the slanderous words before a proper judge or magistrate, within fifteen days after the speaking or uttering the same, in order to a prose cution; otherwise, such complaints of slander not to proceed at any time afterwards." And by a statute in the preceding year, “it is ordained, that after slanderers and defamers are found guilty, either in the temporal or spiritual court, as the matter shall be properly cognizable, the person slandered shall not only recover his costs by action at law, but also such further damages as shall be suitable to the injury sustained, and the ability of the defamer." HIGH-BAILIFFS. WITH respect to the office of high-bailiff of the four towns of Castletown, Douglas, Peel, and Ramsay, the institution is modern, and was constituted by the act of Tynwald of 1777*. This office is held by commission from the governor during pleasure. By virtue of the high-bailiff's office, he is conservator of the peace, and superintendent of the police, and has jurisdiction in all matters of debt under forty shillings. He is also empowered to take the acknowledgment of parties, or testimony of witnesses, for the probate of all deeds or instruments brought before him. Appendix, High-bailiffs. OF THE OFFICE OF WATER-BAILIFF, OR JUDGE OF THE COURT OF ADMIRALTY. By the constitution of the island, the office of admiral, or water-bailiff, was always held of high importance, and, from time immemorial, he was one of the king's or governor's council. As sole judge of the admiralty court, which is usually held every Saturday, he holds cognizance of all pleas of the crown, respecting maritime concerns and offences committed on the seas, within the distance of three leagues from the shore of the island. And, according to the ancient statutes, has a superintendance over all matters relative to the herring-fishery. In all civil suits an appeal lies from his determination to the governor. Respecting the practice of the water-bailiff's court: when any person intends to commence a suit therein, he must apply either verbally, or by petition, which must state the cause of complaint. A summons is thereupon granted, compelling the defendant to appear at the next court, when the witnesses are examined vivâ voce, and the cause is heard and determined, either with or without the intervention of a jury, at the discretion of the judge. Should the cause require a jury, the water-bailiff issues a warrant to the coroner, requiring him to summon four persons out of his sheading, who must attend at the time appointed, to hear the evi dence, and give their unanimous verdict, on which a decree is pronounced by the judge. But in all cases of a criminal nature, a jury of six men must be summoned by the coroner, whose verdict must be unanimous, OF THE CORONERS, THEIR OFFICE AND DUTY. THE Coroners, or annos*, are officers of the greatest antiquity, with powers analagous in many respects to the English sheriffs. Over each of the six sheadings, or great divisions of the island, the governor appoints one coroner, who is not only a ministerial officer, but a conservator of the peace throughout his district, with power to raise the country for its civil defence, and the suppression of riots; and by virtue of several old ordinances and statutes, he is to continue in office no longer than one year. At the Midsummer Tynwald court, he must resign his wand, the insignia of his office, to the governor; and he is immediately succeeded by the person appointed by the governor in his stead; he having first taken the solemn oath of office before the governor, on his knees, and received from him the decorated wand, which constitutes his only warrant and authority. The Manks coroner has also the power of taking inquests, like the coroners in England, to find out the cause of sudden or violent deaths, super visum corporis. In his ministerial capacity, the coroner is bound to summon juries, to execute process * The Manks designation of a coroner, is "Toshiach Jeoro," or "chief man of the law;" similar to the "Tosio derach" of the M'Alpine laws of Scotland. |