A plea by way of traverse is a denial of some one fact or of all the facts, set up in the plaintiff's declaration. Pleadings later than the plea can also be by way of traverse. In such cases there is a denial of some one fact or of all the previous facts set up in the last previous pleading.

A traverse concludes with the words, "And of this he puts himself upon the country."

A traverse produces an issue which is asserted by one side and denied by the other. It only remains with the other party to join issue, which is done by what is called a similiter, or a joinder in issue, which is generally in the following language: "And the said A as to the plea of the said B, above pleaded, and whereof he has put himself upon the country, does the like."

The rules governing traverses will be found in the chapter on the rules of pleading.