Eyre (legal term) facts for kids
An eyre (pronounced 'air') was like a special trip made by a judge in medieval England. These judges, called 'justices in eyre,' traveled around the country. They held court wherever they went. It was also the king's right to visit and check on his important subjects, called vassals.
The judges would visit different parts of the kingdom at different times. They would inspect the lands and homes of the king's vassals. The word 'eyre' comes from an old French word, erre, which means 'journey.' It's related to words like 'errand' and 'errant'.
These judge trips also happened in parts of Ireland that were controlled by England, starting around 1220. However, the eyre system mostly stopped in Ireland by the end of the 1200s. The very last Irish eyre happened in 1322.
Why the Eyre of 1194 Was Important
The eyre of 1194 was a big deal. It was started by Hubert Walter, who was a very important official helping the king. His goal was to bring back fair royal justice. This was needed after a period of trouble caused by Prince John's rebellion.
Within just two months, judges on eyre had visited every county in England. Special rules, called the Articles of Eyre, were made. These rules appointed local knights to be coroners. Coroners were like record-keepers. They wrote down important legal cases that would be shown to the judges.
The main reason for these changes was to raise money for King Richard I. He needed funds to win back lands in Normandy, France. The coroners also had to report on the money and property taken from the rebels. They also had to list the financial resources of each county.
The Eyre of 1233 in Cornwall
One old book from medieval times tells us about the Eyre of 1233 in Cornwall. It says that people were very scared of the judges. Some men even "fled into the woods" because they were so afraid.
Famous Itinerant Justices
Many important people served as traveling judges during the eyre system. Here are some of them:
- 1170 Gervase de Cornhill
- 1170 John Cumin
- 1177 Robert Marmion
- 1190 Simon of Pattishall
- 1208 Richard of Staines
- 1209 Gerard de Camville
- 1217 Thomas de Multon
- 1218 Walter of Pattishall
- 1221 Thomas De Heydon
- 1224-5 John de Bayeux
- 1225 John de Baalun
- 1225 Martin of Pattishall
- 1225 Richard de Veym
- 1225 Peter, abbot of Tewkesbury
- 1226 Alambire Lucas
