Eng. Hist. Also 6–7 tourne, turne, 6–8 torn, 6–9 turn, 7–8 torne. [a. Anglo-Fr. tourn, TURN, n. of action f. tourner to turn, go round; in med.L. turnus. In the ordinary senses the sb. and vb. have become turn; but in this historical sense the Anglo-French spelling is usually retained, though Pollock and Maitland prefer to call it ‘the sheriff’s turn.’]
The tour, turn, or circuit formerly made by the sheriff of a county twice in the year, in which he presided at the hundred-court in each hundred of the county; the great court leet of the county, held by him on these occasions; it was a court of record.
[1217. Magna Carta, 2nd Reissue, c. 42. Nec aliquis vicecomes vel baillivus suus faciat turnum suum per hundretum nisi bis in anno,… semel post Pascha et iterum post festum Sancti Michaelis.
1292. Britton, I. xix. § 3. Sutes dues a noster Counté, et a nos hundrez, et a nos maners, et a tourns de noster viscounte. Ibid., xxx. § 1. Les … pletz sount apelez tourns de viscounte; qi deus foiz par an les deit tener par mi chescun hundred de soen counté.]
1432. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 403/1. By cause the Decennare and Decennes … comen noght hole and full unto the Sherrefes tourn.
1531. Dial. on Laws Eng., I. vii. 16. In euery shyre … there is a courte … that is called the Shyryffes torne.
1542–6. in 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. IX. 272. Bobbingworth Village come to the Turne aforesaid by iiii men, Tennants by coppie, and the Reeve of the village there.
1608. Bacon, Office Constables, etc., Sheriffs. [The sheriff] hath authority to hold two several courts of distinct natures: the one called the tourne, because he keepeth his turn and circuit about the shire.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. 368. The sheriff’s tourn, which is the court-leet of the county.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., II. xiv. 27. The 42nd article orders … the sheriff’s tourn, which now first appears in the charters, [to be held] twice a year.
1895. Pollock & Maitland, Hist. Eng. Law, I. 515. Twice a year the sheriff makes a tour or turn [turnus vicecomitis] through all the hundreds of the country. He holds each of the hundred courts, and on these occasions many persons besides the ordinary suitors ought to be present.
