| Praecipe | De rectu | Novel disseisin | Mort d'Ancestor | Quare ejecit |
| Praecipe in Capite Rex vicecomiti salutem. Praecipe X quod juste et sine dilatione reddat A unum mesuagium cum pertinentiis in Trumpingtone quod clamat esse jus et haereditatem suam et tenere de nobis in capite et unde queritur quod praedictus X ei injuste deforciat ut dicit. Et nisi fecerit, et praedictus A fecerit te securum de clamore suo prosequendo, tunc summone eum per bonos summonitores quod sit coram justiciariis nostris apud Westmonasterium [i.e., in the Court of Common Pleas] tali die ostensurus quare non fecerit. Et habeas ibi summonitores et hoc breve [F.N.B. 51. Fitzherbert's Natura Brevium
was published in 1534. (Fitzherbert ob. 1538.) When quoted F.N.B. |
The King to the sheriff greeting. Command X that
justly and without delay he render to A one messuage with the appurtenances in Trumpington
which he claims to be his right and inheritance, and to hold of us in chief and whereof he complains that the aforesaid X unjustly deforceth him. and unless he
will do this, and (if) the aforesaid A
shall give you security to prosecute his claim, then summon by good summoners the
aforesaid X that he be before our justices at
Westminster [on such a day] to show wherefore he hath not done it. And have there the summoners and this writ.
|
| Assisa Novae Disseisinae Rex vicecomiti salutem. Questus est nobis A
quod X injuste et sine judicio disseisivit eum de libero tenemento
suo in Trumpingtone post ultimum reditum domini regis de Brittannia in Angliam (or other
|
The King to the sheriff greeting. A hath complained unto us that X unjustly and without judgment hath disseised him of his freehold in Trumpington after the last return of our lord the king from Brittany into England. And therefore we command you that, if the aforesd A shall make you secure to prosecute his claim, then cause that tenement to be reseised and the chattels which were taken in it and the same tenement with the chattels to be in peace until the first assize when our justices shall come into those parts. And in the mean time you shall cause twelve free and lawful men of that venue to view that tenement and their names to be put into the writ. And summon them by good summoners that they be before the justices aforesd at the assize aforesd, ready to make recognizance thereupon. And put by gages and safe pledges the aforesaid X or, if he shall not be found, his bailiff, that he be then there to hear that recognizance. And have there the (names of the) summoners, the pledges, and this writ [F.N.B. 177E]. |
| Assisa de Morte Antecessoris Rex vicecomiti salutem. Si A fecerit te securum de
clamore suo prose quendo tunc summoneas per bonos summonitores xij liberos et legales
homines de visneto de Trumpingtone quod sint coram [It might be |
The King to the sheriff
greeting. If A shall make you secure, &c. then summon, &c. twelve free and lawful
men of the neighbourhood of Trumpington that they be before
our justices at the first assize when they shall come into
those parts, ready to recognise by oath if B father [mother, brother, sister, uncle,
aunt,] of the aforesd A was seised in his demesne as of
fee, of one messuage with the appurtenances in Trumpington the day whereon he died, and if he died after [the period of limitation] and if the same A be his next
heir: and in the mean time let them view the messuage, and cause
their names to be put in the writ, and summon by good summoners X who now holds the aforesaid messuage, that he may be there to hear that recognizance; and have
there the summoners and this writ [F.N.B. 195E].
|
Brevia de Ingressu
Rex vicecomiti salutem. Praecipe X quod juste
et sine dilatione reddat A unum mesuagium cum pertinentiis in
Trumpingtone quod clamat esse jus et haereditatem suam et in quod praedictus X non habuit ingressum nisi---
a. per W qui illud ei dimisit qui inde injuste et sine judicio disseisivit eundem A [or B
patrem ejusdem A cujus haeres ipse est] post [time of
limitation]. b. per W cui V illud dimisit qui inde injuste
etc., as above. c. post disseisinam
quam T inde injuste et sine judicio fecit B patri ejusdem A cujus haeres ipse est post
[time of limitation] et unde queritur.
d. per K quondam virum ipsius A qui illud ei dimisit, cui ipsa in vita sua contradicere
non potuit, ut dicit. e. per W cui K
quondam vir ipsius A qui illud ei dimisit, cui ipsa in vita sua contradicere non potuit,
ut
dicit.
f. post dimissionem quam K quondam vir ipsius A, cui ipsa in vita sua contradicere non
potuit, inde fecit T ut dicit et unde
queritur.
g. per W cui praedictus A illus dimisit dum non fuit compos mentis.
h. per W cui praedictus A illud dimisit dum fuit infra aetatem.
i. per W cui B pater praedicti A cujus haeres ipse est illud dimisit ad
terminum qui praeterut.
