This series contains material produced as part of the process of debt collection from officers and tenants of the Duchy of Lancaster administered by the Court of Duchy Chamber, which by the early seventeenth century had separate sessions for revenue business known as 'sittings on the revenue'.
The main documents in this series are the writs, issued to the sheriff of the county concerned, to levy the debt of a named individual on his goods and chattels, seize and deliver into the monarch's hands the debtor's lands, rents and goods, and extend (ie value) his lands and goods by an inquisition of local men.
A single writ may concern a single debtor or many in a given county. If a single debtor is also an officer of the Duchy the bond of obligation signed on appointment will be cited. If the writ concerns many debtors it will usually refer to an attached schedule. This will be in the form of a particular by the Duchy receiver for the country in question, giving details of the lands or offices held and of the debts due.
The sheriff had to certify the result and return the writ with any monies and the inquisition to the Court of Duchy Chamber at a specified time. The other main document found, therefore, is the local inquisition. This is an identure signed and sealed by the sheriff and the men listed as taking part. It will contain details of the case agreeing with and backing up the sheriff's certification. There may also be other documents folded into the returned writ such as inventories of movable goods.