The Lords had long complained of the anomalous and iniquitous constitution of that tribunal which had jurisdiction over them in cases of life and death.

When a grand jury has found a bill of indictment against a temporal peer for any offence higher than a misdemeanour, the Crown appoints a Lord High Steward; and in the Lord High Steward's Court the case is tried.

This Court was anciently composed in two very different ways.

It consisted, if Parliament happened to be sitting, of all the members of the Upper House.

When Parliament was not sitting, the Lord High Steward summoned any twelve or more peers at his discretion to form a jury.