is therefore to be wished that some legislative measure may correct or prevent this evil, by restricting the elections to persons duly qualified; and by appointing medical assessors or inspectors, who might usefully assist the Coroner in the discharge of his duties in cases of inquisition of death. The statute _De Officio Coronatoris_, 4 _Edw._ 1 _c._ 2. directs the mode in which Inquisitions of Death shall be held. “The Coroner, when commanded by the King’s bailiffs, or by honest men of the county, shall go to the places where any be slain, or suddenly dead or wounded, and shall forthwith command four of the next towns[77], or five or six to appear before him, in such a place; and when they are come thither, the coroner upon the oath of them shall enquire if they know where the person was slain; whether it were in any house, field, bed, town, tavern, or company, and who were there. Likewise it is to be enquired who were culpable either of the act or of the force; and who were present, either men or women, of what age, if they can speak or have any discretion. And such as are found culpable by inquisition shall be taken and delivered to the sheriff, and committed to gaol; and such as be found, and be not culpable (i.e. the witnesses, and these the coroner shall bind over by recognizance to the next assizes,) shall be attached until the coming of the justices[78] and their names written in the coroner’s roll. If any be slain and the body found in the fields or woods; first, it is to be enquired whether he was slain in the same place or not;[79] and if it were brought and laid there, endeavour shall be made to follow their steps who brought the body thither; whether brought upon a horse or in a cart. Also it shall be inquired, whether the dead person were known or a stranger, and where he lay the night before. And if any be found culpable of the murder, the coroner shall immediately go into his house, and inquire what goods he has, &c. how much land, and the yearly value, and what corn on the ground, which shall be valued and delivered to the township, which shall be answerable before the justices for all; and the land shall remain in the king’s hands until the lords of the fee have made fine for it, &c. “Also it is to be enquired of those who were drowned or suddenly dead; and after it is to be seen of such bodies whether they were so drowned or slain, or strangled by the sign of a cord tied straight about their necks, or about any of their members, or upon any other hurt found upon their bodies: whereupon they shall proceed in the form above said. And if they were slain, then ought the coroners to attach the finders and all others in company.