366 History of the English Landed Interest. 



and sturgeon, improper apparel, wrongful use of the crossbow 

 and hand-gun, omissions to provide crow nets, destruction of fish 

 fry, unlawful games, the hundred's recompenses for escaped 

 robbers, neglected highways, refusal to take musters, illegal 

 mortmain, rioting, netting of pigeons in winter, tracing of 

 hares, wrongful retailing of Gascoyne or French wines, etc., 

 etc. 



The steward next proceeds to enquire into the defaults and 

 pains presented at the last leet, which, if not amended or 

 otherwise unsettled, require still further attention by the court. 



This business completed, the " cryer " again makes proclama- 

 tion three times, and the steward rises and says, — " If any 

 can inform the steward or the jury of any petty treason, 

 felony, petty larceny, annoyances, or bloodshed, pound broken, 

 or of rescues, or of any other thing, made against the peace, 

 or of an}'' person of common ill-behaviour within the leet, or 

 any workmen using common deceit, or of any common misde- 

 meanour of any officer or other person there, or of any " waife," 

 estreys, treasure found, or of any other thing here inquirable, 

 come you in, and you shall be heard." Then the witnesses 

 come in, are sworn in turn^, and give their evidence to the 

 jury, upon which the steward addresses the latter thus — " Go 

 together, and enquire ye of the matter of your charge, and 

 when you are agreed, I shall be read}' to take 3'our verdict." 



In giving sentence the steward had to bear in mind two 

 considerations : first, the laws on each particular offence, which 

 required of him a knowledge of the statute book, only attain- 

 able by a lifelong legal practice ; and secondly, the extent of his 

 authority. This latter was carefully hedged in with plentiful 

 limitations. He could, for example, authorise the bailiff to 

 distrain,^ fine, and even imprison a juryman who refused to be 

 sworn,- swear any stranger who came within the precincts of 

 the leet,^ send a prisoner taken for felony to gaol,* and assess 

 a fine for contempt made in leet. He was, in fact, the judge 

 of the Court Leet, and the suit at this court was called '• suit 



' IG Hen. VII. fol. 14. - 31 Hen. VI. 



3 3 Hen. VII. fol. 4; 11 Hen. VII. 14 ; 21 Hen. VII. fol. 40. 



^ 13 Hen. IV. fol. 12. 