Et nisi fecerit summone eum per bonos summonitores quod sit coram justiciariis nostris apud Westmonasterium tali die ostensurus quare non fecerit. Et habeas ibi nomina summonitorum et hoc breve.
Note. The writs of entry given here are but a
few out of great numbers of writs framed to cover almost every conceivable
case of a flaw in the tenant's title. Amongst the writs recorded in Fitzherbert are (1)
writs super disseisinam, or as they are sometimes
called writs de quibus; where the flaw was a disseisin (of these a, b and c
above are examples): (2) writs ad communem legem,
in casu proviso and in consimili casu where the flaw was an
alienation in excess of powers by a doweress or a tenant by the curtesy, for life or in
tail: (3) writs cui in vita, on alienation by a husband
(examples d, e and f above) and (4) writs cui ante divortium, the same where thc marriage has been dissolved (a strangely modern sound this has): (5) writs of
dum non compos mentis (example g above) and (6) of dum fuit
infra aetatem (example h above) on alienation by an idiot and an infant respectively: (7) writs of entry ad terminum cui praeteriit (example i above)
where the flaw is the holding over of a lease: (8) writs of
intrusion, where the flaw is similar to the wrong aimed at by the assize of Mort
d'Ancestor and (9) the writ sine assensu capituli where the
flaw is an alienation by an abbot &c. without his chapter's consent. Each of these writs may be in either of the thre forms within the
"degrees" in the per (as a), in the per and cui (as
b) and, outside the "degrees", by virtue of the statute of Marlborough, in the
post (as c in the above writs).
Quare ejecit infra terminum
Rex vicecomiti salutem. Si A fecerit te
securum de clamore suo prosequendo tunc summoneas etc. X quod
sit coram justiciariis etc. ostensurus quare deforciat praefato A unum mesuagium cum
pertinentiis in
Trumpingtone, quod M ei dimisit ad terminum qui
nondum praeteriit, infra quem terminum idem M
praefato X illud mesuagium vendidit occasione
cujus venditionis idem X praefatum A de mesuagio
praedicto ejecit ut dicit. Et habeas ibi etc.
Trespass quare clausum fregit
Rex vic. sal. Si A fecerit etc. tunc pone per
vadium et salvos plegios X quod sit etc. ostensurus quare vi et
armis clausum ipsius A apud X Trumpingtone fregit
[et blada sua ibidem crescentia falcavit etc. etc.] et
alia enormia ei intulit ad grave damnum ipsius A
et contra pacem nostram. Et habeas ibi nomina
plegiorum et hoc breve.
De ejectione firmae
Rex vic. sal. Si A fecerit te securum etc.
tunc pone etc. X quod sit coram etc. ostensurus quare vi et armis
unum mesuagium apud Trumpingtone, quod M praefato
A dimisit ad terminum qui nondum praeterint,
intravit et ipsum a firma sua praedicta ejecit et
alia enormia ei intulit ad grave damnum ipsius A et contra
pacem nostram. Et habeas ibi etc.
De Libertate Probanda
Rex vic. sal. Monstravit nobis A quod cum ipse
liber homo sit et paratus libertatem suam probare, X
clamans eum nativum suum vexat eum injuste. Et
ideo tibi praecipimus quod si praedictus A fecerit te
securum de libertate sua probanda, tunc ponas
loquelam illam coram justiciariis nostris ad primam
assisam cum in partes illas venerint quia
hujusmodi probatio non pertinet ad te capienda. Et interim idem
A pacem inde habere facias. Et dic praedicto X
quod sit ibi loquelam suam versus praedictum A inde
perfecturus si voluerit. Et habeas ibi hoc breve.
