Legal Definitions - glove silver

Glove silver refers to a historical practice where money was given as a gratuity, incentive, or reward to a court official. This payment was often made in recognition of their service, or sometimes specifically when a particular outcome, such as the absence of prisoners for execution at an assize, meant less work or a positive result. The term originates from the custom of providing servants with money, ostensibly for the purchase of gloves, as a form of payment or bonus.

• Imagine a scenario in 17th-century England where a sheriff has overseen a session of the assize court. Due to a period of relative peace and low crime, there were no capital cases requiring execution. As a gesture of appreciation for the smooth, uneventful proceedings and the lack of difficult duties, the sheriff might present a sum of glove silver to the clerk of the assize.

  This illustrates glove silver as a reward given to a court official (the clerk) for a specific positive outcome (no executions) and efficient, quiet court proceedings, aligning with the historical context of the term.

• Consider a local magistrate in a medieval town whose court administrator has diligently managed all the court's records, ensuring every document is perfectly organized and accessible, which significantly speeds up the resolution of cases. The magistrate, recognizing this exceptional organizational skill and its benefit to the court's efficiency, might offer the administrator a small amount of glove silver as a bonus for their outstanding performance.

  Here, glove silver functions as an incentive or reward for a court officer (the administrator) who performed their duties exceptionally well, resulting in a favorable outcome for the court's operation.

• Picture a royal commissioner inspecting various regional courts to assess their effectiveness. If a particular court has consistently maintained a clear docket, resolving all cases promptly and avoiding any backlogs or appeals, the commissioner might authorize a payment of glove silver to the chief court officer. This payment would acknowledge the court's exemplary management and the absence of any problematic issues, signifying a job well done without complications.

  This example demonstrates glove silver being given as a reward for the efficient and problem-free operation of a court, implying a lack of issues or extra burdens, which aligns with the historical idea of a payment for a "quiet" session or lack of difficult cases.