Catalogue description Chancery Files, Tower Series, Attachments Cepi Corpus

Writs directing the sheriff to attach one or more specified defendants to appear in Chancery to answer specified charges.

The documents fall into two main groups: original writs in suits brought by Chancery clerks and their personal staff concerning debt, trespass etc, under common law, according to the privilege of Chancery; and judicial writs issued either after the failure of defendants in equity suits to answer writs sub pena or for contempt of court during the progress of the suit.

These writs of attachment are those successfully executed; the greater number were not executed and are included in non sunt inventi: C 251

Most of these records were formerly included in C 47 and C 202

From 1428 onwards such writs are to be found on the corpus cum causa files: C 244