force of law; it is not addressed to any authorities whatever, in or out of the Islands: it is not registered in the archives, either in Jersey or Guernsey; and the source whence it may have originally been produced, is utterly unknown, as it bears no mark of its having been procured from any of the record offices in England. The original is not extant, and is not known even to have been in existence: it bears the appearance of a compilation, more than that of anything else, at an epoch certainly posterior to King John's death it is a sort of memorandum of an uncertain tradition. Here it is:The constitutions and provisions constituted by the Lord John, the King after Normandy was alienated.

1. He hath appointed twelve jurats coronatores, or jurate coroners, for the preserving and defending all pleas and rights appertaining to the crown.

II. He hath constituted and granted, for the security of the island, that the bailly shall, for the future, by the view of these said coronatores, hold pleas, without writs of novelle disseisin, of mort d'ancestor, of dower, within the year; of fiefs in pledge or mortgage, and marriage incumbrance, at all times.

III. These coronatores are to be elected from among the natives of the island, by the ministers of the king, and the chief inhabitants; so that if either of them shall die, or be dismissed from that post, for illegal conduct, another shall be substituted in his place.

IV. These magistrates, so chosen, shall swear, without reserve, to maintain and preserve the rights of the king, and of their country.

V. These twelve, in the absence of the justiciers, and together with them, when they shall come to the island, shall judge of all cases whatsoever, arising in that place, except in such as are too arduous for their decision; as are those of traitors to their sovereign, or of men who have lain violent hands on the magistrates and officers of his majesty, during the exercise of their duties.

VI. The said twelve are to ascertain the fines and amerciaments of all offenders before mentioned, except in the cases too arduous, or in others, where according to the customs of the island, redemption appertains entirely on the will of the king, and of his court.

VII. If the king may be willing to be certified of the record of any plea, determined by the justiciers and the twelve, the justiciers, with the twelve shall make the record; and of pleas determined by the bailly, and the twelve, they shall conjointly make the record.

VIII. That no plea begun before any of the justiciers in the island shall be adjourned to any other place, but altogether determined within that isle.

IX. No man shall be compelled to answer concerning his free tenement, which he has peaceably held for a year and a day, without a writ obtained from the king's court of chancery, expressly mentioning the tenant and the tenement.

X. That no man condemned for felony out of the Island, shall forfeit his inheritance within it, but that it shall descend to his heirs.

XI. If any man hath forfeited his rights, and abjured the island, and the king shall afterwards grant him a pardon, and he shall return to the isle within a year and a day after his abjuration, he shall be restored, in full right, to his heritage.

XII. No man ought to be imprisoned in the castle, unless in criminal cases, touching life or limb, and this by the judgment of the twelve coronatores, but in other free prisons, designed for such purposes.

XIII. The King shall have no receiver in the Island, but by the election of his fellow-countrymen.

XIV. The Islanders ought not to answer before the justiciers appointed for holding the assize, or other pleas, until a transcript of their commissions, under the king's seal, shall be delivered to them.

XV. The justiciers appointed by the King's commission, for holding the assizes in the Island, ought not to continue them beyond the space of three weeks.

XVI. The Islanders shall not be compelled to come before the said justiciers, after the time aforesaid is elapsed.

XVII. They shall not be obliged to do homage to the King, until he shall come into the Island, or the duchy of Normandy; or till he shall appoint some person, by his letters, to receive their homage in his name.

XVIII. It is constituted for the defence and preservation of the Island, and the castles, and chiefly because they lie so

near the powers of the King of France, and of others, their enemies, that all the ports be well guarded; and the King hath commanded that guardians of these ports be appointed, that no injury may happen to him, or to his subjects.

Besides these heads, there were some in relation to the duties of wine, and other merchandise imported, the diminution of which was obtained by Philip de Aubigny, governor of the Island, in the reign of Henry the Third. By his interposition there was also granted a confirmation of the charter, and the addition of a very few articles, respecting the prohibition of carrying salted fish to the Normans and obliging the fishermen to carry their produce to market, in the island, three days in the week.

THE BENCH AND THE BAR.

Considering the jurisdiction of the Court extends to all criminal, civil, and mixed causes, with slight exceptions; and that great and important interests concerning life, liberty, and property, are at their disposal, it is necessary to devote a chapter on this subject, with the view to elicit the qualifications of those who administer the laws of the country. We shall begin with

THE BENCH.-Sir John De Veulle, Knight Bailiff, only son of John De Veulle, Esq., late Greffier of the Court, was educated for the Bar, and admitted a member, but rarely, if ever, practised. He was introduced to the notice of the public as a fit person for the bench, by his then intimate friend, the present Solicitor-General, and was elected Jurat. Having subsequently married a niece of Lord Chief Justice Tindal, he was in the early part of 1831, on the resignation of Sir Thomas Le Breton, (who had recommended his son, the present Attorney-General, as his successor) through the influence of his Lordship's family, appointed Bailiff of the Island. Sir John is said to be a very worthy man in his private character, but does not, by any means, possess adequate qualifications for the very responsible situation he holds. He is but an indifferent lawyer, a poor reasoner, and a worse speaker. As prolocutor of the legislature, his duties are confined merely to gathering the votes; hence it is not to be wondered at, that since his appointment, his country has not derived a single benefit from his labours. He is nephew of

