or inheritance and in capitall offences so Arbitrary that the forme of the death inflicted sometimes varied from the ordinary course used in the common Law for such offences Under the first Head these cases of 1. Iohn Matravers 2. Borges of Bayons 3. Iohn Deverill 4. Thomas Gourney 5. William of Ocle 6. Iohn of Gomeniz and 7. William of Weston All condemned to death for Treason and all to bee drawne and hanged saving Gomeniz who was judged to bee beheaded because he was a Banneret and had served the King in his Warres Under the second Head are these cases of 1. Iohn at Lee Steward of the houshold 2. Richard Lions 3. William Lord Latimer 4. William Ellis 5. Chichester and Botesham 6. Alice Pierce 7. Cavendish against Sir Mich. de la Poole Chancellour of England 8. The Earle of Northumberland For Writs of error their power and course in them may bee seene some speciall examples which are expressed whereunto is added that of Thorpe being Speaker of the Lower House under Henry the sixt which specially shewes the power of Iudicature in the Lords although otherwise it tast too much of what is wholy against the priviledges of every member of the Parliament at this day Ex rot Parliamenti 4. E. 3. mem. 3. num 3. WItnesse the Peeres Earles and Barons assembled in this Parliament at Westminster that it is openly assented and agreed that Iohn Matravers is guilty of the death of Edmund Earle of Kent the Vnckle of our Lord the King that now is as he that principally traiterously and falsely compassed the death of the said Earle so that the said Iohn did know of the death of King Edward our Father when the said Iohn by haynous manner and by his false and wicked deeds conspiring with the sonne of the said Earle against the life of the King which hee did actually commit for which the said Peeres of the Land and Iudges of the Parliament adjudge and award that the said Iohn bee drawne hanged and quartered as a Traitor in what part of the Kingdome soever he be found and the said Peeres doe pray our Lord the King that hee will command that a writ be made to make search and enquiry throughout the Realme and that he that can take the said Iohn alive and bring him to the King shall have a hundred markes and if in case he cannot be taken alive he that brings his head shall have fiftie pounds of the Kings guift Moreover to have such judgement it is agreed that it be put in execution of Boges de Boyons and John Deverell for the cause afore-mentioned and that hee that can take the said Boges alive and bring him to the King shall have a hundred pounds and he which brings the head of the said Iohn shall have forty pounds of the Kings guift Item it is assented and agreed that Thomas Gourney and William of Ocle shall have such judgement for the death of King Edward Father of our Lord the King that now is who falsely and traiterously murdered him and who can apprehend the said Thomas and take him alive shall have a hundred pound and he that can bring the head of him a hundred markes likewise he that can take the said William alive shall have a hundred markes and hee that brings the head of him if in case hee cannot be taken alive shall have forty pound of the Kings guift Rot. Parliamen 4. R. 2. M. 5. in Schedula annexa THis Schedule the Commons made and caused to be brought in Parliament praying the Lords to ratefie the same and to put in execution in that schedule amongst divers others this Article occurres Item that all those which have lost or rendred when necessity required not Castle Towne or Fortresse to the dishonour of our Lord the King the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament being every of them attainted of such fault shall be punished according to their desert without partiality for to avoyde the evill example which they have given to all others Then afterwards followes an Accusation and a Iudgement upon an offence of that nature ITEM where the Supplication is by the Commons that all those which have rendred and lost Castle or Townes lost by the very default of Captaines may be put to their answer at this Parliament and according to their desert throughly punished by the award of the Lords and Baronage avoyding the evill example which they have given to others and that Allen Buxall Constable of the Tower of London shall cause to come before the Lords of Parliament at Westminster on friday the 27. day of November in the yeare afore mentioned Iohn Lord of Gomeniz and William of Weston imprisoned and detain'd in the said Tower at the commandement of our Lord the King because they have rendered and lost faithfull Castles and Townes of our Lord the King for to answer upon the Articles which there shall be preferred for the said cause on the behalfe of our Lord the King At which day being friday the said John and William were brought by the said Constable of the Tower before the Lords aforesaid sitting in full Parliament in the great chamber They were severally put to answer at the commandement of the said Lords by sir Richard Scroope Knight Steward of the Houshold of our Lord the King in manner as followeth William of Weston you have taken upon you to the thrice powerfull Prince whom God have in his keeping Lord Edward late King of England Vnckle of our Lord the King that now is surely to keepe to him and his Heires