Browsing: Legal Papers of John Adams, Volume 1

42. The “profert” of the deed, note 56 40 above. When profert was made, the defendant could demand “oyer.” In ancient practice this literally meant a reading of the deed in court. With written pleadings, however, it merely signified that the plaintiff had to set out in the record the deed or other instrument sued upon. See Sutton, Personal Actions 102–104. Compare Metcalf v. Hall, Form XXIII.