What is "estreat"

Estreat \Es*treat"\, n. [OF. estraite, prop., an extract, fr. p. p. of estraire to extract, F. extraire, fr. L.extrahere. See Extract.] (Law) A true copy, duplicate, or extract of an original writing or record, esp. of amercements or penalties set down in the rolls of court to be levied by the bailiff, or other officer.
--Cowell.

Estreat of a recognizance, the extracting or taking out a forfeited recognizance from among the other records of the court, for the purpose of a prosecution in another court, or it may be in the same court.
--Burrill.

Estreat \Es*treat"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Estreated; p. pr. & vb. n. Estreating.] (Law)

1. To extract or take out from the records of a court, and send up to the court of exchequer to be enforced; -- said of a forfeited recognizance.

2. To bring in to the exchequer, as a fine.

n. (context legal English) A true copy, duplicate, or extract of an original writing or record, especially of amercements or penalties set down in the rolls of court to be levied by the bailiff, or other officer. vb. 1 (context legal English) To extract or take out from the records of a court, and send up to the court of exchequer to be enforced; said of a forfeited recognizance. 2 To bring in to the exchequer, as a fine.

Estreat ( French estrait, Latin extracta) means, originally, a true copy or duplicate of some original writing or record; since the 1900s used only with reference to the enforcement of a forfeited recognizance. At one time it was the practice to extract and certify into the exchequer copies of entries in manorial rolls which contained provision or orders in favor of the treasury, hence the estreating of a recognizance was the taking out from among the other records of the court in which it was filed and sending it to the exchequer to be enforced, or sending it to the sheriff to be levied by him, and then returned by the clerk of the peace to the lords of the treasury.