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description, held to form part of the ancient feudal franchises of
England:--"Sous les viscomtes sont les serjans de l'espée, lesquels
doivent justicier vertueusement à l'espée tous ceux qui suient malveses
compagnies, gens diffamez d'aucuns crimes, et gens fuites et
forbannis.... et les doivent si vigoureusement et discrètement
appréhender, que la bonne gent qui sont paisibles soient gardez
paisiblement et que les malfeteurs soient espoantés." To be thus
arrested was to be seized "à le glaive de l'espée." (Vetus Consuetudo
Normanniæ, MS. part I, sect. I, ch. 11.) The jurisconsults referred
besides "in Charta Ludovici Hutum pro Normannis, chapter Servientes
spathæ." Servientes spathæ, in the gradual approach of base Latin
to our idioms, became sergentes spadæ.
These silent arrests were the contrary of the Clameur de Haro, and
gave warning that it was advisable to hold one's tongue until such time
as light should be thrown upon certain matters still in the dark. They
signified questions reserved, and showed in the operation of the police
a certain amount of raison d'état.
The legal term "private" was applied to arrests of this description. It
was thus that Edward III., according to some chroniclers, caused
Mortimer to be seized in the bed of his mother, Isabella of France.
This, again, we may take leave to doubt; for Mortimer sustained a siege
in his town before being captured.
Warwick, the king-maker, delighted in practising this mode of "attaching
people." Cromwell made use of it, especially in Connaught; and it was
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