Old Hampshire Mapped

Blome's Geography

day observed, every shire annually chosing some fit person out of the chiefest of the Gentry there inhabiting to be Sheriff, whose duty is to gather the common money of the King in his Shire, to collect and bring into the Exchequer all Fines and Amercements, to attend the Judges, and execute their Orders, to Impanel Juries, issue forth Writs, Attachments, &c. to see the Law executed on Offenders, either by Fine, Imprisonment, Death, or otherwise, with several things too tedious here to take notice of. But these Sheriffs have their Under-Sheriffs, who perform the servile part thereof, giving security for their truth. And now for Military Affairs, every County hath its Lord Lieutenant appointed by his Majesty, under whom are several Deputy Lieutenants, for the looking after the Trained Bands, &c.

Justices of the Peace.
Daulton's Justice of Peace

King Edward the Third ordained in every County or Shire, certain Justices of the Peace, whose Office was, and is, to look after the disorders that arise in the said County, to examine Transgressors of the Law, and to execute Justice, either by Corporal punishment, or Fines, according to the offence, as the Law doth therein direct; all which is largely treated of in several Law Books, and in particular Daulton's Justice of Peace. These Justices have their Sessions quarterly, monthly, or oftner, as occasion requireth.

HONORIOUS Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in Anno Christi 636. was the first that began to divide England into Parishes. And so to the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of this Kingdom, it is severed into two Arch-Bishopricks, viz. Canterbury and York, under which are 24 Bishops, of which 21 belongeth to that of Canterbury (who is Primate of all England,) and but three to that of York. Now what these Bishopricks are, this following Table will make appear.