A Brief Register Part 2, Part 2 · Section 4 · Subsection 34
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 *See here p. 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 54, 56, 59.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 Sheriffs.
Rex Vic. Kanc. &c. Quia super quibusdam arduis, &c. Parliamentum nostr. apud Westm. &c. tenere ordinavimus & cum Praelatis, Magnatibus, & Proceribus dicti Regni Colloquium habcre & Tractatum. Tibi praecipimus, &c. Quod de Com. praedicto duos Milites, &c. de discretioribus, Melioribus et Ualidioribus Militibus, Civibus, & Burgensibus eligi, & eos ad dictum diem & locum venire facias. Ita quod iidem Milites pro se & communitate Com. praedicti, dictique Cives & Burgenses pro se, &c. plenam & sufficientem potestatem ab ipsiis communitatibus habeant, ad consentiend. hiis quae per Nos ac dictos Praelatos, Magnates et Proceres ordinari contigerit favente Domino. Et hoc sicut te indempnem servare voluer is, nullatenus omittas, & habeas ibi nomina Militum, &c.
The writ to the Warden of the Cinqueports runs likewise in this form, de quolibet Portu portuum praedictorum duos Barones de melioribus, validioribus, & discretioribus Baronibus: without any other variation from the usual form. The self same clauses are in both these writs in Claus. 37 E. 3. dors. 22. claus. 38 E. 3. dors. 3. claus. 39 E. 3. d. 2. claus. 42 E. 3. dors. 22. & claus. 43 E. 3. dors. 24. all in the self-same form and words.
From these writs it is observable, 1. That the best, ablest, and discreetest Knights, Citizens, Barons, ought to be elected and summoned to Parliaments, and that the King may command, require such to be chosen by his writs, without any prejudice to, or intrenchment upon the peoples libertie and freedome in elections, who are obliged in prudence, reason, duty, conscience, only to elect such persons. 2ly. That all Knights, Citizens, Burgesses, Barons of Ports ought to have full and sufficient authority from the Commonalties who elect them, both for themselves and them, to consent to those things which the King, Lords, and Nobles shall ordain in Parliament, concerning the great and weighty affairs of the Realm. 3ly. That the power of decreeing and ordaining things in Parliament, whether publick or private, resided principally, if not soly in the King and Lords, and of assenting to them, in the knights, Citizens, Burgesses and Barons of the Cinque ports in their own and the Commons behalf. 4ly. That Sherifs may be justly punished and censured by the King for neglects, or miscarriages in elections of Knights, Citizens and Burgesses.
The Writs for elections issued to Sheriffs in Claus. 37 E. 3. d. 22. cl. 38 E. 3. d. 3. cl. 39 E. 3. d. 2. cl. 42 E. 3. d. 22. & cl. 43 E. 3. d. 24. run all in the ordinary form, Quod de Com. praedicto duos Milites, &c. de melioribus, valentioribus, or validioribus, or valentioribus & discretioribus Militibus, Civibus & Burgensibus Com. Civitatum & Burgorum praedictorum eligi, &c. facias. The original Writs for elections An. 42 E. 3. are yet extant in a loose unfiled bundle, with their several returns indorsed on, or annexed to them; where the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses elected and returned, are in the returns said to be, de melioribus, valentioribus et discretioribus Militibus, Civibus et Burgensibus of the respective Counties, Cities, Boroughs, for which they are returned; and to have plenam et sufficientem potestatem pro se et communitate dicti Com. Civitatis, or Burgi (respectively) ad consentiendum hiis quae in instanti Parliamento contigerit ordinari.
I shall here present you with this brief abstract of the Writs and the several returns then made.
Bundle 42 E. 3. Rex, &c. Duos Milites, &c. de melioribus, valentioribus & Discretioribus Militibus, Civibus & Burgensibus Com. Civitatum, et Burgorum praedictorum eligi, &c. Teste meipso apud Westm. 24 die Febr. Anno Regni nostri 42.
