A Brief Register Part 2, Part 2 · Section 4 · Subsection 38 – Subsection 39
Consimile Breve dirigitur Vic. Surry, pro Iacobo Berners, qui est de retinentia Regis & familiaris, & unus Militum Kantiae T. R. apud Westm. 18 die Oct.
It is evident by the Rolls and Summons cited in the *See my Table of the Lords to my exact abridgement, Title Thomas Camoyes. & part 1. of this Registr. p. 272.precedent Table of the Temporal Lords and Barons, that Ralph Camoys was sumoned to Parliament amongst the other Lords and Barons in 49 H. 3. and another of that name to sundry Parliaments, under Ed. 2 & 3. and Iohn de Camoyes after them: That this Thomas Camoyes mentioned in the Writ, was descended from them, and then a Peer and Baron of the Realm, (though styled a Baronet in the Writ, which in that age signified a Baron of Parliament, as the hujusmodi Baronetti in the Writ, and Mr. Selden evidence;) being summoned by Writ with the rest of the Barons to this very Parliament of 7 R. 2. and sundry others afterwards during his Reign, and the Reigns of Henry the fourth and fifth; from whence I shall observe.
1. That no Peers or Barons of the Realm may, can, or ought to be elected, retorned Kights of Shires, Citizens, or Burgesses of Parliament, and their elections voyd if made, being uncapable to sit or vote in the Commons House as Members therof, as I have largely proved in My plea for the Lords and house of Peers, p. 143 to 148. to which I shall refer the Readers for fuller resolution.
2ly. That if any election be once made upon the the Kings first Writ, though void or illegal in it self, yet the Sheriff and County cannot proceed to a new election, without a new Writ from the King authorising them.
3ly. That if a meer void election of a Peer or other person uncapable, be made by the Country and Sheriff, the King may thereupon by such a new writ as this, declare it null, yea discharge the pe…son elected from his undue election, and command a new election to be made by such a Writ as this, before the Parliament meet as well as alter it; as he did here, this Parliament for which the Lord Camoyes was elected one of the Knights of the Countie for Surry, being summoned to begin on the 25 of October (as the Writ it self and Parliament roll assure us) and the writ for his discharge, and a new election of another fit person and Knight in his stead, bearing date the 8th. of October, being 15 daies before the Parliament was to meet.
4ly. That the King in this Age, not the Commons House, was the sole proper Judge of void & double elections, who had no Jurisdiction or authoritie to hear or determine anie complaints concerning Elections, much lesse to suspend, seclude, or reject anie of their Fellow-Members, (a late dangerous usurpation) either by Custom of Parliament, the Writs of election, or any other Law, Statute, authoritie, but only the King or Lords; as I have largelie proved in my Plea for the Lords, by unreasonable Presidents…, reasons, Statutes, p. 371. to 420. to which I shall refer the Reader.
5ly. That when the self-same person is elected a kinght for two Counties at once, the king by his Writ may discharge him of one of them, and issue a new election in his room, as in the case of Iames Berners elected both for Surry and Kent.
The next Writ is this of Clause 11 R. 2. m. 24. dorso.
Rex Vic. Kanc. salutem. Quia de avisamento Consilii See my plea for the Lords, p. 384, 385.nostri pro quibusdam arduis & urgentibus negogotiis Nos, statum & defensionem Regni nostri Angliae, seu Ecclesiae Anglicanae contingentibus quoddam Parliamentum nostrum apud Westm. in Craftino Purificationis beatae Mariae prox futur. teneri ordinavimus, & ibidem vobiscum et cum Praelatis, Magnatibus, & Proceribus Regni nostri Angliae Colloquium habere & Tractatum. Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes, quod de Comitatu tuo duos Milites gladiis cinctos magis idoneos & discretos Com. praedicti, & in debatis modernis magis indifferentes; & de qualibet Civitate ejusdem Com. duos Cives, & de quolibet Burgo duos Burgenses de discretioribus & magis sufficientibus eligi, & eos ad dictos diem & locum venire facias, &c. Teste Rege apud Windsore, decimo septimo die Decembr.
Consimilia Brevia diriguntur singulis Vic. per Angliam.
The King before any elections made, being informed, that this new inserted clause, in debatis modernis magis indifferentes,, (relating only to knights of Shires, not Citizens and Burgesses) was contrary to the forms of Elections antiently used, and against the liberty of the Lords and Commons of the Realm till that time used, did thereupon supersede and revoke these writs, as to this unusual clause alone, by this memorable Writ, entred in the next Membrana, viz. Cl. 11 R. 2. m. 23. dorso.
Rex Vic. Kant. salutem, licet nuper & breve nostrum inter caetera tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes, quod de Comitatu tuo duos Milites gladiis cinctos, magis idoneus & discretos Com. praedicti, & in debatis modernis magis indifferentes eligi, & eos ad Parliamentum nostrum quod apud Westm. in crastino Purificationis beatae Mariae prox. futur. tenere ordinavimus, ad eosdem diem & locum venire faceres. Nos tamen attendentes dictam clausulam, in debatis modernis magis indifferentes, contra formam electionis antiquitus usitatae, et contra libertatem Dominorum et Communitatis regni nostri Angliae hactenus obtentam existere, volentesque proinde praedictos Milites libere eligi, modo et forma prout antiquitus fieri consuebit. Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes, quod de Com. tuo duos Milites gladiis cinctos, magis idoneos & discretos Com. praedicti, prout hactenus fieri consuebit, eligi, & eos ad praedictos diem & locum venire facias, dicta clausula non obstante; caeteraque omnia & singula in dicto brevi nostro contenta fac: et exequaris juxta tenorem ejusdem, dictam clausulam penitus omittens. Et habeas ibi hoc breve, & aliud breve. Teste Rege apud Westmonast. primo die Jan.
Per ipsum Regem & Consilium.