settlement of our 3. Kingdoms reduced to the brink of utter ruine by their dangerous 〈◊〉 Innovations and Usurpations over their fellow-Members â—…cers and Kings and restore our Parliaments to their antient Constitution Rights Privileges without any injurious Incroachments upon the Peoples Liberties or one House upon the other I shall 〈◊〉 God for it and by his assistance proceed to publish the remaining Sections for the benifit of Posterity In the mean time I hope this Fragment will demerit thy thanks too and thy servent Prayers for thy friend The unfeined unmercinary Servant of his Native Country in his generation William Prynn Lincolns-Inne Jan. 7. 1659. THE SECOND PART OF A Brief Register Kalendar and Survey of the several Kindes Forms of PARLIAMENTARY WRITS HAving already presented the world with the First Part of my Brief Register Kalendar and Survey of the several kinds forms of Parliamentary Writs in 3. distinct Sections with Special General Choise useful Annotations on and Observations from them relating principally to the Members and Assistants of the LORDS HOUSE I shall now proceed in this Second Part by Gods assistance to communicate to this present age and Posteritie in several Sections the manifold varieties forms of Writs issued to Sheriffs of Shires and particular Corporations made Counties within themselves Wardens of the Cinqueports Mayors of Towns Burroughs and Officers of the Ports for electing Knights Citizens Burgesses Barons of the Ports and other Members to serve in our Great Councils Parliaments or attend upon or appear before them as Assistants or otherwise upon Extraordinarie Occasions with the different Forms of Writs for Proroguing Adjourning Superseding Parliaments or Councils after the first Writs of Summons issued to Spiritual and Temporal Lords of all ranks the Kings Counsil Sheriffs and other Officers with extraordinarie Writs directed to the King Nobles Officers and others of Scotland and to some Lords Officers and others in Ireland as likewise to Merchants Masters Owners of Ships and other private persons to appear at or before the Parliament or Kings Counsil in England upon urgent occasions relating to the respective Lands affairs defences of Scotland or Ireland or to the Guarding of the Seas Merchandize trade and the like with sundrie kinds of Writs issued to the Arch-bishops Bishops Convocations Clergy of England besides other rare Writs relating to our Parliamentarie affairs and proceedings not hitherto published or insisted on by any Writers of our Parliaments though most worthie the knowledg of all Noble-men States-men Parliament-men Lawyers Gentlemen of qualitie Antiquaries Historians hitherto for the most part totally unacquainted with them or the majoritie of them almost quite buried in the grave of oblivion many of our Records being now overspread with dust cobwebs and eaten up with rust cankers moths worms in their over-much neglected Cells for want of industrie care in those who should preserve and reduce them into better order for the publike benefit of the present and succeeding ages A Work fit to be speedily executed promoted and no longer deferred by those whom it most concerns and by persons in highest Authoritie as worthy their superintendent eye and countenance being the richest Treasures of the whole English Nation SECTION IV. Of the several varieties forms of Writs for electing Knights Citizens and Burgesses for Parliaments and great Councils issued to the Sheriffs of Counties intermixed with some of their ancientest Retorns by Sheriffs and some writs of Prorogation and Resummons with special usefull Annotations on and Observations from them after most of these VVrits recitals VVHen and in what Kings Reign Writs for electing Knights Citizens and Burgesses to serve in our great Councils Parliaments were first issued and they upon the peoples free choice admitted into them as Members is a great yet undecided Countroversie amongst Antiquaries and Writers of our English Parliaments Some conceit that there were Knights Citizens Burgesses and Commons in the Reigns of our Saxon Kings before the Conquest summoned as Members to their grand Councils and included together with the Nobles under the name of Sapientes and the like for proof whereof they much insist upon the pretended ancient Treatise stiled Modus tenendi Parliamentum which in truth is but a late absurd Imposture though cried up by Sir Edw. Cook who over doted on it for a most ancient Record beyond all exceptions relying upon it as an undoubted Oracle Others refer their original to the Parliamentarie Council held at Salisbury in the sixteenth year of King Henry the 1. to which opinion Polydor Virgil Holingshed Speed in their Histories Anno 1216. Justice Dodderidg Mr. Cambden Mr. Agar and Joseph Holland in their Treatises of the c Antiquity of the Parliaments of England Sir Walter Raleigh and others incline as most probable Which I have at large refuted in My Plea for the Lords p. 165. to 183. by unanswerable evidences Sir Rob Cotton and Mr. Selden two of our learnedest most judicious Antiquaries do rather incline that the writs for electing Knights Citizens and Burgesses began but about the later end of King Henry the 3. and that the first Writ of this kinde now extant is that in Cl. 49 H. 3. before which time I conceive it can hardly be made good by Historie or Records that anie Knights Citizens Burgesses or Commons elected by the people or others were called to our Great Councils or Parliaments as Members of them That which induceth me to adhere to this opinion are not onely the Histories and Records I have elswhere cited during the reigns of King Henry the 1. King Stephen Henry the 2. Richard 1. King Iohn and Henry the 3. of all the Parliamentarie Councils held under them before this year which make no mention of anie such Knights Citizens Burgesses or Commons summoned to or present in them as Members but only of the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earls Nobles and Great men of the Realm but these memorable Writs entred in the Clause Roll of 48 H. 3. which assure us that there was a Parliamentarie Council summoned held this year by the King his Prelates Lords Nobles Barons and a Tenth granted him by the Prelates Lords ordained how to be levied expended for the common benefit of the Realm Church of England by their unanimous Counsil and advice without the least mention at all of anie Knights Citizens Burgesses or Commons called to or acting in it in anie kinde Claus. 48 H. 3. m. 5. dorso Rex Johanni de Balliolo salutem Cum jam sedata turbatione nuper habita in Regno nostro Pax inter Nos et Barones nostros divina cooperante gratia ordinata sit ac firmata Et quaedam ardua negocia Nos et Regnum nostrum tangentia Vobiscum communicanda habeamus quae sine praesentia vestra aliorum Fidelium nostrorum nequeunt expediri Vobis de Consilio Baronum nostrorum mandamus in fide et homagio quibus Nobis tenemini
Angliae Archiepiscopi Episcopi et majores Abbates et quidam Magnates regni Papalo mandatum à Domino Legato explicanduÌ„ audituri c. Comes vero Ricardus alii Magnates Crucesignati ibidem existentes c. Anno 1242. 26 H. 3. scripsit Rex Anglorum omnibus regni sui Magnatibus Archiepiscopis Episcopis Abbatibus Prioribus Comitibus Baronibus without mentioning any Knights Citizens Burgesses or Commons districtè praecipiens ut omnes Generaliter Londinum die Martis ante Purificationem beatae Virginis convenirent de arduis negotiis regni dilationem non capientibus cum summa deliberatione tractaturi Imminente vero Purificatione beatae Mariae totius Angliae Nobilitas tam Praelatorum quam Comitum et Baronum secundum Regium praeceptum est Londini congregatum c. Responderunt Magnates cum magna cordium amaritudine c. There being no mention of any Commons Knights Citizens or Burgesses therein though writ in the margin Convocatur Generale Parliamentum Londini c. Postea verò ne oblivio tenorem responsionis Baronum deleret in scriptum taliter sunt haec redacta Cum Dominus Eboracensis Archiepiscopus et omnes Episcopi Angliae Abbates et Priores per se vel per Procuratores suos necnon et omnes Comiteg et ferè omnes Barones Angliae ad mandatum Domini Regis convenissent apud Westm. c. Anno Dom. 1242. regni Henrici 3. Regis 26. audituri Domini Regis voluntatem et negotium pro quo ipsos mandaverat Et idem Dominus Rex c. per eosdem solennes nuncios omnes Magnates de Regno suo rogasset de consilio ei dando et auxilio faciendo c. tandem dicti Episcopi Abbates et Priores Comites et Barones magno inter eos tractatu praehabito in primis Domino Regi per praedictos Magnates dederunt consilium c. Et cum dicti Magnates nuncii istud Domino Regi nunciassent responsum redeuntes ad Barnagium dixerunt quod in parte sufficiens dederunt Domino Regi responsum Anno 1244. 28 H. 3. convenerunt Regia submonitione convocati Londinum Magnates totius Regni Archiepiscopi Episcopi Abbates Priores Comites Barones without Knights Citizens Burgesses or Commons In quo Concilio petiit Rex ore proprio in praesentia Magnatum auxilium sibi fieri pecuniare c. Recedentesque Magnates de refectorio convenerunt Archiepiscopi Episcopi Abbates Priores seorsim per se super hoc diligenter tractaruri Tandem requisiti ex parte eorum Comites Barones si vellent suis Consiliis unanimiter consentire in responfione et provisione super hiis facienda Qui responderunt quod sine commnni universitate nihil facerent Whereupon the Spiritual and Temporal Lords appointing a Committee agreed in an Answer and Ordinance there being no mention of any but of these Magnatum Magnates Magnatibus et Praelatis in all the passages of this Parliamentary Council which are large and notable a The same year Convenientibus autem iterum Magnatibus cum Praelatis generaliter Londini a die purificationis beatae Mariae in tres Septimanas Concilium super praedictis negotiis et tractatum habuerunt diligentem where they granting the King an ayde to marrie his daughter of xx 8. upon every Knights fee upon condition to ratifie the Great Charter cum novisset Martinus Nuncius Domini Papae quod Magnates Angliae Regiae contributioni generaliter consensissent inhiabat avidius ad negotium suum ad quod missus fuerat consummandum c. After which the same year Rex edicto publicè proposito summonitione generaliter facta fecit notificare per totam Angliam ut quilibet Baro tenens de Rege in capite haberet prompta parata Regali praecepto omnia servitia militaria quae ei debentur tam Episcopi et Abbates quam Laici Barones Congregata igitur universitate totius Angliae Nobilium apud Novum Castrum super fluvium Thynam tractatum est diligenter super tam arduo negotio concerning the differences and an accord between Alexander King of Scots and King Henry Concilio habito circa Assumptionem beatae Mariae diligentissimo where peace was concluded between the Kings and ratified by the Charter of the King of Scots and the Seals of his Prelates Earls and Barons The same year in crastino Omnium Animarum convenientes Magnates Angliae Rex cùm instantissimè ne dicâ—…m impudentissimè auxilium pecuniare ab eis iterum postularet toties laesi et illusi contradixerunt ei unanimiter et uno ore in facie Anno 1246. 30 H. 3. Rex missis literis suis totius Regni Magnates convocavit ut Londini die qua cantatur Letare Hierusalem de statu regni generaliter convenirent tractaturi On which day Edicto Regio convocata convenit ad Parliamentum generalissimum totius Regni Anglicani totalis Nobilitas Londini videlicet Praelatorum tam Abbatum Priorum quà m Episcoporum Comitum quoque Baronum without any mention or intimation of Knights Citixens Burgesses Commoners ut de statu Regni jam vacillante efficaciter prout exigit urgens necessitas consulerent Convenientibus igitur ad Parliamentum memoratum totius Regni Magnatibus in primis aggressus est Dominus Rex ore proprio Episcopos per se posteà verò Comites Barones deinde autem Abbates Priores videlicet super his pro quibus miserat nuncios suos solennes ad Concilium Lugdunense Then shewing them the Oppressions and grievances of the Church and Realm of England by the Pope drawn into Articles which they all consented unto the Bishops by themselves the Abbâ—…s by themselves the Earls Nobles and Barons by themselves in their own names and in the name of all the Clergy and people of England and the King by himself writ several Letters to the Pope and Cardinals for their redress The King in the mean time sending forth Prohibitions under his Seal to all the Bishops not to pay any tax or tallage to the Pope Contra provisionem per Magnates nostros tam Praelatos quà m Comites Barones factam in Concilio nostro Londinensi c. After which die Translationis beati Thomae Martyris habitum est Magnum Concilium inter Regem et regni Magnates apud Wintoniam where receiving the Popes answer to their messengers sent to the Council of Lyons touching their grievances and his carriage towards them Haec autem cum audisset Dominus Rex cum Magnatibus suis commotus est vehementer et meritò c. Anno 1247. 31 H. 3. urgente mandato Papali redivivo de importabili contributione c. fecit Dominus Rex Magnates suos necnon et Angliae Archidiaconos but no Knights Citizens or Burgesses per scripta suâ—… Regia Londinum convocari Quo cum pervenissent die praefixo Episcopi
sequentibus habuerunt diligentem Tractatum Rex Magnates quomodo conterrerent Wallensium tam intollerabilem cum irruptionibus suis crebris insolentiam Submonetur igitur generaliter tota Angliae militia ut omnes qui tenentur ad servitia militaria Domâ—…no Regi sint prompti parati sequi Regem profecturum in Walliam cum equis armis die Lunae ante nativitatem B. Johannis Baptistae apud Cestriam c. Eodemque tempore cum instanter constanter respondissent Magnates Regni communiter Regi qui cum magna instantia in memorato Parliamento urgenter pecuniam insinitam sibi dari postulasset pro negotio Apuliae expediendo aliis arduis promovendis quod nullo modo potuerunt sine eorum irrestaurabili subversione toties inaniter substantiolas suas usque ad exinanitionem effundere c. Cum constanter praecisè respondissent quasi uno ore Magnates Regni in Parliamento Regi cum urgenter ab eis postulasset auxilium pecuniare quòd nec voluerunt nec potuerunt amplius sustinere tales extortiones Rex iratus ad alia se conuertit aslutiae argumenta c. Duravit adhuc praelibati Parliamenti altercatio inter Regem Regni Magnates usque diem Dominicam proximam post ascensionem multiplicabantur contra Regem variae diatim querimoniae c. Et quia nesciebant adhuc Magnates quomodo suum Prothea tenere voluissent quia arduum fuerat negotium difficile dilatum est Parliamentum usque ad festum sancti Barnabae apud Oxoniam diligen ter celebrandum Interim Optimates Angliae fibi praecaventes providentes consoederati sunt c. Instante vero festo sancti Barnabae Apostoli Magnates et Nobiles terrae ad Parliamentum quod Oxoniae tenendum suit properabant praeceperuntque omnibus qui eisdem servitium militare debuerant quatenus cum ipsis venirent parati veluti ad corpora sua contra hostiles insoltus defensuri c. Parliamento autem incipiente solidabatur Magnatum propositum Confilium Immutabile c. In all the debates and transactions of this Parliament recited at large in our Historians there is no mention of any Knights Citizens Burgesses Commons but only of Comites Magnates Barones Nobiles who acted and spake all who are stiled Universitas Regni and the Statutes and Ordinances they made at Oxford Statuta Baronum to which the Londiners and others assented Cirea festum sancti Leonardi tale iniit Consilium Universitas Baronagii quod tunc Londinierat Anno 1259. 42 H. 3 Fuit Rex ad Natale domini Londini ubi magna sollicitudine tractatum est inter Nobiles Regni quomodo conservato suo salubri proposito satisfacerent defiderio Regis Richardi de Alemannia c. Proposuerunt igitur Magnates accipere juramentum ab ipso Rege Aleman antequam applicuisset ne Regno Angliae quomodolibet noceret vel provisionem communem impediret Comes autem Legriae Simon non sine multoram admiratione in partibus adhuc transmarinis morabatur Unde in magna parte suit Consilium Baronagii mutilatum c. In crastino autem intraverunt Magnates Angliae capitulum Cantuariense where King Richard took a solemne Oath before them which they prescribed and administred to him In octavis purificationis congregati sunt Nobiles Angliae Londini prous inter se prius condixerant c. over against which is printed in the Margin Parliamentum Londini habitum After which the Historian informs us William de Hortuna was sent into Scotland Negotia enim ardua sed secreta Regi Reginae as Scotioe Magnatibus sibi injuncta fuerunt ex parte Regis Reginae Magnatium Angliae Quicum illoâ—… veniret Regem Scotiae Reginam Regni Magnates ibi ad parliameutum in vâ—…nit prout desideravit congregatos c. By which it is evident That in this Age the King Queen and Nobles of England and Scotland constituted and made up the Parliaments of both kingdoms without any elected Knights of Shires Citizens or Burgesses introduced in succeeding times The same year circa Kalend. Apr. ex praecepto et consilio Domini Regis Angliae et totius Baronagii arripuerunt iter transmarinum ad Parliamentum magnum Regis Francorum tenendum in Francia pro pluribus arduis negotiis Regna Franciae Angliae de resignatione Normanniae et literas credentiae c. Magnates vero Angliae statutis quae inceperant salubriter intendebant ad malas consuetudines injurias et corruptelas amodo delendas omnino assidui et confederati Anno 1265. 49 H. 3. after the battel of Evesham wherein the Barons were slaine and routed on the Nativity of our Ladie Septemb. 8. Rex potestati Regiae restitutus de consilio filii victoris Wintoniam Parliamentum convocavit ubi consilio inito Civitatem Londinensem ob suam rebellionem privavit suis privilegiis libertatibus antiquis Capitaneos etiam factionis contra Regem juxta voluntatem ejus plectendos jubet carceri mancipari Rex et Regni Proceres writes Matthew Westminster apud Winton ordinarunt quod ditiores civitatis Londinensis in carcerem truderentur quod Cives antiquis libertatibus privarentur et quod stipites et cathenae quibus Civitas fuerat roborata de medio tollerentur pro eo quod Simoni de Monteforti Comiti Leicestriae in regis contemptum et etiam damnum regni fortiter adhaeserunt quo totum factumest By all these Historical passages in Matthew Paris Rishanger his Continuer and Mat. Westminster it is most apparent beyond contradiction that as there were many writs of summons under K. Henry 3. to Parliamentarie Councils issued to the Spiritual and Temporal Lords before 49 H. 3. not extant in the Clause Rolls or other Records so there were no Knights of Shires Citizens Burgesses or Commons elected or summoned by writ or Charter to these Great Councils or Parliaments during all the reign of King Henry the 〈◊〉 until the Parliament held at London in Octabis Sancti Hillarii the 49. year of his reign when they were first elected summoned by writ for ought appears by Historie or Record there being none but the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earls Nobles Barons Spiritual and Temporal Lords of the Realm summoned to consulting acting debating ordering enacting Lawes or Ordinances or granting refusing aydes subsidies or expostulating with the King or Pope in any of them as all these transcribed passages evidence with the Records of Claus. 18 H. 3. m. 10. Vic. Lincoln Claus. 19 H. 3 m. 20. cited in my Epistle before the first part of this Brief Register Kalendar and Survey and those of 48 H. 3. here cited p. 4. to 10. To which I shall superadde for further confirmation of this truth Claus. 18 H. 3 m. 27. Rex Majori et Civibus suis Dublin c. where the King reciting the death of the Earl Marshal slain in
