circuit, thieves, murderers, rebels, vagabonds, and all sorts of felons.

The shade of difference between the under-sheriff and the justice of the

quorum, in their hierarchical service towards the sheriff, was that the

under-sheriff accompanied and the justice of the quorum assisted.

The sheriff held two courts--one fixed and central, the county court;

and a movable court, the sheriff's turn. He thus represented both unity

and ubiquity. He might as judge be aided and informed on legal questions

by the serjeant of the coif, called sergens coifæ, who is a

serjeant-at-law, and who wears under his black skull-cap a fillet of

white Cambray lawn.

The sheriff delivered the jails. When he arrived at a town in his

province, he had the right of summary trial of the prisoners, of which

he might cause either their release or the execution. This was called a

jail delivery. The sheriff presented bills of indictment to the

twenty-four members of the grand jury. If they approved, they wrote

above, billa vera; if the contrary, they wrote ignoramus. In the

latter case the accusation was annulled, and the sheriff had the

privilege of tearing up the bill. If during the deliberation a juror

died, this legally acquitted the prisoner and made him innocent, and the

sheriff, who had the privilege of arresting the accused, had also that

of setting him at liberty.

That which made the sheriff singularly feared and respected was that he

had the charge of executing all the orders of her Majesty--a fearful

594

The Man Who Laughs