Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/594

* COXJBTNEY. 510 COURT OP SESSION. of political economy at University College, Lon- don. He was several times elected to Parliament and became Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department in 1880. and for the Colonies in 1881; Governor of Madras in 1882: and Privy Councilor in 188!). He served on the Labor Com- mission in 1893-94, and became known as a strong advocate of proportional representation. COXTRTNET, ^YILLI.^.M Leonabd (1850 — ). An Knglish author. He was born at Poona, India, January 5, 1850; was educated at University College, Oxford; elected fellow of Alerton College (1S72), and of New College (187G) ; afterwards headmaster of Somersetshire College, Bath (1873), and has been editor of the Fortnightly Review since 1894. Among his sehol- arh' works are: The Metaphysics of John Stuart Mill (1879); l^tudics on Philosophy (1882); Constructive Ethics (1886): Studies Xeiv and Old (1888) ; Life of John Stuart Mill (1889) ; The Idea of Tmrjedy (1900). COURT OE CHIVALRY. See Chivalry, CorRT OF. COURT OF CLAIMS. See Clauts, Court OF. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. See CoM- 5I0X Pleas, Court of. COURT OP INQUIRY. See Courts, Mili- tary. COURT OP LIONS. The most famous court of the Alhambra, taking its name from twelve ■white marble lions from whose mouths streams of water flowed into a central alabaster basin. The tiled court is surrounded by 124 columns delicately ornamented in filigree and colors, sup- porting a low gallery. For illustration, see Alhaiibea. COURT OF LOVE (Fr. Cohj- d'Amour). The name applied in the later iliddle Ages to groups of noble ladies who, often, while as- sembled to listen to the declamations of the troubadours, took occasion to decide upon ques- tions of courtesy and etiquette, particularly in afl'airs of love. According to some authorities these courts formed regular institutions during the twelfth century, the custom flourishing espe- cially in Provence. There was a code (still preserved) of thirty-one articles called De Arte Amatoria et Reprohatione Antoris. by Andre, a royal chaplain. Avho lived in the middle of the twelfth century. Decisions are said to have been based upon this code. A typical example of the questions submitted to such tribunals is the fol- lowing: If a lady listened to one admirer, pressed the hand of another, and touched with her toe the foot of a third, which of these three was the favored suitor? Among the eminent ladies who presided over these 'courts' were Queen Eleanor of Guienne and her daughter Marie de France, Countess of Champagne. Een# of Anjou. in the fifteenth century, made an ineffectual effort to resuscitate these 'courts.' Consult: ileray. La ■vie an temps des cours d'amour (Paris. 1876), and Reynouard. Choix- de poesies originales des troubadovrs. vol. ii. (Paris, 1817). COURT OF LOVE, The. A poem assigned to Chaucer, but possibly of later origin. It ap- pears in the edition of 1561. COURT OP REQUESTS. An inferior court of equity jurisdiction, instituted in the reign of Henry VIII. for the purpose of affording relief to the Lord Chancellor. Its authority was limited to cases coming within the jurisdiction ol the High Court of Chancer}', but deemed of too small importance to engage the attention of tliat august tribunal. It was presided over by the Lord Piivy Seal, assisted by judges known as ilastei's of Requests. It never attained to great importance, .and was abolished by act of Parliament in 1041 (Stat. 16 and 17 Car. I., c^ 10). The courts of conscience were also kno^-n as courts of requests. See CoxsciENCE, Court of. COURT OP SESSION. The highest civil tribunal in Scotland, instituted in the reign of King James V., by statute dating May 17, 1532. The object of its institution was to discharge the judicial functions which originally belonged to the King and his council, and which, since 1425, had in a great measure devolved on a committee of Parliament, as the great council of the nation. The Court of Session consisted at first of fourteen ordinary judges and a president. One-half of these judges and the president were Churchmen, and the practice of appointing ecclesiastics to the bench did not cease for some time even after the Reformation. The King had the privilege of ap- pointing, in addition to the ordinary judges, three or four peers or members of his great coun- cil, to sit and vote with the lords of session. The Lord Clianeellor was president of the ses- sion. His office was abolished at the union, and the habit of appointing peers gradually fell into disuse. From its foundation, till 1808, the court of session consisted of one court; in that year it Aas divided into what are known as the first and second divisions, two separate courts pos- sessing coordinate jurisdiction. The lord presi- dent is still president of the whole court when called together for consultation, and enjoys other privileges in that capacity; but on ordinary occa- sions he officiates simply as president of the first division. In 1830 the number of judges in the Court of Session was reduced to thirteen ; and that is still the full number, though since 1877 there have actually been but twelve judges. Of the five lords ordinary, only four sit daily. The judgments of the outer house, with a few statu- tory exceptions, are appealable to the inner house. The youngest judge, or junior lord ordinary, officiates in a separate department of the outer house, called the bill chamber, where summary petitions and other branches of busi- ness peculiarly requiring dispatch are disposed of. This department alone is open during the vacations of the court, the judges, with the ex- ception of the lord president and lord justice- clerk, officiating in it in rotation. Either divi- sion of the Court of Session may call in the aid of three judges of the other, when equally di- vided in opinion. In cases of still greater diffi- culty, the lords ordinary are 'also called in, and a hearing before the whole court, or in presence, as it is called, takes place. Since the 31st and the 32d Vict., cap. 100, no hearings before the whole court have taken place : the cases being decided on written arguments submitted to the judges. The judges of the Court of Session are appointed by the Crown, and hold their offices for life. No one is eligible to the office unless he has served as an advocate or principal clerk of session for five years or as a writer to the signet for ten years. See ConBT.