17th February 1774

London The General and Quarter Session of the Peace for the County
are held at Hicks Hall in the said County Hicks Hall having been
constituted the Session House for the County by Letters Patent of King
James the first The Great Jury for the County sit at Hicks Hall
before the Bills of Indictment for Offences committed in the County
are preferred as well those triable at the General or Quarter Session
as those under the Commission of General Goal Delivery The General
and Quarter Sessions of the Peace are held at Hicks Hall at the same
time with the Session of General Goal Delivery at the Old Bailey The
Grand Jury however never go down to the Old Bailey nor do the Justices
of the Peace for the County ever sit there in a Judicial Capacity the County
the county Prisoners in the Goal of Newgate being tried and the Goal
itself deliver'd by some of the Persons named in the Commission under
which the Session of General Goal Delivery is there held. The Justices of the Peace
for the County try the Prisoners of their own Goals (vizt) New Prison and
Clerkenwell Bridewell under the Commission of the Peace and a
Commission of Oyer and Terminer which are the only Commissions
under which they sit. The Commission of Goal delivery for the County
being executed at the Old Bailey .

Your opinion is therefore desired upon the following Queries
(vizt)

Whether the Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex
at their General or Quarter Session of the Peace, upon presentment of the
Grand Jury of the ill State and Condition of Hicks Hall have a power
under this Act of Parliament to order and direct the same to be repaired
and to Assess and Rate the County for the sums of Money expended in
the said Repair! And at what place such presentment ought to be made
whether at the Old Bailey or at Hicks Hall?

And the subsequent addition being made to the Query (vizt)