ON Copyhold Tenure, WITH THE METHODS OF HOLDING COURTS LEET, COURT BARON, AND OTHER COURTS: AND AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING FORMS OF ENTRIES ON COURT ROLLS, AND MINUTE BOOKS; AND A VARIETY OF PRECEDENTS ON THE MODE OF COPYHOLD ESTATES. BY RICHARD BARNARD FISHER, Esq. LONDON: PRINTED BY A. STRAHAN and W. WOODFALL, PREFACE. THE following Treatife was at first intended only for the private ufe of the Compiler, and not for the public eye; a conviction however, of the neceffity of fome book that might afford general information on the fubject of Copybold Law, and the practice of bolding courts, bas now induced him to bring it forward; and having experienced the want of fuch affiftance, be flatters himself that the prefent Efay will not be deemed altogether unacceptable. The learning to be found in the books on this fubje&t, is extremely diffuse and scattered; and a clear and precife notion of the nature and law of Copyholds, cannot well be attained, without great research, and very confiderable labour. No one book whatever fince the time of Lord Coke, has treated the fubject, by any means, in a fyftematical manner, although great alterations, in many points, have fubfequently taken place. There are fome |