mo Fra?iMses. — Corporations. [Ch .VIII* the Stannary courts, and various courts in cities, boroughs, &c* throughout the kingdom, possessing exchisive and some of them peculiar privileges, may be ranked among royal franchises, as they in general arose from the favor of the Crown to those particular districts wherein we find them erected (a). A court leet is a court of record, having the same jurisdic- tion within some particular precinct, which the sheriff's torn hath in tlie county. This Court is not necessarily appendant to a manor, like a court baron, but is derived from the sheriff's torn ; being a grant from the King to certain lords, for the ease of their tenants, and resiants within their manors, that they may administer justice to them in their manors {b). To every court leet is annexed the view of frankpledge ; vistis frankplegii, which means the examination or survey of the frankpledges of which every man, not particularly pri- vileged, was antiently obliged to have nine, who were bound that he should always be forthcoming to answer any com- plaint. There are also counties corporate ; which are certain cities and towns, some with more, some with less territory annexed to them ; to which out of special grace and favour, the Kings of England have granted the privilege to be counties of them- selves, and not to be comprized in any other county ; but to be governed by their own sheriffs and other magistrates, so that no officers of the county at large have any power to in- termeddle therein (c). There is no doubt that the Crown pos- sesses the power of granting to any city to have justices of their own within themselves, and may exclude by express words the county justices from intermeddling in the ordinary business of a justice of the peace {d). 2. Corporations, — Corporations were originally formed for the purpose of promoting the welfare and interests of com- merce and the arts ; and for the better government of the sub- Co) See Bae. Ab. Courts Palatinate, (c) 1 Bla. Com. 120. That the King &c. 1 Bla. Com. 116, 7. 3 Ibid. 78, may enable a town, &;c. to choose its &C. Higher powers formerly exer- own sheriff. Vin. Ab. Prerog. M. b. 1 8 cised by Lords Palatine vested in the vol. & <. Crown, 27 H. 8. c. 24. See Skinn. 604- (rf) 2 Stra. 1 154. 3 T. R. 279. post. (*) 2 Inst. 71, 4 Inst. c. 34. 3 Burr. 4 T. R. 456. Rep. 1859. ject.
