Alderman is derived from the Saxon word _ealderman_, that is a senior or
_alderman_, which by degrees came to stand for persons of great
distinction, because such were chosen to discharge the highest offices,
being those whose long experience rendered them most capable, and whose
birth and fortunes made them most conspicuous; and as they were generally
entrusted with the government of the counties, instead of saying the
governor, it was said the _ealderman_ of such a county. While the
heptarchy lasted, these offices were only during the king's pleasure; at
last they became during life. After the Danes were settled in England,
the title of _ealderman_ was changed into that of _earl_, and the Normans
introduced that of _count_, which, though different in its original
signification, meant, however, the same dignity. There were several sorts
of _ealdermen_; some were properly only governors of a province or
county, others were owners of their province, holding it as a fee of the
crown. These ealdermen, or earls, were honoured with titles of _reguli
subreguli_, _principes_, _patricii_, and some times _rex_. Those who were
only governors, had the title of ealderman of such a county, or sometimes
in Latin by the term _consul_. The first administered justice in their
own name, and appropriated to their own use all the revenues and profits
of their respective counties. The last administered justice in the king's
name and had only part of the profits assigned them. A third sort of
ealdermen were those, who upon account of their high birth, bore the
title, without any authority, out of which rank the governors were
generally chosen. There were also inferior ealdermen in cities or
boroughs, who administered justice in the king's name, and were dependent
on the great ealdermen, or earls, which by the name of _alderman_ still
continues among us to those inferior officers, while they are called
earls only. The office of the ealderman was wholly civil, and had nothing
to do with either military or ecclesiastical affairs. What power each of
them had, it is not easy to determine; but they were all obliged to have
some knowledge of the law. In the Saxon times, the bishop and ealderman
sat together to try causes; the one proceeded by the canons, the other by
the common law. Part of the ealderman's jurisdiction was to examine the
arms, and to raise the militia within such a district, in order to
suppress riot and execute the sentence of a court of justice. He had
likewise the cognizance of house-breaking, robbing, &c. Nor was it lawful
for any person to move from one place to another without a certificate
from the ealderman.