Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-07-02
tFor the Free Pressl
A NEW LAW DICTIONARY,
or Jacobs illustrated.
BY GODFREY GRANT, ATTORNEY.

CENsuRE-hoth been defined as being tax which
merit pays to envy )" but the eensure here spoken Of
s"a tax that was nncienty paid to the Lords OF the
Manors OF Devon and Cornwall, ut the rate Of Id
per poll, and Id. per ann" The unequal allotment
OF this shllngs worth Of censure, requiring eleven
pence to be paid by Poll" and only penny by
Ann whose pin-money was probably not less than
that Of her sister, is striking instance of the general
unnirness OF taxes. which, on that account have been
termed "mpositions" from the days OF lIerod down.
wards
CEssoH-"a cessation, or giving over term
which, notwithstanding the rule of idem sondns is a
very different thing from session, as may be seen in
that of the famous Rump Parliament" $50 called
from its great buse) which sat many years without
" cessation" and never give over until the dissolu-
ton of the body Thy Dr. CrumlD made impossible
TO hold on.
CnANcERy-a high court of judicn,ure. The name
is obviously derived from chance, the divinity which
prcsidcs the deliberations of this tribunal, and
controls its DEGREES. The chances, however, in this
court are so very irregular and hap hazard to be
subject to mathematical calculation like the ordinary
risks OF fire and watebut the most that can be pre-
dcted with safety is that if person bring suit in
Chancery" it is great chance if he ever bring it out
again chancery-suits being in the number Of those
real actions" which Usually survive the person.
Of the parties htigan,
CHARGE. A legal charge is defined as 4" a thing
which holdeth or fix tn him that doth it." But
musket charge, .he contrary, =" fixes" HIM that re-
ceives t-and is. hence, without warranty of law, and
ought TO be avoided. General Taylor is said to be ga
capital hand at n charge" "a fact which might be
deemed ground Of distinction were il not equally
true of tailors in general.
CLERK OF AssIzE-" is he that records what is judi
cnlly done by the Judges Of Assze" The establish
ment of court in which the Judges and Clerk should
be exactly Of size. strikes being measure, or
rather kind of measure for measure, at once diff
cult and ridiculous. But the famous "Act of Uniform
ity"-which, though ridiculous enough, was certainly
no joke" in its consequenccs-attcmpted the more
llercuean labor OF bringing several thousand different
opinions to the same form" The plan and appi-
ances worthy OF that crusty old philosopher Pro-
crustes. and succeeded admiration Yet is said
lew minds were found so large that they could in no
wise be reduced to the narrow proportions of the STAT
ute model
CLERK or TIE Mills" an officer in the Court of
Exchequer.' But whether this functionary was termed
clerk of the mills from having nothing" to do, or
from his getting nothing" for pay, from the good
ornothing' character Of the court it quite imposs-
bic to determine
CoMiTATU eomnissio "a sherlff's commission, by
which, in case you commit crime he is authorized
to commit you This is done by process briefly as
follows -" come -it-at-you' come -it-oyer you, COM
nit you.
CoNJuRoR. "a Conjuror,' says Hawkins, in his
Pleas of the Crown is who, by force of certain
magic arts, endeayots raise the devil" This indie
cent disturbance Of the Ancient Henry" was forbid
den, under penalty of fine and plory, by his devoted
son and very humble servant Henry WILL ts,at. 80,
C. 81 who seems to have claimed the privilege of
raising the devil generally" of the royal pre-
negatives But avortes are apt TO encroach upon the
crown-and the life OF this dsqoute prince was one of
those curious games tof which there are several in
stances both in History and Hoyle) wherein the
deuce" cnti,ey control1" tln king"
| CONTINGENT Use. 4 use In contingency s,t h as
by possibility may happen in reverson or remainder
Vest Symb
OF contingent uses. that which man hath of
his own umbrella, is q striking example. The
bare possibility" the law cautiously expresses il,
that there may be a r-verson OF an umbrella to the
owner, that. when it is nearly worn out he should
get hold of the remainder of it, so that he NAV
have little of the instrument, is altogether very
hopeless and worthless contingency.
CoYTRAcT-a covenant between two or more DER.
, SONS founded on a lawful consideration Vest Symb
An agreement without consideration is termed nudum
pactum, or naked contract in which primitive condi.
. ton il is offensive TO the eye Of the law Unless
therefore, the parties make shift to clohe the con.
tract (Which can be done for little money the law
I will not regard it.
The rule that a contract without consideration is
void is no, always supported by the courts. In one
case where it was urged for the defendant in breach
of promise suit, that o.. he entered into the contrac,