Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (1st ed, 1768, vol III).djvu/414

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ROCEEDINGS, in the nature of appeals from the proceedings of the king's courts of law, are of various kinds; according to the ubject matter in which they are concerned. They are principally three.

of attaint: which lieth to enquire whether a jury of twelve men gave a fale verdict ; that o the judgment following thereupon may be revered: and this mut be brought in the life-time of him for whom the verdict was given, and of two at leat of the jurors who gave it. This lay, at the common law, only upon verdicts in actions for uch peronal injuries as did not amount to trepas. For in real wrongs the party injured had redres by writ of right; but, after verdict againt him in peronal uits, he had no other remedy: and it did not lie in actions of trepas, for a very extraordinary reaon; becaue, if the verdict was et aide, the king would loe his fine. But by tatute Wetm. 1. 3 Edw. I. c. 38. it was given in all pleas of land, franchie, or freehold: and, by everal ubequent tatutes, Rh