lesse yeerly and not of one certaine value the Commissioners obserued this course they did make choice of three seuerall yeeres viz. 47. and 48. and 49 of E. 3. and did take out of the seuerall profits of those yeeres and did cast them all into one summe which they againe diuided into three equall parts esteeming only of the said three parts to be the iust yeerly value of the said reuenewes communibus anâ—iâ— that is one yeere with another And in this accompt we finde no other charges or reprizes allowed then the Iustices fees only This survey and accompt made aboue 200. yeeres past is here inserted to the end it might appeare what the reuenew of this Principallity alone was besides the Dutchy of Cornwall and Earledome of Chester neere the first certaine erection thereof in the hands of that worthy Prince commonly called the Black Prince The said Prince of Wales surnamed the Black Prince being also Duke of Aquitane Guies and Cornwall and Earle of Chester after many fortunate victories atchieued by him hauing subdued a great part of France and hauing taken Iohn the French King prisoner at Poyteers in France and after that also hauing vanquished Henry at Naue-roit in Spaine and restored Peter King of Arragon he died in Iune being then about the age of forty six yeeres and in the fiftieth yeere of the reigne of his father King Edward the Third leauing behinde him Richard his sonne and heire borne at Burdeaux and thereof surnamed Richard of Burdeaux This Richard surnamed of Burdeaux sonne and heire of the said Edward the Black Prince after the death of his father was created by his grandfather King Edward the Third to bee Prince of Wales at Havoring at the Bower in the County of Essex the twentieth day of Nouember in the fiftieth yeere of the reigne of the said King Edward the third the said Richard then being about the age of eleuen yeeres and vpon Christmas day then next following the said King Edward the third caused the said Prince being his Nephew to sit at his table in high estate aboue all his vncles being the Kings sonnes as representing the personage of the heire apparant to the Crowne and gaue to him the two parts of all the said Principalitie Counties Lordships Castles and the most of the said Lands which belonging to the said Blacke Prince and the reuersion of the third part thereof the possession of the third part thereof then being to the mother of the said Prince Richard for her dowry with a hundred thirteene pound sixe shillings eight pence yeerely rent payable by the Earle of March as a fee farme for the Lordship and Lands of Beult and eighty fiue markes for the fee Farme of the Castle Lordship and Land of Montgomery with the vacations of Bishoprickes excepting the fees of the Baron Marches of VVales which doe alwaies hold of the Crowne in Capite and excepting the auoydance of the Bishopricke of S. Dauids in VVales which anciently also belonged to the Crowne with the like limitation of estate viz. To the said Prince Richard his heires Kings of England It seemeth that these Lordships of Beult and Montgomery being formerly granted to Edward the blacke Prince were before this time giuen away in fee farme rendring the rents here spoken of After the death of the said King Edward the Third which was in the 51. yeere of his raigne the kingdome of England descended vnto the said Richard being his grandchilde and he was Crowned King thereof by the name of King Richard the Second and in the three and twentieth yeere of his raigne he resigned his kingdome or rather more truely was deposed against his will and after by a violent death departed this life without issue Henry of Bullinbrooke Duke of Lancaster and Hereford Earle of Darby Leicester and Lincolne sonne and heire to Iohn of Gaunt fourth sonne to King Edward the Third raigning in his stead Henry of Bullingbrooke by the name of King Henry the Fourth by his Charter dated at Westminster the fifteenth day of October in the first yeere of his raigne created Henry his eldest sonne surnamed of Munmouth Prince of Wales and inuested him with the said Princely ornaments viz. the Chaplet Gold-Ring and Rod or Verge of gold To haue and to hold vnto him and his heires Kings of England And by one other Charter of the same date gaue vnto him and to his heires Kings of England the said Principalitie with the Lordships Castles and Lands before mentioned in the Chartermade to the Blacke Prince together with foure Comots in the Countie of Carnaruon viz. the Comots of Isaph Vghaph Nanconeway and Grewthyn not named before and the reuersion of the Lordship of Hauerford with the prices of Wines there and of the Lordships Newyn and Pughby in North-wales which Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester then held for tearme of his life of the demise of King Richard the Second together also with the reuersion of the County and Lordship of Anglesey in North-Wales and the Castle of Bewmarris and the Comots Lands Tenements and Hereditaments belonging thereunto which Henry Percy sonne