cou 
baron, &c. But the courts of record at 
Westminster Hall have power to fine, im- 
prison, and amerce ; and in tliose courts 
the plaintiff need not show, in his declara- 
tion, tliat the cause of action arises within 
their jurisdiction, being general ; though, 
in inferior courts, it must be showed at 
large, on account they have particular- juris- 
dictions. 
Court-baron, a court that every lord of 
a manor has within his own precincts. This 
court must be held by prescription, and is 
of two kinds, viz. by common law, and by 
custom ; the former is where the barons or 
freeholders, being suitors, are the judges ; 
the other is, that wliere the lord or his 
steward is the judge. 
Court of chivalry, or the marshal’s court, 
that whereof the judges are the lord high 
constable and the earl marshal of England. 
This court is the fountain of martial law, 
and the earl marshal is not only one of the 
judges, but is to see execution done. See 
Chivalry. 
Court of conscience, a court in the cities 
of London, Westminster, and some other 
places, that determines matters in all cases, 
w'here the debt or damage is under forty 
sliillings. 
Court of delegates, a court where dele- 
gates are appointed by tlie King’s com- 
mission, under the great seal, upon an 
appeal to him from the sentence of an 
archbishop, &c. in ecclesiastical causes, or 
of the court of admiralty, in any marine 
cause. 
Court of hustings, a court of record held 
at Guildhall, for the city of London, be- 
fore tlie Lord Mayor and Aldermen, She- 
ritfe^ and Recorder, where all pleas, real, 
personal, and mixed, are determined ; where 
all lands, tenements, icc. within tlie said 
city, or its bounds, are pleadable in two 
hustings; the one called the hustings of 
plea of lands, and the other the hustings of 
common pleas. The court of hustings is 
the highest court witliin the city, in which 
writs of exigent may be taken out, and out- 
lawi ies awarded, wherein judgment is given 
by the Recorder. To tlie Lord Mayor and 
city of London belong several other courts, 
as the court of Common Council, consisting 
of two houses, the one for the Lord Mayor 
and Aldermen, and the other for tlie com- 
moners ; in which court are made all by- 
laws, which bind the citizens. The Cham- 
berlain’s court relates to the rents and re- 
venues of the city, to the aflaii-s of ser- 
V4nts, &c. 
cov 
To the Lord Mayor belongs the court of 
coroner and esclieator ; another court for 
the conservation of the river of Thames ; 
anotlier of gaol delivery, held eight times a 
year at the Old Bailey, for the trial of cri- 
minals, where the Lord Mayor himself is the 
chief judge. There are also other courts 
called wardmotes or meet ings of the wards j 
gnd courts of halymote,or assemblies of tlie 
guilds and fraternities. 
CouRT-LEET, a CQurt ordained for th» 
punishment of offences under high treason 
against the crown. 
Court-martial, a court appointed for 
the punisliing offences in officers,, soldiers, 
and sailors, the powers of which are regu- 
lated by the Mutiny Rill. 
Court ^ Requests, was a court of equity, 
of the same nature with the chancery, but 
inferior to it. It was chiefly instituted for 
the relief of such petitioners as in con- 
scionable cases addressed themselves to his 
Majesty ; the Lord Privy Seal was tliw 
chief judge oftliis court. 
COURTE.SY, or Cvrtesy of England, a 
certain tenure whereby a man mai-rying 
an heiress seized of lands of fee simple, or 
fee tail general, or seized as heir of the 
tail special, and hath a child by her that 
Cometh alive into the world, though both it 
and his wife die forthwith ; yet if she were in 
possession, he shall keep the land during liis 
life, and is called tenant per legem Angli®, 
or tenant by the courtesy of England ; be- 
cause this privilege is not allowed in any 
coiintry except Scotland, where it is called 
curialitas Scoti®. 
COUSIN, a term of relation between 
the children of brothers and sisters, who hi 
the first generation are called cousin-ger- 
mans, in tlie second generation, second 
cousins, &c. 
Before the time of Theodosius, tliere was 
no law, ecclesiastical or civil, to prohibit 
the marriage of cousin-germans : under the 
reign of that emperor they were forbidden, 
but allowed again in the next reign, and 
under Justinian, who fixed the allowance hi 
the body of his laws, but still tlie canons 
continued the prohibition, and extended it 
to a greater degree. 
COUSU, in heraldi-y, signifies a piece of 
another colour or metal placed on the or- 
dinai-y, as if it were sewed on, as the word 
imports. This is generally of colour upon 
colour, or metal upon metal, contrai-y to the 
general rule of heraldry. 
COVERT, in heraldry, denotes some* 
thuig like a piece of banging, or a pavilion 
