Reeve

The name of an ancient English officer of justice, inferior in rank to an alderman.

He was a ministerial officer, appointed to execute process, keep the king's peace, and put the laws in execution. He witnessed all contracts and bargains; brought offenders to justice, and delivered them to punishment; took bail for such as were to appear at the county court, and presided at the court or folcmote. He was also called gerefa.

There were several kinds of reeves as the shire-gerefa, shire-reeve or sheriff; the heh-gerefa, or high-sheriff, tithing-reeve, burgh or borough-reeve.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.