"On a conditional bond's becoming forfeited for non-payment of money borrowed, the whole penalty, which is usually the double of the principal sum lent by the obligee, was formerly recoverable at law. To this our poet here alludes. "But the defendant doth that plea deny ; To 'cide his title, is impannelled A quest of thoughts." (Sonnet 46.) "In Much ado about Nothing, Dogberry charges the watch to keep their fellows' counsel and their This Shakspeare transferred from the oath own. of a Grand Juryman. "And let my officers of such a nature Make an extent upon his house and lands." (As you Like it.) "He was taken with the manner." (Love's Labour Lost.) "Enfeoff'd himself to popularity." (K. Hen. IV. P. I.) "He will seal the fee-simple of his salvation, and cut the entail from all remainders, and a perpetual succession for it perpetually." 66 (All's Well that Ends Well.) Why, let her accept before excepted." (Twelfth Night.) Which is four terms, or two actions; and he shall laugh without intervallums." "No writer but one who had been conversant with the technical language of leases and other conveyances, would have used determination as synonymous to end. Shakspeare frequently uses the word in that sense. See vol. xii. (Reed's Shakspeare,) p. 202. n. 2; vol. xiii. p. 127. n. 4 ; and (Mr. Malone's Edit.) vol. x. p. 202. n. 8. "from and after the determination of such a term;" is the regular language of conveyancers. Humbly complaining to your Highness." Humbly complaining to your Lordship, your orator," &c. are the first words in every Bill in Chancery. "A kiss in fee-farm! In witness whereof these parties interchangeably have set their hands and seals." (Troilus and Cressida.) "Art thou a feodary for this act?" (Cymbeline.) "See the note on that passage, vol. xviii. pp. 507, 508. n. 3. Reed's Edit. "Are those precepts served ?" says Shallow to Davy, in K. Henry IV. Precept in this sense is a word only known in the office of a Justice of Peace. "Tell me what state, what dignity, what honour, Canst thou demise to any child of mine?" (K. Richard III.) hath demised, granted, and to farm let," is the constant language of leases. What poet but Shakspeare has used the word demised in this sense? 66 Perhaps it may be said," adds Malone," that our author in the same manner, may be proved to have been equally conversant with the terms of divinity or physic. Whenever as large a number of instances of his ecclesiastical or medicinal knowledge shall be produced, what has now been stated will certainly not be entitled to any weight." (Malone, Reed's Shakspeare, vol. ii. p. 276. n. 9.) SINGULAR ENTRIES. In the older Books of Entries we occasionally find some amusing precedents. The following form of a Declaration is from Rastal's Entries, 2 b. Action sur le case vers. Barber pur raser le barbe inartificialiter. "R. S. Nuper de N. Barber attachiatus fuit ad respondendum H. B. de placito, quod cum idem R. ad barbam ipsius H. bene et artificialiter cum novacula munda et salubri radere apud N. assumpsisset, predictus R. barbam ipsius H. cum quadam novacula immundi et insalubri tam negligenter et inartificialiter rasit, quod facies ipsius H. morbosa et scabiosa devenit, ad damnum ipsius H. 40s. ut dicitur. Et unde idem H., &c." But we find a still more singular entry in Brownlow Redivivus, (p. 505,) with the marginal abstract of which alone we shall treat the reader. "Count per la Coachmaker's Widow, vers. le Frenchhome. Eo quod defendens simul cum, &c. in querentem insultum fecit, et ipsam intoxicavit, et ad lectum ei ignotum adduxit, et illam super lectum istum deposuit, et in isto lecto cum querenti contra voluntatem suam impudenter recubuit, et se intrusit." A DIGNIFIED GRAND JURY. Sir John Dodderidge, one of the Justices of the King's Bench, in the reign of James I. having reproved the Sheriff of Huntingdon for impannelling men not qualified to sit on the Grand Jury, the Sheriff at the next assizes provided the following dignified list, containing the actual names of so many individuals in his county. "A true and remarkable List of the Jury im pannelled at Huntingdon Assizes, on the Nor 284 folk Circuit, before Judge Dodderidge, 1619; 17 Jac. I. Maximilian, KING of Fozland, Humphrey, CARDINAL of Kimbolton, John, ABBOT of Stukeley, Henry, MONK of Stukeley, Harlei. Miscel. iii. 476. (Fuller's Worthies.-Devonshire, 275.) A SPECIAL PLEADER. "The greatest and most laborious naturalists, |