Legal Definitions - escheccum

Escheccum is a historical legal term that referred to a group of individuals assembled to conduct an official inquiry or to make a judgment, much like what we would understand today as a jury or an investigative commission.

Historically, an escheccum was often convened by a lord or the Crown to gather facts, settle disputes, or determine rights and responsibilities within a specific locality or for a particular purpose.

• Example 1: Land Ownership Dispute

  Imagine a scenario in medieval England where a powerful baron died without a clear heir, and multiple relatives claimed rights to his vast estates. The king might dispatch royal officials to the region, who would then convene an escheccum. This group, composed of local knights and respected freemen, would be tasked with investigating the claims, interviewing witnesses, and examining historical documents to determine the rightful successor according to feudal law. Their collective findings and judgment would constitute the work of the escheccum.

• Example 2: Local Justice in a Manor Court

  In a smaller, local context, such as a manor court, if a villager was accused of poaching deer from the lord's forest, an escheccum might be formed from a panel of other villagers. This panel would hear the accusations, listen to any presented evidence, and then deliberate to decide whether the accused was guilty or innocent according to the customs of the manor. In this instance, the escheccum functioned much like a modern jury, rendering a verdict based on the facts presented.

• Example 3: Royal Inquiry into Local Resources

  Suppose the king needed to assess the agricultural output and taxable wealth of a particular county to fund a new military campaign. Royal administrators might order the formation of an escheccum in each hundred (a historical administrative division). These groups, made up of knowledgeable local landowners and farmers, would conduct a detailed survey, counting livestock, estimating crop yields, and assessing the value of properties. Their collective report, compiled through this official inquiry, would serve as the findings of the escheccum, providing crucial information to the Crown.