A Brief Register Part 2, Part 2 · Section 4 · Subsection 22 – Subsection 24
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, *Sec Part. 1. p. 27, 28. 177. 215. Sec Claus. E. 2. dors. 22. 31.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, *Walsingham Hist. Angliae, p. 72. to 78. & other H… rians in Auno 5 E. 2.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 elongasti…, 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.