INNS of Court are so called, as some think, because the students there are to serve and attend the courts of judicature; or else, because anciently these colleges received none but the sons of noblemen, and better sort of gentlemen, who were here to be qualified to serve the king in his court; as Fortescue affirms. And, in his time, he says, there were about 2000 students in the inns of court and chancery, all of whom were filii nobilium, or gentlemen born. But this custom has gradually fallen into disuse; so that in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Sir Edward Coke does not reckon above 1000 students, and the number at present is very considerably less; for which Judge Blackstone assigns the following reasons. 1. Because the inns of chancery, being now almost totally filled by the inferior branches of the profession, are neither commodious nor proper for the resort of gentlemen of any rank or figure; so that there are very rarely any young students entered at the inns of chancery. 2. Because in the inns of court all sorts of regimen and academical superintendence, either with regard to morals or studies, are found impracticable, and therefore entirely neglected. Lastly, because persons of birth and fortune, after having finished their usual courses at the universities, have seldom leisure or resolution sufficient to enter upon a new scheme of study at a new place of instruction; wherefore few gentlemen now resort to the inns of court, but such for whom the knowledge of practice is absolutely necessary in such as are intended for the profession.
Our inns of court, justly famed for the production of men of learning in the law, are governed by masters, principals, benchers, rewards, and other officers: and have public halls for exercises, readings, &c.
which the students are obliged to attend and perform for a certain number of years, before they can be admitted to plead at the bar. These societies have not, however, any judicial authority over their members; but instead of this they have certain orders among themselves, which have by consent the force of laws. For lighter offences persons are only excommunicated, or put out of commons; for greater, they lose their chambers, and are expelled the college; and when once expelled out of one society, they are never received by any of the others. The gentlemen in these societies may be divided into benchers, outer-barristers, inner-barristers, and students.
The four principal inns of court, are the Inner Temple and Middle Temple, heretofore the dwelling of the Knights Templars, purchased by some professors of the common law about 300 years ago; Lincoln's Inn and Gray's Inn, anciently belonging to the earls of Lincoln and Gray. The other inns are the two Serjeants Inns.