there  is  a  remedy  by  a  commission  of 
*  certification,'  under  which  the  jurors  and  the  parties  are 
again  summoned,  and  it  behoves  the  plaintiffs  to  have, 
under  the  king's  seal  or  that  of  the  judge,  or  that  of  the 
party,  the  process  of  the  said  suit,  and  to  point  out  the 
default  and  sin  of  the  jurors.  And  in  this  case  if  the  judge 
finds  doubt,  then  by  an  examination  [of  the  jurors]  the 
doubt  may  be  reduced  to  certainty,  and  obscurity  into 
clearness,  and  error  into  truth,  and  thus  the  first  judgment 
may  be  redressed. 


X  8 


154 


LIBER  V.    [DE  ABUSIONS.] 


1.  Des  abusions  de  la  lei. 

2.  Des  defautes  de  la  grande  chartre. 

3.  Les  reprehensions  des  estatuz  de 

Mertone. 

3b.  [Les  reprehensions  des  estatuz 
de  Marleberge.] 

4.  Les  reprehensions    des   primers 

estatuz  de  Westmoustier. 


5.  Les    reprehensions    des    eecunz 

estatuz  de  Westmostier. 

5b.  [Sur  lestatut  de  Gloucestre.] 

6.  Les    reprehensions    de    Circum- 

specte  agatis. 

7.  La  reprehension  de  novel  estatuz 

de  marchanz.* 


Here  follows  Incipit  liber  qtiartm  de  almsions. 


154 


BOOK  V.    OF  ABUSES. 


1.  Abases  of  the  Law. 

2.  Defects  in  the  Great  Charter. 

3.  Reprehensions  of  the  Statutes  of 

Merton. 

3b.  [Reprehensions  of  the  Statutes 
of  Marlborough.] 

4.  Reprehensions  of  the  First  Sta- 

tutes of  Westminster. 


5.  Reprehensions  of  the  Second  Sta- 

tutes of  Westminster. 

5b.  [On  the  Statute  of  Gloucester.] 

6.  Reprehensions   of    Circumspecte 

agatis. 

7.  Reprehensions  of  the  new  Statutes 

of  Merchants. 


155  DE  ABUSIONS. 


LIBER    V. 

DE    ABUSIONS. 

Ch.  I.     Des  Ahusions  de  la  Lei. 

Plusours  sunt  qe  dient  qe  coment  qe  autres  reaumes 
use  lei  escrite  soulle  Engleterre  neqedent  use  ses  custumea 
e  ses  usages  pur  lei.  Mes  entre  droiz  usages  e  torcenouses 
ad  grant  difference,  car  torcenous  usages  nient  garantis- 
sables  par  lei  ne  soeffrables  par  seinte  escnpture  ne  funt 
point  a  usure,  example  des  larrons  qi  usages  sunt  a  robber 
e  emblir.  E  pur  monstrer  ascuns  abusions  tenues  pur 
usages  qe  sont  fraudes  a  la  lei  e  repugnantes  a  droit  nen 
sont  trovez  avouable  par  seinte  esc?*tpture  est  fet  cest 
chapitre  de  une  cueillecte  de  partie  de  abusions  de  la  lei  des 
persones  en  afforcement  de  la  conoissaunce  de  la  dreite  lei 
e  des  verreis  usages. 

Abusion  est  desus  ou  mesus  de  dreit  usages  tournent 
en  abusions,  ascune  foiz  par  contrairetie  e  repugnaunce  a 
dreit,  ascune  foiz  par  trop  user,  ascune  foiz  par  nent  ou 
trop  poi  user,  e  ascune  foiz  par  trop  largement  user. 

1.  La  premere  e  la  soverein  abusion  est  qe  li  Eoi  est 
outre  la  lei,  ou  il  dust  estre  subject,  sicom  est  contenu  en 
son  serement. 

2.  Abusion  est  qe  ou  les  parlementz  se  duissent  fere 
sur  les  sauvacions  des  almes  des  trespassours  e  ceo  a 
Londres  e  as  .ij.  foiz  par  an,  la  ne  se  funt  il  ore  forqe  rere- 
ment  e  a  la  voluntie  le  Eoi  sur  eides  e  cueillettes  de  tresor. 
E  ou  les  ordenaunces  se  duissent  fere  de  comun  assent  del 
Eoi  e  de  ces '  countes  la  ce  funt  ore  par  le  Eoi  e  ces '  clercg 

'  Corr.  ses. 


OF  ABUSES.  165 


BOOK  V. 

OF     ABUSES. 

Ch.  I.     Abuses  of  the  Law. 

There  are  some  who  say  that,  while  other  realms  make 
use  of  written  law,  England  alone  makes  use  of  her  customs 
and  usages  as  law.  But  between  right  and  wrongful  usages 
there  is  a  great  difference ;  for  wrongful  usages,  which  are 
not  warrantable  by  law  nor  allowable  by  holy  writ,  are  not 
to  be  followed,  e.g.  the  usage  of  thieves  which  is  the  usage 
to  rob  and  steal.  And  to  set  forth  certain  abuses  which 
are  held  for  usages,  and  which  are  frauds  on  the  law 
and  repugnant  to  right  and  not  avowable  by  holy  writ,  is 
the  object  of  this  chapter,  which  makes  a  collection  of  a 
part  of  the  abuses  of  the  law  of  persons  as  a  supplement 
for  the  knowledge  of  right  law  and  true  usages. 

Abuse  is  disuse  or  misuse  of  right  usages,  turning  them 
into  abuse,  sometimes  by  contrariety  and  repugnance  to 
right,  sometimes  by  excessive  use,  sometimes  by  non-use  or 
deficient  use,  and  sometimes  by  extravagant  use. 

1.  The  first  and  sovereign  abuse  is  that  the  king  ia. 
beyond  the  law,  whereas  he  ought  to  be  aubject  to  it,  as  is 
contained  in  his  oath. 

2.  It  is  an  abuse  that  whereas  parliaments  ought  to  ba 
held  for  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  trespassers,  twice  a 
year  and  at  London,  they  are  now  held  but  rarely  and  at 
the  king's  will  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  aids  and  col- 
lection of  treasure.  And  whereas  ordinances  ought  to  be 
made  by  the  common  assent  of  the  king  and  his  earls,  they 
are  now  made  by  the  king  and  his  clerks  and  by  aliens  and 


156  DE  ABUSIONS. 

e  par  aliens  e  autres,  qi  nosent  contreviner  le  Eoi,  einz 
desirent  del  plere  e  de  li  conseiller  a  son  proffit,  tut  ne  soit 
mie  lur  conseil  covenable  al  comun  del  people,  sanz  appeller 
les  countes  e  saunz  suire  les  riules  de  droit,  e  dune  plusours 
ordenaunces  se  foundent  ore  plus  sur  la  voluntie  qe  sur 
droit. 

3.  Abusion  est  qe  les  leis  ne  les  usagez  del  Eeaume 
ovesqe  lur  enchesons  ne  sunt  mie  escrit  par  quoi  il  soient 
connus  issi  qil  pussent  estre  seuz  de  tuz. 

4.  Abusion  est  qe  force  vaut  en  deseisines  apres  le  tierce 
jour  de  pesible  seisins,  desicom  il  nest  mie  digne  destre 
eide  de  la  lei  qi  se  defie  de  jugement  e  use  la  force. 

5.  Abusion  est  qe  dreit  prent  ore  delai  en  la  court  le 
Eoi  plus  qe  aillours. 

6.  Abusion  est  de  soeffrir  nul  el  reaume  outre  xl.  jours 
qe  seit  del  eage  de  xiij.  anz  ensuz,  soit  Engleis,  seit  alien, 
sil  ne  soit  jure&  ai  Eoi  par  serement  de  feautie  e  pie  viz  e  en 
diseine. 

7.  Abusion  est  qe  elers  e  fem??res  sont  exe77ipz  de  fere 
al  Eoi  le  dit  serement,,  desicom  le  Eei  prent  lur  homage  e 
lur  feautie  pur  t«rre. 

8.  Abusion  est  a  tenir  eschap  de  prison  ou  de  brusure 
de  gaole  p%r  peeche  mortal,  car  cele  usage  nest  garanti  par 
nule  lei  ne  nule  part  est  usie  forqe  en  cest  reaume  e  en 
Fraunce  einz  est  len  garaunti  de  ceo  fere  par  lei  naturell. 

9.  Abusion  est  a  soffrir  taunt  de  fourme  de  brefs  ple- 
dables,  e  de  ceo  nomeement  qe  les  brefs  sunt  clos  e  nient 
patenz  a  foer  de  brefs  de  dreit.  E  de  ceo  qe  len  les  fet  a 
enterligneire  a  rasture  e  autrement  vicious. 

10.  Abusion  est  qe  la  monoie  ne  soit  quarterable,  qele 
nest  dargewt  fin,  qe  ele  tenu  par  able  si  le  forein  cercle  ne 
isoit  entier,  daillaier  la  monoie  ou  len  met  xviij.  d.  e 
maille  pesaunz  de  quivre  a  chescuri  .xx.  s. 

11.  Abusion  est  qe  le  Eoi  prent  plus  de  xij.  d.  pwr  la 
change  de  chescun  livre. 


OF  ABUSES.  156 

others  who  dare  not  oppose  the  king  but  desire  to  please 
him  and  to  counsel  him  for  his  profit,  albeit  their  counsel 
is  not  for  the  good  of  the  community  of  the  people,  and  this 
without  any  summons  of  the  earls  or  any  observance  of  the 
rules  of  right,  so  that  divers  ordinances  are  now  founded 
rather  upon  will  than  upon  right. 

3.  It  is  an  abuse  that  the  laws  and  usages  of  the  realm 
with  their  occasions  are  not  put  in  writing,  so  that  they 
might  be  published  and  known  to  all. 

4.  It  is  an  abuse  that  force  may  be  used  in  disseisins 
after  the  third  day  of  peaceable  seisin,  whereas  he  is  not 
worthy  of  the  law's  aid  who,  defying  judgment,  uses  force. 

5.  It  is  an  abuse  that  nowadays  right  is  longer  delayed 
in  the  king's  court  than  elsewhere. 

6.  It  is  an  abuse  that  any  is  suffered  to  be  in  the  realm 
beyond  forty  days  who  is  over  the  age  of  thirteen  years,  be 
he  English,  be  he  alien,  without  being  sworn  to  the  king  by 
the  oath  of  fealty  and  being  pledged  and  put  in  tithing. 

7.  It  is  an  abuse  that  clerks  and  women  are  excused 
from  taking  this  oath  to  the  king,  whereas  he  takes  their 
homage  and  fealty  for  land. 

8.  It  is  an  abuse  that  an  escape  from  prison  or  breach 
of  gaol  is  accounted  a  mortal  sin,  for  this  usage  is  war- 
ranted by  no  law,  and  does  not  obtain  anywhere  save  in 
this  realm  and  in  France,  and  one  is  warranted  by  the  law 
of  nature  [in  attempting  to  escape]. 

9.  It  is  an  abuse  that  there  are  so  many  forms  of  plead- 
able writs,  and  in  particular  that  the  writs  are  close  and 
not,  like  the  writ  of  right,  patent.  Also  that  they  have 
interlineations  and  erasures  in  them  and  are  otherwise 
vicious. 

10.  It  is  an  abuse  that  money  is  not  quarterable,  that 
it  is  not  of  fine  silver,  that  it  is  good  tender  although  the 
outer  circle  be  not  perfect,  that  it  is  alloyed  by  eighteen 
and  a  half  pennyweights  of  copper  in  every  twenty 
shillings. 

11.  It  is  an  abuse  that  the  king  takes  more  than  twelve 
pence  on  the  change  of  every  pound. 


K>^< 


157  DE  ABUSIONS. 

12.  Abusion  est  qe  nule  livre  est  sofferte  a  peser  xxv.  d. 
ou  plus  de  xij.  unces. 

13.  Abusion  est  qe  traison  ne  sateint  plus  par  appeaux 
qe  ne  fet. 

14.  Abusion  est  qe  homwe  homicide  par  necessitie  ou 
ove  la  pees  e  nient  felonessement  est  retenu  ou  pris  taunt 
qe  il  est  purchace  la  char^re  le  Koi  de  pardon  de  la  mort 
aussi  com  par  mescheaunce. 

15.  Abusion  est  a  tenir  les  biens  moebles  de  futifs  a 
forfez  einz  ces  ^  qil  soient  atteinz  de  felonie  par  utlaguerie 
ou  autrement. 

16.  Abusion  est  de  utlaguer  homme  einz  ces '  qil  en  eit 
enquis  par  se?'emewt  des  veisins  qil  en  soit  mescru. 

17.  Abusion  est  qe  lem  soeffre  genz  atteintes  de  felonie 
estre  provours  e  aver  voiz  a  homme  loial,  e  qe  clers,  femmes, 
enfaunz  e  autres  qe  ne  poent  cumbatre  sunt  suffertz  destre 
provours. 

18.  Abusion  est  qe  autre  resceive  les  appeaus  des  pro- 
vours qe  corouners,  e  qe  il  sunt  suffert  dappeler  plus  de 
une  foiz  ou  par  destreser  ou  par  aticement  de  enemis  ou  en 
autre  manere  faussement. 

19.  Abusion  est  qe  justice  chace  loial  home  prendre  sei 
a  pais  ou  il  se  p?'o£fre  sei  defendre  countre  provour  par 
Boun  cors. 

20.  AbusioT}  est  de  chacer  genz  appellez  de  provour  a 
la  quitance  ou  li  provour  renie  son  appeal,  sil  nen  soit 
aillors  enditie,  ou  ap?-es  la  menceonge  de  provour  atteinte 
ou  apres  la  mort  de  p7'ovour. 

21.  Abusion  est  de  suffrir  provour  vive  apres  ceo  qil 
serra  atteint  a  mentour  de  son  appeal. 

22.  Abusion  est  a  suffrir  larrons  e  felons  escriez  g 
notoires  estre  defenduz  de  seintuaires, 

23.  Abusion  est  qe  tieux  felons  qi  forjurent  le  reaume 
ne  sunt  mie   suffert   de  eslire  port   ou   passage  liors  del 


'  Corr.  ceo. 


OF  ABUSES.  157 

12.  It  is  an  abuse  that  any  pound  should  be  suffered 
to  ■weigh  twenty-five  pennyweights  or  more  than  twelve 
ounces  (?). 

13.  It  is  an  abuse  that  treason  is  not  more  commonly 
attainted  by  appeals  than  is  the  case. 

14.  It  is  an  abuse  that  a  man  who  has  committed  homi- 
cide of  necessity,  or  for  the  peace,  or  in  self-defence,  is 
taken  or  detained  until  he  has  purchased  the  king's 
charter  of  pardon,  just  as  though  it  were  a  case  of  mis- 
adventure. 

15.  It  is  an  abuse  that  the  movable  goods  of  fugitives 
are  held  as  forfeited  before  they  have  been  attainted  of 
felony  by  outlawry  or  otherwise. 

16.  It  is  an  abuse  to  outlaw  a  man  before  an  inquest  of 
his  neighbours  has  been  taken  as  to  his  ill  repute. 

17.  It  is  an  abuse  that  men  attainted  of  felony  are 
suffered  to  be  approvers  and  make  accusations  against 
lawful  men ;  and  to  suffer  clerks,  women,  children,  and 
others  who  cannot  fight  to  be  approvers. 

18.  It  is  an  abuse  that  anyone,  save  coroners,  should 
receive  the  appeals  of  approvers,  or  to  suffer  them  to  make 
appeals  more  than  once,  or  under  compulsion  or  at  the 
instigation  of  enemies,  or  in  some  other  false  manner. 

19.  It  is  an  abuse  that  justices  drive  a  lawful  man  to 
put  himself  upon  his  country  when  he  offers  to  defend  him- 
self against  an  approver  by  his  body. 

20.  It  is  an  abuse  to  drive  folk  who  are  appealed  by 
approvers  to  an  acquittal,  when  the  approver  denies  his 
appeal  and  they  are  not  otherwise  indicted,  or  to  drive 
them  to  an  acquittal  after  the  approver's  lie  has  been 
attainted,  or  after  the  approver's  death. 

21.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suffer  an  approver  to  live  after  he 
has  been  attainted  as  a  liar  in  his  appeal. 

22.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suffer  thieves  and  felons,  pro- 
claimed and  notorious,  to  be  defended  by  sanctuaries. 

23.  It  is  an  abuse  that  felons  who  abjure  the  realm  are 
not  allowed  to  choose  their  own  port  of  departure  from  the 


158         .  DE  ABUSIONS. 

reaume.    Abusion  est  de  les  assigner  port  e  de  limiter  lur 
jornees. 

24.  Abusion  est  qe  tieux  entrent  en  la  meer  e  de  lever 
la  menee  sur  la  meer,  e  les  assentis  costices '  as  grantz 
chemins  lur  sont  defenduz  e  qe  il  ne  poent  tenir  e  aver  les 
chemins  e  les  hostiex  al  foier  des  pelrins. 

25.  Abusion  est  a  juger  murdre  par  defaute  denglescherie 
desicom  meindre  ^  dust  estre  la  peine  de  engleis  de  alien. 

26.  Abusion  est  qe  aquitaunces  des  paiemenz  fez  au 
Eoi  al  escheeqere  se  funt  par  tallies  e  ne  mie  par  le  seal  a 
ceo  assigne. 

27.  Abusion  est  qe  les  ministres  del  escheeqere  eient 
juresdiccion  dautre  chose  qe  des  deners  le  Eoi,  de  ces  j&eus 
e  ces  f?'anchises,  saunz  bref  originall  de  la  chauncellerie 
souz  blanche  cire. 

28.  Abusion  est  de  veilles  estretes  de  lexchecqer  des 
dettes  le  Eoi  e  a  mal  tort  dorment  ou  delaient  ses  dettes 
allever,  de  sicovn.  les  arrerages  des  viscountes  e  dautres 
recevours  le  Eoi  sont  levables  saunz  delai  de  ceux  qe  les 
imistrent  sil  ne  suffisent,  e  les  arreragez  des  dettes  dautres 
sunt  levables  de  la  surtie  ou  les  principaux  ne  suf&sent,  e 
les  arrerages  des  issues  sunt  levables  des  viscountes  ou  des 
ceux  qi  le  imistrent,  e  les  arrerages  des  amerciemenz  sunt 
levables  des  affoerours  si  les  pnncipaux  ne  suffisent.  E  issi 
des  fins  e  de  totes  autres  dettes  le  Eoi,  par  quoi  piert  qe 
nule  dette  ne  doit  mie  mout  delaier,  einz  quident  plusours 
qe  nul  nest  charge  de  auncienne  dette  si  noun  par  malice 
ou  par  la  negligence  des  ministres  le  Eoi. 

29.  Abusion  est  qe  ceux  del  eschecqer  ou  autres  re- 
ceivent  attornez  ou  conussaunces  sanz  original  brief  de  la 
chauncelkWe  de  si  qe  nul  nel  poet  fere  saunz  jurediccion. 

30.  Abusion  est  qe  autres  qe  francs  hommes  fieu  tenaunz 


'  e  les  scntiers  jesques  (1642).  *  murdre  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  158 

realm.    It  is  an  abuse  that  ports  are  assigned  to  them  and 
their  journeys  limited. 

24.  It  is  an  abuse  that  these  abjurers  are  compelled  to 
wade  into  the  sea  and  raise  hue  over  the  sea,  and  that  the 
footpaths  that  run  beside  the  great  roads  are  forbidden 
them,  and  that  they  cannot  use  the  roads  and  hospices  in 
the  manner  of  pilgrims. 

25.  It  is  an  abuse  to  adjudge  a  murder  for  default  of 
EngUshry,  whereas  the  punishment  in  the  case  of  an 
Englishman  should  be  less  than  that  in  case  of  an  alien. 

26.  It  is  an  abuse  that  acquittance  for  payments  made 
to  the  king  at  the  exchequer  are  made  by  tally  and  not 
under  the  seal  appointed  for  this  purpose. 

97.  It  is  an  abuse  that  the  officers  of  the  exchequer 
have  jurisdiction  in  matters  other  than  debts  due  to  the 
king  and  his  fees  and  franchises,  without  original  writ  from 
the  chancery  under  white  wax. 

28.  It  is  an  abuse  that  estreats  of  the  exchequer  for 
old  debts  due  to  the  king  lie  dormant  and  are  delayed 
wrongfully,  whereas  the  arrears  of  sheriffs  and  other  the 
king's  receivers  are  leviable  without  delay  from  those  who 
gave  them  their  places,  if  they  themselves  be  not  sufficient, 
and  the  arrears  of  other  debts  are  leviable  from  the  sureties, 
if  the  principal  debtors  be  not  sufficient,  and  the  arrears  of 
issues  are  leviable  from  the  sheriffs  or  those  who  gave  them 
their  places,  and  the  arrears  of  amercements  are  leviable 
from  the  affeerers  if  the  principal  debtors  be  not  sufficient ; 
and  so  with  fines  and  other  crown  debts ;  whereby  it  appears 
that  no  debt  should  be  long  delayed,  insomuch  that  there 
are  some  who  think  that  no  one  is  charged  with  an  ancient 
debt  unless  this  be  by  malice  or  by  the  negligence  of  the 
king's  officers. 

29.  It  is  an  abuse  that  those  of  the  exchequer  and 
others  receive  attorneys  and  recognizances  without  original 
writ  from  the  chancery,  whereas  no  one  can  do  this  who 
has  not  jurisdiction. 

30.  It  is  an  abuse  that  any  should  have  an  ordinary 


159  DE   ABUSIONS. 

eient  jurediccion  ordinaire  ou  aillurs  forqe  es  courz  des 
seignurs  des  fieus  ou  des  hundreders  ou  des  countiez. 

31.  Abusion  est  damercier  nul  homriie  par  garaunt  de 
presentements  Bur  personel  trespas  desi  qe  nul  nest  amerci- 
able  forqe  sur  le  pecchie  de  real  accion  ou  de  mixte. 

32.  Abusion  est  dani€?-cier  nul  homme  par  nul  presente- 
ment  fet  de  meins  qe  de  xij.  francs  homes  jurees. 

33.  Abusion  est  de  mettre  amerciemenz  en  certein  saunz 
iaffoerement  de  francs  homes  a  ceo  jureez. 

34.  Abusion  est  daffoerer  amerciemenz  en  labsence  des 
amerciez  si  voillent  estre. 

35.  Abusion  est  de  charger  les  jurours  de  nul  article 
tochaunt  tort  fet  de  veisin  a  veisin. 

36.  Abusion  est  a  crere  qe  home  eit  jurediccion  assignee 
si  sa  com7?ussion  nel  voille. 

37.  Abusion  est  obeir  a  juge  de  qi  tort  len  appelle ; 
example  piert  el  auncien  brief  de  dreit,  et  nisi  fecms 
\icecomes  faciei. 

38.  Abusion  est  qe  franc  home  seit  fet  le  ministre  le 
Eoi  par  ascune  eleccion  sil  nel  voille  estre. 

39.  Abusion  est  qe  salaires  de  countours  ne  sunt  mis 
en  certein. 

40.  Abusion  est  qe  les  defendaunz  nunt  nules  amendes 
des  torcenous  pleintifs. 

41.  Abusion  est  countours  sont  esperniez  destre  sere- 
mentez  solom  les  poinz  chargeables. 

42.  Abusion  est  de  suspendre  countour  sil  ne  seit  atteint 
de  orde  *  trespas  dunt  il  est  condempnable  a  corporele  peine. 

43.  Abusion  est  a  somondre  hom^we  pur  pe?-8onel  pecchie. 

44.  Abusion  est  a  juger  hom??ie  a  la  mort  pur  felonie 
par  suitiers,  si  noun  en  cas  si  notoires  qe  respons  ne  juree 
ne  iad  mestri  ne  lu  ne  poez  tenir. 

45.  Abusion  est  a  comencer  appel  aillours  qe  de  vaunt 


'  laide  (1642). 


OF   ABUSES.  159 

jurisdiction  save  free  men  holding  fees,  or  that  anyone 
should  have  it  save  in  the  courts  of  the  lords  of  fees  and 
the  hundred  and  county  courts. 

31.  It  is  an  abuse  to  amerce  a  man  on  the  warrant  of 
a  presentment  of  a  personal  trespass,  since  no  one  is 
amerciable  save  for  sin  in  a  real  or  mixed  action. 

32.  It  is  an  abuse  to  amerce  a  man  on  a  presentment 
made  by  less  than  twelve  free  men  who  have  been  sworn. 

33.  It  is  an  abuse  to  fix  an  amercement  at  a  certain 
sum  without  the  affeerment  of  free  men  sworn  for  this 
purpose. 

34.  It  is  an  abuse  to  affeer  amercements  in  the  absence 
of  the  amerced,  if  they  wish  to  be  present. 

35.  It  is  an  abuse  to  charge  the  jurors  to  make  pre- 
sentment of  wrongs  done  by  neighbour  to  neighbour. 

36.  It  is  an  abuse  to  believe  that  a  man  has  a  delegated 
jurisdiction,  unless  he  has  a  commission  stating  this. 

37.  It  is  an  abuse  to  obey  a  judge  from  whose  tort  one 
is  appealing,  as  may  be  seen,  e.g.,  from  the  ancient  writ  of 
right,  with  its  *  et  nisi  feceris,  vicecomes  faciet.' 

38.  It  is  an  abuse  that  a  free  man  should  be  elected  to 
serve  as  the  king's  officer  against  his  will. 

39.  It  is  an  abuse  that  the  salaries  of  pleaders  are  not 
fixed. 

40.  It  is  an  abuse  that  defendants  get  no  amends  from 
tortious  plaintiffs. 

41.  It  is  an  abuse  that  pleaders  are  excused  from  being 
sworn  according  to  the  articles. 

42.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suspend  a  pleader,  if  he  be  not 
attainted  of  some  foul  trespass  for  which  he  might  be  con- 
demned to  corporal  punishment. 

43.  It  is  an  abuse  to  summon  a  man  for  a  personal  sin.' 

44.  It  is  an  abuse  to  adjudge  a  man  to  death  for  felony 
on  the  testimony  of  suitors,  except  in  cases  so  notorious 
that  there  is  no  need  or  room  for  any  answer  or  jury. 

45.  It  is  an  abuse  to  begin  an  appeal  elsewhere  than 

'  Summons  is  appropriate  to  real  and  mixed  actions. 


160  DE   ABUSIONS. 

corouner  del  contie  e  par  ceo  piert  qe  brief  dappel  ad  fol 
fundement  cum  brief  trovie  sur  errour. 

46.  Abusion  est  de  lesser  par  pleges  homme  appele  ou 
endite  de  mortiel  pecchie  prmcipalment. 

47.  Abusion  est  a  terminer  appel  de  felon  ie  par  juges 
ordenaires  sutlers. 

48.  Abusions  est  qe  totes  persones  sunt  comuniment  * 
recevables  en  appeals  de  felonie. 

49.  Abusion  est  qe  enfanz  dedenz  age  ne  sunt  mie  touz 
en  garde. 

50.  Abusion  est  qe  genz  poent  aliener  lur  heritages  de 
lur  heirs  plus  qe  le  qwart  ou  lur  purchaz  de  fieus  ou  fere 
ne  poent  assignez,  car  nul  ne  poet  fere  assignie  ou  nul 
assignie  nest  contenu  el  purchaz. 

61.  Abusion  est  qe  les  heritages  des  heires  femeles  sunt 
tenues  en  garde,  tut  soient  de  hauberc,  cum  de  heirs  malez 
de  sico?7i  fem??ie  receit  son  eage  al  terme  de  xiiij.  anz  de 
eage. 

52.  Abusion  est  qe  gaolers  ou  lur  sov^reins  despoillent 
prisons  e  lur  tolent  autre  chose  qe  armeures. 

53.  Abusions  est  qe  prisons  ou  autre  pur  eux  paient 
rien  pwr  lur  entres  a  la  gaole  ou  pur  lur  issues. 

54.  Abusion  est  qe  prison  soit  charge  de  fer  ou  mis  en 
peine  avant  ceo  qe  il  soit  atteint  de  felonie. 

55.  Abusion  est  qe  les  gaoles  ne  sunt  delivrces  des 
prisons  deliverable  saunz  delai  apres  brief  purchace. 

56.  Abusion  est  a  fere  homwe  respondre  a  la  sute  le 
Eoi  ou  il  nest  endite  ne  appellie. 

57.  Abusion  est  denp?isoner  autre  qe  homme  enditeeou 
appelle  de  felonie  saunz  especial  garaunt,  si  en  cas  now  pur 
defaute  des  pleges  ou  de  meinpernours. 

58.  Abusion  est  qe  justices  delivrent  p?-isons  nient  p^is 
avaunt  la  date  de  lur  garanz,  e  desicoTw  lentencion  le  Eoi 
ne  se  poet  estendre  forqe  a  ceux  qi  adunc  sunt  detenuz  en 
p7'ison. 

'  Apparently  so,  but  the  com  is  ill  written. 


OF  ABUSES.  160 

before  the  coroner  of  the  county,  and  thereby  it  appears 
that  the  writ  of  appeal  is  vain  writ  as  being  one  based  on 
error. 

46.  It  is  an  abuse  to  let  out  on  pledges  one  who  is 
appealed  or  indicted  as  a  principal  for  a  mortal  sin. 

47.  It  is  an  abuse  that  suitors  as  judges  ordinary  should 
determine  an  appeal  of  felony. 

48.  It  is  an  abuse  that  all  persons  without  distinction 
are  received  in  appeals  of  felony. 

49.  It  is  an  abuse  that  all  infants  under  age  are  not  in 
ward. 

50.  It  is  an  abuse  that  men  can  alienate  more  than  a  ' 
quarter  of  their  inheritances  away  from  their  heirs,  and 
can   alienate   fees   acquired   by  purchase,    although  they 
cannot   make   assigns,  for    no   one   can  make   assigns   if 
*  assigns  '  be  not  mentioned  in  his  purchase  deed. 

61.  It  is  an  abuse  that  the  inheritances  of  female  heirs 
are  kept  in  ward  just  as  though  they  were  those  of  male 
heirs,  and  this  although  they  be  hauberk  fees  [knight's 
fees],  whereas  a  woman  attains  full  age  at  fourteen.  ^^-^        y — (^'c 

52.  It  is  an  abuse  that  gaolers  or  their  superiors  de- 
spoil prisoners  and  take  from  them  other  things  besides 
their  armour. 

53.  It  is  an  abuse  that  prisoners  or  others  on  their 
behalf  should  pay  anything  on  entering  or  leaving  gaol. 

54.  It  is  an  abuse  that  a  prisoner  should  be  loaded 
with  iron  or  put  in  pain  before  he  is  attainted  of  felony. 

65.  It  is  an  abuse  that  gaols  are  not  delivered  of 
deliverable  prisoners  without  delay  after  writ  purchased. 

56.  It  is  an  abuse  to  make  a  man  answer  to  the  king's 
suit  when  he  is  not  indicted  or  appealed. 

57.  It  is  an  abuse  to  imprison  a  man  who  is  not 
indicted  or  appealed  of  felony,  unless  this  be  by  special 
warrant  or  for  default  of  pledges  or  mainpernors. 

58.  It  is  an  abuse  that  justices  should  deliver  prisoners 
who  were  not  arrested  at  the  date  of  their  warrant,  for  the 
king's  intention  expressed  in  the  commission  can  only 
extend  to  those  who  were  in  prison  at  its  date. 

Y 


\ 


IGl  DE   ABUSIONS. 

59.  Abnsion  est  qe  le  hrei  de  odio  et  atia  ne  tient  lu 
forqe  en  homicidie. 

60.  Abusion  e  qe  eel  brief  tient  lu  a  enditez. 

61.  Abusion  est  qe  appellez  ou  endites  de  mortel  crim 
sunt  sufferz  hors  de  p?ison  par  plevine  ou  ceux  qi  sunt 
condempnez  a  corporele  peine  einz  ces '  qil  facent  lur 
penaunce  ou  qil  eient  raehatie  par  fin  de  peine  peccuniell. 

62.  Abusion  est  qe  les  briefs  de  sicut  alias  e  sicut 
pluries  passent  le  seal  en  cas  ou  appendreit  de  fere  tieux 
ministres  com  inobedienz  a  droit  e  al  Eoi  e  de  charger  ent 
autres  a  fere  tieu  maundement. 

63.  Abusion  est  a  mettre  cestes  paroles  en  briefs  nisi 
captus  sit  per  speciale  preceptum  nostrum,  vel  capital/s 
justiciarn  nostxi  vel  pro  foresta  nostra  e  cet.  Car  nul 
especial  mandement  deit  passer  commun  dreit. 

64.  Abusion  est  de  soffrir  qe  juges  soient  actours  pur 
le  Eoi. 

65.  E  abusion  est  qe  alienes  ou  autres  qi  nuwt  mie  juris 
feautie  al  Eoi  ou  infames  ou  endites  ou  appeles  de  crim 
mortel  ou  qi  nunt  point  de  com?nission  sufiisaunt  ou  ascun 
ap?'es  tort  fet  ou  apres  jugement  rendu  sunt  sufferz  davoir 
juresdiccion  ou  de  juger  hors  des  poinz  especefies  en  lur 
co7nmission. 

66.  Abusion  est  qe  len  pince  ^  en  appeax  par  countier 
les  pa?-tes  del  monde  e  les  nons  des  rues  e  les  hours  des 
jours  en  countre  la  pees  desicom  chescun  pecchie  est  contre 
la  pees  e  tieles  autres  paroles  nient  necessaires. 

67.  Abusion  est  de  abatre  appeals  suffisaunz  solom 
lestatut  de  Gloucestre. 

68.  Abusion  est  qe  briefs  remediaux  sunt  veniales,  e  qe 
le  Eoi  mande  as  viscountes  pernez  sieurtie  de  tant  a  nostre 
oes  pur  le  brief,  car  pa?-  le  purchaz  de  tieux  briefs  porroit 
lem  destrure  son  enemi  torcenousement.     E  par  ceo  qe 


\  '  Corr.  ceo,  ^  Perhaps  puice ;  1642  gives  len  preiiits. 

I 

S 


OF  ABUSES.  161 

59.  It  is  an  abuse  that  the  writ  de  odio  et  atia  can  only 

be  obtained  in  case  of  homicide.  i 

60.  It  is  an  abuse  that  this  writ  is  applicable  to  those  \ 
who  have  been  indicted.  ' 

61.  It  is  an  abuse  that  men  appealed  or  indicted  of 
mortal  crime  are  allowed  to  be  out  of  i)rison  on  pledge, 
and  those  also  who  have  been  condemned  to  corporal 
punishment  and  who  have  not  yet  done  their  penance  or 
redeemed  it  by  fine  and  pecuniary  penalty. 

62.  It  is  an  abuse  that  writs  sicut  alias  and  iicut  pluries 
should  pass  the  seal,  when  instead  of  this  the  officers,  to 
whom  they  are  sent,  ought  to  be  treated  as  disobedient  to 
the  law  and  the  king,  and  others  should  be  charged  to 
carry  out  the  original  command. 

63.  It  is  an  abuse  to  put  in  the  writ  [of  mainprise] 
*  unless  he  has  been  arrested  by  our  special  command  or 
that  of  our  chief  justice  or  for  our  forest,  &c.,'  for  no  special 
command  should  override  common  law. 

64.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suffer  judges  to  be  plaintiffs  for 
the  king. 

65.  It  is  an  abuse  that  aliens,  or  others  who  have  not 
sworn  fealty  to  the  king,  or  the  infamous,  or  those  indicted 
or  appealed  of  mortal  crime,  or  those  who  have  no  sufficient 
commission,  or  any  persons  after  a  tort  has  been  done  or 
after  judgment  has  been  given,  should  be  suffered  to  have 
jurisdiction  or  [that  any  should]  judge  outside  the  points 
specified  in  their  commission. 