Kings of England the Castle of Barwick without surrendring the same to any but him or his said Heirs have you William who were a leige man of our Lord the King that now is true Heire of the late King Edward delivered and surrendered the said Castle to the Enemies of our Lord the King without his Commandement in dishonour of him and his Crowne and of the Estate of his Realme of England against your leigeance and undertakings whereupon hee put his answer in writing having a Schedule contayning the Tenor of many things and came and read the said Schedule in full Parliament upon which the Law was demanded by the said Steward if the said Schedule should bee taken for his finall answer in that behalfe or not And thereupon the said William prayeth that the said Schedule may be redelivered to him and there hee putteth in his finall answer and after the said William put in to the said Schedule an Addition in full Parliament for finall in that behalfe The Tenor of which Schedule is such as followeth To the most sage Councell of our Lord the King and to the other Nobles and Commons of Parliament WIlliam of Weston beseecheth and shewes that he is accused maliciously to have rendered the Castle of Barwick which he had in keeping upon the Trust and assignement of our Lord the King may it please your just
and learned discretion to have the said William excused for the causes which follow First may it please you to remember how that the said William was lately warned by a Spie that a very great power of Enemies came against him for to besiege the said Castle and to batter the same with great Ordinance whereupon the said William forthwith by his Attourney and by his Letters requested the Councell that they would please to foâ—tifie the said Castle with more Gentlemen fâ—r the defence and safeguard theâ—of having regard that the garrison of the said Câ—stle was not sufficient for halfe the multitude of so great force to make resistance in so large a place but in the end for that hee could have no succour of the said Councell and likewise the said William being not in default was left without sufficient souldiers of a long time whereby to keepe and defend the said Castle whereof hee beseecheth you that you will take just and benigne consideration Likewise may it please you to take notice by the privy Scout of Warre that there came the Enemies power of Armes and seven hundred fighting men with 6000. of the common souldiers of the Land having nine great Cannons a great Engine and a Trebutchet big above measure which they carried in their marches that thereby presently a great part of their Gentlemen of Armes souldiers aforesaid came before the Gates of the said Castle to assault it and there was a Knight of theirs killed which was cozen to the Lord of Chiffin insomuch that officers and many others also were there slaine and in a short time after they beganne to plant their Cannons and Engines and so continuing from day to day their assault that is to say Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday and the walls then of the houses and of the said Castle were broken and divided in many places and they had by force filled the ditches of the said Castle in three places if possible to make way for them to issue and there came upon the said workes a a great part of them and they by force had broake and spoyled many of our bars and the morrow after which was Friday they came at the break of day with all their strong men to assaile the said Castle but by the help of God they were not yet Conquerours by force of their Assault And of our side and of their side there appeared great death and losses and the same day the Marshall of Burgoyny treated with the said William and others to render the said Castle Wherefore and in consideration that the said Castle could not hold out for the smallnesse of the number of Gentlemen there and for that the walls in many places were beaten down by their marvelous Ordnance there was a Treatie with the Lords to the end that the said William with his companions might know what to doe the next morning whether to stay or depart from thence Likewise the same night the Enemies had brought all their Ordinance their Engines Trebutchet and Cannons upon carriages drawne by Horses to the foot of the ditch of the said Castle and the next morning which was Saturday they put themselves all in Order to assault the place and then first of all they sent a Herald to the said VVilliam to know if the same Castle should bee rendered or not whereupon the said William by advice of the graver sort of his companions having consideration how the said place was destroyed by their Ordinances and also that there were few Gentlemen left for the defence and that twelve of their companions were at that time dead and that many being wounded and sick he could not renew the Gentlemen of the Garrison and that for safety to defend themselves there being only but thirty eight and by common assent the said Castle which hee could hold out no longer was by force rendered for safety of the lives of the men That all these things aforesaid are true the said William putteth himselfe upon Tryall according to your discreet Ordinances Item it is to be remembred that when the said Castle was rendered as aforesaid certaine Gentlemen of France