Bank
A New Law Dictionary and Glossary · Alexander M. Burrill · 1850
A New Law Dictionary and Glossary
Banke, Bancke, Banque, Banky, L. Fr.
In old English law
Bench; the bench. The name formerly given in French to the two superior common law courts in England.
Bank, {banke, or banque) le Roy; the King's Bench. Stat. Westm, 1, c. 46.
Le commune bank; the common bench.
Reg. Grig. 198 b, nota.
The latter court was also called Bank a Westmynstre; the bench at Westminster. Britt. c.
90. Stat, Westm. 1, c. 45.
Justices du banke; justices of the bench (that is, the common bench.) Stat. Oloc. c.
12.
Les justices de son banke; the justices of his bench, (that is, the king's bench.) Artie, sup. Chart, c.
5.
The name was originally peculiar to the common bench. See Bancus. This word, judging from the corrupted form banky, seems to have been sometimes pronounced in two syllables.