Cape

A judicial writ, now abolished, touching a plea of lands and tenements. The writs which bear this name are of two kinds — namely, cape magnum, or grand cape, and cape parvum, or petit cape. The cape magnum was the writ for possession where the tenant failed to appear. The petit cape is so called not so much on account of the smallness of the writ as of the latter; it was the shorter writ issued when the plaintiff prevailed after the tenant had appeared.

Fleta, 1. 6, c. 55, § 40.

For the difference between the form and the use of these writs, see 2 Wms. Saund. 45 c, d; Fleta, 1.

6, c. 55, § 40.