By the Rev. W. H. Jones. 79 
trespass on his soil or waters ;—the instances in which copyholders, 
contrary to the customs of the Manor, had suffered their tenements 
to fall into decay,—the heriots and other charges due to the Lord, 
—the repairs necessary to be done to hedges or fences,—in fact all 
matters relating generally to their own estates, and that of the 
Lord. They had power to levy fines, with the assent of the Lord 
given through his Steward, on those copyholders who were found 
neglectful of the duties incumbent upon them. Two of their num- 
ber were appointed as Afferers,! and these had to settle, or mo- 
derate, the amercements to be levied on such transgressors. 
But under the head of Court Baron must be included another court 
which, though held under the authority of the Lord, is in a measure 
distinct from that which we have been describing. This in old docu- 
ments is called the THREE WEEKEN Court. This was a court of com- 
mon law, and held before the freeholders who owed suit and service to 
the Manor, the steward being rather the registrar than the judge. 
It was, in fact, the free-holder’s court, and was composed of the Lord’s 
tenants, who were bound by their feudal tenure to assist the Lord 
in the dispensition of domestic justice. It was formerly held every 
three weeks, and hence its name. Its most important business was 
to determine, by writ of right, all controversies relating to the 
right of lands within the Manor. It might also hold plea of any 
personal actions, of debt, trespass on the case, or the like, when the 
debt or damages did not amount to Forty shillings. The following 
extract from the survey of the Manor in 1629-31 is interesting, as 
explaining in few words the nature of the Court ;—of the officers 
mentioned therein we shall speak presently. 
“Two Three- Weeken Courts are held in Bradford, the one for the 
_ Hundred and the other for the Borough, for pleas between partie 
and partie under 40 shillings. At which Courts some of the Ty- 
thingmen do and ought to appear at the Hundred Three-Weeken 
'« Affeerers—(from the Fr. affier, to affirm, or affeurer, to set the price or 
assize)—are those who in Courts Leet, upon oath, settle and moderate the fines 
and amercements; and they are also appointed for moderating amercements 
in Courts-Baron.”-—Jacob’s ‘Law Dictionary.’ In Bradford there were also 
appointed two ‘Affeerers’ for the Borough, and the like number for the Hun- 
dred, with duties similar to those above described. 
