the history of the common law of england-第34部分

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　his　Heir　of　the　Part　of　　his　Father；　who　should　be　preferred　before　the　Father's　Mother's　　Brother；　who　is　in　Truth　the　Heir　of　the　Part　of　the　Mother　of　　the　Purchaser；　tho'　the　next　Heir　of　the　Part　of　the　Father　of　　him　that　last　died　seized；　and　therefore；　as　if　the　Father　that　　was　the　Purchaser　had　died　without　Issue；　the　Heirs　of　the　Part　　of　the　Father；　whether　of　the　Male　or　Female　Line；　should　have　　been　preferred　before　the　Heirs　of　the　Part　of　the　Mother；　so　the　　Son；　who　stands　now　in　the　Place　of　the　Father；　and　inherits　to　　him　primarily；　in　his　Father's　Line；　dying　without　Issue；　the　　same　Devolution　and　hereditary　Succession　should　have　been　as　if　　his　Father　had　immediately　died　without　Issue；　which　should　have　　been　to　his　Grandmother's　Brother；　as　Heir　of　the　Part　of　the　　Father；　though　by　the　Female　Line；　and　not　to　his　Mother's　　Brother；　who　was　only　Heir　of　the　Part　of　his　Mother；　and　who　is　　not　to　take　till　the　Father's　Line　both　Male　and　Female　be　spent。　　　　　　　　Sixthly；　If　the　Son　purchases　Lands　and　died　without　Issue；　　and　it　descends　to　any　Heir　of　the　Part　of　the　Father；　and　then　　if　the　Line　of　the　Father　（after　Entry　and　Possession）　fail；　it　　shall　never　return　to　the　Line　of　the　Mother；　tho'　in　the　first　　Instance；　or　first　Descent　from　the　Son；　it　might　have　descended　　to　the　Heir　of　the　Part　of　the　Mother；　for　now　by　this　Descent　　and　Seisin　it　is　lodged　in　the　Father's　Line；　to　whom　the　Heir　of　　the　Part　of　the　Mother　can　never　derive　a　Title　as　Heir；　but　it　　shall　rather　escheat：　But　if　the　Heir　of　the　Part　of　the　Father　　had　not　entred；　and　then　that　Line　had　failed；　it　might　have　　descended　to　the　Heir　of　the　Part　of　the　Mother　as　Heir　to　the　　Son；　to　whom　immediately；　for　want　of　Heirs　of　the　Part　of　the　　Father；　it　might　have　descended。　　　　　　　　Seventhly；　And　upon　the　same　Reason；　if　it　had　once　descended　　to　the　Heir　of　the　Part　of　the　Father　of　the　Grandfather's　Line；　　and　that　Heir　had　entred；　it　should　never　descend　to　the　Heir　of　　the　Part　of　the　Father　of　the　Grandmother's　Line；　because　the　　Line　of　the　Grandmother　was　not　of　the　Blood　or　Consanguinity　of　　the　Line　of　the　Grandfather's　Side。　　　　　　　　Eighthly；　If　for　Default　of　Heirs　of　the　Purchaser　of　the　　Part　of　the　Father；　the　Lands　descend　to　the　Line　of　the　Mother；　　the　Heirs　of　the　Mother　of　the　Part　of　her　Father's　Side；　shall　　be　preferred　in　the　Succession　before　her　Heirs　of　the　Part　of　　her　Mother's　Side；　because　they　are　the　more　worthy。　　　　　　　　And　thus　the　Law　stands　in　Point　of　Descents　or　Hereditary　　Successions　in　England　at　this　Day；　and　has　so　stood　and　　continued　for　above　four　Hundred　Years　past；　as　by　what　has　　before　been　said；　may　easily　appear。　And　Note；　The　most　Part　of　　the　Eight　Rules　and　Differences　above　specified　and　explained；　　may　be　collected　out　of　the　Resolutions　in　the　Case　of　Clare　　versus　Brook；　&c。　in　Plowden's　Commentaries；　Folio　444。　　　　XII。　Touching　Trials　by　Jury　　　　　　　　Having　in　the　former　Chapter　somewhat　largely　treated　of　the　　Course　of　Descents；　I　shall　now　with　more　Brevity　consider　that　　other　Title　of　our　Law　which　I　before　propounded　（in　order　to　　evidence　the　Excellency　of　the　Laws　of　England　above　those　of　　other　Nations；）　viz。　The　Trial　by　a　Jury　of　Twelve　Men；　which　　upon　all　Accounts；　as　it　is　settled　here　in　this　Kingdom；　seems　　to　be　the　best　Trial　in　the　World：　I　shall　therefore　give　a　short　　Account　of　the　Method　and　Manner　of　that　Trial；　viz。　　　　　　　　