nisi ab inceptis celerius desisterit omnes qui versus quempiam ante relaxationem interdicti hostiliter arma gesserunt praeter ipsum solum anathematis vinculo innodaret Sicque ab inceptis Regem revocans Archiepiscopus non prius abe recessit donec Diem conipetentem ad Curiam Regis veniendi et ibidem Iuri parendi Baronibus impetrasset The 8. of September following the Archbishop Bishops Abbots Priors and Barons of the Realm assembling together at Pauls the Archbishop calling some of the Barons to him apart from the rest secretly acquainted them with the Kings forecited Oath taken at his absolution and produced before them the Charter of Liberties granted by King Henry the first by which they might if they would reduce their long lost Liberties to their pristine estate At which the Barons greatly rejoycing juraverunt omnes in praesentia Archiepiscopi quod viso tempore congruo pro hiis libertatibus si necesse fuerit decertabunt usque ad mortem Archiepiscopus autem promisit eis fidelissimum auxilium suum pro posse suo Et sic confoederatione facta inter eos Colloquium solutum est The King hereupon as I conjecture issued out the precedent writ the 3. of November following whereon it bears date to all the Sheriffs of England consisting of 3. distinct parts sutable to that time and occasion The first is to new summon Omnes Milites all who held of him by Knight-service with those Souldiers not knights or knights of Shires in their respective Bailiwicks they had formerly summoned by some such writ as this to repair to Oxford to come to the Kings person ad Nos without naming any certain place 15 daies after All Souls day cum armis with their arms the usual form and clause in precedent and subsequent writs of Summons of an Army and forces to aid the King not to a Parliament or Great Council of State and that to defend and assist him against the precedent confederacy of the Archbishop Bishops Abbots Priors and Barons then newly entred into at London against whom he had raised a great Army by like Writs but a few Monethâ—… before to reduce these Rebels to obedience which Armie the Archbishop caused him to dissolve as Matthew Paris relates The 2. Clause is Corpora vero Baronum singulariter sine armis to summon and bring to the King the Bodies of the Barons in their respective Counties apart one from another without arms as in the said writ not two or more of them together with their arms and armed attendants to prevent all dangers tumults insurrections and intended rebellions if they should come armed to his Court being now thus summoned to appear before him not to treat and advise with him and the rest of the Prelates Earls and Nobles of any urgent affairs concerning the King or Realm of which there is no mention at all in this writ in relation to the Barons as there is in all Writs of Summons to Parliaments or Great Councils issued to them extant in our Records But rather according to the Archbishops engagement to the King at Nottingham a little before this writ to submit themselves to the Iustice of his Court and a legal trial concerning the crimes he should there object against them upon their appearance on the day prefixed in the writ the same I conceive the King and Archbishop had formerly agreed upon at Notingham And that this was the reason why they were to appear without armour is evident by the like Summons hertofore to Earl Godwin and his Sons to appear in the Kings Court to answer the Kings charge against them attended only with 〈◊〉 men without any force or arms by the subsequent Statutes of 7 E. 1. Rastal Armour 1 2 E. 3. c 3. expresly resolving that in all Assemblies which should be made within the Realm of England for ever every man should come without all force and armour well and peaceably And that no man Great or Small of whatsoever condition he be except the Kings Servants in his presence and his Ministers and their Assistants in executing his precepts or their Office or upon a cry made for arms to keep the peace in such places where such acts happen should be so hardy to come before the King or his Iustices or other his Ministers doing their office with force and arms nor bring no force in â—…ffray of Peace Which was but the antient Common and Statute Law of England The 3. Clause of the Writ which only hath some resemblance of a writ of Summons is to summon not two but quatuor Discretos Milites de Comitatu tuo being more than we read summoned in succeeding Rolls out of every County as Knights of Shires to our Parliament and those not to come to any Parliament or Great Council at any certain place of which there is no mention at all in this Writ but ad Nos to the King himself at the time there specified and that only Ad loquendum Nobiscum de negotiis regni nostri not ad tractandum Nobiscum et cum Praelatis Proceribus or Magnatibus or aliis or caeteris fidelibus regni nostri de arduis et urgentissimis negotiis Nos et statum Regni nostri contingentibus or ad faciendum et consentiendum hiis quae tunc ibidem de Communi Consilio regni nostri Deo propitio contigerit ordinari the usual Clauses in all Writs of Summons of Barons or Knights of Counties to Parliaments and Great Parliamentary Councils Therefore certainly this Writ was no Summons of Knights of Shires to a Parliament or Great Council the rather because there is no clause in it for electing these 4. knights nor yet of any Citizens or Burgesses as is usual in the Writs for electing Knights of Counties and because no Writs of Summons ever prescribed the Summons of Barous and Knights together like this Upon all which considerations I conceive this ad loquendum Nobiscum de negotiis regni nostri for which these 4. Knights were summoned was the very same or the like business for which Matthew Paris relates the King some few Moneths before sent Letters to the Sherifs of every County throughout England to cause Quatuor legales homines the same with those this Writ stiles Quatuor Discretos Milites out of every of their Counties to come to St. Albanes the 8. of August following to inquire of and inform the King what dammages and losses any of the Bishops had sustained by the King and his Officers during the Interdict and their banishments and what was due to every one of them that so he might satisfie them according to his premised Oath as Chart. 16 Iohann Regis m. 9. n. 67. the next year after this compared with Pat. 15 Iohan. Regis nu 3. De Interdicto relaxando c. clearly intimate if not resolve This I am fully perswaded was the true scope nature and intention of this Writ which hath
puzled so many and none else have hitherto fully or truly explained which I humbly submit to the Readers consideration The 3. Writ I have found in our Records touching the election of any Knights of Counties to a Parliamentary Council before 49 H. 3. is this of Claus. 38 H. 3. m. 7. 12. dorso not mentioned in any Treatises of our Parliaments or Collection of Parliamentary Writs of Summons I have seen transcribed with my own hand out of the Roll it self as worthy observation Rex Vic. Bed et Berks salutem Cum Comites Barones caeteri Magnates Regni nostri Nobis firmiter promiserunt quod erunt London à die Pasche prox futur in tres Septimanas cum equis et armis parati et benè muniti ad tendendum sine ulla dilatione versus Portesmouth ad transfretand ad Nos in Vasconiam contra Regem Castell qui terram nostram Vasconiae in manuforti in aestate prox futura hostiliter est ingressurus Et tibi mandavimus quod omnes illâ—…s de Balliva tua qui tenent 20 librat terrae de Nobis in Capite vel de aliis qui sunt infra aetatem et in custodia nostra ad idem distringas Tibi districtè praecipimus quod praeter omnes praedictos venire faciatis coram Consilio nostro apud Westmon in Quindena Paschae prox futur Ouatuor Legales et Discretos Milites de Comitatibus praedictis quos iidem Comitatus ad hoc eligerint vice omnium et singulorum eorundem videlicet Duos de uno Comitatu et duos de alio ad providendum una cum Militibus aliorum Comitatuum quos ad eundem diem vocari fecimus quale Auxilium Nobis in tanta necessitate impendere voluerint Et tu ipse Militibus et aliis de Comitatu praedicto necessitatem nostram et tam urgens negotium nostrum diligenter exponas et ad competens auxilium Nobis ad praesens impendend efficaciter inducas Ita quod praefati Ouatuor Milites praefato Consilio nostro ad praedictum terminum Pasche respondere possint super praedicto auxilio pro singulis Com praedictorum Firmiter etiam tibi praecipimus quod omnia debita quae Nobis aretro sunt in Balliva tua et solvi debuerint ad Scaccarium nostrum ante Pasch. jam instans vel solvi debent ad Scace ejusdem Pasche habeas ad idem Scac. in quindena praedict Pasche Scientes quod nisi praedicta debita tunc ibidem babueris non solum corpus tuum arrestari faciemus set debita illa de terris et tenementis tuis levari faciemus ad dampnum tuum non modicum Teste A. Regina et C. Com. Cornub apud Windesore xi die Febr. Consimilia Brevia diriguntur omnibus Vicecomitibus Angliae These Writs though at first view they look like Writs for electing Knights of Shires to a Parliamentary Council yet in truth they are no such Writs but onely command the Sheriffs to cause two Knights to be elected in every County by the Counties themselves in their steads to appear before the Kings Counsel not Parl. at Westminster on Quindena Pasche following to inform the Counsel what voluntary ayde each particular County would grant the King in his great necessity towards the Defence of Gascoigne against the intended invasion of the King of Castell Which Neceâ—…ity and Business the Sheriffs themselves were commanded diligently to declare to the elected Knights and others of the County and effectually to induce them to grant the King a present competent ayde So as the Knights of each County might answer upon their appearance before the Kings Counsil at the day prefixed what they would doe concerning this ayde thus required of them This appears 1. By that very Clause of these Writs which is most pertinent which requires not the Sheriffs to elect two Knights to come to any Great Council or Parliament there to advise and consult together touching the granting of a Subsidie or ayde to the King but only 2ly By the very Prologue of the Writ which recites That the Earls Barons and the rest of the Great men of the Realm had firmly promised the King to be at London 3. weeks after Easter with their horses and arms not to hold a Parliament or Great Council but to march from thence to Portsmouth without any delay and to cross the Seas to the King in Gascoigne to ayd him against the King of Castell and that he should distrain all who held 20 l. lands a year of the King in Capite or of any of his Wards within their respective Counties to accompany the Lords and Great men in this Expedition And thereupon it requires a voluntarie ayde of the rest of the Freeholders and Inhabitants in each County towards this expedition in manner aforsaid for which end they were to elect 2 knights in each County to appear before the Kings Privy Counsil not the Earls Barons and other Great men of the Realm 15 dayes after Easter a week before the Nobles and Great men appointed to meet 3ly By the whole frame of the Writ differing much from the Writs of Summons here ensuing and commanding the Sherifs to levy and pay in all the Kings debts under strictest penalties into his Exchequer by a certain day which no other Writ of Summons to Parliament doth 4ly By comparing it with a like Writ to both the Archbishops and all Bishops of Engl. forecited Part 1. p. 4 5. to summon all their Chapters Archdeacons Clergy and other Religious persons before them in their respective Diocesses and to excite them to a free and liberal contribution of an ayde to the King upon the same necessity and occasion whereof they were to certifie the Kings Counsil by certain discreet men â—…hosen by them at the same time as the Knights of Counties were both which Writs are entred together in the same membrana differ but two dayes in their date and fully explain each other 5ly By parallelling it with this writ in Claus. 19 H. 3. m. 8. dorso Rex Vic. Sussex salutem Scias quod Archiepiscopi Episcopi Abbates Priores Comites Barones omnes alii de Regno nostro Angliae qui de Nobis tenent in Capite spontanea voluntate sua et sine consuetudine Concesserunt Nobis efficax Auxilium ad magna negotia nostra expedienda unde provisum est De Constlio illorum quod habeant de singulis feodis Militum Ward quae de Nobis tenent in Capite duas Marcas ad praedictum Auxilium Nobis faciendum et unde providerint reddere Nobis unam medietatem ante festum Sancti Michaelis Anno regni nostri 19. aliam medietatem ad Pasch. Anno regni nostri 20. Ideo tibi praecipimus quod ad mandatum Venerabilis Patris R. Cicestr Episcopi Cancellarii nostri sine dilatione distringas omnes Milites et liberè tenentes qui de eo tenent per Servicium
which they served And that without the vote order ejection or privity of the Commons in Parliament who had then no power to remove eject imprison suspend their own Members or issue writs for new elections as of late they do Claus. 6 E. 2. d. 31. I meet with this writ of Prorogation but not with the Original writ of Summons issued to the Sheriff Rex Vic. Ebor. salutem Licet nuper Parliamentum nostrum apud Lincoln ut supra Archiepiscopo usque ordinavimus Tibi praecipimus quod de Com. tuo duos Milites de qualibet Civitate duos Cives de quolibet Burgo duos Burgenses de discretioribus ad laborand potentioribus eligi eos ad Nos ad dictos diem et locum venire faceres Ita quod Milites plenam et sufficientem potestatem pro se Communitate Com praedicti et dicti Cives et Burgenses pro se et Communitate Civium et Burgorum praedictorum divisim ab ipsis haberent tunc ibidem ad faciend quod de Communi Consilio nostro ordinari contigerit in praemissis Ita quod pro defectu hujusmodi potestatis negotia praedicta infacta non remaneant Quia tamen versus partes London c. usque tractabuntur Et ideo tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes quod Milites Cives Burgenses praedictos sine dilatione eligi eos ad Nos usque Westm. ad dictam diem Dominicam post dictum festum Assumptionis venire facias in forma praedicta Et babeas ibi nomina dictorum Militum Civium Burgensium hoc breve Teste ut supra Eodem modo mandatum est singulls Vic. per Angliam Also in Claus. 6. E. 2. m. 27. dorso I finde this special Memorial entred Memorandum quod die Lunae prox ante festum decollationis Sancti Johannis Baptistae Anno Regis Edwardi fil Regis Edwardi sexto Dom. Rex apud Westm. praecepit quod Milites Cives Burgenses qui ad Parliamentum Regis ibidem summonitum converant pro Communitatibus Civibus et Burgis Angliae ad propria remearent Ita quod reverterent ibidem in Crastino Sancti Michaelis prox futur sub paena quae decet T. Rege apud Westm. 28 die Augusti A clear evidence that the Knights Citizens and Burgesses then summoned and sent to the Parliament could neither prorogue nor adjourn themselves nor depart thence without the Kings special license which was entred on record and were liable to a fitting penalty if they returned not upon the day of prorogation prefixed by the King I shall only observe by the way that whereas the King in his answer to the second Article of the Commons Petition in the Parliament of 3 E. 2. suspended the Petit Customs upon Wines Cloth and other Merchandize that the very next year he issued out writs to the Collectors of the Customs and Officers in England and to the Chief Justice Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequer in Ireland De nova Custuma colligenda to collect these new Customs again not withstanding this his Ordinance in the Parliament at Stamford because there was nulla utilitas regno by the ceasing and abating thereof as appears by the writs of 2. 