of the Earle of Northumberland then held for terme of his life of the demise of the said King Henry the Fourth and by an Act of Parliament made in the first yeere of King Henry the Fourth whereby the Dutchie of Lancaster is seuered from the Crowne of England The Stile of the said Prince is declared to be this Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitane of Lancaster and of Cornwall and Earle of Chester For the said King Henry the Fourth hauing beene himselfe Duke of Lancaster before his assumption of the Crowne and knowing that the name of Duke being an inferiour dignity would extinguish and bee surrounded in the Crowne as in the Superiour desired as by that Act of Parliament appeareth not onely to separate the said Dutchie of Lancaster and the lands thereof from the Crowne to the intent he might still hold the said Dutchie as his ancient Patrimony if he were put from the Crowne being but his new acquired dignity but also to preserue the said stile title and name of Duke of Lancaster in his posterity which as the said act affirmeth his Ancestors had so worthily borne and sustained Afterwards the said Henry the Fourth died in the fourteenth yeere of his raigne and the said Henry of Munmouth Prince of Wales succeeded him in the kingdome by the name of King Henry the Fift who also in the tenth yeere of his raigne died leauing Henry his sonne behinde him being an Infant of the age of tenne moneths who by reason of his tender age was not as by any record extant can be proued euer created Prince but was proclaimed King immediately after the death of his father by the name of King Henry the Sixt. King Henry the Sixt by the aduice and counsell of his Lords spirituall and temporall giuen to him in his Parliament holden in the thirtie one
THE HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT and moderne Estate of The Principality of Wales Dutchy of Cornewall and Earldome of Chester Collected out of the Records of the Tower of LONDON and diuers ancient Authors By Sir IOHN DODRIDGE Knight late one of his Maiesties ludges in the Kings Bench. And by himselfe Dedicated to King IAMES of euer blessed memory LONDON ¶ Printed by Tho. Harper for Godfrey Emâ—ndson and Thomas Alchorne M. DC XXX TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY JAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith c. My most dread Soueraigne and Liegelord AMong temporall blessings giuen from God and powred vpon men this is not the least for a man to behold the fruit of his owne body surculum exradice an impe or graffe the Oliue branches about his table the hope of his posterity the image of himselfe and the staffe of his old age The consideration of the want whereof caused that good Patriake out of the bitternesse of his soule to cry and make his complaint vnto his God in these words Behold I goe childlesse and the Steward of my house is Eleazer of Damascus loe to me thou hast giuen no seed wherefore a servant of mine house must bee mine heire But to be furnished with masculine issue and to haue his first borne of that sex to whom the Birthright is due as to the sanctfiied of God and the preseruer of his name and patrimony is a double blessing vnto all men much more vnto Kings the Lords anointed whereby his horne is established his subiects in the middest of the day present do behold the Sunne that shall arise vpon them the day suceeding and haue their hearts setled to say vnto their Soueraine wee and our seed will serue thee and thy seed for euer This made the Propheticall King in the day of his departure to blesse God and say Blessed be the Lord my God who hath caused mine eyes to see this day that one of mine own loynes shall fit vpon my Throne But contrariwise was Achah accursed of whom God said he would not leaue him one mingentem ad parietem threatning as it were by that circumlocution to root out all issue male of Achab that might succeed him And hence it is that all Potentates of the world haue highly respected and aduanced in the eyes of their subiects their heire apparant and giuen and conferred vpon him very high and eminent titles of honor Of the Romans he was called Caesar and Princeps juventutis as the principall of all their hopes in their posterity Of the French he is honored by the name of the Dolphin of that part of the Country being his patrimony And in like manner in this our Country of England the Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester He is next his father the chiefe in the Realme and by course of the ciuill Law is to sit at his right hand in all solemne assemblies of state and honor So that not without reason did King Edward the third King of England place Richard his grandchild and next heire apparant in his solemne feast at Christmas at his table next vnto himselfe aboue all his Vncles being the sonnes of that King and men manifoldly renowned for their prowes and virtue And yet hath not the Prince any Kingly prerogatiues allowed vnto him by the Lawes of this Realme in the life of his progenitors