OF ATTORNIES, WHO ARE PUT IN THE PLACE OF THEIR PRINCIPALS IN COURT, TO GAIN OR LOSE FOR THEM.
The Suits discussed in the former part of this Treatise concern the Right and Propriety of the thing, which a person may prosecute, as indeed, some other Civil Pleas, as well by himself, as by an Attorney[409] put in his place to gain or lose. But the person, who thus puts another in his place, ought to be present[410] in Court.
It is usually done in the presence of the King’s Justices of the Common Pleas. But on no account, otherwise than as having been appointed by his Principal, when present in Court, ought any one to be received as an Attorney.[411] It is not requisite, that the adverse party should on that account be present in Court;[412] nor, indeed, the person who is so put in the place of the other, if he be known to the Court. One person alone may be put in the place of another; or two or more, either collectively or separately; so that, if one of them is unable to attend, the other or others may follow up the Plea. Through the medium of such an Attorney, a Plea may be commenced in Court, and determined, whether by Judgment, or final Concord; and that, as fully and effectually, as by the Principal himself.
But, it should be understood that, it will not suffice for any one to constitute another his Bailiff[413] or Steward[414] for the managing his Lands and affairs, even if it be made to appear to the Court, in order that he should be received in Court in any Suit in the place of his Principal.[415] But, it is necessary that, a special authority should be delegated for this purpose; and that the Attorney should, in the manner before described, be put in his place, expressly in that particular Action, to lose or gain for him.
It should also be observed, that any one may in the King’s Court put another in his place, to gain or lose for him, even in a suit that he has in another Court; and it shall be commanded, that the Attorney shall be received in such Court in the place of his Principal, by the following Writ——
“The King to the Sheriff, or to any other presiding in his Court, Health. Know that N. hath before me, or my Justices, put R. in his place to gain or lose for him, in the Plea which is between him and R.[416] concerning one ploughland or concerning any other thing, (naming it) and, therefore, I command you, that you receive the aforesaid R. in the place of the said N., in such Plea, to gain or lose. Witness, &c.”
When any one, therefore, according to the form, before mentioned, is put in the place of another in any suit, it may be asked, whether Essoins shall hold with reference to the person of the Attorney only, or the person of his Principal only, or with regard to both of them? And, indeed, the Essoins of the Attorney himself only shall in such case be allowed, until his appointment is revoked.[417] When any one, so put in the place of another in Court, answer to the suit, and does that which appertains to him, it may be asked, whether his Principal can at his pleasure remove him, and substitute another Attorney, especially if any great degree of Enmity should subsequently arise between them?
That the Principal himself, indeed, may follow up the Suit, the Attorney being removed, is unquestionable; because every Man is understood to put another in his place, under the tacit condition, that he himself cannot be present. The prevailing practice permits a Principal to remove such Attorney, in any part of the Suit, and also to replace him by substituting another in Court, in the manner before mentioned. A Father may thus substitute his Son, and vice versa: one stranger may also substitute another; and a Wife her husband. When a Husband, put in the place of his Wife in a suit concerning her marriage-hood or Dower, should lose any part of the property of his Wife, or should, by a Judgment or a Concord, remit any right of the Wife, whether, it may be asked, can the Wife herself again agitate the question, or whether is she absolutely bound, after the death of her Husband, to abide by his Act? It does not seem that the woman in such a case ought, by the Act of her Husband, to lose any part of her right; because, whilst in the power of her Husband, she can in no measure oppose or controvert his Will, and, therefore, she could not, contrary to his pleasure, look into her rights.[418] But, on the other hand, it may be contended, that those Acts which are transacted in the King’s Court, ought to be held settled and unalterable.
The Principal is to be distrained to abide by what has been done by his Attorney, whether it be so done by Judgment or by Concord. But what must be done, if the Principal is incompetent to pay, and has nothing whereby he can be distrained, although the Attorney has? The Attorney, indeed, must not be distrained.
The principle that we have just laid down, that no one, unless present in Court, can effectually put another in his place, seems contrary to what is contained in the first Book, upon the doctrine of Essoins.[419] For, it is there stated, that if any one should, after his third Essoin, send an Attorney, whoever he happen to be, with Letters, he should be received in Court. But this happens by force of the Judgment. A different Rule prevails where, urged by an order of the Court, or by a Distress, a person prays to put another in his place in a Suit, to gain or lose for him. It should also be observed, that Abbots and Priors of Canons Regular are received in Court, upon their own authority, without even the Letters of their Convents.
Other Priors, whether of Canons or Monks, if Cellarii[420] even though Aliens, are by no means to be admitted in Court, without the Letters of their Abbot or Grand Prior.[421] The Master of the Knight-Templars and the Chief Prior of the Hospital of Jerusalem[422] are also received upon their own authority; but none of their Orders of a Rank inferior to them are in the habit of being received. When one or more have been substituted in Court to conduct a Suit for another, in the manner before mentioned, whether the one can delegate his authority to another, or whether one of the two can nominate the other, or a third, in his place, or in that of his Principal, to gain or lose for him in that Suit, are points at least questionable.[423]