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Buckingham): entered this office, Mar.
21, under a patent in reversion, dated
May 2, 1763: died Feb. 1813.

office April 13, under a patent in reversion, dated July 22, 1758.

1786. Edward, lord Thurlow; entered this office July 13, under a patent granted to him in reversion, when lord high chancellor, dated June 5, 1784.

1813. Spencer Perceval: entered this office Feb.
16, under patent dated Feb. 15; he the
same day renouncing his pension of
1000l. per annum. Office abolished Oct. 1806.
10, 1834.

3.

1660. John Loving; admitted by royal sign
manual warrant, dated June 17, on
patent dated Dec. 14 (18th Car. I.),
1642," into the place formerly occupied
by Arthur Squibb, esq., deceased."
1693. Henry Carew; admitted July 18.
1699. Francis Godolphin; admitted June 8: sur-
rendered in 1704.

1704. Thomas Coke; admitted May 26: ex-
changed with his successor, for the
office of vice chamberlain to the
queen.

1706. Hon. Peregrine Bertie; admitted Dec. 1711. George Hay, viscount Dupplin (afterwards earl of Kinnoull); admitted Sept. 6; during pleasure only.

1715. Sir Roger Mostyn, bart.: admitted Jan. 8; during pleasure only.

1716. Richard Hampden: admitted June 27;
during pleasure only.

1718. Thomas, lord Onslow: admitted March 21;
during pleasure only.
1741. Horatio Walpole (afterwards lord Wal-
pole); admitted April 28: died Feb.
1757.
1757. James, earl of Waldegrave; entered this
office about Feb. 9, under a patent in
reversion, dated Nov. 6, preceding.
1736. Hon. Robert Henley (afterwards succeeded
as earl of Northington); entered this

1810.

1834.

Hon. William-Frederick Elliot Eden; en-
tered this office Sept. 15, under a patent
in reversion, dated July 31, 1790: this
gentleman was found drowned in the
river Thames, Feb. 24, 1810.
Hon. Charles-Philip Yorke; sworn March
2, under a patent dated March 1: died
March, 1834.

Charles-William Manningham (formerly
deputy to Mr. Yorke, from March 3,
1810); appointed by treasury minute.
April 25, and by patent April 29; sworn
May 10. Office abolished, Oct. 10, 1834.

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CHAMBERLAINS OF THE EXCHEQUER.

In their custody were many ancient records, leagues, and treaties with foreign princes; the standards of money, weights, and measures; those ancient books called the Black Book of the Exchequer, and Domesday book, which last contains an account of all the cities, towns, villages, and families in England in the reign of William the Conqueror. Under them were four Deputy Chamberlains, in whose office were preserved all the counterfoils of the above-mentioned tallies, so exactly arranged that they can be easily found, in order to be joined with their respective parts; which being done and proved true, they delivered the tally attested for a lawful tally to the Clerk of the Pipe, to be allowed in the great roll.

THE TWO CHAMBERLAINS OF THE EXCHEQUER.

(From the Restoration of King Charles II. to the abolition of their office in 1826.)

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1755. Sir John Miller, bart.; admitted Nov.
under patent in reversion, dated
April 7, preceding.
Montagu Burgoyne; by patent dated
July 17. Surrendered (like the other
chamberlain), Oct. 10, 1826.

2. 1660. Sir Nicholas Steward or Stuart, bart.; admitted. 1660, "to the office formerly had by sir Nicholas Carew, alias 1772. Throckmorton, deceased," under patent dated Oct. 1, this year.

1710. Sir William Ashburnham, bart.; admitted June 15, under patent dated May 25, preceding died Nov. 8, 1755.

:

The office of chamberlain was not afterwards filled up. See above.

THE COMPTROLLER-GENERAL.

On the abolition of the offices of Auditor, the four Tellers, and Clerk of the Pells, the office of the COMPTROLLER-GENERAL of the EXCHEQUER was created, to perform the functions of the suppressed departments. The Comptroller holds by patent quam diu se bene gesserit, and is removable only on the joint address of both Houses of Parliament. He is thus rendered independent of the Executive Government, and enabled to exercise freely his judicial functions of considering the strict legality of every payment demanded by the Treasury for the public service. He is enabled to decide without appeal, and to reject, on his own responsibility, any warrant for issue which he considers to be illegal, though it may bear the royal sign-manual and the counter-signatures of the First Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. These duties are prescribed and defined by the act 4 William IV. cap. 15. The following table will exhibit the saving effected by the creation of the office of Comptroller-General, which comprises the sub-departments of-1. Comptroller of Receipt and Expenditure; 2. Issue of Exchequer Bills; 3. Office of Weights and Measures.

