Anonymous, 1319

 Un Richard porta brief de dette vers un abbé et soun commoygne, et dit qe le moygne taunt com il fut seculer avoit apromté de ly x livres, a payer a certeyn jour, a quel jour il ne paya poynt; et de ceo tendist sute saunz especialté.

 Migg'. Il demaunde ceste dette par resoun de un aprest fet au moygne taunt com il fut seculer, lequel homme est mort quaunt a la ley de terre en taunt com il est profés en religioun; et demaundoms jugement si a tiel demoustraunce devez estre resceu.

 Scrop. Quant l'abbé resceit un moygne il se deit aviser q'il ne seit chargé de dette, quar il ly deit resceyvre ove sa charge auxi com le baroun fra sa femme.

 Herle. Ceo n'est pas semblable, quar le moygne est mort quant a la ley, et si n'est pas la femme.

 Berr'.  Pur ceo qe vous n'avez qe sute, a quei homme ne put alayer, mes l'abbé ne put alayer le fet soun moygne, par quei agarde la court qe vous ne pregnez rien par vostre brief.

 Et Toud' et Frisk' disoyent qe cel jugement ust esté mesq'il ust eu fet: quar autrement ensuereit meschef, qe par fet de un seculer la mesoun purra estre chargé à touz jours.  Set contra posissionem potest fieri opinabilis questio etc.

Translation:
 One Richard brought a writ of debt against an abbot and a monk of his house, and he said that the monk while yet secular had borrowed from him ten pounds, to be paid back on a certain day, and on that day the monk did not pay; and of this he tendered suit without showing specialty.

 Miggele. He demands this debt by reason of a loan made to a monk while he was yet secular.  Now that man is dead as regards the law of the land, inasmuch as he has professed religious vows, so we ask judgement whether you should be received to make such a demonstrance.

 Scrope. When the abbot receives a monk he must consider whether he is not charged with debt, for he must receive him with his charge as a husband shall his wife.

 Herle. That is a different matter, for the monk is dead at law and the wife is not.

 BEREFORD, C.J.   Since you only tender suit which can involve no wager of law, [since] the abbot cannot wage law upon the act of one of his monks, the court awards that you take nothing by your writ.

 And Toudeby and Friskeney said the judgement would have been the same even if the demandant had had a deed.  Otherwise mischief would have resulted, for the house [would] be charged for all time by the deed of a secular.  But against this position an arguable question could be raised.

Source: Year Books of Edward II., 12 Edward II., 1319 89 (John P. Collas and Theodore F.P. Plucknett eds., 1953).