66.  It  is  an  abuse  that  in  appeals  one  should  have  to 

mention  (?)  the  parts  of  the  world  and  the  names  of  streets  vJl  v 

and   days  and  hours,  and  to  say  '  against  the  peace,'  for 

every  sin  is  against  the  peace  and  the  other  phrases  are  ^i 

unnecessary. 

67.  It  is  an  abuse  to  abate  appeals  which  are  sufficient 
according  to  the  Statute  of  Gloucester. 

68.  It  is  an  abuse  that  remedial  writs  are  vendible, 
and  that  the  king  should  bid  the  sheriff  take  surety  for  a 
certain  sum  *  to  our  use  '  for  the  writ,  because  by  the 
purchase  of  such  writs  one  might  tortiously  destroy  one's 


Ss 


102  DE   ABUSIONS. 

tieles  fins  sunt  enroulles  e  puis  courre?it  en  estretes  tut 
ne  facent  les  si  damage  noun  as  purchaceours, 

69.  Abusion  e  qe  foreins  ne  sont  mie  recevables  en 
accions  par  sieurtie  des  frances  qe  point  nunt  poer  a  trover 
pleges. 

70.  Abusion  est  a  destreindre  par  biens  moebles  en 
pgrsoneles  accions  ou  le  proffit  des  issus  devien  tut  au  Koi  e 
nul  proffit  nen  accrest  as  pleintifs. 

71.  Abusion  est  qe  nule  pleinte  est  recevable  a  audience 
sanz  sute  p7-esentee  a  tesmoigner  la  pleinte  estre  verroie. 

72.  Abusion  est  qe  len  dit  qe  villenage  nest  mie  franc 
tenement  e  ceste  assise  ne  siert  nient  a  ejeccion  de  terme 
des  ans  sicom  fet  de  tenement  tenu  a  terme  de  vie  ou  a 
jam?nes.  Car  villein  e  serf  ne  sont  mie  .j.  en  voiz  nen 
significacion,  einz  poet  checun  franc  home  tenir  villenage 
a  li  e  a  ces  •  heirs  fesant  le  servage  e  le  charge  del  fieu. 

73.  Abusion  est  a  crere^  qe  plener  seisine  nacrest  mie 
a  purchaceour  taunt  cu??i  li  donour  i  soeffre  e  lest  ces ' 
chatieux,  car  sicom  cont7*act  se  fet  de  manage  par  conjunc- 
tion de  volunties  de  home  e  de  fem??ie,  tut  soit  qe  lun  se 
repent  e  tantost  apres  lesposailles  sen  voudra  retrere,  mes 
ne  se  porra  li  contract  desjoindre,  einz  isuffist  conferme- 
ment  del  cont?'act  par  bailie  sieuant  e  par  celebracion  ^  de 
esposail,  tut  ne  i  eit  le  purchaceour  autre  seisine  par  -prise 
de  esplez  ne  chartre  ne  escrit  pur  tesmoigner  le  contract. 
E  tut  fust  qe  femme  tantost  apres  lesposaille  fust  ravie  e 
tollecte ''  e  li  mari  sen  pleinsist  ^  e  li  ravissour  responaunt  a 
la  pleinte  deist  qe  li  mari  naveroit  dreit  naccion,  pur  ceo 


'  Corr.  ses.  *  Or  collecte,  MS. ;  consent  (1642). 

*  atrere,  MS.  *  se  eniplevist  (1642) 

*  cebracion,  MS. 


OF  ABUSES.  162 

enemy,  and  because  these  fines  are  enrolled  and  afterwards 
are  current  in  estreats,  albeit  the  purchaser  has  got  nothing 
but  damage  by  the  writ. 

69.  It  is  an  abuse  that  foreigners  who  cannot  find 
pledges  are  not  receivable  in  actions  on  the  surety  of 
Frenchmen. 

70.  It  is  an  abuse  to  distrain  by  movable  goods  in 
personal  actions,  where  the  whole  profit  of  the  issues  comes 
to  the  king  and  no  profit  accrues  to  the  plaintiff. 

71.  It  is  an  abuse  that  a  plaint  should  be  received  and 
heard  where  there  are  no  suitors  presented  to  testify  that 
the  plaint  is  true. 

72.  It  is  an  abuse  to  say  that  villainage  is  not  free 
tenement,  and  that  the  assize  [of  novel  disseisin]  is  not  as 
applicable  to  the  ejectment  of  a  tenant  for  years  as  to  that 
of  one  who  holds  for  life  or  for  ever ;  for  *  villain '  and 
'  serf '  are  not  all  one  either  in  sound  or  in  meaning,  and 
any  free  man  may  hold  villainage  to  him  and  his  heirs 
doing  the  service  and  bearing  the  burden  of  the  fee. 

73.  It  is  an  abuse  to  believe  that  plenary  seisin  should 
not  accrue  to  a  purchaser  of  land  so  long  as  the  vendor  has 
left  his  chattels  behind  him.'  Take  a  parallel  case.  A 
contract  of  marriage  is  made  by  the  union  of  the  wills  of 
man  and  woman,  and  neither  of  them  can  retreat  from  it 
after  the  moment  of  espousal  although  desirous  to  do  so, 
and  the  contract  cannot  be  undone,  for  by  way  of  con- 
firmation it  is  enough  that  there  has  been  a  bailment  of 
seisin  by  virtue  of  the  celebration  of  the  espousals,  albeit 
the  purchaser  [husband]  has  no  other  seisin  than  this,  and 
there  has  been  no  taking  of  esplees  and  no  charter  nor 
writing  to  witness  the  contract ;  and  if  the  woman  imme- 
diately after  the  espousal  is  ravished  and  carried  off  ['?]  and 
the  husband  makes  plaint,  and  the  ravisher,  in  answer  to 
the  plaint,  says  that  the  husband  has  no  right  nor  action,  for 

'  In  their  anxiety  to  make  the  not  really  given  np  possecsion,  but 

livery  of  seisin  a  reality,  the  judges  is  retaining  it  animo  if  not  corpora. 

Keom  to  liuve  been  inclined  to  hold  Our  author  argues  against  this  in  an 

that  if  the  fcntTor  has  not  removed  elaborate  passage, 
his  chattels  from  the  land  be  has 


163  DE   ABUSIONS. 

qil  nen  fu  unqes  seisi  plenerement  par  p7-?se  de  esplez,  on 
deist  qil  memes  nestoit  unqes  hors  de  seisine  de  la  femwe 
pur  ceo  qe  ele  fu  vestu  de  sa  robe  e  par  la  robe  reraist 
il  en  seisine  de  voluntie,  rien  ne  li  deit  lexcepcion  valoir  pur 
escuser  son  tort,  nient  plus  qe  en  cest  cas.  Si  ascun  achat 
chival  e  face  ent  gre  al  vendour  e  li  vendour  face  ent  le 
bail  a  lachatour,  tut  soit  qe  li  vendour  sen  repente  e  de  sa 
force  repr^igne  le  chival,  e  tut '  qe  lachatour  nad  nule  accion 
pwr  ceo  qe  il  memes  remist  touz  jours  en  seisine  de  voluntie 
par  ceo  qe  il  nen  ousta  unqes  ses  chatieus  pleinement  par 
une  seele  qe  il  i  lessa  sur  le  cheval,  rien  ne  vaudreit 
lexcusacion. 

74.  Abusion  est  a  quider  qe  contractz  se  defunt  en 
biens  nient  moebles  autrement  qe  en  bien  moebles. 

74  (a).  Abusion  est  a  quider  qe  escriz  e  chartres  facent 
estat  e  de  user  a  fere  les  chartres  de  feffemenz  avant 
transmitacion  de  seisine,  desicom  chartre  est  viciouse  qe 
testmoint  doun  estre  fet  ou  la  transmitacion  nest  mie 
uncore  fete  de  la  seisine,  car  nul  doun  ne  vaut  sanz  bail  de 
seisine. 

75.  Abusion  est  quider  qe  seisine  nacerest  mie  si  tost 
a  purchaceour  de  soun  porchaz  com  a  heir  de  son  heritage, 
desicom  dreit  ne  requert  qe  .iij.  choses  en  contractz,  con- 
juncion  des  voluntiez,  satisfaccion  al  donour,  e  bail  de  la 
possession.  E  dune  si  transmitacion  de  seisine  soit  fete  al 
purchaceour  par  le  donour  a  houre  de  prime,^  li  pur- 
chaceour moerge  a  houre  de  tierce,  il  moert  aussi  bien  seisi 
del  tenement  cum  il  froit  de  iemme  ou  de  cheval,  tut  nen 
eit  li  donour  oustie  e  remue  pleinement  ses  chatieux,  ne 
unqes  ne  vient  de  bone  foi  a  dire  qe  franc  tenement  apres 
transmitacion  de  seisine  par  simple  bail  demoert  el  brief ' 
le  doneour,  qe  remeint  el  tenant  apres  tel  bail  del  tene- 


Corr.  dit  (?).  ^  The  MS.  begins  a  new  paragraph. 

'  Coix.  chief  (7). 


OF   ABUSES.  163 

that  he  was  never  seised  by  taking  esplees,  or  says  that  he 
[the  ravisher]  was  never  out  of  seisin  of  the  woman,  for 
that  she  was  wearing  a  dress  of  his,  and  by  that  dress  he 
retained  seisin  '  animo,'  this  exception  will  not  avail  him  to 
excuse  his  tort.  And  so  it  is  in  the  case  before  us.  If  one 
buys  a  horse  and  makes  agreement  with  the  vendor,  and 
the  vendor  makes  delivery  of  the  horse  to  the  purchaser, 
then  if  the  vendor  repents  and  takes  back  the  horse  by 
force,  and  says  that  the  buyer  has  no  action  because  he 
[the  vendor]  all  along  remained  in  seisin  of  the  horse 
'  animo,'  and  had  never  wholly  removed  his  chattels  because 
he  had  left  his  saddle  on  the  horse,  this  excuse  would  not 
avail  him.     [So  with  land.] 

74.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suppose  that  contracts  in  the  case 
of  immovables  can  be  undone  otherwise  than  in  the  case  of 
movables. 

74  (a).  •  It  is  an  abuse  to  suppose  that  writings  and 
charters  can  make  an  estate,  and  to  make  charters  of 
feoffment  before  the  transmutation  of  the  seisin,  for  a 
charter  is  vicious  if  it  testiJBies  that  a  gift  has  been  made 
whereas  as  yet  there  has  been  no  delivery  of  seisin,  for  no  1 
gift  is  of  any  avail  without  delivery  of  seisin.  i 

75.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suppose  that  seisin  will  not  accrue 
so  soon  to  a  purchaser  in  respect  of  what  he  has  bought,  as 
to  an  heir  in  respect  of  his  inheritance ;  for  law  requires 
but  three  things  for  a  contract,  (1)  union  of  wills,  (2)  satis- 
faction to  the  giver,  (3)  delivery  of  possession ;  and  so  if 
seisin  be  given  by  the  donor  to  the  purchaser  at  the 
hour  of  prime,  and  the  purchaser  dies  at  the  hour  of  terce, 
he  dies  seised,  just  as  though  the  case  related  to  the  seism 
of  a  wife  or  of  a  horse ;  and  this,  albeit  the  donor  has  not 
utterly  ousted  and  removed  his  chattels ;  and  never  from 
good  faith  can  arise  the  assertion  that  after  a  transmuta- 
tion of  seisin  by  simple  delivery  the  freehold  remains  on 
the  side  of  the  donor,  for  it  remains  in  the  tenant  after  this 
delivery  of  the  tenement.    However,  if  the  purchaser  does 

*  This  clause  was  omitted  in  the  old  edition. 


164  DE   ABUSIONS. 

me«t,  mes  si  le  gre  le  doneour  nen  soit  mie  fet  solom  les 
contrctctz  adunc  i  eide  bon  foi. 

76.  Abusion  est  a  quider  qe  len  ne  poet  recovmr  terme 
de  anz  ne  p7-esentemenz  de  eglises  par  ceste  assise  en  maner 
de  disseisine  desicom  plusours  reesons  purroient  valer  a 
redeseisours. 

77.  Abusion  est  qe  atteintes  ne  sunt  grauntes  en  la 
chanceWerie  sanz  difficultie  pur  touz  faus  jurours  atteindre 
aussi  ben  en  totes  autres  accions  pe/^soneles  reales  e  mixtes 
coni  en  petites  assises. 

78.  Abusion  est  de  chacier  naam  hors  del  hundred. 

79.  Abusion  est  a  fere  la  veuue  de  naam  al  baillif,  einz 
Buffist  pleinte  e  countier  qe  uncore  en  est  seisi. 

80.  Abusion  est  qe  len  ne  siue  torcenouse  destresce  par 
moz  de  felonie  e  qe  len  natteint  teles  robberies  a  la  sute  le 
Boi. 

81.  Abusion  est  qe  dreit  sacorde  a  vicious  contractz  e 
as  defenduz  e  medlees  de  peechie.  Nest  mie  usure  pecchie  ? 
Nest  mie  enprisonement  pecchie  ?  Coment  se  j)oet  dune 
obliger  a  usure  ou  a  enp7-tsonment  on  a  disseisine  sil  ne 
pecchie  ? 

82.  Abusion  est  qe  avocsons  de  eglises  soient  alienez  de 
dreit  saunz  par  doeires '  par  gage  ou  par  ferme  ou  soit 
partable, 

83.  Abusion  est  qe  fermes  se  funt  a  termes  de  plus  de 
xl.  ans  par  quoi  qe  continuance  de  seisine  e  longur  de  tens 
desherite  nul  hom/ne. 

84.  Abusion  est  qe  nul  tere  est  lessee  a  ferme  en  fieu 
ou  a  anz  rendant  rent  pa?-  an  au  plus  qe  la  value  de  la 
quarte  partie. 

85.  Abusion  est  de  utlaguer  home  pur  defaute  en  cas 
ou  la  prnicipale  cause  nest  mie  felonie. 

8^.  Abusion  est  qe  auditours  sunt  donables  par  les 
seignurs  pur  aconte  oir  saunz  lassent  des  baillifs. 


'  sont  aliens  de  drM  sans  perdans  par  gage  (1642).    But  read  dreit  saunc. 


01<'  ABUSES.  164 

not  perform  his  part  of  the  agreement  according  to  the 
contract,  then  good  faith  may  aid  the  donor. 

76.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suppose  that  terms  of  years  and 
presentments  to  churches  cannot  be  recovered  by  the  assize 
of  novel  disseisin,  since  [were  this  so]  divers  reasons  might 
avail  a  redisseisor.' 

77.  It  is  an  abuse  that  writs  of  attaint  are  not  granted 
in  the  chancery  without  difficulty  for  the  attaint  of  all  false 
jurors,  as  well  in  all  other  actions,  personal,  real,  or  mixed, 
as  in  the  petty  assizes. 

78.  It  is  an  abuse  to  drive  a  naam  out  of  the  hundred. 

79.  It  is  an  abuse  to  make  view  of  a  naam  to  a  bailiff, 
but  a  plaint  is  enough  with  a  '  still  seised '  in  the  count. 

80.  It  is  an  abuse  that  tortious  distresses  are  not  prose- 
cuted as  felonies,  and  that  these  robberies  are  not  attainted 
at  the  king's  suit. 

81.  It  is  an  abuse  that  law  should  suffer  vicious  contracts 
and  such  as  are  forbidden,  and  those  in  which  sin  inter- 
venes. Is  not  usury  a  sin  ?  Is  not  imprisonment  a  sin  ? 
How,  then,  can  a  man  oblige  himself  to  usury,  or  imprison- 
ment, or  disseisin,  without  sin  ?  ^ 

82.  It  is  an  abuse  that  advowsons  of  churches  should 
be  alienated  from  the  right  blood  by  dowers,  by  gages,  and 
by  lease?,  and  that  they  should  be  partible. 

83.  It  is  an  abuse  that  leases  should  be  made  for  more 
than  forty  years,  so  that  continuance  of  seisin  and  lapse  of 
time  may  disinherit  no  one. 

84.  It  is  an  abuse  that  land  should  be  let  to  farm  in 
fee  or  for  years  at  an  annual  rent  exceeding  a  fourth  of  the 
annual  value. 

85.  It  is  an  abuse  to  outlaw  a  man  for  a  default  when 
the  original  cause  of  the  action  is  not  felony. 

86.  It  is  an  abuse  that  lords  should  appoint  auditors  to 

hear  their  bailiffs'  accounts  without  the  consent  of  the 

bailiffs. 

'  If  there  can  be  no  disseisin,  there  appropriating  to  oneself  a  prosenta- 

can   be   no  redisseisin  ;    and    thus,  tion  or  a  term  of  years, 

without  incurring;  the  grave  punish-  '  A  hit  at  the  ijtatute  de  Merca- 

nicnt  of  the  redisseissnr,  one  might  toribus. 
repeat    the    offence    of    wrongfully 


165  DE  ABUSIONS. 

87.  Abusion  est  qe  bailifs  nnnt  nul  recoverer  des 
damages  des  torcenouses  auditours. 

88.  Abusion  est  qe  regard  se  fet  as  persones,  q?/ant  au 
tiel  dreit  nest  ordene  as  bailifs  ver  lur  seignurs  com  le 
re  vers  endreit  des  dettes  dues  de  lun  a  lautre. 

89.  Abusion  est  qe  hom^ne  puisse  chalenger  celi  por 
soun  naif  a  qi  il  ne  trova  unqes  sustenaunce,  desicow  serf 
nest  mie  serf  forqe  taunt  qil  est  agarde,  e  de  si  qe  nul  ne 
poet  clialenger  son  serf  pur  serf,  tut  soit  il  en  sa  garde,  sil 
ne  troeve  sustenaunce  a  son  serf  qi  le  vaut  mees  e  terre  en 
son  fieu  ou  il  purra  gaigner  sa  sustenaunce  ou  autrement 
le  retient  en  son  service. 

90.  Abusion  est  qe  serfs  sunt  franc  pleges  ou  pleges  de 
franc  home. 

91.  Abusion  est  soffrir  qe  autriz  serfs  soient  en  autriz 
veuues.' 

92.  Abusion  est  qe  seignurs  soeffrent  lur  serfs  pledir  ou 
estre  emplede  sanz  eus,  car  serf  nest  mie  amcrciable  en 
autri  court  por  ceo  qe  il  ne  poet  ren  perdre  com  cil  qe  rien 
nad  propre. 

93.  Abusion  est  a  tenir  villeins  serfs,  e  ceste  abusion 
norrust  ^  grant  destruccion  de  poure  poeple,  grant  poverte 
e  grant  pecchie. 

94.  Abusion  est  qe  hume  soit  somons  qe  nest  fiu 
tenaunt. 

95.  Abusion  est  a  somondre  hom??ie  aillurs  forqe  e  le 
fieu  contenu  en  la  demande,  si  fieu  isoit  contenu. 

96.  Abusion  est  qe  homme  travaille  a  ces  propres  cus- 
tages  par  nuli  somonse  personele. 

97.  Abusion  est  qe  justice  ou  autre  face  somonse  qe 
nest  fieu  tenaunt  en  meme  la  contie. 

98.  Abusion  est  de  somondre  homwje  sanz  garnir  le 
renablement  sur  quele  chose  respondre. 


Or  vemies.  *  merust  (1642), 


OF  ABUSES.  165 

87.  It  is  an  abuse  that  bailiffs  cannot  recover  damages 
against  tortious  auditors. 

88.  It  is  an  abuse  that  in  this  action  of  account  there 
should  be  respect  of  persons,  for  bailiffs  cannot  thereby 
recover  against  their  lords  debts  due  to  them  by  their  lords, 
though  in  the  converse  case  the  action  lies. 

89.  It  is  an  abuse  that  one  can  claim  as  a  bondman 
him  for  whom  one  has  never  found  sustenance,  whereas  a 
semis  is  only  a  scrvus  so  long  as  he  is  in  ward  [servus  a 
servando],  and  whereas  no  one  ought  to  claim  as  a  serf  even 
one  who  is  in  his  ward  unless  he  finds  sustenance  for  this 
serf,  or  an  equivalent,  namely  house  and  land  in  his  fee 
whence  the  serf  may  gain  his  sustenance,  or  in  some  other 
way  retains  the  serf  in  his  service. 

90.  It  is  an  abuse  that  serfs  should  be  frankpledges  or 
pledges  of  a  free  man. 

91.  It  is  an  abuse  to  keep  the  serfs  of  another  man  in 
one's  view  of  frankpledge. 

92.  It  is  an  abuse  that  lords  allow  their  serfs  to  plead 
and  be  impleaded  without  them,  for  serfs  are  not  amerciable 
in  another  man's  court,  since  they  can  lose  nothing,  having 
nothing  of  their  own. 

93.  It  is  an  abuse  to  count  villains  as  serfs,  and  this 
abuse  gives  rise  to  great  destruction  of  poor  folk,  great 
poverty,  and  great  sin. 

94.  It  is  an  abuse  that  one  who  is  not  a  fee  tenant 
should  be  summoned. 

95.  It  is  an  abuse  to  summon  a  man  elsewhere  than  on 
the  fee  that  is  put  in  demand,  if  there  be  a  fee  in  the 
demand. 

96.  It  is  an  abuse  if  on  any  personal  summons  a  man 
is  obliged  to  journey  at  his  own  costs. 

97.  It  is  an  abuse  if  a  justice  or  other  man  who  is  not 
a  fee  tenant  in  the  same  county  makes  a  summons. 

98.  It  is  an  abuse  to  summon  a  man  without  giving 
him  reasonable  notice  of  the  matter  about  which  he  is  to 
answer. 


166:  DE   ABUSIONS. 

99.  Abusion  est  qe  fauses  causes  sunt  recevables  de 
essoignez  de  si  qe  dreit  nallouue  fausserie  ne  ^  nul  eas. 

100.  Abusion  est  qe  essoigne  est  allouue  en  personel 
accion  al  defendaunt,  desicom  len  est  meinpris  daver  en 
court  par  meinpe/'nours. 

101.  Abusion  est  a  resceivre  essoigne  retee^  par  enfant 
dedenz  age. 

102.  Abusion  est  a  reeeivre  atorne  ou  nul  poer  nest 
donee  a  ceo  fere  par  brief  de  la  chauncellerie. 

103.  Abusion  est  a  resceivre  attorne  ou  la  parole  nest 
mie  attame  par  presence  des  parties  si  noun  en  cas  ou  len 
fet  attorne  general. 

104.  Abusion  est  qe  nul  puisse  fere  attorne  en  personeles 
accions  ou  corporele  peine  est  agardable. 

105.  Abusion  est  a  resceivre  excepcions  en  jugement  si 
ele  ne  soit  suffisaument  pronu/icie,  car  de  orbe  excepcion  ^ 
sourt  rerement  cleer  jugement. 

106.  Abusion  est  de  allouuer  garant  voucbir  en  larcin 
ou  en  autre  personele  accion. 

107.  Abusion  est  qe  juge  assigne  ne  face  monstraunce 
as  parties  pledauntes  de  son  garant  ou  de  son  poer  q^iant 
il  le  demanderent  e  nemie  soulement  la  oye  mes  lin- 
speccion.^ 

108.  Abusion  est  qe  justices  e  lur  ministres  qi  occient 
la  gent  par  faus  jugement  ne  sunt  destruz  al  foer  dautres 
homicides.  Que  ^  fist  le  Eoi  Alfred  prendre*'  xliiij.  justices 
en  un  an  taunt  cum  homicides  pur  lur  faus  jugemenz. 

II  pendi  Watling  pur  ceo  qe  il  avoit  juge  Sidulf  a  la 
mort  pur  le  recet  de  Edulf  son  fiz  qi  puis  saquita  del  fet 
prmcipal. 

II  pendi  Signer  qi  aveit  jugie  Ulf  a  la  mort  apres 
Buffisante  aquitaunce. 

II  pendi  Eadwine  pur  ceo  qe  il  jugea  Hathewi  a  la  mort 
saunz  lassent  de  tuz  les  jurours  en  cas  il  se  estoit  mis  en 
la  juree  de  xii  homes,  e  pur  ceo  qe  les  troiz  le  voloient  sauver 

'  Corr.  en.  *  Last  four  words  omitted  (1642). 

2  Corr.  jetce.  *  Euc,  MS. 

*  order  de  exception  (1642).  *  Corr.  pendre. 


OF  ABUSES.  166 

99.  It  is  an  abuse  that  false  excuses  are  received 
by  way  of  essoin,  since  law  in  no  case  allows  a  false- 
hood. 

100.  It  is  an  abuse  that  an  essoin  should  be  allowed  to 
a  defendant  in  a  personal  action,  for  when  he  is  mainprised 
the  mainpernors  become  bound  to  produce  him. 

101.  It  is  an  abuse  to  receive  an  essoin  cast  by  an 
infant  under  age. 

102.  It  is  an  abuse  to  receive  an  attorney  where  there 
is  not  a  dedimus  potestatem  from  the  chancery. 

103.  It  is  an  abuse  to  receive  an  attorney  where  the  suit 
has  not  been  begun  in  the  presence  of  the  parties,  except 
where  an  attorney  general  is  appointed. 

104.  It  is  an  abuse  that  anyone  should  make  an  attorney 
in  a  personal  action  in  which  a  corporal  punishment  can 
be  awarded. 

105.  It  is  an  abuse  to  receive  exceptions  in  court  if  they 
be  not  sufficiently  defined,  for  from  an  obscure  exception  a 
clear  judgment  rarely  arises. 

106.  It  is  an  abuse  to  allow  voucher  to  warranty  in 
larceny  or  in  any  other  personal  action. 

107.  It  is  an  abuse  if  a  judge  delegate  does  not  show  to 
the  parties  to  the  plea  his  warrant  or  commission  when 
they  ask  for  it,  and  he  should  allow  them  not  only  to  hear 
but  to  inspect  it. 

108.  It  is  an  abuse  that  justices  and  their  officers  who 
slay  folk  by  false  judgments  are  not  destroyed  like  other 
homicides.  And  King  Alfred  in  one  year  had  forty-four 
judges  hanged  as  homicides  for  their  false  judgments. 

He  hanged  Watling,  for  that  he  had  judged  Sidulf  to 
death  for  receiving  Edulf  his  son,  who  was  afterwards 
acquitted  of  the  prmcipal  crime. 

He  hanged  Signer,  who  had  judged  Ulf  to  death  after  a 
sufficient  acquittal. 

He  hanged  Eadwine,  for  that  he  judged  Hathewy  to 
death  without  the  assent  of  all  the  jurors  when  he  had  put 
himself  upon  a  jury  of  twelve  men ;  and  because  three 
against  nine  wore  for  saving  him,  Eadwine  removed  those 


167  DE   ABUSIONS. 

countre  le  ix  si  remua  Eadwyne  les  trois  e  mist  autres  trois 
es  quex  cest  Hatliewi  ne  se  mist  nient. 

II  pendi  Coel  pur  ceo  qe  il  jugea  Yve  a  la  mort  qe  fu 
arragie. 

II  pendi  Malmere  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Prat  a  la  mort  par 
faus  conoissaunce  qil  fit  de  felonie  par  deseparaunce. 

II  pendi  Athulf  pur  ceo  qil  fit  pendre  Copping  avant 
lage  de  xxj.  ans. 

II  pendi  Markes  pur  ceo  qe  il  jugea  Duning  a  la  mort 
par  xij.  nient  jurie.^ 

II  pendi  Oscelin  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Seaman  a  la  mort  pa?- 
vicious  garant  fondie  sur  fausse  suggescion  qi  supposa  celi 
Seaman  estre  en  prison  par  le  garaunt  einz  ces  qe  il  i 
esteit. 

II  pendi  Billing  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Lefston  a  la  mort  par 
fraude  en  ceste  manere.  II  dit  al  poeple  Seez  tuz  ius  forqe 
cist  qe  occist  le  hoxRine.  E  pur  ceo  qe  Lefston  ne  sassist 
mie  oveqe  les  autres,  li  comanda  de  mener  ^  pendre,  e  dit 
qe  assez  le  conust  quant  il  ne  sassist. 

II  pendi  Sefoul  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Or  ding  a  la  mort  cu)?i 
non  respondu.' 

II  pendi  Thurstone  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Thurgner  a  la 
mort  par  verdit  denqueste  pnse  doffice  saunz  sa  mise. 

II  pendi  Athelstone  pur  ceo  qe  il  jugea  Herbert  a  la 
mort  pur  pecclie  nient  mortiel. 

II  pendi  Eumbold  pur  ceo  qe  il  jugea  Lifehil  a  la  mort 
en  cas  nient  notoire  saunz  appel  e  saunz  enditement. 

II  pendi  Rof  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Dunston  a  la  mort  pur 
eschap  de  p?-ison. 

II  pendi  Freberne  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Harpin  a  la  mort 
ou  les  jurours  furent  en  dote  de  lur  verdit.  Car  en  doutes 
deit  len  einz  ces  sauver  qe  dampner. 

II  pendi  Sibrigbt  qi  jugea  Athelbrus  a  la  mort  pur  qe  il 
ne  forni  mie  j.  sien  faus  jugement*  mortiel. 


'  jjirees  (1642).  *  viesine  (1642)  ^  Corr.  nmi  defendu  (?). 

*  il  fauxa  mie  une  si  en  faux  jtidgment  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  1G7 

three  and   put  in  their   stead   other   three,   upon  whom 
Hathewy  had  never  put  himself. 

He  hanged  Coel  for  judging  to  death  Yve,  who  was  a 
lunatic. 

He  hanged  Malmere  for  judging  to  death  Prat,  who, 
when  desperate,  had  made  a  false  confession  of  felony. 

He  hanged  Athulf  for  hanging  Copping,  who  was  under 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years. 

He  hanged  Markes,  for  that  he  judged  Duning  to  death 
upon  the  verdict  of  twelve  men  who  had  not  been  sworn. 

He  hanged  Oscelin,  for  that  he  judged  Seaman  to  death 
under  a  vicious  warrant  founded  on  a  false  suggestion, 
which  supposed  that  Seaman  was  in  prison  before  that  he 
really  was  so. 

He  hanged  Billing,  for  that  he  judged  Lefston  to  death 
by  fraud  in  this  manner.  Billing  said  to  the  people,  '  Sit 
down  all  of  you  who  did  not  kill  the  man  ; '  and  then,  be- 
cause Lefston  did  not  sit  down  with  the  rest,  he  commanded 
that  he  should  be  hanged,  and  said  that  he  had  made  a 
sufficient  confession  by  not  sitting  down. 

He  hanged  Sefoul,  for  that  he  judged  Ording  to  death 
for  want  of  an  answer. 

He  hanged  Thurstan,  for  that  he  judged  Thurgnor  to 
death  on  a  verdict  taken  ex  officio  on  which  Thurgnor  had 
not  put  himself. 

He  hanged  Athelstone,  for  that  he  judged  Herbert  to 
death  for  a  sin  that  was  not  mortal. 

He  hanged  Rumbold,  for  that  he  judged  Lifchil  to 
death  in  a  case  that  was  not  notorious,  without  appeal  or 
indictment. 

He  hanged  Rof,  for  that  he  judged  Dunston  to  death 
for  escape  from  prison. 

He  hanged  Freberne,  for  that  he  judged  Harpin  to  death 
when  the  jurors  were  in  doubt  about  their  verdict,  for  in 
case  of  doubt  one  should  rather  save  than  condemn. 

He  hanged  Sibright,  for  that  he  judged  Athelbrus  to 
death  for  that  he  would  not  execute  one  of  his  (Sibright's) 
false  mortal  judgments. 


168  DE   ABUSI0N3. 

II  pendi  Halo  pur  ceo  qil  sauva  Tristran  le  viscounte  a 
la  mort  qi  avoit  pris  vins  al  oes  le  Eoi  desico??i  par  entre 
prise  de  lautri  contre  son  grie  e  robberie  nad  nul  difference. 

II  pendi  Arnolt  pur  ceo  qil  sauva  baillifs  qi  robberent  la 
gent  pa?'  colour  de  destreces.  Dunt  ascuns  por  les  naams 
alienez  e  ascune  pur  extorsions  de  fins,  desicom  par  entre 
extorsion  de  fin  -pur  torcenous  naam  releaser  e  robberie  nad 
nule  difference. 

II  pendi  Erkenwold  pur  ceo  qil  pendi  Franling  pur  nul 
autre  desertz  mes  pur  ceo  qe  il  enseigna  a  celi  qi  il  venqui 
par  bataille  mortele  a  dire  le  mot  de  cravent. 

II  pendi  Bermond  pur  ceo  qil  fust '  coupir  la  teste  Gar- 
bolt  par  son  jugement  en  Englet«?-repur  tant  qil  fu  utlaguie 
en  Irelande. 

II  pendi  Alkemund  pur  ceo  qe  il  sauva  Cateman  par 
colour  de  seisine  ^  qi  fu  atteint  de  homsocne. 

11  pendi  Saxmund  pur  ceo  qil  pendi  Berild  en  Engleterre 
ou  li  bref  li  Eoi  court  pur  fet  qil  fist  en  memo  la  terre  ou  li 
bref  le  Eoi  ne  court  nient. 

II  pendi  Alflet  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  un  clerk  a  la  mort  de 
qi  il  ne  poent  aver  conussaunce. 

II  pendi  Piron  qi  avoit  juge  Hunting  a  la  mort  pur  ceo 
qil  fist  fornir  le  jugement  avant  la  qwarrantieme  jour  pen- 
daunt  lappel  par  bref  de  faus  jugement  devant  le  Eoi. 

II  pendi  Dilling  pur  ceo  qe  il  fist  prendre  Edous  qi  occist 
j.  hom^ne  par  mescheaunce. 

II  pendi  Oswyn  pur  ceo  qe  il  jugea  Blithe  a  la  mort  de 
nuit. 

II  pendi  Osbert  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Fulcher  a  la  mort  hors 
de  consistoire.^ 

II  pendi  Vivelin  pur  ceo  qil  pendi  Iselgrim  par  garant 
denditement  nient  especiall. 

II  pendi  Horn  pur  ceo  qil  pendi  Suuein  par  jour  de- 
fendu. 


'  Corr.yis^  *  de  disseisin  {16i2). 

'  The  old  edition,  by  omitting  some  words,  confuses  Oswyn  and  Osbert. 


OF  ABUSES.  168 

He  hanged  Hale,  for  that  he  saved  from  death  Tristram 
the  sheriff,  who  had  taken  wine  for  the  king's  use,  because 
between  taking  what  is  another's  without  his  will  and 
robbery  there  is  no  difference.  ! 

He  hanged  Arnolt,  for  that  he  saved  bailiffs  who  robbed 
folk  by  colour  of  distress,  some  of  them  by  alienating 
naams  and  others  by  extortion  of  fines,  because  between 
the  extortion  of  a  fine  for  the  release  of  a  naam  and 
robbery  there  is  no  difference. 

He  hanged  Erkenwold,  for  that  he  hanged  Franling  for 
no  other  cause  than  because  he  taught  one  whom  he  had 
vanquished  in  battle  to  say  the  word  '  craven.' 

He  hanged  Bemond,  for  that  he  had  Garbolt's  head  cut 
off  by  a  judgment  given  in  England  on  an  outlawry  in 
Ireland. 

He  hanged  Alkemund,  for  that  he  saved  Cateman,  who 
was  attainted  for  hamsoken,  by  treating  it  as  a  mere  case 
of  disseisin. 

He  hanged  Saxmund,  for  that  he  hanged  Berild  in 
England  where  the  king's  writ  ran,  for  a  deed  done  in  a 
part  of  the  same  land  in  which  the  king's  writ  did  not 
run. 

He  hanged  Alflet,  for  that  he  adjudged  to  death  a  clerk 
over  whom  he  could  have  no  cognisance. 

He  hanged  Piron,  for  that  he  judged  Hunting  to  death, 
because  he  caused  a  judgment  to  be  executed  before  the 
fortieth  day,  pending  an  appeal  to  the  king  by  writ  of  false 
judgment. 

