Glasgow. 
—— 
Sheriffs 
court. 
Commissa- 
riat court, 
Town court. 
Inferior 
vivil court. 
292 
mary for two of the judges to be on this circuit attend-- 
ed by the sheriffs of the three counties, and the Lord 
Provost and magistrates of the burgh. Formerly it was 
necessary for the jury to retire from the court, and 
make up a written verdict. In 1814, anact of parlia« 
ment was passed, empowering juries, when they were 
unanimous as to the verdict, to return it, viva voce, with- 
out leaving the box. Forty-five jarymen are summon- 
ed on each circuit, whereof 25 are from Lanarkshire, and 
10 from each of the other two counties. This court 
also gives judgment in appeals from inferior courts, in 
civil matters, where the sum at issue is not under £15. 
An elegant hall, or court room, was fitted up in the pub- 
lic offices in 1810, for the accommodation of this court, 
which contains: more than 300 persons. 
The sheriff’s court has jurisdiction in civil as well as 
in criminal matters-within the county. The civil court, 
for ordinary procedure, is held every Wednesday, at 
eleven o’clock, in the circuit court room, during the sit- 
ting of the court of session ; and during the vacancy, the 
court is held at such intervals as the judge may think 
expedient. In cases of a summary nature, there is ac+ 
cess to him every lawful day. All crimes competent to 
be tried before the sheriff, which infer capital or corpo- 
real punishment, or banishment from the county, must 
be tried by a jury of 15 persons; the forms of the jus- 
ticiary court being strictly adhered to, with this diffe- 
rence, that, in all cases, the objections to witnesses and 
other steps of procedure must be taken down in writ- 
ing. No capital sentence can be inflicted in less than 
40 days after the passing of the sentence, nor corporeal 
punishment in less than 12 days. ‘The sentence of this 
court, whether of a civil or criminal nature, are, like 
other inferior courts, subject to the revisal of the su- 
reme courts. 
The commissariat court wasformerly the bishop’s court. 
The jurisdiction of the commissariat of Glasgow, Hamil- 
ton, andCampsie, isvery extensive, comprehendingagreat 
part of the counties of Lanark, Renfrew, Stirling, Dums 
barton, and Air. It takes cognizance of all testamen- 
tary affairs, and matters of scandal. Civil actions for 
debt may also be tried in it, to the extent of 40 pounds 
Scots. The term of this court is similar to the sheriff’s, 
and is held in the same hall on Thursdays at 11 o'clock; 
in former times, it was held in the consistory house, 
adjoining the cathedral. 
The town court is the principal civil court of the 
burgh. It seems to have been instituted about the 
same time that the burgh was erected. The provost 
and bailies are the judges. The procedure is conducted 
in writing, by procurators, under the superintendance 
of a legal assessor, who is a member of the faculty of 
advocates. In ordinary cases, the court is held in the 
burgh-hall every Friday at 11 o'clock during the ses. 
sion, and at least once a month during the vacation of 
the Court of Session; but in cases which require ex- 
traordinary dispatch, the court is open every lawful day. 
Its jurisdiction is limited to the burgh, and is competent 
to decide questions of personal obligation to pay or per- 
form to any extent; no claim, however, can be enforced in 
this court, unless it exceeds 30s. The court is also 
competent to judge in questions of property, pledge, 
bing and retension, of exclusive privilege of count 
and reckoning, service of heirs, &e. 
The inferior civil’ court, commonly called the con- 
science court, from the matters at issue being often left 
to the oath of parties, was instituted for the determinas 
tion of small civil claims, not below five, nor exceeding 
forty shillings. Each of the magistrates, in rotation, 
GLASGOW. 
officiates as judge ; an assessor attends, to give legal ad- Gl: 
vice, if it should be found ni , and to minute the 
verbal debate, procurators not being admitted. This 
court is held in the hall of the town court every Mon- 
day at 11 o'clock. Lb mis 
The daily court is held every lawful day at two o'clock, 
in the burgh court hall. The bailies officiate in rotation, 
without the assistance of assessors; the procedure is 
not taken down in writing, no claim being competent 
above ten’shillings. ; 
In the criminal court of the burgh, as is the ease in the —_ 
rincipal civil court, the magistrates officiate asjudges; the ¢ 
nyse rahe conducted in writing, under the sank ss 
day in 
dance of legal assessors ; and is held every lawful 
the police office at 10 o'clock, and thereafter inthe clerk’s 
chamber at 12°0’clock. This court grants warrants for 
the arrest and commitment of offenders re Re ‘: 
tion, so that they may be brought to trial either in ; 
supreme court of justiciary, or in this court. In parti-~ 
cular, it takes cognisance of those inferior offences, 
which, by the law of Scotland, do not require a’ trial by 
jury ; to the effect of inflicting punishment by fine, ba- 
nis from the burgh, exposure to public contempt, 
imprisonment in jail, solitary confinement in bridewell, 
subjection to hard labour, or even to the effect of inflict- 
<< slight corporeal punishment. ie 
he dean of guild court takes cognisance of’ all mat- Dean of 
ters within the burgh, wherein the heritable ri guild 
of the citizens’ are involved. It consists of the’ * 
of guild, who is president, four members from the 
trades-house, and four from the merchants-house, cho- 
sen annually, who are termed the Dean of Guild’s Bre- 
thren. This court determines in all matters of dispute 
between conterminous” proprietors, encroachments on 
the streets, insufficiency of buildings, and the t 
of weights and measures, &c. The is con« 
dicted tai writing by procurators, under the oe ope 
tendance of a legal assessor. This court is held on 
Thursdays:at 11 o’clock in the burgh-hall. The trades 
rank, conformable to ancient usage, sits on the right of 
the president. P 
judges in this court are those gentlemen in the Just 
commission of the peace, who act for the under ward of Peacee 
Lanarkshire; the jurisdiction being confined to that 
district. The court meets in the circuit court hall, on 
the first Monday of every month, at 11 o’clock A. M, 
two justices rae a quorum. They decide in all 
matters of debt, which do not exceed five pounds; 
and determine on fines and penalties to any amount 
that may have been incurred in ence of i 
traffic, infringement on the game laws, &c. in determi- 
ning disputes between master and servant, whether as 
to aliment or rate of wa Procurators are not ad- 
mitted in this court, nor is the procedure taken down 
in writing. : 
The Cathedral or High Church, is perhaps the most Publi 
imen of our ancient ar- bi 
splendid edifice, and entire sj uildis 
chitecture, that is in Scotland: It was founded, as has fr 
been before mentioned, in the year 1128, by John f 
Achaius, Bishop of Glasgow, and was dedicated to St 
Mungo, or Kentigern, during the reign of David I. - ; 
This venerable pile is placed on the west bank of the ¢, 
Molindinar Burn, on an elevated part of the north quar- 
ter of the town, declining considerably to the eastward; 
and is seen ata very great distance in almost every di- 
rection, the floor of the choir being 104 feet above the 
level of the river at the foot of Saltmarket street, at low 
water mark. 
Although we have not been able to ascertain the name 
1 “ 4 
