Catalogue description Court of the Honour of Peveril: Records

Surviving records of the Court of the Honour of Peveril from the Restoration to its abolition in 1849. The records include rule books, 1662 to 1702, recording rules (orders) of the court; action books, 1682 to 1786, initially recording proceedings very briefly but becoming fuller in the mid 18th century; minute books, 1729 to 1850, which become the main record of proceedings in succession to the action books, and which from 1814 are called precipe books; pleadings books, 1682 to 1698, recording the pleadings in full; issues and judgment books, 1755 to 1761, which give very full details, including the texts of pleadings and writs, for a few cases; a trials and inquiries book, 1835 to 1843, giving information particularly about jurors and witnesses; miscellaneous papers, mainly declarations, 1844 to 1849, but also including writs and returns.

The earliest surviving record of the court is of a session on 4 March 1662 at Wirksworth, when it was said to be the king's court and was held by Simon Degge (of the Inner Temple) as steward. The pattern continued throughout the long career of Degge and his successor Thomas Eyre (of Grays Inn), both appointed by the letters patent of 1672, down to 1702, when there is a long break in the surviving records which continues until 1729; the first record after the break shows the court being held by Francis Lord Middleton as steward for the king. The office had been granted to Sir Thomas Willoughby, bart., and his heirs in perpetuity by Queen Anne on 22 June 1706; Sir Thomas was created Lord Middleton in 1711.

The later records do not include the names of the stewards in their headings, although they sometimes name the judge, but as far is it is known the family continued in possession of the office until the court's abolition in 1849. The letters patent of 1639 and the warrant of 1672 provided for the place of the high steward in presiding over the court to be taken by a steward, sworn before him, who was an utter barrister, skilled in the law, from one of the four inns of court; Degge and Eyre were presumably appointed under that provision.