1SCP ENGLAND. 



moderate the severities of the law in all cases in which the property 

 of the subject is concerned j and he is to determine according to the 

 dictates of equity and reason. He is an officer of the greatest weight 

 and power of any now subsisting in the kingdom, and is superior in 

 precedency to every temporal lord. 



The post of lord high treasurer has of late been vested in a com- 

 mission, consisting of five persons, who are called lords of the trea- 

 sury : but the first commissioner is supposed to possess the power of 

 lord high treasurer. He has the management and charge of all the 

 revenues of the crown kept in the exchequer ; as also the letting of 

 the leases of all crown lands, and the gift of all places belonging to 

 the customs in the several ports of the kingdom. 



The lord president of the council was an officer formerly of great 

 power, and hath precedence next after the lord chancellor and lord 

 treasurer. His duty is to propose all the business transacted at the 

 council-board, and to report to the king, when his majesty is not 

 present, all its debates and proceedings. 



The office of lord privy seal consists in his putting the king's seal 

 to all charters, grants, and the like, which are signed by the king, in 

 order to their passing the great seal. 



The officer of lord great chamberlain of England is hereditary in 

 the duke of Ancaster's family. He attends the king's person^ on 

 his coronation, to dress him : he has likewise charge of the house of 

 lords during the sitting of parliament; and of fitting up Westmin- 

 ster-nail for coronations, trials of peers, or impeachments. 



The office of lord high constable has been disused since the attain- 

 der and execution of Stafford, duke of Buckingham, in the year 1521, 

 but is occasionally revived for a coronation. 



The duke of Norfolk is hereditary earl marshal of England. Be- 

 fore England became so commercial a country as it has been for a hun- 

 dred years past, this office required great abilities, learning, and 

 knowledge of the English history, for its discharge. In war time he 

 Was judge of army causes, and decided according- to the principles 

 of the civil law. If the cause did not admit of such a decision, it 

 was left to a personal combat, which was attended with a vast variety 

 of ceremonies ; the arrangement of which, even to the smallest tri- 

 fle, fell within the marshal's province. To this day he or his deputy 

 regulates all points of precedency according to the archives kept in 

 the herald's office, which is entirely within his jurisdiction. He di- 

 rects all solemn processions, coronations, proclamations, general 

 mournings, and the like. 



The officer of lord high admiral of England* is now likewise held 

 by commission, and is equal in its importance to any of the preceding, 

 especially since the increase of the British naval power. The English 

 admiralty is a board of direction as well as execution, and is in its 

 proceedings independent of the crown itself. All trials upon life and 

 death, in maritime affairs, are appointed and held under a commis- 

 sion immediately issuing from that board ; and the members must 

 sign even the death-warrants for execution. The board of admiralty 

 regulates the whole naval force of the realm, and names all its officers, 

 or confirms them when named : so that its jurisdiction is very ex- 

 tensive. 



• The last lord high admiral was George prince of Denmark and husband to 

 queen Anne. . y,\ 