did bargaine with the said William for his victualls and bought the same togâ—ther with certaine persons which the said William held within the said Castle in Prison for which things hee received of them 1000. and 500. Franks whereof hee paid to his companions for part of their wages which then was behind three quarters of a yeare 678. Franks Item hee payed at Callis for victualls of the said Castle before that time due 1442. Franks Item for the passage of the said William and for his expences being at Callis 135. Franks And therefore the said William beseecheth that you have regard to Iustice and bounty how that he by envious suggestion hath beene against all reason accused thereof concerning his estate and name for which offence hee hath seised and stayed some of the Cattells of his Adversaries and that you have consideration how that hee hath payd his companions out of his proper goods for their wages and that you will be pleased for Gods sake and piety also to ordaine for him that by your discreet noblenesse hee may recover his Estate and goods Item the said William Weston sheweth how the first day when the Enemies came before Ardee he fled thence to the Army at Callis to the Captaine there to pray of him more succour and ayde of men to guard the Castle of Barwick and to defend if the Enemies had assaulted and the Captaine answered him briefly that he would not deliver nor lend succour nor aide at that time for that he doubted himselfe the Enemies would come before the Towne of Callis And the Lord Steward came and read the said schedule in Parliament Iohn Lord of Gomeniz you have undertaken to the thrice powerfull Prince whom God preserve Lord Edward late King of England Vnckle of our Lord the King that now is safely to keep to him and his heires Kings of England the Towne and Castle of Ardee without surrendring the same to any but to the said King and his Heires or by the Commandement of him and his Heires Have you Lord of Gomeniz in time of our Lord the King surrendred the same without his commandement to the detriment of him and â—is Crowne and of the Estate of his Realme of England agaiâ—st your undertaking aforesaiâ— what say you to it whereupon the said Iohn answerâ—th that the said Towne and Câ—stle of Ardee was so feeble that hee could not well keepe it against so great power of the Enemies which were readie to assaile the said Towne and Castle and therefore he went forth to intreat with the Eâ—â—mies that he might save the liege men of our Lord the King being within that Towne and Castle of Ardee without that that he at any time tooke any thing for the surrender of the said Towne and Castle of Ardee Whereupon one Geffery of Argentine Knight said in
King of his grace towards him concerning the fine and ransome and if at any time he doe any thing against our Lord the King other then liegeancy that they make no prayer nor request for him in whatsoever ensueth thereon but that they be altogether against him And also the same Friday it was adjudged by the King and the Lords in Parliament that leave of Battaile be made by the said Mr. Henry Mr. Thomas which are holden to be guilty of Treason and that as well for themselves as for others which shall bee in their company at the time of the said licence And those to whom the King had granted favour and pardon the King will that they stand firmely in their force and vertue Ex rotulo Parliamenti Anno 31. H. 6. N. 26. ITem the Friday the 15. of February it was opened and declared to the Lords Spirituall and Temporall being in the Parliament chamber by the Counsell of the Duke of Yorke that whereas Thomas Thorpe the monday the first day of August in the raigne of Henry the sixt 30. camâ— to the place of the Bishop of Durham and then and tâ—ere tooke and bore away certaine goods and â—attle of the same Dukes against his will and licence and thereupon the said Duke came and tooke an action by Bill in Mich Terme last past against the said Thomas in the Court of Exchequer according to the Priviledge for so much as the said Thomas was one of the Court to which Bill the said Thomas willingly appeared and had divers dayes to imparle at his request and desire and to the said Bill and action pleaded not guilty whereupon there was awarded in the said Exchequer a venire facias to the Sheriffe of Middlesex returnaeble in the said Exchequer and thereby the Iury that passed betweene the Duke and the said Thomas it was found that the said Thomas was guilty of the said trespasse contained in the said Bill and the same Iury assessed the dammages to the said Duke of the said trespasse to a 1000. l. and for his costs 10. l. And thereupon Iudgement was given in the said Exchequer and the said Thomas acâ—â—rding to the â—ourse of the Law was committed to the Fleete for the fine belonging to the King in that behalfe And thereupon it was prayed humbly on the behalfe of the said Duke that it should like their good Lordships considering that the said Trespasse was done and committed by the said Thomas since the beginning of the present Parliament And also the said Bill and action were taken and scanned and by processe of Law Iudgement given thereupon against the said Thomas in time of vacation of the said Parliament and not in Parliament-time and also that if the said Thomas should