other then such as are due vnto other Noble men that hee might acknowledge himselfe to bee but a subiect and whereof he is put in remembrance euen by the Poesy that he vseth in the old English or Saxon tongues in this forme conceiued Ie dien I am a seruant The due consideration whereof hath caused me by the encouragement of an honorable learned and worthy Councellor my Lord of Buckhurst your Maiesties Lord high Treasurer of England and my very good Lord and being eased therein by the carefull paines and industry of a Gentleman Mr. Richard Connock his seruant in some conuenient method after my rude and vnlearned manner to set downe what the ancient and true estate of his excellency the Lord Prince hath beene what it now is and how impaired and to what estate and dignity by your Maiesties high and Princely wisdome it may againe be reduced Beseeching your highnesse of your accustomed clemency to pardon this my bold attempt and to accept my poore trauels therein with that gratious aspect as you do the manifold gratulations of other your Maiesties louing subiects Your Maiesties loyall and obedient subiect I. D. ABSTRACTS AND ADVERTISEMENTS concerning the Contents of this HISTORIE THe originall and antient estate of Wales before and vntill the Conquest thereof by King Edward the First in the eleuenth yeere of his Raigne Edward of Carnaruon so called because he was born at Carnaruon Castle in VVales and sonne to King Edward the First constituted Prince of VVales and the policy vsed therein by King Edward the First The creation of Edward sirnamed the blacke Prince to be Prince of VVales and the antient manner of the inuesture of the Princes of VVales The strange limitation of the estate of the Lands of the said Principality and the reasons thereof and the difference betweene the Principality of VVales and the Dutchy of Cornewall for the eldest sonne and heire apparant of the King of England is Duke of Cornewall as soone as be is borne or as soone as his father is King of England But he is created Prince of VVales by a speciall creation inuesture and donation of the lands thereunto belonging and not by birth The yeerely value of the reuenues of the Principality of VVales as the same were in the bands of the Prince commonly called the blacke Prince Richard sirnamed of Burdeaux sonne of the said blacke Prince was after the death of his father created Prince of VVales at Hauering at the Bower in the Countie of Essex by E 3. his Grandfather Henry of Munmouth sonne to King Henry the Fourth created Prince of VVales he was afterwards King by the name of King Henry the Fift Edward the sonne of King Henry the Sixt created Prince of VVales and Earle of Chester and for that hee was then very yong there was ordained by an Act of Parliament what allowance should bee made vnto the said Prince for his Wardrobe seruants wages and other necessary expences vntill the said Prince should be of fourteene yeers of age There was also a Counsaile of diuers honourable personages as Bishops Earles and others for the gouernement and direction of the reuenues of the said Prince which dispose the same accordingly with the assent and aduice of the Queene who was also especially appointed in that behalfe Edward the sonne and heire apparant of King Edward the Fourth created Prince of VVales and a Councell of honourable personages allowed to him also for the gouernement of his reuenues and the Lord Riuers Vncle by the mothers side of the
rebellions and disorders the kings of England deuised their Scutagium or Escuage as it is called in the Lawes of England that is to leuy ayd assistance of their tenants in England which held of them Per Seruitium militare to suppresse such disordred Welsh tanquaÌ„ Rebelles and Non hostes as Rebells and not as forraine Enemies And hence it is that King Henry the third vpon those often reuolts of the Welsh indeuored to resume the Territory of Wales as forfeit vnto him selfe and conferred the same vpon Edward the Longshanckes his heire apparant yet neuerthelesse rather in title then in possession or vpon any profit obteyned thereby For the former prince of Wales continued his gouernment notwithstanding this betweene whome and the said Edward warres were continued Whereof when the said Edward complained to King Henry the third his father the said King made this answer as recordeth Matthew Paris a Cosmographer liuing in that time Quid ad me terra tua est ex dono meo Exerevires primitiuas famam excita iuuenilem et de caetero timeant inimici c. But the Charter of this gift is not now readilie to be found among the Records For after this time it appeareth by the Records of the Tower of London that by the mediation of Othâ—bon Deacon Cardinal of S Andrews a peace was concluded between the then Prince of the Welsh blood and the said Henry the 3. which neuerthelesse as it seemeth continued not long for sundry battells were fought betweene the said Edward both before and after he was King of England Lewlyn the last Prince of the Welsh blood