A Brief Register Part 2, Part 2 · Section 4 · Subsection 42
Consimilia brevia diriguntur Vic. subscriptis mutatis mutandis sub eadem data, viz.
Vicecomitibus Civitatis Eborum pro 2. Civibus eligend.
Vic. villae Novi Castri super Tynam pro 2. Burgensibus eligend.
Vic. villae de K…ngstone super Hull pro 2. Burgensibus eligend.
Vic. Civitatis Norwici pro 2. Civibus eligend.
Vic. Civitatis Linc. pro 2. Civibus eligend.
By this writ of 26 H. 6. (agreeing with former writs) here transcribed at large, you may observe, that it differs onelyonly from the last recited in the rehearsal of the Statute of 8 H. 6. and from the precedent writs by the recital of the Statute of 7 H. 4. That since these Acts the qualification of the persons is, that the Knights and persons elected be only gladiis cinctos, magis idoneos & discretos, & similiter in eisdem Com. commorantes & residentes, &c. That all Elections must be made liberè & indifferenter, &c. as these Writs and Acts prescribe, prohibiting no Officers or professions of men, whether Lawyers or others, to be elected, but only Sheriffs, in the Nolumus autem, &c.
In the Parliament of 23 H. 6. c. 15. there was upon the Commons petition another new Statute made concerning De summonitione Parliamenti.elections of Knights, whereupon in the next writs of Summons Clause anno 25 H. 6. m. 24. dorso it was inserted into the writs, agreeing verbatim with the last forecited writ, except only in this Statutes recital thus inserted.
Rex Vic. Kanc. salutem. Quia, &c. ut supra in the last recited to plenius continetur: and then, Ac insuper in statuto nostro apud West. ultimo tento edito inter caetera ordinatum existat, Quod Milites Com. pro Parliamento ex tunc eligend. Milites notabiles de eisdem Com. pro quibus sic eligentur, seu saltem notabiles Armigeri, hominesve generosi de natu, eorundem Com. Ou… habiles sunt Milites fieri, et nullus homo de gradu valettae et gradu inferiori de essendo Milites hujusmodi existant, prout in eodem statuto plenius continetur. Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes, &c. verbatim as in the last recited writ, T. Rege apud Westm. 14 die Dec. Per …m Regem & Consil: suum, to the end. Consimilia Brevia follow to the Sheriffs of Counties, Cities, and Boroughs, as in it.
This Statute and writ puts a greater restriction in relation to the Knights of Counties qualities, abilities, sufficiences than any before, to prevent the elections of persons of mean quality, and estates, which the vulgar rabble of people in those leveling times were overmuch enclined unto; which form continued in all succeeding Parliaments under Henry the sixth, and Edward the fourth, with little or no variation, as the Clause rolls evidence wherein they are recorded, viz. 27 H. 6. d. 24. 28 H. 6. d. 26. 29 H. 6. d. 41. 31 H. 6. d. 36. 33 H 6. d. 36. 38 H. 6. d. 30. 49 H. 6. d. 6. 1 Ed. 4. d. 35. 2 E. 4. d. 3. 6 E. 4. d. 1. 12 E. 4. d. 21. 22, & 23 E. 4, d. 10.
There are only two bundles of Writs for elections and their returns under King Edward the fourth remaining in the Tower of London, anno 7 & 12 E. 4. agreeing in form and substance with the last recited writs, and their retorns and Indentures with those forementioned in 1 H 5. which those who please may peruse at leasure, being over-tedious and superfluous to transcribe at large.
The ordinary forms of the Writs, Retorns, and Indentures of this kind used after those in the Tower (ending with King Edward the fourth) and continued till the last Parliament of King Charles are these, which I shall present you with out of Mr. Crompton his Jurisdictions of Courts, f. 1, 2.
Elizabetha Regina, &c. Vic. N. &c. salut. quia de avisamento & assensu Consilii nostri pro quibusdam arduis & urgentibus negotiis, Nos, statum, & defensionem regni nostri Angliae, & Ecclesiae Anglicanae, concernent. quoddam Parlialiamentum nostrum ad Civitatem nostram West. duodecimo die Novembris prox. futur. teneri ordinavimus, & ibid. cum Praelatis, Magnatibus & Procer. dicti regni nostri Colloquium habere & tract. Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes, quod facta proclamac. in prox. comitat. tuo post receptionem hujus brevis nostri tenend. die & loco praedict. duos Milites gladiis cinctos magis idoneos & discretos comit. praedicti, & de qualib. Civitate com. illius duos Cives, & de quolibet Burgo duos Burgenses de discretioribus & magis sufficientibus libere & indifferenter per illos qui proclam. hujusmodi interfuerint juxta forma statutorum inde edit. & provis. eligi, & nomina eorundum milit. Civium & Burgens. sic electorum in quibusdam indentur, inter te et illos qui hujusmodi electioni interfuerint, inde conficiend. sive hujusmodi electi praesentes fuerint vel absentes, inseri: cosque ad dict. diem & locum venire fac. Ita quod iidem milites plenam & sufficientem potestatem pro se & communitate comit. praedicti; ac dicti Cives & Burgenses pro se & communitat. civitatum & burgorum praedictorum divisim ab ipsis habeant, ad faciendum & consentiendum hiis quae tunc ibid. de communi consilio dicti regni nostri (favente deo) contigerint ordinari super negotiis ante-dictis: Ita quod pro defectu potestatis hujusmodi, seu propter improvidam electionem militum, civium & burgensium praedictorum, dicta negotia infecta non remaneant quovismodo. Nolumus autem quod tu, nec aliquis alius vic. dicti reg. nostri aliqualiter sit electus. Et electionem illam in pleno comitatu factam, distincte & aperte sub sigillo tuo, & sigillis eorum qui electioni illi interfuerint, Nobis in cancellar, nostram ad dict. diem & locum certifices indilatè, remittens nobis alteram partem Indenturarum praedictarum presaentibus consut. una cum hoc breve. Teste me ipsa apud Westmonasterium decimo octavo die Saptembris anno Regni nostri xxx. H. A. Gerrard.