Offices.

Former offices of Receipt, including Auditors, Tellers, Clerk of Pells
The present office

Actual saving

COMPTROLLERs-General.

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(Since the Creation of the Office, in 1834.)

1. Rt. hon. sir John Newport, formerly chancellor of the exchequer in Ireland. Date of patent, Oct. 11, 1834. 2. Rt. hon. Thomas Spring, lord Monteagle of Brandon, previously and consecutively under secretary of state for the home department, secretary to the treasury, secretary of state for the colonies, and chancellor of the exchequer; patent dated Sept. 9, 1839. The PRESENT (1851) Comptroller-General of the Exchequer.

1 This act, passed May 22, 1834, is entitled "An Act to regulate the Office of the Receipt of His Majesty's Exchequer at Westminster."-Statutes.

THE MASTER OF THE ROLLS.

THE Master of the Rolls is an officer of high trust and dignity. He is called the Master of the Rolls from his having the custody of all inrolments of the Chancery of England, in which are recorded charters, patents, commissions, and other instruments under the Great Seal, together with deeds, recognisances, and other public documents, made on rolls of parchment. The mansion called the Roll's House, and the Roll's Chapel (which latter serves as a repository for these records) are situated in Chancery

Lane, London, and were anciently an hospital, founded for converted Jews; but after the expulsion of the Jews from England, it was annexed for ever to the office of the Master of the Rolls. Here are kept the inrolments since the beginning of the reign of King Richard III.; all prior to that period being kept in the Tower of London. The Master of the Rolls, by virtue of his office, keeps his court at the Rolls, where, and at Westminster, he hears and determines causes brought before him; but his decisions are appealable to the Lord High Chancellor. Although the Rolls of Chancery begin in the reign of King John, the first authentic appointment of a Keeper or Master appears to have been made in the 23rd year of Edward I., when Adam de Osgodeby had the custody of the Rolls of Chancery. The Master of the Rolls ranks immediately after the lord chief justice of England.

Under statute 1st and 2d Victoria, cap. 94. (passed August 10, 1838), the Master of the Rolls is constituted Keeper of all the records in the Public Record Office, founded by that act.

MASTERS OF THE ROLLS.2

(From the earliest appointment to the office in the reign of EDWARD I.)

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1337. John de St. Paul. April 28 afterwards 1483. Thomas Barrow, or Barowe. Sept. 29.

lord keeper. See Chancellors.

1341. Thomas de Evesham. Jan. 10.

John de Thoresby. Feb. 21: afterwards
chancellor.

1346. David de Wollore, or Wallore. July 2.
See Chancellors.

1371. William Burstall. March 28.

KING RICHARD II.

KING HENRY VII.

1485. Robert Morton, again. Nov. 13.
1487. David Williams. Nov. 26.
1492. John Blyth. May 14.

1494. William Warham. Feb. 13: afterwards
lord chancellor.

1502. William Baron, or Barons. Feb. 1. See Chancellors.

1381. John de Waltham. Sept. 8. See Chan- 1504. Christopher Bainbrigge, or Benebrigge.

cellors.

1386. John de Burton. Oct. 24.

1394. John de Scarle. July 22: afterwards

chancellor.

1397. Thomas Stanley. Sept. 11.

KING HENRY IV.

1402. Nicholas de Bubbewyth. Sept. 24: afterwards bishop of London.

1405. John de Wakering. March 2.

KING HENRY V.

1415. Simon de Gauntstede.

Chancellors.

KING HENRY VI.

Nov. 13.

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1523. Thomas Hannibal. Oct. 9.

1527. John Taylour, or Taylor. June 26.

June 3. See 1534. Thomas Cromwell. Oct. 8: afterwards

1423. John Fraunke, or Frank. Oct. 28.
1438. John Stopynden. Nov. 13.
1447. Thomas de Kirkeby. March 29.
1461. Robert de Kirkeham. Dec. 23.
Chancellors.

lord Cromwell and earl of Essex; beheaded in 1540.

1536. Christopher Hales, or Halys. July 10.
1541. Sir Robert Southwell. July 1.

KING EDWARD VI.
See 1550. John de Beaumont. Dec. 13.
1552. Sir Robert Southwell. June 18.