and Dauid his brother vntill both the said Prince his said brother were ouercome by the said Edward after he was King of England and who thereby made a finall and full conquest of Wales annexing the same vnto the Crowne of England diuiding some parts thereof into Shires and appointing Lawes for the gouernment of that people Although the Welsh nation doe not willingly acknowledge such conquest but referres it rather to composition The words of the Statute made in Wales at Ruthlan presently vpon the conquest are these Diuina Prouidentia quae in sui dispositione non fallitur inter alia dispensationis munera quibus nos regnum nostrum Angliae decorari dignata est Terram Waliae cum incolis suis prius nobis iure fendali subiectam jam sui gratia in proprietatis nostrae dominium obstaculis quibuscunque non obstantibus totaliter et cum integritate conuertit et corona Regni pradicti tanquam partem corporis eiusdem annexit et vniuit This Territory of Wales thus being vnited the said King Edward vsed meanes to obtaine the peoples good will to strengthen that which he had gotten by effusion of blood with the beneuolence of his Subiects of Wales who promised their harty and most humble obedience if it would please the King either to remaine among them him selfe in person or else to appoint vnder him a gouernour ouer them that was of their owne nation cuntrey The King thereupon purposing a pretty policie sendeth for the Queene then being greate with Child to come vnto him into Wales who being deliuered of a sonne in the Castle of Carnaruon in Wales called by reason thereof Edward of Carnarnon the King thereupon sent for all the Barons of Wales tooke their assurance and submission according to their offers formerly made if they should haue a gouernour of their owne nation affirming vnto them that he was then ready to name vnto them a Gouernour borne in their Countrey and who could not speake any word of English whose life and conuersation no man was able to staine and required their promise of obedience whereunto they yeelding the King thereupon named vnto them his said sonne borne at Carnaruon Castle a few dayes before vnto whom the Barons of Wales afterwards made their homage as appeareth Anno 29 E 1. at Chester The said Edward of Carnaruon after the death of his father was King of England by the name of King Edward the second liuing in a turbulent time betweene him and his Barons was afterwards deposed for his ill gouernment and came to a violent death in the Castle of Barkeley and Edward his sonne by the name of King Edward the third reigned in his steade Neuerthelesse this Edward the third being called Edward of Windsor in the life of his father was created Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitane in a Parliamant holden at Yorke Edward the third in a Parliament holden at Westminster in the fifteenth yeare of his reigne created Edward his eldest sonne surnamed the blacke Prince Prince of Wales being then of tender yeeres and inuested him in the said Principalitie with these ensignes of honour and as in the Charter is conteined Per sertum in capite et annulum in digitâ— aureuÌ„ ac virgam argenteam iuxta moreÌ„ By a Chaplet of Gould made in the manner of a Garland for the word SertuÌ„ importeth by a gould ring set on his finger and by verdge Rod or Scepter of Siluer how be it in the inuesture of the succeeding Princes this Rod or Scepter as appeareth by the Charters of their seuerall creations was changed into a verge of gould The said King for the better maintainance of the said Prince his sonne in honorable support according to such his state and dignity gaue vnto him by his Charter dated the twelfth of May in the seuenth yeere of his reigne of England and in the fourth yeere of his reigne of France and inrolled in the Exchequer in the Terme of S. Hillary in the eighteenth yeere of the said King Edward the third The said Principality and the Mannors Lordships Castles and Lands ensuing to appertaine to the said Principalitie viz. All his Lordships and Lands in Northwales Westwales and Southwales 1 The Lordship Castle towne and County of Carnaruon 2 The Lordship Castle and towne of Conway 3 The Lordship Castle and towne of Crucketh 4 The Lordship Castle and towne of Bewmarish 5 The Lordship Castle and towne of Hardlagh 6 The Lordship Castle and townes and Countys of Anglesey and Merioneth 7 The Lordship Castle towne and County of Caermardin 8 The Lordship Castle and towne of Lampaderuaur 9 The Lordship and Stewardship of Cantermawer 10 The Lordship Castle towne and County of Cardigan 11 The Lordship Castle and Towne of Emelyn 12 The Lordship Castle and Towne of Buelt 13 The Lordship Castle and Towne of Hauerford 14 The Lordship Castle and Towne of Montgomery And all the Lands that were of Rice ap Meridick which came to the hands of King Edward the first together with all the Lordships Cities Castles Borrowes Townes Manours Members Hamlets Lands Tenements Knights fees Voydances of Bishopricks Aduowsons of Churches and of Abbeys Priories and of Hospitals with Customes and Prisages of wines The exercise and execution of
