Preface Pages Paterson's Hampshire 1785-93

assizes

CIRCUITS OF THE JUDGES.

All the Counties of England are divided into Six Circuits; through each of which two learned Men, assigned by the King's Commission, travel twice a Year; these are called Justices or Judges of Assize, and have sevral Commissions by which they sit.

I. A Commission of Oyer and Terminer, directed to them and many others of the best Account in their respective Circuits. In this Commission, the Judges of Assize are of the Quorum; so that without them there can be no proceeding. This Commission gves them Power to transact Matters relating to Treasons, Murders, Felonies, and other Misdemeanors.

II. A Commission of Gaol Delivery, which is only to the Judges themselves, and the Clerk of the Assize associate. - By this they have concern with every Prisoner in Gaol, for what Offence soever.

III. A Commission directed to themselves and the Clerk of the Assize, to take Writs of Possession, called also Assizes; and to do Right and Justice thereupon.

IV. A Commission to take the Nisi Prius, directed to the Justices and Clerks of Assizes; whence they are also called Justices of Nisi Prius.

V. A Commission of Peace in every County of their Circuit; and all the Justices of the Peace, having no lawful Impediment, are bound to be present at the Assizes, to attend the Judges. - The Sheriff of every Shire is also to attend in Person, or by a sufficient Deputy allowed by the Judges, who may fine him if he fail.

This excellent Institution of Judges, Circuits, and Assizes was begun in the Time of Henry II. though somewhat different to what it is now; the Grand Assize, or Trial by Jury instituted by him, as an Alternative instead of Judicial Commission, is partly described by Glanvil, who was perobably the Adviser of the Measure.

For this Purpose a Writ de Magna Assisa Eligenda, was directed to the Sheriff, to return four Knights, who were to elect Twelve other to be joined with them; all these together formed the Grand Assize, ordained to try the Matter of Right.

The Judges of Assize came into Use in the room of the ancient Justices in Eyre, Justiciarii in Itinere, who were appointed by the great Council of the Realm, A. D. 1176, 22 Hen.II. with a delegated Power from the King's great Court; they made their Circuit round the Kingdom once in Seven Years, for the Purpose of trying Causes, but were afterwards directed by Magna Charta, c. 12, to be sent into every County once a Year. And since that, in Order to prevent the Innocent from lying too long in Gaol, to keep the Prisons from being over crouded, and for sundry other good Reasons, it has been found Expedient to make two Circuits in the Year; one in the Spring, which is called the Lent Assize, and the other in Autumn, called the Summer, or Autumn Assize.

The Assizes for some Counties not being always held at the same Place, it is necessary to make the Circuit by different Routes; and as a minute Description of each would not only swell the Work, but be a useless Repetition of what is given in other Parts thereof, we have in the following Description of the several Circuits, only given the principal Towns and Stages in each, referring the Traveller to those Places in the Work where a particular Delineation or Descripton of the several Parts of the Circuit is to be found.

The Assize Towns in each Circuit are distinguished by an Asterism thus (*) and printed in Italicks.

circuit for Hants.

	... ... ...
	22
		*Salisbury, Wilts	101	From Southampton to Salisbury, see Cross Roads, p.24.
	16
		Rumsey	85
	8
		*Southampton	77	From Winchester to Southampton, see p.43.
	12
		*Winchester	65
	7 1/2
		Alresford	57 1/2
	10
		Alton, Hants	47 1/2
	9
		Farnham	38 1/2
	12
		Bagshot	26 1/2
	... ... ... From London to Winchester, see p.35, 36, &c.
		WESTERN CIRCUIT

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