[Footnote 5:  Longman’s Life and Times of Edward III., vol. i. p. 301.]

[Sidenote:  Beginnings of Massachusetts counties.] During the past five hundred years the English county has gradually sunk from a self-governing community into an administrative district; and in recent times its boundaries have been so crossed and crisscrossed with those of other administrative areas, such as those of school-boards, sanitary boards, etc., that very little of the old county is left in recognizable shape.  Most of this change has been effected since the Tudor period.  The first English settlers in America were familiar with the county as a district for the administration of justice, and they brought with them coroners, sheriffs, and quarter sessions.  In 1635 the General Court of Massachusetts appointed four towns—­Boston, Cambridge, Salem, and Ipswich—­as places where courts should be held quarterly.  In 1643 the colony, which then included as much of New Hampshire as was settled, was divided into four “shires,”—­Suffolk, Essex, Middlesex, and Norfolk, the latter lying then to the northward and including the New Hampshire towns.  The militia was then organized, perhaps without consciousness of the analogy, after a very old English fashion; the militia of each town formed a company, and the companies of the shire formed a regiment.  The county was organized from the beginning as a judicial district, with its court-house, jail, and sheriff.  After 1697 the court, held by the justices of the peace, was called the Court of General Sessions.  It could try criminal causes not involving the penalty of death or banishment, and civil causes in which the value at stake was less than forty shillings.  It also had control over highways going from town to town; and it apportioned the county taxes among the several towns.

The justices and sheriff were appointed by the governor, as in England by the king.

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT.

1.  Why do we have counties in the United States?  Contrast the popular reason with the historic.

2.  What relation did the tribe hold to the clan among our ancestors?

3.  In time what did the clans and the tribes severally become?

4.  Show how old county names in England throw light on the
      county development.

5.  Trace the growth of the English nation in accordance with
   the following outline:—­
   a.  Each tribe and its leader,
   b.  A powerful tribe and its leader.
   c.  The relation of a little kingdom to the shire.
   d.  The final union under one king.
   e.  The relative ages of the shire and the nation.

6.  Give an account (1) of the shire-mote, (2) of the two kinds
      of representation in it, (3) of its presiding officers, and
      (4) of its two kinds of duties.