He  hanged  Dilling  for  hanging  Edous,  who  had  slain  a 
man  by  misadventure. 

He  hanged  Oswyn,  for  that  at  night  time  he  judged 
Blithe  to  death. 

He  hanged  Osbert,  for  that  when  not  in  a  consistory  he 
judged  Fulcher  to  death. 

He  hanged  Vivelin,  for  that  he  hanged  Iselgrim  by 
warrant  of  an  indictment  that  was  too  general. 

He  hanged  Horn,  for  that  on  a  prohibited  day  he  hanged 
Swein. 

z 


5>fi^ 


169  DE  ABUSIONS. 

II  pendi  Bulraer  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Gerent  a  la  mort  par 
colour  de  larcin  de  chose  qil  avoit  rescieu  par  title  de  bail. 

II  pendi  Thurbern  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Osgot  a  la  mort  pur 
fet  dunt  il  estoit  avant  aquitie  ver  meme  lactour,  e  la  quele 
aquitaunce  il  tendi  daverrer  par  jure,  e  pur  ceo  qil  ne  voloit 
averrer  par  record  ne  li  voloit  Thurbern  allouer  la  quitaunce 
qil  tendi. 

II  pendi  Wolston  pur  ceo  qil  avoit  jugie  Hubert  a  la 
mort  a  la  sute  le  Eoi  pur  fet  qe  Hubert  conust  e  duwt  li  Koi 
li  out  pardonie  sa  sute,  mes  il  nen  out  nule  chartre,  de  quel 
pa7-doun  neqedent  il  voucha  le  Eoi  a  garaunt,  e  estre  ceo  le 
tendi  de  averrer  par  lenroullement  de  la  chauncellerie. 

II  pendi  Osketil  pur  ceo  qil  jugea  Culling  a  la  mort  par 
record  de  corouner  ou  replicacion  allouable  ne  li  tient  lu. 
E  fu  li  cas  tiel.  Culling  fust  pris  e  peine  taunt  qil  conust 
daver  pecchie  mortelement,  e  pur  estre  quite  de  la  peine. 
E  Osketel  le  jugea  a  la  mort  pur  sa  confession  qil  avoit  fet 
al  corouner  saunz  trier  la  veritie  de  la  peine  e  del  fet. 

E  estre  ceo  furent  penduz  corouners,  ministres,  ac- 
cessours,  ceux  qi  penerent  la  gent  e  tuz  ceux  qi  poient  le 
fans  jugement  aver  destorbe  e  ne  les  destorberent,  en  touz 
poinz  ou  les  justices  furent  penduz.  Car  il  pendi  trestuz 
les  juges  qil  poeit  atteindre  qi  aveient  faussement  sauve 
homme  coupable  de  la  mort  ou  faussement  pendu  genz 
countre  dreit,  ou  countre  ascune  renable  excepcion. 

II  pendi  les  sutlers  Talebot  pur  ceo  qe  il  aveient  juge 
un  homme  a  la  mort  en  cas  nient  notoire,  tut  en  fust  il 
copable.  Car  tieux  ne  poeit  nul  juger  el  reaume  forqe  le 
Eoi,  ou  ses  com?7iissaires  forpris  ceux  seign^rs  en  qi  fieus 
les  briefs  le  Eoi  ne  courent  nient. 

II  pendi  les  sutlers  de  Dorcestre  pur  ceo  qe  il  jugerent 
un  homwie  a  la  mort  par  jurours  de  lur  franchise  pur 
felonie  qil  fist  el  forein,  e  dwnt  il  ne  poeient  conustre  pur  la 
foreintie. 


OF  ABUSES.  16S> 

He  hanged  Bulmer,  for  that  he  judged  Gerent  to  death 
for  the  larceny  of  a  thing  that  he  had  received  by  bailment. 

He  hanged  Thurbern,  for  that  he  judged  Osgot  to  death 
for  a  deed  of  which  he  had  already  been  acquitted  as  against 
the  same  plaintiff ;  and  Osgot  offered  to  aver  the  acquittal 
by  a  jury,  and  Thurbern  would  not  receive  the  allegation 
of  acquittal  because  Osgot  did  not  offer  to  aver  it  by  the 
record. 

He  hanged  Wolfston,  for  that  he  judged  Hubert  to 
death  at  the  king's  suit  for  a  deed  which  Hubert  had  con- 
fessed, whereas  the  king  had  pardoned  his  suit ;  but 
Hubert  had  no  charter  of  pardon,  but  vouched  the  king  to 
warranty,  and  in  addition  offered  to  aver  the  pardon  by  the 
enrolment  in  the  chancery. 

He  hanged  Osketil,  for  that  he  judged  Culling  to  death 
on  the  record  of  the  coroner,  where  an  allowable  replication 
was  not  allowed  him.  The  case  was  this : — Culling  was 
taken  and  tortured  until  he  confessed  a  mortal  sin,  and  this 
he  did  to  be  quit  of  further  torture ;  and  Osketel  judged 
him  to  death  on  his  confession  made  to  the  coroner,  without 
trying  the  truth  of  the  allegation  as  to  the  torture  and  the 
other  facts. 

And  besides  this,  the  coroners,  officers,  assessors,  and 
those  who  tortured  folk,  and  those  who  could  have  disturbed 
the  false  judgments  but  did  not  do  so,  were  hanged  when- 
ever the  justices  were  hanged,  for  King  Alfred  hanged  all 
the  judges  whom  he  could  attaint  of  having  falsely  saved  a 
guilty  man  from  death,  or  falsely  hanged  folk  against  law 
or  in  the  teeth  of  a  reasonable  '  exception.' 

He  hanged  the  suitors  of  Talebot  for  judging  a  man  to 
death  in  a  case  that  was  not  notorious,  though  he  was 
guilty  ;  for  in  such  cases  no  one  in  the  realm  can  be  judge 
save  the  king  and  his  commissioners,  except  those  lords 
into  whose  fees  the  king's  writs  do  not  run. 

He  hanged  the  suitors  of  Dorchester  for  judging  a  man 
to  death  on  the  verdict  of  jurors  of  their  franchise  for  a 
felony  committed  outside  the  franchise,  and  of  which  they 
could  take  no  cognisance  because  it  was  a  '  foreign  '  plea. 

/.  2 


170  DE   ABUSIONS. 

II  pendi  les  sutlers  de  Cirencestre  pur  ceo  qe  il  retindrent 
tant  un  home  en  prison  qi  se  voilloit  acquiter  par  foreins 
ou  il  dust  aver  pecchie  felonessement  tant  qil  morust  en 
lur  pr-ison. 

En  son  tens  perdirent  les  sutlers  de  Anecastre  lur  jure- 
diccion  estre  lautre  peyne  pur  ceo  qil  tindrent  pie  defendu 
par  les  usages  del  Reaume  as  juges  ordenaires  sieutiers  a 
tenir. 

En  son  tens  pe?'di  Colgnm  sa  franchise  de  infangeneteof 
pur  ceo  qe  il  ne  voloit  mie  envoier  un  larron  a  la  commone 
gaole  del  countie  qi  fu  pris  dedenz  sa  franchise  pur  felonie 
fete  dehors  el  gueldable. 

En  son  tens  pe?-di  Botolf  sa  veuue  de  franc  plege  pur 
ceo  qil  chargea  les  jurours  dautres  articles  qi  napendirent  a 
la  veuue  e  amercia  genz  en  pe^-soneles  accions  ou  nul  nest 
punissable  par  peine  peccuniele. 

E  solom  ceo  qil  fist  rendre  as  criminals  juges  mortieux 
guerdons  pur  mortieux  jugemenz  torcenous,  en  meme  la 
manere  fist  il  rendre  as  torcenous  juges  venials  prison  pwr 
torcenous  enpnsonment  e  tieux  -pur  tens  oveqes  les  autres 
peines.  Car  il  livera  Thedwad  a  la  prison  pur  ceo  qe  il 
jugea  Touz '  a  la  prison  pur  pecchie  nient  mortel.  II 
jugea  Cantuard  a  la  prison  pur  ceo  qe  il  enprisona  Old  pur 
la  dette  le  Eoi. 

II  livera  Sithing  a  la  prison  pur  ceo  qe  il  enprisona 
Herbold  pur  le  pecchie  sa  femne. 

Dautre  pard  fist  il  couper  le  poin  Harulf  pur  ceo  qe  il 
sauva  Aruccok  le  poin  qe  fu  atteint  devant  li  qil  avoit  felo- 
nessement coupe  le  poin  Eicholde. 

Dautre  part  il  jugea  Edulf  de  estre  plaiez  pur  ceo  qe  il 
navoit  mie  jugie  Arwold  a  plaier  qi  fu  atteint  devant  li  qe 
il  avoit  felonessement  plaie  Aldous  ne  congie  ne  prist 
dacorder. 

En  meindres  pecchiez  ne  fist  il  mie  del  tut  si  tieux  ^ 
jugemenz,  einz  desherita  ses  justices  e  les  anienti  solom  les 
poinz  de  ces  ep.tatuz  en  tuz  poinz  ou  il  les  poieit  atteindre 

'  Perhaps  not  a  proper  name. 

'  7iefist  il  my  del  tcyrt  cy  tiels  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  170 

He  hanged  the  suitors  of  Cirencester  for  keeping  a  man 
in  prison  until  he  died  in  their  prison,  when  that  man  was 
wilHng  to  acquit  himself  by  a  jury  of  '  foreigners '  from  the 
place  where,  as  was  alleged,  he  had  sinned  feloniously. 

In  his  time  the  suitors  of  Ancaster  lost  their  jurisdic- 
tion, besides  sufifering  other  pmiishment,  because  they  held 
a  plea  which,  by  the  usages  of  the  realm,  it  was  not  law  for 
suitors  as  judges  ordinary  to  hold. 

In  his  time  Colgrhn  lost  his  franchise  of  infangenetheof 
because  he  would  not  send  to  the  common  gaol  of  the 
county  a  thief  caught  within  his  franchise  for  a  felony 
committed  outside  in  the  geldable. 

In  his  day  Botolf  lost  his  view  of  frankpledge,  because 
he  charged  the  jurors  with  articles  that  did  not  belong  to 
the  view,  and  amerced  folk  in  personal  actions  in  which  no 
pecuniary  punishments  should  be  inflicted. 

And  as  he  rendered  mortal  rewards  to  criminal  judges 
for  their  wrongful  mortal  judgments,  so  in  the  same 
manner  for  wrongful  venial  judgments  he  rendered  im- 
prisonment for  wrongful  imprisonment,  and  like  for  like  as 
regards  other  punishments ;  for  he  delivered  Thedwad  to 
prison  because  he  adjudged  [men]  to  prison  for  sins  that 
were  not  mortal,  and  he  delivered  Cantward  to  prison 
because  he  imprisoned  Old  for  a  debt  owed  to  the  king. 

He  delivered  Sithing  to  prison  because  he  imprisoned 
Ilerbold  for  the  sin  of  his  wife. 

And  again,  he  had  Harulf's  hand  cut  off  because  he 
saved  the  hand  of  Aruccok,  who  was  attainted  before  him  of 
having  feloniously  cut  off  the  hand  of  Eichold. 

And  so  he  adjudged  that  Edulf  should  be  wounded  for 
not  having  adjudged  to  wounding  Arwold,  who  was 
attainted  before  him  for  having  feloniously  wounded 
AldouB,  whereas  no  licence  for  an  accord  had  been  ob- 
tained. 

In  the  case  of  smaller  sins  he  did  not  pass  such  severe 
judgments,'  but  disinherited  his  justices  and  deposed  them, 
according  to  the  articles  of  his  statutes,  whenever  he  could 

'  Text  obscure. 


171  DE  ABUSIONS. 

qil  avoient  passie  les  poinz  ou  les  metes  de  lur  delegacie  ou 
de  lur  commission  ou  aveient  fet  rales  de  fin  ou  damercie- 
ment  ou  dautre  chose  qe  appendi  au  Koi,  ou  aveient  relessie 
peine  ou  encrue  outre  le  dreit,  ou  pi-ocurie  dencrestre,  ou 
plede  saunz  garaunt,  ou  en  la  propnete  par  garant  de  bref 
ou  de  pleinte  de  la  possession,  ou  le  revers,  ou  en  la  veniale 
accion  par  motz  de  felonie  ou  le  revers,  ou  aveient  vee  a 
nule  paj'tie  transcWt  de  son  pie  a  la  jornee,  ou  ascun  des 
parties  torcenousement  delaie,  grevee  ou  autre  tort  fet  en 
desallouance  de  renable  excepcion  de  partes  ou  de  juge- 
ment. 

En  son  tens  poet  chescun  pleintif  aver  com77zission  e 
brief  a  son  viscounte  al  seignur  del  fieu  ou  a  certein  justice 
assignee  sur  chescun  tort.  En  son  tens  se  hasta  dreit  de 
jour  en  jour  issi  qe  outre  xv.  jours  nestoit  nule  defaute  ne  nul 
essoine  ajornable.  En  soun  tens  poieientles  parties  emporter 
les  partes  de  lur  plez  les  seals  les  juges  ou  des  pa?-ties  ad- 
\ereea.  En  son  tens  nestoit  nul  brief  de  grace  einz  furent 
touz  brefs  remediaux  grantables  com  de  dette  *  par  vertu 
de  serement.  En  son  tens  soloient  les  juges  prendre  de 
chescun  actour  xii.  d.  a  la  jornee.  En  son  tens  recovererent 
pleintifs  ne  mie  soulement  damages  des  issues  des  posses- 
sions e  des  fieus  einz  recovererent  custages,  travax,  blemisse- 
menz  ^  de  fames  e  q?(ant  qe  len  poet  loialment  taxer  qe 
len  estoit  meins  puissant  par  lencheson  de  tiel  fet. 

109.  Abusion  est  qe  lem  soeffre  qe  tant  de  multitude 
des  clers  sunt  sufferz  destre  ordenez,  par  quoi  la  juresdiccion 
le  Koi  est  descruz. 

110.  Abusion  est  qe  clers  qe  nuwt^  lesse  ceo  qe  al  secle 
appent  tienent  lais  fieus. 

111.  Abusion  est  qe  len  tent  plez  par  dimenches  ou  par 
autres  jours  defenduz  ou  devant  le  soleil  levie  ou  nutantre 
ou  en  deshonest  lu. 

112.  Abusion  est  qe  nul  respoigne  de  felonie  ou  dautre 
personel  trespas  infamatoire  avant  son  eage  de  xxi.  an. 


CcHT.  droit  (?).  '  cuslages  quant  aux  blemishments  (1642). 

*  Corr.  unt. 


OF  ABUSES.  171 

attaint  them  of  having  exceeded  the  articles  or  limits  of 
their  delegation  or  commission,  or  of  having  released  any 
fine,  amercement,  or  other  matter  that  belonged  to  the 
king,  or  of  having  released  or  increased  any  punishment 
contrary  to  law  or  procured  any  such  increase,  or  of  having 
entertained  pleas  without  warrant,  or  proprietary  actions 
when  they  only  had  a  warrant  for  possessory  writs  and 
plaints,  or  vice  versa,  or  of  having  allowed  words  of  felony 
in  venial  actions,  or  vice  versa,  or  of  having  denied  to  either 
party  a  transcript  of  his  plea  on  the  day  [on  which  it  was 
pleaded],  or  of  having  delayed  or  aggrieved  either  party,  or 
of  having  done  any  other  wrong  by  disallowing  any  reason- 
able exception  against  the  parties  or  the  judgment. 

In  his  time  everyone  could  have  for  every  wrong  a 
commission  and  writ  to  the  sheriff,  or  to  the  lord  of  the  fee, 
or  to  some  certain  judge  delegate.  In  his  time  right  was 
speeded  from  day  to  day,  so  that  no  default  or  essoin  was 
adjourned  for  more  than  fifteen  days.  In  his  time  the 
parties  could  carry  off  with  them  the  copies  of  their  plead- 
ings [under]  the  seals  of  the  judges  or  of  the  adverse  parties. 
In  his  time  no  writ  was  of  grace,  but  all  remedial  writs 
were  grantable  as  of  right  by  virtue  of  [the  chancellor's] 
oath.  In  his  time  all  the  judges  used  to  take  twelve  pence 
from  every  plaintiff  for  each  day's  session.  In  his  time 
plaintiffs  recovered  by  way  of  damages,  not  only  the  issues 
of  the  possessions  and  fees  [that  were  in  dispute],  but  also 
costs  and  charges  and  compensation  for  the  blemish  to 
their  good  names  and  all  that  could  be  lawfully  taxed  to 
them  as  loss  incurred  by  reason  of  the  act  in  question. 

109.  It  is  an  abuse  that  so  many  clerks  are  suffered  to 
be  ordained  that  the  king's  jurisdiction  is  diminished. 

110.  It  is  an  abuse  that  clerks,  who  have  given  up  all 
that  belongs  to  this  world,  hold  lay  fee. 

111.  It  is  an  abuse  to  hold  pleas  on  Sundays  or  other 
forbidden  days,  or  before  sunrise,  or  by  night,  or  in  im- 
proper places. 

112.  It  is  an  abuse  that  anyone  should  have  to  answer 
for  felony  or  other  infamatory  personal  trespass  before 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years. 


172  DE  ABUSIONS. 

112  [a].'  Abusion  est  qe  nul  respoigne  taunt  cum  il  est 
en  pHson  si  sur  soun  prou  noun  einz  ces  ^  qe  il  Boit  quite 
del  fet  pur  qi  il  est  en  p/ison. 

113.  Abusion  est  quant  accion  affirmative  est  encountre 
de  respons  ou  de  excepcion  affirmative  aprendre  la  proeve 
de  la  primer  affirmative  forpris  en  favour  de  sauvacion. 

114.  Abusion  est  qe  homwie  soit  encoupie  sur  vie  a 
menbre  ausicom  doffice  saunz  sute  e  sanz  enditement. 

115.  Abusion  est  qe  justice  ne  monstre  lenditement  as 
enditez  sil  le  demaundent. 

116.  Abusion  est  qe  homTrze respoigne  enEngleterre pur 
chose  fete  hors  del  reaume  ou  le  re  vers,  ou  en  lu  privilege 
ou  li  brief  li  Roi  ne  court  nient  pur  chose  fete  el  forein  ou 
le  reve?"S,  nen  lu  enfraunchi  de  fet  el  gueldable  ou  le  revers. 

117.  Abusion  est  qerap  estpecche  mortel. 

118.  Abusion  est  qe  rap  se  estent  a  autre  femme  qe  a 
pucele. 

119.  Abusion  est  de  utlaguer  hom?we  si  now  pur  felonie. 

120.  Abusion  est  qe  lem  preigne  en  Engleterre  hom?ne 
utlague  en  Irlaunde  ou  aillurs  hors  del  reaume  ou  len  est 
oustie  de  son  fieu  par  droit  jugement  des  juges  ordenaires 
sutlers. 

121.  Abusion  est  qe  acontitr  de  si  long  tens  dunt  nul 
nel  poent  testmoigner  de  veuue  e  de  oie,  qe  ne  dure  mie 
gene?-alment  outre  xl.  anz. 

122.  Abusion  est  qe  len  eit  personal  accion  da  pluz 
loinz  qe  de  la  derreine  heire. 

123.  Abusion  est  del  brief  de  acounte  de  monstravit  par 
le  quel  chescun  poet  fere  enprisoner  autre  torcenouement. 


'  In  the  old  edition  this  abuse  is  fused  with  the  last  preceding  abuse  by 
an  omission  of  words.  '^  Corr.  ceo. 


OF  ABUSES.  172 

112  [a].  It  is  an  abuse  that  anyone  should  be  put  to 
answer  while  he  is  in  prison,  unless  this  be  for  his 
advantage,  until  he  is  acquitted  of  the  deed  for  which  he  is 
in  prison. 

113.  It  is  an  abuse  that  when  an  affirmative  action  is 
met  by  an  affirmative  answer  or  exception,  the  proof  of  the 
first  [the  plaintiff's]  affirmative  is  received,  unless  this  be 
done  in  favour  of  salvation. 

114.  It  is  an  abuse  that  a  man  is  accused  of  matters 
touching  life  or  limb  quasi  ex  officio  without  suit  and  with- 
out indictment. 

115.  It  is  an  abuse  if  a  justice  will  not  show  the 
indictment  to  the  indicted  if  they  demand  it. 

116.  It  is  an  abuse  if  one  be  put  to  answer  in  England 
for  a  deed  done  out  of  the  realm,  or  vice  versa,  or  to 
answer  in  a  privileged  place  where  the  king's  writ  does 
not  run  for  a  thing  done  outside,  and  vice  versa,  or  to 
answer  in  a  franchise  for  a  thing  done  in  the  geldable,  or 
vice  versa. 

117.  It  is  an  abuse  that  rape  is  a  mortal  sin. 

118.  It  is  an  abuse  that  rape  is  extended  to  women  who 
are  no  maids. 

119.  It  is  an  abuse  to  outlaw  a  man  if  it  be  not  for 
felony. 

120.  It  is  an  abuse  to  arrest  in  England  one  outlawed 
in  Ireland  or  elsewhere  outside  the  realm,  whereby  he  is 
ousted  of  his  fee  of  having  '  the  right  judgment  of  the 
suitors  who  are  his  judges  ordinary. 

121.  It  is  an  abuse  to  plead  about  a  time  so  remote  that  ^^ 
no  testimony  of  sight  and  hearing  can  be  given  about  it, 

and  as  a  general  rule  such  testimony  cannot  be  had  after 
forty  years. 

122.  It  is  an  abuse  to  found  a  personal  action  on  what      <^ 
happened  before  the  last  eyre. 

123.  It  is  an  abuse  of  the  writ  of  account  [Mojisiravit 
de  compoto]  to  enable  a  man  to  wrongfully  imprison  another. 

'  Translation  doubtful. 


,178  DE   ABUSIONS. 

124.  Abusion  est  qe  len  est  tenu  a  rendre  aconte  des 
issues  de  terre  dunt  len  est  gardein  par  title  de  lei. 

125.  Abusion  est  qe  le  bref  de  ne  vexes  va  issi  en 
declin. 

126.  Abusion  est  qe  batailles  ne  se  funt  en  pg?-soneles 
actions  aussi  ben  com  en  felonies. 

127.  Abusion  est  qe  proeves  e  purgations  ne  se  funt 
pa?-  la  miracle  dieu  en  cas  ou  dautre  proeve  ne  vaut. 

128.  Abusion  est  a  joindre  bataille  par  entre  persones 
nient  recevables  a  bataille. 

129.  Abusion  est  qe  chevaler  soit  autrement  armie  qe 
autre  homme  pur  cumbatre. 

130.  Abusion  est  qe  juge  se  conoisse  par  bref  original 
en  garauntz  pa?-  voucher  ou  en  autres  as  queus  sa  jures- 
diccion  ne  sestent. 

131.  Abusion  est  a  soifrer  voucher  a  garaunt  as  accions 
le  Eoi  de  quo  waranto. 

132.  Abusion  est  qe  ceux  qe  sen '  troeve  usuriers  par 
enditemenz  apres  lur  morz  stmt  sufifertz  destre  sevely  en 
seintuaire  e  qe  lur  fieus  ne  remeignent  eschaetes  as  seignurs 
des  fieus. 

133.  Abusion  est  qe  viciouses  obligacions  chacent  lur 
actours  a  respons  damaious  ^  desi  qe  eles  sunt  voidables. 

134.  Abusion  est  a  chacer  jurours  tesmoins  a  dire 
chose  qil  ne  sevent  par  destresce  de  feim  e  demprisonment 
apres  lur  verdit  qe  il  nen  sievent  rien. 

135.  Abusion  est  de  user  le  mot  de  lur  escient  en  sere- 
menz  pur  fere  les  jurors  pronuwcier  sur  lur  queder,  desico7« 
la  principale  pa?-ole  de  lur  serement  est  qil  voir  dirrent. 

136.  Abusion  est  qe  len  nexamine  les  jurours  taunt 
qe  len  en  troeve  al  meinz  ij.  acordaunz. 

137.  Abusion  est  a  mettre  plus  des  paroles  en  homages 
fere  forqe  taunt  jeo  devieng  vostre  homwe  del  fieu  qe  jeo 
cleim  tenir  de  vous. 


'  Corr.  len.  ^  a  persojialls  dammages  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  173 

124.  It  is  an  abuse  that  any  should  be  bound  to  render 
account  of  the  profits  of  land  whereof  he  is  guardian  by 
lawful  title. 

125.  It  is  an  abuse  that  the  writiVe  vexes  is  thus  falling 
into  decline. 

126.  It  is  an  abuse  that  there  is  no  trial  by  battle  in 
personal  actions  as  there  is  in  case  of  felony. 

127.  It  is  an  abuse  that  proofs  and  purgations  are  not 
made  by  the  miracle  of  God  when  no  other  proof  can  be  had. 

128.  It  is  an  abuse  to  decree  battle  between  persons  who 
cannot  be  received  to  fight. 

129.  It  is  an  abuse  that  in  a  judicial  battle  a  knight 
should  have  arms  different  from  those  which  another  man 
has. 

130.  It  is  an  abuse  that  a  judge  by  virtue  of  an  original 
writ  should  take  cognisance  of  warranties  by  voucher  or 
other  matters  to  which  his  jurisdiction  does  not  extend. 

131.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suffer  a  voucher  to  warranty  in 
an  action  of  Quo  waranto  by  the  king. 

132.  It  is  an  abuse  that  those  who  are  found  by  indict- 
ment to  be  usurers  are  after  their  deaths  suffered  to  be 
buried  in  holy  ground,  and  that  their  fees  do  not  remain 
escheated  to  the  lords  of  the  fees. 

133.  It  is  an  abuse  that  vicious  obligations  compel 
those  who  made  them  to  a  damaging  answer,  whereas  they 
are  voidable. 

134.  It  is  an  abuse  to  force  jurors  or  witnesses  to  say 
what  they  do  not  know  by  distress  of  hunger  and  impri- 
sonment, when  their  verdict  is  that  they  know  nothing. 

135.  It  is  an  abuse  to  insert  in  oaths  the  phrase  '  t( 
the  best  of  their  knowledge,'  so  as  to  compel  jurors  to  saj 
what  they  opine,  whereas  the  principal  words  in  their  oatl 
are  to  the  effect  that  they  will  say  the  truth. 

136.  It  is  an  abuse  not  to  examine  the  jurors  until  one 
finds  at  least  two  of  them  in  agreement. 

137.  It  is  an  abuse  to  put  into  the  words  of  homage 
anything  beyond  '  I  become  your  man  of  the  fee  that  I 
claim  to  hold  of  you.' 


174  DE  ABUSIONS. 

138.  Abusion  est  de  rendre  ou  de  apeseer  par  attornie. 

139.  Abusion  est  dassigner  justices  en  tieu  pa^-ties  sanz 
bref  en  '  la  presence  le  Eoi  si  non  par  lassent  des  parties. 

140.  Abusion  est  des  briefs  de  audita  querela  e  de  con- 
Bpiratis  e  dautres  qe  ne  contenent  nient  les  substances  des 
pleintes. 

141.  Abusion  est  qe  les  justices  del  banc  sentremettent 
des  plus  des  pleez  qi  tort  fet  contres  fins,  de  grant  assises,  de 
translacions  de  plez  hors  de  meindre  courtz  e  de  drein  pre- 
senz  e  de  fieus  e  les  dreiz  le  Eoi  e  la  Eeine  alliez.^ 

142.  Abusion  est  duser  poneet  ^  einz  ces  *  qe  lur  causes 
Boient  discusses  si  les  parties  les  chalengent,  car  mentour 
purchaceour  ne  deit  aver  benefice  de  sa  menceonge. 

143.  Abusion  est  sure  grant  destresces  en  plez  datha- 
chemenz  dunt  les  def antes  sunt  profit  au  Eoi  e  nient  as 
pleintifs. 

144.  Abusion  est  ^  trespassours  qe  rien  ne  unt  ne  sunt 
baniz  de  villes,  de  contiex,  de  fieus  e  de  liundrez  sicom 
estre  soloient. 

145.  Abusion  est  a  crere  qe  petiz  capez  facent  autre 
title  forqe  sauve  chescun  droit  en  reales  accions  nen  autres. 

146.  Abusion  est  les  issues  des  grantz  destresces  de 
mixtes  accions  ne  devenent  as  proffiz  des  seignurs  des  fieus 
e  dautres  qi  unt  court  sicom  sunt  al  Eoi  des  plez  meuz  en 
sa  court  sur  memes  les  accions. 

147.  Abusion  est  a  quider  qe  autele  peine  fet  agardee 
as  meinpernours  cnm  as  principax  qi  funt  defaute  ou  qe  il 
ne  sunt  forqe  amerciables  en  cas. 

148.  Abusion  est  damercier  bom  we  enpledie  de  fieu  ou 


Corr.  ou  (?).  ^  Corr.  alicnez.  '  Corr.  Pone. 

*  Corr.  ceo.  *  Supply  ge. 


OF  ABUSES.  174 

138.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suffer  an  attorney  to  surrender 
[the  land  in  demand]  or  compromise  the  action. 

139.  It  is  an  abuse  to  assign  justices  [to  hear  pleas]  be- 
tween such  and  such  parties,  save  by  writ  or  in  the  king's 
presence,  unless  this  be  done  by  the  assent  of  the  parties.* 

140.  It  is  an  abuse  to  issue  writs  of  Andita  querela,  of 
Conspiracy,  and  so  forth,  which  do  not  contain  the  substance 
of  the  complaints. 

141.  It  is  an  abuse  that  the  justices  of  the  Bench  meddle 
with  other  pleas  than  such  as  relate  to  the  infraction  of 
fines,  grand  assizes,  pleas  translated  from  minor  courts, 
darrein  presentments,  or  the  alienation  of  the  fees  and 
rights  of  the  king  and  queen. 

142.  It  is  an  abuse  to  use  a  Pone  before  the  cause  has 
been  discussed,  in  case  the  parties  challenge  the  writ;  for 
the  lying  purchaser  [of  the  writ]  should  take  no  benefit  by 
his  lie. 

143.  It  is  an  abuse  to  sue  out  a  gi'and  distress  in  pleas 
begun  by  attachments,  whereby  the  king,  not  the  plaintiff, 
gets  the  profit. 

144.  It  is  an  abuse  that  trespassers  who  have  no  pro- 
perty are  not  banished,  as  they  used  to  be,  from  vills, 
counties,  fees,  and  hundreds. 

145.  It  is  an  abuse  to  hold  that  either  in  a  real  action 
or  in  another  a  petty  cape  can  give  any  title  other  than 
salro  iure  ciiimlibct. 

146.  It  is  an  abuse  that  the  issues  of  grand  distresses 
in  mixed  actions  do  not  come  to  the  profits  of  the  lords  of  the 
fees  and  others  who  have  courts,  just  as  they  come  to  the 
king  when  similar  actions  are  begun  in  his  court. 

147.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suppose  that  the  same  punishment 
should  be  awarded  to  mainpernors  as  to  the  principals  who 
make  default,  for  in  some  cases  the  former  should  only  be 
amerced. 

148.  It  is  an  abuse  to  amerce  a  man  who  is  impleaded  for 


Translation  doubtful. 


175  DE  ABUSIONS, 

de  service  issant  de  fieu  pur  defaute  en  personele  accion  on 
reale.     Car  utlaguerie  ou  perte  del  fieu  suffist  pur  peine. 

149.  Abusion  est  qe  viscountes  ne  funt  point  dexecu- 
cion  as  briefs  viscontals  einz  ces  '  qe  les  pleintifs  eient 
trovez  pleges  de  sure,  ou  nule  mencion  ne  se  fet  de  sieurtie 
prendre. 

150.  Abusion  est  a  destreindre  pur  arrerages  de 
service  issant  de  fieu  par  biens  moebles,  ou  nule  destresce 
ne  se  dust  fere  forqe  par  le  fieu. 

151.  Abusion  est  qe  tenaunt  pusse  sanz  peine  feffer  la 
tierce  persone  el  fieu  son  seignur  en  prejudice  de  li  ou  autre 
chose  fere  ou  dire  contre  les  poinz  de  son  serement  de 
feautie. 

152.  Abusion  est  a  soflfrir  champion  louuiz  estre  recevable 
en  testmoinage. 

153.  Abusion  est  qe  nul  ne  ad  recoverer  del  tort  le  Eoi 
ou  de  la  Koine  si  non  a  la  voluntie  le  Eoi. 

154.  Abusion  est  a  juger  hom7?ie  a  divers  peines  pur  un 
trespas  sicom  a  corporele  peine  e  a  ranceon,  desicom 
ranceon  nest  forqe  redempcion  de  peine  corporele  par  fin 
de  deners. 

155.  Abusion  est  qe  genz  defamees  par  pecchie  ne  sunt 
rebotes  de  seremenz  fere  e  de  dignitiez  e  dautres  honurs. 
E  autres  abusions  perent  par  lus  qi  bien  enteut  la  lirre 
avant  escritz. 


[Ch.  11.']  Des  Articles  [de  la  Grande  Chartrel. 

Cum  la  lei  de  ceste  reaume  fondee  sur  xl  poinz  de  la 
grande  cha^-tre  des  fraunchises  soit  desuse  dampnablement 
par  les  guiours  de  la  lei  e  par  estatuz  pus  fetez  contj-aianz 
a  ascuns  de  ces  poinz,  pur  monstrer  les  defautes  des  poinz 
avantditz  e  les  errours  dascuns  estatuz  ai  jeo  mis  en 
memorial  cest  chapitre  des  defautes  e  reprehension  des 
estatuz  ;  e  pi-imes  des  defautes  des  poinz  de  la  cha?tre. 

'  Corr.  ceo. 


OF  ABUSES,  175 

a  fee  or  the  service  issuing  from  a  fee  for  default  in  a  personal 
or  real  action,  for  outlawry  or  loss  of  the  fee  is  punishment 
enough. 

149.  It  is  an  abuse  that  sheriffs  will  not  execute  vicon- 
tiel  writs  until  the  plaintiffs  have  found  pledges  to  prosecute, 
where  no  mention  of  taking  surety  is  made  in  the  writ. 

150.  It  is  an  abuse  to  distrain  by  movable  goods  for 
arrears  of  service  issuing  from  a  fee,  whereas  no  distress 
should  be  made  save  by  the  fee. 

151.  It  is  an  abuse  that  a  tenant  can  without  punish- 
ment enfeoff  a  third  person  in  the  fee  of  his  lord  to  his 
lord's  prejudice,  or  do  or  say  any  other  thing  against  the 
terms  of  his  oath  of  fealty. 

152.  It  is  an  abuse  to  suffer  a  hired  champion  to  be 
received  as  a  witness. 

153.  It  is  an  abuse  that  one  has  no  recovery  against 
the  king  or  queen  for  a  tort  save  at  the  king's  will. 

154.  It  is  an  abuse  to  adjudge  a  man  to  several  punish- 
ments for  one  trespass,  e.g.  to  both  corporal  punishment 
and  ransom,  for  ransom  is  but  a  redemption  of  a  corporal 
punishment  by  a  money  fine. 

155.  It  is  an  abuse  that  men  made  infamous  by  sin  are 
not  rejected  from  taking  oaths  and  from  dignities  and  other 
honours.  And  other  abuses  there  are  which  will  appear 
from  place  to  place  to  one  who  reads  the  foregoing  books. 

[Ch.  II.     Of  the  Great  Charter.] 

Whereas  the  law  of  this  realm  founded  upon  the  forty 
articles  of  the  Great  Charter  of  Liberties  is  damnably  dis- 
regarded by  the  governors  of  the  law  and  by  subsequent 
statutes,  which  are  contrary  to  some  of  these  articles, 
therefore  to  demonstrate  the  defects  of  these  articles  and 
the  errors  of  certain  statutes  I  have  put  on  record  this 
chapter  concerning  the  defects  and  reprehensions  of  statutes. 
And  first  of  the  defects  in  the  articles  of  the  Charter : ' — 

'  In  the  margin  we  give  references      Charter  of   1225   upon   which    our 
to    tiie     various     chapters    in    the      autlior  comments. 


