22. Bracton actually calls the plea of ancient demesne an exception of villainage, f 200: 'Si autem in sokagio villano, sicut de dominico domini Regis, licet servitia certa sunt, obstabit ei exceptio villenagii, quia talis sokmannus liberum tenementum non habet quia tenet nomine alieno.' Cf Fitzherbert, Abr. Aunc. Dem. 32.
23. Bract. Note-book, pl. 652: "Non debent extra manerium illud placitare quia non possunt [ponere] se in magnam assisam nec defendunt Se per duellum.' On the cases when an assize could be taken as to tenements in ancient demesne, see the opinion printed in Horwood's lntroduction to Y. B. 21/22 Edw. I, p. xviii.
24 Stoneleigh Reg., f. 76 sqq: 'Item in placito terre possunt partes si voluerint ponere jus terre sue in duello campionum vel per magnam assisam, prout patet in recordo rotuli de anno xlv Regis Henrici inter Walterum H. et Johannem del Hul etc. et inter Galfridum Crulefeld et Willelmum Elisaundre anno xx Regis Edwardi filii Regis Henrici,' etc.
25. Bract. Note-book, 1973: 'Nota quod si manerium quod solet esse de domi nico domini Regis datum fuerit alicui et postea semel capta fuerit assisa noue uel mortis de consuetudine, iterum capiantur assise propter consuetudinem.'
26. Britton, ii, 142.
27. If the lord brings an action against the tenant, ancient demesne is no plea, Viner, Abr., Anc. Dem. G. 4. This was not quite clear however, because ancient demesne is a good plea whenever recovery in the action would make the land frank fee.
28. Y.B., M. 41 Edw. III, 22: 'Chold: Si le seigniour disseisie son tenaunt il est en eleccion del tenant de user accion en le court le seigniour ou en le court le roy' (Fitzherbert, Abr.
Aunc. Dem. 9). Liber assis. 41 Edw. III, pl. 7, f. 253:
'Wichingham: Si le tenant en auncien demesne fuit disseisi par le seignior en auncien demesne il est a volunte le tenant de porter lassise al comen ley ou en auncien demesne mes e contra si le seignior soit disseisi par le tenant, il ne puit aillours aver son recoverie que en le court le roy.'
29. Stoneleigh Register: 'Item anno regui Regis Eduardi filii Regis Henrici vij Ricardus Peyto tulit breue de recto versus abbatem de Stonle et alios de tenementis in Fynham in curia de Stonle.' There are several instances in the Court Rolls of King's Ripton, Hunts. See App. V.
30. Bract. Note-book, 834: 'Preceptum est vicecomiti quod preciperet ballivis manerii Dom. Regis de Haueringes quod recordari facerent in Curia Dom. Regis de H. loquelam que fuit in eadem curia per breue Dom. Regis inter,' etc.: 652 is to the same point. I must say, however, that I do not agree with Mr Maitland's explanation, vol. II. p. 501, n. 4: 'John Fitz Geoffrey (the defendant pleading ancient demesne) cannot answer without the King. Tenet nomine alieno. Bract. f 200. The privileges of tenants in ancient demesne are the King's privileges.' John Fitz Geoffrey is the King's firmarius, and the other defendants vouch him to warranty. After having pleaded to the jurisdiction of the Court he puts in a second plea, 'salvo predicto responso,' namely, that the tenement claimed is encumbered by other and greater services than paying 15s. to hold freely. This is clearly the farmer's point of view, and as such, he cannot answer without the king. I lay stress on the point because a person pleading ancient demesne, although not holding nomine proprio in strict law, is compelled to answer without the King in the manorial court and by the manorial writ.
31. I need not say that the 'little writ' did not lie against the King himself. No writs did. Cp. Fleta, p. 4.
32. Y. B., 11/12 Edw. III, 325 (Rolls Ser.).
33. I shall have to speak of the constitution and usages of the court in another chapter.
34. Actions on statutes could not be pleaded in ancient demesne because, it was explained, the tenantry not being represented in parliament, were no parties in framing the statute; Viner, Abr.
Anc. Dem. E. 19. Another explanation is given in Y. B., H. 8 Edw.
II, p. 265.
35. As a matter of course, any question as to whether a manor was ancient demesne, and whether a particular tenement was within the jurisdiction of it, could be decided only in the high courts.
36. Viner, Abr., I. 21.
37. Y. B., H. 3 Edw. III, 29: 'Caunt: Si le jugement soit une foitz revers, la court auncien demesne ad perdu conusance de ce ple a touts jours.'
38. Stoneleigh Reg.: 'Item si contingat quod error sit in ludiciis eorum et pars ex eorum errore gravetur contra consuetudines, pars gravata habebit breve Regis, ad faciendum venire recordum et processum inter partes factos coram justiciariis domini Regis de Banco; qui justiciarii inspecto recordo et processu quod erratum est in processu iusto iudicio emendabunt et ipsos sokemannos propter errorem et falsum iudicium secundum quantitatem delicti ad multam condempnabunt.'
39. Bract. Note-book, 834: 'Et illi de curia qui veniunt quesiti, si unquam tale factum fuit judicium in prefata curia, et quod ostendant exemplum, et nichil inde ostendere possunt, nec exemplum nec aliud.'
40. Y. B., 11/12 Edw. III, p. 325 (Rolls Ser.): 'Stonore: Dit qe toutz les excepcions poent estre salve par usage del manoir forspris un, cest a dire qe la ou il egarde seisine de terre par defalte apres defalte la ou le tenant avait attourne en court qe respoundi pur lui.' Cf. Y. B., H. 3 Edw. III, 29, and T. 3 Edw.
III, 29.
41. Bract. Note-book, pl. 834 and 1122 concern the royal manors of Havering and Kingston.
42. I say against all men, because in the case of a stranger's interfering with the privileged villain's rights, it was for him to prove any exemption, e. g. conveyance by charter, which would take the matter out of the range of the manorial court.
43. Britton, ii. 13: 'Et pur ceo qe nous voloms qe ils eyent tele quiete, est ordeyne le bref de droit clos pledable par baillif del maner de tort fet del un sokeman al autre, qe il tiegne les plaintifs a droit selom les usages del maner par simples enquestes.'
44. Natura brevium, f 4 b (ed. Pynson).
