the peace. The justices of the peace were appointed in each county by special commission under the great seal, the form of which was settled by all the judges in the year 1590. The commission required them all jointly and severally to keep the peace; and any two or more of them to inquire of and determine felonies and misdemeanors, in which number some particular justices, or one of them, were directed to be always included, (were of the quorum,) and no business could be done without their presence; the commission running thus: Quorum aliquem vestrum-unum esse volumus.

There is the same perversion in the word Custalorum. Custos rotulorum is the word which Shallow attempts, and which Slender fails to give correctly. The custos rotulorum was the principal justice of the peace in the county, and keeper of the records of the county. The idea of the interlocutors is to exalt Shallow's official dignity, so that Falstaff's contempt of it may authorize them, in their simplicity, to think it a Star-Chamber matter.

Armigero. Esquire.

Bill. A common engagement for money given to another. A single bond without a condition.

Formerly it was all one with an obligation, save only its being called a bill when in English, and an obligation when in Latin.

Warrant. A precept under hand and seal to some officer.

(See Nos. 110, 114.)

Acquittance. A discharge in writing of a sum of money or a debt due.

(See Nos. 45, 274.)

Obligation. A bond containing a penalty with a condition annexed. It differs from a bill, which is generally without a penalty or condition, although a bill may be obligatory. (Tomlin's Law Dict.) (See No. 158.)

No. 5.

Why, I'll exhibit a bill in the parliament for the putting down of men. The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 2, Scene 1.

Exhibit. To offer or propose in a formal or public manner. (Johnson.)

Bill. (See No. 142.)

He suffered his attorney general to exhibit a charge of high treason against this earl. (Clarendon.)

Formerly all bills were drawn in the form of petitions, which were entered on the parliament rolls

with the king's answer subjoined. (Tomlin's Law Dict., Parliament.)

Where the phrase "introduce a bill" would now be used, it was then correct to say, "exhibit a bill or petition."

No. 6.

The spirit of wantonness is, sure, scared out of him; if the devil have him not in fee-simple, with fine and recovery, he will never, I think, in the way of waste, attempt us again. The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 4, Scene 2

Fee-simple. Tenant in fee-simple is he who has land and tenements to hold to him, and his heirs and assigns, forever. (Littleton.)

(See Nos. 63, 159, 247, 312.)

Fine and recovery. Fine-An instrument of record of an agreement concerning lands, tenements, and hereditaments, duly made by the king's license, and acknowledged by the parties to the same, upon a writ of covenant, writ of right, or such like, before the justices of the common pleas, or others thereunto authorized, and engrossed of record in the same court; to end all controversies thereof, both between themselves, which be parties and privies to the same, and all strangers not suing or claiming in due time. (Shep. Touchst. c. 3.)

The recovery was a judgment in a fictitious suit. A conveyance by fine and recovery barred all the world.

The meaning of the merry wife is that the devil has acquired an absolute title to Falstaff by a proceeding barring everybody, in remainder, reversion, or entail, which was the operation of a fine and recovery.

(See Nos. 63, 85, 276.)

Waste. A spoil or destruction in houses, gardens, trees, or other corporeal hereditaments, to the disherison of him that hath the remainder or reversion in fee-simple or fee-tail. (2 Bl. Comm. marg. p. 281.)

No. 7.

You orphan heirs of fixed destiny,
Attend your office, and your quality.
Crier Hobgoblin, make the fairy o-yes.

Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 5, Scene 5.

O-yes. Hear ye! Immediately before he makes proclamation the crier of the court cries, Oyez, oyez, which is generally corruptly pronounced o-yes. (Bouv. Law Dict.)

(See No. 194.)

No. 8.

Go thou and seek the coroner, and let him sit o' my coz; for he's in the third degree of drink, he's drowned; go, look after him.

Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 5.

No. 9.

Has been told so: and he says, he'll stand at your door like a sheriff's post, and be the supporter of a bench, but he'll speak with you.

(See No. 239.)

No. 10.

Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 5.

Fab. I will prove it legitimate, sir, upon the oaths of judgment and reason.

Sir To. And they have been grand jury-men since before Noah was a sailor.

No. 11.

Twelfth Night, Act 3, Scene 2.

First Off. This is the man; do thy office.
Sec. Off. Antonio, I arrest thee at the suit
Of count Orsino.

Twelfth Night, Act 3, Scene 4.

Arrest. (See Nos. 17, 86, 87, 137, 138, 277a, 295, 300.)

No. 12.

Nay, let him alone, I'll go another way to work with him; I'll have an action of battery against him, if there be any law in Illyria: though I struck him first, yet it's no matter for that.

Twelfth Night, Act 4, Scene 1.

Action of battery. (See Nos. 12, 20, 276.)

No. 13.

Thou shalt be both the plaintiff and the judge of thine own

cause.

Plaintiff.

(See No. 39.)

Twelfth Night, Act 5, Scene 1.

Cause. (See Nos. 60, 149, 184, 200, 277a.)