6. Augusti rot Finium An. 4 E. 2. But in Claus. 5 E. 2. m. 23. there came this Countermand by Order from the Prelates Earls and Barons of the Realm appointed by Commission to reform the abuses of the Kings Houshold and Realm against the collecting of them and any other new customs and Maltots Rex Collectoribus novae Custumae lanarum coriorum pellium lanatorum et aliarum rerum venalium in portu London salutem Cum Praelati Comites Barones dicti regni nostri quibus nuper per literas nostras Patentes commissimus potestatem ordinandi de statu Hospitii nostri et Regni praedicti inter caeteras Ordinationes quas super praemissis fecerant et quas acceptavimus et per totum regnum fecimus publicari ordinaverint Quod omnimodo Custumae Maletot levatae post Coronationem Domini E. quondam Regis Angliae patris nostri integrè amoveantur et penitus extinguantur Salvis Custumis lanarum coriorum pellium lanatorum ult vid. de quolibet Sacco lanae dimid marc de 300. pellibus lanat dimid marc de lasto Coriorum unam marcam Vobis mandamus quod de nova Custuma praedicta in Portu praedicto percipiend supersedeatis omnino T. R. apud London 9. Octobr. Per ipsum Regem totum Consilium The like writs then issued to most Port Towns in England If we could see the like president now against all new excessive Imposts and Excises issued to all Collectors and other Officers after so many years continuance of them to the ruine of trade and impoverishing of the Nation only to enslave them to a New Military tyrannical usurping power and keep on their iron yoaks upon their over-galled necks it vvould be a most joyfull spectacle to their eyes and blessed tydings to their ears vvhich they have long in vain expected from late publike Conventions which instead of easing do still renew and continue these heavy yokes and burdens upon them though a thousand times more grievous than those then complained against and redressed In Claus. 5 E. 2. m. 31. 22. I finde a Writ issued by the King Willo de Marescall Mich de Segrave prohibiting that they come not armed to the Parliament seu alio modo quam tempore clarae memoriae E. quondam Regis Angl. Patris nostri fieri consuevit there being a quarrel between them and Dorse 30. 27. 25. 8. m. 30. there are sundry other particulars concerning passages and proceedings in that Parliament worthy perusal though not proper for this Section And so in Cl. 7 E. 2. m. 2. 8. 25. Cl. 8 E. 2. dors 7 8. Claus. 9 E. 2. dors 27. 26. 20. 17. 6. Cl. 7 E. 2. m. 7. dorso the Writ of election entred at large is thus directed to the Sheriff of Hertf. and Essex Rex Vic. Hertf. Essex salutem Cum diversa ardua negotia as in the Writ to the Archbishop Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes quod de utroque Com. Comitatuum praedictorum duos Milites et de qualibet Civitate duos Cives de quolibet Burgo duos Burgenses de discretioribus et ad laborandum potentioribus eligi et eos ad Nos ad dictos diem et locum venire facias Ita quod Milites plenam sufficientem potestatem pro se Communitate Com. praedictorum et dicti Cives Burgenses pro se Communitate Civitatum Burgornm praedictorum divisim ab ipsis babeant and faciend consentiend biis quae tunc de Communi Consilto favente Domino ordinari contigerit Ita quod c. Consimiles literae diriguntur singulis Uicecom per Angliam The like writs issued to the
consilio Magnatum Nobiscum existentium provisum est quod Baroniae terrae tenementa eorum qui de Nobis tenent in capite qui Nobis serviciuÌ„ suum Nobis debitum juxta mandatum nostrum facere noluerunt capiantur in manum nostram donec tam de dicto servicio quam de hujusmodi Transgressione nobis satisfecerint Vobis mandamus sirmiter injungentes quod Baronias Ven. Patris S Winton Episcopi Abbatis de Abindon qui servicium suum Nobis debitum ad mandatum nostrum facere noluerunt capias in manum nostram catalla sua cum bonis catallis in ipsis inventis sine distractione seu dilapidatione aliqua inde facienda salvo custodiri facias Ita quod de bonis catallis ipsis vel â—…e precio eorundem de exitibus Baroniarum praedictarum Nobis sufficienter respondeas donec aliud inde praeceperimus T. Rege apud Oxon. 3 die Aprilis Eodem modo mandatum est Ade de Grennuill Vic. Norht quod capiat in manum Rs. Baronias Episcopi Elien Abbatis de Ramisey Eodem modo mand est Vic. Notingh Derb. quod capiat in manum Rs. Baronias Archepiscop Ebor. Episcopi Linc. Which Writs were accordingly executed by some of these Sheriffs even beyond the Kings instructions as is evident by this Writ to the Sheriff of Yorkshire upon the Archbishop of Yorks complaint Cl. 48. H. 3. m. 6. dorso Rex Roberto de Nevil Vic. Ebor. salutem Cum Baronias quorundum Praelatorum regni nostri nuper ceperimus in manum nostram eo quod servicia sua nobis debita nobis minimè fecerunt ad mandatum nostrum ac vobis mandaverimus quod Baroniam Ven. Patris G. Ebor. Archiepiscopi caperetis in manum nostram pro eo quod servicium suum Nobis tempore competenti non exhibuit quod eam salvo absque destructione aliqua bonorum ejusdem Baroniae custodiri faceretis vos ut accepimus bonorum illorum dissipationem non modicam fieri permittitis ad gravissimum dampnum Archiepiscopi sic praedicti super quo nec immerito movemur Verum quia demandam nostram servicii dicti Archiepiscopi jam in suspenso posuimus ad tempus vobis mandamus quatenus Baroniam suam cum omnibus inde perceptis à tempore captionis ejusdem in manum nostram sine dilatione restituatis eidem Quià etiam datum est Nobis intelligi quod Milites servientes Archiepiscopi praedicti versus Nos nuper venientes cum equis armativis ad faciend Nobis servicium praedictum per viam arestavistis quosdam ex eis adhuc in carcere detenetis à quibusdam eorum graves redemptiones cepistis quod grave gerimus indignemus Vobis firmiter injungimus quatinus dictos incarceratos sine mora deliberetis tam eis quam aliis à quibus redemptiones cepistis omnia per vos aut vestros sibi ablata plenarie restitui faciatis Ne super hoc oporteat Nos gravius sollicitari propter quod ad vos graviter capere debeamus T. Rege apud Sutton 26 die Maii. I answer 1. That these were Writs of Summons not to a Parliament but Camp cum equis armis c. as the Writs recite 2. That the Counsil mentioned in it was onely Military not Parliamentary as the aid and assistance with Horses Arms and military services coupled with it resolve and the recital in the Writs ac etiam propter guerram in eodem regno jam subortam c. 3. It is most apparent by the ensuing Clause Propter quod de Baronum consilio Magnatum Nobiscum existentium provisum est c. that the Baronies of these Bishops and others who refused to do their services should be seised into the Kings hands That the Barons and great men onely who were then present with the King at Oxford did counsel and advise him as Members of his Military and Parliamentary Council notthe Knights and others of inferiour condition holding of him by Knight service who then assisted him onely with their Horses Arms and military services 4. These Knights and others then summoned to Oxford were no Knights Citizens or Burgesses elected by the People and Kings Writs to serve in any Parliament then held at Oxford but onely such who held Lands of the King by Knight service which they were then summoned actually to perform as his Tenants for his defence in the Wars against foreign and domestick Enemies as the Writs resolve 5. The Writs of Summons to the Parliamentary Council held this year mentioned in the forecited Writs were different in form date time place from the objected Writs and in the manner of appearing The one summoning them to appear at Oxford cum equis armis c. the other to appear at London sine armis consilium vestrum impensuri c. Therefore there being no mention of any Knights and others of inferiour condition summoned together with the Barons and Nobles to appear at London in the Parliamentary Council there held as there is in the other Writs of Summons to the Kings Camp and Armie It is a most clear convincing argument that in 48 H. 3. there were no Knights Citizens or Burgesses summoned to the Parliament but onely the Spiritual and Temporal Lords and Barons Now because I meet with some other memorable Writs which may seem in some mens judgment to prove that there were Knights Citizens Burgesses and Commons summoned to Parliaments or Councils before 49 H. 3. I shall present you with them in order with my Answers to and Observations on them The first and ancientest of them is this notable Writ of Proclamation much insisted on and imperfectly cited by Mr. William Lambard an eminent Antiquarie of Lincolns Inne in his Archaion p. 261 262 263. which I have faithfully transcribed out of the Patent Roll it self Pat. 6 Johan Rs. m. 2. dorso as a raritie not formerly printed Rex c. Vic. Roteland c. Scias quod provisum est Communi assensu Archiepiscoporum Episcoporum Comitum Baronum omnium fidelium nostrorum Angliae quod novem Milites per totam Angliam invenient decimum Militem benè paratum equis armis ad defensionem Regni nostri quod illi novem Milites inveniant decimo Militi qualibet die ij Sol ad liberationem suam Et ideo tibi praecipimus quod sicut teipsum omnia tua diligis provideas quod decem Milites de Balliva tua sint apud London à die Pasche in tres septimanas bene parati equis armis cum liberationibus suis sicut praedictum est parati ire in servicium nostrum quo praeceperimus existere in servicio nostro ad defensionem Regni nostri quantum opus suerit Provisum est etiam quod si Alienigenae in terram nostram venerint omnes unanimiter eis occurrant cum fortia armis
sine aliqua occasione dilatione audit is rumoribus de eorum adventu Et si quis Miles vel serviens vel alius terram tenens conventus suerit qui se inde retraxerit dummodo tanta non fuerit gravatus infirmitate quod illuc venire non possit Ipse haeredes sui imperpetuum exheredantur dabuntur feodum suum remanebit Domino fundi ad faciend inde voluntatem suam ita quod exhaeredatus vel haeredes sui nunquam inde aliquam habeant recuperationem Si quis vero Milites servientes vel alii qui terram non habent inventi fuerint qui se similiter retraxerint ipsi haeredes sui Serbi fient imperpetuum reddendo singulis annis iiij d. de capitibus suis nec pro paupertate omittant ad praedictum negotium venire cum illud audierint quare ex quo ad exercitum venerint providebitur unde sufficienter in servicio nostro poterant sustentare Si vero Vic. vel Ball. vel Praepositus illos quise retraxerint Nobis per breve vel per scriptum vel viva voce non ostenderint dict Vic. vel Ballivus vel Praepositus remanebit in misericordia nostra de vita membris Et ideo tibi praecipimus quod sub sestinatione Proclamari facias in foris per totam Ballivam tuam in Mercatis Nundinis alibi ita te de negotio illo faciendo intromittas quod ad te pro defectu tui capere non debeamus Et tu ipse sis apud London ad praefatum terminum vel aliquem discretum ex parte tua mittas facias tunc Nobis sciret nomina decimorum Militum Et habeas ibi hoc Breve Teste meipso apud Wint. 3 die Aprilis Sed Nota Vic. Eborum Northumberland Cumberland Westmerland scribitur in eadem forma hoc adjecto Quod Rob. fil Rog. Const. Cestr. retineat de Militibus praedictis quos judicat expedire necessario ad defenfionem partium suarum Haee Brevia liberata sunt subscriptis Eborum per Ric. Anglicum Clericum Rob. fil Rog. Northumbr Westmerl Cumberl Bucks Bedf. per Spaine Norf. Suff. Essex Herif. Cantebr Hunt Oxon. Berks. Northt Glouc. Rad. de Chumbras Honor. de Glouc. Worcester Hereford Leic. Warwic Salop. Staff Lancastr Wiltes per Laurentium Somerset Dorset Devon Cornub. Sutht Linc. per Rog Bastard hominē Senescalli Roteland Not Derb. Kent per Thom fil Nigell Clericum Willielmi de Wroth. Surr. Midds Sussex From the Prologue of this Proclamation Provisum est communi assensu Archiepiscoporum Episcoporum Comitum Baronum et omnium fidelium nostrorum Angliae Mr. Lambard inferrs that the Commonaltie of the Realm both at this time and long before were summoned to our Great Councils and Parliaments and present in assenting to whatever was ordained in them as well as the Spiritual and Temporal Lords this being in truth the probablest evidence and Authority he produceth to prove this assertion But under his correction I aver First neither this rectal nor any other testimonie alleged by him doth clearly evidence that these omnes fideles nostri Angliae were Knights Citizens Burgesses or Commons of the Realm chosen by the people by virtue of the Kings writs and sent by them to Parliaments and Great Councils in that or former ages as Knights Citizens and Burgesses have been of later times no Histories nor Records making express mention of any such Writs or Elections of such Knights Citizens Burgesses of Parliament before 49 H. 3. 2ly The Writ of Summons extant in the Clause Roll of 6. Johan Regis dors 3. this very year to the Parliamentary Council at London wherein this provision for defence of the kingdom against forein Enemies was made as I conjecture makes mention only of Magnatum terrae nostrae Quos ad diem illum et locum fecimus convocari not of any Commons Knights of Shires Citizens or Burgesses summoned to it 3ly Matthew Paris and Mat. Westminster who inform us of another Parliamentary Council held under King John at Oxford this very year express it thus Deinde in crastino Circumcisionis convenerunt ad Colloquium the word Parliamentum not being then in use apud Oxon. Rex et Magnates Angliae ubi concessa sunt Regi auxilia militaria de quolibet Scuto duae marcae et dimidia Nec etiam Episcopi et Abbates sive Ecclesiae personae sine promissione recesserunt without mentioning any Knights Citizens Commons or Burgesses present at this Council or parties to this grant Wherefore if the Ordinance mentioned in this Writ was made at Oxford these Omnium fidelium nostrorum Angliae as I conceiue cannot properly be meant of them but of the Abbots Priors Kings Counsil or those Omnes alios qui de Capite tenent de Nobis who were not Majores Barones Regni mentioned in the Great Charter of King John some few years after in this memorable Clause which best explains this in the Proclamation Ad habendum Commune Consiltum Regni de auxiliis assidendis submoneri faciemus Archiepiscopos Episcopos Abbates Comites Majores Barones sigillatim per literas nostras Et praeterea faoiemus in Generali per Vicecomites Ballivos nostros omnes alios qui de Capite tenent de Nobis ad certum diem scilicet ad terminū Quadraginta dierum ad minimum et ad certum locum in omnibus literis summonitionis illius Causam submonitionis illius exponemus which was accordingly expressed in the writ of Summons 6 Johannis and in all writs of like nature since this Great Charter extant in our Records 4ly The very contents of the Provision mentioned in this Proclamation Quod novem Milites to wit those who held Lands by a Knights fee and Knight-service per totam Angliam invenient decimum Militem bene paratum equis et armis c. compared with Clause 19 H. 3. m. 1 3 6 8. Prove these lesser Barons and Tenants of the King to be the persons intended in this Clause not any elected Knights Citizens and Burgesses who were either summoned in general to this Council and consented to this provision therein when passed or else assented thereto after the Lords and Great men had passed and communicated it to them in the Countrie 5ly Though this Provision and Proclamation doe not clearly prove the Summons of any elected Knights Citizens and Burgesses to this Parliamentary Council yet they are a clear euidence That Ordinances for raising Men Forces Taxes and Impositions for the ne◅ie defence of the King and Realm against forein Enemies with forfeitures of Lands other severe penalties for defaults therein cannot nor may not be made nor imposed on the Freeholders or Subjects of England by the King or his Counsil but onely by the common consent grant and provision of the Spiritual and Temporal Lords Great men and
