SEARCHER, Eng. law. An officer of the customs, whose duty it is to examine and search all ships outward bound, to ascertain¹ whether they have any prohibited or uncustomed goods on board.

SECK. This word has two significations. 1. It means a warrant of remedy by distress². Litt. s. 218; and vide Rent. 2. It imports want of present fruit or profit, as in the case of the reversion without rent or other service, except fealty³. Co. Litt. 151 b, note 5.

SECOND. A measure equal to one sixtieth part of a minute. Vide Measure.

SECOND DELIVERANCE, practice. The name of a writ⁴ given by statute⁵ of Westminster the second, 13 Edw. 1. c. 2, founded on the record of a former action of replevin. 2 Inst. 341. It commands the sheriff, if the plaintiff make him secure of prosecuting⁶ his claim, and returning the chattels⁷ which were adjudged to the defendant⁸ by reason of the plaintiff's default, to make deliver-ance. On being nonsuited, the plaintiff in replevin might, at common law, have brought another replevin, and so in infinitum, to the intolerable vexation of the defendant. The statute of Westminster restrains the plaintiff When nonsuited from so doing, but allows him this writ, issuing out of the original record, in order to have the same distress delivered again to him, on his giving the like security as before. 3 Bl. Com. 150,; Hamm. N. P. 495; F. N. B. 68; 19 Vin. Ab. 1.

SECOND SURCHARGE, WRIT OF. The name of a writ issued in England against a commoner who has a second time surcharged the common. 3 Bl. Com. 239.

SECONDARY, construction. That which comes after the first, which is primary: as, the primary law of, nations the secondary law of nations.

SECONDARY, English law. An officer who is second or next to the chief officer; as secondaries to the prothonotaries of the courts of king's bench, or common pleas; secondary of the remembrancer in the exchequer⁹, &c. Jacob, L. D. h. t.

SECONDARY EVIDENCE. That species of proof which is admissible on the loss of primary evidence, and which becomes, by that event, the best evidence. 3 Bouv. Inst. n. 3055.

SECONDS, crim. law. Those persons who assist, direct and support others engaged in fighting a duel¹⁰.

2. As they are often much to blame in inciting¹¹ the duellists to their rash act, and as they are always assisting in the commission of the crime, the laws generally punish them with severity but, in consequence of the false ideas too generally entertained on the subject of honor, the are too seldom enforced.