or ASSIZE. 1. An ancient species of court, consisting of a certain number of men, usually twelve, who were sum-moned together to try a disputed cause, per-formiug the functions of a jury, except that they gave a verdict from their own investi-gatlon and knowledge and not upon evidence adduced. From the fact that they sat to-gether, (assidco,) they were called the “as-sise.” See Bract. 4, 1, 6; Co. Litt. 153b, 159b