ENGLISH CIRCUIT CUSTOMS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5291, 11 March 1878, Page 3

ENGLISH CIRCUIT CUSTOMS.

: (Prom the Leisure,\llpur.) -Many of; the old circuit customs are-amongst the “ things that were.”-! The writer, in an experience 1 of not more than; thirty' years, can recollect when in every garrisoned town' ithe soldiers could not leave their .quarters without' the leave of the judge had first been obtained, and to procure .which i the officer 'first iri ’com--maud) in: “ full rfig,” ■ > with - adjutant attending, waited at the i judges' lodgings on the commission day .fgr.the.rcariisite permisfirin'to loose his mrin from; barracks. 1 Hei'presented to the ;udge for; approval or -alteration; the table Of -'rations accorded to the 1 troops, and handed iff the surgeon’s report;as- to!theihealth of; the soldiers. .The late,Lord; Chief Justice Campbell some twenty years.-since-passed a Bill through Parliament, 1 which; annulled this old • custom. ! The Governor of -■ Lancaster 1 Castle' and the Mayor of ; Lapcaster,j:until recently, severally gave up their.-keys and -staff of‘ offlce tOytheassize judge.when he visited that town;- while both at Appleby and at; Chester the judges-re-sided during the assizes in the-castles themselves) and every night, after *’locking up,” ‘the keys were brought -to.thein'as governors of the fortresses,, Durham; is nriw the only town' in England, which receives the 1 judges'into 'a castle, - and a grand one, too) with accessories of ancient ; qaryed - :6ak;i ,1 tapestry/’ hrid' mriat' ghost-like state-rooms.-The -Mayor-of Bari---bury, accompanied by several-m’etnbers of the corporation, until' lately presented themselves at the judges’ lodgings at Oxford, 'and offered the judges Banbury' cakes, -wine, six long clay pipes, and 11b. of tobaoco/accompauying the gift with many complimentary- expressions. This custom has been recently discontinued. Until 1859 the ancient Corporation of Ludlow ■were accustomed t» come to : the door,of the judges’ carriage, as they tnavelled by rail from Shrewsbusy to Hereford, arid to offer them cake and wine, the former upori ; an ancient silver salver, the latter in a “loving cup”' wreathed with flowers. ; The late Mr. Justice Hill) travelling the summer circuit in 1858, stopped this old English practice! by inform) ing the Mayor -of Ludlow, by previous letter, 1 that, owing'to the delay (!) ''occasioned, her Majesty's judges would not stop at Ludlqw to; feceive'the 1 wonted hospitality. The mayor and - corporation were offended, and did riot .offer,to ye.,, newthe ancient courtesy) Webbserye,.however, that Baron Huddlestone lias revived the; custom, and lunched in'state with the Mayor,of Ludlow ou the recent Oxford Summer Circuit, while travelling between Shrewsburyand Hereford. Not long before the time just (adverted to, the judge' invariably took his,. carriage ori circuit, and even'rode iri infrequently on the railway truck, with his iriarybal,,in’,soli-; tary grandeur! He posted iu it also from,town to town; drawn by four horses, and by-ancient .custom fao one was allowed to pass him oh the road. When lie reached the border of the county in which Ills assize was to be holdon, he was met hf the'sheriff with full .cavalcade of javelin meri)truihpeters, Ac., and stepped from his own'.carriage into that of thalhigh.sheriff, .having: previously, .whilst journeying, donned his wig arid black silk gown. The bar might riot ride in any putyijo conveyance, nor -pul; up at any inn or tavern in the assize town. All this is now abolished, a,rid the, ruthless “iron horse” and palatial lioteThavelevelled all such distinctions, just as the, recent provisions of the Judicature Bill have plucked title venerable “coif” from the judge’s, wig,| and torn the “ serjeant’s tippet ” from Lis shqnlder, ’ , Who shall say when, the aboljtion, of - tho solemn “opening of the commission”. apd'-“,churchiug of the judges” shall not in its turn come about; the high sheriff, javelin men,; and trumpeters bo dispensed with; curled horsehair and ermine be amongst the things of the past ?