The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-08-23 00:00:00

SUSSEX ASSIZES.

LEWIS, AUGUST 20.
The Assizes for this County commenced here to-day, before
Mr. Baum Wood, its the Crown Cuteri, and 111 r. Jussiee
Burrough, in the Civil Court. In the former, the Calendar
contains the names of 47 prisoners, very few of whams are to
be tiled fur capital offences. The Cathie paper in the latter
minium as entry of 30 rages, nitre of nitwit are Canonss
prosecutions, more of which are Bementis fru. the last
Assizes, toeing to the difficulty then of piling Special Juries.
CROWN SI DP..
Mons Swift, alias Boorman, alias Farley, was iollieled
for mealier 100 hall-croiror, 80 shinier., and 20 sixpences.
the properly of James Parks, on the 1846 of Mateb, in the
parish of Ticeberst.

Mr. Serena conducted the prosecution.
The prosecutor, u tenor cottager, after 20 years savior,
bad ama‘srd the money ateutieurd is the intlictrneurt, *Mei
lie had lucked up in his box. The prisoner, • youth of 17,
hail been admitted into his cottage as • lodger. Previous to
that time he had been receiving mosey from the parish us a
pauper, and iu a few slays he was found flush of Teak, treat-
ing different people at the public-house, and offering to
dosage touter to any amount. These eircumitances induced
the prosecutor to search his tirasury, when be found that
every sixpence of his hoard was gone. He caused the pri-
soner to he apprehended, sad ea his person was found some
moor, which he knew to he hie own from marks upon
The Jury foetid the prhuner Gisfitp-o.Donth.

ROYAL BURGHS OF .liCi

R E PORT .

The Select Committee to whom the several Petitions which
knee bees promoted to this Houre, from the Royal Burghs
of Scotland, daring the years 1818, 1819, 1820, and 1821,
were referred, to examine the matters thereof, and to
report their observations and opinion thereupon to the
House ; and to whom the Reports which, open the 17th
day of June, 1793, the 12th day of July, 1819, sod the
14th day of July, 1820, were made from the Committees
appointed to examine the matters err the several Petitions
hum the Royal Burghs of Seut-land, were also referred—
have considered the said Petitiour, sod have agreed upon
the following Report :

lu submlttit4 to the Howie • Report relating to the griev.
anew complained of in the Petitions •rferret' to your Coat.
utility, it may nut he smasailiag, in the outset, to paint out
the modes of prevention awl of redress, which, by the
ancient law of Scotland, were made applicable to suck evils,
sod how these remedies, at • more recent period, have come
to be inoperative. It has been • matter of dispute in what
way the Magistrates and Councils of Burette were c hoses
previous to the Act of the Scottish Parliament 1469, by
which at was declared, that " the aultl Council of the town
shrill chose the new Council, ill air nnmbeT as accords to
the town ; awl that the are Council and the sold, in the
yier aforesaid, shall chose ell r•f6eiars pertaining to the
town, as Aldermeu, &lithe', Dean of Goad, and other
otlciars; and that ilk croft shall chose a per.on of the
'autism craft, that shall have vote iis the said election of
officiars for the lime, in likewise yier by yier."
On this point the Scotch Arts of Parliament throw no ma.
terial light; bet they Prove that, in whatever way suck elec-
tions were made, care was tekess, both before the palming of
the Art now quoted smut subsequent thereto, to provide the
necessary securities against nusinausgeutent ou the part of
those who were elected.

As the boughs had all of them derived their origin from
charters granted by the Crown, aecompanied by gifts of lands
sail other rubjecia belonging to his Majesty, destined to the
use of the burgh, the natural quarter to which to look fur
control was in the Chamberlain of Scotland, who had charge
of all the royal Mealiest, and whose office, though it had
been lung sun►, was atieiertly one of the highest dignity and
of supreme jorimfietiou.
This officer made regular circuits through Scotland every
year. By Act of James 11. it is ordslued, " that Justices,
thalami-flame, crooners. sad other efficient that mikes course
throw the laud, ryde but i■ elionpotest and easy number to
eschew getevanee and hurting the people."
That pail of his official ditty was to control Magistrates
and investigate their management, is proved by a variety
of enacineenis. Thus, by as Art of James I. of Neoilanil,
inaJe against beggars, is is declared, "that in burrows, the
chalmerlaine in his air ilk vier a.l inquire yf the aldermen
and hellfire hays keeped the statute." And by so Act of
James IV. intitule,l, " Flow the common gude of Bur-
rower suld be 'periled and set till others." it is enacted,
" flirt the said common gude be observed sud keeped to the
cumulus, profile of the WWII, and spended in the common
sail tiecessary things of the burgh, be the advice sail council
of the town for the time, and the deskens of crafts where
they are. Au inquisition yierly to be taken iu the chalmer-
Lwe of expences and disposition of the aaaiu. And
attour, that the rents of the burrows, as lands, lashings,
term's, inaillM, tailors, sad water., yierly reveuewrd, be qut
set but for three years 'internally." •
Mr. Wight, who is considered as the highest authority no
the history and law of Scotch etecliuo, accordingly stater,
that "of old the Lord Chamberlain had the chief oversight
of all the burghs in Seolland: to this eurrt alone the ma-
gistrates were answerable fur their anallaenwilt g and com-
plaints against them, and all craftseueu and usher boric. eat;
were laid before that high officer, at his airs or circuits."
At what period the Cliambevlaio erased to go rattails is
not precisely knows, but in tie reign of Jaws V. ass uses
giatrates of harsh. were ordered III to produce their
seer/ruts in Exchequer. This was Lest provided by Art
1635, e. 24, which, proceeding on site narretive, " that mho
memos gude yf burghs was wasted?' is esesegat see of tits