Extracts from court books and rolls: the jury

The Jury of Millom Court Baron, 22 October 1740

Source: Cumbria Record Office, Carlisle, D/Lons/W8/12/25,
with the kind permission of the Trustees of the Lowther Estate

Commentary:

After the preamble come the names of the jury.  In this instance thirteen jurymen are sworn in, the foreman, Thomas Danson being sworn separately, the remaining twelve being sworn in groups of four.  'Swⁿ' beside their names is the abbreviation for 'sworn'; the Latin juratus (often abbreviated to jur') was used in court records from before 1733.

After their names comes the formula introducing the business of the court: 'Which s[ai]d Jury being Sworn & having rec[eiv]ed their Charge do say & present upon their Oaths as follows (vizt.) ....'  The jury charge was a list of subjects into which they were to enquire.

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