Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "McKinley, William" to "Magnetism, Terrestrial" Volume 17, Slice 3

Chapter XXXVI. promises that in future writs of inquisition shall be

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granted freely without payment of any kind. This kind of writ allowed a man to refer the question of his guilt or innocence to the verdict of his neighbours instead of proving his innocence by the duel.