ancient officer of this kingdom, so called because he is wholly employed for the king and crown.

The office of coroners especially concerns the pleas of the crown; and they are conservators of the peace in the county where elected, being usually two for each county. Their authority is judicial and ministerial: judicial, where a person comes to a violent death; to take and enter appeals of murder, pronounce judgment on outlawries, &c. and to inquire into the lands, goods, and escape of murders, treasure-trove, wreck of the sea, deodands, &c. The ministerial power is when coroners execute the king's writs, on exception taken to the sheriff, as being party in a suit, of kin to either of the parties, or on the default of the sheriff, &c. The authority of the coroner does not terminate on the demise of the king, as that of judges, &c. does, who act by the king's commission. On default of sheriffs, coroners are to impannel juries, and to return issues on juries not appearing, &c.

Coronet. See Crown.