g. by a recent flaw in a
tenant's title, for a term which has expired, by a widow for her
late husband's land, or by an heir who has become of full age from
his guardian. For instance: " ...Command Tertius that ... he
render to Claimant, who is of full age, as it is said, ten acres
...which he claims to be his right and inheritance and into which
the said Tertius has no entry save by Secundus, to whom Primus
demised [gaged] them, who had only the wardship thereof while the
aforesaid Claimant was under age, as he says...". But most
litigation about land is still through the writ of right for
proprietary issues and the assizes of novel disseisin and mort
d'ancestor for possessory issues.
Royal itinerant justices traveled to the counties every seven
years. There, they gave interrogatories to local assizes of twelve
men to determine what had happened there since the last eyre. All
boroughs had to send twelve burgesses who were to indict any
burgesses suspected of breaking the royal law. Every crime, every
invasion of royal rights, and every neglect of police duties was
to be presented and tried. Suspects were held in gaol until their
cases could be heard and gaol breaks were common. Punishment after
trial was prison for serious crimes, expulsion from the realm for
less serious crimes, and pledges for good behavior for lesser
crimes. The visitation of these justices was anticipated with
trepidation.
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