Parchment Inke and other necessaries spent in the Exquerer at Carnaruon and for bags to put money in 1. l. 10. s. For expence of Bayliffes Itinerant bringing the Writs for collecting of the money by the Receiuers 1â— s. Summa totalis of Carnaruon is 303. l 19. d The Constable of the Castle of Bewmarris and Captaine of the Towne whose yeerely fee was 26. l. 13. s. 4. d. The Steward of Mâ—ney whose fee was yeerely 5. l. The Steward of Rossaire whose fee was yeerely 20. s. Summa totalis Anglesey 32. l. 13. s. 4. d The Constable of the Castle of Hardleigh whose fee is yeerely 50. l. The Auditors whose yeerely fees are 61. l. 18. s. 4. d. And for their charges they are allowed 90. l. The Receiuer whose yeerely fee and allowance for portage of money 30. l. 1â— s. 6. d. The Surueyoâ— whose-yeerely fee is 20. l. The Woodward whose yeerely fee is 10. l. Summa totalis for Merioneth 262. l. 16. â— 10. d. The totall summe for North-Wales 599. l. 8. â— 5. South-Wales The Protonotary and Clarke of the Crowne in the Counties of Cardigan Carmarden Pembrooke and the Towne of Hauerford-west whose fee is 40. s. The 〈…〉 in the Counties of 〈…〉 Cardigan Pembrooke Brecknock and Radnor whose yeerely â—eeis â— l. 13. s. 4. d. The Stewards of the Welsh Courts whose yeerely fee is 6. l. The Sheriffe of Cardigan whose fee is 5. l. Summa totalis of Cardigan 21. l. 13. s. 4d The Chamberlaine and Chancellor of Carmarden whose yeerely fee is 35. l. 11. s. 8. d. The Cryer of the great Sessions holden in the Counties of Carmarden Cardigan and Pembrooke whose fee is 6. s. 8. d. The Constable of the Castle of Carmarden whose yeerely fee is 20. l. The Steward of the Welsh Courts of the Countie of Carmarden whose fee is 10. l. The Iustices of the Counties of Carmarden and Cardigan their yeerely fee is to each of them 50. l. and they are allowed for their dyet in the times of their great Sessions 40. l. There is paid yeerely to the Protonotary and Clarkes of the Crowne for their trauell in making and ingrossing the estreats of the great Sessions 5. l. Summa total is Carmarden 215. l. 19. s. 8. d. The present reuenue of the Principality of Wales as the same was in charge before the Auditors this last yeere past viz. 44 Elizabeth The Farme and yeerely rents certaine of the Mannors Lands and Tenements in the Countie of Carnaruon amounteth vnto 423. l. 3. s. 4. d. ob q. The casuall profits thereof 76. l. 19. s. 9. d. ob Summa totalis is 500. l. 3. s. q. The Farme and yeerely rents certaine of the Mannors Lands and Tenements in the County of Anglesey 398. l. 19. s. 11. d. q. The casuall profits thereof 26. l. 10. s. 10. d. Summa totalis is 425. l. 10. s. 9. d. q. The Farme and yeerely rent certaine of the Manners Lands and Tenements in the Countie of Merioneth 202. l. 9. s. ob q. The casuall profits 60. l. 16. s. 10. d. Summa totalis is 263. l. 5. s. 10. d. ob q Summa totalis of North-Wales yeerely amounteth vnto 1138. l. 19. s. 8. d. q. South-VVales The Farme and rents certaine of the County of Cardigan amounted to 213. l. 2. s. 2. d. The casuall profits thereof 86. l 9. s. 2. d. Summa totalis is 299. l. 11. s. 4. d. The Farme and rents certaine of the County of Carmarden amounted to 185. l. 6. s. 3. d. ob The casuall profits 180. l 11. s. 7. d. Summa totalis is 376. l. 17. s. 10. d. ob The summe totall of South-Wales 676. l. 9. s. 2. d. ob The yeerely summe totall being cast vp together amounteth vnto 1865. l. 8. s. 10 d. ob q The charges aboue specified and other issuing all manner of waies out of the same reuenues amount to 530. l. 6. s. 7. d. Which being deducted out of the former totall summe of 1865. l. 8. s. 10 d. ob q. there doth rest cleere the yeerely summe of 1335. l. 2. s. 3. d. ob q. Whereby may be obserued that the reuenue of the Principalitie of Wales in the time of Prince Edward called the blacke Prince almost three hund'ed yeeres agoe without deductions amounted to 4681. l. 12. s. 5. d. q. is now worne and wasted to the summe of 1865. l. 8. s. 10 d. ob q. and with the ordinary deductions and Reprizes taken out of it at this present in charges fees to officers and other reprizers is brought to the summe of 1335 l. 2. s. 3. d. ob q. Which smal sum also as the reuenue was to Queen Elizabeth was much lessened for that a greater summe in the whole amounting yeerely to 1789. l. 3. s. 2. d. which did partly arise by reason of the allowance of the dyet of the Councell of the Marches being yeerely 1106. l. 13. s. 4. d. The fees of the Barons of the Exchequer in Wales being officers of the Principalitie of Wales the Auditors fees Woodwards fees Receiuers fees Surueyors fees and for the portage of money was charged as well vpon this reuenue of the Prince as vpon other lands and reuenues belonging to the Crowne within the seuerall Counties of Wales And so much of the Principality of Wales THE SECOND PART CONTAINETH THE DVTCHY OF CORNEWALL The second part of this reuenue