The King to the sheriff greeting. A hath
showed unto us that whereas he is a free man and ready to prove his
liberty, X claiming him to be his nief [or
nativus or villein] unjustly vexes him; and therefore we command you,
that if the aforesaid A shall make you secure
touching the proving of his liberty, then put that plea before our
justices at the first assizes, when they shall
come into those parts, because proof of this kind belongeth not to you
to take; and in the mean time cause the said A to
have peace thereupon, and tell the aforesaid X that he may be
there, if he will, to prosecute his plea thereof
against the aforesaid A. And have there this writ [F.N.B. 77F].
Debt, Detinue and Account
Rex vic. sal. Praecipe X quod juste et sine dilatione reddat A:
(Breve de Debito): centum libras quas ei debet et injuste detinet
(Breve de Catallis reddendis) catalla ad valentiam centum librarum quae ei injuste detinet
(Breve de Compoto) rationabile compotum suum
de tempore quo fuit ballivus suus in Trumpingtone et
receptorum denariorum ipsius A
ut dicit. Et nisi fecerit et praedictus A
fecerit te securum de clamore suo prosequendo, tunc summone eum
per bonos summonitores quod sit coram
justiciariis nostris apud Westmonasterium [tali die] ostensurus
quare non fecerit. Et habeas ibi summonitores et
hoc breve [Note that these writs are in the same terms as the
writ of Praecipe in Capite except for the words
stating what the defendant is to deliver up to the demandant].
Covenant
Rex vic. sal. Praecipe X quod juste et sine
dilatione teneat A conventionem factam inter ipsum A et [S
patrem praedicti] X [cujus haeres ipse est,] de
[uno messuagio] et nisi fecerit &c. tunc summone &c.
[F.N.B. (1534), 66, the ending is as for debt].
Trespass vi et armis
Rex vic. sal. Si A fecerit te securum de
clamore suo prosequendo tunc pone per vadium et salvos plegios X
quod sit coram justiciariis nostris [Or coram
nobis tali die ubicumque fuerimus tunc in Angliae if the writ
be in the King's Bench] &c. tali die
ostensurus
(assault and
battery) quare vi et armis in ipsum A apud Trumpingtone insultum fecit et ipsum
verberavit
vulneravit et male tractavit, ita quod de vita ejus desperabatur
(false
imprisonment) quare vi et armis in ipsum A apud Trumpingtone insultum fecit et ipsum
vulneravit
imprisonavit et male tractavit
(trespass to land) quare vi et armis clausum ipsius A apud Trumpingtone fregit.
(trespass to
chattels) quare vi et armis lapidem molarem [a mill stone] ipsius A precii xl. s.
apud Trumpingtone
fregit et bona et catalla sua precii tanti cepit et asportavit.
(ejectment)
quare vi et armis unum mesuagium apud Trumpingtone quod M praefato A dimisit
ad terminum qui
nondum praeterut intravit et ipsum A a firma sua praedicta ejecit
et alia enormia ei intulit ad grave damnum
ipsius A et contra pacem nostram. Et habeas ibi nomina
plegiorum et hoc breve.
Trespass on the Case or Case
Rex vic. sal. &c. as in Trespass
ostensurus: quare [here set out the matter complained of e.g.:___] in aqua de
Plim, per quam inter Humber et Gaunt navium et
batellorum communis est transitus, ex transverso aquae
pilos defixit, per quod quaedam navis cum
triginta quarteriis brasii ipsius A submersa fuit, et viginti
quarteria brasii precii centum s. deperierunt. Et
alia enormia &c. as in Trespass.
The King to the sheriff &c. as in Trespass
to show: wherefore (e.g.:___) he fixed piles across the water of Plim
along which, between the Humber and Gaunt, there
is a common passage for ships and boats, whereby a certain
ship, with thirty quarters of malt of him the
said A, was sunk under water, and twenty quarters of the malt of the
price of one hundred shillings perished; and
other wrongs &c. as in trespass.
