among the Anglo-Saxons, one of the lowest magistrates, whose authority extended only over one free burgh, tithing, or decenary, consisting of ten families. Every freeman who wished to enjoy the protection of the laws, and not to be treated as a vagabond, was under the necessity of being admitted a member of the tithing where he and his family resided; and in order to obtain this admission, it was necessary for him to maintain a good reputation, because all the members of each tithing being pledges and securities for one another, and the whole tithing sureties to the king for the good behaviour of all its members, they were very cautious in admitting any into their society who were of bad or doubtful characters. Each tithing formed a little state or commonwealth within itself, and chose one of its most respectable members for its head, who was sometimes called the alderman of such tithing or free burgh, on account of his age and experience, but most commonly borscholder, from the Saxon words bor', a security, and alder, a head or chief. This magistrate had authority to call together the members of his tithing, to preside in their meetings, and to put their sentences in execution. The members of each tithing, with their tithing-man or borscholder at their head, constituted a court of justice, in which all the little controversies arising within the tithing were determined. If any dispute of great difficulty or importance happened, or if either of the parties was not willing to submit to a sentence given in the tithing-court, the cause was referred or appealed to the next superior court, which was that of the hundred.