176  DE   ABUSIONS. 

Al  point  qe  leglise  denglete?Te  eit  ces '  dreiz  entiers  e 
ces '  fraunchises  desblemies  serreit  peine  n^ccessaire  a 
ordener  corporele,  e  nomement  as  lais  juges,  ministres  le 
Eoi  e  autres  qi  jugent  clers  en  mortels  crirns  e  as  cor- 
poreles  peines  infamatoires,  e  detienent  lur  biens  apres  lur 
purgacion,  e  as  ceux  seculars  juges  qe  se  medlent  a  co- 
noistre  en  mat7'imoigne  ou  testament  oudautre  espiritualitie. 

Pur  lautre  point  proschein  est  chescun  franc  hom?ne  del 
reaume  enheritie  des  franchises  de  la  chartre,  e  dunt 
chescun  est  disseisi  com  de  soun  franc  tenement  qi  nen  est 
jugie  solom  les  poinz  suanz,  e  tient  lu  recoverer  damages 
par  lassise  de  novelle  disseisiiie. 

Li  tierz  point  semble  defectif,  car  aussi  com  le  relief  de 
countie  ente?-re  fet  a  decrestre  en  la  persone  celi  qi  meins 
en  tient,  aussi  semble  qe  tel  certein  fet  a  encrestre  en  taunt 
com  countie  plus  en  tient,  issi  qe  tendra  ij.  contees.  E 
qi  tendra  countie  e  baronie  paie  a  foer  de  contie  e  estre  ceo 
a  foer  de  baron.  E  issi  dautres  fieus  si  expres  ne  soit  a  la 
charire  qe  la  fin  de  cent  livres  ne  soit  point  encrue  pur  nul 
encrees  de  plus  de  fieu  e  issi  des  autres  certeins. 

Li  quart  point  est  defectif,  car  tut  soit  qe  eel  point  soit 
fondie  sur  dreit  pur  Her  les  seignurs  des  fieus  as  garanties 
par  lapprise  de  tieux  homages  le  quel  qe  il  les  p?-?ssent  des 
droiz  heirs  ou  non,  pwr  ceo  nest  mie  expres  qi  devient  estre 
gardeinz  des  fieus  vacanz  e  avoir  les  issues  el  moien  tens  en 
cas  ou  les  dreiz  heirs  defoient  ^  lur  seignwrs  ou  ne  poent  ou 
ne  vollent  lur  homage  fere. 

Li  point  des  gardes  est  defectif  en  taunt  qe  nule  difference 
nest  exp7*esse  par  entre  les  heirs  madles  e  les  heirs  femeles. 
Car  feme  ad  son  plener  eage  quant  ele  est  pleinement  de 
xiiij.  anez  e   les  vij.  outre  ne  furent  primes  ordene  forqe 


'  Corr.  ses.  *  defuont  (1G42). 


OF  ABUSES.  176 

As  to  the  article  '  Quod  ecclesia  Anglicana  .  .  .  habeat  <"'  i 
omnia  iura  sua  integra  et  libertates  suas  illaesas,'  some 
corporal  punishment  should  be  ordained,  and  in  particular 
for  the  lay  judges,  royal  ministers,  and  others  who  judge 
clerks  for  mortal  crimes  and  to  infamatory  corporal  punish- 
ments, and  detain  their  goods  after  their  purgation,  and 
for  those  secular  judges  who  meddle  in  the  cognisance  of 
matrimony  or  testament  or  other  spiritual  matters. 

By  the  next  article  every  free  man  of  the  realm  is  <?•  i 
heritably  entitled  to  the  franchises  of  the  charter,  and 
therefore  everyone  is  disseised  of  his  free  tenement  who  is 
not  judged  according  to  the  following  articles,  and  in  such 
a  case  he  ought  to  recover  damages  by  an  assize  of  novel 
disseisin.' 

The  third  article  is  defective,  for  as  the  relief  due  for  a  e.  2 
whole  county  is  to  be  decreased  in  the  case  of  one  who 
holds  less,  so  seemingly  this  certain  sum  should  be  in- 
creased when  an  earl  holds  more  than  one  county,  e.g.  two 
counties.  And  he  who  holds  a  county  and  a  barony  should 
pay  as  for  a  county  and  also  as  for  a  barony.  And  so  in 
the  case  of  other  fees,  if  it  be  not  expressed  in  the  charter 
that  the  fixed  sum  of  £100  is  not  to  be  increased  by  reason 
of  any  increase  of  the  fees ;  and  so  with  the  other  fixed 
sums. 

The  fourth  article  is  defective,  for  albeit  it  is  founded  c  3 
upon  law  that  the  lords  of  the  fees  may  be  bound  to 
warranty  by  the  receipt  of  such  homages,  whether  they 
receive  them  from  the  right  heirs  or  no,  still  it  is  not 
expressed  that  they  ought  to  have  the  wardship  of  vacant 
fees  and  take  the  issues  during  the  mean  time  in  case  the 
right  heirs  defy  their  lords  or  cannot  or  will  not  do 
homage. 

The  article  about  wardship  is  defective,  since  no  differ-  cc.  s.  4 
ence  is  expressed   between  heirs  male  and  heirs  female  ; 
for  a  woman  attains  full  age  on  accomplishing  fourteen 
years,  and  the  seven  remaining  years  were  ordained  in  the 

'  Every  breach  of  the  charter  by  the  king  should  give   an  assize  of 
novel  disseisin  to  the  party  grieved. 

A  A 


177  DE  ABUSIONS. 

pur  les  madles  heirs,  qi  avant  lage  de  xxj.  ans  ne  furent 
mie  suffisanz  as  armes  porte?-  pnr  le  defens  del  reaume. 
E  notez  qe  chescun  gardein  est  charge  de  tierz  choses, 
lune  de  sustenir  lenfant  soffisaument,  lautre  a  sustenir 
ces  ^  dreiz  e  son  heritage  sanz  gast,  la  tierce  de  respondre 
e  a  la  satisfaccion  des  trespas  de  tieux  enfaunz. 

La  defaute  del  point  des  desparagacions  piert  par  entre 
les  estatuz  de  Mertone,  e  la  defaute  des  francs  bancs  e 
veudves  en  memo  la  manere.  En  quel  point  est  assez 
expres  qe  nule  femTne  nest  doable  si  ele  neit  este  solempne- 
ment  esposee  al  hus  de  moustier  e  illoec  doee. 

Li  point  qe  comande  qe  la  citee  de  Londres  eit  ces' 
aunciens  franchises  e  ces  ^  franchises  custumes  est  inter- 
pretable  en  ceste  manere  qe  les  citizeins  eient  lur  franchises 
dunt  il  sont  enheritez  par  loial  title  des  douns  e  conferme- 
menz  des  Eois  e  les  queles  il  ne  unt  forfetes  par  nule 
abusion,  e  qe  il  eient  lur  franchises  custumes  qe  sunt 
soffrables  par  droit  e  nient  repugnanz  a  lei.  El  inter- 
preteison  qest  dite  de  Londres  soit  entendue  de  .v.  porz  e 
dautres  lus. 

Li  point  qe  defent  torcenouses  destresces  des  fieus  est 
covenable  en  sei,  mes  il  nest  guers  homme  el  reaume  qi 
tenaunz  eit  qil  ne  trespase  en  cost  point  par  li  ou  par  ces ' 
ministres  sicom  piert  el  chapitre  de  naiftie  al  parogref  de 
villeins. 

Li  point  qe  defent  qe  comuns  plez  ne  suent  la  court  des 
Eois  est  interpretable  en  ceste  manere,  qe  gentz  ne  tra- 
vaillent  mie  a  sure  lostiel  le  Eoi  en  lointeins  pais  sicom  fere 
Boloient,  einz  voet  cest  point  qe  pleintifs  eient  commissions 
as  viscontes,  as  seignurs  des  fieus  ou  as  justices  assignes  issi 
qe  dreit  soit  fet  as  parties  en  lus  certeins  ou  les  pa7*ties  e 
jurours  soient  meins  travaillez. 


'  Corr.  ses. 


OF   ABUSES.  177 

first  instance  only  for  male  heirs,  who  until  they  are  of  the 
age  of  twenty-one  j'ears  are  not  able  to  bear  arms  for  the 
defence  of  the  realm.  And  note  that  every  guardian  is 
charged  with  three  duties :  to  sufficiently  maintain  the 
child  ;  to  maintain  its  rights  and  inheritance  without  waste ; 
thirdly,  to  answer  for  the  satisfaction  of  its  trespasses. 

The   defect   in   the   article   about   disparagement   will  o. « 
appear  below  when  we  deal  with  the  Statute  of  Merton ;  so 
also  the  defect  in  the  article  about  freebench  and  widows,  c  r 
In  that  article  it  is  sufficiently  expressed  that  no  woman  is 
dowable  if  she  be  not  solemnly  espoused  at  the  church  door 
and  endowed  there. 

The  article  which  commands  that  the  city  of  London  o.  9 
shall  have  its  ancient  and  accustomed  liberties  is  to  be 
understood  thus :  that  the  citizens  shall  have  their  fran- 
chises, to  which  they  are  heritably  entitled  by  the  gifts 
and  confirmations  of  the  kings,  and  which  they  have 
not  forfeited  by  any  abuse,  and  that  they  shall  have  such 
of  their  free  customs  as  are  allowable  by  right  and  not 
repugnant  to  the  law.'  And  the  interpretation  applicable 
to  the  case  of  London  is  applicable  also  to  the  case  of  the 
Cinque  Ports  and  other  places. 

The  article  which  forbids  wrongful  distraint  of  fees  is  0. 10 
proper  as  it  stands,  but  there  is  hardly  a  man  in  the  realm 
who  has  tenants  and  who  does  not  trespass  against  it  by 
himself  or  his  ministers,  as  appears  in   the   chapter   on 
Naifty  in  the  paragraph  about  villains.' 

The  article  which  forbids  that  common  pleas  shall  follow  c.  n 
the  king's  court,  is  to  be  interpreted  thus :  that  men  are 
not  to  toil  to  follow  the  king's  household  into  distant  parts, 
as  they  formerly  did,  but  this  article  wills  that  plaintiflfa 
shall  have  commissions  to  the  sheriffs,  or  the  lords  of  the 
fees,  or  to  justices  assigned,  so  that  right  shall  be  done  to 
the  parties  in  locis  certis  so  that  the  parties  and  the  jurors 
may  not  have  so  much  toil. 

'  This  hardly  comes  from  a  strong      landlord   is    unlawfully  oppressing 
champion  of  civic  customs.  his  villuins. 

■■'  8ee  above,  p.  79.     Almost  every 

A  A   2 


178  DE  ABUSIONS. 

Tut  soit  qe  le  point  qe  comande  qe  petites  assises  soient 
prises  en  lur  eountiez  estoit  fundie  sur  laisement  des 
jurours,  uncore  est  il  desusie  en  taunt  qe  les  justices  funt 
les  jurours  travailler  es  plus  foreins  marchies  des  contiez, 
ou  mieux  vaudreit  qe  justices  t?-availlassent  de  hundred  en 
hundred  qe  de  travailler  taunt  de  poeple. 

Li  point  des  amerciemenz  est  desusie  par  justices, 
viscountes,  baillifs,  seneschauz  e  autres  qi  ame?*cient  la 
gent  en  ce^-tein  a  lur  voluntie  en  ceste  manere,  metez  tiel 
a  taunt  pur  despit  ou  pur  trespas,  sanz  peser  le  trespas  e 
sanz  affoerement  de  genz  a  ceo  jurees  e  saunz  especefier  la 
manere  e  la  qualite  del  despit.  Dautrepart  ou  les  affoerours 
duissent  estre  esluz  par  lassent  des  amerciez  e  en  lu  comun, 
la  funt  tieux  sovereins  venir  a  lur  oustieux  affoerours 
cum  eus  memos  volent '  mettre  e  funt  acrestre  e  amenuser 
les  amerciemenz  a  lur  voluntie. 

Li  point  qe  defent  qe  rive?-8  ne  soient  mises  en  defens 
est  desusie,  car  plusours  rivers  sont  ore  approp?*is  e  engarnes 
e  mises  issi  en  defens  qe  soloient  estre  comuns  a  pescher  e 
user  el  tens  le  Eoi  Henri  le  premer. 

Li  ^  qe  defent  qe  viscountes,  chasteleins,  corouners  ne 
baillifs  ne  tenent  les  plez  de  la  coroune  ne  semble  mie 
necessaire,  car  apeax  de  felonie  sont  par  droite  nskturele  ^ 
attamables  devaunt  corouners  e  les  exigendes  continuables  e 
les  jugemenz  des  utlaguaries  pronunciables,  e  pur  ceo  averoit 
eel  point  mestier  de  plus  de  \etre  si  qe  sa  entencion  fut 
expresse. 

Par  la  fin  del  point  des  biens  moebles  as  morz  piert  qe 
accion  accrest  as  vedves  e  as  enfanz  des  morz  a  demander 
lur  renables  pa?-ties  des  chatieux  lur  piere  esloignez. 

Ceo  qest  defendu  a  conestables  a  prendre  lautri  defend 
droit  a  tote  gent  de  si  qe  nule  difference  nest  par  entre  prise 
de  lautri  maugrie  soen  e  robberie,  li  quel  qi  cele  prise  soit 


'  Apparently  inolent,  MS.  ^  Supply  point. 

^  drcit  nient  (1642). 


Ob'  ABUSES.  178 

Albeit  the  article  which  commands  that  petty  assizes  be  c.  la 
taken  in  their  own  counties  was  made  for  the  easement  of 
jurors,  none  the  less  it  is  disregarded,  for  the  justices  cause  the 
jurors  to  journey  to  the  extreme  boundaries  of  the  counties, 
whereas  it  would  be  better  that  the  justices  should  journey 
from  hundred  to  hundred  and  not  labour  so  many  folk. 

The  article  about  amercements  is  disused  by  justices,  c  u 
sheriffs,  bailiffs,  stewards,  and  others,  who  amerce  men  at 
fixed  sums  according  to  their  will  and  pleasure,  saying, 
*  Put  down  so  and  so  for  so  much,  for  a  contempt,  or  for  a 
trespass,'  without  weighing  the  trespass  and  without  any 
aflfeerment  by  men  sworn  for  the  purpose,  and  without 
specifying  the  manner  or  quality  of  the  contempt.  And 
again,  though  the  affeerors  ought  to  be  chosen  with  the 
assent  of  those  who  are  amerced  and  in  a  public  place,  these 
magnates  cause  to  come  to  their  own  houses  such  aflfeerors 
as  they  please  and  increase  and  decrease  the  amercements 
at  pleasure. 

The  article  against  putting  rivers  in  defence  is  disused,  c  i6 
for  divers  rivers  are  now  appropriated  and  warrened  and 
put  in  defence  which  were  open  for  fishing  and  using  in  the 
time  of  King  Henry  I.' 

The  article  which  forbids  sheriffs,  castellans,  coroners,  o.  n 
and  bailiffs  to  hold  pleas  of  the  crown  seems  unnecessary, 
for  by  natural  law  appeals  of  felony  ought  to  be  commenced 
before  the  coroners,  and  the  process  of  exigend  should  go 
on  before  them  and  outlawries  ought  to  be  pronounced  by 
them  ;  thus  there  should  be  more  words  in  this  article  to 
express  its  intention. 

By  the  last  words  of  the  article  about  the  movable  goods  o.  is 
of  dead  men,  it  appears  that  an  action  de  rationahili  parte 
Ixmorum  should  accrue  to  the  widow  and  children  if  the 
goods  of  the  father  be  eloigned  from  them. 

As  to  the  ordinance  that  constables  are  not   to  take  cc.  m,  30 
what  belongs  to  others,  this  is  a  rule  of  right  which  extends 
to  all  mankind,  for  there  is  no  difference  between  taking 
what  is  another's  against  his  will  and  robbery,  whether  the 

'  But  it  is  the  time  of  Henry  II.  that  is  mentioned  in  the  Charter. 


179  DE   ABUSIONS. 

de  chevauz,  de  vitaille,  de  marchandie,  de  cariage,  de 
oustieux,  ou  dautre  manere  des  biens. 

Li  point  des  te^Tes  as  felons  tenir  pa?*  un  an  est  desusie, 
car  par  la  ou  li  Eoi  nen  dust  aver  qe  le  gast  de  droit,  ou  Ian 
el  non  de  fin  pur  sauver  le  fieu  de  lestrep,  prenent  les 
ministres  le  Eoi  andeus. 

De  defens  del  precipe  nest  point  tenu  einz  se  funt  tant 
des  briefs  de  possession  de  fourme  e  par  estatuz  chescun 
jour  qe  les  seignurs  perdent  lur  conoissances  de  lur  fieus  e 
les  avantages  de  lur  courz. 

Li  point  qe  eomaunde  qe  une  mesure  soit  par  mi  tut  le 
reaume  e  une  manere  de  pois  ceo '  desuse  par  marchanz  e 
burgois  usanz  dantiquite  la  livre  del  pois  de  xx.  s.  de  dreite 
assise  ;  e  aussi  dalnes  e  dautres  mesures. 

De  defens  qe  se  fet  del  brief  de  odio  e  atia  qe  le  Eoi  ne 
son  chauncelk'r  ne  preignent  pur  le  bref  g?-anter  se  dust 
estendre  a  touz  briefs  remediaux,  E  li  dist  brief  ne  se  dust 
mie  soulement  estendre  as  felonies  de  homicide  einz  ceo 
dust  estendre  as  totes  felonies  e  ne  mie  soullement  en 
appeax  mes  en  enditemenz. 

Li  point  qe  defent  qe  nul  baillif  ne  mette  franc  home  a 
serement  saunz  sieute  presente  est  inte?-pretable  en  ceste 
manere,  qe  nul  justice,  nul  ministre  le  Eoi,  ne  autri 
seneschal  ne  baillif  neit  poer  a  mettre  franc  homme  a 
Berement  fere  saunz  le  comaundement  le  Eoi,  ne  pleinte 
receive  saunz  tesmoins  presenz  qi  testmoignent  la  mon- 
straunce  estre  verrie. 

Li  point  qe  li  Eoi  grante  qil  ne  disseisera  nul  homwie  ne 
nemprisonera  ne  destruira  forqe  par  loial  jugement  destrut 
lestatut  des  marchandes  e  autres  estatuz,  e  est  inter- 
pretable  en  ceste  manere,  nul  ne  soit  pris,  sest  "^  a  dire  si  now 


est  (1642).  *  Corr,  cest. 


OF  ABUSES.  179 

taking  be  of  horses,  of  victual,  of  merchandise,  of  carriage, 
of  lodgings,  or  of  any  other  kind  of  goods.' 

The  article  about  the  year  and  day  of  a  felon's  land  is  o.  m 
disused ;  for  whereas  the  king  ought  only  by  rights  to  have 
either  *  the  waste  '  or  else  '  the  year  '  by  way  of  a  fine  to 
save  the  fee  from  being  wasted,  the  king's  ministers  now 
claim  both  the  year  and  the  waste.' 

The  prohibition  of  the  breve  quod  vocatur  Praecipe  is  o.  24 
disregarded,  for  every  day  so  many  writs  which  are  posses- 
sory in  form  are  issued,  and  this  too  by  statute,  that  the 
lords  lose  the  cognisance  of  matters  concerning  their  fees 
and  the  profits  of  their  courts.' 

The  article  which  commands  that  there  be  one  measure  c.  26 
throughout  the  realm  and  one  weight  is  disregarded  by 
merchants  and  burgesses,  who  by  ancient  custom  make  use 
of  the  pound  of  twenty  shillings  of  right  assize  [?]    And  so 
as  to  ells  and  other  measures. 

As  to  the  clause  forbidding  the  king  and  his  chancellor  c.  26 
to  take  anything  for  granting  the  writ  de  odio  et  atia,  this 
ought  to  be  extended  to  all  remedial  writs ;  and  the  said 
writ  ought  to  be  extended,  not  only  to  the  felony  of  homi- 
cide, but  to  all  felonies,  and  not  only  to  appeals,  but  also  to 
indictments. 

The  article  which  forbids  a  bailiff  to  put  a  free  man  to  c  28 
his  oath  without  producing  suit  should  be  interpreted  in 
this  manner  :  that  no  justice  or  minister  of  the  king  or  other 
steward  or  bailiff  has  power  to  put  a  free  man  to  his  oath 
without  a  command  from  the  king,  and  that  no  plaint  is 
to  be  received  unless  there  be  witnesses  present  who  testify 
to  the  truth  of  the  count. 

The  article  whereby  the  king  grants  that  he  will  not  c.  20 
disseise,  nor  imprison,  nor  destroy  any  man  nisi  per  kgale 
indicium,   renders   invalid    the    statute    de   Mercatoribus  * 
and    other    statutes,   and    should    be    thus    interpreted : 

'  There  uhould  be  no  need  to  re-  '  This  is  very  true.     Our  author 

Btrain  'purveyance,'  for  purveyance  is  in  favour  of  seignorial  justice, 
is  robbery.  *  Stat.  11   Edw.  I.  de  Meroatori- 

'  The  Chaiter  says  nothing  about  bus  ;  IB  Edw.  I.  (Actou  Burneil). 
the  waste. 


180  DE   ABUSIONS. 

par  gar  ant  fondie  sur  personele  accion.  Distinctez,  car  si 
laccion  soit  veniale  nul  enprisonement  ne  iest  avoable  si 
non  pwr  defaute  de  meinp^rnours,  e  issi  piert  qe  nul  nest 
enp^-isonable  pur  dette.  E  si  ascun  estatut  soit  fet  repu- 
gnaunt  a  cest  point,  ou  pwr  la  dette  le  Eoi  ou  pur  lautri, 
ne  fet  point  a  tenir.  Nul  ne  soit  utlaguie,  fet  a  entendre  si 
noun  pur  mortele  felonie  dunt  len  est  mescru  par  serement 
de  vesins  a  ceo  jurez  aussi  com  doffice  al  foer  qe  len  use  en 
eires.  E  par  ceo  se  destrut  en  lestatut  de  utlaguer  hom?ne 
pur  arrerages  dacontes  e  de  tuz  autres  tieux  estatuz.  E 
ceo  qest  dit  nul  ne  soit  exulle  ne  destrut,  est  interpretable 
en  cest  entendement,  qe  len  eit  accion  dappeller  touz  juges 
e  tuz  sutlers,  tons  assessours  e  touz  fornissours  qi 
destruent  homme  contre  le  dreit  cours  e  les  dreites  riules  de 
lei.  Dautrepart  ceo  qe  le  Eoi  defent  qe  nul  ne  soit  deseisi  de 
son  f7*anc  tenement,  de  ces  ^  franchises  ou  de  ces  '  fraunches 
custumes,  est  issi  a  entendre,  qe  len  recoevre  par  lassise  de 
novelle  disseisine  tut  manere  de  f?'anc  tenement  e  tote 
manere  de  possession  reale  de  fieu  ou  de  fraunchises  du»t 
len  est  engite  si  par  loiall  jugeme«t  non.  E  cest  mot  si 
non  par  loial  jugement  fert  a  totes  les  pa7-oles  de  cest 
estatut. 

Cest  point  qe  li  Eoi  grante  a  soun  poeple  qil  ne  vendera 
dreit  noiera  ^  ne  delaiera  est  desusie  par  le  chaunceller  qi 
vent  les  briefs  remediaux  e  les  apele  briefs  de  grace,  e  li 
chaunceller  del  eschecker  qi  vee  aquitance  souz  la  verte  cire 
des  paiemenz  fez  al  Eoi,  e  tuz  ceus  qi  delaient  dreit  juge- 
ment ou  autre  dreit. 

Li  point  del  congie  de  la  demoere  des  marchaunz  aliens 
est  issi  entendable,  qe  ceo  ne  soit  en  prejudice  des  villes  ne 
des  marchaunz  d'Englete?'re,  e  qil  soient  serementes  al 
Eoi  e  pleviz  sil  demoerent  plus  de  xl.  jours. 


'  Corr.  ses.  '  Corr.  ne  veera  (?). 


OF  ABUSES.  t^ 

Nnllus  capiatnr,  none  is  to  be  taken  unless  it  be  by  warrant 
founded  on  a  personal  action.  (Here  we  must  distinguish, 
for  if  the  action  is  venial,  no  imprisonment  is  justifiable 
save  for  default  of  mainpernors,  and  so  it  appears  that  none 
can  be  imprisoned  for  debt,  and  if  any  statute  be  made 
repugnant  to  this  article,  whether  it  concern  debts  due  to 
the  king  or  debts  due  to  others,  it  is  not  to  be  obeyed.) 
Nvlliis  titlagetur— here  one  must  understand  '  unless  it  be 
for  mortal  felony  whereof  one  is  found  suspected  by  the 
oaths  of  one's  neighbours  who  are  sworn  quasi  ex  officio  in 
the  manner  customary  in  eyres.'  And  this  clause  annuls 
the  statute  which  outlaws  a  man  for  arrears  on  an  account, 
and  other  similar  statutes.*  Nnllus  exuletur  aut  destruatnr 
— this  is  to  be  interpreted  thus :  that  one  has  an  action  to 
appeal  all  judges,  all  suitors,  all  assessors,  all  executants  of 
judgments  who  destroy  a  man  against  the  right  course  and 
the  right  rules  of  law.  And  then  as  to  the  king's  prohibi- 
tion, Nulliis  disseisietvrde  libero  tenemento  suo  rel  libertatibus 
vel  lihens  consuetudinibtis  siiis — this  is  to  be  understood 
thus  :  that  one  can  recover  by  an  assize  of  novel  disseisin 
every  manner  of  free  tenement  and  every  manner  of  '  real ' 
possession  of  a  fee  or  of  franchises  wherefrom  one  is  ejected 
otherwise  than  by  lawful  judgment.  And  this  clause  nisi 
j>er  legale  iudiciiim  has  reference  to  all  the  clauses  of  this 
article. 

The  article  whereby  the  king  grants  to  his  people  that 
he  will  not  sell,  nor  deny,  nor  delay  justice,  is  disregarded 
by  the  chancellor  who  sells  remedial  writs  and  calls  them 
writs  of  grace,  and  by  the  chancellor  of  the  exchequer  who 
refuses  to  give  acquittances  under  green  wax  for  payments 
made  to  the  king,  and  by  all  those  who  delay  right  judg- 
ment or  other  right. 

The  article  about  the  residence  of  alien  merchants  is  to 
be  80  understood  that  this  residence  is  not  to  be  prejudicial 
to  the  towns  nor  to  the  merchants  of  England,  and  bo  that 
the  alien  merchants  are  to  be  sworn  to  the  king  and  pledged 
if  they  stay  beyond  forty  days.^ 

>  Stat.  We&t.  I.  c.  11.        '  The  Charter  cays  nothing  of  the  forty  da;B. 


181  DE  ABUSIONS. 

Li  point  qe  defent  qe  nul  naliene  sa  terre  en  prejudice 
des  seignur  del  fieu  est  interpretable  en  ceste  manere,  qe 
nul  tenant  nalliene  le  fieu  son  seignur  saunz  son  assent  ou 
a  tenir  en  chief  del  seignur  saunz  encrees  de  novel  service. 

Li '  point  des  gardes  de  abbies  e  des  lus  religious  vacanz 
fet  issi  a  entendre  qe  chescun  seignur  eit  la  garde  de  son 
fieu  durant  la  vacacion. 

Li  point  qe  nul  ne  soit  pris  nenprisone  par  appel  de 
fem^ne  dautre  mort  qe  de  la  mort  son  mari,  fet  a  entendre 
de  cele  femme  qil  marit  dreinement  tut  ^  pur  sa  femwe  si 
par  cas  out  plusours  femmes  en  pleine  vie. 

Les  poinz  des  tourns  de  viscountes  e  des  veuues  de  franc 
plege  sont  desusez  en  troiz  maners.  Lune  qe  viscontes, 
baillifs,  e  seneschaux  arentent  extorsions  de  fins  qil  funt 
genz  finer  par  quoi  il  ne  soient  enchesonez  qil  appelent  pur 
bel  pleder.  Lautre  qil  amercient  genz  par  presentemenz 
sur  personeles  acciouns.  La  tierce  est  qil  chargent  les 
jurours  darticles  tochaunz  torz  fet  de  veisin  a  veisin,  ou  de 
tenaunt  a  autre  seignur  qe  al  Eoi. 

Li  point  qe  defent  as  genz  de  religion  purchacer  fieus 
destrut  lestatut  pus  fet  a  Westmouster  de  meme  le  defens, 
en  taunt  qe  laccion  del  chef  seignur  est  limitie  en  si  court 
terme  pur  hastir  laccion  le  Eoi  en  prejudice  des  seignurs 
de  fieu. 


Si  MS.  »  Corr.  tint. 


OF  ABUSES.  181 

The  article  which  forbids  any  one  to  alienate  his  land  to  c.  32 
the  prejudice  of  the  lord  of  the  fee  is  to  be  understood 
thus  :  that  no  tenant  is  to  alienate  the  fee  of  his  lord  with- 
out his  lord's  assent,  or  so  that  it  shall  be  held  in  chief  of 
his  lord  without  the  addition  of  a  new  service.' 

The  article  as  to  the  guardianship  of  abbeys  and  religious  c.  33 
places  during  a  vacancy  is  to  be  thus  understood :  that 
every  lord  is  to  have  the  wardship  of  his  fee  during  the 
vacancy.^ 

The  article  that  no  one  is  to  be  taken  or  imprisoned  on  c.  34 
the  appeal  of  a  woman  for  the  death  of  any  one  save  her 
husband  is  to  be  understood  of  that  woman  whom  the  dead 
man  last  held  as  his  wife  in  case  he  has  several  [would-be] 
wives  alive. ^ 

The  article  as  to  the  sheriffs'  turns  and  views  of  frank-  c.  ss 
pledge  is  disregarded  in  three  ways.  The  first  is  that 
sheriffs,  baiUffs,  and  stewards  arrent  the  extortionate  fines 
which  they  exact  from  people  ne  occasionentur  (that  occasion 
be  not  taken  against  them) ,  which  fines  they  say  are  pur 
hel  pleder.*  Secondly,  they  amerce  folk  by  presentments 
upon  personal  actions.  Thirdly,  they  charge  the  jurors 
with  articles  touching  torts  done  by  neighbour  to  neigh- 
bour, or  by  a  tenant  to  a  lord  who  is  not  the  king.* 

The  article  which  forbids  men  of  religion  to  purchase  c.  ss 
fees  annuls  the  statute  afterwards  made  at  Westminster, 
which  contains  the  same  prohibition,  in  so  far  as  it  limits 
a  short  term  for  the  lord's  action  and  speeds  the  king's 
right  to  the  prejudice  of  the  lords  of  the  fee.^ 

'  It  is  hard  to  believe  that  this  compelled  to  pay  a  sum  in  advance 

clause  was  written  after  the  statute  to  absolve  him  from  the  penalties 

Quia  emptores  was  in  full  operation.  that  he  will  assuredly  incur  if  the 

''  This  seems  to  be  a  perversion.  strict  rules  of  pleading  are  enforced 

Our  author   means   that  during   a  against   him.      One   '  occasions '   a 

vacancy  every  piece  of  land  held  by  pleader  by  catching  at  his  words, 

the  abbey  is  to  fall  into  the  wardship  Then  the  sheriffs  '  arrent,'  i.e.  let  to 

of  the  lord  of  whom  it  is  held.  farm,  the  extortionate  profits  of  the 

'  The  '  possessory  '  title  of   that  courts, 

wife  in  whose  arms  the  man  dies  is  '  The      presentment      procedure 

to  be  preferred  to  proprietary  claims.  should  not  be  used  for  tlie  redress  of 

Compare  Bracton,  f.  306.  mere  private  wrongs. 

*  The  sheriffs  exact  fines  from  the  *  Stat.  7  Kdw.  I.    De  viris  religio- 

suitors  for  beaupkader.    A  suitor  is  sis.     It  gives  each  lord  a  year  for 


182  BE  ABUSIONS. 

Le  derreine  point  est  de  tele  \ertn  e  de  tele  entendement 
qe  sicom  le  Eoi  ad  les  conoissaunces  des  trespas  fez  en  ces  ' 
fieus  aussi  eient  tuz  fieu  tenaunz  lur  courtz  e  les  conois- 
saunces des  trespas  fez  en  lur  fieus  e  aussi  ben  de  reales 
accions,  personeles  Gwn  de  mixtes. 

[Ch.  111.1     Des  articles  sur  lestatut  de  Mertone. 

Ascuns  poinz  sont  repemables  entre  les  estatuz  fetz  a 
Mertone  pus  la  dite  chartre  fete,  e  nomeement  le  point  de 
redeseisines,  desicom  dreit  nateint  nul  trespassour  par 
enqueste  de  office,  e  pur  ceo  qe  respons  porroient  par  cas  valer 
a  tieux  tenanz  e  seroient  par  dreit  alloables  tendreit  lu 
assises  al  foier  de  novel  diaseisine.  E  ceo  qest  dist  qe 
redeseisours  soient  pris  e  detenuz  en  prison  e  puis  seient 
reinz  ^  nest  iorqe  abusion  de  dreit  qe  voez  qe  chescun  qe 
iert  atteint  de  personel  trespas  soit  puni  par  peine  corporele 
sil  ne  la  puisse  reimbre  ^  par  deners.  E  ceo  qest  dit  de  cest 
estatut  fet  a  entendre  de  trestuz  les  estatuz  fez  apres  la 
pnmere  confeccion  de  la  grande  chartre  fete  el  tens  le  Eoi 
Henri  le  tierz,  car  nest  raie  droit  qe  le  *  soit  puni  pur  un 
fet  de  peine  corporele  denprtsonment  ou  dautre  e  estre  ceo 
par  peine  peccuniele  ou  par  rancon,  car  ranceon  nest  autre 
chose  qe  rachat  de  peine  corporele. 

Li  point  denprouemenz  de  gasz  e  de  deserz  est  reper- 
nable  cum  celi  qest  fet  trop  geney-alment,  einz  le  covendreit 
aver  distinctie,  car  en  plusours  lus  est  qe  comuners  sunt 
feffez  en  tieu  manere  qe  les  comuns  -^  sunt  soulement  as 
tenaunz  issi  qe  les  seignurs  ne  i  unt  rien  forqe  le  fieu.  E 
en  tieux  cas  est  cest  estatut  p?-ejudicial  as  comuners  e 
repugnaunt  a  la  grande  chartre  qe  voet  qe  nul  ne  soit  en- 


'  Corr.  ses.  ^  remise  (1642).  '  Apparently  so  with  dotted 

*  Corr,  len.  *  que  lentier  comoti  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  182 

The  last  article  has  this  force  and  meaning :  that  as  the 
king  has  the  cognisance  of  trespasses  done  in  his  fees,  so 
also  all  fee  tenants  may  have  their  courts  and  the  cognisance 
of  trespasses  done  in  their  fees,  in  all  actions,  whether 
real,  personal,  or  mixed.' 


[Ch.  III.']    Articles  upon  the  Statute  of  Merlon. 

