person with us Wherefore by the Councell and consent of the Prelats Dukes Earls Viscounts and Barons of our Kingdom being in our present Parliament we have made and created and by these presents make and create him the said Edward Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester and to the same Edward we give and grant and by this Charter have confirmed the Name Stile Title State Dignity and the honour of the said Principality that he may therein in governing rule and in ruling direct and defend We by a Garland upon his head by a Ring of Gold upon his Finger and a Virge of Gold have according to the manner invested him to have and to hold to him and to his Heirs the Kings of England for ever Wherefore we will and straightly command for us and our Heirs that Edward our Sonne aforesaid shall have the Name Stile Title State Dignity and honour of the Principality of Wales and of the County of Chester aforesaid unto him and his Heirs the Kings of England aforesaid for ever These being witnesses the Reverend Father John Cardinall and Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England our Chancellor and William Archbishop of York Primate of England Thomas Bishop of London John Bishop of Lincolne and William Bishop of Norwich our most welbeloved Cousins Richard Duke of York Humphry Duke of Buckingham our welbeloved Cousin Richard Earl of Warwick Richard Earl of Salisbury John Earl of Wiltshire and our welbeloved and faithfull Cousins Ralph Cromwell Chamberlain of our House William Falconbridge and John Sturton Knights Dated at Our Palace at Westminster the fifteenth day of March and in the yeer of Our Raign thirty two And here by the way may be observed that in ancient time and in the time of the English Saxon Kings the use was as well in penning the Acts of Parliament as of the Kings Letters Patents when any lands franchises or hereditaments did passe from the King of any estate of inheritance as also in their creations of any Man unto honour and dignity the conclusion was with the signe of the Crosse in forme aforesaid that is his Testibus c. But long time that forme hath been discontinued so that at this day and for many yeares past all the Kings Patents for lands franchizes and hereditaments doe conclude with teste me ipso neverthelesse in all creations of honour and dignity by Letters Patents the ancient forme of concluding with his testibus is used at this day Cookes 8. part 19. And it hath been resolved by the Judges that all Acts of Parliament and Statutes whien doe concerne the Prince who is the first begotten son of the King and heire apparant to the Crowne for the time being Perpetuis futuris temporibus in all succession of ages and times be such Acts whereof the Judges and all the Realme must take conusance as of generall Statutes for every subject hath interest in the King and none of his subjects who is within his Lawes be divided from him being his head and Soveraigne so that the businesse and things of the King doth touch all the Realme and namely when it doth concerne the Prince the first begotten sonne of the King and Heire apparant to the Crowne Corruscat enim Princeps radiis Regis Patris sui censetur una persona cum ipso For the Prince shineth with the beames of the King his Father and is holden to be one person with him Cookes 8. part 28. Although the Prince by expresse words hath no priviledge by the great Charter of the Forrest 9 H. 3. cap. 11. for hunting in the Kings Forrests or Parks passing by them and sent for by the Kings commandment yet by construction the Prince is to take benefit and advantage thereby as well as Bishops Earls or Barons who are expressed Crompt Courts des Justices de Forrests 167. In the Parliament 31 H. 8. c. 10. an Act concerning the placing of the Kings children and Lords in the Parliament and other assemblies were amongst other things made as followeth First it is enacted by the authority aforesaid that no person or persons of what degree estate or condition whatsoever he or they be except only the Kings children shall at any time hereafter attempt or presume to sit or have place at any side of the cloth of state in the Parliament chamber neither of the one hand of the Kings Highnesse or of the other whether the Kings Majesty be there personally present or not The Prince shall not find pledges for the prosecution of any Action and therefore shall be amerced more then the King should be or the Queen his wife Vide Cooks 8. part 61. b. Of the most noble and excellent Prince that now is it is truly said that he is omni nomine numine magnus by destiny name providence of God the greatest before Cook to the Reader before his 8. Book the last leaf Neverthelesse as he is a distinct person by nature from the King so is he distinct by the Law viz. a Subject and holdeth his principalities and seigniories of the King neither shall he have all those Prerogatives which the King shal have for example when the King seizeth his Subjects lands or taketh away his goods from him having no title by order of the Law so to do In this case the Subject is to sue to his Soveraign Lord by way of Petition onely for other remedy hath he not but suit by Petition can be to none other then to the King for no such suit shall be made to the Prince but Actions as the case requireth as against a Subject Stamf. praerog ca. 22. And in token of subjection the Prince doth not upon his Posie of his Arms disdain the old Saxon word Ich dien I serve as Lambert doth mention in his Book of Perambulation of Rent 364. And there is a case that Gascoin chief Justice of Engl in the time of H. 4. did commit the Prince who would have taken a prisoner from the Bar in