1 "Anciently. the lord chancellor or keeper was assisted by numerous learned persons called Masters; and at their head was an officer called the Master or Guardian of the Rolls or Records. When the duties of the chancellor, as a minister of the Crown, increased, his lordship referred no inconsiderable portion of his judicial functions to this personage, whose decrees were, however, subject to the appellate jurisdiction of the court of chancery." Beatson.

2 This list is taken from Mr. Hardy's laborious and authentic compilation of the Masters.

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1

THE Vice Chancellor of England (a comparatively new equity judge) was created by the statute 53d George III., cap. 24, passed March 23, 1813, entitled "An Act to facilitate the Administration of Justice." And by an act, 5th Victoria, cap. 5, passed October 5, 1841, two additional judges, each to be called " Vice Chancellor," as distinguished from the Vice Chancellor of England, were constituted to assist the Lord Chancellor, "to hear and determine all such causes depending in the Court of Chancery as the Lord Chancellor might direct." Upon the death of the late Vice Chancellor of England (Sir Lancelot Shadwell) the equity judgeship under that particular designation was not filled up; but owing to the immense accumulation of business in the Chancery courts latterly, a bill was brought into parliament in the present session

The first Vice Chancellor of England took his seat in the Court of Chancery, May 5, 1813. A new court was afterwards erected in Lincoln's Inn, where, and in term-time, at a new court built in Westminster Hall in 1823, his honour sat. Courts for the Vice Chancellors have also been erected in Lincoln's Inn. All these courts are, however, of merely temporary construction.

(1851), 14th Victoria, cap. 4, authorising the appointment of a third Vice Chancellor vice sir James Wigram. The Vice Chancellors rank immediately after the Chief Baron of the Exchequer: their precedency is fixed by statute 5th Victoria, cap. 5.

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year

ALTHOUGH there can be no doubt that Masters in Chancery were established prior to the reign of Edward I., yet none of their appointments are recorded before the 40th of Elizabeth, 1597: from that time to the present the series is quite perfect. Including the Master of the Rolls, who is the chief, and the Accountant-General', there are now thirteen Masters in Chancery, their number was anciently limited to twelve; but by an act passed in the 5th year of the reign of her present majesty Queen Victoria, cap. 5. (passed October 5, 1841), to make further provision for the Administration of Justice, an additional Master was appointed. - Hardy's Lord Chancellors.2

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1602. Feb. 23. Henry Hickman, in room of Lawrence Hussey.

1608. June 2. Sir Thomas Crompton, vice sir Richard Swale.

1609. Feb. 8. Thomas Ridley, vice sir Thomas Crompton.

1612. Nov. 24. Gregory Bonhault, vice George Carewe.

1614. Apr. 12. Francis James, vice Bonhault.

1615. May 17. James Wolveridge, vice Thoresbye. May 19. Sir Charles Cæsar, vice John Hunte.

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1616. Feb. 17. Richard More, vice Hickman.
Nov. 13. John Hayward, vice Tyndall.
1617. Jan. 11. Ewball Thelwall, vice Houe.
1618. Aug. 7. Robert Rich, vice sir Matthew
Carew.

1619. Oct. 30. John Michell, vice Ridley.
1621. July 11. Edward Salter, vice Amye.

July 16. Edward Leech, vice sir John Ben

nett.

Sir William Birde, vice Grymstone:
date uncertain.

1624. Oct. 14. Sir Peter Mutton, vice Birde.
Dec. 18. Edward Clarke, vice James Wol-
veridge.

1607. July 17. Henry Thoresbye, in room of Thomas Legge. 1608. Mar. 18. Sir John Bennett, vice sir Edward 1625. July 22. Thomas Eden, vice Francis James. 1627. July 3. John Page, vice Hayward.

Stanhope.

1 Since the year 1726, when the office of Accountant-General of the Court of Chancery was created, one of the Masters in Chancery has always filled that office, or rather no one has ever been made Accountant-General without first becoming a Master in Chancery. - Hardy.

2 Mr. Hardy states that his compilation of the Masters in Chancery is taken from the Admission Rolls in the Petty-Bag Office, the Entry Book in the Crown Office, and from the Auditor's Patent Books in the Pell Office. We follow Mr. Hardy up to the appointment of Richard Richards, in 1841.

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