50 -- Government of the Marches of Wales. 
according to the Saxon derivation of the - 
maine, shire reeve, minister, or bailiff 
of the county.) He was considered the 
executor of all the precepts of the 
courts of law. In his judicial capacity, 
he held twice a year a court called the 
Shenff’s tourne In this court, all of- 
fences'were inquired into that were com- 
mitted against the common law, and 
were not forbidden by act of parliatiemt. 
This was.a criminal court. He also held 
a county court, in which he determined 
petty civil causes, under the value of 
forty shillings: this court was hoiden 
oncea month. The office of shenif was 
made annual; and three persons were or- 
dered every year to be named by the 
lord-president, the council, and justices 
of Wales; or ites of them of which the 
president was to be one. Of these three 
persons, thus nominated, the king 
elected one. bis 
Each county had an officer called an 
Lscheator, who seized for the king all - 
forfeited lands, goods, &c. . This person 
was to make inquest into the death of 
the king’s tenants, and the descent of 
their lands; and in case of infants being 
jeft without guardians, to take their 
persons and property into his wardship. 
This. officer was appointed by the lord- 
treasurer of England, by the advice of 
the Jord-president, the council, and jus- 
tices of Wales, or three of ‘them; of 
which the lord- president was to be one. 
In each of the counties were also or- 
dained two other officers, called co- 
roners, or crowners ; these were to make 
enquiry into all sudden deaths, and to 
record the same. These were appointed 
by the freeholders of the counties, by 
virtue of a writ issued from the Court of | 
Chancery, “De coronatione elegende.” 
And as each county was divided into 
several hundreds,.it was also ordered, 
that two sufficient gentlemen should be 
appomted constables of every. hundred. 
In each hundred, the sheriff was also to 
appoint a sufficient person, to be his 
bailiff of that hundred, who was always 
also to attend the justices ¢ at their courts 
of sessions. 
The Government of the ‘Me ae of Wales, 
’ gfter the Statutes Of 2ith and 84th 
Hlenry VIII. — 
By the statute of the 34th Henry 
VIII. it was further ordained, that the 
presideiit and council of the Marches of 
Wales, with all’ their’ officers, should 
continue as before the passing of the 
act. At this time, Rowland Lee, the 
ck of Litchfield and Coventry, was 
3. 
lings and six-pence a day each 
[Aug. | 1, 
president. He was succeeded in 35th 
Henry VIII. by Richard Sampson, br 
shop of Chester, who was afterwards re- 
moved to Litchfield and Coventry. In 
od Edward VI. John {Dudley, Earl ' of 
Warwick, and afterwards Duke of Nor- 
thi amberland. was created lord-president 
of the Marches, which office he held 
only two years, being then succeeded hy 
Sir William Herbert, afterwards Earl of 
Pembroke, who Pa neied till ist Mary, 
when Nicholas Heath, bishop of Wor- 
cester, and afterwards archbishop of 
York, and lord-chancellor of England, 
obtained the office. On his removal, 
Sir William Herbert, then Earl of Pein 
broke, again ‘succeeded ; and he con- 
tinued in the office three years, when 
Gilbert Borne, bishop of Bath and Wells, 
was appointed. In the beginning of the 
reign of Elizabeth, Sir John Williams, 
Lord Williams, of Tame, was created 
president; but “he dying in the year of 
his creation, was followe ed by Sir Henry 
Sidney, knight of the garter. During 
the twenty-four years that he held the 
office, he was resident above eight in 
Treland ; aud in his absence, his vice- 
president was, John Bishop, of Wor- 
cester; and afterwards archbishop of 
Canterbury. After Sir Henry Sidney, 
his son-in-law, Henry, Earl of Pembroke, 
succeeded ; and in the 44th of Elizabeth, 
Lord Zouch was created lord-president. 
This person was-in office at the time 
the manuscript was written. : 
The president and council of Wales, 
had power to hear and determine all 
causes and matters assigned to them, by » (iF 
instructions under the king’s own EY 
The couneil assisting the president, 
consisted of the Chief Justice of Chester, 
Be-* 
sides these, which were called the on 
and three of the Justices of Wales. 
dinaries, there were other persons, both 
lords and knights, and others learned in ~ 
the laws, (extraordinaries) called in to 
assist, whenever the president considered 
it necessary. These were paid si : eshil- 
IDg 
ad 
the time of their attendance, 
Other -officers were a_ clerk 
council, a clerk of the signet, and a re- 
gistrar. These offices were, by Queen 
Elizabeth, allowed to be united, and they 
were executed by deputy. There were 
also a remembrancer, an attorney, a so- 
licitor, a goaler, two messengers, and a 
sergeant at arms. 
~ ‘Phe following are extracts from me- 
morandums of covenants entered into, 
in the year 1554, betwaxt the stewards, 
ue oe: wT eabe 
a 
4 