the Kings Bench and the Prince did humbly obey and did go at his command in which the King did greatly rejoyce that hee had such a Judge who durst minister justice upon his son and also that hee had a son so gracious as to obey Court de Banco Regis 79. Crompton A question was moved to the Justices in the first yeer of H. 7. what order should be in that present parliament for the anulling and making void certain attainders for so much as divers who were returned of that Parliamēt did stand attainted of treason and all the Justices resolved That so many of the Knights of the shires or Citizens or Burgesses as stood then attainted of treason should depart out of the Parliament house at the reversall of the Act of Parliament for their attainders But as soon as the Act of Parliament was reversed and annuld that they and every of them that is to say Lords and Commons should come into their places and
Lawyers tearme matter in fact and not by any record Cookes 6. part 53. a. But a noble Woman by Marriage though she take to her a second Husband a man of meane degree yet shee may keepe two Chaplaines according to the Proviso in the Statute of 21. H. 8. c. 13. for and in respect of the honour which once she had viz. at the time of the retayner and every such Chaplaine may purchase ly cense and dispensation Cookes 4. part 117. Cowels Instutions lib. tit 10.15 but her Chaplaines may not be nonresident afterwards And forasmuch as the retayning of Chaplaines by Ladies of great estates is ordinary and neverthelesse some questions in law have beene concerning the true understanding of the said Statute law I thinke it not impertinent to set downe some subsequent resolutions of the Judges touching such matters Anne Baronesse of Mount Eagle in her Widdowhood did retaine two Chaplaines according to the Statute and one of them had but one Benefice and therefore did obtaine a dispensation with a confirmation from the Queene according to the tenour of the said Statute but before he was presented to his second Benefice the Lady did take to Husband Henry Lord Compton whereby she did forsake her former dignity of Baronesse of Mount-Eagle and afterward the said Chaplain did accept a second Benefice and was therunto admitted and inducted and the Judges have resolved that the Chaplain hath done nothing herein but according to the meaning of the Statute and that the Ladies marriage between his Retainer and acceptance of his second benefice was no Countermand Revocation or determination of that Retainer which the Lady lawfully then did make but that she living he might proceed to the filling up of the qualification Causa origio est materia negoti for though the wife of a Noble-man during the covecture cannot by Law rerain a Chaplain to be quallified according to the statute because by Intendment her Husbands Chaplains are sufficient for that Office yet forasmuch as the Retainer was lawfull then she was widdow that being the principall matter shall enable him to take use and benefice after her marriage for though the husband and wife are but one person in Law yet as the Text is sunt animo duo in carne uno Bracton lib. 5. fol. 363 a. And in this case by the death of the Lord Compton her first Retainer was not determined for without any neer Retainer her said Chaplain may take his second benefice and also for that cause so long as the said Chaplains do attend upon their said Lady in her House they shall not be endammaged for Non-residency Cooks 4. part 117. fol. 90. 76. That which remains concerning the further exposition of this statute you may read before in the title of priviledge of Lords So long that the wise of a Duke be called Dutchesse or of an Earl be a Countesse and have the fruition of all the Honours appertaining to that estate with kneeling tasting serving and the rest and so long shall a Barons widow be saluted Lady and a Knights wise also by the courteous Speech of England quandiu Maj. aut viduitâ— vic durant except she happen to relaps with an Adulterer for as the Laws of this Kingdome do adjudge that 〈◊〉 woman shall lose her dower in that case viz. west cap. B. F.N.B. fol. 150. H. Perk. fel. 70. Kitchin 162. b. as Ruâ—oâ— Lands and Tenents so justly so doth the Laws of Gentry and Noblenesse give sentence against such a womaâ— advanced to Titles of Dignity by the husband to be unworthy to enjoy the same when she putting her husband out of mind hath subjected her self to another If a Lady which is married come through the Forrests he shall not take any thing but a Dutchesse or 〈◊〉 Countesse shall have advantage of the statute de Charâ—â— Porest 11. Art during the time that she is unmarried Cromptons Court fol. 167 b. Wheras it is contained in the great Charter amongâ—â— other things in the Form which followeth no Freemaâ— shall be taken or imprisoned or deseised of his Free-hoâ—â— or his Liberties or Free-customs or shall be outlawed oâ— banished or in any wise destroyed nor go upon him bâ—â— by the lawfull judgment of his Peers or by the Law oâ— the Land In which statute is no mention made how women Ladies of great estate because of their Husbands Peers of the Land married or sole that is to say Duchesse Countesse or Barronesse shall be put to answer oâ— before what Iudges they shall be judged upon an Inditement of Treason or Fellonyes by them committed oâ— done because wherof it is an Ambiguity in the Law oâ— England before whom and by whom such Ladies so endicted shall be put to answer and be judged by our said Soveraign Lord the King willing to put out such Ambiguities and Doubts hath declared by Authority aforesaid that such Ladies so endicted or hereafter to be endicted whether they be married