First；　The　Writ　to　return　a　Jury；　issues　to　the　Sheriff　of　　the　County：　And；　　　　　　1st；　He　is　to　be　a　Person　of　Worth　and　Value；　that　so　he　may　　be　responsible　for　any　Defaults；　either　of　himself　or　his　　Officers。　And；　2dly；　Is　sworn；　faithfully　and　honestly　to　execute　　his　Office。　This　Officer　is　entrusted　to　elect　and　return　the　　Jury；　which　he　is　obliged　to　do　in　this　Manner：　1。　Without　the　　Nomination　of　either　Party。　2。　They　are　to　be　such　Persons　as　for　　Estate　and　Quality　are　fit　to　serve　upon　that　Employment。　3。　They　　are　to　be　of　the　Neighbourhood　of　the　Fact　to　be　inquired；　or　at　　least　of　the　County　or　Bailywick。　And；　4。　Anciently　Four；　and　now　　Two　of　them　at　least　are　to　be　of　the　Hundred。　But　Note；　This　is　　now　in　great　Measure　altered　by　Statute。　　　　　　Secondly；　Touching　the　Number　and　Qualifications　of　the　Jury。　　　　　　1st；　As　to　their　Number；　though　only　Twelve　are　sworn；　yet　　Twenty…four　are　to　be　returned　to　supply　the　Defects　or　Want　of　　Appearance　of　those　that　are　challenged　off；　or　make　Default。　　2dly；　Their　Qualifications　are　many；　and　are　generally　set　down　　in　the　Writ　that　summons　them；　viz。　1。　They　are　to　be　Probi　&　　legales　Homines。　2。　Of　sufficient　Freeholds；　according　to　several　　Provisions　of　Acts　of　Parliament。　3。　Not　Convict　of　any　notorious　　Crime　that　may　render　them　unfit　for　that　Employment。　4。　They　are　　not　to　be　of　the　Kindred　or　Alliance　of　any　of　the　Parties。　And；　　5。　Not　to　be　such　as　are　prepossed　or　prejudiced　before　they　hear　　their　Evidence。　　　　　　Thirdly；　The　Time　of　their　Return。　　　　　　Indeed；　in　Assizes；　the　Jury　is　to　be　ready　at　the　Bar　the　　first　Day　of　the　Return　of　the　Writ：　But　in　other　Cases；　the　　Pannel　is　first　returned　upon　the　Venire　Facias；　or　ought　to　be　　so；　and　the　Proofs　or　Witnesses　are　to　be　brought　or　summoned　by　　Distringas　or　Habeas　Corpora　for　their　Appearance　at　the　Trial；　　whereby　the　Parties　may　have　Notice　of　the　Jurors；　and　of　their　　Sufficiency　and　Indifferency；　that　so　they　may　make　their　　Challenges　upon　the　Appearance　of　the　Jurors　if　there　be　just　　Cause。　　　　　　Fourthly；　The　Place　of　their　Appearance。　　　　　　If　it　be　in　Cases　of　such　Weight　and　Consequence　as　by　the　　Judgment　of　the　Court　is　fit　to　be　tried　at　the　Bar；　then　their　　Appearance　is　directed　to　be　there；　but　in　ordinary　Cases；　the　　Place　of　Appearance　is　in　the　Country　at　the　Assizes；　or　Nisi　　Prius；　in　the　County　where　the　Issue　to　be　tried　arises：　And　　certainly　this　is　an　excellent　Constitution。　The　great　Charge　of　　Suits　is　the　Attendance　of　the　Parties；　the　Jury…Men　and　　Witnesses：　And　therefore　tho'　the　Preparation　of　the　Causes　in　　Point　of　pleading　to　Issue；　and　the　Judgment；　is　for　the　most　　Part　in　the　Courts　at　Westminster；　whereby　there　is　kept　a　great　　Order　and　Uniformity　of　Proceedings　in　the　whole　Kingdom；　to　　prevent　Multiplicity　of　Laws　and　Forms；　yet　those　are　but　of　　small　Charge；　or　Trouble；　or　Attendance；　one　Attorney　being　able　　to　dispatch　forty　Mens　Business　with　the　same　Ease；　and　no　　greater　Attendance　than　one　Man　would　dispatch　his　own　Business：　　But　the　great　Charge　and　Attendance　is　at　the　Trial；　which　is　　therefore　brought　Home　to　the　Parties　in　the　Countries；　and　for　　the　most　Part　near　where　they　live。　　　　　　Fifthly；　The　Persons　before　whom　they　are　to　appear。　　　　　　