Records of Medieval Oxford : Coroners' Inquests, the Walls of Oxford, Etc (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Records of Medieval Oxford: Coroners' Inquests, the Walls of Oxford, Etc

A coroner is, as the name implies, an officer ap pointed to protect some, of the interests of the Crown. In the Middle Ages all offences were viewed as a source of profit to that court which had the trying of the case; and the coroner's duty was to see that the King was not defrauded of cases which should come before his court. Cases of murder and death by misfortune were, in particular, reserved to the King, and from the days of Edward I. The main work of a coroner was, as now, to hold an inquest whenever there was a sudden or violent death. It was his business to make inquiry what was the cause of death, and should there be any perquisites of the King, such as the goods and chattels of the felon, he must state what was their value. Subse. Quently, when the judges came on circuit to hold Assizes, the case would be tried by them, but the record drawn up by the coroner at the time of the inquest was placed before them, and not only insured that the case should not be overlooked, but also served as evidence.

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