) An alderman; a magistrate who is second in
rank in a royal burgh." Worcester.
"Baili, or Bailiff. (Sorte d'officier de justice.) A bailiff; a
sort of magistrate." Boyer's French Dict.
"By some opinions, a bailiff, in Magna Carta, ch. 28, signifies
any judge." Cunningham's Law Dict.
"BAILIFF. In the court of the Greek emperors there was a grand
bajulos, first tutor of the emperor's children. The
superintendent of foreign merchants seems also to have been
called bajulos; and, as he was appointed by the Venetians, this
title (balio) was transferred to the Venetian ambassador. From
Greece, the official bajulos (ballivus, bailli, in France;
bailiff, in England,) was introduced into the south of Europe,
and denoted a superintendent; hence the eight ballivi of the
knights of St. John, which constitute its supreme council. In
France, the royal bailiffs were commanders of the militia,
administrators or stewards of the domains, and judges of their
districts. In the course of time, only the first duty remained to
the bailiff; hence he was bailli d'epee, and laws were
administered in his name by a lawyer, as his deputy, lieutenant
de robe.
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