MngBJh, by which the youngejl'fqj&l,, or.Jn defe<ftfqfqfue, the .yo,un.geft
brother ,was to enjoy thp heritage as jit was to be pr.efimietb.that
elder brethren had -learned th d r;fa th er’s bnfinefss. Tha t Q i.G avd-kind
is lcarcely known, except in Kent, and h a s |||r e e branches ; the heirs
male ffiare all the land .alike; each heir may fell or alienate at the' age
o f fifteen and thtfugh.itlvc father be attainted of treafon, ;;lhe inheritance
palfes to the progeny6. In no .country arej wills fo. much venerated
by law : that-of M r. Theluffon furnifhes a-recent example. , J
All trials, upon common and flatnte law, are determine# by a ju ry
o f twelve, chofen as unobjectionable, from a larger number fr&nprp&ed
by th e IhecifL- .Theyfhayg hheir fta tio ^ ijM h e n e # tfe
and when the examination of t i e w,ifenefies? ^ |||:ih p 'ip lf ia ^ i|tg s ^ i^ d s ^
a-jndgp.recapitulates i^gampntiS, and^flape^the
law : after v S i ; jn r y ^ p h ^
may - .thejUareturnuilbe-ir f a r e ^ m ^ d p c ^ s Ac.ypr^id:,
which muft
'fioned many difficulties j and
majority, as ‘huddle* ia Seotlafid
laws may here be- omitted
juddciate^e muft not be feigqtteo. M a ^ ia l Law>
Anglicpna*,' m ay be clearly | t f i %?4
a code o f military ftatutes, publilhed by Upton; .and Grofe. ' The fta-
tutes chiefly relate- to facrilege, prifoners, robbery of merchants,
and refer folcly to the adt-ual exercife of war : the pain o f death rarely
-occurs, except in the cafe of any'perfou who .cries havoc, an expreffiqn.
feemingly equivalent to “ no quarter.” Martial law m a y . be prq-r
claimed by the king, regent, or lieutenant; general- o f , the. kingdom
.and even in time of .peace, though the prerogative be rarely employed,
except during war. . I t is in fa d a dictatorial power,.;, never e.xeited
except on great emergencies. .The trials are fummary and fevere, as
the neceffity o f the cafe authorifes^ &BhH|
In a -ffiort view: o f , our courts of law,- the next in dignity to the
ho,ufe of lords is the contt-of king?;s-bench, lo called begaufe.. the ,fqye-
reignwas under.flrobd. to -judge -in perfon,. and its jurifdi'Ction of courib
• 5 Cliamberl., v.,f. 188,, R j 6 Ibid. 1.7.
5*
extends to thé whole kingdom. The prefiding judge is denominated. Govern-
Lord Chief Jraffice of England. Here are chiefly determined what arc MEHT‘
Caled-pleas o f the crown ; and appeals lie from Lfèvùral other courts.
The; court of chancery judges cables in equiiy, ;tq moderate the ; rigour
o f the law, and defend th .ë! . helplefs from i pppr^fflhn, and especially to
extend relief in three cales^friàùd, accident, and breach o f truft. The
chancellor himfelf is the fupremej ju d g e ...iT h e -mailer of the rolls, or
kceper.-of th e 1 important papers enrolled .in., chancery, is an officer of
gjieat dignity, and confiderable p a tro nage. É The ofEce( o f the rolls contains
the charters, &c. granted by Richard III, and his fuccelfors;
ïhofe. dfi'mofei .re.mote^an^tlquity. being lodged in thè Tower. The court
of common pleas judges, as the name imports; of the.' common fuits
between fubjedt- arid fubjedf ; and tries all civil caufes, real, perfônal, or
mingled,' according .to ..the precife precepts of the law. T h ’g. .cqmjt, <of
exchequer, fo termed -fr^m ancient mode o f ^accounting; upqn a
oHicqneredaboàfdv decides all ;fcayrfeS relating^ to th e iyoyafiireaSury or
reifermero ^Elaie .-fecd'j ffeaftifer,. 'and'.thej^çb&ncèliqr .p f tb^ ex ch eq u e r,
may be regarded:;as hibnpf'ary-prelidentsy while ...the adtual judge •
hither fefdfchiefbaron.ùlîTjkree o th e rl judges, ^arfd many offidqfs, bdloi%
îo thisÆ.gb<ebïîr.lsî f T h e re is alfo a' -egiurt, jtheh&ichy- of Lancafter,
hafcitig^E^^nixanc&.’o f th e rd teh u ék to f <that~:-duchy, annexed to A h
e row n h y H e n ry IV T.
P o t .the:. imoreJhommddiQus'stmdi général diftributipn Bfqjrrfigca^-the Circuit*
kingdom Jis divtded: into tfix circuits,'Iwhigh ‘are .vifited b y thp judges im
the fpr^ngi aSd ‘autum'n, whfen Jtheyftt andldetermiitê! all caufes of irnpor-
>-îaàcl|j|îp*Hl and c$unb?al ÿia^nethodvfhncb?io beu|»reft®^5<KDi)Ad. fedeiS-
ta fy pafHâmgn^ mf Traù'se,' ûii whl<&fhfe pjaidges;Wereubiaffed by locdl
aM#mentsî.:P'>Ihithe ■ mfe'aowhïle more mirmfe ■ Afes are detefminied* by
A e y b ’ftices- ôf .the p'eàcê, whb m ay . be traced Uo th e 'fo u rth year of Peace.
EdWald III. Their officeSs-'dhieft^fo commit1 criminals to prifaiij, and >
to infpect. the execution o f fome particular laws, relating .to. the poor,
high-ways, aud the like. They have a commiffion undgr the: great feal,
and the moft refpedtabie are ftyled j uftices: ,qf th e quorum, from the
words in thé c.ommiffion, 'Quorum A. B. . unitm ijfe volvmui. T h e ctiftjoi '
if f l 7 c. 4.
H 2