CURIA, in our ancient customs.—It was usual for the kings of England to summon the bishops, peers, and great men of the kingdom to some particular place, at the chief festivals in the year; and this assembly is called by our historians curia; because there they consulted about the weighty affairs of the nation; whence it was sometimes also called solemnis curia, generalis curia, augustalis, and curia publica, &c. See WITENA-MOT.