In archaic law, a computo was a writ, thus called from its effect, which was to compel a person to yield his accounts. It was made and enforceable against the following persons:

• executors of executors
• the guardian in socage, for waste such as major dilapidations made or suffered in the minority (under legal age period) of the heir
• a bailiff
• a chamberlain
• a receiver

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)