bee relieved by priviledge of Parliament ere the time that the said Duke bee satisfied of his said dammages and costs the said Duke should bee without remedy in that behalfe That the said Thomas according to the Law bee kept in ward according to the time that he have fully satisfied and contented the said Duke of his dammages and costs the said Lords Spirituall and Temporall not intending to impeach or hurt the liberties and priviledges of them that were come for the Commons of this Land in this prâ—sent Parliament but equally afâ—er the course of the Law to minister Iustice and to have knowledge what the Law will weigh in that behalfe opened and declared to the Iudges the premisses and asked of them whether the said Thomas ought to be delivered from prison by force and vertue of the priviledges of Parliament or no To the which Question the chiefe Iustice in the name of all the Iustices after some Communication and mature deliberation had among them answered and said that they ought not to answer to that question for it hath not beene used aforetime that the Iudges should in any wise determine the Priviledges of this High Court of Parliament for it is so high and mighty in his nature that it may make Law and that which is Law it may make no Law and the determination and knowledge of that priviledge belongs to the Lords of Parliament and not to the Iudges But as for the Declaration of proceedings in the lower Courts in such cases as Writs of Supersedias of priviledge of Parliament to bee brought and delivered to the said chiefe Iustice hee said there be many and divers Supersedeas of priviledge of Parliament brought into the Courts but there is no generall Supersedias brought to surcease all processe but if there should bee it should seeme that this high Court of Parliament that ministreth all Iustice should let the proces of the common Law and so it should put off the party complaynant without remedy for so much as actions of common law be not determined in this high Court of Parliament and if any person that is a member of this high Court of Parliament bee arrested in such cases as be not for felony or Treason or security of the peace or for condemnation had before a Parliament it is used that all such persons should be released of all such arrests and make an Attourney so that they may have their freedome and liberty freely to attend the Parliament After which answer and declaration it was throughly agreed assented and concluded by the Lords Spirituall and Temporall that the said Thomas according to the Law should remaine still in prison for the causes above said the priviledge of Parliament or that the said Thomas was Speaker of the said Parliament notwithstanding and that the Premisses should be opened and declared to them that were common for the Commons of this Land and they should bee charged and commanded in the Kings name that they with good hast and speed proceed to the Election of another Speaker The which Premisses for as much as they were matters in Law by the commandement of the Lords were opened and declared to the Commons by the mouth of Walter Moyle one of the Serjeants at Law in the presence of the Bishop of Elie in the Kings name that they should proceed to the Election of another Speaker with all godly hast and speed so that the matter for which the K. called this Parliament tooke good and effectuall conclusion and end ITem 16. die Febr. tunc prox sequenti praefati Communes quidam de sociis suis declaraveruÌ„t dominis spiritualibus teÌ„poralibus in presenti Parliamento quòd ipsi per mandatum ex parte domini Regis pridie sibi injunct cum omni diligentia exequentes eligerunt loco praefat. Thom. Thorp Thom. Carleton militem prolocutorem suum humillimè deprecando quatenus praefatus dominus Rex hujusmodi electionem vellet acceptare Quâ—bus per domiâ—um Cancellarium Angliae de mandato dicti Domini Regis advisamento consilii extitit respons quod quidem dominus Rex de electione praesenti Thom. Carleton se bene contentavit injungendo eis quatenus ad
for moving the King and power of France and by such repute as then and yet is taken to bee wherefore all the said profit ought to appertain to the KING as of a Schismatick and alien which thing of reasoâ— ought to have beene made known by the said Eaâ—le before hee demanded of the KING the said profit and hee kâ—ew expressely that hee demanded it for â—is sonne as an Hospitall and alleadged not in his answer that the King when hee granted the profit was informed of the matters aforesaid and also in that that when hee was such an Officer as beforesaid hee sent to the Court of Rome to have the same profit for his Sonne of the Collation of the Pope as benefice of the holy Church and to have also the profit out of the KINGS hand by the Sea Apostolicall as the Record termeth it and hee denies not that hee received of the said profits foure hundred pounds per annum alleadging that hee rendered to the KING the sâ—me and that after the said Earle had made a bargainâ— to have the provision which hee claymed of the said profit in England of the Pope a hundred pound per annum of the said provision to him and his Sonne John for term of their two lives for to deliver the said profit to the said provision for payment of which 100. l. to him and his sonne he tooke