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valuable contribution to legal literature. The ar ticle will be fully illustrated, and will contain more than twenty portraits of eminent judges of the past and the present bench.
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yers' minds softened, a humane opinion grew up (and was countenanced by Lords Coke and Hale) that such challenge should only be disregarded and overruled, the law was not so ascertained and settled by any statute until Sir Robert Peel's Criminal Consolidation Act provided that every peremptory challenge beyond the number allowed by law, in case of treason, felony, or piracy, shall be entirely void, and the trial of such persons shall proceed as if no such challenge had been made.
We will bind the numbers of Vol. II. for sub scribers sending them to us, in half morocco, for St. 50. FACETIÆ. LEGAL ANTIQUITIES. There is extant a very particular account of a criminal calendar for Lichfield and Lincoln, wherein, in the fifth year of the reign of King John, ten or twelve criminals, being badly thought of (tnaii credite) by the jury, are ordered to purge themselves either by fire or water. One of the prisoners was hanged because he would not sub mit to this kind of purgation; another, being a woman and sick, was permitted to defer the purgation by water. In the reign of Henry III. directions were given to the justices itinerant of the Northern Circuit, "not to try persons charged with robbery or murder, or other such crimes, by fire and water; but for the present, until further provision can be made, to keep them in prison under safe custody." In the reign of Edward II. prisoners peremp torily challenging above thirty-five jurors, and refusing to retract their challenge, were treated as standing mute, and subjected to the peine forte et dure. It was not until the third year of Henry VII. that an alteration took place in this respect. It was then agreed by the judges of both benches (without a thought of consulting the legislature on so trivial a question), that a man who challenged thirty-six jurors should be hanged, and not put to the penance; and it was resolved that this should be observed as the practice on their circuits, not withstanding the contrary usage in former reigns. And though afterward, in course of time, as law
Officer of the Court. Prisoner at the bar, are you guilty or not guilty? Prisoner. Sure it's meeself as 'll wait. Officer. Wait for what? Prisoner. Wait and see fwhat koind av a case me lawyer 'll make out for me. — Irish Law Times. Some years since a patent-right suit was brought before Judge Nelson. Hon. William H. Seward was counsel on one side. In summing up, he occupied a whole day. The counsel on the other side made a long argument, and the judge charged the jury. After the jury had been absent about two hours they came into court, and the foreman said : " Your Honor, the jury would like to ask a question." "You can proceed." "Well, your Honor, we should like to know what this suit is about." The following decree, issued by a Colorado court, certainly deserves a place among our "Legal Facetiae " : In the County Court of Routt Co. In re. September Term, A. D. 1888. In the matter of the application of , Esqr., of . in the county and State aforesaid, for a certificate of good moral character, etc. This day comes into open Court , Esqr., for merly county surveyor of , county and State aforesaid, and civil engineer and gentleman, and moves the Court that a certificate of moral character and practical surveyor and civil engineer be granted: and it appearing to the Court from satisfactory evi dence that said is a man of good moral char acter and a practical surveyor and competent civil
