BAILIFF in English, BAILIE in Scotch, BAMLI in French, and BALIO in Italian, are terms having a common origin—namely, the middle Latin ballivus, which is again con nected with the older form, bagalus, or bajulua. Through all the changes of application they have undergone in the course of history, they have continued to agree in denoting an overseer of some kind—an officer exercising superintendence on behalf of some,supe rior authority. At the Greek imperial court in Constantinople, the chief tutor of the imperial children was called bajulos. The same title seems also to have been given in Constantinople to the superintendent of the foreign merchants, who was appointed by the Venetians, and it may possibly be for this reason that the title balio came at length to be applied also to the Venetian ambassadors themselves. The title ballivus was intro duced by the knights of St. John into the s. and w. of Europe, as the eight members of their chapter were called ballivi conventuales, whence also the name ballei, given to the circles into which the possessions of the order were divided. In France, the royal
baillis were at one time commanders of the troops, administrators of the royal domains, and judges each in his district. In later times, the royal baillis were deprived of the two latter offices, and were consequently then called baillis d'e0e only. Proprietors of estates, also, possessing supreme jurisdiction, appointed baillis to superintend these courts of justice. As very little knowledge was required for these situations, and as they might be purchased, they were held in little estimation; and in later times, the baillis became standing characters on the stage, held up to ridicule on account of their ignorance and their absurd pretensions, as well as for cheating and injustice. In Eng land, the name B. was introduced in the reign of William I., to designate the superin tendents of counties, which were called ballivw.