from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Tales \Ta"les\ (t[=a]"l[=e]z), n. [L., pl. of talis such
(persons).] (Law)
(a) pl. Persons added to a jury, commonly from those in or
about the courthouse, to make up any deficiency in the
number of jurors regularly summoned, being like, or such
as, the latter. --Blount. --Blackstone.
(b) syntactically sing. The writ by which such persons are
summoned.
[1913 Webster]
{Tales book}, a book containing the names of such as are
admitted of the tales. --Blount. --Craig.
{Tales de circumstantibus} [L.], such, or the like, from
those standing about.
[1913 Webster]