Thecomparativeantiquityofthevariousstepsintheprocedurearenot，Ithink，difficulttodetect。Nothingcanbemorearchaicthanthepicturepresentedbyitsmorevenerabledetails。Theseizureofthecattle，therescueandthecounter-seizure，belongtotheoldestpracticesofmankind。Wewerecarriedback，bytheLegisActioSacramentioftheRomans，toasuddenfightoverdisputedpropertybarelystoppedbyacasualpasser-by。Here，notinacity-community，butamongtheancientlegalformsofahalf-pastoral，half-agriculturalpeople，wecomeuponplaintracesofaforay。ButtheforaywhichsurvivesintheoldLawofDistressisnot，likethecombatoftheancientRomanAction，ameredramaticrepresentation。Uptoacertainpointitisareality，andthemostprobableaccountofitsoriginisthatitisagenuinelydisorderlyproceedingwhichthelawstepsintoregulate。YouwillseepresentlythatthereareotherindependentreasonsforthinkingthatsomeoftheearliestinterferencesofthepowerwhichwecalltheLaw，theState，ortheKing，withhigh-handedviolenceconsisted，neitherinwhollyforbiddingitnorinassumingactivejurisdictionoverthequarrelwhichprovokedit，butinlimitingit，prescribingformsforit，orturningittonewpurposes。Thusthenextseriesofincidentsinthepracticeofdistraint——theimpounding，thestresslaiduponpledgeorsecurity，andtheacknowledgmentofcontinuingownershipwhichisimpliedintheliabilityofthepersondistrainedupontofeedthecattle，andintherulethatthedistrainorshallnotworkthem——belongtoanewerrangeofideaswhichdictatethefirstattemptstomoderatereprisalsandregulaterevengeforwrong。Distressnowbecomesasemi-orderlycontrivanceforextortingsatisfaction。Manyvestigesofthisancientfunctionremain。IthasbeenobservedbyBlackstoneandothersthatthemodifiedexemptionofcertainclassesofgoodsfromdistraint——plough-oxen，forexample，andtoolsoftrade——
wasnotinitsorigintheleastintendedasakindnesstotheowner。Itwasentailedbytheverynatureofthewholeproceeding，sincewithouttheinstrumentsoftillageorhandicraftthedebtorcouldneverpayhisdebt。Apassageinthe’DialogusdeScaccario’ii。14，prescribingtheorderinwhichthegoodsoftheKing’sdebtorsaretobesold，stronglybearsoutthisview。
Latestintheorderofproceeding，andlatestprobablyindate，camethedirectinterpositionoftheState。TheKingstepsin，first。inwhatweshouldnowcallhisadministrativecapacity。Hisadministrativedeputy，theSheriff，oncomplaintmadebytheirowner，Followsupthecattle，demandsasightofthem，raisesthehueandcryifitberefused，andseizestwicetheirnumberifthebeastshavebeendrivenaway。Evenwhenheobtainshisview，hecandonothingunlessthecattle-owner，denyingtherightofhisadversarytodistrain，ispreparedwithsecuritythathewilltrythequestionbetweentheminaCourtofJustice。Thustardilydoesthatpowermakeitsappearancewhichaccordingtoournotionsshouldlongsincehaveappearedonthescene，thejudicialpoweroftheCommonwealth。ItsjurisdictionisobviouslyacquiredthroughtheactoftheSheriffinrestoringthecattleuponpledgegiven。Thedistrainorhaslosthismaterialsecurity，thecattle。Theownerofthecattlehasbecomepersonally，bound。Andthusbothareplacedunderacompulsionwhichdrivesthemintheendtoajudicialarbitration。
Nearlysixhundredyearsago，thecontrastbetweentheancientproceedingsinReplevinandsuitsconductedonwhatwerethenmodernprincipleswasalreadystriking。ThesecondchapteroftheStatuteofWestminstertheSecondisaimedatcertaincontrivancesbywhichtenantscontrivedtodefeatthelord’sremedybydistress；and，ingivingtheKing’sJusticesjurisdictioninsuchcases，itgoesontosaythatsuchaprovisiondoesnotmilitateagainsttheprincipleoftheCommonLawwhichforbidstheremovalofsuitstotheJusticesonthepetitionofadefendant。’For，’itadds，’althoughatfirstsightthetenantmayseemtobeplaintiffandthelorddefendant，yetinreality，regardbeinghadtothefactthatthelorddistrainsandsuesforservicesandduesbehind，heisratherplaintifforcomplainantthandefendant。’TheactionofReplevinisinfactanexcellentillustrationofthedifferencebetweenancientandmodernjuridicalprinciples。Accordingtoideasnowconfirmedinus，thepersonwhosetsaCourtofJusticeinmotionisthepersonwhocomplainsofawrong。Inthecasesupposed，thisisnotthemandistraineduponbutthemanwhodistrains。Heitiswhohassufferedaninjuryforwhichhemadereprisalsonhisadversary’sproperty。YetitishisadversarywhohastostartthelegalprocedureandtoconstitutehimselfplaintiffintheActionofReplevin。ThereasonwhyamodernCourtofJusticewouldinsistontakingthewholedisputeintoitsownhands，anddealingwithitinitsownwayfromtheverybeginning，isthat，havingalwaysthefullcommandofthepublicforce，itissureofbeingabletocompelthesubmissionofthedefendanttoitsjurisdictionandofcoercinghimintheendtillhedoesjustice，howeverlongthecoercionmaybedelayed。Butattheeratowhichtheprocedureindistressoriginallybelonged，theCourthadnosuchassuranceofpower；andhencethepersonassumedtohaveagrievanceisallowedtoproceedaccordingtotheprimitivemethod，whichhastheadvantageofgivingtheothersidethestrongestinducementstocallinthejudicialauthorityoftheStateandsubmittoitsdecision。
TheinformationfurnishedtousrespectingthisprimitiveprocedurebythevariousbodiesofContinentalTeutoniclawknowncollectivelyastheLegesBarbarorumisofaveryinterestingkind。AlmostallofthemcontainreferencestoPignoratioordistraintofgoods。TheVisigothiclawexpresslyprohibitsit；