or BENCH, in Law, denotes a tribunal, or judgment-seat; hence king's bane is the same with the court of king's bench, and common bane with that of common pleas.

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