The president' or chief judicial officer in Guernsey is still styled bailiff, the name by which he is designated in the ancient Coutamier de Normandie. In Jersey he is styled bailly, by which name he is designated in the modern customary of the same island. In Alderney this officer is styled juge. In each island he is appointed by the crown ; and his authority continues much the same as laid down in the ancient C.utunticr. It is his duty to maintain order, to decide according to law and usage all disputes arising between parties residing within his jurisdiction ; and to put down all thieves, incendiaries, and other malefactors.
The first commentary on the Grand Coutumier of Normandy was written by Roui116, a jurist of Aleneon (Guillaume de Rouillii, Corn mentaire Bur la Coutume de Normandie,' foL, 1534, reprinted in 1539). It was followed by that of Terrien of Dieppe, which was published in 1574. after his death (G me Terrien,' Commen take mar Ice Coutumea anciennsa de Normandie,' (01). After the revision of the customary in 1585, several modern commentaries appeared. The best editions are Dtfeis.ions stir cheque article de la Coutume de Normandie,' fie , par Pierre de Merville, Paris, 1731, foL ; 1.16midt, Josias, born 1563, died 1640, Commentaire our la Coutume de Normandie; Rouen, 1684, in fol.; Baanage, Henri, born 1615, died 1695, Commentaire sur'la Coutume de Normandie,' Rouen, 1678-1681 ; Godefroy, Jacques, Coutume du Pays et Duch6 de Normandie avec les Commentaires de B6rault, Godefroy et d'Aviron,' Rouen, 1684, 2 vole. fol. ; Fkiiist, Jean
Baptiste, born 1711, died 1783, Explication de la Jurisprudence et de Is Coutume de Normandie,' 2 vols. foL ; Pesnelle,'Coutume de Nor mandie avec la observations de Roupnel,' Rouen, 1759, in 4to; Houma', David, born 1725, died 1803, Trait6 stir lee Coutumes Anglo-Nor mantles,' Rouen, 1776, 4 vols. 9to.
Hale, in his History of the Common Law of England' (chap. vi.), maintains that the Coutumier of Normandy' was written long after Glanyille's tract, which was written in Henry the Second's time ; and that the Norman collection was made after the time of Henry II. appears from its mentioning his coronation, and appointing it for the limitation of actions ancestral, which must at least have been thirty years after. "Nay, the Coutumier' appears to have been made after the act of settlement of Normandy in the crown of France, for therein is specified the institution of Philip, king of France, for appointing the coronation of king Richard I. for the limitation of actions, which was after the said Philip's full possession of Normandy." Hale's opinion is, that "this similitude of the laws of England and Normandy was not by confor mation of the Laws of England to those of Normandy, but by con formation of the laws of Normandy to England."