other Lieges of the King assembled in a Parliamentary Council since the Provisions and penalties mentioned in this Proclamation were all made by their common consent and that upon this occasion King John in the year 1203. passing out of England into Normandy with a great Army giving himself over to luxurie sleep and carelesness suffered the King of France to take many Towns and Castles from him without the least resistance Being frequently informed thereof by complaints from all parts he gave no other answer but this to the Complainants Suffer him to do what he pleaseth I will one day recover whatever he now violently surpriseth Hereupon Comites et Barones et alii de regno Angliae Nobiles qui ei eatenus fideliter adbaeserant talia audientes ejusque desidiam incorrigibilem intelligentes impetrata licentia quasi illico reversuri remearunt ad propria returning no more but leaving the King in Normandie with very few Soldiers Upon which he returning into England the King of France came before most of King Johns Castles and Towns there and perswaded them to submit themselves to him as their Chief Lord seeing King John their immediate Lord had quite deserted them who accordingly submitted King Iohn upon this occasion raising a puissant Army intended to cross the Sea with them to regain his lost Townes and Castles from the French Whereupon by the common assent of his Spiritual and Temporal Lords and Lieges assembled in a Parliamentary Council he made the precedent provisions Proclamation for the Defence of the Realm of England in case the French or any forein Enemies should invade it during his absence After which Anno 1205. he took ship at Portsmouth against the prohibition of the Archbishop of Canterbury and many other of his Nobles who refusing to follow him he was inforced to return after he had continued at Sea two dayes Reversus autem Rex coepit de Comitibus Baronibus Militibus et viris religiosis pecuniam infinitam occasiones praetendens quod noluerunt eum sequi in partes transmarinas ut haereditatem amissam recuperet And so much touching the contents occasion issue of these Provisions and Proclamation The 2. Writ is that of Rot. Claus. Anno 15. Johannis Regis pars 2. m. 7. dorso which I have examined by the Record Rex Vicecomiti Oxon. salutem Praecipimus tibi quod omnes Milites Ballivae tuae qui summoniti fuerunt esse apud Oxoniam ad Nos à die Omnium Sanctorum in quindecim dies venire facias cum armis suis corpora vero Baronum sine armis singulariter et IV. Discretos Milites de Comitatu tuo illuc venire facias ad Nos ad eundem terminum ad loquendum Nobiscum de Negotiis regni nostri Teste meipso apud Witten 11 die Novembr Eodem modo scribitur omnibus Vicecomitibus This unusual form of Writ the later part whereof sounds like a kinde of Summons of Knights out of every County to a Parliament at Oxford hath much perplexed many learned men who knew not well what to determin thereof being without parallel But under correction of others I conceive it rather a Summons to a Military Camp of Warr than to a Parliament or Parliamentary Council at Oxford and these Quatuor discretos Milites out of every County were not summoned as Knights of the Shire to a Parliament then held but rather as Inquisitors or Grand-Jury-men upon a special occasion thus related by Matthew Paris which in my apprehension will very satisfactorily explain this obscure Writ King Iohn being both injuriously excommunicated deposed from his Throne his whole kingdom interdicted given by the Pope to the French King who thereupon prepared a great Army and Navy to possess himself therof he did upon this occasion to resist the French and defend his Crown and kingdom against their intended invasion by two several Writs recorded at large in this Historian summon all the Ships of England able to carry six horses to meet together at Portsmouth well furnished with victuals and Mariners to resist these Enemies by Sea and all Earls Barons Knights Freehold Tenants and others who were bound by tenure or able of bodie to bear arms to meet him at Dover to withstand them by Land After which having reconciled himself to the Pope by resigning his Kingdom of England and Ireland to and retaking them from him under an yearly Tribute he was by the Popes Legate absolved from his Excommunication and the kingdom from its long-continued interdict at Winchester swearing upon the Holy Evangelists in this his Absolution Quod Sanctam Ecclesiam ejusque ordinatos diligeret defenderet et manuteneret contra omnes adversarios pro posse suo Quodque bonas leges Antecessorum suorum praecipue Leges Edwardi Regis revocaret et iniquas destrueret et omnes homines suos secundum justa Curiae suae judicia judicaret quodque singulis redderet jura sua Juravit etiam quod omnibus ad Interdicti negotium pertingentibus inter proximum Pascha plenariam restitutionem faceret obtatorum c. In pursuance whereof In crastino misit Rex literas ad omnes Vicecomites regni Angliae ut de singulis Dominicorum suorum villis Quatuor legales homines cum praeposito apud Sanctum Albanum pridie nonas Augusti fecerent convâ—…nire ut per illos et alios ministros suos de damnis singulorum Episcoporum ut ablatis certitudinem inquireret et quid singulis deberetur Dum haec agerentur interfuerunt Concilio apud Sanctum Albanum Galfridus filius Petri et Episcopus Winton cum Archiepiscopo et Episcopis et Magnatibus Regni Ubi cunctis pace Regis denunciata ex ejusdem Regis parte firmiter praeceptum est quatenus leges Henrici avi sui ab omnibus in regno suo custodirentur et omnes leges iniquae penitus enerventur Denunciatum est praeterea Vicecomitibus Forestariis aliisque Ministris Regis sicut vitam et membra sua diligunt ne à quoquam aliquid violenter extorquerent vel alicui injuriam irrogare praesumant aut scotalla alicubi in regno faciant sicut facere consueverant After which Rex verò Johannis cum se à quibusdam Magnatibus who deserted him in Poytiers quasi derelictum cognovisset magnum Congregabit Exercitum ut rebelles ad consuetum obsequium revocaret Cumque arma movere incepisset venit ad eum Archiepiscopus apud Northamtonam dicens plurimum in injuriam sui Sacramenti quod in absolutione sua praestiterat redundare Si absque Iudicio Curiae suae contra quempiam bella moveret Quod audiens Rex cum ingenti strepitu dixit Se regni negocia propter Episcopum non differre cum laica judicia ad ipsum non pertineant In crastino autem summo diluculo iter furibundus arripiens versus Notingham properavit Secutus est quoque Regem Archiepiscopus memoratus constanter affirmans quod
Militare in Balliva tua ad reddendum ei de singulis feodis Wardis duas Marcas ad praedictum Auxilium Nobis per manum suam reddendum in terminis praedictis Sic scribitur pro aliis Episcopis Abbatibus Prioribus et Magnatibus to the number of 23. And dors 6. of the former Roll there is the like Writ for other Temporal Barons By which it is apparent that in this Kings reign as well as in succeeding ages all Publike Aydes granted in Parliamentarie Councils were granted by the common consent of the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earls Barons and others who held of the King in Capite by Act of Parliament according to the forecited Clause of the Great Charter of King John and the subsequent Statutes of 25 E. 1. c. 5 6. De Tallagio non concedendo 14 E. 3. c. 21. Stat. 2. c. 1. the Petition of Right 3 Caroli and other Acts Therefore this Ayde which these Knights were chosen and summoned to grant for their respective Counties without the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earls Barons and Great men of the Realm or without any Citizens or Burgesses summoned together with them was doubtless no Parliamentary Ayde but a voluntarie free Contribution of their own without common consent in Parliament and so this Writ no Writ of Summons or election to a Parliament though not impertinent to my Theam and worthy observation The 4th sort of Writs I have found in my search which have any Analogie to a Summons of Knights to a Parliamentary Council is this memorable Writ of Claus. 45 H. 3 â—…m 6. dorso not taken notice of by others Rex Vic. Norff. Suff. salutem Cum ex parte Episcopi Wigorn Comitem Leic. et Glouo ac quorundam aliorum Procerum Regni nostri vocati sunt tres Milites de singulis Comitatibus nostris quod sint coram ipsis ad Sanctum Albanum in instanti festo Sancti Matthaei Apostoll secum Tractaturi super communibus Negotiis Regni Nostri Et Nos praedicti Proceres nostri in eundem diem apud Windesore convenimus ad Tractandum de Pace inter Nos et ipsos Tibi praecipimus quod illis Militlbus de Balliva tua qui vocati sunt coram ets ad diem praedictum firmiter injungentes ex parte nostra ut omni occasione postposita ad Nos die praedicto veniant apud Windesore et eis etiam districte inhibeas ne dicto die alibi quam ad Nos accedant sed eos modis omnibus venire fac coram Nobis ad diem praedict Nobiscum super praemissis Colloquium habituros ut ipsi per effectum operis videant et intelligant quod nihil attemptare proponimus nisi quod honori atque utilitati Regni nostri tendere noverimus querere T. Rege apud Windesor xi die Septemb. Eodem modo mandatum est singulis Vicomitibus citra Trentam Our Historians relate that a little before this writ there fell out a Great Difference between King Henry and his Barons concerning the Provisions made at Oxford and his Oath for their Observation from which he held himself absolved because it was compulsory The King and his partie objected against the Barons who pretended the profit of the Realm that they sought only their own bonor and gain contrary to their pretences and decrees They on the other side spread abroad rumors among the people that the King intended to introduce forein forces and impose Taxes at his pleasure c. to the subversion of the State of the Realm and oppression of the people Which the King by his Proclamations protested against as false and scandalous to undeceive his seduced Subjects whose affections and assistance the Barons by these false suggestions endeavoured to alienate from him as Claus. 45 H. 3. pars 1. d. 15. and Claus. 48 H 3. d. 9. Pat. 48 H. 3. d. 20. record Whiles the King and Barons thus banded against each other it appears by this Writ the Barons summoned 3. Knights out of every Connty to come before them at St. Albans on St. Matthews day to treat with them concerning the common affairs of the Realm But whether these 3. Knights were elected by the Inhabitants of each County or such only as the Barons themselves nominated which is most probable appears not certainly by the Writ of which our Histories make no mention The King being informed hereof to prevent this intended Assembly at St. Albans by his writs commands these Lords and Barons to repair to him at Windsore the self-sameday on which they appointed these Knights to meet them to treat of a Peace between him and them and by this Writ commanded this and all other Sheriffs on this side Trent to whom like writs were sent to summon those very Knights the Barons had called to St. Albans to appear before him the same day at Windesore strictly prohibiting them to appear that day at any other place than before himself and to cause them by all possible means then to come before him to conferr with him about the premises to wit the peace and reconciliation between him and the Barons that so thèy might by the effect of that Treaty both see and understand that he purposed to attempt or seek nothing but what he knew was for the honor and profit of his Realnt So as these Writs in reality were no proper legal Summons of any Knights of Shires to a Parliament or Great Council but rather an inhibition to divert them from confederating and meeting with the Barons by summoning them all at the same time to appear before the King at Windsore to be witnesses of his fair proceedings and publike intentions in the Treatie of Peace then intended between him and his Barons And that which further clears it is somwhat a like Writ in the same Roll to the Barons and Bailiffs of Sandwich about 3. weeks after the precedent Writ which for its raritie I shall here insert Rex Baronibus et Ballivis suis de Sandwic salutem Cum Vos et Progenitores vestri Nobis et Progenitoribus nostris et Coronae nostrae semper extitistis prompti et fideles jam per quosdam Nobis adversarios protenus sicut audivimus quod hac die quindena post festum S. Michaelis sub specie reformandae pacis inter Vos et Barones nostros de Wincheles apud Bradhull convenire debeatis ubi in dampnum nostrum colligationes requirere et eos quos poterint à nostra fidelitate avertere proponunt Vobis mandamus sub debito fidelitatis et dilectionis quibus Nobis tenemini specialiter injungentes ne ibi aliquo modo accedatis aut animos vestros eorum suggestionibus aliquo modo inclinetis et super contentionibus inter vos et dictos Barones nostros de Wincheles subortis in pace vos habeatis usque ad festum Nativitatis Domini ut tunc ad vos Custodem Portuum nostrorum aut
faciendum quod et tunc ibidem plenius injungemus Et hoc nullo modo omittas Et habeas ibi hoc Breve Teste Rege apud Westm. 9. die Octobr. Eodem modo mandatum est singulis Vicecom Angliae mutatis mutandis T. ut supra In these two Writs there are many things worthy our special observation 1. That the word Parliamentum is not used in them but only Colloquium et Tractatum 2ly That there is no mention in these Writs of any Colloquium or Tractatum cum Praelatis but only cum Comitibus caeteris Magnatibus de regno nostro 3ly That the Sheriffs are required only Duos Milites de Com. praedicto eligi fac c. without any Citizens or Burgesses of the Cities or Boroughs within their respective Counties 4ly That these two Knights were to be thus qualified De discretioribus et ad laborandum potentioribus magis legales and to be de Com. praedicto not of any other County 5ly That they were to be elected De consensu ejusdem Comitatus not without or against their consents 6ly That they were to appear at the day and place prescribed in the Writs Cum plena potestate pro se et tota Communitate Com. praedict ad consulend et consentiend and that only hiis quae Comites Barones Pr◅eres praedicti concorditer ordinaverint in praemissis not what the Knights themselves should ordain or prescribe who could then vote order determin nothing but what the Earls Barons Nobles and the King did first ordain and advise much less ordain or order any thing without and against their wills order and assents as some of late most insolently and unparliamentarily have presumed to doe without the least ground warrant reason president As is further evident by this in the later Writ ad audiendum et faciendum quod et tunc ibidem plenius injungemus 7ly That there is but one days difference between the dates of both these Writs and that they issued in the self-same form mutatis mutandis to all the Sheriffs of England 8ly which is most observable That the King by these Writs enjoyns every Sheriff in each County of England quod praeter duos illos Milites which they were to elect by virtue of the first Writs eligi facias Duos alios Milites legales c. et eos una cum dictis duobus Militibus usque Westm. venire facias c. So that they were to elect no less than 4. Knights by these two Writs for every County with equal power and authority who were all to appear and serve in this Parliament A clear evidence that the King in this age was not confined to any certain Number of Knights nor yet of Citizens or Burgesses in any County but might then summ◅n so many Knights as he thought most expedient and necessary since reduced to a certainty by the subsequent Statutes of 5 R. 2. c. 4. 7 H. 4. c. 15. 11 H. 4. c. 1. 1 H. 5. c. 1. 6 H. 6. c. 4. 8 H. 6. c. 7. 10 H. 6. c. 2. 23 H. 6. c. 11. 15. 27 H. 8. c. 26. 34 H. 8. c. 13. 35 H. 8. c. 11. 9ly That the King by his Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes hoc nullo modo omittatis manifests that the Sheriffs were bound at their peril to obey execute both these Writs without disputing or disobeying them 10ly That though the Writs enjoin the Sheriff only habeas ihi hoc breve yet the Sheriff was to return the names of the Knights elected together with the Writ as the practise and returns in those times resolve The next Writs I have met with for electing Knights Citizens and Burgesses are those in Claus. 23 E. 1. m' 4. dorso Rex Vic. Northt salutem Quia cum Comitibus Baronibus caeteris Proceribus regni nostri super remediis contra pericula quae eidem regno hiis diebus imminent providend Colloquium habere volumus et Tractatum per quod eis mandavimus quod sint ad Nos die Dominica prox post sestum Sancti Martini in yeme prox futur apud Westm. ad tractand ordinand faciend qualiter sit hujusmodi periculis obviand Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes quod de Com. praevicto Duos Milites de quolibet Civitate ejusdem Com. Duos Cives de quolibet Burgo Duos Burgenses de discretioribus et ad laborand potentioribus sine dilatione eligi et eos ad Nos ad praedictos diem locum venire fac Ita quod dicti Milites plenam sufficientem potestatem pro se Communitate Com. praedicti dicti Cives et Burgenses pro se et Communitate Civitatum et Burgo◅um praedictorum divisim ab ipsis tunc ibidem habeant ad faciend tunc quod de Communi Consilio ordinabitur in praemissis Ita quod pro defectu hujusmodi potestatis negotium praedictum infectum non remaneat quoquo modo Et babeas ibi nomina Militum Civium Burgenfium hoc breve Teste Rege apud Cantuar. tertio die Octobr. Consimiles literae diriguntur singulis Vicecom per Angliam et de eadem data The next Writs of this kind now extant are those of Claus. 24 E. 1. m. 7. dors little different from the former Rex Vic. Linc. salutem Quia cum Comitibus c. as in the former Writ quod sint ad Nos in crastino Animarum prox futur apud Sanctum Edmundum ad tractand ordinand et faciend qualiter sit periculis obviand hujusmodi et statui ejusdem Regni tutius et utilius consulend Tibi praecipimus quod de Com. praedicto duos Milites et de qualibet Civitate ejusdem Com. duos Cives et de quolibet Burgo duos Burgenses de discretioribus et ad laborand potentioribus sine dilatione eligi et cos ad Nos ad praedictos diem et locū venire facias Ita quod dicti Milites plenam sufficientem potestatem pro se et Communitate Com. praedicti habeant in praemissis Ita quod pro defectu potestatis hujusmodi negotium praedictum non remaneat quoquo modo inane Et habeas ibi nomina Militum Civium et Burgensium et hoc breve T. ut supra Consimiles literae diriguntur singulis Vicecomitibus per Angliam T. ut supra There is nothing remarkable in this Writ but only that it differs somewhat in words but not in substance from the ordinary Writs succeeding it in the Ita quod c. I shall therefore proceed to the next Writs of this kind The next are these notable Writs unobserved by others which I meet with in 25 E. 1. when the great Charter of the Liberties and of the Forest were to be confirmed in respect of a great ayd given to the King against the French thus entred in Claus. 25 E. 1. d. 6. after the Writ de Parliamento tenendo to the Archbishop of Cant.
