Doctor Frier’s alley, Little Britain.†
Doctors Commons, a college for the study and practice of the civil law, where courts are kept for the trial of civil and ecclesiastical causes under the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London; as in the court of Arches, and the Prerogative court. There are also offices in which wills are deposited and searched, and a court of faculties and dispensations. Causes are likewise tried here by the court of Admiralty, and by that of Delegates. The epithet of Commons is given to this place, from the Civilians commoning together as in other colleges.
This edifice is situated in Great Knight Rider street, near the College of Arms, on the south side of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The old building which stood in this place was purchased for the residence of the Civilians and Canonists, by Henry Harvey, Doctor of the civil and canon law, and Dean of the Arches; but this edifice being destroyed by the general devastation in 1666, they removed to Exeter House in the Strand, where the Civilians had their chambers and offices; and the courts were kept in the hall; but some years after the Commons being rebuilt in a far more convenient and sumptuous manner than before, the Civilians returned thither.
The causes of which the civil and ecclesiastical law do, or may take cognizance, are blasphemy, apostasy from Christianity, heresy, ordinations, institutions of clerks to benefices, celebration of divine service, matrimony, divorces, bastardy, tithes, oblations, obventions, mortuaries, dilapidations, reparation of churches, probate of wills, administrations, simony, incest, fornication, adultery, solicitation of chastity, pensions, procurations, commutation of penance, right of pews, and others of the like kind.
The practisers in these courts, are of two sorts, Advocates and Proctors. The Advocates are such as have taken the degree of Doctor of the civil law, and are retained as counsellors or pleaders. These must first upon their petition to the Archbishop, obtain his fiat; and then they are admitted by the Judge to practise. The manner of their admission is solemn. Two senior Advocates in their scarlet robes, with the mace carried before them, conduct the Doctor up the court with three reverences, and present him with a short Latin speech, together with the Archbishop’s rescript; and then having taken the oaths, the Judge admits him, and assigns him a place or seat in the court, which he is always to keep when he pleads. Both the Judge and Advocates, if of Oxford, wear in court scarlet robes, and hoods lined with taffata; but if of Cambridge, white minever, and round black velvet caps.
The Proctors, or Procurators, exhibit their proxies for their clients; and make themselves parties for them, and draw and give pleas, or libels and allegations, in their behalf; produce witnesses, prepare causes for sentence, and attend the Advocates with the proceedings. These are also admitted by the Archbishop’s fiat, and introduced by two senior Proctors. They wear black robes and hoods lined with fur.
The terms for the pleading and ending of causes in the civil courts, are but little different from the term times of the common law. The order as to the time of the sitting of the several courts, is as follows. The court of Arches having the pre-eminence, sits first in the morning. The court of Admiralty sits in the afternoon on the same day; and the Prerogative court also sits in the afternoon. See Arches, Prerogative court, &c.
Doctors Commons Library. This is a spacious room, containing a great number of books of all sorts, more particularly on civil law and history. It was greatly increased by the addition of the whole library of Sir John Gibson, Judge of the Prerogative Office, given by James Gibson, Esq; one of his descendants; and it must be continually improving, as every Bishop, at his consecration, gives at least 20l. and some 50, towards purchasing books for it. Maitland.
Doddington street, Leather lane, Holborn.†
Dodd’s alley, Nightingale lane, East Smithfield.†