BERWICK, (Encycl.) The town of Berwick upon Tweed was originally part of the kingdom of Scotland; and, as such, was for a time reduced by king Edward I. into the possession of the crown of England; and, during such its subjection, it received from that prince a charter, which (after its subsequent cession by Edward Baliol, to be for ever united to the crown and realm of England) was confirmed by king Edward III. with some additions; particularly, that it should be governed by the laws and usages which it enjoyed during the time of king Alexander, that is, before its reduction by Edward I. Its constitution was new-modelled, and put upon an English footing by a charter of king James I. and all its liberties, franchises, and customs, were confirmed in parliament by the statutes 22 Edw. IV. c. 8. and 2 Jac. I. c. 28. Though, therefore, it hath some local peculiarities, derived from the ancient laws of Scotland; yet it is clearly part of the realm of England, being represented by burghesses in the house of commons, and bound by all acts of the British parliament, whether specially named or otherwise. And therefore it was (perhaps superfluously) declared by stat. 20 Geo. II. c. 42. that where England only is mentioned in any act of parliament, the same notwithstanding hath and shall be deemed to comprehend the dominion of Wales and town of Berwick upon Tweed. And though certain of the king's writs or processses of the courts of Westminster do not usually run into Berwick, any more than the principality of Wales; yet it hath been solemnly adjudged, that all prerogative writs (as those of mandamus, prohibition, habeas corpus, certiorari, &c.) may issue to Berwick as well as to every other of the dominions of the crown of England, and that indictments and other local matters arising in the town of Berwick may be tried by a jury of the county of Northumberland.