dated 9 die Septembris and the list of the names of the Spiritual and Temporal Lords Rex Vic. Ebor. salutem Quia in relevationem omnium incolarum et populi Regni nostri pro Octava omnium honorum singulorum ligeorum per totum idem Regnum pro urgentissima nunc dicti Regni contra Gallicos necessitate levanda concessimus pro Nobis et Haeredibus nostris confirmare et firmiter teneri facere Magnam Cartam de Libertatibus Angliae et Cartam de Libertatibus Forestae concedere omnibus singulis ejusdem Regni literas nostras Patentes quod dictae Octavae levatio non cedat eisdem in praejudicium servitutem et exhaeredationem usum vel consue tudinem in futurum Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes quod sine dilatione aliqua duos de probioribus et legalioribus Militibus Com. tui Eligi et eos plenam potestatem pro ipsis tota Communitate dicti Com. habentes ad Edwardum filium nostrum carissimum tenentem in Anglia locum nostrum venire facias Ita quod sint London ad eundem filium nostrum modis omnibus in Octabis Sancti Michaelis proximo futuri ad ultimum Cartas super Confirmatione nostra Cartarum praedictarum et literas nostras super dicta concessione pro ipsa Communitate in forma praedicta recepturi facturi ulterius quod per dictum filium nostrum ibidem fuerit ordinatum Et boc nullo modo omittas Et habeas ibi boc Breve T. Edwardo filio nostro apud Sanctum Paulum London 10. die Septembr Consimiles Literae diriguntur singulis Vicecom per Angliam From these new extraordinary Writs I shall observe 1. That extraordinary publike necessities against forein enemies require extraordinary Aydes from the people 2ly That when ever such extraordinary excessive ayds were granted by Parliament it was with this special caution that the King by his Patents as well as the Parliament should declare that it should not afterward be drawn into Custom nor turn to the prejudice thraldom or dishinherison of the people in succeeding times 3ly That those extraordinary Aydes were recompenced with extraordinary Grants and new Confirmations of the Great Charters of the Liberties of Engl. and of the Forest which the Lords and Commons then much pressed and insisted on for the King and his heires which were new confirmed by special Letters Patents which the knights elected for every County were to be impowred by the Commonaltie of each County to receive and to deliver to them and to do what else the Prince by advice of the Nobles should ordain in this Parliament 4. That the chief occasion of this Writ and Parliament was this the Earls of Hereford and Marshall who were very powerfull and popular inhibited the Barons of the Eschequer after the Kings passage into Flanders to levy the 8. part of their goods granted to him at St. Edmunds without their consents and induced the City of London to joyn with them not to pay the same unless these Great Charters and their other Liberties were first confirmed which the Prince and his Counsil promised to doe as you may read at large in Thomas de Walsingham Hist. Angl. p. 35. to 42. and Ypodigma Neustriae p. 84 85 86. c. Mat. Westminster Anno 1297. p. 409 410. Henry de Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae l. 3. c. 11. Holinshed Grafton with other our vulgar Historians and My Plea for the Lords p. 98. to 104. The Prince by advice of the Counsil after the summons of this Parliament to prevent all Commotions by these Earls and their Confederates issued special Writs not only to all Great Cities and Corporations of England prohibiting Ne Congregationes Conventicula fiant to disturb the publike peace and to all Captains and Governors of Castles in respect of the present dangers safely to guard their Castles so as non Nobis vel dicto Consilio non passet aliquod periculum imminere as the Writs at large inform us but likewise sent special Writs to some Earls and Lords formerly summoned to the Parliament at London and to some others whom they most confided in to repair to the Prince and his Counsil with their horses and arms as is evident by these memorable Writs intermixed with the Writs of Summons to this Parliament Claus. 25 E. 1. m. 5. dorso Rex dilecto et fideli nostro Ricardo fil Alani Comiti Arundell salutem Quia nuper ante passagium nostrum ad partes transmarinas injunximus Edwardo filio nostro tenenti in Anglia locum nostrum quaedam Negotia Nos regnum nostrum specialiter contingentibus super quibus ipsum Vobiscum habere volumus Colloquium Tractatum Vobis mandamus in fide et dilectione quibus Nobis tenemini firmiter injungentes quantum sitis cum equis et armis ad dictum filium nostrum die Dominica proxima ante instans festum Sti. Michaelis ubicunque tunc fuerit in Anglia ad veniendum ibidem cum dicto Filio nostro et ejus Consilio super dictis negotiis locuturi tractaturi ac facturi quod tunc Uobis per ipsum Consilium suum injungetur ex parte nostra Et hoc sicut Nos bonorem nostrum commodum regni nostri diligitis nullatenus omittatis T. Edwardo filio Regis apud Sanctum Paulum London 9 die Septembris Consim literae diriguntur subscriptis Roberto de Dacre and 48 more The like Writs issued Fulconi fil Warini to be cum equis armis ad dictum filium nostrum London in Octab. Sancti Michaelis prox futur Ibidem cum dicto filio nostro et ejus Consilio super dictis negotiis locuturi et tractaturi c. Tâ—…ut supra Consimiles literae diriguntur to 28. others Et Memor quod omnes isti rogati fuerunt quod venirent apud Roffs praeter Phum Muhaunks Nichum Bramcher Simonem Roges de Fydoks Petrum Mellore Phum de Wylyver quorum brevia fuerunt restituta Rex dilecto et fideli suo Johanni Gifford salutem Licet nuper vobis mandaverimus quod propter quaedam ardua Negotia Nos et regnum nostrum tangentia ad Parliamentum quod erit London in proximo crastino Sancti Michaelis ad Edwardum filium nostrum tenentem in Anglia locum nostrum modis omnibus veniretis Vobis tamen ob aliquas certas causas firmiter injungendo mandamus quod interim taliter ordinetis quod equi vestri et arma sint ad Vos London in Octabis dicti festi Sancti Michaelis ad ultimum Et hoc sicut Nos et commodum regni diligitis nullatenus omittatis T. Edwardo filio nostro apud Sanctum Paulum 16. die Septembris Consimiles Literae dirigunlur subscriptis viz. Edmundo Com. Cornub. Roberto de Tateshall Fulconi fil Warini So as it appears by these Writs that there was first a Summons to London to the Parliament and after
hujus brevis prout continetur in praedicta Cedula which follows in this form Nomina Militum Com. Somerset et eorum manucaptores Robertus de Brent Miles Johannes de Wyk Miles To whose names he returns severally manucaptus est per two there named Nomina Civium Civitatis Bathon eorum manucaptores Henricus Baton Thomas le Mesteer who have 2. manucaptors ' apeece Nomina Burgensium ejusdem Com. de Burgo Taunton 2. with two manucaptors for each De Burgo de Brigges Walteri 2. with two manucaptors De Burgo de Welles 2. with two manucaptors De Burgo de Ivelcester 2. with two manncaptors De Burgo de Milleburne-port 2. with two manucaptors apeece The Writt to the Sheriff of Hertford and the return thereof is wanting in this Bundle and I have here for brevitie left out the names of most Citizens and Burgesses returned with their manucaptors names It is observable from these Writs issued to the Sheriffs 1 That there is no mention at all of the Bishops Abbots or Clergie summoned to this Convention at Yorke touching any Conference or Treaty there to be held with them but only cum Comitibus Baronibus Proceribus regni nostri who were only summoned thither as this writ imports the Clergy being then in a Praemunire and under the Kings displeasure as I conceive 2. That the Earls Barons and Nobles of the Realm were the only persons summoned Nobiscum locuturi super praedictis negotiis tractaturi And the Knights Citizens and Burgesses elected required and impowred only ad faciend quod tunc de communi Consilio ordinabitur in praemissis which full and sufficient power they were every of them to receive for themselves and the whole Commonalties who elected them from the said respective Commonalties by vertue of the Kings writ 3ly That the want of such a full and sufficient power might hinder and disappoint the execution of such businesses as were there appointed and ordained by common consent of the King and Lords 4ly That the word Parliamentum is not used in any of these writs 5ly That there is no Writ in this Bundle to the Constable of Dover and Warden of the Cinque-ports for electing any Barons for those Ports nor any returns made of them 6ly That the City of London had then a particular Writ directed to the Sheriffs thereof for the election only of two Citizens and no more I shall observe also from the Sheriffs returns of these writs 1. That the Knights in every shire were elected in the full County by and for the whole County from whom they received full and sufficient power ad faciend quod tunc ordinabitur secundum tenorem hujus brevis and that the Citizens and Burgesses were then elected and impowred by the respective Commonalties of the Cities and Burroughs for whom they served 2. That all the Sheriffs did then exact and receive from every Knight Citizen Burgesse thus elected and returned special manucaptors for his appearing at the day and place appointed by the writ whose names they returned some of them requiring they putting in 6. others 4. most of them two manucaptors apeece of good qualitie for their appearing though the writs particularly enjoyned them not to take any manucaptors ' from them And that by vertue only of this geueral clause in the writs Et eos ad nos ad praedictos diem et locum venire facias it being the usual legal way to cause them to repair to the King and Parliament at the day usual place prefixed in other writs which practice afterwards continued there being manucaptors returnd sound by most Knights Citizens Burgesses that I hav seen after the reign of King Edw. the 1. 2. till 12 E. 4. though many had none in later times 3. That of all the Knights Citizens and Burgesses elected and returned this year one or two of them only refused to finde manucaptors to wit John de Umfravill chosen one of the Knights for Devon which the Sheriff specially returns And Sir William Rous one of the knights for Bedfordshire as it seems whom the Sheriff thereupon distrained per octo boves et quatuor afros veniend coram vobis ad diem in brevi 4ly That the Sheriffs returns are various and different in their forms some more general brief some more full and punctual according to the contents of the writ some with Cedules annexed others on the dorse of the writs yet all accepted as sufficient and legal 5ly That some Counties in after times at this day have many more Boroughs sending 2. Burgesses apeece to Parliaments than they had in 26 E. 1. by new Charters fince purchased as appears by comparing these returns with those of later and present times 6ly That such Cities and Boroughs who had returns of writs made their own returns of their Citizens and Burgesses elected with their manucaptors to the Sheriffs and that such of them who made no elections nor returns upon the writs were returned as defalters by the Sheriffs 7ly That Bristoll was within the County of Gloueester and its Burgesses and manucaptors returned amongst others of that County till afterwards made a County within it self 8ly That Bath in 26 E. 1. was a City and elected two Citizens with manucaptors and Wells then only a Borough electing and returning two Burgesses 9ly That some of the Knights returned have the word Dominus prefixed before not following after their names which shews they were only titular not real Lords perchance the sons of Lords which are so stiled As none of the writs to the Sheriffs are entred in the Clause Roll of 26 E. 1. so I finde no other writ of Summons to the Spiritual or Temporal Lords registred therein but only this to the Archbishop of York which I omitted in the first Section and shall here insert Claus. 26 E. l. d. 12. Rex Ven. in Christo Patri W. eadem gratia Archiep. Ebor. salutem Quia super quibusdam arduis negotiis Nos et statum Regni nostri tangentibus Vobiscum habere volumus Colloquium et Tractatum Vobis mandamus in fide et dilectione quibus Nobis tenemini firmiter injungentes quod ad Nos usque Westm. personaliter accedatis Ita quod omnibus modis sitis ibidem die Dominica in Ramis Palmarum prox futur ad ultimum super dictis negotiis locuturi et etiam tractaturi Et hoc nullo modo omittatis Teste Rege apud Sandwycum 15 die Martii Consimiles literae diriguntur subscriptis viz. Sc. London Episcopo Magistro Roberto de Radeswell Archidiac Cestr. and 20 others of the Kings Counsil without any other Spiritual or Temporal Lords In 27 E. 1. I finde a writ issued to the Archbishop of Canterbury with a De Parliamento tenendo in the margin of the Roll though the writ and Postscript declare it to be but a private Counsil which I have already presented you with Part 1. p. 10 11. there
apeece Nomina Burg de Appleby 2. with two manucaptors The return is torn and unlegible together with the most of the writ The Writs to the Sheriffs of 4 Counties mentioned in the Clause Rolls and their returns are missing in this Bundle and there is no mention at all in the roll of any Writs then issued to the Sheriffs of Cornwall or London nor any such writs to them in the Bundle whatever was the reason of this omission I have for brevity recited only the names of the Knights for these Counties omitting the names of the Citizens Burgesses and Manucaptors for the most part which those who please may peruse in the returns In this Parliament of 28 E. 1. the Great Charter of the liberties of England and the Forest were specially confirmed and not only several writs issued to Sheriffs through all Counties of England for their reading publishing and due observation recorded in the Cl. Roll of 28 E. 1. d. 7 8. but likewise certain Knights or other Freeholders were publikely elected by the Sheriff Coroners and Commonalty of every County throughout England for the punishing of all Trespasses and Offences committed against the same by special Patents issued to them by the King and his Counsil whom they were personally to attend concerning the same as is apparent by these two memorable writs not hither to taken notice of by any to my knowledge and not improper for this Section being grounded on the printed Statute of 28 E. 1. ch 1. Rex Vic. Lincoln et Coronatoribus et Communitati ejusdem Com. salutem Quia propter communem utilitatem Praelatorum Procerum et Magnatum ac populi regni nostri concessimus pro Nobis et haeredibus nostris quod Magna Charta de Libertatibus Angliae et Carta de Foresta in singulis suis Articulis de caetero teneantur et firmiter observentur Vobis mandamus quod tres Milites vel alios tres de probioribus legalioribus et discretioribus liberis hominibus Com. praedicti de assensu ejusdem Com sine dilatione eligi et cos usque Ebor venire faciatis Ita quod sint ibidem in Crastino Ascensionis Domini coram Nobis vel Consilio nostro ad faciend et exequend ea quae tunc eis ibidem injungetur ex parte nostra pro observatione Cartarum predictarum et habeatis ibi nomina praedictorum Militum vel liberor hominum et hoc breve Teste Rege apud Westm. 26. die Martii Consimiles literae diriguntur singulis Vic. Coronatoribus et Communitatibus singulorum Comitat. per Angliam Claus. 28 E. 1. d. 7. Rex Vic. Nortbt salutem Quia Philippus de Geyton unus illorum de Balliva tua quos nuper de speciali praecepto nostro de tuo et Coronatorum ac Communitatis Comitatus praedicti communi assensu eligi et usque Eborum in Crastino Ascenfionis Domini venire fecisti ad facienda et exequenda ea quae eis ibidem injungerentur ex parte nostra pro obserbatione magnae Cartae de Libertatibus Angliae et Cartae similiter de Foresta electus est in Com. Warr. per Nos una cum quibusdam aliis fidelibus nostris de eodem Com. assignatus ad Transgressiones quas contra tenores praedictarum Cartarum ibidem fieri contingat audiend et terminand per quod ad praemissa facienda in Com. tuo prout erat electus nequit intendere quoquo modo Tibi praecipimus quod loco ipfius Philippi de assensu Coronatorum et Communitatis Comitatus tui praedicti eligi facias unum alium de probioribus legalioribus et discretioribus ejusdem Comitatus qui ad hoc in eodem Com. tuo una cum ipsis ad hoc ibidem electis et coram nobis juratis intendat juxta formam potestatis ipsis electis et sibi per Nos tradendae Et cum eum fic eligi feceris Nobis de ipsius nomine constare facias sine mora ut tunc dictis electis et sibi literas nostras Patentes de potestate sua in hac parte fieri faciamus Teste Rege apud Sanctum Edmundum 10 die Ju. In and from the former Writs and their various returns there are sundry things very observable which I shall note before I pass to the next ensuing 1. The occasion of these Writs and last Parliament wit the examination confirmation and establishment of the New Perambulation of the Forests then made and returned to the King by the Commissioners specially appointed thereunto for the Common profit of the people of the Realm upon the Lords and Commons earnest requests in former Parliaments as you may read at large in Thomas Walsingham Hist. Angliae p. 35. 37 38 42 44 48. Ypodigm Neustriae p. 84 85 86 87 88. Mat. Westm. Ann. 1297 1299. My Plea for the Lords p. 98. to 104. Claus. 28 E. 1. d. 13. and Claus. 9 E. 2. d. 6. Schedula 2. The excellent principle of right and justice comprised in them That Perambulations of Forests though made and returned by speciall Commissioners appointed by the King and Parliament ought not to be ratified as binding till the reasons exceptions and complaints of all persons concerned therein were publikely heard and descided before the Lords in Parliament and they publikely summoned by Proclamations in each County to propound their exceptions and reasons against them if they had any Which rule ought to be still observed in all other like publike cases both in and out of Parliaments 3. The special command and limitation of the King in and by these writs commanding all Sheriffes throughout England to summon to this New Parliament at Lincolne no new elected Knights Citizens or Burgesses except only in the places of such who were dead sick or unable to com to it but only those Knights Citizens and Burgesses who were elected and sent to the last Parliament before it by the Kings precept Which was accordingly executed as appears by the Sheriffs returns 4. A Resolution and Declaration of the King himself by special writs out of Parliament without the petition vote or privity of the Commons themselves That if any Knights of Shires Citizens or Burgesses elected and returned to Parliament be sick or unable to serve and discharge their duties the King himself may by general or special writs command other fitting persons to be elected and sent to Parliament in their places as well as when they are actually dead which was accordingly practised this year as the Sheriffs returns attest And since that resolved and practised in the Parliament Anno 38 H. 8. Brooke Parliament 7. and Cromptons Jurisdiction of Courts f. 16. against the erronious opinion of Sir Edward Cooke to the contrary 4 Instit p. 8. And one Knight is discharged because made a Sheriff and another chosen in his place 5. That all Knights Citizens and Burgesses elected and sent to Parliaments ought to have full and sufficient power