Nomina Militum de Com. Westmerl: Henr: de Croweld Westmerland.senior, Iohes: de Preston. Nomina Burgensium de Appelby, &c. Sir Thomas de Strickland Vic.
Ego Walterus Haywode Vic. vobis fic respondeo prout Wiltes.patet inferius et in Cedula huic consut.
Pro Burgensibus Burgorum de la Vize, Marleberghe, & Malmesbury, ego dictus Vic. vobis significo, quod mandavi Willo: Baggeswych, Ballivo libertatis Phe. Reginae Angliae, cui executio hujus brevis pro dictis Burgensibus venire fac. pertinet faciend: qui quidem Ballivus michi nullum inde dedit responsum.
Et pro Burgensibus Burgi de Bedewpride, ego dictus Vic. vobis significo, quod mandavi Jobi Hommede Ballivo Libertatis Radi. Cornitis Stafford de Hundredo suo de Kynnwardeston, cui executio hujus brevis pertinet faciend. pro dictis Burgensibus venire fac. &c. Qui quidem ballivus michi nullum inde dedit responsum.
Two Knights for the County, two Citizens for New Sarum, two Burgesses for old Sarum, two Burgesses for Wilton are returned by the Sheriff, with two manucaptors names for each of them.
Two Knights, with two manucaptors. Nullae sunt Civitates infra ballivam meam. Nomina Burgorum Cornub.Dounhenedburgh 2. Liskyedburgh 2. Lostwythiel Burgh 2. Trurou Burgh 2. Hellestonburgh 2. Bodmynburgh 2, Burgesses, with two manucaptors apeece.
Berks, two Knights, Redyng, Walyngford two Burgesses for each, with two manucaptors for every of Berks.them.
Two Knights; Wycombe 2. Burgesses, with two manucaptors returned for every of them.Bucks.
Two Knights, Colecestre two, Maldon two Burgesses, Essex.all having two manucaptors but the last Burgess for Maldon, who hath none.
Nomina Militum Com: Gloucestr: elect. Iohes: Tracy, Iohes: Poyns, qui manucapti sunt per two only. Nomina Glouc.Burgorum Villae Glouc. 2. pro Villa Bristol 2. having but two manucaptors for both.
Knights two, Citizens two for Cant. two for Rochester, Kanc.with two manucaptors apeece. No Burgesses.
Knights two, Burgesses two for Leicestr. two manucaptors Leic.returned for each. Non sunt plures Civitates vel Burgi infra Com: praedict.
Knights two, Burgesses two, for Derbe, with two manucaptors for each.Derbe.
Knights two, with two manucaptors apeece. Non sunt in eadem Balliva aliqua Civitas, nec Burgus.Roteland.
Knights two only returned with two manucaptors, Hertford.no Burgesses for Hertford, or St Albans,
Knights two, Burgesses two, for Notyngham, with Notyngham.two manucaptors for each.
Knights two, Burgesses 2. for Warwycke, with two Warwycke.manucaptors for every of them. Non sunt plures Civitates nec Burgi infra Com. praedict.
Vic. Surry et Sussex: There was then but one Sheriff Surr. & Sussex.for both these Counties, who had two writs, filed and returned together for both Counties, in one Cedula Knights two for Surrey: Burgesses for Guldeford 2. Ryegate 2. Sutbwerke 2. Bleccbynglegh 2. with two manucaptors for every of them. Sussex, two Knights, Cives Cicestriae two, Burgenses Arundel 2. Horsham 2. Estgrenstede 2. Lewes 2. Shorbam 2. Stenyng and Brembre 2. with two manucaptors apeece.
Knights 2. Cives 2. for Hereford, Burgenses Leominstre Hereford.2. with two manucaptors for each
Knights two, Cives Exon. two, Burgenses Dertemuth Devon.2. Tottes 2. Plympton 2. Tavystoke 2. Chesing Collyton 2. Barnstable 2.
Knights two, Burgesses two for Oxon, vvith two Oxon.manucaptors for each.