Philip De Carteret, Esq., Jurat, and cousin to the Registrar of that name. Philip Marett, Esq., (D'Avranche) Lieut.Bailiff, father of the late Advocate Marett, (who never pleaded but one cause, in which he stated his client to be guilty, though the Jury afterwards found her innocent) was originally employed in the Newfoundland fishery, afterwards admitted to the bar, and subsequently elected Jurat. His principal avocation is that of a farmer, living on his wife's estate; he is reputed to be tolerably versed in the laws of the Island, but is a strong partizan. Charles Le Maistre, Esq., originally in the fishery also, is said to possess attainments on a par with a country magistrate in England. Philip De Carteret, Esq., was formerly Greffier of the Court, next a Jurat, and afterwards Lieutenant to the present Bailiff: this magistrate is said to have signalized himself in the case of General Thornton v. Le Breton, by producing a judgment, which was written before the trial was heard. [See Suspension and alteration of judgments.] George Philip Benest, Esq., formerly in the Newfoundland Fishery, and afterwards elected a Jurat, is brother-in-law to E. Nicolle, Esq., another Jurat, and his general occupation is that of a farmer. George Bertram, Esq., was brought up to husbandry, elected Constable of St. Martin, and subsequently Jurat: he is said to be a far-sighted man, but a strong partizan. Nicholas Le Quesne, Esq., is a merchant, and was lately a partner in the banking firm of Nicolle, De Ste. Croix, D'Auvergne, Le Quesne & Co., is of moderate attainments, and better versed in commerce than in questions of Jurisprudence. Philip Le Maistre, Esq., was brought up as a country farmer, an occupation which he still follows: he was first elected Constable of Trinity, and afterwards Jurat: he is a man of very limited capacities. Edward Leonard Bisson, Esq., nephew of Charles Le Maistre, Esq., Jurat, was educated for the bar, but never practised: he is tolerably well read for a country magistrate, is reserved in his manners, and cautious in his judgments. Philip De Ste. Croix, Esq., Jurat, is a merchant of considerable opulence, who left the Island some years since with dis gust for the political and judicial administrations of his country, and took up his residence in England. He is related to the Nicolle family. Edward Nicolle, Esq., is a merchant and banker, being managing partner of the firm before mention

ed: was Constable of St. Helier some years since, and elected Jurat at the demise of his brother, P. Nicolle, jun., Esq. He is a man shrewd in his intentions and firm in his purposes. Philip Winter Nicolle, Esq., son of the late Jurat, is a merchant and large ship-owner, connected with the Newfoundland Fishery. He was formerly Centenier of the Town of St. Helier, in which he won the good opinion of his countrymen, and is a man of respectable parts. Thomas Duhamel, Esq., is a merchant and ship-owner, formerly banker, and also Constable of the Town of St. Helier, which office he filled some years, and afterwards Collector of the Impost. He is considered somewhat intellectual, and a pretty good orator. CROWN-OFFICERS.-Thomas Le Breton, Esq., AttorneyGeneral, was educated for the Bar, and is the eldest son of the late Sir Thomas Le Breton, Knight, Bailiff, and nephew to the late Dr. Hue, Dean of Jersey. He is reputed to be a well-informed man and a sound lawyer. J.W.Dupré, Esq. Solicitor-General, cousin of the last named, and son of Dr. Dupré, formerly Dean of the Island. He was originally a midshipman in the Navy, and having been made a prisoner of war, he improved his education during that period. On his return to Jersey, he was admitted to the Bar, and afterwards appointed Crown Officer. He is well versed in the laws and customs of the country, and is perhaps the best read man in the Island. Matt. Gossett, Esq., Viscount; this gentleman performs his duty by Deputy, and lives in England; hence we know nothing of him. Philip Le Gallais, Deputy of the last named, is a scrivener of the Royal Court and Notary Public, said to be in partnership with Hugh Godfray, Esq., another scrivener and Denunciateur; they both execute processes issuing from the Courts, and practice as Solicitors, and reap thereby a better harvest than all the other professionals put together. He is a shrewd man, and is connected by family ties with several members of the Court. Francis Godfray, Esq., Greffier, was originally apprenticed to a carpenter, and afterwards put with the late Hugh Godfray, Esq., Denunciator, under whom he acquired his acquaintance with the usages of the country. He possesses a respectable share of talent, and is allied to the last named. He is Clerk and Treasurer of the States, and Member of the Banking firm of Messrs. Godfray, Sons & Co. John Aubin, Esq.,