A Brief Register Part 2, Part 2 · Section 4 · Subsection 5 – Subsection 6
Eodem modo mandatum est Baronibus et Ballivo de Wincbeles.
The very first Record I have yet found, wherein there is express mention made of any Writs to Sherifs or others, to send any Knights, Citizens, Burgesses and Barons of the Ports to Parliament, is Cl. 49 H. 3. d. 11. Cedula. where after the *Part. 1. p. 5.forecited Writs to the Bishops of Durham & Norwich, and the Eodem modo mandatum est, to the Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Deans, Earls, Lords and Barons, there follows this entry in the Record,
mSee my Plea for the Lords, p. 379.Item mandatum est singulis Vicecom. per Angl. quod venire faciant Duos Milites de legalioribus, probioribus et discretioribus Militibus singulorum Comitatuum ad Regem London; in Octab. praedictin forma praedicta.
Item in forma praedicta scribitur Civibus Eborum, Civibus Lincoln, et caeteris Burgis Angl quod mittant in forma praedicta Duos de discretioribus, legalioribus et probioribus tam Cibibus quam Burgenlibus suis.
Item in forma praedicta mandatum est Baronibus & probis hominibus Quinque Portuum prout continetur in Brevi inrotulato inferius.
It seems by this Writ, that the Writs then issued to these Knights, Citizens and Burgesses, were the same in form and substance with those to the Spiritual and Temporal Lords, with little or no variation. But not one of them is particularly registred except the Writ to the Cinqueports varying in some clauses from the Writs to the Lords.
That I shall principally observe from this Entry, is, First, that there were only two Knights, Citizens, Burgesses, Barons of Ports, and no more, to be sent out of every County, City, Borough and Port. 2ly. That these were to be duly qualified as these Writs prescribed; to wit, two of the more or most legal, honest and discreet Knights, Citizens, Burgesses, Barons, in every County, City, Burrough and Cinque-Port. 3ly. That it appears not by this Entry whether the Counties themselves, or the Sheriffs alone, were to elect and make choice of these Knights. 4ly. That the Writs for electing Citizens and Burgesses were directed immediately to the Citizens and Burgesses themselves, not to the Sheriffs of the Counties, wherein they were situated, nor to their Mayors, Sheriffs, or chief Officers, as in succeeding ages. 5ly. That no Writ issued to the Citizens of London, their mMat. Westm. Anno 1265. p. 340. My Plea for the Lords, p. 258, 259.Liberties being then seiseà by the King, many of them imprisoned and their estates confiscated for siding with the Barons against the King; and that York and Lincoln are the only Cities mentioned particularly in the Roll.
It is evident by these Clauses in the Prologues to the printed Statutes of Marleborough, Anno 52 H. 3. The more discreet men of the Realm being called together, as well of the Higher, as of the Lower Estate, &c. of Westm. 1. Anno 3 E. 1. These be the Acts of King Edward, &c. made at Westminster, at his first Parliament general after his Coronation by his Counsil, and by the Assent of Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Earls, Barons, and all the Commonaltie of the Realm being thither summoned, &c. That Writs of Summons issued to all these respectively in these two Parliaments and others succeding them; but yet I find no Writs of summons or elections to …hese Parliaments now extant in the Clause or other Rolls of these years to the Temporal Lords, or Sheriffs; the Writs being then kept in Bundles by themselves, (especially those to Sheriffs,) and not entred in the Clause Rolls, and those Bundles quite lost through negligence, or casualtie. The very first Writs of Summons of Knights, Citizens and Burgesses issued to Sheriffs, that I have met with in our Records entred at large in the Rolls, are these of Claus. An. 22 E. 1. m. 6. dorso. Which are very rare and memorable, extant in no Collections of these Writs by others, that I have seen.
Rex Vic. Northumbr. salutem. Quia cum Comitibus, Cl. 22 E. 1. m. 6. dorso.Baronibus, et caeteris Magnatibus de regno nostro super quibusdam negotiis arduis Nos et idem regnum De Militibus eligendis & mittendis ad Consilium.nostrum contingentibus, in crastino Sancti Martini, prox. futuro apud Westm. Colloquium habere volumus et Tractatum. Tibi praecipimus, quod eligi facias duos Milites, de discretioribus et ad laborandum potentioribus de Com. praedicto, et eos ad Nos usque Westm. venire facias. Ita quod sint ibi in crastino praedicto, cum plena potestate pro se et tota Communitate Com. praedicti, ad consulend. et consentiend. pro se et Communitate illa, biis quae Comites, Barones, & Proceres praedicti concorditer ordinaverint in praemissis. Et ita quod pro defectu potestatis hujusmodi idem negotium infectum non remaneat. Et habeas ibi hoc breve. Teste Rege apud Westm 8 die Octob.
Consimiles Literae diriguntur singulis Vicecomitibus Angliae. T. ut supta.
After which followes this second Writ entred immediately after it in the same dorse.
Rex Vic. Northumbr. salutem. Cum nuper tibi praeceperimus, Pro Rege de aliis Militibus cum Prioribus intendendis ut supra.quod duos Milites de discretioribus & ad laborandum potentioribus ejusdem Comitatus, de consensu ejusdem eligi, et eos ad Nos usque Westm. in crastino Sancti Martini prox. futuro cum plena potestate pro se & tota Communitate ejusdem Com. venire faceres, ad consulend. et consentiend pro tota Communitate illa hiis qui Comites, Barones, et Proceres de Regno nostro in dicto crastino ordinaverint. Tibi praecipimus firmiter injungentes, quod praeter duos illos Milites eligi facias alios duos Milites legales, et ad laborandum potentes, et eos una cum dictis duobus Militibus usque Westm. venire facias. Ita quod in dicto crastino sint ibidem, ad audiendum et faciendum quod et tunc ibidem plenius injungemus. Et hoc nullo modo omittas. Et habeas ibi hoc Breve. Teste Rege apud Westm. 9. die Octobr.