CULPRIT  , properly the prisoner at the

bar, one accused of a crime; so used, generally, of one guilty of an offence . In origin the word is a combination of two Anglo-French legal words, culpable, guilty, and prit or prist, i.e. prest, Old French for pret, ready . On the prisoner at the bar pleading not guilty," the clerk of the crown answered " culpable," and stated that he was ready (prest) to join issue . The words cul. prist (or prit) were then entered on the roll as showing that issue had been joined . When French law terms were discontinued the words were taken as forming one word addressed to the prisoner . The formula " Culprit, how will you be tried ?" in answer to a plea of "not guilty," is first found in the trial for murder of the 7th earl of Pembroke in 1678 .