or sole therof shall bee brought in answer and put to answer and judged before such Iudges and Peers of the Realm as Peers of the Realm should be if they were endicted of any Treasons or Fellonyes done or hereafter to be done and in like manner and Form and in none otherwise Anno 2. H. 6. Cap. 9. Which statute was but a Confirmation or Declaration of the common Law vide Cooks 6 part 52. b. This is a Rule in the civill law si filia R. nubat alicui dom vel Comiti dicetur semp Regalis As amongst Noble women there is a difference of degrees so according to their distinct excellentnesse the law doth give speciall Priviledges as followeth By the statute of 25. E. 3. cap. 2. It is High Treason to compose or imagine the death of the Queen or to violate the Kings Companion The Kings Espouse is a sole person exempted by the common law and she may purchase by Fee-simple or Make leases or Grants without the King she may plead and be impleaded which no other married woman can do without her husband Cook 4 part 23. B. Theol. lib. 1 a. cap. 4.24 E. 3.63 vide Bracton 363. a. All Acts of Parliaments for any cause which any way may concern the Queen and her Capacity are such statutes wherof the Judges ought to take recognisance as of generall statutes for though the matter do only concern the Capacity of the Queen yet it doth also concern all the subjects of the Realm for every subject hath interest in the King and none of his Subjects who are within hiâ— Lawes is divided from the King being his head and Soveraigne so that his businesse and things do touch all the Realme and as all the Realme hath interest in the King so and for the same Reason in the Queene being his wife Plouden 23.1 a. Cookes 8. Repl. 28. A man seised of divers Lands in Fee holden by Knights service some by Prioritie that is by ancient Feofment holden of others and some
other parts holden by the same tenure of the King by posteritie the King granteth his Seigniory to the Queene and afterwards the Tenant dyeth the sonne within age in this case the King shall have the Wardship of the Body and have the Prerogative even as the King himselfe should have had 3. E. 3 4. vide etiam Stamford Prerog Reg. cap. 2. The Queene wife unto the King or widdow shall not be amerced if she be non-suited in any Action or otherwise in which cases any other subject of what degree soever shall be amerced for in this case the Queen shall participate the Kings Prerogative Cookes 6. Report 62. But the Queene shall not in all cases have the same Prerogatives that the King shall have in the same case as for Example Petition is all the remedy the Subject hath when the King seizeth his Lands or taketh away his Goods from him having no title by order of Law so to doe contrary to the opinion of some ancient Bookes as you may see Stamfords Prerog cap. 19. But in such suit shall be made to the Queene but actions against other Leiges of the King according as the case shall require for by the same reason that the Queene may be Plaintiffe and Demandant in actions without the King by the same reason that the Queene may be Plaintiffe and Demandant in actions without the King by the same reason he shall be Defendant or Tenant without pertaking such Prerogatives as doe appertaine to the King 11. H. 4.64 B. Stamford Prerog cap. 22. â—n fine Against the King by his Prerogative Nullum temâ—us occurit Regi but time shall runne against the Queen H. 18. E. 3.2 a. and aplenarty by sixe mouthes is a good plea in a Quare Imp. brought by Philippa Regina Angliae ibid. fol. 1. et 13. b. Stamford Prerog cap. 18. trope finem In 21. E. 3.13 b. It is thus to be read note that a protection was sued forth against the Queen in a Writ which she brought and it was allowed though shee be a person exempt Neverthelesse by this short case following may bee observed that the Justices doe not easily suffer any proceedings in Law against the Queene wife or widdow but will hold with their Inmities as much as they may by Law A Writ of dower was brought against Isabel Queene of England mother of the King that then was and the Court said to the Plaintiffe the Queene is a person of dignitie and excellencie and we are of opinion that she shall not answer to the Writ but it behooveth you to sue to her by Petition and thereupon the Demandant dixit grat and shee prayed the Court to grant a continuance of her Action untill another day so that in the meane time she might sue to speake with the Queen but the Court would not agree to make a Continuance but said that upon her request they might give dâ—â— precepart and so it was done for the Queenes Councel would not agree to a continuance for thereby thâ— Queene should bee accepted as answerable 10. 〈◊〉 3.379 The wife of the Kings eldest sonne also hath somâ— Prerogative in regard of the excellencie of her Husband which the wives of other Noblemen have not foâ— by the Statute of 25. E. 3. it is high Treason to violate the wife of the Kings eldest sonne and heire Dutchesses also and Countesses have speciall Honour appertaining to their Estates as kneeling and tasting and such like which things as appertaining more properly to the Heraulds then to this legall discourse I leave unto them By the Statute made 7. Iac. cap. 6. intituled And Act for the Administring the oath of Allegiance and Reformation of Women recusants if any person or persons of or above the age of 18. yeeres and degrees aforesaid must and hereafter shal stand and be presented indicted or convicted for not comming to Church or not receiving the holy Communion or Sacraments of the Lords Supper according to the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme before the Ordinary or other