150 On the Self-Government of Small Manorial Communities 
Executorships, widow-hoods, seasons of surrender, right to fell 
timber, heriots, &c,: and great care was taken (a care continued up 
to the present day), to enrol the record of these customs in the 
Court-book. They presented the decease of any Copyholder since 
the last Court, and reported the heriot that fell to the Lord, and 
the name of the succeeding taker, if any ; who, thereupon, prayed 
to be admitted, and on doing his fealty, and paying his fine, if any, 
was admitted, by delivery of the rod, in case of a yardland, (virgata 
terre, from virga a rod,) and enrolled as Tenant.’ 
From time to time (and especially on the entry of a new Lord, 
or the appointment of a new Steward), an extraordinary Court 
Baron was held, for the Survey of all the Copyholds, at which each 
Tenant was required to exhibit the Copy of Court Roll by which 
he claimed to hold, an abstract of which was entered on the Roll. 
2. The Knight’s Court (Curia Militum) sometimes called in the 
Rolls Curia Extrinseca ; usually held at the same time with the 
Court Baron, but occasionally on separate days for special purposes. 
At this Court the Noblemen or Gentlemen who held lands or manors 
by Knight’s Service of the Barony of Castle Combe were bound to 
attend, either in person or by proxy, to do their suit and service, 
and pay the rents, escheats, and reliefs due from them severally, as 
it might happen. They were generally, as a matter of course, 
essoigned ; that is, excused from attendance, on payment of a fee, 
latterly of 2s. each, but which in early times appears to have been 
higher. Against such as failed to pay, writs of distringas were 
issued, to be executed by the Bailiff of the Manor, and on further 
failure pledges were required, or distraint actually enforced. The 
proceedings of this Court, it will be observed, referred wholly to 
the interests of the Lord. It was presided over by the Steward of 
the Manor, and composed of the freeholders who resided within 
it, or attended on summons, owing suit and service there to the 
Lord. 
3. Lastly the Court Leet, or View of Frank-pledge, which was 
usually held twice a year, and at the same time with the Court 
1 The rod seems to have been typical of Serf-ship. 
