COURT OF, the lowest, and at the same time the most expeditious, court of justice known to the law of England. It is called PIEPOUDRE (curia pedis pulverizati), from the dusty feet of the suitors; or, according to Sir Edward Coke, because justice is there done as speedily as dust can fall from the foot: Upon the same principle that justice among the Jews was administered in the gate of the city, that the proceedings might be the more speedy, as well as public. But the etymology given us by a learned modern writer is much more ingenious and satisfactory; it being derived, according to him, from pied pulbereaux, "a pedlar," in old French, and therefore signifying the court of such petty chapmen as resort to fairs or markets. It is a court of record incident to every fair and market; of which the steward of him who owns or has the toll of the market is the judge. It was instituted to administer justice for all commercial injuries done in that very fair or market, and not in any preceding one. So that the injury must be done, complained of, heard, and determined, within the compass of one and the same day, unless the fair continues longer. The court hath cognizance of all matters of contract that can possibly arise within the precinct of that fair or market; and the plaintiff must make oath that the cause of an action arose there. From this court a writ of error lies, in the nature of an appeal, to the courts at Westminster. The reason of its institution seems to have been, to do justice expeditiously among the variety of persons that resort from distant places to a fair or market; since it is probable, that no other inferior court might be able to serve its process, or execute its judgments, on both or perhaps either of the parties; and therefore, unless this court had been erected, the complaint must necessarily have referred even in the first instance to some superior judicature.