from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
CAPIAS AD COMPUTANDUM, practice. A writ issued in the action of account
render, upon the judgment quod computet, when the defendant refuses to
appear, in his proper person, before the auditors, and enter into his
account. According to the ancient practice, the defendant, after arrest upon
this process, might be delivered on main-prize, or in default of finding
mainpernors, he was committed to the Fleet prison, where the auditors
attended upon him to hear and receive his account. As the object of this
process is to compel the defendant to render an account, it does not appear
to be within the scope of acts abolishing imprisonment for debt. For
precedents, see Thesaurus Brevium, 38, 39, 40; 3 Leon. 149; 1 Lutw. 47, 51
Co. Ent. 46, 47; Rast. Ent. 14, b, 15.