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THE PREDECESSORS OF THE 



Kecord for that purpose, and whose determination was to be 

 final if the damages or debt should not exceed the value of 

 one thousand pagodas. In cases exceeding that amount a 

 further appeal was allowed to the King in Council as was 

 usual in cases of appeal from any of the Colonies in the 

 West Indies. 



The Governor and the five Senior Members of Council were 

 appointed Justices of the Peace in and for the Town of Mad- 

 raspatnam and in and for Fort St. George, Fort St. David, 

 Yizagapatam, the Factories on the Coast of Sumatra, 

 and all other Factories subordinate to Fort St. Greorge. 

 They were to hold Quarter Sessions of the Peace four times 

 in the year, and to be a Court of Record in the nature of a 

 Court of Oyer and Terminer and Gaol Delivery for the 

 trying and punishing of all offenders and offences (high 

 treason only excepted) committed within the Town of 

 Madraspatnam, Fort St. George, or any of the Factories 

 subordinate thereto, or within ten English miles of any of 

 them respectively. Their proceedings were to be by indict- 

 ment or otherwise in the manner used in England, as near 

 as the condition and circumstances of the place and inhabit- 

 ants would admit. 



Similar Corporations and Courts were established at 

 Bombay and Calcutta, and the Governors and Councils of 

 the several Towns and Factories of Madraspatnam, Bombay, 

 and Fort William in Bengal were empowered to make 

 Bye-laws, Pules, and Ordinances for the good government 

 and regulation of the several Corporations, and of the inhab- 

 itants of the several towns, places, and f actories, respectively, 

 but no such Bye-law, Pule, or Ordinance was to have any 

 effect until approved and confirmed by the Court of Directors. 



And, lastly, the Mayor's Courts were authorized to grant 

 Probates of Wills or Letters of Administration of the estates of 

 persons dying within the said Towns or the Factories subor- 



