citors; and if either party shall fail to appear at the time and place appointed, the master shall be at liberty to proceed ex parte, or in his discretion to adjourn the examination and proceedings to a future day, giving notice to the absent party or his solicitor of such adjournment; and it shall be the duty of the master to proceed with all reasonable diligence in every such reference, and with the least practicable delay; and either party shall be at liberty to apply to the court or a judge thereof, for an order to the master to speed the proceedings, and to make his report, and to certify to the court or judge the reasons for any delay.

LXXVI.

In the reports made by the master to the court, no part of any state of facts, charge, affidavit, deposition, examination, or answer, brought in or used before them, shall be stated or recited. But such state of facts, charge, affidavit, deposition, examination, or answer, shall be identified, specified, and referred to, so as to inform the court what state of facts, charge, affidavit, deposition, examination, or answer, were so brought in or used.

LXXVII.

The master shall regulate all the proceedings in every hearing before him, upon every such reference; and he shall have full authority to examine the parties in the cause upon oath, touching all matters contained in the reference; and also to require the production of all books, papers, writings, vouchers, and other documents applicable thereto; and also to examine on oath, vivâ voce, all witnesses produced by the parties before him, and to order the examination of other witnesses to be taken, under a commission to be issued upon his certificate from the clerk's office, or by deposition according to the acts of Congress, or otherwise as hereinafter provided; and also to direct the mode, in which the matters requiring evidence, shall be proved before him; and generally to do all other acts, and direct all other inquiries and proceedings in the matter before him, which he may deem necessary and proper to the justice and merits thereof, and the rights of the parties.

LXXVIII.

Witnesses, who live within the district, may, upon due notice to the opposite party, be summoned to appear before the commissioner appointed to take testimony, or before a master or examiner appointed in any cause, by subpoena in the usual form, which may be issued by the clerk in blank, and filled up by the party praying the same, or by the commissioner, master, or examiner, requiring the attendance of the witnesses at the time and place specified, who shall be allowed for attendance the same compensation as for attendance in court; and if any witness shall refuse to appear, or to give evidence, it shall be deemed a contempt of court, which being certified to the clerk's office by the commissioner, master, or examiner, an attachment may issue thereupon by order of the court or of any judge thereof, in the same manner as if the contempt were for not attending, or for refusing to give testimony in the court. But nothing herein contained shall prevent the examination of witnesses vivâ voce when produced in open court, if the court shall in its discretion deem it advisable.

LXXIX.

All parties accounting before a master shall bring in their respective accounts in the form of debtor and creditor; and any of the other parties, who shall not be satisfied with the accounts so brought in, shall be at liberty to examine the accounting party vivâ voce, or upon interrogatories in the master's office, or by deposition, as the master shall direct.

LXXX.

All affidavits, depositions and documents, which have been previously made, read, or used in the court, upon any proceeding in any cause or matter, may be used before the master.

LXXXI.

The master shall be at liberty to examine any creditor or other person coming in to claim before him, either upon written inter

rcgatories, or vivâ voce, or in both modes, as the nature of the case may appear to him to require. The evidence upon such examination shall be taken down by the master, or by some other person by his order and in his presence, if either party requires it, in order that the same may be used by the court, if necessary.

LXXXII.

The Circuit Courts may appoint standing masters in chancery in their respective districts, both the judges concurring in the appointment; and they may also appoint a master pro hac vice in any particular case. The compensation to be allowed to every master in chancery for his services in any particular case shall be fixed by the Circuit Court in its discretion, having regard to all the circumstances thereof; and the compensation shall be charged upon and borne by such of the parties in the cause as the court shall direct. The master shall not retain his report as security for his compensation; but when the compensation is allowed by the court, he shall be entitled to an attachment for the amount against the party, who is ordered to pay the same, if, upon notice thereof, he does not pay it within the time prescribed by the court.

EXCEPTIONS TO REPORT OF MASTER.

LXXXIII.

The master, as soon as his report is ready, shall return the same into the clerk's office, and the day of the return shall be entered by the clerk in the order book. The parties shall have one month from the time of filing the report, to file exceptions thereto; and if no exceptions are within that period filed by either party, the report shall stand confirmed on the next rule day after the month is expired. If exceptions are filed, they shall stand for hearing before the court, if the court is then in session, or if not, then at the next sitting of the court, which shall be held thereafter by adjournment or otherwise.

LXXXIV.

And in order to prevent exceptions to reports from being filed for frivolous causes, or for mere delay, the party, whose exceptions are overruled, shall, for every exception overruled, pay costs to the other party, and for every exception allowed, shall be entitled to costs-the costs to be fixed in each case by the court, by a standing rule of the Circuit Court.

DECREES.

LXXXV.

Clerical mistakes in decrees, or decretal orders, or errors arising from any accidental slip or omission, may, at any time before an actual enrolment thereof, be corrected by order of the court or a judge thereof, upon petition, without the form or expense of a rehearing.

LXXXVI.

In drawing up decrees and orders, neither the bill, nor answer, nor other pleadings, nor any part thereof, nor the report of any master, nor any other prior proceeding, shall be recited or stated in the decree or order; but the decree and order shall begin in substance as follows: "This cause came on to be heard (or to be further heard, as the case may be) at this term, and was argued by counsel; and thereupon, upon consideration thereof, it was ordered, adjudged and decreed as follows, viz: [Here insert the decree or order.]

GUARDIANS AND PROCHEIN AMIS.

LXXXVII.

Guardians ad litem to defend a suit may be appointed by the court, or by any judge thereof, for infants or other persons, who are under guardianship, or otherwise incapable to sue for themselves; all infants and other persons so incapable, may sue by their guardians, if any, or by their prochein ami, subject, however, to

such orders as the court may direct for the protection of infants and other persons.

LXXXVIII.

Every petition for a rehearing shall contain the special matter or cause, on which such rehearing is applied for, shall be signed by counsel, and the facts therein stated, if not apparent on the record, shall be verified by the oath of the party, or by some other person. No rehearing shall be granted after the term, at which the final decree of the court shall have been entered and recorded, if an appeal lies to the Supreme Court. But if no appeal lies, the petition may be admitted at any time before the end of the next term of the court, in the discretion of the court.

LXXXIX.

The Circuit Courts (both judges concurring therein) may make any other and further rules and regulations for the practice, proceedings and process, mesne and final, in their respective districts, not inconsistent with the rules hereby prescribed, in their discretion, and from time to time alter and amend the same.

XC.

In all cases, where the rules prescribed by this court, or by the Circuit Court, do not apply, the practice of the Circuit Court shall be regulated by the present practice of the High Court of Chancery in England, so far as the same may reasonably be applied consistently with the local cir umstances and local convenience of the district, where the court is held, not as positive rules, but as furnishing just analogies to regulate the practice.

XCI.

Whenever under these rules an oath is or may be required to be taken, the party may, if conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath, in lieu thereof, make solemn affirmation to the truth of the facts stated by him.