KNIGHTS of the shire, or KNIGHTS of parliament, in the
the British polity, are knights or gentlemen of estate, who are elected, on the king's writ, by the freeholders of every county, to represent them in parliament.
The qualifications of a knight of the shire in England, is to be possessed of 600 l. per ann. in a freehold estate; and in Scotland 400 l. Scots valued rent, or 40 shillings of old extent. Their expences during their sitting, were, by a statute of Hen. VIII. to be defrayed by the county; but this is now scarce ever required.