A guess: This could be a misspelling of the legal term "jure", which is pronounced "YOO-ruh" or "YOO-reh." It is a form of the Latin word for "law" and usually appears in a phrase and not alone, (as in jure civilis, by the civil law; jure gentium, by the law of nations; jure representationis, by right of representation; jure uxoris, in right of a wife.) In the context where you have found it, it may mean that Yost Linard was a lawyer acting for James McGrew. Then the sentence would mean that Cadwallader had to answer to Yost Linard [who is representing the rights of] James McGrew. Alternatively, Linard could have been a judge. I further suspect that the name "Yost" is misspelled. Hope this helps, Susan Osburn Osburn, Dickerson, McFadden, Rankin, Harris