The
Court of Requests was a minor
equity court in
England and Wales. It first became a formal tribunal with some
Privy Council elements under
Henry VII, hearing cases from the poor and the servants of the King. It quickly became popular due to the low cost of bringing a case and the fast processing time, earning the ire of the common law judges. Two formal judges, the "Masters of Requests Ordinary", were appointed towards the end of
Henry VIII's reign, with an additional two "Masters of Requests Extraordinary" appointed under
Elizabeth I to allow two judges to accompany her on her travels around England. Two more Ordinary Masters were appointed under
James I of England, with the sheer volume of cases bringing a wave of complaints as the Court's business and backlog grew.