THE LAW

Temple

OF

MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS;

TOGETHER WITH A BRIEF

SKETCH OF THEIR HISTORY,

AND A TREATISE ON

MANDAMUS AND QUO WARRANTO.

By J. W. WILLCOCK, Esq.

OF THE INNER TEMPLE, BARRISTER AT LAW.

"The institution of cities into communities, corporations, or bodies politic, and
granting them the privilege of municipal jurisdiction, contributed more, perhaps, than
any other cause, to introduce regular government, police, and arts, and to diffuse
them over Europe."
ROBERTSON'S CHARLES V.

LONDON:

WILLIAM BENNING, LAW BOOKSELLER, 52, FLEET STREET.

LONDON:

Printed by Littlewood and Green,

15, Old Bailey.

PREFACE.

A COLLECTION of the Cases relative to the Law of Corporations has been long wanted: upwards of thirty years have elapsed since the appearance of the last work which professed to treat generally on the subject. Under the genius of Lord Mansfield it began to assume the regularity of system; but had not attained its perfection when Mr. Kyd's work came before the public. I at one time entertained thoughts of republishing it, introducing the modern decisions in the form of notes: but an uniform and original work appeared to present so many advantages over a text loaded with annotations, that I abandoned the intention. This Treatise is more limited than that of Mr. Kyd, being confined to Municipal Corporations; whilst his professed to embrace the consideration of all Corporate Bodies. I have also refrained from entering upon the law relative to the property of Corporations. This I have done to avoid the prolixity and confusion from which the former work is by no means free; and it is my intention, should this

volume be favorably received, to supply both these deficiencies, together with the law relating to inferior Courts. My only claims on the Profession are founded on a laborious investigation of cases from the most remote period of legal authority, and an endeavor to render the work useful by arranging it in an analytical form. To effect this a degree of repetition was necessary, which might have been avoided by offering a mere abridgment of cases. That there are not many errors in the work I am not vain enough to suppose; but if in the main the Profession shall esteem it useful, I shall not consider the labor I have devoted to be without its reward.

7, King's Bench Walk, Temple,

June, 1827.