Mayor of Aberystwyth to proceed to an election of a member for the burgesses. During the Election the officials of Cardigan became aware of the writ, and a number of the Cardigan burgesses appeared in Aberystwyth for the purpose of supporting their candidate. Having failed in their object, they returned home and without any communication from the Sheriff proceeded to return their choice, Mr. William Delebar. The decision of the Committee which con- ducted the inquiry is not recorded. In the next election, which occurred in 1603, a similar result occurred. Aberystwyth returned one member and Cardigan another. A Committee was again appointed by the House of Commons, who held an inquiry and decided in favour of the Cardigan result. The influence of Aber- ystwyth always predominated in the elections for the Boroughs. In 1640 a member from this neighbourhood was for the first time elected, viz., John Vaughan, of Trawscoed, afterwards Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, an eminent lawyer and an eloquent advocate. He also took a prominent part with the Parliament forces in taking Aberystwyth Castle in 1647. In the year 1741, a member of the Pryse family was elected, and a member or a friend of that family continued until 1868 to represent the Cardigan Boroughs in Parliament, owing to the influence possessed by the Aberystwyth burgesses in the elections. From the date of the Charters down to the year 1834 the affairs of the town were governed by the Court Leet, which is an ancient court of record, held within a particular district or manor before the steward of the Leet. Court Leets are still held in many parts of the country. Their original intent was to view the frank pledges of the freemen within the liberty who had given mutual pledges for the good behaviour of each other. Besides this, they possessed jurisdiction for the preservation of the peace, and the chastisement of minute offences against the public good. In corporations the mayors acted as stewards of the Leet, or presiding judges. There are many peculiar customs connected with the holding of these Courts. In a corporation not far from Aberystwyth, an old custom existed from time immemorial for every newly admitted burgess to quaff at one draught a hornful of ale, as a token that he is admitted into their society, and an old ox horn was carefully preserved for that purpose. Latterly, the custom was modified by allowing them to drink, instead of ale, the same quantity of water. That practice did not prevail in the gatherings of the Aberystwyth Leet, although there were attached to them usages which the present generation would regard as un- necessary. The Court was held twice a year, in May and October. The practice of holding the court appears to have been as follows The Mayor issued his writ to the bailiffs, requiring them to summon a number of qualified jurors, usually twenty-four, to meet at the Town Hall on the day appointed for holding the court, and also to proclaim the court throughout the town. The jurors, on the assemb- ling of the court, were sworn to inquire honestly into all matters