Parish constables derived most of their powers from their local parish. Traditionally, they were elected by the parishioners (just as the tithing had chosen their "chief pledge" forebears), but from 1617 onwards were typically appointed by the magistrates in each county. It was, however, only in 1842 that the power to appoint constables was formally stripped from manorial courts, and transferred to civil parishes. Although the constables had had to be sworn into their role by the magistrates, magistrates had never formally had the power to actually choose them.