het ontslag van arme gevangenen te bevorderen op kosten van
liefdadigheids fondsen van de gevangenis, welke ongeveer £500 per jaar
bedroegen.
De beschrijving van deze attornies in The Pickwick Pepers lijkt correct:
But the attorneys, who sit at a large bare table below the Commissioners,
are, after all, the greatest curiosities. The professional establishment of the
more opulent of these gentlemen, consissts of a blue bag and a boy;
generally a youth of the Jewish persuasion. They have no fixed offices, their
legal business being transacted in the parlours of public-houses, or the yards
of prisons; whither they repair in crowds. They are of a greasy and mildewed
appearance; and if they can be said to have any vkces at all, perhaps
drinking and cheating are the most conspicuous among them. Their
residences are usually on the outskirts of "the Rules," chiefly lying within a
circles of one mile from the obelisk in St. George's Fields. Their looks are not
prepossessing, and their manners are peculiar, (ch.43)
Soortgelijke lieden als de attornies en agents t.a.v. de rechtbanken
functioneerden ook bij Doctors' Commons waar klerikale rechtbanken huisden:
de proctors. Men moest zich tot deze rechtbanken wenden voor aangelegen
heden van huwel ijks- en erfrecht. Dickens beschreef hen in The Pickwick
Papers als mr.Pickwick Rachel moet behoeden voor een huwelijk met Jingle:
"Sir,", said Sam, closingthe door, and keeping his hand on the knob of the
lock.
"Do you know what's-'name Doctors' Commons?"
"Yes, sir."
"Where is it?"
"Paul's Church-yard, sir; low archway on the carriage-side, bookseller's at
one corner, hot-el on the other, and two porters in the middle as touts for
licences."
Illustratie;
Doctors' Commons
Paul's Churchyard, sir low archway on the carriage side, booksellers at one corner,
hot-el on the other, and two porters in the middle as touts for Licences."
