are cognizable in this court only. The proceedings are the same as those adopted in civil law. The plaintiff gives security to prosecute, and, if cast, to pay what is adjudged. But in criminal cases, as the trial of pirates, and crimes com.. mitted at sea, the process, by a special commission, is by a judge, jury, and witnesses, a judge of the common law assisting; on which occasion the court is commonly held at the Sessions House, in the Old Bailey.

Judge-Right Hon. Sir Wm. Scott, Knt., D. C. L.
King's Advocate-General--Sir Christopher Robinson.
Admiralty Advocate-J. H. Arnold, LL. D.
Registrar The Right Hon. Lord Arden.

Deputies to ditto-James Farquhar, M. P. and H. B..
Swabey, Esqrs.

Seal-Keeper--W. Townsend.

King's Proctor-J. Nicholl, Esq.

Admiralty ditto-G. Gostling, Esq.
Marshall-Hon. Hugh Lindsay.

Deputy-J. Deacon, Esq.

Doctors' Commons, or College of Civilians.

THIS is a college established for the study and practice of the civil law, in which courts are kept for the trial of civil and ecclesiastical causes, under the archbishop of Canterbury and the bishop of London; as in the court of arches,

and the prerogative court. There are also offices in which wills are deposited and searched, and court of faculties and dispensations.

The name of commons is given to this college, from the circumstance of the civilians commoning together, as in other colleges.

This edifice is situated in Great Knight Rider Street, near the College of Arms, on the south side of St. Paul's Cathedral. The old building, which stood in this place, was purchased for the residence of the civilians and canonists by Henry Harvey, doctor of the civil and canon law, and dean of the arches. But this edifice, being destroyed by the general devastation in 1666, they removed to Exeter House, in the Strand, where the civilians had their chambers and offices, and the courts were held in the hall. But some years after, the commons being rebuilt in a more convenient and elegant manner than before, the civilians returned thither.

The causes, of which the civil and ecclesiastical law do, or may take cognizance, are, blasphemy, apostacy from Christianity, heresy, ordinations, institutions to benefices, celebration of divine service, matrimony, divorces, bastardy, tythes, oblations, obventions, mortuaries, dilapidations, reparations of churches, probates of wills, administrations, simony, incest, fornication, adultery, pensions, procurations, commutation of penance, right of pews, and others of the same kind.

Those who practise in these courts are divided into two classes, advocates and proctors.

The advocates are such as have taken the degree of doctor of civil law, and are retained as counsellors and pleaders. These must first, upon their petition to the archbishop, obtain his fiat, and then they are admitted by the judge to practise. The following is the manner of their admission. Two senior advocates, in their scarlet robes, with the mace carried before them, conduct the doctor up the court with three reverences, and present him with a short Latin speech, together with the archbishop's rescript. Then, having taken the oaths, the judge admits him, and assigns him a place, or seat, in the court, which he is always to keep when he pleads. Both the judge and advocates, if of Oxford, wear in court scarlet robes and hoods, lined with taffeta; but if of Cambridge, white minever, and round black velvet caps.

The proctor, or procurators, exhibit their proxies for their clients, and make themselves parties for them, and draw and give pleas, or libels and allegations, in their behalf, produce witnesses, prepare causes for sentence, and attend the advocates with the proceedings. These are also admitted by the archbishop's fiat, and introduced by two senior proctors. They wear black robes and hoods, lined with fur.

The terms for the pleading and ending of causes in the civil courts are but slightly dif

ferent from the term times of the common law. The order, as to the time of the sitting of the several courts, is as follows:- The court of arches, having the pre-eminence, sits first in the morning; the court of admiralty sits in the afternoon on the same day; and the prerogative court also sits in the afternoon.

PREROGATIVE COURT OF HIS GRACE THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

The Right Honourable Sir John Nicholl, the Keeper, or Commissary of the said Court.

Principal Registers-The_Rev. George Moore, Clerk, C. Moore, Esq., Rev. Robert Moore, Clerk.

Deputies to ditto George Gostling, Esq., Nathaniel Gostling, Esq., and Richard Cheslyn Cresswell, Esq. George Marshall, Apparitor General to the Province of Canterbury.

THE COLLEGE OF DOCTORS OF LAW.

Incorporated in 1768.

Right Honourable Sir J. Nicholl, Knt., D. C. L., Official Principal of the Arches-court of Canterbury, Master Keeper, or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Commissary of the Deaneries of the Arches of London, Shoreham, and Croydon, a Lord of Trade and Plantations.

Right Honourable Sir William Scott, Knt., D. C. L. and F. R. S., Judge of the High Court of Admiralty of England, Vicar-General to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Master of the Faculties, Chancellor of the Diocese of London, Commissary of the City and Diocese of Canterbury and London, and a Lord of Trade and Plantations.

Sir Christopher Robinson, Knt. D. C. L., H.N.M. Advocate-General.

ARCHES COURT OF HIS GRACE THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

Official Principal-Right Hon. Sir John Nicholl, Knt. Register-James Bush, Esq.

VICAR GENERAL'S OFFice of his GRACE THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

The Archbishop of Canterbury.

Vicar-General-Right Hon. Sir William Scott, Knt.
Registrars-John and William Moore, Esqrs.
Deputy-R. Jenner, Esq.

FACULTY OFFICE OF HIS GRACE THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

Master of the Faculties-Right Honourable Sir William Scott, Knt.

Register-Charles Moore, Esq.

Deputies-J. Townley and William Moore, Esqrs.

Court of Sessions in the Old Bailey.

THIS Court is held eight times in the year, by the king's commission of oyer and terminer, for the trial of criminals, for offences committed within the city of London and county of Middlesex.

The judges are, the lord mayor, those aldermen who have passed the chair, and the recorder, who are attended by both the sheriffs, and one or more of the national judges.

The offences in the city are tried by a jury of citizens; and those committed in the county, by one formed of housekeepers in the county.