Trespass on the Case in Assumpsit
Rex vic. sal. &c. as in Trespass ostensurus:
quare [e.g.: for misfeasance] cum idem X ad
dextrum oculum ipsius A casualiter laesum bene et
competenter curandum apud Trumpingtone pro quadam
pecuniae summa prae manibus soluta
assumpsisset, idem X curam suam circa oculum
praedictum tam negligenter et improvide apposuit, quod
idem A defectu ipsius X visum oculi praedicti
totaliter amisit, ad damnum ipsius A viginti librarum ut dicit.
Et habeas ibi &c.
quare [e.g.: for non-feasance] cum idem X tres
currus pro victualibus ipsius A ad partes transmarinas
ducendis pro certa pecuniae summa prae manibus
soluta infra certum terminum inter eos concordatum
facere et fabricare apud Trumpingtone
assumpsisset, idem X currus praedictos infra terminum praedictum
facere et fabricare non curavit per quod A
diversa bona et catalla sua ad valentiam centum marcarum,
quae in curribus praedictus duci debuissent, pro
defectu curruum praedictorum totaliter amisit ad grave
damnum ipsius A ut dicit et habeas &c.
The King to the sheriff greeting &c. as in Trespass to show:
wherefore whereas he the Said X undertook well
and competently to cure the right eye of the Said A, which was
accidentally injured, for a certain sum of money
beforehand received, he the same X so negligently and carelessly
applied his cure to the said eye, that the said A
by the fault of him the said X totally lost the sight of the said eye,
to the damage of him the said A of twenty pounds,
as he saith, and have there &c.
wherefore whereas he the said X undertook to
make and build three carriages for conveying victuals of him the
said A to parts beyond the sea for a certain sum
of money beforehand received, within a certain term between
them agreed; he the said X did not take care to
make and build the carriages aforesaid within the term aforesaid,
by which he the said A hath wholly lost divers
his goods and chattels, to the value of one hundred marks, which
ought to have been conveyed in the carriages
aforesaid, for want thereof to the great damage of him the said A as
it is said: and have there &c.
Case on Indebitatus Assumpsit
The King to the sheriff &c. as in Trespass to show:
for that, whereas the said X heretofore, to
wit (date and place) was indebted to the said A in the sum of for divers
goods wares and merchandises by the said A before
that time sold and delivered to the said X at his special
instance and request.
and being so indebted, he the said X in
consideration thereof afterwards to wit (date and place aforesi) undertook
and faithfully promised the said A to pay him the
said sum of money when he the said X should be thereto
afterwards requested.
Yet the said X, not regarding his said promise
and undertaking but contriving and fraudulently intending craftily
and subtilly to deceive and defraud the said A in
this behalf, hath not yet paid the said sum of money or any part
thereof to the said A (although oftentimes
afterwards requested). But the said X to pay the same or any part
thereof hath hitherto wholly refused and still
refuses, to the damage of the said A of ___ pounds as it is said. And
have you there &c.
Case for Trover
The King to the sheriff greeting &c. as in Trespass to show:
for that, whereas the said A heretofore to wit
[date and place] was lawfully possessed as of his own property, of
certain goods and chattels to wit, twenty tables
and twenty chairs of great value to wit of the value of ___ pounds
of lawful money of great Britain;
and, being so possessed thereof he the said A
afterwards, to wit (date and place aforesi) casually lost the said
goods and chattels out of his possession:
and the same afterward, to wit (date and place aforesaid) came into the possession of the said X by finding;
Yet the said X well knowing the said goods and
chattels to be the property of the said A and of right to belong
and appertain to him, but, contriving and
fraudulently intending craftily and subtilly to deceive and defraud the said
A in this behalf, hath not as yet delivered the
said goods and chattels, or any part thereof, to the said A (although
often requested so to do) but so to do hath
hitherto wholly refused and still refuses; and afterwards to wit (date
and place aforesaid) converted and disposed of
the said goods and chattels to his the said X's own use, to the
damage of the said A of ____ pounds as it is
said; and have you there &c.
Source.
F. W. Maitland: Equity also, The forms of action at common
law: two courses of lectures, Edited by A. H.
Chaytor and W. J. Whittaker, (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1910)
Scanned by Jerome S. Arkenberg, Cal. State Fullerton. The text
has been modernized by Prof. Arkenberg.
This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. The
Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and
copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.
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© Paul Halsall, October 1998
halsall@fordham.edu