Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 12.djvu/512

LOKD. 454 LORDS. Babox; Duke; Eakl; M.vbquis; Peeb; Fobms OF Address. liOBD. In the English system of landholding, the feudal superior of whom land is held. Thus employed the term is the exact equivalent of 'landlord,' and conveys no implication of social superiority or of class distinction. In the feudal sense, the word signifies one of whom lands are held in fee. and in that sense the King of Eng- land is still lord paramount of all the lands in the Kingdom, and there are still many lords of manors, called 'mesne lords,' because standing between the lord paramount, and the freehold tenant actually seized of the land. The term is seldom used in the United States except to de- scribe the lessor of land in the modern relation of landlord and tenant (q.v.). See Fee; Estate; Fecdalism; Freehold; ilAXOK; Tenure. LORD, John (1810-94). An American his- torian and lecturer, born at Portsmouth, X. H. He graduated at Dartmouth in 18.3.3, and then entered the Andover Theological Seminary, where in his second year he wrote a series of lectures on the Dark Ages, which he delivered the next fall during a tour through northern Xew York. After graduating at Andover he became an agent for the American Peace Society. Later he took a church at Xew Marlboro, ilass., and then one at Ltica. X. Y. But in 1840 he gave up his pastoral duties to become a public lecturer. He published The Old Jfoman ^'orld (1867); An- cient States and Empires (1869) ; Points of Bis- tory (1881): and Beacon Lights of History (1883-06), which contains in final form much of the material used in his previous works and in his lectures. Dr. Lord was a popular and enter- taining historian, and made no pretense to origi- nality or to minute accuracy. LORD ADVOCATE (of Scotland). See Ad- vocate, Lord. LORD CHANCELLOR, See ChaxcelloE; Chancery. ( olrt of. LORD HIGH STEWARD. In England, a peer who is appointed by the Crown to preside over the trial of another peer for treason or felony, or in cases of impeachment. This title was originally applied to one who held the office of Lord High Steward, which was the highest feudal ofHce in the Kingdom, and was hereditary. It was forfeited to the Crown upon the dis- grace of Simon de Montfort. who held it at that time, but was regranted to the House of Lan- caster, and upon the accession of Henry IV. to the throne it became merged in the Crown. A Lord High Steward is now only appointed when occasion arises. A peer is usually tried by Par- liament, but when it is not in session it is neces- sary for the Crown to appoint a peer to act as Lord High Steward, whose duty it is to summon the other peers, organize his temporary court, and preside at the trial of the accused peer. The Lord High Steward, in such a case, is the sole judge of the law and practice, and the other assembled peers are the judges of fact. Mien Parliament is in session it is usual, but not nec- essary, to appoint a Lord High Steward to pre- side at the trial of such eases, as all the peers are judges of both law and facts. The appoint- ment is by commission and the appointee holds office only during the trial of the particular case over which he is summoned to preside. LORD HOWE ISLANDS. A group of vol- canic islets with an aggregate area of five square miles, situated in the Pacific Ocean, 550 miles northeast of Sydney, and attached administra- tively to X'ew South Wales. They reach an alti- tude of nearly 3000 feet, and are very fertile, with a rich Australian flora. Population, in 1891, 55. LORD KEEPER OF THE GREAT SEAL. See Great Seal; Keeper of the Great Seal. LORD LIEUTENANT. The chief Crown of- ficer in the counties of Great Britain and Ireland. The office came into existence in the reign of Henry VIII. and grew- out of the practice of the Crown appointing prominent persons in each county in times of disorder or danger to muster the male inhabitants who were capable of bearing arms. This prerogative of the Crown, was known as issuing 'commissions of array.' The commissioners took the name of lieutenants of the King and corresponded somewhat to the old English eail as military head of the shire, and as such soon overshadowed the sheriff. The latter oflicial gave up his control over the county militia to the Lord Lieutenant and henceforth became a civil officer. The new officer was re- sponsible to the Crown for the efficiency and discipline of the county militia over which he had chief command. The right of the Crown to issue such commissions was denied by the Long Parliament. Their legality was established after the Restoration by a declaratory act. The Lord Lieutenant was the permanent local represen- tative of the Crown, and, on the occasion of an invasion or rebellion, had power to raise the militia, form regiments, troops, and companies, and give commissions to officers. With the growth of a standing army the county militia became less important and at the same time the office of Lord Lieutenant dwindled in power. Finally, in 1871, his authority over the county militia was withdrawn and transferred to other officers appointed by the Secretary of State for War. At the present time he is the principal justice of the peace in the county, is at the head of the county magistracy, and is responsible for the preservation of order and the administra- tion of justice in the county. He is also keeper of the records {Ciistos Rotulorum). appoints the clerk of the peace, and recommends to the Lord Chancellor the appointment and removal of the justices of the peace for the county. He is usually a prominent landowner, generally serves for life, and is under the control of the Home Office. LORD MAYOR'S DAY. The 9th of Xovem- ber, wlien the Lord Mayor's show takes place in London. The newly elected Lord ilayor pro- ceeds with much ancient ceremony from the city to the Courts of .Justice, where the oath of office is administered. The wooden figrires called Gog and ilagog, formerly carried at the head of the procession, are now kept in the Guildhall, where the Lord Mayor's banquet is held. LORD ORDINARY. See Court of Session. LORDS, House of. As a court, the judicial functions of this august body are almost w-hoUy those of an appellate court. Its claim to original jurisdiction was abandoned in 1670. as the result of a violent dispute between it and the House of Commons, over the famous case of Skinner vs. the East India Company. From that time it