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II. 



THE PREDECESSORS OF THE HIGH COURT 

 OF MADRAS. 



CHAPTER I. 



A High Court of Judicature, which under various names 

 and with several modifications has continued in existence 

 down to the present time, was established at Madras in 1678, 

 or we may say A.TJ.C. 38 or 39, the grant from the Rajah 

 of Chandragiri of the strip of territory on which Fort St. 

 George was built being dated 1st March 1639. Before the 

 last mentioned date " the Governor and Company of Mer- 

 chants of London trading to the East Indies " had obtained 

 from the Crown, in addition to their Charter of incorporation 

 dated the 31st December 1600 (43rd Elizabeth) and a 

 Charter dated 31st May 1609 (7th James 1), by which their 

 privileges were confirmed and extended — a Charter dated 4th 

 February 1622 (20th James I), which empowered the Com- 

 pany to chastise and correct all English persons residing in 

 the East Indies and committing any misdemeanour either 

 with martial law or otherwise, but this Charter appears not to 

 have been of much value, for nearly thirty years afterwards 

 we find the Company complaining in a petition presented to 

 the Council of State on the 22nd October 1651 of having 

 been for years without proper authority in the Presidencies 

 in India to enforce obedience in the English subjects within 

 their limits, and praying that powers might be given under 

 the Great Seal of England to their Presidents and Councils 

 in India to enforce obedience in all Englishmen resident 



