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k 



H 



H 



R 



he finds them to tend more or lefs to the real intereft of 



with 



fts of the mother country. The afiembly h 





t ; 



r\ 



i fere 



prorogued and dhTolved, as the Governor pleafe 

 the immediate force of all the bills they p 



who 



the 



6 



is called 

 31* affent 





With this charter his Majefty has been alfo pleafed to favour the ifland with 



mace, which is carried before the Governor upon occafi 



1 



which he was pleafed to appoint them th 

 ged with five pine apples, in a field argent. 



following; arm 



d with a broad leal, 



ofs gules, 



r ciz. a 



nd condal'd. 



Creft, An Alligator vig 



Supporters, two Indians plumed 



The infcription in the 







ecce alium ramos porrexit in orbem, 

 Nec sterilis est crux. 



His majefty was alfo pleafed 



ppoi 



the Chancellor (which power has been hitherto lodged in the G 



Court of Equity in this ifland, where 



a 



for the eafe 

 d fecurity of the people) fits more or lefs frequent, according to the number of 



at 



hil 



In this court matters of g 



actions depending ; which fometimes engage him for days fucceffively 



other times he fcarcely fits above once a month. 



portance are often decided with fatisfaction ; tho' the lawyers, who are generally 



vexatious and expenfive in that ifland, frequently find means to protract the fuits, 



d thereby often evade the purpofe of the inft 



nd happy is the Ch 



who is not fometimes mifted by their ignorance or partiality, which, I am afraid 



has been often thecaufe of complaints, and expenfive appeals from 

 Courts of Judicature have been alfo inftituted very early in th 



ifland 



dby 



timely laws and regulations appointed to be held quarterly at St. J 'ago di la Veg 

 Thefe in power and proceeding refemble the King's Bench 



Common Pleas 



d 



Afiizes, in England, and are held under a Chief Juftice, who is commimoned by 

 Governor, and endowed with a falary of 120 /. per annum ; 



but h 



certain, being commonly difcharged 



pleafure. In the execution of this office however 



as commiifioned 



po 



ft 



is un 



theG 



many other magift 



appointed for his affiftants, who have no recompence befides the honour of ferving 

 their country, which I believe they always perform with integrity, as far as they 

 acquainted with the nature of the laws. But really there are not many of them 



fuffkiently verfed in thefe, which with the ignorance of the attorneys, and general 

 tendency of the men in bufinefs, occafions more law- fuits in that colony, than could 

 be reafonably expected among fuch a number of people ; there being feldom lefs 

 than eight hundred new actions every court for fome years paft. 



Here petty courts have been alfo inftituted, in the nature of Court-Barons, which 



are held quarterly in every precinct 

 with two of the neighbouring Juftic< 



d in thefe the Cuftos 



fits 



J«dg 



actions within the precinct 



his affiftants, hear and formally determine all 



exceeding twenty pounds 



They have a Court of Admiralty alfo in this ifland, where matters litigated be- 



refpafTes committed at fea, which cannot be fo eafily redrafted 



is court have been hitherto 



manners 



determined : but the Judges of th 



at common law, ar 

 appointed by the Governors. 



A Marfhal or Pro volt- marfhal (a) has been alfo appointed 

 deputies and under deputies are the executive officers of Juftic 



who 



h 



„ *, and 

 function reprefent the fherifTs, under- fherifTs and jailors in England 

 offices have been like wife inftituted here 



power 



d 



Many other 

 for the greater conveniency of bufinefs, 





(a) The office of Marfhal was, doubtlefs, firft eftablifhed In Jamaica, while the inhabitants were all 

 military men, and under the guidance of their officers ; but as the fettlers grew more numerous, whereof 

 many were better acquainted with the fpade than the fword, this office changed gradually into a rntxt 

 ftate, whofe duties, in regard to the civil part of the government, were, at firft, conducted according 

 to the cuftoms of England, but have been iince fixed and regulated by proper laws. 



and 



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