le delivrent et au damage le Roi et de son poeple dont le poeple prie remedie Le Roi voet qe lordenaunce qe sa faite de cieux Prises en temps le Roy son pere soit tenue et gardeé la quelle est contenue es Roulles de la Chauncellarie Le Oytisme qe per la ou il y ad suite faite selonc forme de ley en les Banks nostre Seygneur le Roi souent per Protections et per Breffs dessouz la targe sont leur dreitures delaez a grant damage du poeple Le Roi voet qe Protections oue les Clauses daquitance de pledz ne soient grantez desoremes a nulles gentz forsqe a ceux qi vent hors du Roialme en le servise le Roi pur grosses busoignes du Roialme E le Roi ad charge le Chanceller qi ne les face en autre manere Et quant es Breffs de la targe la Roi voet qe lordenaunce soit garde qe en fust faite en temps le Roi son pere la quelle est en Chancellarie Le Novism qe par la ou larons sont enditez de larciniez râ—…beries homicides et autres felonies faites trop logierement purchaunt la chartre le Roi de sa pees per quoi ceux qi les ont enditez ne osent demorer en lour pais pur doute de ceux larons plusurs se retreent de enditementz faire per cele encheson dont le poeple prie remedie Le Roi voet que desoremes ne soit grante pardoun de felonie forsqe en cas ou aunciennement soleit estre grantez cest asaver si borne tue autre per mesaventure ou soi defendant ou en deuerie ce soit troue per record de Justices Le disme qe per la ou les communs pledz du Banks le Roi de Contez douient estre pledez en certein leiu la veignant les Ministres le Roi de ses Chasteaux et treent en cieu maner les pledz devant les portes des Chasteaux contra la forme de la ley et de ce prie remedie Le Roi voet qe les Constables des Chasteaux ne destreignent gentz apleder devant eux nul play de foreign Conte ne deinz Counte autrement qe aunciennement soleit estre fait Le Viceisme qe par la ou diverses gentz du Roialme tenent lour tenements en chefs du Roi et uncore tenuz eux et lour auncestres du temps dont memoire nest veignent les Escheters le Roi et seisant lour terres et les oustout per enquestes quil fait de lour office sanz appeller en la Court le Roi dont le poeple se sente molt greve Le Roi voet qe gentz et lour auncestres on t tenuz du temps dont il nyad memoire si come la petition suppose e les Eschetors ne se mellent pur encheson del premier entre Et ordenez est et commander per nostre Seignr le Roi qe a ceux qe se voudront pleinder a Chauncellier qe nul bom soit venus encontre aucun des ditz pointz le Chancellier par brofs du grant seal en face cel remedie come il verra qe face afere pur reson Et le Roi ad aussint charge le dit Chanceller et ses Ministres qe chescun endroit bien garde les pointz avantditz He who shall seriously peruse these premised Grievances of the Commons which were all they complained of in the Parliaments of 2 3 Edw. 2. under the misgovernment of Peter de Gaveston Earl of Cornwall and other the Kings ill Counsellors who misled him and were banished and removed from him by Judgement of Parliament will finde them not the thousandth part so many for number nor so grievous oppressive destructive to the persons lives liberties properties estates purses of the people by millions of degrees as those the people and whole Nation have lately groaned under for many years and suffered from their very real or nominal Parliaments themselves their Comittees the grand Pretended Gardians Assertors Protectors of their Laws Liberties and Enfranchisers of them from Regal Tyranny and Bondage into a misnamed Free-State and Government or rather Aegyptian or Turkish vassallage Which I desire all conscientious publike-spirited Englishman now cordially to contemplate If the Commons in Parliament were so zealous to get these few petit Grievances redressed then bought out with a grant only of the 25 part of their goods and thereupon thus redressed for the future How zealous industrious should they be now to reform all those innumerable transcendent grievances and pressures under which we have so long languished and have paid so many millions of Treasure yea spent whole Oceans of English bloud to remove and yet are not eased nor released from them nor in probability like to be being the least of their care who should redress petition protest against them Let this president spurr and excite them to their duties herein being one of the first Petitions of publike grievances exhibited by the Commons alone without the Lords to the King that I have met with in our records upon which account I thought not impertinent to insert it here at large having transcribed it with mine own hands out of the Clause Roll it self The next Writ I shall present you with at large being very remarkable is thus recorded in Claus. 5 E. 2. m. 26. dorso Rex Vic. Ebor. salutem Praecipimus tibi firmiter injungentes quod illos Milites Cives Burgenses de Balliva tua quos nuper ad praesens Parliamentum nostrum apud London incboatum demandato nostro venire fecisti qui ab eodem Parliamento certis de causts recesserunt bel alios ad hoc idoneos loco eorum si ad hoc bacare non possint usque Westm. ad idem Parliamentum quod ibidâ—…m duximus continuandum venire facias Ita quod sint ibidem in crastino Sancti Martini prox futur ad ultimum cum sufficienti potestate Comitatus tui Civitatum et Burgorum praedictorum ad consentiendum c. Teste Rege apud London xi die Octobris By this writ it is apparent 1. That there were Knights Citizens and Burgesses elected and sent to this Parliament at London by the Kings writ though not entred in the Roll of Summons Claus. 5 E 2. d. 3. 17. 25. 2ly That they departed from the Parliament for certain reasons not expressed it seems without the Kings License 3ly That thereupon the King by this writ commands the Sheriff to resummon them to come to the Parliament again which was adjourned to a certain day most likely by reason of their departure from it or else to elect and send other fit persons in their places if they could or would not attend sufficiently impowred from the Counties Cities and Boroughs for
noster terreri seu dicta negotia nostra retardari valeant quovis modo Teste Rege apud Eborum 5 die Marcii Eodem modo mandatum est singulis Vic. per Angliam From which Writ I shall observe 1. That the Writs of Summons to Parliaments may be altered and enlarged with necessary Prologues and clauses according to the times and emergent occasions by the King and his Counsel without consent or Act of Parliament 2ly That the absence of some Prelates Lords and Great men from the Parliament is a just cause to adjourn or dissolve it 3ly That no weighty affairs ought to be concluded but in a full Parliament when all the Lords and Members are present and not in an empty House when any considerable number of Lords and other Members are absent or secluded 4ly That no Lords nor other persons whatsoever though summoned as Members ought to come to Parliaments with a tumultuous multitude of people followers and armed men it being inconsistent with the freedom and privileges of Parliaments a grand disturbance to their proceedings touching the weighty affairs of the King and Kingdom therein propounded and a great terror and oppression to the people in those places where the Parliaments are held Much less then ought Petitioners or those who are no Members to draw up whole Troops Regiments of armed Souldiers to terrifie force seclude secure dissolve the very Lords Members Houses and Parliaments themselves 5ly That the King and his Counsil alone may by publick Writs and Proclamations lawfully prohibit the resort of any persons of what condition soever to Parliaments with any tumultuous multitude or armed men under the pain of forseiting all they have and that by the antient Common-law of England as well as by the Statute of 7 E. 1. Rastal Armer 1. it being a chief branch of the Kings antient royal Prerogative and Office as the Act declares 6ly That they may insert this Prohibition and Proclamation into the very Writs of Summons themselves when there is just occasion as there was never so much cause as now to do it after so many unparallel'd eumults and violences offered to Members and raised against Parliaments themselves by tumultuous wultitudes of rude people and whole Troops Regiments Armies of Sword-men raised for their defence to the total if not final subversion of the antient Rights Liberties and constitution of our English Parliaments In the Parliaments of 5 E. 2. some Noblemen and Earls by reason of dissentions between them and other fears and jealousies intended to resort to those Parliaments with a great number of armed men of their friends and retainers which the King being informed of thereupon issued these memorable writs unto them expressing the manifold mischiefs and inconveniences thence ensuing and prohibiting them to come to these Parliaments with any arms horses of warr or multitudes of people or to disturb the peace affright the people of the Realm or hinder the publike affairs of Parliament in any kinde under pain of forfeiting all their lands tenements and whatever else they might forfeit to him worthy the consideration and imitation of present and future ages upon the like occasions Clause 5 E. 2. dors 31. Rex dilecto et fideli sno Nicho de Segrave falutem Datum est nobis intelligi quod vos occasione quarundam dissensionum inter vos et dilectum fidelem nostrum Willielmum Mareschal nuper subortarum ad arma vos paratis amicos confederatos vesttos se parare similiter procuratis quodque ad Parliamentum nostrum quod apud London die Dominica proxima post festum Sti. Laurentii proximo futur fecimus summoneri accedere intenditis cum multitudine armatorum unde in immensum non immerito commovemur Et quia accessus bujusmodi si fieret in nostri contemptum et expeditionis negotiorum nostrorum impedimentum ac terrorem populi regni nostri et lesionem pacis nostrae cederet manifestè Uobis mandamus in fide et bomagio quibus Nobis tenemini sub forisfactura terrarum ac tenementorum ac omnium aliorum quae Nobis forisfacere poteritis districtè inhibentes ne ad dictum Parliamentum cum armis seu alio modo quam tempore clarae memoriae Domini E. quondam Regis Angl. patris nostri consuevit accedere aut aliqua alia per quae expeditio negotiorum nostrorum in dicto Parliamento retardari aut pax nostra turbari seu populus dicti regni nostri quovis modo terreri valeat facere praesumatis Consimilia mandata et Inhibitionem fecimus praefato Willielmo super negotio antedicto Teste Rege apud Berwic super Twed. 20 die Julii Eodem modo mandatum est praefato Willielmo de Mareschal T. ut supra Cl. 5 E. 2. dors 22. Rex dilecto et fideli suo Gilberto de Clare Comiti Glouc. Hereford salutem Intelleximus quod ad praesens Parliamentum nostrum apud Westm. continuatum estis cum equis et armis more non debito venientes unde admiramur non immerito et turbamur praesertim cum per hujusmodi accessum vestrum ibidem expeditio negotiorum Nos et statum regni nostri tangentium in dicto Parliamento nostro tractandorum impediri et populus partirum illarum ac alibl in regno nostro terreri posset non modicum et pax nostra turbari Vobis igitur mandamus in fide et homagio quibus Nobis tenemini firmiter injungedtes quod ad dictum Parliamentum nostrum ad tractandum Nobiscum et cum Praelatis ac Magnatibus de regno nostro super dictis negotiis veniatis prout tempore clarae memoriae Domini E. quondam Regis Angl. patris nostri fieri consuevit equis pro armis vobiscum ibidem nullatenus adducentes nec aliquid aliud attemptantes per quod pax nostra turbari aut populus noster terreri valeat quovis modo T. apud Westm. 28 die Novemb Per ipsum Regem Eodem modo mandatum subscriptis viz. Thomae Comiti Lancastr Humfr. de Bohun Comiti Heref. Essex Adamaro de Ualenc Com Pembroke Guidoni de Bello-Campo Com Warr. Edmundo Com. Arundell It seems notwithstanding those Writs there were some forces raised by these Earls and Nobles principally against Peter Gaveston which produced these ill effects 1. It terrified most of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses and caused them to depart home and desert the Parliament so as the King was enforced to issue out new Writs to resummon them and to command the Sheriff to elect others in their places in case they would not or could not come as is evident by the Writs in dorse 26 of Cl. 5. E. 2. forecited p. 73. 2ly It frighted away most of the Kings Justices and Counsil from the Parliament so that he was constrained to resummon and command them not to depart from the Parliament during its continuance without his special license as appears by this ensuing memorable Writ Cl. 5 E. 2.
d. 27. Rex dilecto et fideli suo Roberto de Retford salutem Nuper vobis ex parte nostra suit injunctum quod una cum caeteris de Consilio nostro in praesenti Parliamento nostro London ad tractandum ibidem super diversis negotiis Nos et Statum regni nostri tangentibus moram continuam faceretis quousque aliud inde praecipissemus Vosque mandatum nostrum in hac parte minus justè ponderantes à dicto Parliamento caeteris de Consilio nostro ibidem circa dicta negotia nostra tractantibus ad alias partes vos elongastiâ—… unde admiramur non modicum et merito conturbamur Vobis igitur mandamus in fide qua Nobis tenemini sirmiter injungentes quod statim visis praesentibus omnibus aliis praetermissis ad dictam Civitatem cum omni festinatione accedatis ibidem cum caeteris de Consilio nostro super dictis negotiis tractaturi vestrumque Consilium impensuri et exinde sine licentia nostra speciali durante Parliamento praedicto nullaten us recedatis Et hoc ficut indignationem nostram vitare volueritis nullo modo omittatis T. Rege apud Haddelye 12 die Septembr Per Consilium Eodem modo mandatum est subscriptis viz Willo de Ormesby Rico de Bereford Henrico de Staunton Johi de Mitford Henrico le Scrop Henrico de Guldeford Willo de Colneye Willo de Goldington Johi de Insula Johi de Doncastr Johi Lovell de Snotescumbe Rico de Rodeneye Johi Cheynel Willo de Bourne Johi de Batesford Rogâ—…ro de Scotre 3ly It necessitated the King to adjourn the Parliament till a further time and much hindred the publike affaires of the King and kingdom which should have been dispatched therein as is evident by the writ of Prorogation Cl. 5 E. 2. dorso 17. And what sadder effects such armed tumults and Souldiers have of late years produced not only to the disturbance of the publike peace and affairs of the Realm and Parliament but to the very ruin of the King Parliament kingdom Lawes Liberties themselves we have seen by sad experience Therfore we should use all good and effectual means for the future prevention of such tumults armed powers and mischiefs when and where any Parliaments are convened The next Writs are in Claus. 4 E. 3. dors 19. Vic. Northumbr recited at large with Cons. literae singulis Vicec per Angl running all in the ordinary form having the same recitals and dates with those to the Prelates forecited Section 1. But in Dors. 13. of this year I find this memorable Writ of Proclamation issued to all Sheriffs cf Countles after the Writs of Elections sent unto them to direct them and the people what persons they should then elect for their Knights and inviting all that were grieved by the Kings Officers to complain against them in Parliament to the King himself or such as he should appoint who should give them full and speedy relief There being the like Writs formerly issued to them by King Edward the first Claus. 17 E. 1. dors 2. Quod Vit. singuli venire fac illos qui de Ministr Rs. conqueri voluerint quod veniant apud Westm. coram certis Justiciariis assignandis to exemine and redress all offences misdemeanours and oppressions dum Rex erat extra Regnum Le Roy a Viscount de Lancastr falutz Pur ce que nous avomous entendues que diverses oppressions et duretes ount este faits sur plusours gentz de nostre Roilme per acunes q'uont estre nos Ministers en diverses Offices et auxint per acunes gentz de nostre Rollme auxibien Nouz consealers come autres tant come nous besoigne per reason de la tendernes de nostre age ount este meney per acunes gentz a damage et dishonor de nouz la quelle chose nous ne voloms desore soeffrer et nos avoms mult grant desire que tiels choses fuissent mâ—…s en estat due et les tortes et misprisions redresses Vous mandoms et chargeâ—…nt en la foi que vous nous devoz que hastiment sanz delay faitz crier per mi vostre bailive auxibien deinz Franchise come dehors que toutz ceux que se vodroint pleindre des oppressions duretes ou autres grievance a eux faitz countre droiture et les loyes et les usages de nostre Roilme veigne it a Westm. a cest nostre prochein Parlement et monstrent illeoqes lour plaints a nous ou a ceux que nous ferront a ce deput et nous lour feroms fair covenable et hastiâ—… remede dont ils se devient aggreer per reason Et pour ce que avant ces heures ascunes des Chivalers qe sont venus as Parlements pour les communautes des countees ount estre gentz de coveigne et maintieners des fauses querels et nount mi seoffree que les bones gentz poient monstrer les grievances du comune poeple ne les choses que deuseant avoir este redresses en Parlement a granâ—… damage de nous et de nostre poeple vos mandoms et chargeoms qe vous faces eslier per come assent de vestre Counteâ—… deux des plus leaux et plus suffisouns Chivalers et Sergeantz de mesme le Countee que soient mi suspiciouns de male coveigne ne communes meinteirâ—…ours des parties d'estrez a nostre Parlement selonc le forme de nostre mandement que vous en aves Et ceo ne lessez si come vous voilliez eschuer nostre grief indignation Don a Woodstock le triers jour de November per ipsum Regem Eodem modo mandatum est singulis Vic. per Angl. A fit Writ to be now revived The next writs are those in Claus 5 E. 3. dors 7. Rex Vic. Eborum salutem Cum pro magnis arduis negotiis Nos statum aâ—… regimen Regni nostri specialiter contingentibus de consilio Praelatorum Magnatum Nobis assistentium ordinavimus Parliamentum nostrum apud Westm. in crastino sancti Michaelis prox futur tenere cum Praelatis Magnatibus Proceribus dicti Regni habere Colloquium Tractatum Tibi prâ—…cipimus firmitâ—…r injungentes quod de dicto Com. duos Milites de qualibet Civitate Com. illius duos Cives de quolibet Burgo duos Burgenses de discretioribus ad laborandum potentioribus eligi eos ad dictos diem locum venire facias Ita quod dicti Milites plenam sufficientem poâ—…estatem pro se pro communitate Com. praedicti dicti Cives Burgenses pro se communitate Civitatum Burgorum divisim ab ipsis habeant ad faciend consentiend biis quae tunc de communi Consilio favente Domino ordinari contigerit super negotiis antedictis Ita quod pro defectu potestatis hujusmodi dicta negotia infecta non remaneant quovis modo Et habeat ibi nomina
