Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/368

 352 number of jutices, eminent for their kill and dicretion, to be of the quorum; but now the practice is to advance almot all of them to that dignity, naming them all over again in the quorum claue, except perhaps only ome one inconiderable peron for the ake of propriety: and no exception is now allowable, for not expreing in the form of warrants, &c, that the jutice who iued them is of the quorum.

the number and qualifications of thee jutices, it was ordained by tatute 18 Edw. III. c. 2. that two, or three, of the bet reputation in each county hall be aigned to be keepers of the peace. But thee being found rather too few for that purpoe, it was provided by tatute 34 Edw. III. c. 1. that one lord, and three, or four, of the mot worthy men in the county, with ome learned in the law, hall be made jutices in every county. But afterwards the number of jutices, through the ambition of private perons, became o large, that it was thought neceary by tatute 12 Ric. II. c. 10. and 14 Ric. II. c. 11. to retrain them at firt to ix, and afterwards to eight only. But this rule is now diregarded, and the caue eems to be (as Lambard oberved long ago ) that the growing number of tatute laws, committed from time to time to the charge of jutices of the peace, have occaioned alo (and very reaonably) their encreae to a larger number. And, as to their qualifications, the tatutes jut cited direct them to be of the bet reputation, and mot worthy men in the county: and the tatute 13 Ric. II. c. 7. orders them to be of the mot ufficient knights, equires, and gentlemen of the law. Alo by tatute 2 Hen.V. t. 1. c. 4. and t. 2. c. 1. they mut be reident in their everal counties. And becaue, contrary to thee tatutes, men of mall ubtance had crept into the commiion, whoe poverty made them both covetous and contemptible, it was enacted by tatute 18 Hen. VI. c. 11. that no jutice hould be put in commion, if he had not lands to the value of 20𝑙. per annum. And, the rate of money being greatly altered ince that time, it is now enacted by tatute Rh