appertaining to the Prince is that which ariseth vnto him out of the Dutchie of Cornewall and belongeth vnto him as Duke of Cornewall THe vttermost part of this Island towards the West stretching it selfe by a long extent into the Ocean is called the County of Cornewall lying ouer against the Dutchie of Britaine in France The people inhabiting the same are called Cornishmen and are also reputed a remnant of the Britaines the ancient Inhabitants of this land they haue a particular language called Cornish although now much worne out of vse differing but little from the Welsh and the language of the Britaine 's in France which argueth their originall to haue beene out of one Nation This Territorie was anciently reputed a Dukedome but a little before and also after the Norman Conquest it was an Earledome and so continued vntill the eleuenth yeere of King Edward the Third at which time it was of new constituted a Dutchie and the first Dutchie that was erected in England after the said conquest Such as were Earles thereof in ancient time before the erection of the said Dutchie were for the most part of the bloud Royall amongst whom many being memorable there was as most ancient Richard Earle of Cornewall the elect Emperour or King of the Romanes brother to King Henry the Third but his posterity dying without issue it came againe to the Crowne in the daies of King Edward the First who conferred the said Earledome vpon Edward the Prince his sonne sirnamed of Carnaruon who being King conferred the
l. 13. s. 4. d. The fee of the Steward and keeper of the Courts of the Mannors in the County of Cornewall which sometimes were the Marquesse of Exceter and now parcell of the lands annexed vnto the said Dutchy 46. s. 8. d. The fee of the Bailiffe Itinerant of the said Dutchie of Cornewall 3. l. 10. d. The fee of the Woodward of the said Dutchie of Cornewall yeerely 5. l. The summe totall of the fees of the Officers of the said Dutchie of Cornewall 138. l. 3. s. 4. d. Money paid vnto the Captaine of the Castle of Saint Mawes 118. l. 12. s. 6. d. Money paid to the Captaine of the Castle of Pendynas both which Castles are for the defence of the Hauen of Falmouth 118. l. 12. s. 6. d. Summe totall 237. l. 5. s. Paid yeerely to the Bishop of Exceter for the tenth of the coynage of Tynne in Deuon and Cornewall 16. l. 13. s. 4. d. Paid yeerely vnto the Barons of the Exchequer forth examination of the accounts belonging to the said Dutchie 5. l. The summe totall of all the charges and reprizes taken out thereof amounted vnto 615. l. 9. s. 6. d. Which being deducted out of the generall summe of the reuenues of the said Dutchie being by estimation 4569. l. 12. s. 2. d. q. there may remaine of cleere reuenue the summe of 3954. l. 2s 8 d. q. which cannot be cast into a certaine yeerely value by reason of the casuall profits and casuall expences which may happen yeerely And thus much of the Dutchie of Cornewall THE EARLEDOME OF CHESTER The third reuenue is the Earledome of Chester whereunto is annexed the Countie of Flint belonging to the Prince as Earle of Chester THe Earledome of Chester is the third reuenue before spoken of this Earledome bordering vpon North-Wales for the better defence of that Country and that the Inhabitants should not be thence withdrawne in sutes of law was made Palatyne and conferred by the Conquerour vpon his kinsman Hugh sirnamed Loupe or Lupus sonne to the Earle of Awrenches in Normandy to whom hee gaue this Earledome To haue and to hold to him and his heires as the words of the first donation import It a libere adgladium sicut ipse Rex tenebat Angliam Coronam This Earledome for the more honour thereof and for the better accomplishment of the Palatyne iurisdiction therin hath certaine substitute Baronyes vnder it who doe acknowledge the Earle Palatyne to be their superiour Lord as 1 The Baron of Halton 2 The Baron of Mountalt 3 The Baron of Maâ—banâ—k 4 The Baron of Shibrooke 5 The Baron of Malpas 6 The Baron of Mascey 7 The Baron of Kinderton 8 The Baron of Stockport This Earledome from the said Hugh Lupus discended in his bloud and kâ—ndred by sundry descents vnto Iohn sirnamed Scot Earle of Chester Anguise Galway and Huntingdon who in the time of King Henry the Third dying without issue the said King Henry the Third seized the same into his hands giuing the Aunts and next coheires of the said Iohn other Lands by exchange which thing the said King was induced to doe as the Record saith netanta haereditas inter colos diduceretur not willing that so great a patrimony should beâ— parted amongst disttaffs Afterward King Edward the first was by his father the said King Henry the third created Earle of Chester But the same Earldome being afterwards conferred vpon Simon de Monford by his attainder it came the Crowne After that Edward the third in the life-time of his father and before he tooke vpon him the Kingdome had the said Earledome but afterwards hee being King gaue the same to his eldest sonne Edward surnamed the Black Prince