II. THE BAILIFFS.
The Officer known as the BaiUff of Dover was first appointed in the Reign of Edward I. In every one of the Cinque Ports and their Corporate Limbs there appear to have been Bailiffs, although in each place the functions of the Bailiffs differed, and in some places — Hastings, Hythe and Romney, for instance — the BaiUffs, until about the Sixteenth Century, were the Chief Officers of the Corporation. At Dover the Bailiff was appointed from time to time by the Crown, his duty being to work in conjunction with the Mayor and Jurats, in the administration of justice. He was the initiative officer in all judicial proceedings in the Dover Court; and, although in the absence of a Bailiff the Mayor had the right to carry out most of his duties, the Bailiff only could commence actions known as " pleas royal." When the Mayor required pro ceedings to be taken he had to direct the Bailiff to call the " Hundred " together, to formulate the charges and produce the prisoners. If the accused were convicted, it was the Mayor's duty to pass the sentences, but the Bailiff had to pro vide for their execution. In appointing a Bailiff for Dover, the Sovereign always selected a Freeman of the Borough. The names of many of those who filled the office are on record, but, as most of them were subsequently Mayors, it does not seem necessary to present a list of them. It is not definitely recorded when the last Bailiff of Dover was appointed, but the Office seems to have lapsed soon after the end of the Tudor Period, at which time Serjeants, or Counsellors, learned in the law, known as Recorders, were appointed by the Corporation to assist the Mayor and Jurats in Sessions and Trials.