Statute Staple

Statute staple, a bond of record acknowledged before the mayor of the staple, in the presence of the constables of the staple, or one of them; the only seal required for its validity was the seal of the staple, and therefore if the statute were void for any cause, it could not, as in the case of a statute-merchant (q.v.), be proceeded on as a common obligation; and, wanting the sanction of the seal of the king, the sheriff, after the extent, could not deliver the lands to the consuee, but had to seize them into the king's hands; and in order to obtain possession of them, the conusee had to sue out a writ of Liberate, which was a writ out of Chancery, reciting the former writ, and commanding the sheriff to deliver to the conusee all the lands, tenements, and chattels by him taken into the king's hands, if the conusee would have them, until he should be satisfied his debt. Obsolete. See STAPLE