STAR CHAMBER, the name of an apartment in the royal palace of Westminster, a meeting-place of the king's councillors, derived from stars fashioned on the roof, perhaps, of the hall. By derivation, later on, the name of councillors and judges sitting there as a court.
In 1398 repairs of the "Sterred chambre" are mentioned. In 1453 a meeting "in concilio nostro" (in our council) was held "in the Sterred Chambre." In 1542 a law provided punishment for those convicted "in the Starr Chamber at Westmynster before the hinges most honorable Counsel" In the middle ages judicial functions were exercised by the king of England and his council. The crown never parted with supreme jurisdiction. The council shared it, and also did judicial work not specially delegated to the particular courts which had evolved from the curia regis. The king's council, in Star Cham ber and elsewhere, was reinforced by judges of the royal courts and by various others. From time to time parliament defined and approved this judicial work. In 1487 a statute (3 Henry VII., c. I )—for a long time mistakenly supposed to have established the court of Star Chamber—named a commission of seven prin cipal councillors and two of the judges, to try offenders too great to be dealt with by ordinary courts.
In the sixteenth century councillors, judges, persons specially summoned, additional "counsel," and great lords sometimes at tending, acted either as a council or a court in Star Chamber, records being kept by clerks.
Councillors and judges sitting in Star Chamber were more and more thought of as the court of Star Chamber. They dispensed much justice and heard many cases often by desire of the parties concerned. Hearings were public ; there was no jury ; torture was sometimes used to get confession. Generally speaking, it was a
court of criminal jurisdiction, particularly in respect of violation of royal proclamations ; but "all offences may be here examined and punished if the king will." Sentence of death was never pro nounced. The court punished with imprisonment and with fine, even with mutilation.
Under Elizabeth attendance at Star Chamber approximated to that at privy council, with reinforcement of judges, so that the two bodies were differentiated in function rather than in person nel. Under James I. and Charles I. Star Chamber continued as an active, important court, largely respected and liked. As Puri tan and parliamentary opposition developed, however, it incurred odium from severe penalties, and the reputation then affixed by enemies has since persisted. In 1641 it was abolished by an act of the Long Parliament (16 Charles I., c. Ic)). At the same time the judicial power of councillors in privy council was abridged.
Mill, Treatise of the Starre chamber and power of the Privy Councell—British Museum, Hargrave ms. 216 (time of Elizabeth) ; William Hudson, A Treatise of the Court of Star Chamber (17th century), printed in Collectanea Juridica, vol. ii. (1792) ; I. S. Leadam, Select Cases before the King's Council in the Star Chamber (19o3, 1911) ; Cora L. Scofield, Court of Star Chamber (1900) ; E. P. Cheyney, History of England, vol. i. E. R. Turner, The Privy Council, vol. i. (1927) ; A. F. Pollard, in English Historical Review, July, Oct. 1922, Jan. 1923. Star Chamber plead ings are in the Public Record Office, London ; court records and decrees have disappeared. (E. R. T.)