petty bag

noun

variants or petty-bag office

: a former office of the common-law side of the English Chancery Court having jurisdiction in suits for and against solicitors and officers of the court, in proceedings by extents on statutes, recognizance, scire facias, certiorari, and in other cases closely affecting the interests of the subject

Word History

Etymology

petty bag from obsolete English petty small (from Middle English pety) + English bag; from the fact that the record of each case was kept in a small bag