MEDIEVAL JUSTICE AND COURTS. 137 



honest men, c probi homines,' who came on the part of the 

 college to aid and stand by the warden. The payment 

 made to James of Grantchester for the c plea of the suit,' and 

 to Alan, clerk of the castle, are probably legitimate legal 

 expenses. 



In the next year another payment, the amount of which is 

 wanting, is made to the sheriff, and sums similar to those 

 of the year before are paid for legal services. Besides these 

 sums the c men on the panel' receive each their fee, varying 

 from four shillings to one shilling and sixpence. 



One would like to know also, on the supposition that justice 

 was equally accorded to all suitors, why the possessors of God's 

 House in Southampton presented Laurence, one of the Barons 

 of the Exchequer, with 54 gallons of wine, a boar, and 3 Ibs. of 

 ginger^. 



The only allusion to the justices of trailbaston is found in 

 the Cheddington account for 1320, when the session was held 

 at Wycomb c . 



The coroner's court is alluded to in the Cambridge account 

 of 1348, where this -official is stated to have received a quarter 

 of a mark as a fee for sitting on the body of a boy who lost 

 his life by the sudden opening of the mill-dam. A person sworn, 

 it seems, to give evidence of the circumstance is also paid a 

 shilling. 



The proceedings of the manor court are of greater interest, 

 and throw more light on the proceedings in ordinary life and 

 business, than those of higher powers. Not that, indeed, the 

 jurisdiction of the seneschal or steward was always confined 

 to the common police and discipline of the manor. Many 

 of these divisions had the high jurisdiction, that is, the right 

 of pit and gallows, of hanging male and drowning female 

 criminals. One instance of the exercise of this jurisdiction 

 is given, vol. ii. p. 666, where a robbery committed in an ale- 

 house is punished with death. 



i> Vol. ii. p. 616. ii. c p. 379- 



