Centenarius

Lat. [Fr. centenier, from eentena, q. v.] In old European law. One of a eentena, or hundred; the head or chief of a eentena, (prcefectus centencB,) among the Goths, Germans, Franks and Lombards; an inferior judge. See infra. According to Spelman, this term was originally used to denote any member of a eentena, but was finally restricted to the head or chief; {centenarius prima dictus est unusquisque ex eadem eentena, demum praefectus tantum,) who, in addition to his military rank as leader of the freemen of the eentena, under the comes, or count, had also judicial powers, and held courts answering to the hundred courts among the Saxons. Spelman, voc. Centena, Esprit des Lois^ liv. 28, c. 28, liv. 30, c. 17, 18, 22. See Centenarii, In the laws of the Anglo- Saxons, the term centenarius was applied to that judicial magistrate (otherwise called centurio,) who had jurisdiction over a hundred friborgs, or ten tithings; afterwards called bailiff or constable of the hundred, {dominus hundredi.) LL, Edw, Confess, c. 32, apud Spelman, 1 Bl, Com, 115.