The office of coroner
AT the time the Earls gave up the wardenships
of their respective counties, and the office of sheriff
was constituted, there were other officers likewise
constituted, who were ordained together with him to
keep the peace of each county; these were called Coroners, Coronatores, because they had principally to do
with the pleas of the crown, or such wherein the king
was more immediately concerned; and in this light,
the lord chief justice of the King's bench is the principal
coroner of the kingdom, and may, if he pleases, exercise this office in any part of the realm.
There are particular coroners for every county in
England, usually four, sometimes six, and sometimes
fewer, and they are still chosen by all the freeholders
in the county court, as, by the policy of our antient
laws, all other officers were, who had concern in
matters that affected the liberty of the people. Of
antient time this office was of great estimation; for
none could be elected to it under the degree of a
knight; and there was an instance in the 5th of king
Edward III. of a man's being removed from it, because he was only a merchant. Now, indeed, through
the neglect of gentlemen of property, this office has
been suffered to fall into the hands of those of lower
rank, being at present usually executed, in this county in particular, by attornies at law; and although
formerly none who were coroners would condescend to
be paid for serving their country, yet for many years
past they have only solicited to be chosen for the advantage of the perquisites and fees which they are by
statute allowed to take, which now amount to so considerable a sum as to be highly burdensome to the
county.
The office and power of a coroner, like those of a
sheriff, are both ministerial and judicial, as the sheriff's-
substitute, but principally the latter, which almost wholly consists in taking inquisitions upon view
of the body, when any one is slain, or dies suddenly,
or in prison, or any kind of unnatural death whatsoever, and the body is found within his district; and
this he does by a jury summoned from the neighbourhood. The whole of which inquisition he is to certify to the court of King's-bench, or to the next
assises. Another branch of this office is to enquire
concerning shipwrecks and treasure trove. (fn. 1) His fees
of office, which are paid out of the county stock, are
twenty shillings for every inquisition he takes, and
nine-pence a mile for every mile he travels from his
own home to take the same. There are at present
five coroners chosen to exercise this office in this
county.