of doubt, even so late as a
hundred and a few odd years ago. The rights, powers, and privileges of
the officers of this Court had evidently been questioned by some of our
Radical-minded great-grandfathers, as we find it was deemed necessary to
assemble a jury on the 20th day of October, 1779, to "ascertain and
present" the same, and from a little pamphlet at that time published, we
extract the following:--

_The Office of Low Bailiff_.--"The Jury find and present that this
officer is annually elected by the Jury, and that his office is in the
nature of Sheriff of the Manor; that to him all the process of the Court
is to be directed, and that it is his right and duty to summon all
Juries to this court. And the Low Bailiff, at each fair, is entitled to
one penny for each stall or standing pitched in the said fairs."

_The Office of High Bailiff_.--"The Jury find and present that this
Officer is annually elected by the Jury; and that it is his duty to see
that the fairs be duly proclaimed, and that due order be preserved in
the fairs and markets; and if he sees any person in such fairs or
markets using unlawful games, to the injury of ignorant persons and
thoughtless youths, he may seize them and commit them to custody, to be
taken before a proper magistrate. That it is his duty to see that all
persons exposing any wares for sale in the fairs or markets, or as
shopkeepers within the manor, have legal weights and measures."

The other officers of the Court Leet, whose duties are also defined in
the aforesaid pamphlet, are the "Constables," the "Headborough," two
"Affeirers" (who looked after the rents and dues belonging to the Lord
of the Manor), two "Leather Sealers" (once important officers, when
there was a Leather Market, but whose duties in and about the year named
seemed to be confined to attending at the yearly dinners given by the
High Bailiff), two "Ale-conners, otherwise high tasters," and two
"Flesh-conners, otherwise low tasters." From their name it might be
thought the duties of the last named officers were limited to the
inspection of meat or flesh, but it will be seen that they were of a
more comprehensive character:--

"Their duty is to see that all butchers, fishmongers, poulterers,
bakers, and other sellers of victuals, do not sell or expose to sale
within this Manor any unwholesome, corrupt, or contagious flesh, fish,
or other victuals; and in case any such be exposed to sale, we find
tha