Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

CEPI

CENSUS

185

writ clerk's report, and enrollment offices of the chancery division, and a few others. The central office is divided into the follow ing departments, and the business and staff of the office are distributed accordingly: (1) Writ, appearance, and judgment; (2) sum mons and order, for the common-law divis ions only; (3) filing and record, including the old chancery report office; (4) taxing, for the common-law divisions only; (5) enroll ment ; (6) judgments, for the registry of j udg ments, executions, etc.; (7) bills of sale; (8) married women's acknowledgments; (9) queen's remembrancer; (10) crown office; and (11) associates. Sweet. CENTRALIZATION. This word is used to express the system of government prevailing in a country where the manage ment of local matters is in the hands of func tionaries appointed by the ministers of state, paid by the state, and in constant communi cation and under the constant control and in spiration of the ministers of state, and where the funds of the state are largely applied to local purposes. Wharton. CENTUMVIRI. In Roman law. The name of an important court consisting of a body of one hundred and five judges. It was made up by choosing three representatives from each of the thirty-five Roman tribes. The judges sat as one body for the trial of certain important or difficult questions, (called, "causes centumvirales,") but ordi narily they were separated into four distinct tribunals. CENTURY. One hundred. A body of one hundred men. The Romans were divided into centuries, as the English were divided into hundreds. Also a cycle of one hundred years. CEORL. In Anglo Saxon law. The free men were divided into two classes,—thanes and ceorls. The thanes were the proprietors of the soil, which was entirely at their dis posal. The ceorls were men personally free, but possessing no landed property. Guizot, Rep. Govt. A tenant at will of free condition, who held land of the thane on condition of paying rent or services. Cowell. A freeman of inferior rank occupied in husbandry. Spelman. CEPI. Lat. I have taken. This word was of frequent use in the returns of sheriffs when they were made in Latin.

In old European law. A tax, or tribute; a toll. Montesq. Esprit des Lois, liv. 30, c. 14. CENSUS EEGALIS. In English law. The annual revenue or income of the crown. CENT. A coin of the United States, the least in value of those now minted. It is the one-hundredth part of a dollar. Its weight is 72 gr., and it is composed of copper and nickel in the ratio of 88 to 12. CENTENA. A hundred. A district or division containing originally a hundred free men, established among the Goths, Germans, Franks, and Lombards, for military and civil purposes, and answering to the Saxon "hun dred." Spelman; 1 Bl. Comm. 115. Also, in old records and pleadings, a hun dred weight. CENTENARII. Petty judges, under sheriffs of counties, that had rule of a hun dred, (centena,) and judged smaller matters among them. 1 Vent. 211. CENTENI. The principal inhabitants of » centena, or district composed of different villages, originally in number a hundred, but afterwards only called by that name. CENTESIMA. In Roman law. The hundredth part. Usuries centesimal. Twelve per cent, per fcnnum; that is, a hundredth part of the prin cipal was due each month,—the month being the unit of time from which the Romans reckoned interest. 2 Bl. Comm. 462, note. CENTIME. The name of a denomination »f French money, being the one-hundredth part of a franc. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. An English court, having jurisdiction for the trial of crimes and misdemeanors committed in London and certain adjoining parts of Kent, Essex, and Sussex, and of such other sritninal cases as may be sent to it out of the jueen's bench, though arising beyond its proper jurisdiction. It was constituted by the acts 4 & 5 Wm. IV. c. 36,and 19 & 20 Viet. c. 16, and superseded the "Old Bailey." CENTRAL OFFICE. The central of fice of the supreme court of judicature in England is the office established in pursuance of the recommendation of the legal depart ments commission in order to consolidate the offices of the masters and associates of the common-law divisions, the crown office of the queen's bench division, the record and

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