surety of the provision by recognizance and Obligations of divers summes notwithstanding that the King had commanded by his Letters to deliver all the profit aforesaid out of his hands to the said provision there where it seems for any thing that yet was shewn that all the said profit ought to have rested in the Kings hand for the causes aforesaid at least untill it had beâ—ne discussed whether the said profit were the benefit of holy Church grantable by the Pope or appurtenant to the K. by reason of Schismasie and endemnity of the said Master and he alleadged not in his answer that the King was cleerely informed of the matters aforesaid wherefore it is awarded that the said foure hundred markes per annum in time that the said profit was so granted to him by the King untill the time that hee delivered the same profit to the said provision as also the said 100. l. a yeare received also of the sâ—id provision untill the same bee levied to the use of our Lord the King of his Lands and chaâ—tells and that all the profit which should of late appertaine to the said Earle by reason of the said recognizance or of other Obligations and Covenants also made in surety of payment And as also to the 1000. markeâ— which hee had alleadged that he payed to the King for the said Exchanges It is awarded that the said 1000. markes remaining in the hands of the King as part of payment of the fine and ransome thâ—t the said Earle shall likewise make to the King before hee be delivered from prison Ex rotulo Parliamenti Anno 5. H. 4. N. 11. ITem Friday the last day of February the Earle of Northumberland came before the King and the Lords and Commons of Parliament and there the Chancellor of England shewed how on Tuesday last past hee had beene before the King the Lords and Commons in the same Parliament and there beseeched the King as hee had done at other times at his comming before him in Yorke that it would please our said Lord the King to grant him pardon of those things wherein he hath offended against him not keeping his Lawes and Statutes as Ligeance demandeth as by a Petition by him preferred in Parliament written in English whereof the Tenor ensueth may appeare more at large To my most Dreadfull and Soveraigne liege LORD I Your humble liege beseech your Highnesse to have in remembrance my comming to your Highnesse to have in remembrance my comming to your Worshipfull presence unto Yorke of my free will by your goodly Letters where I put mee in your Grace as I that nought have kept your Lawes and Statutes as liegeance asketh and especially of gathering of power and giving of Liveries as that time I put mee in your Grace and yet doe And I sent it like to your Highnesse that all gracelesse should not goe Wherefore I beseech you that your High Grace be seene on mee at this time and of other things which you have examined mee of I have told you plainely and of all I put mee wholy in your Grace WHich Petition by Commandement of the King examined by the Iustices for to have their Counsell and advice in this behalfe by Protestation made by the said Lords that the Iudgement appertained to them onely and after reaâ—ing and understanding of the same Petion before the Lords as Peers of the Parliament to whom such Iudgements appertaine of right to heare and understand by the Statutes made in the 25th yeare of the King that now is by deliberation of King Edward cozen of our Lord the King that now is they adjudge that those things which the said Earle hath don contained in the said Petition are not treason nor Felony but onely Trespasse for which Trespasse hee ought to make fine and ransome according to the Kings pleasure wherefore the said Earle most humbly reverenceth our Lord the King and the said Lords the Peeres of Parliament concerning the right Iudgement and further the said Earle prayed our Lord the KING that in affirmance of those matters hee might bee purged from all suspitions and prayed to bee judged de Novo in the presence of the KING and of the LORDS and Commons in Parliament the said Earle tooke his Oath upon the Crosse of the Arch-bishop to bee faithfull and loyall liege man to our Lord the King and to his eldest sonne and to the Heires issuing of his body and to his brothers and their Issue successesively and inheritably at which time if the King would command him hee should bee ready to shew and declare that which hee knowes in that he halfe and set forth the truth thereof And that our Lord the King might not bee deceived the said Earle was present and charged in his liberty the said Earle upon his Oath which hee had made upon the said crosse setteth forth and declareth openly in Parliament that which hee knoweth in this matter upon which charge to him given the said E. saith That at the day of Tryall of his life hee knew not of the Dukes and Bishops and other Lords any thing that â—ounded in derogation of the honourable estate of the K. and of his royall Majesty but that they were and are to him good and lawfull Lieges and that for such our Lord the King may hold and repute them and may faithfully put his trust in them in perill of his life and by the Oath which heâ— had made as before said And moreover the said Earle of Northamberland humbly beseeched the Lords and Earles and Commoners that they will beseech our Lord the