Anciently the Coroner of the Verge had power to do all things within the Verge belonging to the office of the Coroner, to the exclusion of the Coroner of the County; but because the King’s Court was often moveable, it is ordained by stat. of Articuli super Cartas, c. 3, that on the death of a man, the Coroner of the County shall join in inquisition, to be taken thereof, with the Coroner of the King’s house, and if it happen it cannot be determined before the Steward, process and proceedings shall be thereupon had at common law. But yet in the case of death within the Verge, the Coroner of the County cannot take an inquisition without the Coroner of the Verge; and if he does it is void, but if one person be Coroner of the County, and also of the Verge, the inquisition before him is as good as if the offices had been in several persons and taken by both. And though the court remove, yet he may proceed upon that inquisition as Coroner of the County. Beside those above enumerated, there are particular coroners for each county, who hold their offices (virtuta electionis) in pursuance of the statute 3 Edward I. c. 10, wherein it is provided, that “through all shires sufficient men shall be chosen to be Coroners, of the most loyal and wise knights,” which _know well_ and _may best_ attend upon such offices, and “which lawfully and shall attend and present pleas of the crown.” Therefore the election of a coroner, is by the freeholders of the county, in pursuance of a writ, called a writ _De coronatore eligendo_, directed to the Sheriff. This statute does not define the precise number which varies in different counties, according to usuage. In some there is only one—in others, there are two, four, and six coroners appointed. But as no number is limited by the statute, it is competent for the Lord Chancellor if he thinks fit, to issue a writ for the election of one or more additional coroners, upon the petition of the freeholders of a county, and the approbation of the justices, certified at the general quarter sessions of the peace, holden for the county.