The following noblemen and gentlemen have accepted the office of stewards for the musical festival:

James Shuttleworth, Esq. High Sheriff of the County; the Right Hon. the Earl of Derby, Lord Lieutenant; the Worshipful the Mayor of Preston; the Hon. Mr. Justice Park, Recorder of Preston; the Rev. the Vicar of Preston; His Grace the Duke of Devonshire; His Grace the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon; the Right Hon. the Earl of Wilton; the Right Hon. the Earl of Bradford; the Right Hon. Earl Howe; the Right Hon. Lord G. H. Cavendish; the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Chester; the Right Hon. Lord Stanley; the Right Hon. Lord Lindsay; the Right Hon. Lord Lilford; the Right Hon. Lord Molyneux; the Right Hon. George Canning, M. P.; the Right Hon. Robert Peel, M. P.; Hon. and Rev. G. Bridgman; Sir Henry Philip Hoghton, Bart.; Sir William Gerard, Bart.; Sir Thomas Stanley Massey Stanley, Bart.; Sir Thomas Dalrymple Hesketh, Bart.; John Blackburne, Esq. M. P.; General Gascoyne, M. P.; James Alexander Hodson, Esq. M. P.; Edmund Hornby, Esq. M. P.; Samuel Horrocks, Esq. M. P.; Thomas Legh, Esq. M. P.; Edward Bootle Wilbraham, Esq. M. P.; John Dalton, Esq.; William Farington, Esq.; Robert Hesketh, Esq.; Robert Townley Parker, Esq.; Lawrence Rawstorne, Esq.

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Some Account of the Duchy and County Palatine of Lancaster.

Lancaster was erected into a County Palatine the 50th of Edward III. and granted by that king to his son John for life, and that he should have a king-like power to pardon treasons, outlawrys, &c. and to make justices of the peace, and justices of assize, within the said county, and all processes and indictments to be in his name. There are

two seals, one for the County Palatine, and one for the Duchy; the last is used for lands that lie out of the County Palatine, because the Duchy have not jure regalia over those lands; the statute of the 37th Henry VIII., annexed lands to the Duchy for the enlargement of it; fines levied before the justices of assize of Lancaster, of lands in the County Palatine, shall be of equal force with those before the justices of the Common Pleas. Process against an outlawed person in the County Palatine of Lancaster, must be directed to the Chancellor of the Duchy, who shall thereupon issue like writs to the sheriff. statute of the 17th Charles II. enacts concerning causes of replevin shall be of force in the court of Common Pleas, in the County Palatine; by the statute of the 17th of George II., the chancellor or vice-chancellor, may empower persons to take affidavits in any cause depending, in any plea whatsoever, civil or criminal; by the statute 34th

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George III. the chancellor or vice-chancellor may authorise persons to take special bail in actions depending in the Court of Common Pleas of the said county. This Duchy was the property of Henry Bolingbroke, at the time he wrested the crown from Richard II., but he was too prudent to suffer this to be united to the crown, it being his by sure and indefeasible title, his title to the crown was not so assured, therefore he procured an act of parliament the first year of his reign, ordaining the Duchy of Lancaster and all his hereditary estates, with all these royalties and franchises, should remain to him and his heirs for ever, and be administered and governed in like manner, as if he never had attained the regal dignity; his grandson Henry VI. being attainted 1st of Edward IV. this Duchy was declared to be forfeited to the crown; but at the same time an act was made to incorporate it, and make the same King Edward IV. and his heirs kings of England for ever, but under a separate guiding and governance from the other inheritances of the crown. On the 1st of Henry VII. another act was passed, vesting the inheritance of the whole to the king and his heirs for ever, as amply and largely, and in like manner, form, and condition, separate from the crown of England and possession of the same.

The public offices incident to this court are stationed at Preston, except during the assizes, when they are removed to Lancaster. The officers of the Court of Chancery consist of five clerks in court, and cursitors of the county have the registrar, examiner, and chief clerk, with whom is filed all equity proceedings; the registrar officiates himself, or by deputy, in the vicechancellor's court at Lancaster, or in the Sessions-hall at Preston; the acting cursitor is in general one of the chancery clerks, whose duty it is to issue original writs, mandates upon writs directed to the chancellor from the courts of Westminster, and he has a distinct office for that purpose; the seal keeper of the county, whose duty is to seal all writs, process, patents, and grants of Duchy lands; the prothonotary or officer of the court of Common Pleas, from whose office issues all mesne process; he either officiaes in person or by deputy at the sessions; but during the assizes at Lancaster, the clerk of the crown has his office at Preston; he has the custody of all criminal proceedings, and officiates himself or by deputy; the clerk of the peace for the county is an officer of the courts of general and quarter sessions; the office of sheriff for the county is kept here, and a resident attorney is generally appointed under sheriff; the county treasurer has also his office in

the town. The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is an officer before whom, or his deputy, the court of the Duchy chamber of Lancaster is held. This is a special jurisdiction concerning all manner of equity relating to lands holden of the king in right of the Duchy of Lan

caster.

This is a thing very distinct from the County Palatine, which hath also its separate chancery for the sealing of writs and the like. This Duchy comprises much territory, which lies at a vast distance from the county, as particularly a very large district surrounded by the city of Westminster. The proceedings in this court are the same as on the equity side of the courts of Exchequer and Chancery, so that it seems not to be a court of record and it has been holden, that these courts have a concurrent jurisdiction with the Duchy court, and may take cognizance of the same causes.

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