Some  points  in  the  statutes  made  at  Merton  after  the 
making  of  the  Charter  are  to  be  reprehended,  and  in  par- 
ticular the  clause  about  redisseisins,  for  law  will  not  attaint  stat.  Mert. 
a  trespasser  by  an  inquest  taken  ex  officio;  and  since  in 
some  cases  the  tenants  [accused  of  redisseisin]  may  have  a 
good  answer  and  one  that  the  law  allows,  the  procedure 
ought  to  be  like  that  of  an  assize  of  novel  disseisin.  And 
as  to  what  is  said  of  arresting  and  imprisoning  redisseisors 
and  then  of  ransoming  them,  this  is  a  mere  abuFe,  for  the 
law  wills  that  every  one  attainted  of  a  personal  trespass 
be  punished  by  a  corporal  punishment  if  he  cannot  ransom 
it  with  money.  And  what  is  said  of  this  statute  is  to  be 
understood  of  all  statutes  made  after  the  first  making  of 
the  Great  Charter  in  the  time  of  Henry  III.,  for  it  is  not 
law  that  anyone  should  be  punished  for  a  single  deed  by 
imprisonment  or  any  other  corporal  punishment,  and  in 
addition  by  a  pecuniary  punishment  or  ransom ;  for  ransom 
is  nothing  else  than  the  redemption  of  a  corporal  punish- 
ment. 

The  article  as  to  the  approvement  of  wastes  and  deserts  c.  4 
is  open  to  reprobation  as  being  too  general ;  for  a  distinc- 
tion should  have  been  made  ;  for  in  some  cases  the  com- 
moners are  enfeoffed  in  such  manner  that  the  common 
belongs  to  the  tenants  only,  so  that  the  lords  have  nothing 
but  the  fee.  And  in  this  case  the  statute  is  prejudicial  to 
the  commoners  and  repugnant  to  the  Great  Charter,  which 

his  entry.      Our  author  takes   the  Charter,  whereby  the  barons  are  en- 

side  of  the  mesne  lords  against  the  joined  to  allow  to  their  tenants  the 

king.  same  liberties   that   they  have   re- 

'  This  seems  a  strange  perversion  ceivcd  from  the  king.     Our  author 

of    the    concluding    clause   of    the  favours  seignorial  justice. 


18d  DE   ABUSIONS. 

gette  de  son  franc  tenement  nes  apurtenaunces  sanz  loial 
jugement. 

Li  point  de  rap  des  mariages  est  repernable  en  taunt 
qe  il  iad  accepcion  des  persones  de  lais  e  des  clers,  car  nest 
nient  plus  dreit  qe  clerc  pecchie  saunz  peine  qe  homme  lai. 

Autres  poinz  sunt  repgrnables  si  tenaunz  sunt '  damage 
a  lur  seignurs  ou  le  revers.  Car  ne  mie  soulement  ne  sont 
mie  punissables  solom  les  peines  des  estatuz,  einz  se 
defunt  tuz  liens  de  homage  e  de  feaute  par  entre  eus  pur 
lur  trespas  sicom  avant  est  dit  entre  les  jugemenz  des 
defautes. 

Li  point  dattornez  fere  en  suties^  as  hundreds  est 
entendable  en  ceste  manere,  qe  tut  pusse  sutier  fere  attorne 
pur  li  par  cest  estatut  a  sauver  li  defaute,  pur  ceo  ne  poet 
nul  jugement  estre  rendu  par  attorne,  ne  nule  femme  nest 
nomee  en  cest  estatut  pur  ceo  qe  nul  jugement  nest  rendable 
par  femwie. 


[Ch.  III.  (B.)]     Des  estatuz  de  Marleberge. 

Des  estatuz  de  Marleberge  sunt  ascuns  repernables  e 
nomeement  les  p?'imers  .v.  poinz,  pur  ceo  qe  chescun 
personel  trespas  est  punissable  par  corporele  peine  si  li 
trespassour  nen  pust  estre  allegie  par  redempcion  solom  la 
quantite. 

Li  point  qe  comande  qe  la  grande  chartre  soit  tenue  en 
touz  ces  poinz  est  defective  par  defaute  de  adicion  de  peine 
e  semble  truffe  ^  a  fere  constitucions  nient  tenues. 

Les  poinz  remediaux  as  seignurs  des  fieus  est  re^ernable 
en  la  mitigacion  de  la  peine,  car  touz  ceus  qe  funt  fraude 
a  la  lei  sunt  punissables  par  peine  corporele  e  ne  mie  par 
simples  amerciemenz. 


Corr.  funt.  ^  Sic.  '  semble  crosse  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  188 

wills  that  none  is  to  be  ejected  from  his  free  tenement  or 
the  appurtenances  without  lawful  judgment.' 

The  article  about  rape  of  ward  is  reprehensible,  since  it 
draws  a  distinction  between  laymen  and  clerks,  for  a  clerk 
has  no  more  right  to  sin  with  impunity  than  has  a  layman.' 

Other  articles  are  reprehensible,  namely,  those  touching  cc.  e,  i 
damage  done  by  tenant  to  lord  and  vice  versa,  for  in  such 
cases  the  wrongdoers  are  not  merely  to  suffer  the  punish- 
ments mentioned  in  the  statute,  but  all  the  bonds  of  homage 
and  fealty  are  undone  between  the  parties  by  the  trespass, 
as  has  been  said  before  where  we  spoke  of  the  judgments 
for  defaults.' 

The  article  as  to  the  making  of  attorneys  for  suit  at  the  c.  w 
hundred  courts  is  to  be  understood  thus :  that  albeit  by 
this  statute  a  suitor  can  make  an  attorney  so  as  to  save  his 
default,  still  no  judgment  can  be  given  by  attorney.  And 
in  this  statute  there  is  no  mention  of  women,  for  no  woman 
can  give  judgment. 

\Ch.  Ill,  {B.)'\     The  Statutes  of  Marlborough. 

Some  of  the  Statutes  of  Marlborough  are  reprehensible,  cc.  14 
and  in  particular  the  first  five  articles,  for  every  personal 
trespass  is  punishable  by  corporal  punishment  if  the  tres- 
passer cannot   obtain   an   alleviation   by  a  proportionate 
ransom.* 

The  article  commanding  that  the  Great   Charter  be  c  6 
observed  is  defective,  for  that  it  specifies  no  penalty,  and  it 
seems  humbug  to  make  constitutions  which  are  not  obeyed. 

The  articles  which  give  remedy  to  the  lords  of  fees  are  c.  • 
reprehensible  in  so  far  as  they  mitigate  the  punishment, 
for  all  those  who  defraud  the  law  are  punishable  by  corporal 
punishment  and  not  by  simple  amercements.' 

*  Our  author   seems   to  contem-  only  against  laymen, 
plate  a  case  in  which,  though  the  '  See  above,  pp.  129,  130. 
ownership  of  the  waste  is  in  the  lord,  *  The  chapters  in  question  relate 
he  has  no  right  to  turn  out  beasts  for  the  more  part  to  unlawful  dis- 
upon  it.  traint. 

•  The  chapter  in  question  (Stat.  »  The  chapter  in  question  relates 
Jdert.  c.  4)  denounces  a  punishment  to  collusive  feoffments. 


184  DE   ABUSIONS. 

Li  point  des  p?-oclamacions  de  gardes  est  repernable 
cwn  celi  qi  est  tut  fondie  sur  errour  sicom  piert  el  chapitre 
de  defautes. 

Li  point  des  redeseisours  est  repe?-nable,  car  nul  mande- 
ment  especial  ne  deit  passer  comun  dreit,  ne  nul  peine 
denpj-isonement  nest  jugeable  forqe '  pur  torcenous  en- 
pnsonement. 

Li  point  de  doaires  est  repernable  de  si  qe  dreit  se  dust 
plus  hastier  en  la  court  le  Roi  qe  aillors. 

Li  point  suant  dattachemenz  e  des  destresces  est  re- 
pej-nable,  car  en  plez  dattachemenz  nest  nule  essoine 
allouable  pur  les  defendaunz  ne  nul  tiel  ordre  de  destresces 
nest  tenable  solom  dreit. 

Li  point  qe  defent  qe  nul  ne  face  jurer  ses  tenaunz  est 
repernable  par  ceo  qe  nule  peine  ni  est  ordene,  e  par  ceo 
quil  ni  ad  nule  forpKse,  car  plusours  cas  sunt  ou  genz 
deivent  jurer  tut  ne  voient  il  le  comandement  le  Roi,  sicom 
devant  justices  des  forez,  devaunt  corouners  e  devant 
eschaetours,  e  sicom  as  tours  de  viscountes,  as  veuues  de 
franc  pleges,  e  sicom  affoerours  e  as  deliverances  des 
gaoles. 

Li  point  qe  comande  la  capcion  de  ceux  qi  sunt  tenuz 
daconte  est  repgrnable  desicwri  laccion  est  mixte  e  voet 
Bomonse  e  nient  personele. 

Li  point  de  gastours  de  fermes  est  repernable,  car  gast 
est  personel  trespas  e  demande  personele  peine  e  ne  mie 
simple  amerciement. 


Ch.  IV.     Ai'ticles  sur  lestatut  de  Westmoustier. 

Plusours  autres  poinz  sunt  repernables  es  estatutz 
primers  de  Westmoustier,  car  les  poinz  tochanz  genz  de 
religion  sunt  matire  aporchaz  denemis^  e  purchacie  sur 
fundement  de  avarice  plus  qe  a  lur  ava?itage. 


'  forqe  repeated.  *  vialer  pur  purchaser  deniers  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  184 

The  article  as  to  the  proclamation  of  wardships  is  repre-  c  7 
hensible,  being  altogether  founded  upon  error,  as  appears 
in  our  chapter  on  defaults.' 

The  article  about  redisseisors  is  reprehensible,  for  no  c.  8 
special  ordinance  ought  to  exceed  common  law,  and  the 
punishment   of    imprisonment    should   only   be   adjudged 
where  there  has  been  wrongful  imprisonment. 

The   article   about   dower   is   reprehensible,   for   right  c.  12 
should  be  speedier  in  the  king's  court  than  elsewhere. 

The  following  article  about  attachments  and  distresses  c  u 
is  reprehensible,  for  in  pleas  prosecuted  by  attachments  no 
essoin  is  allowable  to  the  defendants,  and  no  such  order  of 
distresses  holds  good  according  to  law. 

The  article  which  forbids  a  man  to  cause  his  tenants  to  c  22 
swear  is  reprehensible,  because  it  specifies  no  punishment, 
and  because  it  makes  no  exception ;  for  there  are  divers 
cases  in  which  men  ought  to  swear,  although  they  do  not 
receive  the  king's  command,  as  e.g.  before  the  justices  of 
the  forests,  before  coroners,  before  escheators,  and  at  the 
sheriffs'  turns  and  views  of  frankpledge,  and  as  affeerors, 
and  at  gaol  deliveries. 

The  article  which  commands  the  arrest  of  those  who  c.  23 
are  bound  to  render  account  is  reprehensible,  for  the  action 
is    mixed,   not    personal,  and   should   be  commenced   by 
summons. 

The  article  about  farmers  who  commit  waste  is  repre-  c.  23 
hensible,  for  waste  is  a  personal  trespass  and  demands  a 
personal  punishment  and  not  a  simple  amercement. 


[Ch.  I  v.]     Articles  0/  the  Statute  of  Westminster  I. 

There  are  divers  other  articles  in  the  first  statutes  of 
Westminster  which  are  reprehensible,  for  the  articles 
which  concern  men  of  religion  are  procured  by  enemies  (?), 
and  are  founded  rather  on  avarice  than  on  the  advantage 
of  the  religious.'* 

'  See  above,  p.  129.  great  men  and  others  to  constrain  the 

'  The  chapter  in  question  forbids      religious  houses  to  entertain  thorn. 

15  11 


185  DE   ABUSIONS. 

Li  point  des  clercs  rettez  de  felonie  est  repeniable,  car 
pa?-  defaute  de  addicion  de  peine  ne  sunt  tieux  clercs 
deliverez  a  lur  ordeneires  forqe  a  la  voluntie  del  Eoi  e  de 
ces  justices. 

Li  point  de  wrec  est  repernable  en  taunt  qe  li  trovour 
en  est  forjugie  par  lestatuz  de  part  avouent '  duwt  il  dust 
estre  pa?-cener  del  p?*offit,  e  si  est  repernable  qu&nt  al  agard 
de  la  peine. 

Del  point  des  amerciemenz  est  dit  avant  en  la  chartre. 

Li  point  de  pnses  est  mout  repe?'nable  sicom  avant  est 
dist. 

Li  point  des  felons  siure  pur  la  pees  meintenir  est 
repernable  en  la  peine,  car  ascuw  est  consentaunt  as  felons 
qe  ne  les  prent  cum  il  les  porroit.  E  en  memo  la  manere 
est  de  la  peine  des  corouners  contenu  en  larticle  suant. 

Li  point  des  corouners  eslire  ne  fu  mie  mestier  daver 
este  ordene,  car  plus  bosoigne  est  as  eslisours  daver  bons 
loiaux  e  sages  corouners  qe  al  Eoi.  E  meux  vaudroit  daver 
ordene  qe  les  corouners  p?vsentassent  les  poinz  de  lur 
office  desouz  les  seals  des  jurours  qe  viscountes  fuissent 
lur  contre  rouUes. 

Li  point  del  enqueste  de  odio  et  atia  est  repernable  pur 
Londres  e  autres  lus  enfranchiz  ou  nuls  chevalers  ne 
isunt. 

Li  point  de  mettre  genz  rettez  de  felonie  qe  ne  se 
voellent  mettre  en  pais  a  penaunce  est  si  desusie  qe  len  les 
tue  sanz  aver  regard  as  condicions  des  persones.  E  si  est 
repernable  desicom  len  se  purra  par  cas  eider  e  aquiter 
en  autre  manere  qe  par  pais  e  desicom  nul  nest  penable 


'  de  parte  avoier  (1642) 


OF  ABUSES.  185 

The  article  touching  clerks  accused  of  felony  is  repre-  o- » 
hensible,  for  that  no  punishment  is  specified,  and  therefore 
such  clerks  are  not  delivered  to  their  ordinaries  save  at  the 
pleasure  of  the  king  and  of  his  justices. 

The  article  about  wreck  is  reprehensible,  for  that  the  c.  4 
finder  is  forejudged  by  the  statute  from  claiming  any  share, 
whereas  he  ought  to  have  a  share  in  the  profit ;  and  it  is 
reprehensible  as  to  the  j)unishment  to  be  awarded. 

Of  the  point  about  amercements  we  have  spoken  above  c  e 
in  connexion  with  the  Great  Charter.' 

The  article  about  prises  is  very  reprehensible,  as  appears  c.  7 
above.^ 

The  article  about  the  pursuit  of  felons  for  the  main-  cc.  9. 10 
tenance  of  the  peace  is  reprehensible  as  regards  the 
punishment  denounced,  for  he  is  consenting  to  felons  who 
does  not  arrest  them  when  he  can.  There  is  a  similar 
objection  to  the  punishment  of  coroners  mentioned  in  the 
next  article. 

There  was  no  need  for  the  article  about  the  election  of  c.  lo 
coroners,  for  the  electors  have  a  greater  interest  than  the 
king  in  having  good,  lawful,  and  prudent  coroners.  And 
it  would  have  been  better  to  have  ordained  that  coroners 
should  present  the  articles  of  their  office  under  the  seals  of 
the  jurors  than  that  the  sheriffs  should  be  their  controllers. 

The  article  about  the  inquest  de  odio  et  atia  is  repre-  c.  11 
hensible  as  regards  London  and    other  privileged  places 
where  there  are  no  knights.' 

The  article  about  putting  to  their  penance  men  accused  c.  u 
of  felony  who  will  not  put  themselves  upon  their  country  is 
so  much  disused  that  they  are  killed  without  regard  to 
their  condition.  And  this  article  is  reprehensible,  because 
on  occasion  one  may  aid  and  acquit  oneself  in  other  wise 
than  by  one's  country,'*  and  because  no  one  should  be  put 


'  See  above,  p.  178.  quires  two  knights  on  every  inqnest 

*  A  '  prise  '  is  mere  robbery.     See  de  odio. 
above,  p.  178.  *  A  hint  at  the  ordeal.    See  above. 

'  Here  the  hand  of  a  Londoner  p.  173.     The  statute  here  speaks  of 

may  be  apparent.    The  statute  re-  le  pi'ison  forte  et  dure. 

o  li  2 


186  DE   ABUSIONS, 

einz  ces '  qil  isoit  atteint  de  pecche  par  quoi  il  deit  esfcre 
peine. 

Les  ordena??ces  des  peines  de  lung  enpn'sonement  sunt 
a  rep?Tndre  sicom  avant  est  dist. 

Li  point  del  orde  de  utlaguer  les  p?-mcipaux  avant  les 
accessoires  nest  mie  estatut  einz  est  revocacion  de  errour. 

Li  point  des  plevissables  est  repernable  soloni  ceo  qe 
dit  est  es  accions.  Les  peines  de  lung  enp?-isonment 
contient  errour  solom  ceo  qe  avant  est  dist. 

La  peine  ver  le  Eoi  des  heires  madles  mariez  sanz  le 
grie  lur  seignurs  liges  pa?-  entre  les  xiiij.  anz  e  xxj.  an  est 
repcrnable.  Dunt  doit  le  Kei  aver  amende  pus^  ceo  qil 
nad  nule  personele  sute  pur  amendes  demander  ? 

Li  point  des  heirs  femeles  contient  errour  sicom  piert 
en  la  reprehension  del  point  des  mariages  de  la  g?-ande 
chartre. 

Li  point  des  torcenouses  destresces  dust  contenir  la 
peine  de  robberie. 

La  peine  des  ministres  deseisours  par  colour  de  lur 
office  est  repernable  pur  la  simplesce  si  com  piert  entre  lea 
jugemenz. 

Li  point  qe  defent  qe  viscountes  ne  preignent  ^  est  re- 
pe?'nable  de  ceo  qe  li  Eoi  p?-ent  de  eus  e  il  ne  prenent  rien 
del  Eoi. 

Li  point  de  fieus  *  des  clers  e  des  ministres  des  justices 
en  eires  est  repc?'nable  pur  comune  grevaunce  del  people 
sanz  rep?'ise  de  p7-offit. 

Les  peines  denprisonement  sunt  repernables  par  les 
reesons  avantdites. 

Li  point  de  tolunz  est  repe^-nable  pa?-  la  peine  denp?-t- 
sonement  e  par  ceo  qe  tolunz  ne  sunt  establiz  en  ct'?-tein. 


'  Corr.  ceo.        ^  Corr.  2^ur.         '  Supply  rewards  (1G42).        ■•  fines  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  186. 

to  pain  until  he  is  attainted  of  some  sin  for  which  he 
ought  to  be  pained. 

The   ordinances   denouncing  long  imprisonments  are  <>■  i3 
reprehensible,  as  has  been  said  above. 

The  article  about  the  order  of  outlawry — that  the  prin-  o.  14 
cipals  be  outlawed  before  the  accessories — is  no  statute,  but 
the  revocation  of  an  error. 

The  article  about  the  replevin  of  prisoners  is  leprehen-  c.  is 
sible,  as  has  been  said  above  in  our  treatise  on  actions. 
Long  terms  of  imprisonment  are  erroneous,  as  has  been 
said  above.' 

The  penalty  due  to  the  king  in  the  case  of  an  heir  0. 23 
male  married  between  the  ages  of  fourteen  and  twenty-one 
years  without  the  lord's  consent  is  reprehensible.     Why 
should  the  king  have  any  amends  when  he  has  no  personal 
suit  to  demand  the  amends  ? 

The  article  about  heirs  female  is  erroneous,  as  appears  0. 28 
in   our  strictures  on  the  article   about  marriages  in  the 
Great  Charter.'^ 

The  article  about  tortious  distresses  should  impose  the  c.  23 
same  punishment  as  for  robbery. 

The  article  about  ministers  who  commit  disseisin  by  «•  2* 
colour  of  their  office   is   reprehensible  on  account  of  its 
slightness,  as  appears  in  our  chapter  on  judgments.^ 

The  article  which  prohibits   the  sheriffs   from  taking  c.  2« 
reward  is  reprehensible,  because  the  king  takes  from  them 
and  they  take  nothing  from  the  king. 

The  article  about  the  fees  of  the  clerks  and  ministers  of  0. 27 
justices  in  eyre  is  reprehensible,  because  of  the  common 
grievance  of  the  people  without  any  equivalent  profit. 

The  punishment  by  imprisonment  is  reprehensible  for  c.  20 
reasons  given  above.'* 

The  article  about  tolls  is  reprehensible,  because  of  the  c.  si 
punishment  of  imprisonment,  and  because  the  amount  of 
tolls  is  not  defined. 

'  This    clmpter    is    the    famous  •  See  above,  p.  140. 

statute  of  bail.  *  Tlie  Ktatutc  here  speaks  of  decei 

'  Sec  above,  p.  176.  committed  by  pleaders. 


187  HE   ABUSIONS. 

Li  point  qe  voet  qe  ceus  qe  desusent  murage '  le  per- 
dent  ne  fu  mie  mestier  davoir  este  fet,  car  lei  voet  qe  cist 
qe  ^  pe?*de  sa  franchise  qi  la  desusera. 

Li  point  des  recevours  des  deners  le  Eoi  et  nient 
rendaunz  lur  pn'ses  est  repernable  par  la  simplesce  de  la 
peine  solom  ceo  qe  piert  par  reesons  avantdites. 

Lerrour  des  prises  de  charettes  e  dautres  biens  piert 
Buffisament  par  reesons  avantdites. 

Li  point  qe  defent  jugement  estre  renduz  par  est?-ange8 
en  contiez  est  repe?-nable,  car  nul  jugement  rendu  par  autre 
qe  par  juge  ordenaire  ou  assignie  ne  fet  a  tenir. 

Li  point  qe  fet  mencion  de  robberie  en  deseisines  est 
repgrnable,  car  tuz  ceux  sunt  pernablesquijurours  enditent 
de  robberie  a  foer  de  larrons  ou  dautres  felons. 

Li  point  datteintes  est  rep^rnable,  car  il  ne  se  duist  mie 
estendre  a  un  cas  einz  dust  comprendre  tuz  seremenz  pris 
par  duzeine  si  lune  des  pa?-ties  sen  pleigne. 

Li  point  des  limitacions  daccions  est  repernable  par  les 
reesons  dites  el  chapitre  sur  meme  la  matire. 

Les  poinz  qe  defendent  fausines  e  abusions  usez  en 
court  avant  tel  tens  sont  vergoignoi/s  as  faus  juges  qi  la 
lei  desuserent  par  suff/"aunce  des  faussines. 

Li  point  des  champions  est  rep67'nable,  car  nul  champion 
louiz  nest  recevable  e  ^  testmoinage. 

Li  point  de  essoines  nient  alouuer  apres  apparaunce 
en  menues  assises  est  repernable  pur  lassise  de  novele 
disseisine  ou  nule  essoine  nest  allouable  pur  les  tenanz 
nient  plus  devant  apparaunce  qe  apres  ne  en  nule  autre 
personele  accion. 

Les  autres  poinz  des  essoines  sunt  repernables,  car 
nule  fausse  cause  de  essoine  ne  dut  fere  avantage  a  nul 
hom?7ie. 


nariadges  (1642).  ^  Omit  ge.  '  Corr.  en. 


OF  ABUSES.  187 

There  was  no  need  for  the  article  that  those  who  make  c  31 
no  use  of  the  right  of  murage  are  to  lose  it,  for  the  law 
wills  that  he  who  does  not  use  his  franchise  shall  lose  it. 

The  article  about  the  receivers  of  the  king's  moneys  c.  33 
who   do   not   give   up  what   they  take    is   reprehensible, 
because  of  the  slightness  of  the  punishment,  as  appears  by 
the  reasons  given  above.' 

The  error  as  to  the  seizure  of  carts  or  other  goods  0.  ss 
sufficiently  appears  for  reasons  given  above.'^ 

The  article  which  forbids  that  judgments  be  given  in  c.  34 
the   county  courts   by   strangers   is  reprehensible,  for   a 
judgment  given  by  one  who  is  neither  judge  ordinary  nor 
judge  delegate  is  of  no  avail. 

The  article  [about]  making  mention  of  robbery  in  case  of  c-  37 
disseisin  is  reprehensible,  for  all  ought  to  be  arrested  whom 
jurors  indict  of  robbery,  like  thieves  and  other  felons. 

The  article  about  attaints  is  reprehensible,  for  it  ought  c.  ss 
not  merely  to  extend  to  one  case,  but  should  comprise  all 
oaths  taken  by  a  jury,  if  one  of  the  parties  makes  com- 
plaint [of  their  falsehood].^ 

The  article  about   the  limitation  of  actions  is  repre-  c.  39 
hensible  for  reasons  given  in  the  chapter  which  deals  with 
this  matter.'' 

The  articles  directed  against  falsehoods  and  abuses  prac-  c  40 
tised  in  court  in  time  past  are  shameful  to  the  false  judges 
who  set  the  law  at  naught  by  suffering  falsehoods. 

The  article  about  champions  is  reprehensible,  for  no  c.  41 
hired  champion  should  be  received  as  a  witness. 

The  article  against  allowing  essoins  after  appearance  in  c  43 
petty  assizes  is  reprehensible,  for  in  the  assize  of  novel 
disseisin  no  essoin  is  allowed  the  tenants  either  after  or 
before  appearance;    and   so  it  is   in   all  other  personal 
actions. 

The  other  articles  about  essoins  are  reprehensible,  for  cc.  43, 44 
no  false  excuse  for  an  essoin  should  ever  profit  a  man. 

'  This  chapter  relates  to  purvey-  felony, 
ance,  which  in  our  author's  eyes  is  '  The  statute  only  allows  attaint 

mere  robbery.  in  pleas  relating  to  freehold. 

'  bucb    a    seizure    ought    to   bo  *  tiee  above,  p.  1U7. 


188  DE   ABUSIONS. 

Li  point  de  lais  '  en  plez  dattacliemenz  est  repernable 
en  plusours  poinz  solom  ceo  qe  piert  el  chapitre  des  defautes. 

Li  point  a  parpleder  briefs  sourt  de  surcharge  qe  chiet 
en  prejudice  des  viscountes  e  de  seignurs  de  fieus  e  de 
fraunchises. 

E  tut  ne  soient  les  ij.  poinz  de  deseisines  forqc  comune 
dreit  e  ancien,  cest  assaver  qe  chescun  poet  sure  les  amendes 
ou  la  peine  del  personel  trespas  fet  a  soun  p^-edecessour  en 
taunt  com  a  sa  accion  appent,  de  quel  age  qe  les  parties 
soient,  uncore  est  li  primer  repernable  en  taunt  qe  les  pleintifs 
nwit  nul  recovrn-  as  damages  fez  a  lur  predecessours  ne 
nule  accion  iovqe  al  restitucion  de  la  possession.  E  lautre 
jDoint  est  repernable  par  la  simplesce  de  la  peine,  einz 
apendreit  solom  comun  dreit  tele  peine  qe  mes  ^  ne  se  teinst 
lien  de  homage  par  entre  eus  par  la  forfeture  del  scignur 
quant  il  comensa  desheriter  soun  tenaunt  contre  le  dreit 
del  homage. 

La  preiere  le  Koi  est  repcrnable  pur  ceo  qil  ne  dust 
rien  p7-fer  countre  dreit,  einz  est  la  p?-tere  des  justices  qi 
desirent  daver  tuz  les  jours  mout  a  fere. 

Li  point  qe  voet  qe  cil  qe  est  vouchie  a  garaunt  ne  doit 
mie  garantir,  tut  soit  il  oblige  pa?-  le  fet  son  auncestre  qi 
heir  il  est  en  cas  ou  il  allegge  pur  li  qe  rien  ne  li  est 
descendu  de  eel  auncestre  par  qi  fet  il  est  vouche,  est 
repernable,  car  solum  auncien  droit  demoerent  fieus  obligez 
a  la  sieute  de  la  dette  qe  ceux  reconoisse7?t  as  queux  les 
fieux  sunt  en  qi  meins  qil  deviegnent.  En  meme  la  manere 
soloit  estre  en  touz  autres  contractz  ou  les  cont^-actz  furent 
atteinz  ou  grantez.     Car  asset  reconust  qi  par  eon  fet  sa 


'  Corr.  de  dclais.  '  jammes  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  188 

The  article  about  delays  in  pleas  prosecuted  by  attach- 
ments is  reprehensible  at  several  points,  as  appears  in  our 
chapter  on  defaults. 

The  article  about  pleading  writs  to  the  end '  is  too 
onerous  and  is  to  the  prejudice  of  the  sheriffs  and  the  lords 
of  fees  and  franchises. 

And  albeit  the  two  articles  about  disseisins  are  but 
common  and  ancient  law,  namely,  that  everyone  can  sue 
for  the  amends  or  the  punishment  of  a  personal  trespass 
done  to  his  predecessor,  according  to  the  nature  of  his 
action,  of  whatever  age  the  parties  may  be,  still  the  first 
article  is  reprehensible  because  the  plaintiffs  have  no 
recovery  for  damages  done  to  their  predecessors  and  only 
an  action  for  restitution  to  possession.  And  the  other 
article  is  reprehensible  because  of  the  slightness  of  the 
punishment  imposed,  for  according  to  common  law  the 
punishment  should  be  that  the  bond  of  homage  should  be 
utterly  dissolved  between  them  by  the  forfeiture  committed 
by  the  lord  when  he  began  to  disinherit  his  tenant  contrary 
to  the  right  of  homage. 

The  prayer  of  the  king  is  reprehensible,  for  he  should 
pray  nothing  contrary  to  law ;  but  this  is  really  the  prayer 
of  the  justices  who  desire  to  have  much  to  do  every  day.'-' 

^  The  article  which  says  that  one  who  is  vouched  to 
warranty  need  not  warrant,  albeit  he  is  bound  to  warranty 
by  the  deed  of  his  ancestor,  whose  heir  he  is,  in  case  he 
alleges  that  nothing  has  descended  to  him  from  that  ances- 
tor on  whose  deed  he  is  vouched,  is  reprehensible,  for 
according  to  the  ancient  law  the  fees  of  those  who  confess 
a  debt  remain  obliged  as  security  for  that  debt,  into  whose- 
soever hands  they  may  come.  And  the  same  rule  was 
observed  in  all  other  contracts  when  the  contracts  were 
recovered  or  confessed  in  court ;  for  there  is  recognisance 

'  The  statute  requires  that  the  praying  that  assizes  may  be  taken 

justices  shall  plead  out  (parpleydcnt)  in  Advent  and  Lent, 

the  writs  of  one  day  before  beginning  *  Apparently  our  author,  having 

those  of  another.  done  with  Stat.  West.  I.,  here  attacks 

-  The  statute  ends  with  a  request  one  chapter  (ch. .'{)  of  the  Statute  of 

by  the  king  addrcb&cd  to  the  bishops,  Gloucester  (ti  Edw.  I.). 


189  DE   ABUSIONS. 

conoissance  conferme.  E  tut  soit  qe  rien  ne  descendist  al 
heir,  pa?-  taunt  ne  p^-di  nient  le  tenaunt  pa?-  defaute 
daquitaunce.  E  si  cist  qe  fu  obligie  a  la  garantie  ne 
vousist  garantir  ne  voucher  outre,  parrust  par  taunt  qe 
launcestre  en  fu  tenant  par  vicious  title  e  qe  il  en  fu 
possessour  de  male  fei.  E  si  le  heir  nust  rien  dunt  fere 
laquitance,  recoverast  as  tenemenz  a  cele  garantie  obligez. 
E  si  li  heir  nust  dunt  fere  acquitance,  ne  nul  fieu  ne  ifust 
trovee  obligee,  si  li  possessour  perdit  son  purchaz,  rectast ' 
ceo  a  son  fol  contract,  e  autre  foiz  se  purvoit  de  meillur 
sieurte  avoir. 


\_Ch.  V.     Lestatut  de  Westmoustier  II.'] 

Ceo  qest  dit  es  secunz  estatuz  de  Westmoustier  qe  lei 
defailli  en  plusors  cas  fet  a  rep?*endre,  car  as  tuz  trespas 
est  lei  ordene  coment  qele  soit  desusie,  oblie  ou  controvee 
par  ceus  qi  ne  la  sevent.  E  les  troiz  p?nmers  poinz  ne 
sunt  mie  estatut,  einz  sunt  revocacions  de  errours  de 
negligenz  juges.  Car  dreit  ne  soeffre  mie  a  son  poer  qe 
homwie  face  a  autre  meillur  estat  qe  il  memes  nad,  einz 
voet  qe  chescun  loial  contract  se  face  solom  la  conjunction 
des  voluntiez  des  p^^rparlours.  E  ceo  qe  est  en  lestatut  qe 
si  fin  se  leve  en  fraude  dreit  qe  ele  soit  nule  est  repernable, 
einz  put  mieux  estre  dit  issi  qe  par  eel  fin  ne  soit  nule 
terce  ^  person  barre  de  son  droit,  car  fin  levee  ne  poet  mie 
legerement  estre  nule,  einz  se  tient  en  sa  vertu  e  forclos  al 
meins  le  donour  daccion. 

Li  point  des  destresces  ne  rapele  nul  errour,  einz  lafferme 
sicom  avant  {)iert  el  secund  livre.  E  ceo  qest  dit  en 
meme  lestatut  qe  sutiers  ou  countiez  nunt  nul  record  nest 


Corr.  rcttast.  '  ccrtaine  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  189 

enough  if  by  one's  deed  one  confirms  one's  '  cognisance  ' 
(confession).  And  albeit  nothing  descends  to  the  heir,  the 
tenant  ought  not  by  this  reason  to  lose  his  acquittance  [the 
benefit  of  the  contract  to  acquit  him] ;  and  if  the  vouchee 
will  neither  warrant  nor  vouch  over,  then  it  appears  by 
this  that  his  ancestor  held  by  a  vicious  title  and  was  a 
mala  fide  possessor.  And  if  the  heir  has  nothing  whereout 
to  acquit  the  tenant  [by  giving  him  an  exchange],  then 
the  tenant  must  have  recourse  to  the  tenements  that  were 
bound  by  the  warranty.  And  if  the  heir  has  nothing 
whereout  to  acquit  the  tenant,  and  no  fee  can  be  found  that 
is  thus  bound  by  the  warranty,  then  the  possessor  loses  his 
purchase,  and  must  set  this  down  to  his  foolish  contract, 
and  take  care  another  time  to  have  better  security. 


[Ch.  V.     Statute  of  fVestmiiister  J/.] 

What  is  said  in  the  second  statutes  of  Westminster ' 
as  to  the  failure  of  law  in  divers  cases  is  open  to  objection, 
because  for  all  trespasses  there  is  law  ordained  though  it 
may  be  disused,  forgotten,  or  perverted  by  those  who  know 
it  not.  And  the  first  three  articles  are  no  statutes,  but  '^'  ^'  ^'  ^ 
merely  revoke  the  errors  of  negligent  judges.  For  law 
will  not  allow  that  anyone  can  make  to  another  a  better 
estate  than  he  himself  had,  but  wills  that  every  lawful 
contract  be  executed  according  to  the  conjoint  wills  of  the 
contracting  parties.'*  And  what  the  statute  says  about  a 
fine  in  fraud  of  the  law  being  void  is  reprehensible ;  it  would 
be  better  to  say  that  by  such  a  fine  no  third  person  shall 
be  barred  of  his  right,  for  a  fine  when  levied  cannot  easily 
be  null,  but  holds  good  of  its  own  virtue  and  estops  at  least 
the  donor  from  his  action. 

