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The following is a description by Giles Jacob of the requirements for holding a Court Leet in 1781:
Objectives of Court Leet
All you that are sworn, draw near and hear your Charge. What you, that are sworn as to this Court Leet, are now by your Oath obliged to inquire upon, I thall reduce to these two Heads; and they are, either of such Things as are here only inquirable and presentable, or else of such Things as are not only presentable, but punishable also in this Court.
Of the first Sort are the more capital Offences, such as are Petty Treasons, Felonies by Common Law, Felonies by the Statute Law, together with their Accessories, the which Offences, altho’ not punishable in this Court, yet are here presentable; and the Presentament must be certified into some superior Court, where the Offenders are to be prosecuted and punished according to Law.
The Offences, that are both presentable and punishable in this Court, are such as these:
First, you are to inquire how the the Constable and Tythingman have discharged their Duties in arresting of Felons, pursuing of Hues and Cries according to Law, and apprehending of Rogues, Vagabonds, and sturdy Beggars.
And for the securing such idle and disorderly Persons, there ought to be a Pair of Stocks kept in good Repair in each Tything, for it is the Tythingman’s Prison, and a Thing very useful, as the World now goes.
You are also to inquire of Bloodsheds: If any Person within the Precincts of this Leet hath wilfully or maliciously drawn Blood from the Person of another, it is here punishable.
If any Rescous1 hath been made upon any Person driving of Cattle to be impounded for a Trespass committed, or any Pound-Breach2 hath been made, and Cattle illegally taken thence without due Delivery.
Keepers and Maintainers of public Places for Carding. Dicing, Skittle-playing, and such like unlawful Games, together with the Frequenters thereunto, are here punishable, so are also common Barretors3, as Scolds, Brawlers, and Raisers of Quarrels, Eves-droppers, such as hearken after News, and carry it about with Intent to sow Dissention and Discord among the Neighbourhood.
There’s another Sort of Persons very mischievous, and indeed too numerous within this Kingdom, and they are such as have no competent Estates to maintain them, nor will they work to get themselves a Livelihood, but commonly spend the Day either in Sleep or Idleness, and in the Night they betake themselves to robbing of Henroosts and Fishponds, and such like Villainies. The Law adjudges such Persons very dangerous, and so ought you, if any such come to your Knowledge.
Whosoever shall take, kill, or destroy, any Pheasants or Partridges in the Nighttime, or Hares, by tracing them in the Snow, or House-doves or Pigeons, by Guns, Nets, or otherwise, it is here punishable.
You are likewise to inquire of those that do keep and make use of Hounds, Greyhounds and Setting-dogs, whereby to destroy the Game, that have not Estates which by the Law do qualify them for it.
If any Victuallers have conspired together to sell their Victuals but at certain Prices, or have put to Sale any corrupt Victuals not wholesome for Man’s Body.
If any Labourers or Artificers have combined together to work but at certain Rates, or at certain Times, or not to finish the Work they have begun, and undertaken to perform.
If any Person hath used false Weights or false Measures, or double Weights or double Measures, that is, a Great to buy by, and a Small to sell by, in Deceit of the People, it is here also punishable.
If a Tanner hath put to Sale any Leather before it be searched and sealed according to the Statute, or any insufficient Leather not being thoroughly wrought, tanned, and dried.
You are likewise to inquire of Offences done and committed by Forestallers, Ingrossers, and Regrators.
A Forestaller is one that doth buy, or cause to he bought, any Corn, or other Victuals whatsoever, that is carrying to the Fair or Market to be sold, before it be brought into the Fair or Market.
An Ingrosser is one that doth buy Corn growing upon the Ground, (otherwise than by Demise or Grant) or any Butter or Cheese, or other Victuals, with Intent to sell the same again for unreasonable Profit.
A Regrator is one that in open Fair or Market doth buy, and get into his own Hands, Corn, or other dead Victuals, and the same doth sell again in some other Fair or Market within four Miles of the same Place.
You are to make strict Enquiry of such Cottages as are erected contrary to Law; a Practice too much in Use, and found to be very mischievous in most Places. Now the Law is, That if any Person shall set up a Cottage without laying of four Acres of Land to it, or without the Allowance of the Lord of the Soil and the Justices of the Peace in open Sessions, he doth forfeit ten Pounds for his so doing, and forty Shillings a Month for the Continuance of it.
You are also to look into your Highways how they are repaired and amended, and whether the several Persons therein concerned have done their due Services towards the Repairing of the same And whether the Hedges and Ditches adjoining be kept low, and scoured as they ought to be.
If any Foot-path to Church, Mill, or Market, be denied, that hath been an ancient and accustomed Way; or if any House, Wall, Hedge or Ditch, be set up or made in the Queen’s Highway, or any Water-course stopped, or turned thereinto; or any Carrion, Dung, or other offensive Thing, be laid in or near it, or any other Nusance whatsoever, to the Annoyance of the King’s Subjects, it is here punishable.
You are to take Notice what Officers ought of course to be now discharged of their respective Offices, and to present the Names of other fit Persons to serve in their Places.
And you shall inquire of all other Matters by me omitted, that are here in this Court Leet inquizable and presentable, as fully and effectually as if the same had been particularly named to you.
Footnotes
- Rescous is the forcible taking back of goods that have been seized legally because of the owner’s failure – in this case trespass, but it can also apply to failure to pay rent or other dues. ↩︎
- Pound-breach refers to the act of breaking into a pound where animals have been legally impounded. ↩︎
- A barretor was one who was guilty of vexing others with frequent and often groundless lawsuits. ↩︎
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| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 24/6/25 | Published |
Deopham History 