108 A DORSET ROYAL PECULIAR. 



and 1520-21, there are none apparently in existence before 

 the year 1590. The Canford wills, which also are at Blandford 

 go back to 1639, those of Stur minster Marshall to 1641, and 

 those of Corfe Castle to 1732. 



There are still, however, some number of adminis- 

 tration bonds, as well as marriage licences, citations, present- 

 ments, and decrees of the Court, &c., &c., preserved at 

 Wimborne. 



Before the abolition of the Peculiar, the fees paid to the 

 Registrar " on administrations with will annexed and 

 Probates " varied from 2 10s., when the effects were under 

 20, to 10 2s., when they were under 2,000, with an 

 additional charge of 2s. 6d. for each folio exceeding three in 

 number. Out of this sum, the Registrar handed over to the 

 Official 6s. 8d. (At Canford, Corfe Castle, and Stur minster 

 Marshall, the Official received 5s.) 



In 1828 the total amount of fees received at Wimborne 

 was 58 19s. 10d., of which the Official took 6 7s. 10d., the 

 Registrar 52 9s. 6d., and the apparitor 2s. 6d. 



At Milton Abbas the Registrar, when asked for details of 

 his fees, in March, 1830, replied, we can fancy rather sadly : 

 : ' The undersigned has no means of setting forth an account 

 of those fees, none ever having been received by him. Septimus 

 Smith, Blandford." 



The number of wills proved at Wimborne in the three years 

 preceding the enquiry was in 1826 none, in 1827 two, and in 

 1828 five ; two administrations being granted in 1826, one 

 in 1827, and none in 1828. Thus the business of the Probate 

 Court, which at one time had been very considerable, had 

 dwindled away practically to nothing. 



But, although the Court of the Peculiar with its Exempt 

 Jurisdiction had come to an end in 1846 by an Order in 

 Council (under an Act of Parliament 6 and 7 William IV., 

 c. 77), officials continued to be appointed to whom the 

 privilege of granting marriage licences was still continued. 

 The writer of this paper is the present holder of the office, 

 having been appointed, on December 21st, 1915, " Principal 



