Secta

In old English law. Suit; attendance at court; the plaintiff's suit or following, i. e., the witnesses whom he was required, in the ancient practice, to bring with him and produce in court, for the purpose of confirming his claim, before the defendant was put to the necessity of answering the declaration. See 3 Bl. Comm. 295, 344; Bract, fol. 214a. A survival from this proceeding is seen in the formula still used at the end of declarations, "and therefore he brings his suit," (et inde producit sectam.) This word, In its secondary meaning, signifies suit in the courts; lawsuit

— Seeta ad curiam. A writ that lay against him who refused to perform his suit either to the county court or the court-baron. Cowell.

— Secta ad furnum. In old English law. Suit due to a man's public oven or bake-house. 3 Bl. Comm. 235.

— Seeta ad justieiam faciendam. In old English law. A service which a man is bound to perform by his fee.

— Seota ad molendinum. A writ which lay for the owner of a mill against the inhabitants of a place where such mill is situated, for not doing suit to the plaintiff's mill; that is, for not having their com ground at it. Brown.

— Seeta ad torrale. In old English law. Suit due to a man's kiln or malthouse. 3 Bl. Comm. 235.

— Seeta cnrise. In old English law. Suit of court; attendance at court. The service, incumbent upon feudal tenants, of attending the lord at his court, both to form a j'ury when required, and also to answer for their own actions when complained of.
—Secta facienda per illam quæ habet eniciam partem. A writ to compel the heir, who has the elder's part of the co-heirs, to perform suit and services' for all the coparceners. Reg. Orig. 177.

— Secta regalis. A suit so called by which all persons were bound twice in the year to attend in the sheriff's tourn, in order that they might be informed of things relating to the public peace. It was so called because the sheriff's tourn was the king's leet, and it was held in order that the people might be bound by oath to bear true allegiance to the king. Cowell.

— Secta unica tantum facienda pro pluribus hæredita,tibus. A writ for an heir who was distrained by the lord to do more suits than one, that he should be allowed to do one suit only in respect of the land of divers heirs descended to him. Cowell.

In old English law. Suit; attendance at court; witnesses produced by the plaintiff upon counting or declaring, for the purpose of confirming his allegations before the defendant pleaded, the production being expressed in the form with which the declaration still concludes; a suit or action; the prosecution, or following up of one's right at law; pursuit of a felon; a feudal service by which a tenant was bound to attend the lord's court; a customary service on the part of a tenant, to grind his grain at the lord's mill. Secta ad furnum: suit due to a public oven or bake-house. Secta ad molendinum: suit at mill; a service due by usage from the persons resident in a particular place, of carrying their corn to a certain mill to be ground; the writ which constituted the remedy for the withdrawal of such service. Secta ad torrale: suit due to a kiln or malthouse. Secta curiae: suit of court; the service of following the lord in his court, or of attending his court, — a service which all feudal tenants were bound to perform.

See Suit, 1.

/. Suit. Suit at court, attendance at court. The witnesses of a party in ancient procedure, v. Witness, Compurgatores. Secta ad molendinum (suit to a mill): a writ against persons who were bound by tenure or custom to bring their com to a certain mill to be ground. So Secta ad furnum, torrale: suit to a [pubhc] oven, kiln, or malt-house. Secta curiae (suit of court): the attendance in the lord's court, to which a feudal tenant was anciently bound.

Suit. This word, in its secondary meaning (see Suit) means suit in the courts; lawsuit. Thus ad sectam, which is often seen in the abbreviated form, ads., means at the suit of. Seota ad curiam. A writ that lay against him who refused to perform his suit, either to the coimty court or court baron. Cowel. Secta curiae. Suit of court; that is to say, the attendance at the lord's court, to which the tenant was bound in time of peace. See 2 Bl. Com. 54; 1 Steph. Com. 180. Seota ad molendmum. A writ which lay for the owner of a mill against the inhabitants of a place where such mill is situated, for not doing suit to the plaintiff's mill; that is, for not having their corn ground at it. Brown. Seota regalis. A suit so called by which all persons were bound twice in a year to attend in the sheriff's tourn, in order that they might be informed in things relating to the public peace. It was so called because the sheriff's tourn was the king's leet, and it was held in order that the people might be bound by oath to bear true allegiance to the king. Cornel. Sectis non faciendis. A writ which lay for a dowress, or one in wardship, to be free from suit of court. Cowel.