Plea rolls records were passed to the treasury at the Exchequer. During 1288–1731, non-current records, plea rolls, files of fines, and writs were transferred from the court to the Treasury of the Receipt of the Exchequer; and thence, eventually, to The National Archives at Kew. The Plea Rolls for the Courts of Common Pleas and King’s Bench are in bundles by law term: Hilary, Easter, Trinity, and Michaelmas, or winter, spring, summer, and autumn. They are in Latin, though some items, such as indentures and direct quotations in cases of defamation, are in English. Most of the plea rolls have not been
Michaelmas Term (play) from the harvest to finance lawsuits. Figures representing the other three terms (Trinity, Hilary and Easter) enter, leading a "poor" man who is made "rich" as they present him with rich apparel, a page and a pander. The three terms greet Michaelmas and tell him that several more fools on are on their way. They express hope that he will spread the wealth around. Michaelmas promises them that there will be lawsuits enough to last for the next four years. Scene 1: The middle aisle in St Paul's Cathedral Masters Rearage and Salewood, two London gallants, meet each other at