54 THE PORTLAND EEEVE STAFF AND COURT LEET. 



Being a Royal Manor, the Lord or Chief is the King. The 

 Steward of the Manor, representing " The Chief," instructs 

 the Bailiff to summon the Court, and on the day appointed 

 those warned, after answering their names, are sworn by the 

 Steward, and the Foreman is chosen. The officers of the Court 

 comprise the Steward, the Bailiff, the Reeve, the Chief Con- 

 stable, the Inspectors, the Affeerors, l and the Haywards. 2 



From time immemorial an annual payment of three- 

 pence per acre, as quit rent, has been paid to the Chief, 

 amounting in total to 14 14s. 3d. It is collected by the 

 Reeve, and handed to the Steward for the use of H.M. the 

 King. There is also due to the Chief 3d. per acre when 

 land is transferred by a process called " surrender at Court." 

 This custom is dying out, but it is a means of transfer of 

 property. 



In addition to warning and calling the Court, the Bailiff 

 makes a presentment of the amount of stone quarried from 

 the commonable lands, and reports the death of every tenant 

 of the Manor, and collects the sum of half-a-crown due to the 

 Chief upon each death. 



The Constable and Inspectors are required to see that no 

 encroachments are made on the Common lands, that the 

 roads and ways are preserved, and that there is no irregular 

 working of the quarries. In case of encroachments, it is 

 the duty of the Affeerors to fix the amount of fine, or 

 payment of an annual rent. 



All the tenants of the Manor are free-holders, the quit- 

 rent being collected annually according to a staff, called 

 " The Reeve Staff," marked from the entries in a rent roll, 

 notches being cut on the staff to represent each payment. 

 The Reeve is appointed at the Michaelmas Court, and was 

 formerly remunerated for his services by the use of a piece 

 of land called " The Reeve Plot " for his year of office. He 



1 Affeerors Officers who fix the fines. 



2 Haywards- Officers whose duty it is to protect the enclosed 

 lands from cattle breaking out of the Common land. 



