82 



THE PREDECESSORS OF THE 



same, at that place, was appointed Sheriff of Fort St. George 

 and the town of Madraspatnam, and for any space within 

 ten miles of the same, for the space of one year, and until 

 another should he duly elected and sworn ; and it was 

 ordained and appointed that the Governor or President and 

 Council of Fort St. George, or the major part of them, should 

 yearly, on the 20th day of December, unless the same hap- 

 pened on a Sunday, and then on the next day, assemble them- 

 selves and proceed to the election of a new Sheriff, which 

 Sheriff when elected should take the usual oath of office, and 

 the oath of allegiance, and should continue in office during 

 the space of one whole year from the time of such swearings 

 and until another should be duly elected and sworn into the 

 said office ; and that in case any such Sheriff should die in his 

 office, the said Governor or President and Council, or the 

 major part of them, should and might, as soon as conveniently 

 might be, assemble and choose another person to be Sheriff in 

 his room, who should be sworn as aforesaid, and continue in 

 his office for the remainder of the year '; and that the said 

 Sheriff thereby appointed, and every other Sheriff to be 

 elected and sworn as aforesaid, should during his and their 

 continuance in such office respectively have full power and 

 authority to execute and make return of all process of the 

 Mayor's Court and of any other Court erected by these Letters 

 Patents within the district aforesaid. 



The form of proceeding in civil actions was directed to be 

 as follows : — Upon complaint made in writing to the Court 

 against any person residing or being, or who at the time 

 when the cause of action accrued did reside or be within 

 the said Fort or Town, or the aforesaid Precinct District or 

 Territories thereof, a summons was to be issued directed to 

 the Sheriff requiring the defendant to appear to answer the 

 complaint, and in default of appearance a warrant was to be 

 issued for the defendant's arrest. In case of appearance or 



