Principality of Wales and Earldom of Chester had formerly been granted to the Princes of Wales.
A.D. 1716.—An Act (3 George 1, c. 15) was passed in this year for the better regulating of the office of sheriffs. By section 20, sheriffs in Wales were directed to take the old form of oath on their accession to office, and not to adopt the new form of oath provided for sheriffs in English counties, and by section 22 they were directed to submit their accounts to the Auditor of Wales. These sections were repealed by the Sheriffs' Act of 1887. After the passing of 1 Williamand Mary, c. 22 (1688), which took away the Court of the President and Council of the Marches of Wales, sheriffs were nominated yearly by the Justices of the Great Sessions of Wales in their respective circuits. After 1845, by the operation of 8 and 9 Victoria, c. 11, the Welsh sheriffs were nominated and appointed at the same time and place as the sheriffs for the English shires, and by the Sheriffs Act of 1887 (50-51 Victoria, c. 55, s. 31) the counties of Wales were placed on the same footing as the English counties in respect of the law relating to sheriffs and under-sheriffs.
A.D. 1721.—By 8 George 1, c. 25, s. 6, Judges and officers of the Courts of Great Sessions in Wales were required to enter their judgments in the Court records, stating the time when so entered.
A.D. 1730.—Owing to the evil practices and abuses which had arisen before 1730, in the summoning of jurors, an Act (3 George 2, c. 25) was passed for the better regulation of juries. Section 9 thereof regulated the practice of summoning jurors in Wales.
A.D. 1732-3.—It was directed by section 3 of 6 George 2, c. 14, that the proceedings in the Courts of Great Sessions were to be in the English language. This followed an Act (4 George 2, c. 26, 1730-1) establishing the use of the English language in courts of justice within England and Scotland, and remedying the mischiefs arising from the proceedings in those courts being carried on in an unknown language.