by his Charter bearing date at Pomfret the eighteenth day of March in the seuenth yeere of his reigne and inrolled of record in the Exchequer anno 33. of the same King By which Charter the said King did grant vnto the said Earle of Chester the Castles of Chester Beston Rothlan and Flint and all his lands there And also the cantred and lands of Englefield together with the Knights fees aduousons liberties franchises forrests chaces parks woods warrens and other the appurtenances thereunto belonging to haue and to hold to him and to his heires Kings of England And the same King by another Charter bearing date the ninteenth of March in the seuenth yeere of his reigne granted vnto the said Earle of Chester all his goods chattels stock of cattell then being in or vpon the said lands of the said Earldome formerly granted Moreouer all the Kings of England succeeding when they created their sonnes and heires apparant Princes of Wales did also create them Earles of Chester to haue and to hold the same vnto him so created and his heires Kings of England in such manner as the Principality of Wales was giuen vnto him And did by their seuerall Charters giue vnto the said Earle the said Earledome and lands as namely the said Castles of Chester Beston Rothlan and Flint and the Castle also of Hope and the Mannors of Hope and Hopedall and of Foreshaâ— and the said Cantred and lands of Englefield and other their lands in the said Counties of Chester Flint and elsewhere belonging vnto the said Earledome And the Aduouson of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Asaph in Wales and the auoydance issues and profits of the temporalities of the Bishopricks of Chester and Saint Asaph aforesaid together with all aduousons pentions portions corrodies offices prizes customes liberties franchises lordships comots hundreds escheats forfeitures and hereditaments vnto the said Earldome belonging And to the intent that it may the better appeare both what the ancient reuenewes were of the said Earledome and also what it is at this present I shall according to the order before pursued set downe the ancient reuenew thereof as it was in the latter time of King Edward the third and also how it now standeth in charge to your Maiestie The ancient reuenews of the Earldome of Chester as it was taken vpon the suruey thereof made in the fiftieth of Edward the third The County of Chester The fee farme of the City of Chester 100. l. For other profits out of the said Citie 4 l The farme of the towne of Medwick 64. l The Farme of the Milles vpon the Riuer of Dee 240 l The Manner of Dracklow in yeerly rent 49. l. 22. d. The farme of the Mannor of Dummarsh 15. l The Forrest of Mara the issues and profits thereof 51. l. 7. s. The rents and profits of Norwich are 66 l The Mannor of Shotwick the rents are 30. l. 14. s. 1. d. The Mannor of Eordsham in yeerly rent 56. l. 13. s. 4. d. The profits of the office of the Sheriffe of the said County 124. l. 7. s. 4. d. The perquisits of Courts holden by the Iustice of Chester 180. l. The profits of the office of the Escheator 100 l The summe totall of the reuenew of the said Earldome
to serue the present case then vse they the writ of Quod ei deforciat which supplieth that defect And although the Principality of Wales as hath appeared by some of the records aboue mentioned were diuided into three Prouinces Northwales Southwales and Westwales for so in some of the former patents they are mentioned yet for the Iurisdiction thereof it was diuided into two parts Northwales and Southwales for a great part of Westwales was comprehended within the Shire of Pembrooke which is a very ancient Shire of Wales and the Territory thereof conquered by the English in the time of William Rufus Long time before the generall conquest of Wales by Richard Strangbow being English and the Earle thereof and called also by some Earle of Strigulia or Chepstow was the first that attempted the conquest of Ireland in the dayes of Henry the second which was aboue an hundred yeeres before the conquest of Wales by King Edward the first This Earledome of Pembrooke had in ancient time palatine Iurisdiction and therefore in some records is called regalis comitatus Pembrochiae The Prouinces of Northwales and Southwales were gouerned for Law in this manner The Prince had and vsed to hold a Chancery and a Court of Exchequer in the Castle of Carnarvon for Northwales and had a Iudge or Iustice which ministred Iustice there to all the Inhabitants of Northwales and therefore was called the Iustice of Northwales The like Courts of Chancery and Exchequer he held in the Castle of Carmarthen for Southwales where he had a Iustice also called the Iustice of Southwales and the Courts of their Iustices or Iudges so held within their seuerall Prouinces were called the great Sessions of those Prouinces and sometimes these Iustices were itinerant and sate in euery of the seuerall Counties of his Prouince in these great Sessions the causes of greatest moment reall personall