Knights two, Burgesses two for Bedford, with two Bedford.manucaptors.
Somerset and Dorset had but one Sheriff for both Somerset & Dorset.Counties, yet two Writs, which are filed and returned in one Cedule. Somerset, Knights two, Burgenses Villae de Brigge-water 2. de Taunton 2. two manucaptors for each. Dorset, Knights 2. Burgenses Brideport 2. Dorchestre 2. Waymouth 2. Melcomb 2. Warham 2. Villae de la Poule 2. with two manucaptors for each.
Knights two, Cives Lincoln two. Burgenses Grymesby Lincolne2. with tvvo manucaptors apeece.
Norfolk and Suffolk had tvvo Writs, but one Sheriff, Norff. & Suff.vvho returned them both together. Norff: Knights 2. Cives Norw. 2. Burgesses, 2. Len: episcopi, with two manucaptors; magnae Jernemuth. 2. Suff. Knights two, Burgenses villae Gippewic. 2. Donewich. nullum dedit responsum.
Two Knights, and two Burgesses, for Northampton. Northt.without any manucaptors returned for either.
Two Knights, Cives Wygorn. with two manucaptors for each, Non sunt in Balliva mea alii Civitates vel Wigorn.Burgi.
Milites two, Cives two, Karliol. without any manucaptors. Non sunt plures Civitates, nec aliqui Burgi in Cumbr.Balliva ….
Knights two, Cives two, for Wynton, Burgenses, Southton.Portesmouth. two.
Four Citizens returned without any manucaptors.London.
Two Knights, with two manucaptors, Cives two, Ebor. Burgenses Scardeburg 2. Kingestone 2. with two Ebor.manucaptors for each.
Two Knights, with two manucaptors, and two Burgesses for Stafford.
All the rest of the writs, during the reign of King Edward the 3d. but those of 42. are lost, mislay'd, or through carelesness lye (as many other Records still do) in a confused heap in the white Tower quite neglected, over-spread with cobwebs, dust, mothes, and cankers, being never yet reduced into order, through the sloathfulnesse or negligence of those who should preserve and digest them into a usefull regulation for the publique benefit of the present and future Ages.
The writs for elections to the Sheriffs in claus. 44 E. 3. dorso. 12. are thus altered in form, from the last writs, in some particulars of note.
Rex Vic. Kanc. salutem. Quia super quibusdam arduis & urgentibus negotiis Nos & statum & defensionem Regni nostri Angliae, ac jura Coronae nostrae concernentibus, Parliamentum nostrum apud Westm. die Lunae in prima Septimana Quadragesimae, viz. in festo sancti Mathiae Apostoli tenere ordinavimus, & cum Praelatis, Magnatibus & Proceribus dicti Regni Colloquium habere & Tractatum. Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes, quod de Com. praedicto duos Milites gladiis cinctos, et in armis et actibus armorum magis probatos et circumspectos et discretos, & de qualibet Civitate ejusdem com. duos Cives, & de quolibet Burg. duos Burgenses de melioribus & validioribus, & discretioribus Militibus, Civibus & Burgensibus, Comitat. Civitatum & Burgorum proedictorum eligi, & eos usque Wesim. die Sabbati in festo sancti Petri ad Cathedra prox. futur. venire facias ibidem, et tunc durante Parliamento praedicto continue moraturos, Ita quod iidem Milites pro se, & communitate Com. praedicti, dicti que Cives & Burgenses pro se et communitate Civitatum & Burgorum praedictorum plenam & sufficientem potestatem, ab ipsis Comimunitat. habeant ad consulend. et consentiend. hiis quae per Nos et dictos Praelatos, Magnates et Proceres fieri et ordinari contigerit, favente Domino super negotiis antedictis. Et hoc …cut teipsum indempnem servari volueris nullatenus omittas. Et habeas ibi nomina Militum, Civium & Burgensium & hoc breve. Teste Rege apud Westminster. octo die Januarii.