The  article  about  distresses  affirms,  rather  than  repeals,  o.  » 
an  error,  as  appears  in  our  second  book.     And  what  is  said 
in  the  same  statute  about  the  suitors  of  the  county  courts 

'  Sec  the  preamble.  should  have  been  no  need  for  Buoh  a 

'  This  is   aimed  at  the   famous       statute. 
De  donis    coiiditionalibus.     There 


190  DE   ABUSIONS. 

forq<?  abusion,  einz  est  chescun  loial  testmoinage  record  e 
chescun  faus  testnioinage  menceonge.  E  ausi  loialment 
poent  autres  genz  testmoigner  cum  les  justices  assignez. 
Nest  ceo  bien  abusion  a  gr-antir  as  countiez  recorz  en 
utlaguaries,  plegeages,  meinpv-ises,  batailles,  granz  assizes, 
e  autres  cas,  e  ne  mie  autres  poinz;  e  dedire  qe  viscounte 
ou  seignur  del  fieu,  ou  autre  a  qi  le  Roi  mande  son  bref, 
neit  aussi  ben  record  des  p?-oces  dedut  devant  li  qe  tiex  qi 
sapelent  justices,  nest  forqe  errour  ?  E  quant  as  causes  des 
briefs  de  ponez '  est  sofferte  g?-ant  error  de  ceo  qe  grantie 
nest  mie  qe  cil  pusse  ^  en  laccessoire  qe  poet  conustre  el 
prmcipal,  desico?;i  dreit  ne  soeffre  nul  estre  eidie  par 
menceonge  ne  pa?-  brief  vicious.  Dautrepa?'t  de  quoi  siert 
plus  realiter  en  lestatut  qe  p(?rsonalit<^r,  desicom  plus  sunt 
attachemenz  agardez  en  pcrsoneles  accions  qen  mixtes  ou 
reales  ? 

Li  point  de  meesus^  est  repernableq^antasproclamacions 
e  quant  as  non  acquitaunces  de  ceux  qi  pa?-  meins  de  service 
tenent  qe  les  moiens ;  car  soit  qe  B  tiegne  cent  liveres  de 
trrre  de  A  pa?"  service  de  xx.  li.  par  an,  e  cil  B  doigne  ent  sa  * 
moiete  en  pure  aumoine  ou  en  mariage  ou  j)ur  le  service 
de  une  rose  a  C,  cil  avient  qe  cest  B  forface  ou  alliene 
q?(ant  qil  ad,  par  cest  estatut  nest  ordene  nule  remedie  a  C, 
qi  estoit  achever  a  A.  E  ipnr  ceo  fet  a  tenir  launcien  courz 
qe  avant  est  dit  es  jugemenz. 

Lestatut  remedial  de  dreit  la  femme  perdu  par  la 
defaute  del  marit  est  repernable,  car  auncien  droit  voet  qe 


'  paines  (1042).  '  measures  (lfi42) ;  corr.  mesne  s 

"-  Supply  conustre.  *  Corr.  la  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES,  190 

having  no  record  is  a  mere  abuse,  for  every  lawful  testi- 
mony is  a  record  and  every  false  testimony  is  a  lie,  and 
other  folk  may  just  as  lawfully  testify  as  may  the  jus- 
tices assigned.  Is  not  this  a  pretty  abuse,  to  allow  that 
the  county  courts  can  have  record  of  outlawries,  plevins, 
mainprises,  battles,  grand  assizes,  and  so  forth,  and  yet  no 
record  of  other  matters  ?  And  to  deny  that  the  sheriff  or 
the  lord  of  the  fee  to  whom  the  king  sends  his  writ  can 
just  as  well  bear  record  of  the  processes  which  take  place 
before  him,  as  can  those  who  call  themselves  justices,  is 
not  this  mere  error  ? '  And  as  to  the  causes  alleged  in 
writs  of  Pone  ^  great  errors  are  suffered,  since  he  who  can 
take  cognisance  of  the  principal  matter  is  not  allowed  to 
entertain  an  accessory  question,  whereas  right  will  not 
suffer  that  anyone  should  profit  by  a  lie  or  a  vicious  writ. 
Again,  why  should  there  be  more  talk  of  realiter  in  the 
statute  than  of  lyersonaliter,  when  more  attachments  are 
awarded  in  personal  actions  than  in  mixed  or  real  ?  ^ 

The  articles  about  mesne  tenures  is  reprehensible,  so  far  c.  » 
as  regards  the  proclamations,  and  so  far  as  regards  the 
non-acquittance  of  those  who  hold  by  less  service  than 
do  their  *  mesnes.'  For  put  case  that  B.  holds  a  hundred 
librates  of  land  ol  A.hy  the  service  of  £20,  and  gives  half  of 
it  to  C.  in  frank  almoign,  or  in  marriage,  or  by  the  service 
of  a  rose,  if  then  it  happens  that  this  B.  commits  a  for- 
feiture or  alienates  what  he  has,  no  remedy  is  ordained  by 
this  statute  for  C.,who  has  to  achieve  to  A.  And  therefore 
we  must  follow  the  old  rule  which  is  set  forth  in  our  chapter 
on  judgments.'* 

The  statute  which  gives  remedy  to  the  wife  who  loses  c.  s 
her  right  by  her  husband's  default  is  reprehensible,  for  the 

*  An  outburst  in  favour  of  the  '  This  is  a  stupid,  if  not  a  wilful, 

local   courts,    which    ought   to    be  misinterpretation    of     the    statute, 

treated  as  '  courts  of  record.'  which  uses  the  word  realiter,  not  as 

'^  The  I'onc  is   the  writ  for  re-  a  contrast  to  prj-sojwi Zi7<*r,  but  in  that 

moving  a  cause  from  the  local  to  the  sense  in  which  we  often  use  really 

royal  court.    The  cause  for  the  re-  when    we    say    that   sonietliing    is 

nioval  is  mentioned  in  the  writ ;  but  really  true.     The   avowant  in   the 

apparently   the   local  court  has  no  action  of  replevin    is  really  rather 

nuans   of   protecting  itself   against  plaintiff  than  defendant, 
writs  obtained  by  false  allegations.  •  Sec  above,  pp.  I'i'J,  130. 


191  DE   ABUSIONS, 

femme  apres  le  deces  son  mari  face  replevir  son  heritage  ou 
purchaz  issi  perduz  e  resomondre  les  tenaunz.  Car  nul  cape 
nest  forqe  destresce  e  ejeccion  de  seisine  sauve  chescun 
droit,  e  si  com  list  a  lun  des  tenaunz  en  comun  defendre 
son  dreit  ou  il  sent  son  damage  pa?-  fraude  ou  la  negli- 
gence ou  le  non  poer  de  son  parcener,  en  meme  la  manere 
le  poet  fem??ie  solom  dreit  dendreit  son  baron. 

E  ne  mie  soulement  ne  donne  dreit  a  vedves  accion  a 
demander  doeires  en  cas  nomeez  en  lestatut,  eint  fet  en 
tuz  cas  ou  dreit  donne  recoverer  de  fieu  perdu  par  juge- 
ment  reversable. 

E  ceo  qe  contenu  est  qe  tenaunz  ou  autres  poent 
voucher  garaunz  nest  forqe  abusion  :  comewt  tient  voucher 
lu  ou  brief  ne  tient  lu  ?  Einz  entendez  seinement  qe  nule 
juresdiccion  de  jugie '  assignie  ne  sestent  a  autre  persone 
qe  as  celes  qe  sunt  nomees  el  brief  par  nul  voucher  nen  plus 
qe  en  mesus^  par  brief  de  replegiari.  E  pur  ceo  sunt 
garaunties  attamables  e  te?-minables  par  briefs.  E  si  con- 
tient  plusours  autres  errours,  sicom  piert  en  la  lei  de  fieus. 

Lestatut  suant  qe  ordene  briefs  remediaux  novex  apres 
defautes  est  prejudiciel  as  seignurs  de  fieus  qi  pernent  ^  les 
avantages  de  lur  courz  par  ceo  qe  briefs  de  dreit  sunt 
defenduz  en  tieux  cas  ou  il  soloient  estre  usez. 

Presentemenz  deglises  ne  se  deivent  fere  for  es  nons  de 
ceux  as  queux  le  mier  droit  des  avoesons  appent  solom  ceo 
qe  avant  est  dit  en  les  cont?-actz.  E  tut  est  errour  e 
abusion  de  dreit  a  pa7*tir  avoesons  deglises  ou  de  douuer 
ent  femmes  ou  de  lesser  les  a  ferme  ou  a  terme  dautri 
vie  ou  en  mariage  ou  en  gage  ou  par  fieu  taille  ou  autre- 


•  juge  (1642).        *  mestne  (1642) ;  corr.  mesnes  (?).        '  Corr.  perdent. 


OF  ABUSES.  191 

old  law  wills  that  a  woman  after  her  husband's  death  shall 
replevy  her  heritage  or  her  acquests  thus  lost,  and  shall 
resummon  the  tenants  :  for  no  Cape  is  more  than  a  distress 
and  an  ejectment  from  seisin  salvo  iiire  cuiiislihet ;  and  as 
one  of  several  tenants  in  common  can  defend  his  own  right 
where  he  feels  that  he  is  damaged  by  the  fraud,  negligence, 
or  impotence  of  his  parcener,  in  the  same  way  according  to 
law  a  woman  may  behave  as  regards  her  husband.' 

And  law  does  not  give  to  widows  an  action  for  their  «•  * 
dowers  merely  in  the  cases  mentioned  in  the  statute ;  it 
does  the  same  in  every  case  where  law  gives  a  recovery  of 
a  fee  that  has  been  lost  by  a  reversible  judgment. 

And  what  is  said  about  tenants  and  others  vouching  to  "■ « 
warranty  is  a  mere  abuse,  for  how  can  there  be  warranty 
where  there  can  be  no  writ  ?  We  ought  to  understand 
aright  that  no  jurisdiction  of  a  judge  delegate  can  by  any 
voucher  to  warranty  be  extended  to  any  person  not  named 
in  the  writ,  any  more  than  the  jurisdiction  given  by  a  writ 
of  replevin  can  be  extended  to  mesnes.^  And  for  this 
reason  is  it  that  vouchers  to  warranty  are  to  be  com- 
menced and  determined  by  writs.  And  there  are  other 
errors  here  contained,  as  appears  in  the  law  of  fees. 

The  following  statute,  which  ordains  new  remedial  writs  c.  7 
after  default,  is  prejudicial  to  the  lords  of  fees,  who  lose  the 
profits  of  their  courts,  because  writs  of  right  are  forbidden 
in  cases  in  which  they  were  formerly  used.' 

Presentations  to  churches  should  only  be  made  in  the  c.  6 
names  of  those  to  whom  the  greater  right  in  the  advowsons 
belongs,  as  has  been  said  above  in  our  chapter  on  contracts ; 
and  it  is  altogether  error  and  abuse  to  make  partition  of  the 
advowsons  of  churches,  or  to  endow  women  therewith,  or  to 
let  them  to  farm  or  for  the  life  of  another  or  in  marriage 
or  by  way  of   gage,  or  in  fee  tail,  or  otherwise  than  in 

'  Our  author's  doctrine  seems  to  tenant,  as  though  the  original  action 
be  that  if  in  an  action  the  husband  were    still   pending;      a    judgment 
loses   the  wife's    land    by    making  given  upon  a  default  is  merely  pro- 
default,  then  after  his  death  the  wife  visional  and  reversible, 
has  no  need  to  begin  a  fresh  action,  '  Text  obscure, 
but  can  proceed  by  way  of  replevy-  *  In  favour  cf  scignorial  justice, 
ing  the  land  and  resummoning  the 


192  DE   ABUSIONS. 

mcnt  qe  en  pcrpetuitie.  E  ceiix  qi  receivent  clers  prc- 
sentz  as  eglises  en  pn-judice  de  tex  as  queux  le  mier 
droit  pg?-petuel  est  sunt  tenuz  a  la  restitution  des  damages. 
E  ceux  eient  recoverer  as  jurours  pa?-  queux  il  estoient 
cc?-tifiez  del  droit  del  patronage.  E  issi  piert  qe  la  peine 
tient  plus  les  evesqes  qe  les  prcsentours.  E  ceo  qest 
ordene  long  enprisonment  pur  peine  nest  forqe  abusion, 
desico?;i  nul  nest  enprisonable  si  noun  pur  torcenouse 
enpWsonement. 

Lestatut  de  garanties  nest  forqe  revocacion  de  errour 
usee  jesques  a  dreite  lei. 

Lestatut  damesurement  est  repe?'nable  q?/ant  as  pro- 
clamacions,  desicom  amesuremenz  e  surcharges  sont  fesables 
par  jurees  doffice. 

Lestatut  des  moiens  est  repernable  en  plusours  poinz, 
sicom  piert  es  chapitres  de  naams,  de  contractz  e  de 
defautes,  e  ceo  piert  en  la  fin  del  estatut  ou  les  actours  ne 
saveint  fin  mettre. 

Lestatut  de  suspencion  des  briefs  en  eires  est  reper- 
nable  cum  repugnaunt  a  la  grande  chartre  qe  dist,  *  Nous  ne 
veerons  a  nul  dreit  ne  delaerons.'  E  pur  quei  sunt  briefs 
rebotables  de  audience  ?  Einz  pur  la  multitude  des  briefs 
qe  adunt  se  funt  e  par  petit  noumbre  des  justices  perist 
dreit  a  plusours. 
Lestatut  Li    cstatut  dcs  obligez    en  aconte   est  repcrnable    en 

plusours  poinz.  Lun  quant  as  excepcions  ^  des  p^j-sones, 
car  as  seignurs  est  ordene  recove?'ir  e  as  serjanz  nul. 
Autre  quant  auditours  sunt  donables  sanz  lassent  des 
serjaunz.  Lautre  qe  as  auditours  nestoit  allouuer  forqe  a 
lur  voluntie  sanz  peine.     Lautre  qe  li  recoverer  est  ordene 


'  Corr.  accepcion. 


sur  acoute 


OF   ABUSES.  192 

perpetuity.'  And  those  who  receive  clerks  who  are  pre- 
sented to  churches  in  prejudice  of  those  to  whom  the 
greater  perpetual  right  belongs  are  bound  to  make  restitu- 
tion in  damages.  And  those  who  have  to  pay  such  damages 
can  recover  them  from  the  jurors  [?]  who  made  certificate 
about  the  right  of  patronage.  And  thus  it  appears  that 
the  punishment  falls  rather  upon  the  bishops  than 
upon  the  presenters.  And  as  to  what  is  ordained  about 
punishment  by  long  imprisonment,  this  is  just  an  abuse, 
for  no  one  should  be  imprisoned  save  for  wrongful  im- 
prisonment. 

The  statute  about  warranties  is  merely  the  revocation  c.  e 
to  right  law  of  a  prevailing  error. 

The  statute  of  admeasurement  is  reprehensible  so  far  c.  7 
as  concerns  the   proclamations,  for  admeasurements  and 
surcharges  should  be  effected  by  juries  ex  officio. 

The  statute  about  mesnes  is  reprehensible  in  various  c.  9 
points,  as  appears  in  our  chapters  on  naams,  contracts,  and 
defaults ;  and  this  is  plain  from  the  end  of  the  statute, 
for  its  makers  did  not  know  how  to  make  an  end  to  it.* 

The  statute  about  the  suspension  of  writs  in  the  eyres  «•  10 
is  reprehensible,  as  being  repugnant  to  the  Great  Charter 
which  says  '  We  will  not  deny  nor  delay  justice  to  any.' 
And  why  is  it  that  writs  are  rejected  and  do  not  come  to  a 
hearing  ?  Because  of  the  multitude  of  writs  made  nowa- 
days and  the  small  number  of  the  justices ;  and  thus  many 
fail  to  get  law. 

The  statute  about  those  who  are  bound  to  account  is  c  n 
reprehensible  in  divers  particulars.  One  concerns  the 
acceptance  of  persons,  for  a  remedy  is  ordained  for  the 
lords  and  none  for  the  servants.  Another  is  this,  that  the 
auditors  can  be  appointed  without  the  assent  of  the  ser- 
vants. Another  that  auditors  should  not  make  allowances 
at  their  discretion  without  punishment.'     Another  that  the 


*  See  above,  p.  75.  and  that  further  legislation  will  be 

'  At  the  end  of  this  chapter  the  necessary, 
legislator  confesses  that  he  has  not  *  Meaning  doubtful, 

dealt  with  all   existing  grievances, 

C  C 


193  DE   ABUSIONS. 

par  la  detenue  des  serjaunz  e  mie  a  la  siourtie  ne  as 
chaiieux.  Lautre  qe  les  seignurs  ne  sunt  arestables  al  foer 
des  serjaunz.  Lautre  qe  la  malveistie  des  auditours 
remeint  despunie.  Lautre  del  lutlaguerie,  car  nul  nest 
utlagable  si  nbn  pur  pecche  mortiel.  Lautre  q?/ant  a  la 
peine  del  enprisonement,  car  nul  nest  enprisonable  si  non 
pur  torcenous  enprisonement. 

Lestatut  des  appeax  est  repernable  en  ij.  poinz,  lun  de 
lespece  de  la  peine  corporele  e  de  la  pluralitie  des  peines, 
desi  qe  redempcion  par  peine  peccuniele  nest  forqe  alleg- 
giaunce  de' peine  cprporele.  Lautre  de  juresdiccion  aver 
sur  les  abbettours  sanz  bref  origenal. 
Puriestatu  Lcs  estatuz  dc  gast  sont  fundiez  sur  errour,  desicom 

gast  est  un  p^TSonel  trespas,  e  voet  autre  manere  de 
proces  sicom  piert  el  chapitre  des  defautes.  E  a  defendre 
person  el  trespas  par  brief  nest  forqe  vein  travail. 

Lestatut  de.fause  cause  nient  allouer  en  lessoine  de  mal 
de  lit  est  defectif,  car  en  nule  essoigne  ne  nule  part  est 
fausse  cause  ne  autre  faussine  allouable  ne  p?-ofitable  ne 
deit  estre  a  nul. 

Li  estatut  des  dettes  e  damagez  recoverez  est  defectif, 
car  ne  mie  soulement  ferroit '  eel  remedie  atteint  en  la  court 
le  Roi  einz  dust  comprendre  totes  lais  courz. 

Lestatut  des  morz  saunz  testament  est  defectif,  car  il 
dust  comprendre  felons  e  futifs  aussi  bien  cum  loials  genz, 
e  le  Eoi  e  tuz  autres  en  qi  meins  lur  biens  devenent  aussi 
bien  com  ordenaires,  cat  nul  ne  poet  forfere  autri  droit. 

Lestatut  dallouer  une  manere  dexcepcions  en  semblables 
accions  ne  fu  mie  mestier  davoir  este  ordene,  si  no??  ])ur 
negligence  des  justices,  car  chescun  affirmation  est  encon- 
trable  de  sa  negative  al  peril  del  niant. 


'  Corr.  serroit. 


OF  ABUSES.  193 

recovery  is  enforced  by  detention  of  the  servants  and  not 
by  process  against  their  sureties  and  chattels.  Another 
that  the  lords  cannot,  like  the  servants,  be  arrested. 
Another  that  the  wickedness  of  the  auditors  remains  un- 
punished. Another  that  there  is  outlawry,  for  none  should 
be  outlawed  save  for  mortal  sin.  Another  that  the  punish- 
ment is  by  imprisonment,  for  none  should  be  imprisoned 
save  for  wrongful  imprisonment. 

The  statute  about  appeals  is  reprehensible  in  two  c.  12 
particulars.  One  concerns  the  nature  of  the-  punishment 
and  the  plurality  of  punishments,  for  the  pecuniary  punish- 
ment should  be  nothing  else  than  an  alleviation  of  the 
corporal  punishment.  The  other  is  that  which  gives 
jurisdiction  over  abettors  without  an  original  writ. 

The  statutes  about  waste  are  based  on  error,  for  waste  c.  u 
is  a  personal  trespass  and  requires  another  kind  of  process, 
as  appears  in  our  chapter  on  defaults,  and  to  issue  a  pro- 
hibitory writ  against  a  personal  trespass  is  labour  lost. 

The  statute  about  not  allowing  false  causes   for  the  c.  17 
essoin  de  malo  lecti  is  defective,  for  in  no  essoin  and  on  no 
occasion  is  a  false  cause  or  other  falsehood  allowable,  but  it 
should  profit  no  man. 

The  statute  about  the  recovery  of  debts  and  damages  '  c  is 
.  is  defective,  for  this  remedy  should  be  attainable  not  only 
in  the  king's  court,  but  all  lay  courts  should  be  compre- 
■ hended. 

The  statute  about  those  who  die  intestate  ^  is  defective,  c  19 
for  it  should  comprise  felons  and  fugitives  as  well  as  lawful 
folk,  and  the  king  and  all  others  into  whose  hands  their 
goods  shall  come,  as  well  as  the  ordinaries,  for  none  can 
forfeit  the  right  of  another.' 

The    statute   about    allowing  similar   '  exceptions  '■  in  c.  jo 
similar  actions  would  have  been  needless  but  for  the  negli- 
gence of  the  justices,  for  every  affirmative  may  be  encoun- 
tered by  its  negative  at  the  peril  of  him  who  denies. 

'  The  chapter  which  gives  the  *  The  king  should  be  bound  to 

elegit.  Apply  the  forfeited  chattels  of  dead 

''  The  ordinary  is  to  pay  the  in-  felons  in  payment  of  their  debts, 
testate's  debts. 

c  c2 


194  DE   ABUSIONS. 

Lestatut  de  detcnue  de  service  est  novelerie  damaious 
as  seignurs  dcs  fieus,  sicom  piert  el  chapitre  des  defautes. 

Lestatut  de  brefs  noveax  fere  nust  mie  este  mestier 
daver  este  fet,  si  la  pn'mere  ordenaunce  des  briefs  fut 
tenue. 

Lestatut  de  remedie  aver  pa?-  assise  de  novele  disseisine 
est  repernable  en  taunt  qe  il  ne  comprent  nient  fieus  chargez 
de  villeins  custumes  ne  fieus  tenuz  a  terme  des  anz.  Le 
point  nestovereit  aver  defendu  fauses  excepciona  si  les  poinz 
se  tenissent  del  charge  des  contours.  E  quant  a  la  peine 
enp?-?sonement  est  lestatut  rep«?*nable  par  resons  avant- 
dites,  e  aussi  quant  a  la  peine  des  doubles  damages,  car 
dreit  ne  donne  a  nul  plus  qe  sa  demande.  E  par  ceo  piert 
qe  lestatut  de  faus  apeals  est  plus  errour  qe  dreit  en  lordene- 
ment  dagarder  amendez  as  defendaunz  par  la  ou  il  ne  sunt 
mie  pleintifs.  E  quant  del  boef  al  oeps  des  viscountes  en 
deseisines  nest  mie  estatut  einz  est  voluntie  e  tort. 

E  ceo  qest  usie  a  grantir  damages  en  partie  ou  el  tut  as 
justices  ou  a  clers  corelaires '  as  justices  ou  a  ministres  ou 
a  autres  serroit  bon  defendu  cuw  usage  damaious  al  poeple. 
•  E  sicom  les  peines  sunt  repe^'nables  en  noveles  deseisines 
aussi  sunt  eles  en  les  estatuz  de  redeseisines.  Corporeles 
peines  neqedent  tienent  lu  en  tiex  persones  ^  trespas,  mes 
en  redeseisines  plus  qe  en  seisines.^ 

Lestatut  defendaunt  qe  briefs  doir  e  terminer  ne  soient 
mie  lege?-ement  grantie  nest  fondie  sur  nul  dreit  cum  celi 
qest  repugriaunt  a  cest  mot  de  la  chartre,  nous  ne  veeroms 


contraries  (1642).  *  Con.  personels.  ^  Con.  deseisines. 


OF  ABUSES.  194 

The  statute  about  detention  of  services '  is  a  novelty  c.  21 
injurious  to  the  lords  of  fees,  as  appears  in  our  chapter  on 
defaults. 

The  statute  about  making  new  writs  need  never  have  "•  " 
been  made  had  the  original  ordinance  about  writs  been 
observed.'^ 

The  statute  giving  a  remedy  by  assize  of  novel  disseisin  c.  25 
is  reprehensible,  in  so  far  as  it  does  not  comprise  fees 
charged  with  villain  customs  or  fees  held  for  terms  of  years.^ 
And  it  need  not  have  forbidden  false  '  exceptions '  if  the 
articles  concerning  the  duties  of  pleaders  had  been  observed. 
And  as  to  punishment  by  imprisonment  the  statute  is 
reprehensible  for  reasons  given  above.  And  so  as  to  the 
penalty  of  double  damages,  for  law  will  give  to  none  more 
than  his  demand.  And  therefore  it  is  that  the  statute  c.  13 
about  false  appeals  seems  rather  error  than  law,  for  it 
awards  damages  to  defendants,  whereas  defendants  are  not 
plaintiffs.  And  as  to  the  ox  for  the  use  of  the  sheriff  in  dis- 
seisins, this  is  no  statute,  but  lawless  will  and  pleasure."* 

And  as  to  the  practice  of  granting  the  damages  in  whole 
or  in  part  to  the  justices  or  to  the  clerks  related  to*  the 
justices,  or  to  the  officers  or  others,  it  were  well  to  forbid  this 
as  injurious  to  the  people. 

And  as  the  punishments  for  disseisins  are  open  to  objec-  c.  a 
tion,  so  are  those  ordained  by  the  statutes  of  redisseisin ; 
still,  corporal  punishments  are  permissible  for  such  per- 
sonal trespasses,   but    rather    for    redisseisins    than   for 
disseisins. 

The  statute  forbidding  that  writs  of  oyer  et  terminer  be  c  2» 
lightly  granted  is  founded  upon  no  right,  but  is  repugnant 
to  the  words  of  the  charter,  '  We  will  not  deny  or  delay 

'  The  chapter  gives  the  Cessavit  *  This  passage  refers  to  the  ox 

per  biennitim.  which  the  sheriff  claimed  from    a 

^  Aimed  at  the  celebrated  clause  convicted  disseisor.    SeeBracton,  f. 

about  writs  in  consimili  casu.    Our  187,  and  this  chapter  of  the  statute, 

author  supposes  some  original  ordi-  ^  Translation  doubtful.      Appa- 

nance  declaring  that  there  shall  bo  rcntly  a  successful  plaintiff  was  in 

a  writ  for  every  wrong.  some  cases  expected   to   allow  the 

'  Once  more  the  doctrine    that  justices  or  officers  of   the  court  to 

villain  holders  and  termors  should  receive  some  part  of  the  damages, 

have  the  assize.  See  Stat.  17  Car.  II.  c.  G. 


195  DE   ABUSIONS. 

pe  delaerons  dreit  a  nul,  einz  nient  •  de  temporeles  justices 
(|il  le  fir§nt  pur  lur  avantage  cum  ceux  qi  desirent  tuz  plez 
enbracier  e  heent  ^  qe  plus  des  justices  seient,  si  pa?*  eux  lie 
seient  a  eel  avancement  procurez. 

Lestatut  des  capcions  des  assises  a  iij.  foiz  par  an  est 
rep^rnable  qiiant  a  leiliornement  des  parties  liors  de  counties 
requig  ^  par  devant  les  justices  del  banc  qi  nule  jurisdiccion 
punt  de  sur  ces  plez  sicom  les  commissions  sont  donees  as 
justices  assignes.  E  quant  as  jurees  e  enquestes  prendre 
en  lur  conties  nest  lestatut  nient  tenu  a  deshonour  des 
auctors  e  en  damage  del  poeple. 

Lestatut  qe  defent  q^  justices  ne  facent  jurours  dire 

forqe  lur  avis  est  defectif  sicom  piert  el  chapitre  de  jurours. 

Lestatut  des  excepcions  allouables  reboties  par  justices 

nest  fun  die  sur  nul  dreit,  sicom  piert  el  jugement  de  fausses 

justices,  einz  est  truffe  qi^nt  il  nest  pule  pa?-t  tenu. 

Lestatut  de  rap  est  repernable,  car  nul  ne  poet  ordener 
par  estatut  qe  venial  pecche  soit  torne  en  mortiel  sanz 
lassent  lapostoille  ou  lemperour, 

Lestatut  qe  li  Eoi  eit  sute  en  rap  ou  en  allopement  des 
fem^nes  maries  est  repernable,  car  pul  nest  tenu  a  respondre 
a  la  siute  le  Eoi  si  non  par  apel  ou  par  enditement.  E  ceo 
qe  est  contenu  de  fem??ies  perdre  doeire  pur  le  pecche 
devoutire  dust  aussi  comprendre  ceus  avoutres  qe  cleiment 
a  tenir  les  heritages  lur  femmes  par  la  lei  d'Engleterre,  si 
qe  nule  accepcion  ne  soit  en  persones.  Lenprisonment  des 
allopours  de  noneyns  e  la  rapceon  ovek  nest  mie  lei,  einz 
est  errour  en  douliite  manere  sicom  avant  est  dit  en 
plusours  lus. 


'  Corr.  heent  les  temporeles  justices  (?)  This  passage  is  very  obscure. 
It  seems  to  accuse  the  permanent  justices  of  procuring  a  clause  profitable 
to  themselves. 

*  nient  (1642).  '  Covr.  jeques. 


OF  ABUSES.  195 

riglit  to  any,'  [and  those  who  made  the  statute  hate  the 
temporary  justices  since  they  desire  to  embrace  all  pleas  for 
their  own  profit  and  hate  that  there  should  be  any  more 
justices,  unless  it  be  such  as  are  advanced  to  the  bench  by 
their  procurement.] 

The  statute  as  to  taking  assizes  three  times  a  year  is  <-•.  so 
reprehensible,  so  far  as  concerns  the  adjournment  of  the 
parties  out  of  their  counties  before  the  justices  of  the  Bench, 
for  those  justices  have  no  jurisdiction  over  such  pleas,  for 
the  commissions  are  given  to  the  justices  assigned.'  And 
as  to  the  taking  of  juries  and  inquests  within  their  proper 
counties,  this  statute  is  disregarded,  to  the  dishonour  of 
its  authors  and  the  damage  of  the  people. 

The  statute  which  forbids  the  justices  to  compel  jurors  c  so 
to   give  verdicts  without   mentioning  'the   best  of  their 
belief  '  is  defective,  as  appears  in  our  chapter  on  jurors.^ 

The  statute  about  the  rejection  by  justices  of  allowable  c.  si 
*  exceptions  '  is  not  founded  on  law,  as  appears  from  the 
judgment  of  false  jurors ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  humbug, 
for  it  is  nowhere  observed. 

The  statute  about  rape  is  reprehensible,  for  no  one  can  c.  34 
by  statute  ordain  that  a  venial  shall  be  converted  into  a 
mortal  sin  without  the  assent  of  the  Pope  or  the  Emperor. 

The  statute  giving  the  king  a  suit  for  rape  and  for  c  34 
elopement  of  married  women  is  reprehensible,  for  no  one  is 
bound  to  answer  to  the  suit  of  the  king  save  upon  appeal 
or  indictment.  And  what  is  said  about  women  losing  their  c.  ss 
dowers  by  the  sin  of  adultery  should  mclude  adulterous 
husbands  who  claim  to  hold  the  inheritances  of  their  wives 
by  the  law  [curtesy]  of  England,  that  so  there  may  be  no 
acceptance  of  persons.  The  imprisonment,  coupled  with 
ransom,  for  the  elopers  of  nuns  is  not  law,  but  is  error  and 
twofold  error,  as  has  been  already  shown  in  many  places. 

'  In  a  writ  of  novel  disseisin  or  ^  See  above,  p.  173.     Jurors  are 

mori  d'ancestor  there  is  no  mention  sworn  to  tell  the  truth,  not  to  give 

of  any  justices  save  the  justices  of  their  opinions.     The  statute  errs  in 

assize ;  therefore,  it  is  argued,  the  allowing  the  justices  to  be  content 

justices  of  the  Bench  have  nothing  with  something  short  of  an  express 

to  do  with  these  assizes.  answer  to  the  question  at  issue. 


196  DE   ABUSIONS. 

LempWsonement  de  ij.  ans  ou  de  plus  ordene  pur  peine 
eorporele  as  ravissours  de  mariages  nest  forqe  errour,  car 
nule  eorporele  peyne  ne  dust  estre  ordene  si  non  pur  comun 
prou,  sicom  avant  piert  de  penaunces  overtes.  E  ceo  qest 
ordene  de  proclamacions  en  pe?-soneles  accions  nest  forqe 
abusion  de  dreit,  sicom  est  dit  en  lestatut  de  moiens. 

Lestatut  qe  agard  ranceon  est  rep<?rnable,  car  ranceon 
nest  autre  chose  qe  redempcion  de  peine  eorporele. 

Lestatut  des  destresces  fetes  par  baillifs  desconuz  est 
destinctable,  car  en  destresces  torcenouses  sanz  garant 
tendreit  lu  lo  jugeraent  de  robberie  e  pa?*  garaunt  est 
chescun  recevable  conu  e  desconu. 

Lestatut  des  jurours  est  repe?'nable,  car  dreit  voet  qe  les 
actours  eient  eide  de  la  court  a  fere  venir  les  testmoins 
duwt  il  se  puissent  plus  loialment  eider  saunz  destinteison 
des  persones.  E  ceo  qe  juresdiccion  est  gmntie  as  justices 
assignez  doir  e  te/-miner  pleintes  sanz  especiale  com/nission 
nest  forqe  abusion, 

Lestatut  qe  agard  qe  brief  de  jugement  se  face  sanz 
garant  de  brief  original  nest  autre  chose  qe  congie  a  fausser 
le  seal  le  Eoi. 

La  peine  des  viscountes  malement  responaunt  est 
repcrnable  quant  a  la  peine,  car  desheritours  le  Eoi  pecchent 
el  crim  de  magestie  e  sont  par  consequent  punissables  par 
la  mort,  qe  ne  deit  mie  estre  en  tieux  cas.  E  quant  as  issues 
est  lestatut  repernable,  car  nuls  issues  sunt  agardables 
forqe  ap?'es  defautes  en  accions  mixtes,  e  ne  mie  al  oes  le 
Eoi,  einz  pur  le  prou  des  pleintifs. 

Les  defenses  fetes  es  estatuz  suanz  des  clers,  criours  e 
autre  ministre  de  la  court  ne  sunt  forqe  truffe  pur  ceo  qe 
eles  ne  sont  point  tenues, 

Lestatut  qe  conoissaunces  e   enroullemenz  qe  se  funt 


OF  ABUSES.  196 

The  imprisonment  for  two  years  or  more  ordained  as  "■ " 
punishment  for  the  ravishers  of  marriages  is  naught  but 
error,  for  no  corporal  punishment  should  be  ordained  save 
for  the  good  of  the  public,  as  appears  where  we  spoke  of 
open  penances.  And  what  is  ordained  about  proclamations 
in  personal  actions  is  mere  abuse  of  law,  as  is  said  in  our 
remarks  on  the  statute  of  mesnes. 

The   statute   awarding    ransom    is    reprehensible,  for  "•  ^ 
ransom  is  but  a  redemption  of  a  corporal  punishment. 

The  statute  about  distresses  made  by  unknown  bailiffs  c.  87 
is  distinguishable,  for  in  the  case   of  tortious  distresses 
made   without   warrant  the  judgment   should    be    as  for 
robbery,   but   if   there  be  warrant   then   anyone   can   be 
received  [to  avow  the  distress],  be  he  known  or  unknown. 

The  statute  about  jurors  '  is  reprehensible,  for  the  law  <=•  ^ 
wills  that  the  plaintiffs  shall  have  aid  of  the  court  to  cause 
to  appear  those  witnesses  by  whom  they  can  aid  themselves 
most  lawfully  without  distinction  of  persons.  As  to  the  grant 
of  jurisdiction  to  justices  assigned  to  hear  and  determine 
plaints  without  special  commission,  this  is  a  mere  abuse. 

The   statute  which   awards  the  making  of   a  judicial  c-  38 
writ  without  the  warrant  of  an  original  writ  is  no  better 
than  a  licence  to  falsify  the  king's  seal. 

The  punishment  for  sheriffs  who  answer  badly  is  repre-  o.  3» 
hensible  as  regards  the  punishment  named  in  it,  for  the 
disheritors  of  the  king  ^  sin  by  the  crime  of  U'se  majcste  and 
are  punishable  by  death,  and  this  should  not  be  so  in  these 
cases.  And  as  to  the  issues  the  statute  is  reprehensible, 
for  no  issues  are  awardable  except  after  defaults  in  mixed 
actions,  and  then  they  do  not  go  to  the  king's  use,  but  to 
the  profit  of  the  plaintiffs. 

