in law, a supplication or petition referred to a prince, or to a court of justice; begging relief in some convenient cases where the common law grants no immediate redress.

Court of Requests (cuius requisitionum) was a court of equity, of the same nature with the court of chancery, but inferior to it; principally instituted for the relief of such petitioners as in convenient cases addressed themselves by supplication to his majesty. Of this court the lord privy-seal was chief judge, assisted by the masters of requests; and it had beginning about the 9 Hen. VII. according to Sir Julius Caesar's tractate upon this subject: though Mr Gwyn, in his preface to his Readings, saith it began from a commission first granted by king Henry VIII. This court, having assumed great power to itself, so that it became burdensome, Mich. anno 40 and 41 Eliz., in the court of common pleas it was adjudged upon solemn argument, that the court of requests was no court of judicature, &c. and by stat. 16 & 17 Car I. c. 10. it was taken away.

There are still courts of requests, or courts of conscience, constituted in London and other trading and populous districts for the recovery of small debts. The first of these was established in London to early as the reign of Henry VIII. by an act of their common council; which however was certainly insufficient for that purpose, and illegal, till confirmed by statute 3 Jac. I. c. 15. which has since been explained and amended by statute 14 Geo. II. c. 10. The constitution is this: two aldermen and four commoners sit twice a week to hear all causes of debt not exceeding the value of forty shillings; which they examine in a summary way, by the oath of the parties or other witnesses, and make such order therein as is consonant to equity and good conscience. The time and expense of obtaining this summary redress are very inconsiderable, which make it a great benefit to trade; and thereupon divers trading towns and other districts have obtained acts of parliament for establishing in them courts of conscience upon nearly the same plan as that in the city of London.

By 25 Geo. III. c. 45. (which is confined to prosecutions in courts of conscience in London, Middlesex, and the borough of Southwark), and by 26 Geo. III. c. 38. (which extends the provisions of the former act to all other courts instituted for the recovery of small debts), it is enacted, that after the first day of September 1786, no person whatsoever, being a debtor or defendant, and who has been or shall be committed to any gaol or prison by order of any court or commissioners authorized by any act or acts of parliament for constituting or regulating any court or courts for the recovery of small debts, where the debt does not exceed twenty shillings, shall be kept or continued in custody, on any pretence whatsoever, more than twenty days from the commencement of the last mentioned act; or from the time of his, her, or their commitment to prison: and where the original debt does not amount to or exceed the sum of forty shillings, more than forty days from the commencement of the said act, or from the time of his, her, or their commitment as aforesaid; and all gaolers are thereby required to discharge such persons accordingly. And by sect. 2. if it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the court, that any such debtor has money or goods which he has wilfully and fraudulently concealed; in that case the court shall have power to enlarge the aforesaid times of imprisonment for debts under twenty shillings, to any time not exceeding thirty days, and for debts under forty shillings, to any time not exceeding sixty days; which said ground of farther detention shall be specified in the said commitment. And that (by sect. 3.) at the expiration of the said respective times of imprisonment, every such person shall immediately be discharged, without paying any sum of money. money, or other reward or gratuity whatsoever, to the gaoler of such gaol on any pretence whatsoever; and every gaoler demanding or receiving any fee for the discharge of any such person, or keeping any such person prisoner after the said respective times limited by the said act, shall forfeit five pounds, to be recovered in a summary way before two justices of the peace, one moiety thereof to be paid to the overseers of the poor of the parish where the offence shall be committed, and the other to the informer.