and mixt and pleas of the Crowne concerning life and members were heard and determined In these great Courts also vpon creation of euery new Prince there were granted by the people of that Prouince vnto the Prince nomine recognitionis ad primum adventum principis certaine summes of money as it were in acknowledgement or reliefe of the new Prince which summes of money are called by them Mises These Mises or summes of money were granted by the people vnto the Prince for his allowance of their Lawes and ancient Customes and a generall pardon of their offences fineable or punishable by the Prince and that summe of these Mises for the Shire of Carmerthen only amounted vnto eight hundred markes and for the Shire of Cardigan the totall summe of these Mises amounted vnto sixe hundred markes as by sundry records doth appeare these summes of mony were paid at certaine daies by seuerall portions such as were appointed and in the said Sessions agreed vpon Also in â—uâ—ry Shire of euâ—ry of the said Prouinces there were holden certaine inferior Courts called therefore County Courts and Shire Courts and Tournes after the manner of England and which by some were also the petty Sessions And there were also Courts inferior in sundry Counties for ending of causes of lesse moment and importance and if any wrong iudgement were giuen in any of these Courts inferior the same was redressed by a writ of false iudgement in the Court superior And if any â—rronious iudgement were giuen in the great Sessions which was the supreme Court of Iustice that error was either redressed by the iudgement of penall Iustices itinerant or else in the Parliament and not otherwise in any the Courts of Iustice now at Westminster As touching the gouernment of the Marches of Wales it appeareth by diuers ancient monuments that the Conqueror after hee had conquered the English placed diuers of his Norman Nobility vpon the confines and borders towards Wales and erected the Earldome of Chester being vpon the borders of Northwales to Palatine and gaue power vnto the said persons thus placed vpon those borders to make such conquests vpon the Welsh as they by their strength could accomplish holding it a very good policy thereby not only to encourage them to be more willing to serue him but also to prouide for them at other mens costs And hereupon further ordained that the lands so conquered should be holden of the Crowne of England in capite and vpon this and such like occasions dâ—uers of the Nobility of England hauing lands vpon the said borders of Wales made roades and incursions vpon the Welsh whereby diuers parts of that Country neere or towards the said borders were wonne by the sword from the Welshmen and were planted partly with â—nglish Collonies and and the said lands so conquered were holden per Baronia and were called therefore Baronyes Marchers In such manner did Robert Fitzhamoâ— acquire vnto himselfe and such others as assisted him the whole Lordship of Glamorgan vsâ—â—g in some resemblance the Roman policy to enlarge Territories by stepping in betweene two competitors and by helping the one hee subdued the other and after â—urning his â—word against him whom he assisted and making this the pretence of his quarrel alleadge that he whom he had assisted had denied to make vnto him sufficient recompence for his susteined trauils and so made himselâ—e abso'ute owner of all likewise Barnard Newmarch conquâ—â—ed the Lordship of Brecknock containing three Cantreds and established his conquest by a mariage in the Welsh blood Hâ—gh Lacy conquered the lands of Ewyas called after his name Ewyas Lacy and others did the like in other places of the borders all which were Baronies Marchers and were holden by such the Conquerors thereof in capite of the Crowne of England and because they and their posterity might the better keepe the said Lands so acquired and that they might not bee withdrawne by suits of Law from the defence of that which they had thus subdued The said Lordships and Lands so conquered were ordained Baronies Marchers and â—ad a kinde of Palatine â—urisdiction erected in â—uâ—ry of them and power to administer Iustice vnto their Tenants in euery of their Territories hauing therein Courts with diuers priuiledges franchises and immunities so that the Writs of ordinary Iustice out of the Kings Courts were for the most part not currant amongst them Neuerthelesse if the whole Barony had come in question or that the strife had beene two Barons Marchers touching their Territories or confines thereof for want of a Superiour they had recourse vnto the King their supreame Lord and in these and such like cases where their owne Iurisdiction failed Iustice was vnministred vnto them in the Superiour Courts of this Realme And this was the state of the gouernement of the Marches of Wales both before and after the generall Conquest of Wales made by king Edward the First as hath beene declared vntill the seauen and twentieth yeere of King Henry the Eight And as touching the first