The New Present State of Great-Britain; Containing a Succinct Account of the Climate, Divisions, and Inhabitants, of Great Britain the Government of G (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1776 edition. Excerpt: ...causes of the county under forty shillings.' All bailiffs are appointed by the sheriff to serve writs, distrain goods, and to summon the county sessions and assizes.-: A mayor is the chief magistrate of a corporation be it city or town. He is his majesty's lieutenant chosen out of the body of aldermen, for one year only. In some places he is called a bailiff, but his power is as extensive as that of a mayor. High constables are officers appointed to disperse warrants and orders of the jnstices of the peace to each petty constable.. There are also in every county two officers called coroners, whose office is to enquire'by a jury of neighbours, ' how and by whom, any person came by a violent death, and to enter the same upon record, which is a criminal matter, and a plea of the crown, and thence they derive the name of crowners, or coroners. 'Every county hath also a clerk of the nv.rket whose office it is to keep an exact standard of all-weights and measures, agreeing with the king's standard kept in the exchequer, to seal all weights and-measures made by'the standard in his custody, and to burn such as are otherwise. The petty constables are very usesul officers. They are appointed to keep the peace in case of quarrels, to search any house for robbers, murderers, . or others that have any way broken the peace: to raise the hue and cry after robbers sled away; to secure them till they can be brought before some justice of peace to whom, the constables are subservient upon all occasions.'-'.' "'. - Courts leet, and courts baron belong to lords of manors, who appoint-stewards to hold them in their name. To the first court all are called to swear fidelity to the king, who live within the homage; here inquiry is made of riot, bloodshed, and...