in general, signifies an equal, or one of the same rank and station: hence in the acts of some councils, we find these words, with the consent of our peers, bishops, abbots, &c. Afterwards the same term was applied to the vassals or tenants of the same lord, who were called peers, because they were all equal in condition, and obliged to serve and attend him in his courts; and peers in fief, because they all held fiefs of the same lord.

The term peers is now applied to those who are impannelled in an inquest upon a person for convicting or acquitting him of any offence laid to his charge: and the reason why the jury is so called, is because, by the common law and custom of this kingdom, every person is to be tried by his peers or equals; a lord by the lords, and a commoner by commoners. See the article JURY.

Peer of the Realm, a noble lord who has a seat and vote in the house of lords, which is also called the House of Peers.

These lords are called peers, because though there is a distinction of degrees in our nobility, yet in public actions they are equal, as in their votes in parliament, and in trying any nobleman or other person impeached by the commons, &c. See PARLIAMENT.

House of PEERS, or House of Lords, forms one of the three estates of parliament. See LORDS and PARLIAMENT.

In a judicative capacity, the house of peers is the supreme court of the kingdom, having at present no original jurisdiction over causes, but only upon appeals and writs of error; to rectify any injustice or mistake of the law committed by the courts below. To this authority they succeeded of course upon the dissolution of the Aula Regia. For as the barons of parliament were constituent members of that court, and the rest of its jurisdiction was dealt out to other tribunals, over which the great officers who accompanied these barons were respectively delegated to preside; it followed, that the right of receiving appeals, and superintending all other jurisdictions, still remained in that noble assembly, from which every other great court was derived. They are therefore in all cases the last resort, from whose judgment no farther appeal is permitted; but every subordinate tribunal must conform to their determinations: The law reposing an entire confidence in the honour and conscience of the noble persons who compose this important assembly, that they will make themselves masters of those questions upon which they undertake to decide; since upon their decision all property must finally depend. See LORDS, NOBILITY, &c.

Peers, in the former government of France, were twelve great lords of that kingdom; of which six were dukes and six counts; and of these, six were ecclesiastics and six laymen: thus the archbishop of Rheims, and the bishop of Laon and Langres, were dukes and peers; and the bishops of Chalons on the Marne, Noyons, and Beauvais, were counts and peers. The dukes of Burgundy, Normandy, and Aquitain, were lay peers and dukes; and the counts of Flanders, Champagne, and Toulouse, lay peers and counts. These peers assisted at the coronation of kings, either in person or by their representatives, where each performed the functions attached to his respective dignity: but as the lay peerages were all united to the crown, except that of the count of Flanders, six lords of the first quality were chosen to represent them: but the ecclesiastical peers generally assisted in person. The title of peer was lately bestowed on every lord whose estate was erected into a peerage; the number of which, as it depended entirely on the king, was uncertain.