Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/189

Ch. 2. that what was equivalent to twelve pounds in his days is equivalent to twenty at preent. The other les important qualifications of the electors for counties in England and Wales may be collected from the tatutes cited in the margin ; which direct, 2.&ensp;That no peron under twenty one years of age hall be capable of voting for any member. This extends to all orts of members, as well for boroughs as counties; as does alo the next, viz. 3.&ensp;That no peron convicted of perjury, or ubornation of perjury, hall be capable of voting in any election. 4.&ensp;That no peron hall vote in right of any freehold, granted to him fraudulently to qualify him to vote. Fraudulent grants are uch as contain an agreement to reconvey, or to defeat the etate granted; which agreements are made void, and the etate is abolutely veted in the peron to whom it is o granted. And, to guard the better againt uch frauds, it is farther provided, 5.&ensp;That every voter hall have been in the actual poeion, or receipt of the profits, of his freehold to his own ue for twelve calendar months before; except it came to him by decent, marriage, marriage ettlement, will, or promotion to a benefice or office. 6.&ensp;That no peron hall vote in repect of an annuity or rentcharge, unles regitered with the clerk of the peace twelve calendar months before. 7.&ensp;That in mortgaged or trut-etates, the peron in poeion, under the above-mentioned retrictions, hall have the vote. 8.&ensp;That only one peron hall be admitted to vote for any one houe or tenement, to prevent the plitting of freeholds. 9.&ensp;That no etate hall qualify a voter, unles the etate has been aeed to ome land tax aid, at leat twelve months before the election. 10.&ensp;That no tenant by copy of court roll hall be permitted to vote as a freeholder. Thus much for the electors in counties.

for the electors of citizens and burgees, thee are uppoed to be the mercantile part or trading interet of this kingdom. But as trade is of a fluctuating nature, and eldom long fixed in a place, it was formerly left to the crown to ummon, , the