eadem data viz. Majori Ballivis de Norwich pro uno Cive Majori et Ballivis de Kingeston super Hull pro uno Burgense Ballivis de Sancto Botho pro uno Burgense Majori Ballivis Bristoll pro uno Burgense Majori Ballivis de Villa Southampton pro uno Burgense Majori Ballivis Cicestr pro uno Cive Ballivis Villae magnae Jernmutb pro uno Burgense Majori Ballivis Villae de Lenn pro uno Burgense Majori Ballivis Lincoln pro uno Cive Rex dilecto fideli suo Bartho de Burghershe Constabulario Castri sui Dovor Custodi Quinque Portuum suorum vel ejus 〈◊〉 Tenenti salutem Quia pro magnis urgentilus negotiis c. Vobis mandamus firmiter injungentes Quod de Quinque Portubus praedictis duos Barones de Provectoribus discretioribus magis expertis Baronibus Portuum praedictorum eligi eos ad diem locum venire faciatis Ita quod iidem Barones plenam sufficientem potest pro se commun Portuum babeant ad tract and. consulend consentiend biis quae tunc divina favente clementia de communi Consilio contiger it ordinari Et ut homines ab ista occupatione Autumpnalibus quo minus possumus retrabamus duos tantum Barones de Portubus prae dictis ad dictum Consilium mittend habere volumus ista vic Nos de die receptionis praesentium per quem vobis dilatae fuerint certificantes tunc ibid. Test. ut supra In these Writs there are these several things remarkable 1. The occasions of them Pro magnis urgentibus negotiis novis subitis ad nos perlatis nos statum ac jura Regni nostri Angliae summe concernentibus super quibus festinum providum oportet exhiberi remedium as the Writ to the Arch-bishop recites and the ut supra in these writs refers to 2ly The title given to this Convention not Parliamentum but Consilium as the latter clauses of these writs ad dictum Consilium and the marginal Note in the Roll summonitio Consilii import 3ly The persons summoned to it namely the Arch-bishops Bishops one Prior one Abbot the Earls and temporal Lords and Barons the Kings Justices and Counsil as well of the Clergy as Laity but one Knight only and no more out of every Shire for the whole Shire 2 Citizens out of London only but one Citizen and Burgesse alone out of every other Citie and Borough and 2 Barons but no more out of all the Cinque-ports 4ly The extraordinary qualification of the Knights Citizens Burgesses and Barons to be elected who are limited to be de provectioribus discretioribus magis expertis Militibus Civibus Burgensibus Baronibus 5ly The reason rendered why one only in each of these was at this time prescribed to be elected and no more was ut homines ab ista occupatione autumpnalibus quo minus possumus retrabamus 6ly The clause of the plenary and sufficient power they were to have for themselves and the Commonaltyes who elected them ad tractand consulend consentiend hiis quae tunc divina favente clementia de communi consilio contigerit ordinari super negotiis ante dictis varyes from former clauses 7ly The Certificate required from all to whom these writs issued Nos de die acceptionis praesentium per quem tibi dilatae fuerint certificans tunc ibidem not usual in other writs 8ly That writs issued to Sheriffs only to choose one Knight but not to elect any Citizen or Burgess within their Counties the writs for their elections now issuing to the Maiors Sheriffs Bayliffs of each City and Borough not to the Sheriffs There are other forms of Writs somewhat like unto these last recited thus registred in Claus. 21 E. 3. m. 12. dors not unworthy special observation issued to Sheriffs of Counties Mayors Sheriffs Bayliffs ' of Corporations Cities which I shall present you with Rex Vic. Lanc. salutem Quia pro magnis urgentibus negotiis Nos statum Regni nostri Angliae concernentibus cum Prelatis Magnatibus Proceribus aliis fildelibus dicti Regni nostri apud Westm. die Lunae prox post festum sancti Mathaei Apostoli prox futur Colloquium habere volumus tractatum Tibi prâ—…imus firmites injungentes quod unum Militem gladio Cinctum de discretioribus magis expertis Militibus Com praedicti de assensu ejusdem Comitatus sine dilastone eligi eum ad dtem locum praedictos venire facias Ita quod idem Miles pro se pro communitate Com. praedicti plenâ—…n sufficientem petestatem habeat ad tractand consulend consentiend hiis quae tunc divina favente clementia contigerit ordinari super negotiis antedictis hoc nullatenus omittatisi Teste ut supra Eodem modo mandatum est singulla Vicecomitibus per Angliam sub eadem data Rex dilecto fideli suo Bartho de Burghersh Constabulario Castri sui Dov c. vobis mandamus c. quod de quolibet Portuum praedictorum unum Baronem de discretionibus magis expertis Baronibus Portuum eorundem eligi c. Ita quod iidem Barones plenam sufficientem potestatem pro se communitate Portuum praedictorum habeant ad tractand c. ut supra Rex Majori Vicecomitibus London c. ut supra Quod duos Cives de provectioribus discretioribus magis expertis Civibus Civitatis predictae de assensu ejusdem Civitatis sine dilatione eligi c. Ita quod lidem Cives pro se c. hoc nullatenus omittatis Eodem modo mandatum est Majoribus Ballivis Civitatum Burgorum subscriptorum de duobus Civibus sive Burgensibus mittendis sub eadem data viz. Majori Ballivis Civitatis Karliol Majori Ballivis villae Novi Castri super Tynam Majori Ballivis Civitatis Eborum Majori Ballivis Villae de Kingeston super Hull Majori Ballivis Civitatis Lincoln Majori Ballivis Villae Cauntebrigg Ballivis Villae de santo Botho Botolph Ballivis Civitatis Norwich Majori Ballivis de Bristol Majori Ballivis Villae Southampton Majori Ballivis Cicestr Ballivis Magna Jernemuth Ballivis de Gippewico Majori Ballivis de Lenn Majori Ballivis Civitatis Wynton Majori Ballivis Gloucestr Majori Ballivis Civitatis Sarum Majori Ballivis Civitatis Exon. Majori Ballivis Bathon Majori Ballivis Wellen. Majori Ballivis de Coventr Majori Ballivis de Lichefeld Majori Ballivis Civitatis Wigorn. Majori Ballivis Civitatis Hereford Mojori Ballivis Villae Northampton Majori Ballivis Civitatis Cantuar. Majori Ballivis Civitatis Roffen Majori Ballivis Bedford Majori Ballivis de Bokingham Majori Ballivis Oxon. Majori Ballivis Elien Majori Ballivis Notingham Majori Ballivis Derb. Majori Ballivis Salop. Majori
Ballivis Stafford Majori Ballivis Warwick Majori Ballivis Leicestr The things most observable from these writs are these 1. That in the margin of the Roll these writs are stied Summonitio Consilii that the word Parliamentum is not mentioned in them but Colloqu Tractatum and in the Prologue to the printed Statute of the Staple 27 E. 3. it is styled Dur great Counsel at Wettminster 2ly That both the Arch-bishops all the Bishops Abbots Priors Earls Temporal Lords and Kings Counsel usually summoned to former Parliaments were summoned to this Great Council and 2 Citizens and Burgesses out of every City and chief but not petty Borough by special Writs issued to their Maiors and Bayliffs only not to the Sheriffs of Counties as usually and yet but one Knight out of every County and one Baron out of every of the Cinqueports was summoned thereunto which is thus expressed in the very printed Prologue to the Statute of the Staple made therein Anno 27 E. 3. 1353. Whereas good deliberation had with the Prelates Dukes Earls Barons and Great men of the Counties that is to say of every County one Knight for all the County and of the Commons of Cities and Boroughs of our Realm of England summoned to our Great Counsel c. 3ly That the principal cause of summoning this Great Counsel was the setling of the Staple for England Wales and Ireland and making Laws and Ordinances for the same by the Counsel and common assent of the said Prelates Dukes Earls and Barons Knights and Commons as the Prologue to the Statute of the Staple made therein and the Statute it self resolves us which principally concerned Cities and Boroughs 4ly That the Knights Citizens Burgesses and Barons to be elected and sent thereto were limited to be De discretioribus magis expertis Militibus c. and to have plenam sufficientem potestatem ad tractand consulend consentiend c. as in the precedent writs 5ly That the number of the Cities and Boroughs to which special writs issued were 37. besides London and the Cinque-ports entred promiscuously without any alphabetical or other order as the Clerks pleased but none out of Cornwall or small Boroughs 6ly That in 28 E. 3. a Parliament was summoned for confirmation of the Ordinances and Statutes for establishing the Staple made in this Great Councel wherein they were confirmed with certain Declarations and Additions to be firmly kept and holden for a Statute to endure for ever as the printed Act of 28 E. 3. c. 13. the Parliament and Statute rolls inform us Therefore no binding Acts till then The next Writs for electing Knights Citizens and Burgesses are in Claus. 28 E. 3. dors 26. the writs to the Sheriffs are duos Milites duos Cives duos Burgens de discretioribus provect ad laborand potentioribus qui non sunt placitatores quaerelarum manutentores aut ex hujusmodi questu viventes sed homines valentes bonae fidei ac publicum commodum diligentes eligi c. as in claus 24 E. 3. pars 2 dors 3. forecited and those in claus 29 E. 3. dors 8. are both the same with these in all clauses except in their dates and the dayes places of the Pailiament though the writs of Prorogation Dors. 7. vary from them having duos Milites gladiis cinctos c de discretioribus probioribus Militibus c. ad laborand potentioribus only in them Clause 31 E. 3. dors 21. The writs to the Sheriffs are only Duos Milites duos Cives duos Burgenses de discretioribus probioribus Militibus Civibus Burgensibus ad laborand potentioribus with a seu propter improvidam electionem c. in the Ita quod c. which clause is in the writ to the Warden of the Cinque-ports entred after those to Sheriffs But the writs to the Sheriffs dors 2. of this Roll run thus Rex Vic. Kanc. c. Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes quod de Com. tuo duos Milites gladiis cinctos de qualibet Civitate com illius duos Cives de quolibet Burgo duos Burgenses de discretioribus probioribus Militibus Civibus Burgensibus com comitatuum Burgorum eorundem et de elegantioribus personis eligi c. Ita quod c. seu propter improvidam electionem Militum Civium aut Burgensium praedictorum dicta negotia nostra infecta nō remaneant c. Et habeas ibi nomina praedictorum Militum Civium Burgensium hoc breve Et scire facias eisdem quod propter arduitatem negotiorum praedictorum celeriorem expeditionem eorundem volumus primo die Parliamenti personaliter interesse per quod nolumus nec intervimus aliquem ad dictum Parliamentum summonitum quin eodem primo die personaliter intersint habere ullo modo excusatum seu excusationem inde admittere aliqualem Teste ut supra Consimilia brevia diriguntur fingulis Vicecomitibus per Angliam nec non Henrico Duo ci Lancastr vel ejus locum tenenti sub eadem data In these writs I observe 1. A new qualification De elegantioribus personis in no writs else before or after 2ly An unusual clause in the close of them strictly requiring every person summoned to this Parliament to be personally present at it on the very first day thereof without any excuse An infallible Argument and clear evidence that all Members of Parliament duly elected or summoned ought personally to appear therein at the very first day and none of them to be suspended secluded ejected by their Fellow-Members or others 3ly That no excuses ought to be admitted for the non-attendance of Persons duly summoned to Parliaments 4ly That the King alone is and ought to be the principal Judge of Members excuses for absenting from Parliament the only Person who can and ought to dispence with their non-attendance since the Parliament is his Parliament Court Council summoned only by his Writs and Precepts for his and the publick businesses not the Lords or Commons who cannot dispence with absent Members without or against his consent In Claus. 34 E. 3. dors 4. there is this new addition in the Writs to Sheriffs Rex Vic. Kanc. c. Quod de Com. tuo duos Milites c. de discretioribus probioribus Militibus Civibus Burgensibus c. Ita quod iidem Milites in pleno Comitatu tuo eligentur plenam sufficientem potestatem pro se c. Ita quod c. seu propter improvidam electionem Militum c. with a Scire facias eisdem quod propter arduitatem negotiorum praedictorum celeriorem expeditionem eorundem c. as in the last preceding Writs but in the writs in this Roll Dorse 35. to another Parliament this year these new clauses are left out In the Clause roll anno 36 E. 3. d. 16. there is this observable variation in the writs to
themselves are bound in Justice and prudence to reverse and revoke all such unusual illegal clauses and restraints inserted into writs for Elections which are inconsistent with the just rights and freedom of the people in their elections according to the Statutes of 3 E. 1. c. 5. 9 E. 4. c. 14. 7 H. c. 15. and this memorable President of King Riâ—…bard the 2d and that before any publick report thereof in Parliament or examination by the Commons 3ly That no Peer or Baron of the Realm may or ought to be elected a Knight of the Shire or Burgess of Parliament That the King himself may by his Writ null and declare their Elections void and command a new Election to be made before the Parliament assembles without the Commons precedent or concurrent Votes 4. That if the same person be elected Knight of the shire in two several Counties the King by his Writ may null and discharge the second election before the Parliament meets and order the election of a New Knight for the County wherein he was last elected he being uncapable to serve in both without the Commons order or privity 5ly That the Commons House or Committees in this Age were not the ludges Desciders of the lawfulness of Knights and Burgesses elections as now they make themselves but the King himself or the King and Lords House or his Counsel in Parliament without the Commons as I have elsewhere proved at large by sundry Presidents Besides the writs for elections under King Richard the 2d entred in the Clause Rolls there are five several Bundles of writs anno 3 10 11 13 16 R. 2. issued to Sheriffs for electing Knights Citizens Burgesses for the respective Parliaments held in those years having the Retorns of the Sheriffs with all the names of the knights Citizens Burgesses then elected indorsed on them or in Cedules annexed to them most of them having two Manucaptors apiece for their appearance at the day and place of the Parliament and some few of them no Manucaptors at all the forms of the Retorns agreeing for the most part with those of 26 28 E. 1. 42 E. 3. forecited upon which confideration I shall wholy pretermit them to avoid prolixity and nauseousness The original writs of Elections and their Retorns under K. Henry 4. are either mislayed or totally lost embeseled perished through negligence or casualty so as I can give you no particular account of them but only of their transcripts entred in the Clause-Rolls The first of them are enrolled in Claus. 1 H. 4. m. 37. dors claus 2 H. 4. pars 2. dors 8. cl 3 H. 4. dors 2. 17. cl 5 H. 4. pars 1. dors 28. pars 2. dors 11. agreeing all in words substance form with the usual VVrits forecited under Richard the second without any variation except in their Prologues and dates being the same with those to the Prelates Section 1. But in Cl. 5 H. 4. part 2. m. 4. dors there was an unusual new Clause inserted into the VVrits then issued prohibiting all Apprentices or any other man of Law to be elected as well as Sheriffs these Writs else agreeing in all things with the ordinary form Rex Vic. c. Jalutem c. Nolumus autem quod tu sive aliquis alius Vicecomes Regni nostri nec Apprenticius aut aliquis alius homo ad legem aliqualiter sit electus Teste Rege apud Lichefeld quinio die Augusti Thomas of Walsingham a credible Historian then living took special Notice of this extraordinary VVrit recording in his History of England direxit ergo Rex brevia Vicecomitibus ne quosquam pro Comitatibus eligerent quovismedo Milites qui in Iure regni docti fuissent vel Apprenticii sed tales omnino mitterentur ad boc negotium quos constat ignorare cujusque Iuris methodum quod et factum est But what prejudice to the Republike and people this produced by imposing new insupportable Taxes upon them he informs us in his Ypodigma Nestr p. 164. Grave Sir Edward Cook the most confident common Mistaker Mis-reporter of Records that I have hitherto read peremptorily affirms That the Historian VValsingham was herein mistaken and that there was no such Clause in the Writs then issued A clear evidence he never perused this Clause Roll or VVrit with his own eyes or most else be cites as I have done more than once for my own and others satisfaction transcribing this passage out of it with my own hand which I have also met with in sundry other transcripts as well as in the Roll it self where all may peruse it when they please And if this be not sufficient evidence our learned Antiquary Sir Henry Spelman a person of far greater judgement and learning in Antiquities than Sir Edw Cook hath assured us thereof in his Glossarium p. 44. Prohibet Rex Henrious 4 legum Apprenticios ad Parliamentaria Comitia Coventriae habita sexto die Octob. anno Regni sui sexto in Comitatibus eligendos ut non solum meminêre Annales nostri sed ipsum etiam breve Parliamentarium unicuique Vicecomitum directum datumque vigessimo quinto die Aug. anno ejusdem 5. uti patet ibidem in pede viz. Nolumus autem quod tu seu aliquis alius Vic. Regni nostri praedicti aut Apprenticius sive aliquis alius homo ad legem aliqualiter sit electus c. Hinc Parliamentum illud Laicorum dicitur indoctorunr quo jugulum Ecclesiae atrocius petebatur And Sir Edward Cook himself at unawares confesseth as much some few pages after 4 Instit. p. 48. as I have evidenced in my Plea for the Lords p. 379 380 381. and Preface to the Exact Abridgement of the Records in the Tower I find in truth that there were no less than three several writs of Summons and Elections to three distinct Parliaments in this one year of 5 H. 4. The first dated apud Leichfeld 5 die Augusti for a Parliament to be held at Coventree octavo die Octobr. entred Claus. pars 2 H. 4 dors 4. whereinto this clause was inserted omitted in most Collections of Parliamentary writs of Summons The second entred in Claus. 5 H. 4. pars 2. dors 11. Teste Johanne Duce Bedford Custode Angliae apud Westm. 5 die Octobris The third entred Clause 5 H. 4. pars 1. dors 28. for a Parliament apud Coventre tertio die Decembris Teste Rege apud VVestm 20 die Octobris in which two latter writs there is no such Clause inserted but only in the first which perchance was the ground of Sir Edward Cooks confident mistake who only saw a transcript of the latter not of the first Writs This Clause was warranted by and grounded on the forecited Ordinance of 46 E. 3. as Sir Edward Cook aâ—…tests and I subscribe to but that this was an Ordinance â—…ly of the Lords or that Ordinances differed from Acts of Parliament in those times
