j 04 Stat* i. Anno decimo tettio Edwardi A.D. 1285. returned Amies. Kel.97. 4 leaft, except fuch as be Witneffes in Deeds or other ' Writings, whofe Prefence is neceflary, fo that they ■What Sort of ' be able to travel. (8) Neither fhall this Statute ex- Perfons (hall be ' tend to great Affifes, in which it behoveth many great c Times Knights to pais not refident in the Country, c for the Scarcity of Knights, fo that they have Land ' in the Shire. (9) And if the Sheriff, or his Under- ' fheriffs, or Bailiffs of Liberties, offend in any Point of this Statute, and thereupon be convict, Damages fhall be awarded to the Parties grieved, and they fhall neverthelefs be amerced to the King. (10) And Juftices affigned to take Affifes, when they come into the Shire, fhall have Power to hear the Plaints of all Complainants as to the Articles contained in this Statute, and to minifter Juftice in Form afore- faid.' 8 Ed. 3. f. 30. Ex Rot. in Turr. Lond. qui teftes funt in cartis vel aliis fcriptis quorum prefentia neceffaria eft dum tarrien potentes fint ad laborandum. Nee debet iftud ftatutum extendi ad magnas affifas in quibus aliquando oportet ap- ponere milites in patria non refidentes propter pau- citatem militum dum tamen in corhitatu habeant tenementum. Et ft vicecomes vel fubballivi fui vel ballivi libertatis contra iftud ftatutum in aliquo articulo venerint & fuper hoc convincantur refti- tuant dampna gravatis & nichilominus fint in mi- fericordia Domini Regis. Et habeant juftitiarii ad affifas capiendas affignati cum in comitatum vene- rint poteftatem audiendi querimonias fingulorum conquerentium quoad articulos in ifto ftatuto con- tentos & juftitiam in forma predicta exhibendi. CAP. XXXIX. The Manner to deliver Writs to the Sheriff to be executed. The Sheriff returneth a Liberty where none is. Returning of Iffues. Refiftence of Execution of Procefs. How Writs /hall be delivered to Sheriffs to be executed. Enforced by 2 Ed. 3. c. 5. Re.ift. 86. 2 Inft. 400. 1 Roll 440. j) K&iRere. 4 Co.^.b. 3 Ed. 1. c. 17. V. N. B. f. 42. The Sheriff returneth a Liberty where none is.
- Not in the
Qngir.il, FOrafmuch as Juftices, to whofe Office it be- longeth to minifter Juftice to all that fue before them, are many Times difturbed in due Execution of their Office, for that Sheriffs do not return Writs original and judicial ; (2) and alfo for that they make falfe Returns unto the King's Writs;" (3) ' our Lord the King hath provided and ordained, That c ' fuch as do fear the Malice of Sheriffs, fhall deliver ' their Writs original and judicial in the open County, ' or in the || County where the Collection of the ' King's Money is; (4) and may take of-the Sheriff ' or Underfheriff, being prefent, a Bill, wherein the ' Names of the Demandants and Tenants mentioned ' in the Writ fhall be contained ; (5) and at the Re- '* queft of him that delivered the Writ, the Seal of the
- Sheriff or Underfheriff fhall be put to the Bill for a
- Teftimony, and Mention fhall be made of the Day
' of the Deliverance of the Writ. (6) And if the She- ' riff or Underfheriff will not put his Seal to the Bill,
- the Witnefs of Knights and other credible Perfons
' being in Prefence fhall be taken, that put their Seals
- to fuch Bill. (7) And if the Sheriff will not return
' Writs delivered unto him, and Complaint thereof be c made to the Juftices, a Writ judicial fhall go unto
- the Juftices affigned to take Affifes, that they fhall
' inquire by fuch as were prefent at the Deliverance of ' the Writ to the Sheriff, if they knew of the Deliver- ' ance, and an Inqueft fhall be returned, (b') And if ' it be found by the Inqueft, that the Writ was de- ' livered to him, Damages fhall be awarded to the ' Plaintiff" or Demandant ; having refpecl to the Qua- ' lity and Quantity of the Action, and to the Peril that ' might have come to him by reafon of the Delay that ' be fuftained; (9) and by this Mean there fhall be ' Remedy when the Sheriff returneth that the Writ ' came too late, whereby he could not execute the ' King's Commandment. (10) Oftentimes alfo Pleas ' be delayed by reafon that the Sheriff returneth that he ' hatli commanded the Bailiffs of fome Liberty which ' did nothing therein, and nameth Liberties that never ' had the Return of Writs ; whereupon our Lord the ' King hath ordained, That the Treafurer * and Ba- ' raw of the Exchequer fhall deliver to the Juftices in ' a Roll all the Liberties in all Shirr; that have Return ' of Writs. (11) And if the Sheriff anfwer that he OUia Juftitiarii ad quorum officium fpe&at uni- cuique coram eis placitanti juftitiam exhibere n tquentius impediuntur quo minus officium fuum debfto modo exequi poffent per hoc quod viceco- mites brevia originalia & judicialia non returnant per hoc etiam quod ad brevia Regis falfum retur- nant refponfum providit Dominus Rex & ordina- vit quod illi qui timent maliciam vicecomitis libe- rent brevia fua originalia & judicialia in pleno co- mitatu vel in retro comitatu ubi fit collecStio dena- riorum Domini Regis & capiatur bilettum de vice- comite prefente vel fubvicecomite in quo biletto contineantur nomina petent' & tenent' que nomi- nantur in brevi & ad requifitionem illius qui breve liberabit apponatur figillum vicecomitis vel fubvice- comitis in teftimonium & fiat mentio de die li- berationis brevis. Et fi vicecomes vel fubviceco- mes hujufmodi billetto figilla fua apponere nolue- rint capiatur teftimonium militum & aliorum fide dignorum qui prefentes fuerint qui figilla fua hu- jufmodi biletto apponant. Et fi vicecomes brevia fibi liberata non returnaverit & fuper hoc Juftitiar' querimonia perveniat mandetur per breve de Judi- cio Juftitiariis ad affifas capiendas affignatis quod inquirant per eos qui prefentes fuerint quando breve vicecomiti liberatum fuit fi fciverint de ilia liberatione & inquifitio returnetur Et fi compertum fuerit per inquifitionem quod breve fuit ei libera- tum adjudicentur petenti vel querenti dampna ha- bito refpeftu ad quantitatem & qualitatem aftionis & ad periculum quod ei evenire poffet per dilatio- nem quam patiebatur Et per iftam viam fiat reme- dium quando vicecomes refpondet quod breve adeo- tarde venit quod preceptum Regis exequi non po- tuit. Multociens etiam capiunt placita dilationem per hoc quod vicecomites refpondent quod prece- perint ballivis alicujus libertatis qui nichil inde fecerunt & nominant libertates que nunquam re- turnum brevium habuerunt propter quod ordinavit Dominus Rex quod Thefaurarius de Scaccario li- beret in rotulo omnes libertates in quibufcumque comitatibus que habent returnum brevium. Et fi vicecomes
