Transcriber's Note. Apparent typographical errors have been corrected. The use of hyphens has been rationalised. Italics are indicated by _underscores_. Small capitals have been replaced by full capitals. Square brackets, which indicate sidenotes and footnotes, are also present in the text. There are several words in Anglo-Saxon script. These are indicated by =equal signs=. The individual characters have been replaced by their modern equivalents: "wynn" by "w", and so on. THE OFFICE OF BAILIFF OF A LIBERTY. BY JOSEPH RITSON, Esq. BARRISTER AT LAW, LATE HIGH BAILIFF OF THE SAVOY. Ballivus cujuscunque manerii esse debet in verbo verax, et in opere diligens ac fidelis, ac pro discreto appruatore cognitus, plegiatus, & electus, qui de communioribus legibus pro tanto officio sufficienter se cognoscat, et quòd sit ita justus, quòd ob vindictam vel cupiditatem non quærat versus tenentes domini, vel aliquos sibi subditos, occasiones injustas, per quas destrui debent, seu graviter amerciari. FLETA. _l. 2. c. 73._ LONDON: PRINTED BY A. STRAHAN, LAW-PRINTER TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY; FOR J. BUTTERWORTH, LAW-BOOKSELLER, FLEET-STREET. 1811. ADVERTISEMENT. The little work now offered to the public was originally compiled by Mr. Ritson about the same period as similar treatises, on _The Office of Constable_, and _The Jurisdiction of the Court-Leet_, published in his lifetime. The author's attachment to the subject, it is believed, induced him to defer the publication of the present digest, in the hope of increasing its value by ampler information or more diligent research; and this object appears to have been sufficiently pursued, during the latter years of the author's life, to answer his wishes, as the work was left by him in every respect ready for the press. The editor feels it due to the memory of his much honored and lamented uncle to add, that the recent publications to which Mr. Ritson's name, from interested motives, has been, very unwarrantably, affixed, are not intitled to any credit. JOSEPH FRANK. Stockton-upon-Tees, 1st February 1811. PREFACE. The subject of the following digest is not, as may be hastily imagined, a matter of mere curiosity or antiquarian research. The officer of whom it treats exercises his function in many parts of the kingdom, in its fullest extent, at this day; though the attention requisite in certain branches of his duty may in some places, no doubt, have induced him to neglect them. The want of such a compilation as the present must have been more or less felt by every one who has acted in the execution of this office; and indeed it ought to seem much more extraordinary (considering the multitude of similar publications on other subjects) that it should not have been attempted long ago, than that it appears at present.