praedicti I. B. I. D. alii qui procl praedictae in pleno comitat praedict interfuerunt secundum formam statutorum in brevi praedicto specificatorum secundum exigen brovis illius eligerunt W. F. V. S. milites gladiis cinctos pro comitatu praedicto ad essendum ad Parliamentum in eodem brevi specific qui plenam sufficientem potestatem pro se et communitate comitatus praedicti habeant ad faciendum consentiendum prout breve illud in se exigit requirit In cujus rei testimonium partes praedictae his Indenturis sigilla sua alternatim apposuerunt Datum tali die annâ—… Plo. 120. G. A. armig vic Autiel Indenture serra fait inter vicount et Burgesses de D. sur election de lour Burgesses c Mutatis mutandis I have here given you the exactest fullest clearest Account of all the several forms and varieties of writs for electing Knights of Counties Citizens and Burgesses for our Parliaments and Great Councils and of their retorns extant in our Records ever yet presented to the World hitherto unacquainted with most of them of which our greatest Antiquaries have been in some measure ignorant I shall now close up this Section with 2. mâ—…morable rare Records in the Parliaments of 18 38 H. 6. touching the elections of Knights not impertinent to my purpose and worthy publication The first of them I find thus recorded Rot. Parl. An. 18 H. 6. m. 13. n. 18. Memorandum quod pro eo quod 16 die Novembris anno praesenti lecto coram Rege Dominis spiritualibus Temporalibus in Parliamento praedicto tunc existentibus per illos plenius intellecto retorno ejusdem Brevis ipsius Domini Regis Gilberto Hore nuper Vic. Cantebr pro electione duorum Militum inter alia qui ad Parliamentum praedictum pro Com. praedicto venire debuissent juxta formam in eodem Breve specificatam faciend directi satis evidenter constabat tunc ibidem quibusdam certis de causis in eodem returno specificatis nullos Milites ad veniend ad Parliamentum praedictum pro eodem Comitatu pretextu brevis praedicti â—…ctos aliqualiter extitisse Per ipsum Dominum Regem De avisamento et assensu eorundem Dominorum spiritualium et temporalium consideratum â—…t ordinatum fuit tunc ibidem quod per quoddam aliud breve ipsius domini Regis de data dicti prioris Brevis Vic. Com. praedicti detur specialiter in mandatis Quod ipse facta Proclamatione in prox Comitatu suo infra dictum Com. Cantebr post receptionem brevis illius tenend de die loco tentionis Parliamenti praedicti electionem duorum Militum gladiis cinctorum ac omnia alia in eodem continenda juxta formam ejusdem Brevis faciat exequatur Et quod idem Vicecomes antequam ad hujusmodi electionem procedat publicè in eodem Com. proclamari inhiberi faciat ne aliqua persona tunc ibidene armata seu modo guerrino arraiata ad electionem illam accedat nec quicquam quod in perturbatienem pacis ipsius Domini Regis seu electionis illius cedere valeaâ—… ibidem vel alibi faciat vel attemptet nec quod aliqua persona se de electione illa intromittat nec vocem suam in electione illa tantummodo excepta persona quae vocem in hujusmodi electione infra Com. praedictum facienda juxta formam statuti in eoslem brevi specificati habere debeat dare praesumat quovis modo sub periculo incumbenti ac sub paena imprisonamenti corporis sui ad voluntatem ipsius Domini Regis Et idem Vicec personas quae praemissa seu aliquod praemissorum in aliquo contemnere praesumpserint prisonae ipsius Domini Regis mancipet committat in eadem salvo secure custodiend quosque idem Dominus Rexpro earum deliberatione aliter duxerit demandand From which memorable writ I shall observe 1. That the Sheriff of a County after his Writ for electing Knights of the Shire received and proclaimed may justly refuse to proceed to thâ—… election in case any Souldiers or others armed with weapons and arrayed in warlike manner resort unto it to interrupt or disturb the Election And that this being retorned is a good excuse for the Sheriffs not electing the Knights 2ly That the King and Lords in that Age were sole Iudges of the Retorns of Sheriffs upon Writs for Elections of the legality of them and the elections made upon them as I have elsewhere largely evidenced by records not the Commons House 3ly That they alone not the Commons gave order for new writs for electing Knights and Burgesses when or where there was cause and directions how to make them as in this case and others 4ly That the Sheriff was here specially directed to make publick Proclam before the writ for election of knights for the shire was read to prohibit any person whatsoever to resort to the Election armed or arrayed in warlike manner or to do any thing in disturbance of the Kings peace or of the election and that no person should interpose meddle with or give his voyce in the election in any kind but such who had a lawfull right to do it according to the form of the Statute 5ly That if any person resorted to it armed or did any thing that might either disturb the Kings peace or election or intermeddle therein or gave his voyce who had no voyce by Law that the Sheriff should forthwith imprison him for his offence in the Kings prison till the King himself give order for his release Which I conceive all Sheriffs may still do in like Cases by vertue of the Statute of 3 Edw. 1. c. 5. concerning the freedoms of elections which enacts and commands upon great forfeiture that no great man nor other by force of arms or menacing shall disturb any to make free election And if none may disturb the freedom of Elections by armed force much less may they interrupt the Members from sitting in the House or disturb them in the freedom of their debates when elected assembled in Parliament under greater penalties and forfeitures The second is thus enrolled Rot. Parl. An 38 H. 6. n. 11. To the King our Soveraign Lord Meekly beseeching your true Liegemen Sheriffs of the Shires of this your noble Realm that were of the years past passed Where it pleased your Highness to command divers of your said Beseechers by your honourable Letters of privy Seal to proceed to election of their several shires of Knights of shires for this your present Parliament for the good hasty speed thereof Please it your noble Grace to ordain and to grant by assent of your Lords Spiritual and Temporal and by the Commons assembled in this present Parliament by authority of the same That all elections of Knights of your seid Shires in such wise chosen and by your said Beseechers retorned be as good and effectual as
any election of Knights by any of your seid Shires made or done by vertue of your seid Writ or Writs to every of your seid Beseechers direct And that your seid Beseechers and their Under-Sheriffs and Clarks and every of them be quite and discharged against your Liege-people of the penalties and forfeitures that they or eny of them be fellyn or may be chargeable by force of a Statute made the 23 year of your noble Reign as for occupying or exercising their seid Office longer than a year for every maner elections of Knights as well by force of your Writs as by force of your letters of Privy-seal as otherwise and for retorns of the same and for all maner retorns of Citizens and Burgesses in their several Shires for this present Parliament by every of them retorned before the last day of this present Parliament Provided alway that by this Act they nor none of them be excused or discharged of eny other offence or thing done by them in eny of their seyd Offices Alway forseyn that no man be amerced for eny suyt begon by him against eny of your seyd Beseechers to recover the seyd penalties for eny occupation of the seyd Office for the premises Le Roy le voet The occasion of this Petition and Act then passed is thus expressed in the printed Statute of 39 H. 6. c. 1. That divers Knights of Counties Citizens and Burgesses were named retorned accepted in this Parliament of 38 H. 6. some of them without any due or free election others without any election at all against the course of the Kings Laws and the liberties of the Commons of this Realm by vertue of the Kings Letters of Privyâ—…eal without any free election and that by the means labours of divers seditious and evil-disposed Persons only to destroy certain of the great faithfull Lords and Nobles and other faithfull Liege-people of the Realm out of hatred malice greedy unsatiable covetousness to gain their Lands Inheritances Offices and Estates For which undue elections the Sheriffs being purposely kept longer in their Offices than they otherwise should have been and fearing to be exemplarily punished by Actions upon the Statute brought against them thereupon they petitioned the King and procured this Act of Parl. for them and their Under-sheriffs present and future indemnities for these illegal Elections and retorns of persons unduly elected or nominated by the King alone without any election by the people for which misdemeanor of theirs this whole Parliament and all Acts made therein were repealed and made void the very next year and Parliament following 39 H. 6. c. 1. from whence I shall observe 1. That no Sheriffs or Officers can be secured in dempnified against undue elections and retorns of Knights Citizens and Burgesses nominated to them by the King or any others but only by Act of Parliament 2. That such undue elections retorns as these are usually made by the procurement and labour of seditious and evil-disposed persons out of malice hatred or insatiable covetousness and for pernitious ends and designs 3ly That Parliaments unduly elected and packed by policy or power prove alwaies abortive and are repealed as void and pernitious in conclusion of which we have seen pregnant instances in this and other late Parliaments worthy our saddest considerations Vsefull Observations in and from the precedent Section FRom these recited Writs I conceive it to be most clearly and satisfactorily evidenced 1. That there were no Knights Citizens or Burgesses elected and summoned by Writs to our Great Councils and Parliaments before 49 H. 3. which I shall here further demonstrate by these punctual irrefragable Testimonies Presidents and Records under his Reign till this very year Anno 1221. the 5 of Henry 3d. Convenerunt Magnates Angliae ad Regem apud Westmonasterium ut de negotiis regni tractarent After which the King having suppressed the Welsh the same year and built a strong Castle at Montgomery disbanded his Army Concedentibus Magnatibus de quolibet scuto duo marcas argenti Anno 1223. the 7th of his Reign Rex Henricus in Octavis Epiphaniae apud Londonias veniens cum Baronibus ad Colloquium requisitus est ab Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi Magnatibus aliis ut libertates liberas consuetudines pro quibus guerra mota suit contra patrom suum confirmaret Anno 1224. 8 H. 3. Per idem tempus convenerunt ad Colloquium in Octavis sanctae Trinitatis apud Norâ—…amptonam Rex cum Archiepiscopis Episcopis Comitibus Baronibus aliis multis Lords Peers and others of his Counsel de regni negotiis tractaturi voluit enim Rex uti Consilio Magnatum suorum de terris transmarinis quas Rex Francorum paulatim occupaverat Anno 1229. 9 H. 3. the King demanding advice and an ayd of the fifteenth part of his peoples Goods to recover his forrein Territories Archiepiscopus Concio tota apud Westm. Episcoporum Comitum et Baronum Abbatum Priorum habita deliberatione Regi dedere responsum quod regiis petitioibus gratanter adquiescerent si illis diu petitas libertates concedere voluisset Whereupon he granted and confirmed the great Charter The same year Martio mense convenerunt apud Westmonasterium ad Colloquium Rex Angliae cum Magnatibus suis ubi Rex sententialiter jussit diffinire quid de proditore suo Falcatio suit agendum Proceres vero in hoc pariter consenserunt eo quod patri suo multis fideliter servierat annis ne de vita periclitaretur vel membris sed ut Angliam aeternaliter abjuraret omnes communiter addixerunt which was accordingly executed forthwith Anno 1226. 10 H. 3. venit interea terminus Concilii ad festum sancti Hillarii apud Westm. praesixus ubi Rex cum Clero Magnatibus Regni comparere debuerat ut Domini Papae mandatum audiret c. They meeting again the same year after Easter Rex convocatis seorsum Praelatis quibusdam Magnatibus hoc Archiepiscopo dedit responsum c. Anno 1229. 13 H. 3. fecit Rex conveniâ—… apud Westm. Dominica qua contatur misericordia Domini Archiepiscopos Episcopos Abbates Priores Templarios Hospitilarios Comites Barones Ecclesiarum rectores et qui de eo tenebant in capite but no Knights of Counties Citizens and Burgesses we read of ut audirent negotia memorata of Stephenâ—…ho â—…ho Popes Chaplain and Nuncio demanding an ayd against the Emperour from England Et de rerum exigentiis communiter tractarent ibidem h Anno 1231. 15 H. 3. convenerunt ad Colloquium apud Westm. Rex cum Praelatis et aliis Magnatibus Regni c. The King this year intending to mary the King of Scots Daughter indignantibus Comitibus et Baronibus suis unmersis because Hubert who was chief Iustice had maried the eldest Daughter he thereupon desisted from his purpose Anno 1232. convenerunt
Bath City 2 Citizens 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. whose return is likewise extant in the bundles of 3 10 11 13 16 R. 2. 1 7 8 9 H. 5. 1 2 3 H. 6. 12 E. 4. Bridgewater Borough 2 Burgesses 26 21 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Ivâ—…ster 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. Milburne port 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. Taunton 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. VVells 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. 45 E. 3. Cives VVinchester City 2 Citizens 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Alesford 2 Burgesses 28 E. 1. Basingstoke 2 Burgesses 28 E. 1. Odeham 2 Burgesses 28 E. 1. Ouertone 2 Burgesses 28 E. 1. Portesmouth 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 45 E. 3. Southampton 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 45 E. 3. Dâ—…nwich 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Gyppeswich 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Oreford 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. Newcastle under Lyne 2 Burgesses 45 E. 3. Stafford 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Blechingleigh Borough 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Gildeford 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Ryegate 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Southwerke 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E 3. Chichester City 2 Citizens 26 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Arundel Borough 2 Burgesses 42 45 E. 3. Brembre 2 Burgesses 42 E. 3. East Greenstead 2 Burgesses 42 45 E. 3. Horsham 2 Burgesses 42 45 E. 3. Lewes 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. 42 45 E 3. Midhurst 2 Burgesses 45 E. 3. Seaford 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. 45 E. 3. Shâ—…rham 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Steining 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. 42 E. 3. Coventre City 2 Citizens 26 28 E 1. Warwick Borough 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Apelby 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 42 E. 3. New Sarum City 2 Citizens 26 28 E. 1. Bedwine Borough 2 Burgesses 42 E. 3. Calne 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. Chipenham 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. Devises 2 Burgesses 28 E. 1. 42 E. 3. Dounton 2 Burgesies 26 28 E 1. Ludgersale 2 Burgesses 28 E. 1. Merleburge 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 E. 3. Malmeâ—…bury 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Old Sarum 2 Burgesses 42 E. 3. Wilton 2 Burgesses 28 E. 1. 42 E. 3. Worcester City 2 Citizens 26 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. Wych 2 Burgesses 26 28 E. 1. Yorke City 2 Citizens 49 H. 3. 26 28 E. 1. 42 43 E. 3. Aluerton 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. Beverlayco 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. Kingston upon Hull 2 Burgesses 42 45. E. 3. Maldon 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. Pontefract 2 Burgesses 26 E. 1. Scardeburgh 2 Burgesses 28 E. 1. 42 45 E. 3. I shall observe from these Writs and the forementioned Retorns and Table 1. That the Sheriff of Buckingbamshire in Anno 26 E. 1. retorns Nulli sunt Cives nec Burgenses in Com. praedicto nec Burgus c. yet in 28 E. 1. but two years after the Sheriff thereof retorns 2. Burgesses a plece with 2. Manucaptors for e-every of them for Amersham Wycombe Wendover e'ected for a former Parliament that year Therefore it is probable the King first created them Boroughs that very year The like observation you may make upon the Boroughs of all other Counties where you meet with any Retorns in 26 28 Edw. 1. 42 Edw. 3. or since reciting Nulla est Civitas vel Burgus or Non est alia Civitas vel Burgus or Non sunt alii Burgi in Com. or Balliva mea then those he then retorned as such there you may certainly resolve that every City or Borough omitted then out of those antient Retorns and since retorned for Cities or Boroughs in subsequent Retorns were made Cities and Boroughs since that time and where you find any City or Borough first mentioned in the Sheriffs Retorns yet extant which are but 22. Bundles in all before the end of Edward 4. his Reign or in the Writs in the Clause Rolls issued to them De expensis Civium Burgensâ—…um venientibus ad Parliamentum which are more by far than the Bundles as I shall hereafter God willing evidence in a peculiar Section you may probably if not certainly conclude That it was first created a City or Borough and enabled to send Citizens or Burgesses to Parliament near that year wherein you first find such mention of it in both or either of these Records and not before as the precedent and ensuing Table will more fully inform you 2ly You may clearly discern by this Table and the subsequent Retorns of Writs Anno 3 11 12 13. 16 R. 2. 1 3 8 9 H. 5. 1 2 3 6 11 13 20 H. 6. 7 E 12 4. that some Cities and Boroughs which send Citizens and Burgesses to Parliament were oft times omitted out of the Sheriffs Retorns in antient times and yet imprinted into subsequent retorns interpolatis vicibns Now whether this was done by special direction from the King or his Council on whose Arbitrary pleasure they depended before they had special Charters granted enabling them to send Citizens and Burgesses to all Parliaments to be afterwards held by the King his Heirs and Successors Kings of England or by the carelessnesse of the Sheriffs in not issuing out Warrants to or not retorning them which is most probable as the Stat. of 5 R. 2. Parl. 2. c. 4. 22 H. 6. c. 15 inform us and therupon enacted That if any Sheriff of the Realm be from thence forth negligent in making his Retorns of Writs of Parliament or that he leave out of the said Retorns any Cities or Boroughs which be bound of old times were wont to come to the Parliament he shall be punished in manner as was accustomed to be done in the said case in the said time past And that every Sheriff after delivering of the Writ for elections to him shall without fraud make and deliver a sufficient Precept to the Maiors and Bayliffs of the Cities and Boroughs within his Countie for electing Citizens and Burgesses under the penalties therein mentioned Or whether they were thus omitted through their own default in not demanding Warrants from the Sheriffâ—… or not electing and retorning Burgesses upon their Warrants issued to which many times the Sheriffs retorned nullum mihi dederunt responsum c. I cannot certainly determine 3ly That some antient Boroughs once or twice retorned heretofore in former times as Lydeford in Devonshire and others have afterwards been totally omitted and discontinned either by the Kings mere pleasure or upon their own Petitions to the King they being either unable or unwilling to bear the expences of their Burgesses in coming to continuing at and returning from the Parliament which were constantly levyed heretofore by writs de expensis