Of the sherife of the shire, and of the court of exchequer. CHAP. 14.
THe Romans had to execute the commaundementes of the magistrates Lictores, viatores, accensos. The ci∣uill lawe sith that time hath other names, termes, and officers. The execution of the commaundementes of the magistrates in England is ordinarily doone by the sherifes. The sherife (which is as much to say as the Réeue or Bayly of the shire) is properly word for word Questor prouinciae: it is he which gathereth vppe and ac∣compteth for the profittes of the shire, that come to the exchequer. The exchequer (which is fiscus principis, or aerarium publicum, and I cannot tell in what language it is called Scaccarium, some thinks that it was first cal∣led statarium, because that there was the stable place to account for the reuenues of the crowne, aswell that which came of the patrimony which we cal the demeas∣nes: as that which commeth of other incident acquisi∣tions be they rentes, customes, tenthes, quinziesmes, taxes, subsidies, wheresoeuer the Prince or his court be according to the time and occasion) was a place sta∣ble, continual and appointed for to recken and account. The hearers of the account (who in latin may be called tribuni aerarij) haue auditors vnder them which the La∣tines doe call Rationales: but they are the chiefe for the accounts of the Prince, and may be called Iuridiciratio∣nales, in English we cal them Barons of the exchequer,