Printed and Published at the Dover Express Works. 1916.

TO BE FORMATTED

ANNALS OF DOVER.
SECTION SEVEN.
OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION.
II. THE BAILIFFS.

The Officer known as the BaiUff of Dover was first
appointed in the Reign of Edward I. In every one
of the Cinque Ports and their Corporate Limbs there
appear to have been Bailiffs, although in each place
the functions of the Bailiffs differed, and in some places
— Hastings, Hythe and Romney, for instance — the BaiUffs,
until about the Sixteenth Century, were the Chief
Officers of the Corporation. At Dover the Bailiff was
appointed from time to time by the Crown, his duty
being to work in conjunction with the Mayor and Jurats,
in the administration of justice. He was the initiative officer
in all judicial proceedings in the Dover Court; and, although
in the absence of a Bailiff the Mayor had the right to carry
out most of his duties, the Bailiff only could commence actions
known as " pleas royal." When the Mayor required pro-
ceedings to be taken he had to direct the Bailiff to call the
" Hundred " together, to formulate the charges and produce
the prisoners. If the accused were convicted, it was the
Mayor's duty to pass the sentences, but the Bailiff had to pro-
vide for their execution. In appointing a Bailiff for Dover, the
Sovereign always selected a Freeman of the Borough. The
names of many of those who filled the office are on record,
but, as most of them were subsequently Mayors, it does not
seem necessary to present a list of them. It is not definitely
recorded when the last Bailiff of Dover was appointed, but
the Office seems to have lapsed soon after the end of the
Tudor Period, at which time Serjeants, or Counsellors,
learned in the law, known as Recorders, were appointed by
the Corporation to assist the Mayor and Jurats in Sessions
and Trials.



33^ ANNALS OF DOVER