The   prohibitions  contained  in  the  following  statutes  c.  44 
about  clerks,  criers,  and  other  ministers  are  just  humbug, 
for  they  are  not  regarded. 

The  statute  that  confessions  and  enrolments  made  in  c.  4« 

'  Relieving  the  poorer  freeholders      Bheriffs  who  make  false  returns  are 
from  jury  service.  to  be  punished  as  disheritors  of  the 

'  The     statute     declares     that      king. 


197  DE  ABUSIONS. 

en  la  chatincellerie  a  leschecqer  e  par  devant  justices  soient 
cruz  e  tenuz  eatables  est  auctorite  de  grant  mal,  car  par 
faus  enroullemenz  porreit  chescun  a  ceo  auctorite  destrure 
queux  qil  voosist,  qe  serreit  grant  inconvenient.  Dautrepart 
accrestreit  par  cest  estatut  auctorite  al  chanceller  e  a  autres 
a  fauser  le  seal  le  Eoi  par  briefs  de  jugement  fere  sanz 
garaunt  de  briefs  origenaux.  E  pur  ceo  notez  qe  nul  ne 
poet  forp77s  le  Koi  receivre  attornez  en  la  court  le  Koi  ne 
reconoissances  sanz  garant  des  briefs  origenal  e  sanz  dreit 
proces  dentre  parties. 

Lestatut  des  enprovemenz  des  gastz  e  des  comuns  pas- 
tures est  repcrnable  e  distinctable  solom  ceo  qe  avan't  est  dit. 

Lestatut  de  veuUe  de  terre  avoir  nest  forqe  torcenous 
delai  del  droit  auctours,  car  assez  suffist  la  veuue  par  la 
certificacion  des  somenours  qi  deivent  saver  del  quel  tene- 
ment les  tenanz  sunt  somenables. 

Lestatut  qe  defent  qe  nul  ministre  de  la  court  ne  preigne 
prcsentement  deglise  ne  autre  chose  qe  soit  en  pie  ou 
en  debat  nest  nient  tenu. 


[Ch.  V.  (B).']     Sur  lestatut  de  Gloucestre. 

Les  estatuz  des  damages  recovc/er  en  plez  de  possession 
purvueus  a  Gloucestre  e  aillurs  e  des  treble  damages  en 
gastz  sont  repernables,  car  droit  ne  donne  a  nul  plus  qe  sa 
demande,  e  pur  ceo  cowvendreit  qe  mencion  de  damages  se 
feit  es  briefs,  si  damages  8e?Teint  agardables,  car  juge  ne 
poet  nient  passer  les  poinz  de  son  garant,  e  issi*  serreit 
mestier  duser  solom  la  p?'tmere  ordenaunce  des  briefs. 

Lestatut  de  tenemenz  alienez  en  fieu  en  prejudice  dautri 
dreit  est  repernable,  car  li  remedie  dust  estre  tiel  Gwn  est  de 
gardeins  alienors  a  la  desheriteson  des  dreiz  heirs. 


OF  ABUSES.  197 

the  chancery  or  the  exchequer  or  before  justices  are  to  be 
credited  and  taken  as  established  is  a  source  of  great  evil, 
for  by  means  of  a  false  enrolment  anyone,  can  destroy 
by  this  authority  whom  he  pleases,  and  this  would  be  a 
great  absurdity.  And,  again,  by  this  statute  there  accrues 
to  the  chancellor  and  others  power  to  falsify  the  king's  seal, 
by  issuing  judicial  writs  without  the  warrant  of  original 
writs.  And  note  here  that  no  one,  save  the  king,  can  re- 
ceive an  attorney  in  the  king's  court,  or  a  recognisance 
without  the  warrant  of  an  original  writ  and  without  due 
process  between  litigants. 

The  statute  about  approvement  of  wastes  and  common 
pastures  is  reprehensible  and  distinguishable,  as  has  been 
said  above. 

The  statute  as  to  having  a  view  of  the  land  is  just  a 
wrongful  delay  for  rightful  plaintiffs,  for  the  certificate  of 
the  summoners  will  satisfy  the  requirement  of  a  view,  for 
they  ought  to  know  in  respect  of  what  tenement  the  tenants 
are  to  be  summoned. 

The  statute  which  forbids  any  officer  of  the  court  to 
accept  the  presentment  to  a  church,  or  anything  else  that 
is  the  subject  of  plea  or  debate,  is  disregarded. 


[Ch.V.(B).]     Of  the  Statute  of  GUmcestcr. 

The  statutes  provided  at  Gloucester  and  elsewhere  about  si«t  «»ouo. 
the  recovery  of  damages  in  possessory  actions  and  about 
the  treble  damages  for  waste  are  reprehensible,  for  law 
gives  to  none  more  than  he  demands ;  and  therefore  there 
ought  to  be  mention  of  damages  in  the  writs,  if  damages 
are  to  be  awarded ;  for  a  judge  cannot  exceed  the  terms  of 
his  warrant ;  therefore  the  practice  should  be  that  which 
was  required  by  the  original  ordinance  of  writs. 

The  statute  about  tenements  alienated  in  fee  to  the  pre-  c 
judice  of  another's  right  is  reprehensible,  for  the  remedy 
should  be  the  same  as  that  which  there  is  when  a  guardian 
alienates  to  the  disherison  of  the  right  heir. 


198  DE  ABUSIONS. 

Lestatut  de  trespas  pleder  en  contiez  est  rep^rnable  par 
defaute  de  distinteison,  car  menuz  trespas,  dettes,  covenaunz 
enfreinz  e  tieux  autres  injuries  nient  passanz  xl.  soudz  unt 
Butiers  poer  a  oir  e  terminer  saunz  href  par  garant  de 
juresdiccion  ordenaire  e  par  brefs  plus  grauntz,  ear  vis- 
countes  unt  plus  aperte  juresdiccion  en  lur  briefs  viscountals 
qe  justices  de  banc  par  les  pones.  E  notez  brief ment  qe 
qiianqe  est  toleit  des  plez  as  viscountes  e  as  seignurs  de 
fieus  est  ordene  al  avantage  des  justices  al  damage  des  vis- 
contes  qe  unt  les  conties  afferme  e  al  damage  del  poeple.  E 
quant  al  recoverer  de  xx.  s.  ou  plus  dendreit  lessoine  del 
service  le  Roi  nient  garanti  est  lestatut  repe?nable,  car  cele 
essoigne  porra  estre  gete  ou  li  defendaunt  vodra  fere  de- 
faute par  la  pa^-tie  adverse  e  issi  averoit  il  avantage  de  sa 
malice. 

Lestatut  qe  defent  legier  abatement  de  apeals  nest  mie 
tenu. 

Lestatut  qe  agard  homwe  innocent  a  demorer  en  prison 
ou  daver  nule  manere  de  peine  pur  homicide  necessaire  ou 
par  mescheaunce  ou  nul  pecchie  nest  trovie  nest  forqe 
abusion. 

Les  estatuz  fesanz  mencion  de  Londres  e  des  Londreis 
se  dussent  estendre  comwjonement  parmi  le  reaume. 


[Ch.  VI.     De  Circumspecte  agatis.]  • 

Le  primer  point  qe  dist  qe  la  reale  prohibicion  ne  tiegne 
lu  en  correcions  des  pechies  mortels  en  cas  ou  peine  pec- 
cuniele  est  enjoingnable  par  ordenaires,  est  fondie  sur 
aperte   errour    ki    sage^  enjoindra   peccuniele  peine  pur 


'  No  new  heading  in  MS.    For  this  so-called  statute,  see  Statutes  of 
the  Realm,  vol.  i.  p.  101. 
*  e  usage  (1642). 


OF  ABUSES.  198 

The  statute  about  pleas  of  trespass  in  the  county  courts  °-  ^ 
is  reprehensible  as  ignoring  a  distinction ;  for  petty  tres- 
passes, debts,  breaches  of  covenant,  and  such  other  injuries 
as  do  not  exceed  the  sum  of  forty  shillings,  the  suitors  may 
hear  and  determine  without  writ  by  the  warrant  of  their 
ordinary  jurisdiction,  and  greater  matters  they  may  enter- 
tain by  writ,  for  sheriffs  under  their  vicontiel  writs  have  a 
more  patent  jurisdiction  than  have  the  justices  of  the  bench 
under  writs  of  Pone.  And  observe  in  short  that  whatever 
pleas  are  taken  away  from  the  sheriffs  and  the  lords  of  the 
fees  are  given  over  to  the  profit  of  the  justices  to  the  damage 
of  the  sheriffs,  who  hold  their  counties  at  farm,  and  to  the 
damage  of  the  people.  And  as  to  the  recovery  of  twenty 
shillings  or  upwards  in  respect  of  an  essoin  de  servitio 
regis  which  has  not  been  warranted,  the  statute  is  repre- 
hensible, for  this  essoin  may  be  cast  by  the  adverse  party 
where  the  defendant  wishes  to  make  a  default,  and  so  [the 
plaintiff]  will  profit  by  his  own  malice.' 

The  statute  against  the  abatement  of  appeals  for  slight  c.  9 
cause  is  not  obeyed. 

The  statute  which  awards  an  innocent  man  to  remain  c  » 
in  prison  or  to  suffer  any  kind  of  punishment  for  homicide 
by  necessity  or  mischance  where  no  sin  is  found,  is  nought 
but  an  abuse. 

The  statutes  which  mention  London  and  the  Londoners  "c- 12-15 
ought  to  be  extended  generally  to  the  whole  realm. 


[Ch.  VI.     Of  Circumspecte  agatis.l 

The  first  article,  which  says  that  the  royal  prohibition 
is  not  applicable  to  cases  of  the  correction  of  mortal  sins 
where  the  ordinaries  enjoin  a  pecuniary  punishment,  is 
founded  upon  obvious  error  and  a  practice  of  enjoining 
pecuniary  punishment  for  a  mortal  sin,  which  practice  is 


'  The  plaintiff  will  cast  a  false  essoin  in  the  defendant's  name  in-order 
to  claim  the  statutory  penalty. 


199  DE   ABUSIONS. 

pecchie  mortel  ne  place  a  teu,  einz  sentremettent  a  descrestre 
la  juresdiccion  le  Eoi  com  foi  mentuz  qe  lavuouent. 

Les  autres  poinz  a  chacer  parochiens  par  cohercion  de 
clore  cimitiers,  doffrir,  de  doner  mortuaires,  deners  pur 
confessions,  pur  pain  benoit,  pur  eglises  coverer,  chaliz, 
luminaire,  seinz  vestemenz  ou  autre  aornement  deglise  sunt 
plus  fondes  sur  covetise  qe  sur  amendement  dalmes,  desicom 
les  persones  de  eglises  en  font  a  reprendre  e  ne  mie  les 
parosiens  e  en  sunt  chargees  -par  le  tierz  de  lur  dimes.  Des 
dimes  notez  qe  puis  ceo  qe  eles  sont  offertes  a  dieu  sont  eles 
si  espiritueles  qe  eles  ne  sunt  dispendables  forqe  en  amones 
e  espiritalment,  car  mes  ne  sorit  convertibles  en  lais  us,  e 
dunt  si  ascun  parossien  pur  mal  de  la  persone  de  leglise 
retient  dimes,  ou  les  emble  ou  ne  les  rent  nient  duement  ou 
nient  pleinement,  pur  ceo  nest  il  mie  punissable  par  peine 
peccuniele  einz  est  par  corporele.  Pur  lescomenge  ne  '  nul 
peccunniele  ni  fet  a  demander  pur  restitucion  ou  satisfaccion 
nient  plus  qe  de  pain  ou  de  jeu  ;  e  si  demande  peccuniel 
icourge  la  prohibicion  itendra  lu,  e  de  mout  plus  fort  en 
demandes  de  pensions,  .ou  de  damages  de  trespas,  ou  de 
defamacion,  mes  es  plez  de  correccions,  ou  len  ne  plede  forqe 
sur  amendement  soulement  dalme  par  issue  de  peine  cor- 
porele, ne  tient  mie  lu  la  roiale  prohibicion. 


[Ch.  VII, 1     Pur  estahit  des  marchauns. 

Le  novel  estatiit  de  dettes  est  contraire  a  droit,  sicom 
piert  el  cbapitre  des  contractz  ;  car  chescun  enpr/sonment 
de  cors  de  homme  est  pecche  si  non  pur  torcenous  jugement.^ 


'  Ne  with  a  capital.  "        ^  Corr.  emprisonment  (?). 


OF  ABUSES.  199 

out  of  place,'  and  they  who  avow  it  meddle  so  as  to  decrease 
the  king's  jurisdiction  and  helie  their  faith  to  the  king. 

The  other  articles,  which  would  compel  parishioners  to 
enclose  churchyards,  to  make  oblations,  to  give  mortuaries, 
to  pay  money  for  confessions,  for  the  blessed  bread,  for  the 
roofing  of  churches,  for  chalices,  lights,  holy  vestments,  or 
other  ornaments  of  the  churches,  are  founded  rather  on 
covetousness  than  on  the  amendment  of  souls,  since  the 
parsons  of  the  churches  are  to  be  reprehended  in  this 
respect  and  not  the  parishioners,  and  are  to  be  charged  for 
these  things  to  the  extent  of  one-third  of  their  tithes.  As 
to  tithes,  note  that  so  soon  as  they  are  offered  to  God  they 
are  things  spiritual  so  that  they  may  not  be  expended  save 
in  alms  and  for  spiritual  purposes  and  are  not  to  be  con- 
verted to  lay  uses ;  and  therefore  if  any  parishioner,  to  the 
wrong  of  the  parson  of  the  church,  retains  tithes,  or  sub- 
tracts them,  or  will  not  render  them  duiy  and  fully,  he  is 
to  be  punished  for  this  not  by  a  pecuniary  but  by  corporal 
punishment.  From  the  excommunicated  no  money  is  to  be 
demanded  for  their  restitution  to  communion,  no  more  than 
from  a  pagan  or  a  Jew  ;  and  if  money  be  demanded,  then 
the  prohibition  is  in  place ;  and  a  mnlto  fortiori  is  it  in 
place  if  there  be  a  demand  for  a  pension,  or  for  damages 
for  trespass  or  defamation,  but  in  pleas  for  correction, 
where  the  plea  only  makes  for  the  amendment  of  the  soul 
by  means  of  corporal  punishment,  there  the  king's  prohi- 
bition has  no  place.'^ 

[Ch.VII.']     Of  the  Statute  of  Merchants. 

The  new  statute  about  debts  is  contrary  to  law,  as  ap- 
pears in  our  chapter  on  contracts,'  for  every  imprisonment 
of  a  man's  body,  unless  it  be  for  a  wrongful  [imprison- 

'  Translation  doubtful.     The  text  expense  of    divine   service    on  the 

is  corrupt.  ptiraon    to    the    alleviation  of    the 

*  If  this  chapter  be  the  work  of  parishioners, 

an  ecclesiastic  or  a  canonist,  he  has  *  See    above,  p.   74.      The    new 

shown  a  singular  disregard  for  the  statute  is  the  Statute  Merchant,  13 

worldly  interests  of  hia  profession  ;  Edw.  I.     See  above,  p.  xxiv. 
in  particular,  when  he  throws  all  the 


200  DE   ABUSIONS. 

E  dreit  ne  soeffre  nul  obligacion  ne  nul  contract  vicious  par 
mesUure  de  pecchie.  E  pur  ceo  fet  anienter  quanqe  sur 
pecchie  est  fundie,  car  a  eel  contract  qe  nul  ne  face  pecchie 
de  li  memes  ou  a  son  proeine  ne  deit  nul  prodhome  ne  nul 
dreit  assentir.  Dautrepart  si  est  il  contraire  a  la  grande 
chartre  qe  dist  qe  nul  ne  soit  pris  nenpj-jsone  si  non  par 
loial  jugement  de  ses  piers  ou  par  lei  de  terre.  E  coment 
est  tenable  peine  denpWsonement  quant  ele  ne  se  tient '  en 
argent  ? 

lei  finist  le  mireour  des  Justices  des  droites  leis  ^  de 
pgrsones  solom  les  aunciens  usages  dengleterre. 


'  Corr.  scstint  (?)  '  A  full  stop. 


OF  ABUSES.  200 

ment],  is  a  sin ;  and  the  law  will  suffer  no  obligation  or 
contract  that  is  vicious  by  reason  of  an  intermixture  of  sin. 
And  therefore  the  statute  should  be  annulled  as  being 
founded  on  sin,  for  to  a  contract  which  obliges  a  man  to  sin 
against  himself  or  his  neighbour  no  good  man  and  no 
law  can  assent.  Further,  it  is  contrary  to  the  Great  Charter 
which  says,  '  Nullus  imprisonetur  nisi  per  legale  judicium 
parium  suorum  vel  per  legem  terrae ; '  and  how  can  the 
punishment  of  imprisonment  [for  debt]  hold  good  when  it 
does  not  issue  in  money  ?  ' 

Here  endeth  the  Mirror  of  Justices  concerning  the  right 
Law  of  Persons  according  to  the  ancient  usages  of  England. 


*  Translation  doubtful.    The  text  requires  amendment. 


1)  b 


INDEX. 


Abjuration,  law  as  to,  34 

and  see  Abuses 
Abuses,'  as  to,  155-175 

Abjuration,  [23,  24] 

Account,  [86,  87,  88,  123,  1241 

Advowson,  [82] 

Alienation,  [50,  151] 

Aliens,  [6,  69] 

Amercement,  [31,  32,  33,  34,  148] 

Appeals,  [45.  47,  48,  61,  66,  67] 

Approver,  [17,  18,  20,  21] 

Attaint,  [77] 

Attorney,  [102,  103,  104,  138] 

Aiidita  qttercla,  [140] 

Banishment,  [144] 

Battle,  trial  by,  [19,  126, 128, 129] 

Champion,  [152] 

Clerks,  [109,  110] 

Contracts,  [74,  81,  133] 

De  odio  et  atia,  [59,  60] 

Disseisins,  use  of  force  in,  [4] 

Distress,  [70,  80,  143,  146,  150] 

Englishry,  [25] 

Essoin,  [99,  100,  101] 

Exception,  [105] 

Exchequer,  [26,  27,  28,  29] 

Fealty,  oath  of,  [6] 

Fealty,   in   case   of    women    and 
clerks,  [7] 

Felony,  [44] 

Fugitives,  goods  of,  [15] 

Gaol.  [52,  5.1.  54] 

Gaol  delivery,  [55,  58] 


Abuses,  as  to  —continued 
Homage,  [137] 
Homicide,  [14,  108] 
Indictment,  [114,  115] 
Infamy,  [155] 
Infants,  [112] 
Judges,  [64,  65,  139] 
Jurisdiction,  [30,  36,  37,  116,  141] 
Juror,  [35,  134, 135,  136] 
King,  [153] 
King,  officer  of,  [38] 
Larceny,  [106] 

Law,  in  that  it  is  unwritten,  [3] 
Lease,  [83,  8i] 
Mainpernors,  [147] 
Mainprise,  [63] 
Money,  [10,  11,  12] 
Naam,  [78,  79] 
Ne  vexes,  [125] 
Novel  disseisin,  [76] 
Ordeal,  [127] 

Outlawry,  [16,  85,  119,  120] 
Parliament,  holding  of,  [2] 
Petty  cape,  [145] 
Plaint,  [71] 
Pleader,  [39,  41,  42] 
Pleading,  [112  a,  113] 
Pleas,  [111] 
Pone,  [142] 
Pound-weight,  [11] 
Prison  breach,  [8] 
Punishment,  [154] 
Rape,  [117,  118] 


'  The  numbers  withn  brackets  under  this  word  refer  to  the  number  of 
the  Abuse,  not  the  number  of  the  page. 

o  o  2 


202 


INDEX. 


Abuses,  as  to— continued 

Eight,  delay  of,  in  King's  court, 
[5] 

Sanctuary,  [22] 

Seisin,  [73,  74  a,  75] 

Serf,  [89,  90,  91,  92] 

Suitors,  [44] 

Summons,  [43,  94,  95,  9G,  97,  98] 

Treason,  appeals  of,  [13] 

Usurers,  [132] 

Villainage,  [72,  93] 

Wardship,  [49,  51] 

Warranty,  [106,  130,  131] 

Writ,  [9,  62,  68] 
Accessories,  species  of,  31 

procedure  against,  in  mortal  ac- 
tions, 63 

procedure  against,  in    venial   ac- 
tions, 63 
Accords,  118-119 
Account,  exception  in  action  of,  107, 

108 
Achievment  to  superior  lord,  130 
Actions,  definition  and  classification 
of,  43 

how  commenced,  45,  48 

order  of  proof  in,  55 

when  infamous,  134 
Advowson,  within  the  assize  of  novel 
disseisin,  68 

no  dower  of,  75 

partition  of,  75 

restriction  on  alienation  of,  75, 76 
Adultery,  definition  of,  29 
Aeromancy,  16 

Aids,  when  payable  by  tenant,  13 
Alfred,  King,  8 

old  rolls  of  time  of,  54 
Alien,  appeal  by,  36 

residence  of,  14 
Alienation,  none  of  lands  to  foreign- 
ers, 13 

power  of,  as  to  fee,  12 
Alliance,  how  created,  21 
Almayne  (Germany),  6 

usage  as  to  those  indicted  in,  46 
Amercements,  certain  and. uncertain, 
150 

for  escape,  150,  151 

how  taxed,  151 


Amercements   under  Magna   Carta, 

151 
And  see  Abuses 
Apostacy,  15 
Appeals,  50,  51,  53 

And  see  Abuses 
Approvers,  exception  against,  99 

And  see  Abuses 
Arson,  22 

appeal  of,  55 

appeal  of,  answer  in  case  of,  101 

appeal  of,  forms  of,  55,  56 

duties  of  coroners  at  arsons,  32 

how  punished,  135 
Arthur,  King,  3 
Aruspex,  16 
Assize,  meaning  of  the  tei'm,  65 

division  into  gi'and  and  petty,  65 

mesne  process  in  petty,  126 

of  bread  and  beer,  40 
Astrier,  meaning  of  term,  77 

can  be  sold  but  not  devised,  77 
Attachment,  48 
Attaint,  effects  of,  140,  141 

order  of,  116 

procedure  in,  115 
Attainted  persons,  cannot  be  judges, 

44 
Attorney,  cannot  be  a  judge,  44 

disseisin  by,  68 

exception  to  person  of,  96 

in  what  actions  not  allowed,  88 

none    for    defendant   in   personal 
action,  88 

power  of,  88 

suit  of  court  by,  38 

when  not  receivable,  87 

who  can  be,  88 
Augustine,  Saint,  16 

Bail,  who  deliverable  on,  52,  53 

Bailiff,  court  of  King's,  37 
liability  of,  to  lord,  76 
writ  of  account  lies  against,  76 
writ  of   account,    mesne  proces 
on,  76 

Bailment,  76 

Bastard,  50 

Battle,  trial  by,  109-111 
form  of  oath  in,  111,  112 


INDEX. 


203 


Battle,  order  of,  112 
Beau  Pleder,  26 

Bigamy,  certificate  of  ordinary,  as  to, 
93 

how  committed,  93 

trial  in  lay  court,  93 
Bracton,  11,  25,  31,  35,  133 

the  author's  obligations  to,  xxxiv, 

XXXV 

Bradshaw,  quotes  the  Mirror,  ix 
Britannia  Major,  G 
Britons,  overthrow  of,  6 
Britton,  xxxvi 

Canaan,  77 

Canon  Law,  references  to,  5,  IC,  23, 

77,78 
Carriage,  26 

Challenge,  manner  of,  against  jurors, 
116 

trial  of,  117 
Champion,  130-132 

challenge  of,  131 
Cheminage,  26 

Christian  faith  those  not  of,  cannot 
be  essoiners,  83 

those  not  of,  cannot  be  judges,  44 

those  not  of,  may  not  contract,  73 
Clergy,  benefit  of,  defeated  by  repli- 
cation of  bigamy  and  other  re- 
plications, 92 

exception  of,  92 

exception  of,  when  allowed,  92 

form  of  replication  of  bigamy,  92 

not  to  prevent  procedure  against 
accessories,  92 

procedure   against  clerk  if  war- 
ranted, 92 
Clerk,    above    sub  -  deacon    cannot 
plead,  47 

beneficed,  cannot  plead,  47 

procedure  against  criminous,  92 
Coin,  King's  prerogative  as  to,  8 

to  be  of  silver,  11 
Coke,  ix 

Common  Law,  meaning  of,  5 
Consanguinity,  definition  of,  21 
Consideration,  failure  of,  74 
Consistory,  held  by  God,  44 
Conspirator,  40 


Constitution,  8 
Contract,  definition  of,  73 

species  of,  73 

who  may  make,  73 

unlawful,  74 

void,  74 

creating  serfage,  80 

And  see  Abuses 

Coroner,  duties  of,  10,  29 

at  the  view  of  a  corpse,  29,  30 

institution  of,  9 

liability  of,  10 

presentments  by,  10 

species  of,  29 
Count,  exceptions  based  on,  97,  99 
County  Court,  an  inferior  court,  37 

judges  in,  37 

meeting  of,  9 

action  of  naifty  in,  79 
Courtesy,  14 
Criminal,  disabilities  of,  45,  47,  73 

Damage  fesant,  70 
Damages  in  larceny  and  robbery,  150 
Darcin  presentment,  assize  of,  65 
David,  77 

Dc  odio  ct  atia,  53,  161 
Debt,  satisfaction  of,  148 
Defaults,  after  summons,  process  in, 
129 

efifect  of  outlawry  for,  125 

how  punished,  125 

how  punished  in  mixed  actions, 
127 

how  punished  in  real  actions,  127 

how  punished   in  venial  actions, 
126 

no  distraint  by  body  if  freeman 
has  lands,  126,  127 

in  render  of  services,  129 
Deodand,  species  of,  31 

what  can  be,  31 
Descent  of  estates   of  inheritance, 

13 
Devise  to  executors,  74 
Disparagement,  a  sin  forbidden,  74 
Disseisin,  66 

by  attorneys,  68 

by  force  and  arms,  149 

by  justices,  68 


204 


INLEX. 


Disseisin,  of  reversioner  by   tenant 
in  tail,  OcJ 

process  in  action,  as  to  jurors,  148 

process  in  action,  based  on,  104, 
149 

process  in  action,  damages,  149 
Distress,  none  of  movables,  13 

taking  unlawful,  larceny,  26 
And  see  Abuses 
Disturbance,  definition  of,  67 
Divination,  sjDecies  of,  16 
Dower,  creation  of,  12 

forfeiture  of,  by  widows,  12 

none  of  advowson,  75 
Durham,  omission  of,  7 

Edward  I.,  28,  151,  152 
-  statute  as  to  rape,  141 

limitation  of  punishment  for  lar- 
ceny, 141 
Edward  II.,  141 
Edward  the  Confessor,  his  inquest 

as  to  villain  service,  81 
Ejectment,  definition  of,  67 
Emperor,  123,  195 
England,  naming  of,  6 
English,  coming  of  the,  6 
Englishry,  presentment  of,  35 

And  see  Abuses 
Escape,  amercement  for,  52, 150, 151 

from  private  prison,  52 
Escheat  of  lands  of  usurers,  13 
Essoiners,  exception  to  person  of,  96 
Essoins,  13,  41,  82-84 
Exception,  definition  and  species,  91 

form  of,  93,  94 

against  approvers,  99 

based  on  defect  in  commission  or 
writ,  94 

based  on  defect  in  summons,  97 

bafced  on  imprisonment,  96 

based  on  infancy,  96 

based  on  place,  96 

based  on  time,  95 

exception   to   the   person    of   the 
judge,  95 

to  the  power  of  the  judge,  91,  92 

to  the  person  of  the  plaintiff,  96 

in    action    concerning     treasure 
trove,  114 


Exception,  in  action  of  account,  107, 
108 

in  action  as  to  purprestures,  114 

in  action  of  naifty,  108 

in  action  of  personal  trespass,  113 

in  action  of  usury,  114 

in  action  for  wreck,  114 

in  appeal  of  arson,  101 

in  appeal  of  hamsoken,  102 

in  appeal  of  homicide,  101 

in  appeal  of  imprisonment,  103 

in  appeal  of  lai'ceny,  102 

in  appeal  of  larceny  founded  on 
distress,  102 

in  appeal  of  larceny  founded  on 
franchise,  102 

in  appeal  of  mayhem,  103 

in  appeal  of  rape,  103 

in  appeal  of  treason,  100 

to  writ  against  disseisor,  105-107 
Exchequer,  barons  of,  11,  36 

constitution  of  court  of,  36 

duties  of  court  of,  36 

larceny,  how  committed  by  officials 
of,  26 

And  see  Abuses 
Excommunicates,   cannot  be  essoi- 
ners,  83 

cannot  be  judges,  44 

cannot  bring  action,  45 

cannot  contract,  73 

may  not  be  pleaders,  47 
Executors,  devise  to,  74 
Exigent  against  appellees,  51 

process  of,  51 
Exile,  cannot  bring  action,  45 
Eyre,  justices  commissary  in,  46 

of  king,  46 

powers  of  justices  therein,  66 

the  articles  of,  146 

the  office  of  justices  in,  145,  152 

Fairs,  tolls  at,  14 

False  imprisonment,  appeal  of,  58 

Falsification,  appeal  of,  54 

power  of  judge  ex  officio  in  appeal 
of,  54 

procedure  in  appeal  of,  54 

form  of  indictment  for,  60 

species  of,  20 


INDEX. 


205 


Fealty,  annexed  to  homage,  117,  118 
confederation  by  oath  of,  101 
oath  of,  41, 117 
those  exempt  from  taking,  41 
And  see  Abuses 
Fee  farm,  no  contract  for  perpetual, 

75 
Fee  simple,  alienation  by  tenant  in,  69 
Fee  tail,  alienation  by  tenant  in,  68, 

69 
Fee  tenant,  court  of  lord,  11 
Felons,  cannot  contract,  73 

chattels  of,  8 
Felony,  appeals  of,  instituted,  11 
appeals  of,  45 
appeals  of  notorious,  48 
appeals  of  not  notorious,  49 
married  woman  may  answer  with- 
out husband,  91 
outlawry  for,  11 
pleading  in  case  of,  99 
pledges  for  pursuit  of  appeal  of,  49 
Fetters,  weight  of,  52 
Filstales,  27 
Foreigners,    not    summonable,    but 

naamable,  70 
Forfeiture,   by  non-performance   of 
service,  12 
none  by  wrongdoing  of  heir  appa- 
rent, 12 
Fornication,  definition  of,  29 
France,  law  of,  as  to  prison  breach, 

156 
Franchise,  forfeiture  of,  147, 148 
king  can  revoke,  147 
no  prescription  for,  against  king, 
113 
Frank  marriage,  gift  in,  69 
Frankpledge,  view  of,  articles  at,  39 
essoins  at,  41 

hundredors'  duty  as  to,  39 
institution  of,  9 
manner  of  taking,  39 
perjury  of  jurors  at,  41 
those  exempt  from,  39 
Fugitives,  33 
chattels  of,  8 
lawful  to  slay,  33 
slaying  of,  189 
And  see  Abuses 


Gaol,  institution  of,  reason  for,  62 

what  is  a,  52 
And  see  Abuses 
Gentile,  77 
Geomancy,  16 
Gift,  must  be  in  perpetuity,  75 

void  if  owner  be  not  seised,  75 
Glanvill,  Randulf  de,  opinion  as  to 
deodands,  31 

ordains  assize  of  novel  disseisin, 
65 

ordinance  as  to  tortious  distress,  72 

ordinance  as  to  order  of  proof,  141 
Goliath,  77 

Green  wax,  seals  of,  in  Exchequer,  37 
Guerdon,  king's,  46 

necessity  of,  46 

Hagiographers,  2 
Ham,  son  of  Noah,  77 
Hamsoken,  appeal  of,  exception  in, 
102 
appeal  of,  form  of,  58 
definition  of,  28 
species  of,  28 
Henry  I.,  ordinance  of,  as  to  appeals 
of  homicide,  136 
ordinance  of,  as  to  defendants  in 

venial  personal  actions,  64 
ordinance  of,  as  to  indictments,  59 
ordinance  of,  as  to  courtesy,  14 
ordinance   of,  as  to   guerdons  in 

actions,  47 
ordinance  of,  as  to  mainpernors, 

136 
ordinance  of,  as  to  plaintiffs,  14 
ordinance   of,   as   to  pleading  in 

mortal  actions,  141,  142 
ordinance   of,   as   to   property  of 

felons,  140 
restrains  appeals  of  homicide,  50 
Henry    II.,    ordinance    of,     as     to 

tournaments,  32 
Henry  III.,  enactment   as   to  sanc- 
tuary, 34 
ordinance  oi,  52 
Heresy,   forms   of    indictment    for, 
59,  60 
proof  of,  15 
species  of,  15 


206 


INDEX. 


Heretic,  may  not  be  a  pleader,  47 

Holy  Writ,  2 

Homage,  manner  of  doing,  117 

only  due  from  a  knight's  fee,  75 

by  serf,  frees  him,  78 
Homicide,  definition,  22 

species  and  classification  of,  22, 
23, 135-139 

appeal  of,  form  of,  56,  57 

appeal   of,    by   whom   it   can   be 
brought,  50 

appeal  of,  defences  to,  101,  102 

punishment  for,  135 

And  see  Abuses 

Horn,  Andrew,  xii,  xv,  1 

as  a  canonist,  xvii,  xviii 

his  will,  xiv 

was  he  in  prison,  xxii 

was  he  the  author  of  the  Mirror, 
1,  li 
Houard,  xi 
Hue  and  cry,  11 

inquiry  as  to,  at  view  of  frank- 
pledge, 39 
■    under  Statute  of  Winchester,  48 
Hughes,  translation  of  the  Mirror 

by,  xi 
Hundred,  court  of,  its  jurisdiction,  37 

division  of  kingdom  into,  7 
Hundredors,  duty  of,  7 

to  take  view  of  frankpledge,  39 
Hunting,  115 
Hydromancy,  10 


Idiot,  cannot  be  a  judge,  44 

cannot  be  an  essoiner,  83 

cannot  bring  action  without  guar- 
dian, 45 

cannot  be  guilty  of  homicide,  138 

cannot  contract,  73 

ordinance    by  Eobert   Walerand, 
138 
Imprisonment,    dilatory     exception 
based  upon,  96 

exception  in  appeal  of,  103 

.  homicide  by,  23,  24 

private,  when  lawful,  24 

species  of,  23 
Incest,  definition  of,  29 


Indenture,  when  necessary,  75 
Indictment,  exception  to,  based  on 
invalidity,  100 

none  for  laesa   tnajestas  against 
earthly  king,  59 

procedure  on,  59 
Infamous  person,  133,  134 

disabilities  of,  44,  82 
Infancy,   dilatory    exception    based 

upon,  96 
Infant,  cannot  be  a  judge,  44 

cannot  be  an  essoiner,  83 

cannot  be  a  pleader,  47 

cannot  be  a  summoner,  82 

cannot  bring  action  without  guar- 
dian, 45 

contract  of   matrimony   between, 
formerly  prohibited,  74 

homicide  by,  139 

homicide  of,  139 

suspension  of  appeal  of,  50 

under  seven  cannot  be  guilty  of 
homicide,  138 
Inquest,  articles  at  coroner's,  30 
Israelites,  77 


Japhet,  77 

Johannes  Andreae,  his  definition  of 

consanguinity,  21 
John,  King,  35 
Judge  ex  officio,  power  of,  in  appeal 

of  falsification,  54 
Judges,  species  of,  44,  91,  92 

who  may  and  who  may  not  be,  44 

the  hanging  of  the  false,  166-170 
And  see  Abuses 
Judgment,  based  on  jurisdiction,  121 

causes  for  arrest  of,  141 

how  to  be  pronounced,  121 

meanings  of,  124,  125 

necessity   that   there    should    be 
three  persons,  43 

points   to   be   considered  in  per- 
sonal, 133 

species  of,  125 
Jurisdiction,    supreme  in  Pope  and 
Emperor,  123 

sovereign,  belongs  to  king,  8 

species  of,  124 


INDEX. 


