 The English Civil War marked the end of legal education at the Inns , although the government attempted to persuade Readers to continue by threatening them with fines . The class of Readers went into decline and Benchers were called as members of Pension instead . In 1679 there was the first mass @-@ call of Benchers ( 22 on one occasion , and 15 on another ) , with the Benchers paying a fine of 100 marks because they refused to read , and modern Benchers pay a " fine " in a continuation of this tradition . 
