THE 



WILTSHIRE MAGAZINE. 



" MULT0RUM M ANT BUS GRANDE LEVATUR ONUS," — Ovid. 



% s fen, Co. WkU 



A.D. 1439. 



By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.S.A. 



URN/' (says Jacob's Law Dictionary) "is the King's Leet 

 (or Court) through all a County, of which the Sheriff is 

 J udge, and this Court is incident to his Office, wherefore it is called 

 the Sheriff's Tourn. It had its name originally from the Sheriff 

 taking a Tour or Circuit about his shire and holding this Court in 

 several places : for the word Turn properly taken, doth not signify 

 the Court of the Sheriff, but his Perambulation." In ancient times 

 this Court used to be held in every Hundred in a County as often as 

 the Sheriff thought fit, but by Statute it was afterwards limited to 

 twice a year. A Jury was sworn, and Tithing-men made their pre- 

 sentments. The offences presented were chiefly of the minor sort, 

 nuisances and annoyances; such as selling of corrupt victuals, keep- 

 ing false weights and measures, disturbances of the peace, injury to 

 public roads, and the like; matters which have long since devolved 

 upon Magistrates at Petty Sessions. Old payments due to the 

 Crown, either from a Hundred, a Tithing or a Manor : " Certain 

 Money," or " Tithing Silver," " Certain Silver," or « Cert-silver," 

 {( Leet (sometimes corrupted to " Lady) Silver," were at such times 

 received by the King's Officers. 1 



The places at which the Sheriff, or his Deputy, attended in his 

 " Turn" or Circuit, to hold his Court, were not always either in 



J Thisis I believe the meaning of the word " Certum." Payments of this 

 name still continue, in the Hundred of Malmesbury for example, not to the 

 Crown, but to the Lord of the Hundred. 



VOL. XIII. — NO. XXXVIII. I 