If　the　Trial　be　at　the　Bar；　it　is　to　be　before　that　Court　　where　the　Trial　is；　if　in　the　Country；　then　before　the　Justices　　of　Assizes；　or　Nisi　Prius；　who　are　Persons　well　acquainted　with　　the　Common　Law；　and　for　the　most　Part　are　Two　of　those　Twelve　　ordinary　Justices　who　are　appointed　for　the　Common　Dispensation　　of　Justice　in　the　Three　great　Courts　at　Westminster。　And　this　　certainly　was　a　most　wise　Constitution：　For　　　　　　1st；　It　prevents　Factions　and　Parties　in　the　Carriage　of　　Business；　which　would　soon　appear　in　every　Cause　of　Moment；　were　　the　Trial　only　before　Men　residing　in　the　Counties；　as　Justices　　of　the　Peace；　or　the　like；　or　before　Men　of　little　or　no　Place；　　Countenance　or　Preheminence　above　others；　and　the　more　to　prevent　　Partiality　in　this　Kind；　those　Judges　are　by　Law　prohibited　to　　hold　their　Sessions　in　Counties　where　they　were　born　or　dwell。　　　　　　2dly；　As　it　prevents　Factions　and　Part…takings；　so　it　keeps　　both　the　Rule　and　the　Administration　of　the　Laws　of　the　Kingdom　　uniform；　for　those　Men　are　employed　as　Justices；　who　as　they　have　　had　a　Common　Education　in　the　Study　of　the　Law；　so　they　daily　in　　Term…time　converse　and　consult　with　one　another；　acquaint　one　　another　with　their　Judgments；　sit　near　one　another　in　　Westminster…Hall；　whereby　their　Judgments　and　Decisions　are　　necessarily　communicated　to　one　another；　either　immediately　or　by　　Relations　of　others；　and　by　this　Means　their　Judgments　and　their　　Administrations　of　Common　Justice　carry　a　Consonancy；　Congruity　　and　Uniformity　one　to　another；　whereby　both　the　Laws　and　the　　Administrations　thereof　are　preserved　from　that　Confusion　and　　Disparity　that　would　unavoidably　ensue；　if　the　Administration　was　　by　several　incommunicating　Hands；　or　by　provincial　　Establishments：　And　besides　all　this；　all　those　Judges　are　　solemnly　sworn　to　observe　and　judge　according　to　the　Laws　of　the　　Kingdom；　according　to　the　best　of　their　Knowledge　and　　Understanding。　　　　　　Sixthly；　When　the　Jurors　appear；　and　are　called；　each　Party　　has　Liberty　to　take　his　Challenge　to　the　Array　itself；　if　unduly　　or　partially　made　by　the　Sheriff；　or　if　the　Sheriff　be　of　Kin　to　　either　Party；　or　to　the　Polls；　either　for　Insufficiency　of　　Freehold；　or　Kindred　or　Alliance　to　the　other　Party；　or　such　　other　Challenges；　either　Principal；　or　to　the　Favour；　as　renders　　the　Juror　unfit　and　incompetent　to　try　the　Cause；　and　the　　Challenge　being　confess'd　or　found　true　by　some　of　the　rest　of　　the　Jury；　that　particular　incompetent　Person　is　withdrawn。　　　　　　Seventhly；　Then　Twelve；　and　no　less；　of　such　as　are　　indifferent　and　are　return'd　upon　the　principal　Pannel；　or　the　　Tales；　are　sworn　to　try　the　same　according　to　their　Evidence。　　　　　　Eighthly；　Being　thus　sworn；　the　Evidence　on　either　Part　is　　given　in　upon　the　Oath　of　Witnesses；　or　other　Evidence　by　Law　　allowed；　（as　Records　and　ancient　Deeds；　but　later　Deeds　and　　Copies　of　Records　must　be　attested　by　the　Oaths　of　Witnesses）　and　　other　Evidence　in　the　open　Court；　and　in　the　Presence　of　the　　Parties；　their　Attornies；　Council　and　all　By…standers；　and　before　　the　Judge　and　Jury；　where　each　Party　has　Liberty　of　excepting；　　either　to　the　Competency　of　the　Evidence；　or　the　Competency　or　　Credit　of　the　Witnesses；　which　Exceptions　are　publickly　stated；　　and　by　the　Judges　openly　or　publickly　allowed　or　disallowed；　　wherein　if　the　Judge　be　partial；　his　Partiality　and　Injustice　　will　be　evident　to　all　By…standers；　and　if　in　his　Direction　or　　Decision　he　mistake　the　Law；　either　through　Partiality；　　Ignorance；　or　Inadvertency；　either　Party　may