207 


Jurisdiction,  delegate,  created  only 
by  king's  writ,  122 
And  see  Writ 
delegate,  forms   of    commissions, 

123 
ordinary,  121,  122 
ordinary,  restraint  of,  121 
And  see  Abuses 
Jurors,  at  inquests  of  coroners,  30-33 
pay  of,  47 

pay  of,  at  inquests  of  office,  47 
Justices,  disseisin  by,  68 

duties  appertaining  to  chief,  124 
punishment  of  false  delegate,  143 
punishment  of  false  ordinary,  143, 
144 

King,  eyres  of,  59,  145 
eyres  of,  inquiries  at,  45 
eyres  of,  procedure  at,  46 
death  of,  effect  of,  103 
justiciable  in  Parliament,  7 
things  belonging  to,  8 
writs  available  against,  11 
time   does  not  run  against,   107, 
113 
And  see  Abuses 
Knight's  fee,  12 

Knut,  ordinance  as  to  mainpernors, 
136 
ordinance  as  to  murdrum,  35 

Lacsa  Majestas,  species  of,  15 

no  indictment  for,  53 

punishment  for,  135 
Larceny,  definition  of,  25 

species  of,  25 

ways  of  committing,  25-28 

appeals  of,  forms  of,  67 

appeals  of,  exceptions  in,  102 

indictment  for,  form  of,  60 

punishment  of,  139,  141 

punishment  of,  double  damages  in 
venial  action,  150 
And  see  Abuses 
Lay  court,  jurisdiction  of,  50 
Lease,  for  more  than  forty  years,  75 
Lepers,  disabilities  and  exemptions, 

39,  44,  45,  47 
Leuthfred,  stfttute  of,  107,  152 


Lex  talionis,  49,  142 
Liebermann,  Dr.,  xv,  xviii 
Limitation    of    actions,  Thurmod's 

ordinance  as  to,  107 
Lucifer,  the  false  judges  compared 

to,  143 
Lunatic,  disabilities,  44,  73 

homicide  by,  138 

Mahomet,  16,  60 
Mainpernors,  83,  128 

ordinances  as  to,  136 
Marriage,  of  heirs  and  widows,  12, 13 
"^  Married  woman,  45,  91 
Matrimony,  the  perfect  contract,  80, 
93 

between  infants,  74 
Mayhem,  definition  of,  24 

appeal  of,  58 
Menee,  30 

Merchant,  foreign,  14 
Merchetum,  81 

Mirror  of   Justices,  authorship  of, 
XXV,  xxvi 

author's  motives,  xxviii  et  seq. 

author's  falsehood,  xxvi 

date  of,  xxiv 

manuscripts  of,  xi,  xv,  xviii 
Money,  not  to  be  carried  out  of  realm, 
18 

falsification  of,  20 
And  see  Abuses 
Mort  d'ancestor,  assize  of,  65 
Moses,  doctor  of  law,  5 
Muniment,  simple,  what  is  a,  75 

simple,  differs  from  an  indenture, 
75 
Murage,  26 
Murdrum,  36 

Naam,  species  of,  70 

who  can  naam,  70 

time  and  place  of  seizure,  70,  71 

what  things  can  be  seized,  71 
Naif,  definition  of,  77 
Naifty,  action  of,  76,  77 

how  commenced,  77,  79 

commencement  of,  bars  recapture, 
79 

exceptions  io,  79, 108 


208 


INDEX. 


^e  vexes,  81 

Novel  disseisin,  Assize  of,  instituted 
by  Eandulf  de  Glanvill,  65 
meaning  of  term  novel,  66 
scope  of,  66,  67,  68 
not  available  for  movables,  67 
available  for  advowson,  67 
can  be  had  by  tenant  for  years,  67 
can  be  had  where  tenant  in  tail 

alienates,  68 
lies  against  guardians  and  farmers, 
68,69 
And  see  Abuses 
Nullum  tempus  occurrit  regi,  107, 
113 

Oath,  form  of  common,  118 
Obligation,  definition  of,  73 

exception  based  on,  115 
Ordeal,  110 

Ordination,  restriction  of,  14,  78 
Outlaw,  disabilities  of,  45,  73 
Outlawry,    none     save    for    mortal 
felony,  11,  152 

grounds  for  setting  aside,  104 

effect  of,  125,  126 
And  see  Abuses 

Palgrave,  Sir  F.,  as  to  the  Mirror,  x 
Parliament,  holding  of,  3,  155 
Pateshull,  Martin  of,  147 
Pavage,  26 

Perjury,  a  species  of  laesa  majestas, 
16 
by  king's  officers,  17,  18,  19 
species    of,    by    encroaching    on 

king's  jurisdiction,  17 
species  of,   by  unwarrantably  as- 
suming jurisdiction,  17 
species  of,  by  taking  abjurations 

without  authority,  17 
species  of,  by  tampering  with  roll 

of  coroner,  17 
species  of,  by  coroners,  17 
species  of,  by  judges,  17 
species   of,  by  remitting  punish- 
ment without  warrant,  17 
species  of,  by  holding  pleas  with- 
out the  king's  warrant,  18 


Perjury,  species  of,  by  cursing  or  ex- 
communicating the  king,  18 
species  of,  by  default  in  military 

service,  18 
species  of,  by  connivance  at  such 

default,  18 
species  of,  by  wrongfully  refusing 

writs,  18 
species  of,  by  wrongful  execution 

of  judgment,  18 
species  of,  by  falsely  accounting 

to  the  king,  18 
species  of,  by  falsely  charging  the 

king,  18 
species  of,  by  escheators,  19 
species  of,  by  sheriffs,  19 
punishment  for,  144 
Pipowder,  courts  of,  9 
Plaintiffs,  who  are,  45 
who  cannot  be,  45 
approvers  as,  45 
must  find  security,  47 
exceptions  to  person  of,  96 
Pleaders,  who  are,  and  their  duties, 
47 
who  cannot  be,  47 
necessity  for,  90 
oath  of,  48 
salary  of,  47,  48 
salary  of,  how  estimated,  48 
suspension  of,  48 
And  see  Abuses 
Pledges,  128 
Pone,  writ  of,  123,  124 
Pope,  5,  78,  123 

Presentation    to    churches,     within 
assize  of  novel  disseisin,  68 
purchase  of,  68 
Prison,  52 
Prisoner,  33 
Proof,  in  appeal  of  falsification,  54 

order  of,  in  action,  55 
Punishment,  species  of,  132, 133, 142 
Purprestures,  17,  39 

Quarantine,  34,  35 
Quitclaim,  75 

Rape,  definition  and  species  of,  28,  29 
punishment,  28,  141 


INDEX. 


209 


Rape,  statute  of  Edward  I.  as  to,  28, 
141 

appeal  of,  59,  103 
And  see  Abuses 
Record,  proof  by,  109 
Religion,  men  of,  their  disabilities, 

45,  47,  91 
Rent,  reservation  of,  on  lease,  75 
Replevin,  72 
Replication,  55,  91 
Rex  fungitur  vice  minoiis,  60 
Richard,  King,  132 
Robbery,  hpw  committed,  25 

appeals  of,  57,  72 

punishment,  141 

punishment,  fourfold  damages  in 
venial  action,  150 

Sachsenspiegel,  xxxi 
Sale,  74,  75 
Sanctuary,  34 

And  see  Abuses 
Saxons,  6 
Scutage,  13 
Seigniory,  sovereign,  belongs  to  king, 

8 
Serfs,  derivation  of  word,  77 

how  men  become,  77,  80 

disabilities  of,  44,  45,  79,  82,  83, 
91 

how  they  become  free,  78 

distinction  between  serfs  and  vil- 
lains, 79 
Services  and  customs,  Writ  of,  129 
Sheriff,  to  summon  county  court,  9 

larceny  by,  27 

perjury  by,  19 

court  of,  where  to  be  held,  87 
Sins,  classification  of,  15,  48,  49,  50, 

61,62 
Socage  fee,  12 
Sodomy,  15,  32,  53 
Soken, 8 
Sorcery,  15 
Statutes  — 

Circumspecte  agatis,  198 

of  Gloucester,  197 

Magna  Carta,  175 

Magna  Carta,  c.   xx.   (1315),  80, 
151 


Statutes  —continued 
of  Marlborough,  183 
of  Marlborough,  c.  x.,  38 
of  Merton,  182 
of  Mortmain,  7  Edw.  I.,  181 
of  Westminster  I.,  184 
of  Westminster  I.,  c.  iii.,  52 
of  Westminster  I.,  c.  xi.,  180 
of  Westminster  I.,  c.  xviii.,  151 
of  Westminster  II.,  189 
of  Westminster  II.,  c.  xviii.,  152 
of  Westminster  II.,  c.  xx.,  66 
of  Westminster  II.,  c.  xxxiv.,  28 
of  Winchester,  27 
of  Winchester,  c.  i.,  48 

Stuprum,  definition  of,  29 

Suit  of  court,  37 

Summoners,  47,  82 

Summons,  81,  82,  97 

Termor,   has   assize   of    novel   dis- 
seisin, 67 
Theft,  warranty  in  action  of,  98 
Theftbote,  60 

Time,  exceptions  founded  on,  95 
Torture,  52 

Toui-naraents,  misadventures  at,  32 
Treason,  definition  of,  21 

appeals  of,  54,  55,  100,  101 

no  indictment  for,  53,  60 
Treasure-trove  belongs  to  king,  8 

inquiry  as  to,  32,  39 

exception  in  action  as  to,  114 
Trespass,   exception    in    action   of, 

113 
Turn,  institution  of,  9 

holding  of,  by  sheriff,  38 

Statute  of  Marlborough  as  to  at- 
tendance at,  38 

Usury,  larceny  by,  27 
avoids  a  contract,  74 
exception  to  action  of,  114 
by  Christian  usurer,  39 

Utrum,  assize,  65 

Fm  eU  naatn,  species  of,  71 
personal  trespass,  72 
procedure  in  respect  of,  72 


210 


INDEX. 


Vee  dc  naam,  when  appeal  of  robbery 
lies,  72 
when  writ  of  replevin,  72 
when  assize  of  novel  disseisin,  72 
what  falls  under  plaint  of,  72,  73 
forms  of  count  in  plaint  for,  73 
Villain,  79,  80,  81 

Villainage,  tenement  in,  recoverable 
by  assize  of  novel  disseisin,  68 
And  see  Abuses  and  Serfs 


Waif,  39 

Walerand,  Eobert,  138 

Wapentake,  8 

Ward,  73,  83 

Wardship,  13,  96 
And  see  Abuses 

Warranty,  75,  91,  97,  98 

Waste,  king's  right  to  waste  lands 
of  felons,  13 
remedy   by    assize  of   novel  dis- 
seisin, 69 


Waste,  exception  to  action  for,  115 
Wine,  sale  of,  13 

Woman,  disabilities  of,  45,  47,  82, 
83 

serf,   enfranchised    by   free   mar- 
riage, 78 

punishment   of,    for  crime,    139, 
140 
Wounding,  32,  33,  58 
Wreck,  32,  39,  114 
Writ,  right  form  of,  122 

remedial  form  of,  10 

abuses  of  close  writs,  123 

Audita  querela,  174 

Conspiracy,  174 

Consuetudines  et  scrvitia,  87,  129 

De  odio  et  atia,  53,  161 

De  rationabilibus  divisis,  87 

Monstravit  de  compoto,  172 

Po7ie,  123,  124,  190 

Ne  vexes,  81,  173 

Qua  jure,  87 

Qua  waranto,  173 


or  THE 

l^N/VERSITY 


rnixTEn  by 

SrOTTlSWOODB    AND    CO.,    VKW-STIiEBT    SQUARB 
LONDOK 


Selben   Society, 


FOUNDED    1887. 

To  Encourage  the  Study  and  Advance  the  Knowledge  of  the  History  of  English  Law. 


patrons : 

HER   MAJESTY   THE   QUEEN. 

HIS   ROYAL   HIGHNESS   THE   PRINCE   OF   WALES. 

HIS    ROYAL    HIGHNESS   THE    DUKE    OF    YORK. 

HIS  EXCELLENCY  THE   HON.  T.   F.   BAYARD,   United  States  Ambassador. 

president : 
The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Herschell. 

\Dlce»presiOents : 
The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Justice  Lindley.  The  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Romer. 


The  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Bruce. 
Mr.  a.  M.  Channell,  Q.C. 
Sir  H.  W.  Elphinstone,  Bart 
Mr.  M.  Ingle  Joyce. 
Mr.  B.  G.  Lake. 


Council : 
Mr.  H.  C.  Maxwell  Lyte,  C.B. 
Mr.  a.  Stuart  Moore. 
Mr.  R.  Pennington. 
Sir  F.  Pollock,  Bart. 
Mr.  W.  C.  Renshaw,  Q.C. 


Mr.  S.  R.  Scargill-Bird. 

The  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Stirling. 

Mr.  J.  Westlake,  Q.C. 

His  Honour  Judge   Meadows 
White. 


The  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Wills. 

Xiterarg  director :  Professor  F.  W.  Maitland  (Downing  College,  Cambridge). 

auditors:  Mr.  J.  W.  Clark,  Mr.  Hubert  Hall. 

fjonorarg  Secretary:   Mr.  B.  Fossett  Lock  (5  New  Square,  Lincoln's  Inn,  London). 

DonorarB  G^reasurer :   Mr.  Francis  K.  Munton  (95A  Queen  Victoria  Street,  London). 


Annual  Subscription 


.    ONE  GUINEA. 


Persons  .becoming  Members  may  subscribe  for  all  or  any  of  the  preceding  years  of  the 
Society's  existence,  and  in  that  case  will  be  entitled  to  a  copy  of  the  publications  issued  for  each 
year  for  which  they  may  subscribe. 

Non-members  can  obtain  the  Society's  publications  from 

Mr.  B.  Quaritch,   15  Piccadilly,  I^ndon,  W. 


PUBLICATIONS. 


The  volumes  already  published  are 

Vol.  I.,  for  1887.  SELECT  PLEAS  OF  THE  CROWN.  Vol.  L,  a.d.  1200-1225.  Edited,  from  the 
Rolls  preserved  in  H.M.  Public  Record  Office,  by  F.  W.  Maitland,  Downing  Professor  of  the  Laws 
of  England,  Cambridge.     With  Facsimile.     Crown  4to.     Price  to  non-members,  28^-. 

A  selection  from  the  earliest  records  of  English  criminal  justice.  These  criminal  cases  throw  much 
light  on  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people  ;  they  illustrate  the  working  of  the  ordeals  of  fire  and 
water,  and  show  how  a  substitute  was  gradually  found  in  trial  by  jury.  They  are  mostly  cases  of  felony, 
but  care  has  been  taken  to  collect  whatever  throws  light  on  the  procedure  of  the  Local  Courts,  the 
system  of  frankpledge,  the  organisation  of  counties  and  boroughs  for  judicial  purposes,  &c.,  &c. 


Vol.  IL,  for  1888.  SELECT  PLEAS  IN  MANORIAL  and  other  SEIGNORIAL  COURTS.  Vol. 
I.,  Henry  III.  and  Edward  I.  Edited,  from  the  earliest  Rolls  extant,  by  Professor  F.  W.  Maitland. 
Ciown  4to.     Price  to  non-members,  28^. 

A  selection  from  the  oldest  manorial  records.  These  embrace  the  whole  legal  life  and  much  of 
the  social  life  of  a  mediaeval  village  ;  including  land  held  on  villain  tenure,  services,  rights  of  common, 
personal  actions  for  debt  and  trespass,  leet  and  criminal  jurisdiction,  misdemeanours,  the  system  of  local 
police  and  frankpledge,  trading  communities,  and  the  law  merchant  as  administered  at  a  great  fair. 
The  selections  are  from  the  rolls  of  the  manors  of  the  Abbey  of  Bee  in  13  counties,  of  the  honour  of 
the  Abbot  of  Ramsay  in  seven  counties,  his  fair  of  S.  Ives,  and  his  manors  in  Huntingdon,  and  of  other 
manors  in  Berks  and  Wilts. 


Vol.  III.,  for  1889.  SELECT  CIVIL  PLEAS.  Vol.  I.,  a.d.  1200-1203.  Edited,  from  the  Plea  Rolls 
preserved  in  H.M.  Public  Record  Office,  by  W.  Paley  Baildon,  F.S.A.,  of  Lincoln's  Inn,  Barrister- 
at-Iaw.     Crown  4to.     Price  to  non-members,  28J. 

A  selection  from  the  earliest  records  of  civil  litigation.  These  consist  largely  of  actions  relating  to 
land,  either  directly,  as  in  the  various  assises,  writs  of  right  and  of  entry,  actions  for  dower,  &c.  ;  or 
indirectly,  as  for  feudal  services,  tolls,  franchises,  rivers,  &c.  Others  do  not  concern  land.  The  extracts 
illustrate  the  gradual  evolution  of  the  different  forms  of  action,  both  real  and  personal. 


Vol.  IV.,  for  1890.  THE  COURT  BARON:  Precedents  of  Pleading  in  Manorial  and  other 
Local  Courts.  Edited,  from  MSS.  of  the  I4ih  and  15th  Centuries,  by  Professor  F.  W.  Maitland 
and  W.  Paley  Baildon.     Crown  4to.     Price  to  non-members,  28j. 

This  volume  contains  four  treatises  on  the  business  of  Manorial  and  other  Local  Courts,  with 
precedents  ;  and  throws  light  on  the  procedure  and  pleading.  To  these  are  added  some  very 
interesting  extracts  from  the  rolls  of  the  Court  of  the  Bishop  of  Ely  at  Liltleport  in  the  Fens 
(principally  during  the  reign  of  Edward  II.) 


Vol.  v.,  for  1891.  THE  LEET  JURISDICTION  in  the  CITY  OF  NORWICH.  Edited,  from  the 
Leet  Rolls  of  the  13th  and  14th  Centuries  in  the  possession  of  the  Corporation,  by  the  Rev.  W. 
Hudson,  M.A.     With  Map  and  Facsimile.     Crown  4to.     Price  to  non-members,  28^. 

This  volume  deals  with  mediaeval  municipal  life  ;  the  municipal  development  of  a  chartered  borough 
with  leet  jurisdiction,  the  early  working  of  the  frankpledge  system  ;  and  generally  with  the  judicial,  com- 
mercial, and  social  arrangements  of  one  of  the  largest  cities  of  the  kingdom  at  the  close  of  the  13th 
century. 

Vol.  VI.,  for  1892.  SELECT  PLEAS  of  the  COURT  OF  ADMIRALTY.  Vol  I.,  a.d.  1390  1404  and 
A.D.  1 527-1 545.  Edited  by  Reginald  G.  Marsden,  of  the  Inner  Temple,  Barrister-at  law.  With 
Facsimile  of  the  ancient  Seal  of  the  Court  of  Admiralty.     Crown  4to.     Price  to  non-members,  28^. 

The  business  of  the  High  Court  of  Admiralty  was  very  considerable  during  the  reigns  of  Henry 
VIII.,  of  Elizabeth,  and  of  the  Stuarts,  and  played  an  important  part  in  the  development  of  commercial 
law.  There  is  in  the  Records  much  curious  information  upon  trade,  navigation,  and  shipping,  and  the 
claims  of  the  King  of  England  to  a  lordship  over  the  surrounding  seas. 


Vol,  VII.,  for  1893.  The  MIRROR  of  JUSTICES.  Edited,  from  the  unique  MS.  at  Corpus  Christi 
College,  Cambridge,  with  a  new  translation,  by  W.  J.  Whiitaker,  M.A.  of  Trinity  College,  Cam- 
bridge, and  Professor  F.  W.  Maitland.    Crown  4to.    Price  to  non-members,  28s. 

The  old  editions  of  this  curious  work  of  the  13th  century  are  corrupt,  and  in  many  places  un- 
intelligible. 

TAe  volumes  in  course  of  preparation  are 

Vol.  VIII.,  for  1894  (nearly  ready).     Bracton  and  Azo,  edited  by  Professor  F.  W.  Maitland. 

This  volume  will  contain  those  portions  of  Bracton's  work  in  which  he  follows  Azo  printed  in 
parallel  columns  with  Azo's  text.  The  use  made  by  Bracton  of  the  works  of  Bernard  of  Pavia  and  the 
canonist  Tancred  will  also  be  illustrated. 

A  member  of  the  Society  has  most  generously  promised  to  present  this  volume  to 
the  members.  

Vol  IX.,  for  1895  (in  the  press).  Selections  from  the  Coroners'  Rolls  (Henry  III.  to  Henrj'  V.), 
edited  by  Charles  Gross,  Ph  D.,  Assistant  Professor  of  History,  Harvard  University. 

The  functions  of  the  coroner  were  more  important  in  the  middle  ages  than  in  modern  times. 
These  records  will  throw  light  on  the  early  development  of  the  jury,  on  the  jurisdiction  of  the  hundred 
and  county  courts,  and  on  the  collective  responsibilities  of  neighbouring  townships. 


Vol.  X.,  for  1896  (nearly  ready  for  press).    The  Earliest  Records*  of  the  Equitable  Jurisdiction 
of  the  Court  of  Chancery,  edited  by  W.  Paley  Baildon. 

Of  these  valuable  records  but  very  few  have  as  yet  been  printed.  It  is  hoped  that  they  will  throw 
new  light  on  the  development  of  English  "  Equity."  The  petitions  practically  commence  in  the  reign 
of  King  Richard  II.     Many  relate  to  mercantile  and  shipping  matters. 


Vol.  (nearly  ready  for  press).    Select    Pleas    of  the  Court  of   Admiralty.    Vol.   II.,  a.d. 

1 545-1 585,  edited  by  Reginald  G.  Marsden. 

This  will  be  in  continuation  and  completion  of  Vol.  VI.,  and  will  contain  a  further  selection  of 
interesting  records  and  a  summary  of  all  the  classes  of  cases  dealt  with  by  the  Court  during  this  period. 


Vol.  (in  preparation).     Select  Pleas  from  the  Records*  of  the  Court  of  Requests.    Vol.  I., 

Henry  VII.  and  Henry  VIII.,  edited  by  I.  S.  Leadam,  M.A. 

This  Court,  sometimes  called  the  "  Court  of  Conscience,"  was  originally  a  Court  of  Equity  for  poor 
men's  causes,  but  later  it  took  cognisance  of  all  suits  that  by  colour  of  equity  or  supplication  to 
the  Prince  could  be  brought  before  it.  The  President  of  the  Court  was  the  Lord  Privy  Seal,  who  was 
assisted  by  the  Masters  of  Requests. 


The  follozviiig  are  among  the  Works  contemplated  for  future  volumes 

Vol.     .     Placita  Forestae. 

The  Forest  Plea  Rolls'  are  very  interesting  and  little  known.  They  begin  as  early  as  the  reign  of 
King  John,  and  consist  of  perambulations,  claims,  presentments  and  other  proceedings  (such  as  trials 
for  poaching  and  trespass  on  the  Forest)  before  the  Justices  in  Eyre  of  the  Forest. 


Vol.  Memoranda  of  the  Court  of  Exchequer,  AD.  1199*272. 

The  Rolls*  of  the  King's  Remembrancer  and  of  the  Lord  Treasurer's  Remembrancer  throw  the 
fullest  light  both  upon  the  curious  and  intricate  system  of  accounting  at  the  Royal  Exchequer  and 
the  far-reaching  jurisdiction  of  the  Court,  together  with  its  relation  to  the  Chancery  and  the  Courts  of 
Common  Law.     They  deal  with  matters  of  great  constitutional  import.ince. 

•  For  further  inrormation  on  these  Records,  «ce  the  valuahle  and  learned  "  Guide  to  the  Hrinc-ipal  Cla<u(et  of  Dociunentt  pre»erv«d 
in  the  Public  Record  Office, "  by  S.  R.  ScARCiii.i.-BtRn,  F.S.A.    (London,  KjTe  &  Spottiswoode,  1891.) 


Vol.       .    Selections  from  the  Plea  Rolls*  of  the  Jewish  Exchequer,  a.d.  1244-1272. 

These  Rolls  illustrate  a  department  of  the  history  of  English  law  which  is  at  present  very  dark. 
The  Justiciarii  Judaeorum,  who  had  the  status  of  Barons  of  the  Exchequer,  exercised  jurisdiction  in 
all  affairs  relating  to  the  Jewish  community,  namely,  in  the  accounts  of  the  revenue,  in  pleas  upon 
contracts  made  between  Jews  and  Christians,  and  in  causes  or  questions  touching  their  land  or  goods, 
or  their  tallages,  fines,  and  forfeitures. 


Vol.        .    Select  Pleas  of  the  Court  of  Star  Chamber.    Henry  VII.  and  Henry  VIII. 

The  Records*  of  this  Court  consist  of  Bills,  Answers,  Depositions,  and  other  proceedings.  They 
are  of  great  importance  as  illustrating  both  public  and  private  history.  None  of  the  Orders  or  Decrees 
are  known  to  exist.  In  the  Report  of  a  Committee  of  the  House  of  Lords  made  in  1719,  it  is  stated 
that  "  the  last  notice  of  them  that  could  be  got  was  that  they  were  in  a  house  in  St.  Bartholomew's 
Close,  London." 

Vol.        .    Select  Pleas  in  Manorial  and  other  Seignorial  Courts,  Vol.  II. 


Vol.        .    Select  Civil  Pleas,  Vol.  II. 


Vol.        .    Conveyancing  Precedents  of  the  Thirteenth  Century. 

There  are  several  interesting  sets  hitherto  unprinted.     The  mercantile  transactions  are  very  curious. 


Vol.        .     Brevia  Placitata,  a  book  of  precedents  for  pleading  in  the  King's  Courts,  Thirteenth  Century. 


Vols.      .    The  History  of  the  Register  of  Original  Writs  : 
The  reign  of  Henry  III. 
The  reign  of  Edward  I. 
The  reign  of  Edward  III. 
The  Fifteenth  Century. 

*  For  further  information  on  these  Records,  see  the  valuable  and  learned  "  Guide  to  the  Principal  Classes  of  Documents  preserved 
in  the  Public  Record  Office,"  by  S.  R.  Scargill-Bird,  F.S.A.     (London,  Eyre  &  tjpottiswoode,  1891.) 


The  Society  has  also  contemplated  the  collection  of  materials  for  an  ANGLO-FRENCH  DIC- 
TIONARY, for  which  practical  instructions  have  been  kindly  drawn  up  by  Professor  Skeat.  The  Council 
will  be  glad  to  receive  offers  of  help  in  this  collection  with  a  view  to  future  publication. 


The  Council  will  be  grateful  for  any  information  upon  the  contents  and  custody  of  any 
MSS.  which  may  be  of  sufficient  interest  to  be  dealt  with  by  the  Society. 

July  1895. 


Selben  Society, 


FOUNDED    1887. 


RULES. 

1 .  The  Society  shall  be  called  the  Selden  Society. 

2.  The  object  of  the  Society  shall  be  to  encourage  the  study  and  advance 
the  knowledge  of  the  history  of  English  Law,  especially  by  the  publication 
of  original  documents  and  the  reprinting  or  editing  of  works  of  sufficient 
rarity  or  importance. 

3.  Membership  of  the  Society  shall  be  constituted  by  payment  of  the 
annual  subscription,  or  in  the  case  of  life  members,  of  the  composition.  Form 
of  application  is  given  at  the  foot. 

4.  The  annual  subscription  shall  be  £1.  Is.,  payable  in  advance  on  or 
before  the  1st  of  January  in  every  year.  A  composition  of  £21  shall  con- 
stitute life  membership  from  the  date  of  the  composition,  and  in  the  case  of 
Libraries,  Societies,  and  corporate  bodies,  membership  for  30  years. 

5.  The  management  of  the  affairs  and  funds  of  the  Society  shall  be  vested 
in  a  President,  two  Vice-Presidents,  and  a  Council  consisting  of  fifteen 
members,  in  addition  to  tlie  ex  officio  members.  The  President,  the  two 
Vice-Presidents,  the  Literary  Director,  the  Secretary,  and  the  Hon.  Treasurer 
shall  be  ex  officio  members.     Three  shall  form  a  quorum. 

6.  Until  the  Annual  General  Meeting  in  the  year  1890  the  following  shall 
be  the  fifteen  members  of  the  Council : — The  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Bruce,  Mr, 
A.  M.  Channell,  Q.C.,  Sir  Howard  W.  Elphinstone,  Bart.,  Mr.  M.  Ingle 
Joyce,  Mr.  B.  G.  Lake,  Mr.  H.  C.  Maxwell  Lyte,  Mr.  A.  Stuart  Moore,  Mr. 
R.  Pennington,  Sir  F,  Pollock,  Bart.,  Mr.  W.  C.  Renshaw,  Q.C.,  Mr.  S.  R. 
Scargill-Bird,  The  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Stirling,  Mr.  J.  Westlake,  Q.C.,  His 
Honour  Judge  Meadows  White,  the  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Wills,  five  of  whom  (in 
alphabetical  order)  shall  retire  at  the  Annual  General  Meeting  in  the  year 
1896,  five  (in  the  like  order)  in  the  year  1897,  and  the  remaining  five  in  the 
year  1898.  At  each  subsequent  Annual  General  Meeting  the  five  members 
who  have  served  longest  without  re-election  shall  retire.  A  retiring  member 
shall  be  re-eligible. 

7.  The  five  vacancies  in  the  Council  shall  be  filled  up  at  the  Anniml 
General  Meeting  in  and  aftrr  the  year  1890  in  the  following  manner  :  {n) 
Any  two  Members  of  the  Society  may  nominate  for  election  any  other 
member  by  a  writing  signed  by  them  and  the  nominated  member,  and  sent 

K  K 


6 

to  the  Hon.  Secretary  on  or  before  the  14th  of  February,  (h)  Not  less  than 
fourteen  days  before  the  Annual  General  Meeting  the  Council  shall  nominate 
for  election  five  members  of  the  Society,  (c)  No  person  shall  be  eligible 
for  election  on  the  Council  unless  nominated  under  this  Eule.  (d)  Any 
candidate  may  withdraw,  (e)  The  names  of  the  persons  nominated  shall 
be  printed  in  the  notice  convening  the  Annual  General  Meeting.  (/)  If  the 
persons  nominated,  and  whose  nomination  shall  not  have  been  withdrawn, 
are  not  more  than  five,  they  shall  at  the  Annual  General  Meeting  be 
declared  to  have  been  elected,  (g)  If  the  persons  nominated,  and  whose 
nomination  shall  not  have  been  withdrawn,  shall  be  more  than  five,  an 
election  shall  take  place  by  ballot  as  follows  :  every  member  of  the  Society 
present  at  the  Meeting  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  by  writing  the  names  of  not 
more  than  five  of  the  candidates  on  a  piece  of  paper  and  delivering  it  to  the 
Hon.  Secretary  or  his  Deputy,  at  such  meeting,  and  the  five  candidates  who 
shall  have  a  majority  of  votes  shall  be  declared  elected.  In  case  of  equality 
the  Chairman  of  the  Meeting  shall  have  a  second  or  casting  vote. 

8.  The  Council  may  fill  casual  vacancies  happening  in  their  number. 
Persons  so  appointed  shall  hold  office  so  long  as  those  in  whose  place  they 
shall  be  appointed  would  have  held  office.  The  Council  shall  also  have 
power  to  appoint  Honorary  Members  of  the  Society. 

9.  The  Council  shall  meet  at  least  twice  a  year,  and  not  less  than  seven 
days'  notice  of  any  meeting  shall  be  sent  by  post  to  every  member  of  the 
Council. 

10.  There  shall  be  a  Literary  Director  to  be  appointed  and  removable  by 
the  Council.  The  Council  may  make  any  arrangement  for  remunerating  the 
Literary  Director  which  they  may  think  reasonable. 

11.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Literary  Director  (but  always  subject  to 
the  control  of  the  Council)  to  supervise  the  editing  of  the  publications  of  the 
Society,  to  suggest  suitable  editors,  and  generally  to  advise  the  Council  with 
respect  to  carrying  the  objects  of  the  Society  into  effect. 

12.  Each  member  shall  be  entitled  to  one  copy  of  every  work  published 
by  the  Society  as  for  any  year  of  his  membership.  No  person  other  than  an 
Honorary  Member  shall  receive  any  such  work  until  his  subscription  for  the 
year  as  for  which  the  same  shall  be  published  shall  have  been  paid. 

13.  The  Council  shall  appoint  an  Hon.  Secretary  and  also  an  Hon. 
Treasurer  and  such  other  Officers  as  they  from  time  to  time  think  fit,  and 
shall  from  time  to  time  define  their  respective  duties. 

14.  The  funds  of  the  Society,  including  the  vouchers  or  securities  for  any 
investments,  shall  be  kept  at  a  Bank,  to  be  selected  by  the  Council,  to  an 
account  in  the  name  of  the  Society.  Such  funds  or  investments  shall  only 
be  dealt  with  by  a  cheque  or  other  authority  signed  by  the  Treasurer  and 
countersigned  by  one  of  the  Vice-Presidents  or  such  other  person  as  the 
Council  may  from  time  to  time  appoint. 


1').  Tlie  accounts  of  the  receipts  and  expenditure  of  the  Society  up  to  the 
Blst  of  December  in  each  year  shall  be  audited  once  a  year  by  two  Auditors, 
to  be  appointed  by  the  Society,  and  the  report  of  the  Auditors,  with  an 
abstract  of  the  accounts,  shall  be  circulated  together  with  the  notice  convening 
the  Annual  Meeting. 

16.  An  Annual  General  Meeting  of  the  Society  shall  be  held  in  March 
1890,  and  thereafter  in  the  month  of  March  in  each  year.  The  Council  may 
upon  their  own  resolution  and  shall  on  the  request  in  writing  of  not  less 
than  ten  members  call  a  Special  General  Meeting.  Seven  days'  notice  at 
least,  specifying  the  object  of  the  meeting  and  the  time  and  place  at  which 

t  is  to  be  held,  shall  be  posted  to  every  member  resident  in  the  United 
Kingdom  at  his  last  known  address.  No  member  shall  vote  at  any  General 
Meeting  whose  subscription  is  in  arrear. 

17.  The  Hon.  Secretary  shall  keep  a  Minute  Book  wherein  shall  be 
entered  a  record  of  the  transactions,  as  well  at  Meetings  of  the  Council  as  at 
General  Meetings  of  the  Society. 

18.  These  rules  may  upon  proper  notice  be  repealed,  added  to,  or  modified 
from  time  to  time  at  any  meeting  of  the  Society.  But  such  repeal,  addition, 
or  modification,  if  not  unanimously  agreed  to,  shall  require  the  vote  of  not 
less  than  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  and  voting  at  such  meeting. 

MarcJi  1895. 


FORM  OF  APPLICATION  FOR  MEMBERSHIP. 

To  Mr.  Fbancis  K.  Munton,  95a  Queen  Victoria  Street,  London,  E.G., 
Honorary  Treasurer  of  the  Selden  Society. 

I  desire  to  become  a  member  of  the  Society,  and  herewith  send  ray 
cheque  for  One  Guinea,  the  annual  subscription  [or  £21  the  life  contribu- 
tion] dating  from  the  commencement  of  the  present  year.  [I  also  desire 
to  subscribe  for  the  preceding  years  ,  and  I  add 

one  guinea  for  each  to  my  cheque.] 

Name 

Address 

Description 

Date 

[NoTF,.— Cheques,  crossed  "  Robarts  &  Co.,  a  c  of  the  Selden  Society," 
should  be  made  payable  to  the  Honorary  Treasurer,  from  whom  forms  of 
bankers'  orders  for  payment  of  subscriptions  direct  to  the  Society's  banking 
account  can  be  obtained.] 


^ 


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