COMMONS. The commons of Great Britain, in a general sense regarded as com prising all such men in the kingdom as had not seats in the House of Lords, and every one of whom had a voice in Parliament, either personally or by his representatives. With women now (1917) enrolled in the parliamen tary franchise, the Commons must be regarded as including both sexes. Commons in Parlia ment is the lower House, the third estate of the realm, and consist of representatives elected by the counties or divisions of counties, and by the cities and boroughs. In the election of rep resentatives anciently all the people had votes; but in the 8th and 10th of King Henry VI, for avoiding tumults, it was enacted that in coun ties none should vote but such as were free holders, did reside in the county, and had 40s yearly revenue, equivalent to nearly 120 a year of the present money; the persons elected for counties to be milites notabiles, at least esquires or gentlemen fit for knighthood; native Eng lishmen, or at least naturalized, and 21 years of age; no judge, sheriff or ecclesiastical person to sit in the House for county, city or borough.
The House of Commons, in Fortescue's time, who wrote during the reign of Henry VI, consisted of upward of 300 members: to Sir Edward Coke's time their number amounted to 493. At the time of the union with. Scotland, in 1707, there were 513 members for England and Wales, to which 45 representatives for Scotland were added; so that the whole num ber of members amounted to 558. In conse quence of the union with Ireland, in 1801, 100 members were added for that country; and the whole House of Commons therefore consisted of 658 members. By the reform bill of 1832 the number of members was altered as fol lows: 500 for England and Wales, 53 for Scot land and 105 for Ireland. The reform acts of 1867 and 1868 introduced a further alteration, the numbers being 493 for England and Wales, 60 for Scotland and 105 for Ireland; by the act of 1885 they became respectivdy.495, 72 and 103. See PARLIAMENT; GREAT BRITAIN - PAR LIAMENT.