or BENCA, in law, denotes a tribunal, or judgment-seat: hence king's banc is the same with the court of king's bench, and common banc with that of common pleas.

BANCI jus, or the privilege of having a bench, was anciently only allowed to the king's judges, qui summam administrent jucicium. Inferior courts, as courts-baron, hundred courts, &c. were not allowed that prerogative; and even at this day the hundred-court at Freibridge in Norfolk is held under an oak at Geywood; and that of Woolfry, in Herefordshire, under an oak near Ashton in that county, called Hundred-oak.