having lawful power to take such presentment or indictment then 3. of the Privie Counsell of the King his Highnesse his Heires or Successours and no other whereof the Lord Treasurer the Lord Chancellour Lord Privie Seale or principall Secretary to be one upon knowledge shall require such person or persons to take the said Oath but it shall be lawfull to and for every Bishop within his Diocesse to require any Baron or Barons of the age of 18. or above to take the said Oath Also in cases of indictment of Felony or Treason a Baronesse shall have the same tryall by Peeres as doth appeare by the Statute of 20. H. 6. cap. 9. which any other Noble woman of higher degree shall have which priviledge is denyed to all of a lower degree then a Baronesse Ladies in Reputation The wife and widdow and widdow of the sonne and heire of a Duke or Earle in the life of his Father is a Lady by courtesie of speech and honour and taketh place according as in ancient time hath been permitted by the Soveraign Prince and allowance of the Herauld but in legall proceedings they are not to have priviledges nor to be named according to such sirnames of dignity but the King may at his pleasure create such men in the life time of their Ancestors into degrees of Lords of his Parliament and then the Law is otherwise If a Noblewoman of Spaine come into the Realme by safe conduct or otherwise by the King shee be stiled by such her forraign stile of dignity yet in the Kings Courts of Justice she shall not be named by such title though by common speech she be a Lady in reputation An English woman borne doth take to her Husband a Spanish or French Duke though he be made a Denizen yet he shall not beare his title of dignity in legall proceedings A German woman is married to the Earl of Northam or to other the Nobility of England unlesse she be made a Denizen she cannot lawfully claim the priviledges or title of her husband no more then she can to have dower or any jointure from him An English Woman doth take to Husband the Earle of Kildare in Ireland or if a Lord of Scotland though he be a post natus take an English woman to his wife their wives shall not participate their husbands Titles of Dignitie But if the King do create one of his Subjects of Scotland naturalized here by Act of Parliament to be Viscount Rochester within England and after by his Writ of Summons under his Great Seale doe call him to his uper House of his Parliaments and assigne him a place there in his great Councell amongst the Lords and Peeres of the Realme hee is now also a Peere of this Realme and shall be partaker with them in all Priviledges and by consequence his wife widdow and children after him 32. E. 3.35 in le case de Gilbert Humfrevill But if an Englishman by the
judiciall proceedings onely by such name and title as he hath received from the King of this Realm whose Subject he is and if by the King of England he be not advanced to Title of Honour then shall he bear the name of his Baptism onely and Surname unlesse he be a Knight 20 Ed. 4.6 Cook 7. part 16. a. A Duke of Spain or of other forraign Nation cometh into England by the Kings safe-Conduct in which also the King doth stile him Duke according to his Creation neverthelesse in all proceedings in the Kings Courts he shall not be stiled by his name of dignity Cook in the last Book before And though the said Noble person be also by the Kings Letters Patents and by his forraign name and title of dignity made Denizen for that is the right name so called because his legitimation is given unto him for if you derive Denizen from Denizee as one born within the Allegiance or Obedience of the King then such a one should be all one with a naturall born Subject wherein a Denizen faileth in many things or if they be naturalized also by the authority of Parliament whereby he seemeth to be in all things made as a Subject born in England yet he shall not be stiled with his forraign title of dignity Cooks 7 part 15. a. And so it is if a Noble man of France c. come into England as Ambassadour and here by lawfull Marriage hath issue a sonne the father dieth the son is by birth a naturall English-man yet he shall not bear the Title of Honour of his father and the cause and reason hereof is Because the title of his Nobility had his originall by a French King and not by any naturall peration which thing is well proved both by authority of Law and experience in these dayes for in the book last mentioned in that leaf is resolved a more stranger case that is albeit that a Postnatus of Scotland or Ireland who is in these dayes a naturall Subject to the King of England or any of his posterity be he the heir of a Noble man of Scotland or of Ireland yet he is none of the Nobility of England But if that Allien or stranger born or Scot be summoned by the Kings Writ to come unto his Parliament and is therein stiled by his forraign stile or by other Title whereunto he is invested withiâ— England by the Kings grant then from thenceforth he is a Peer of this Realm and in all Judiciall and legall proceedings he ought to be so stiled and by no other name 39 Ed. 3.36 And it was the case of Guilbert Humphreyvile Earl of Anger 's in Scotland For it appertaineth to the Royall prerogative of the King to call and to admit any Alien born to have voyce and place in his Parliament at his Parliament at his pleasure although it is put in practice very rarely and seldome time and that for very great and weighty considerations of State And if after such Parliamentary Summons of such a stranger born question do arise and the issue whether he is of that title or no it may well be tryed by the Records which is the onely lawfull tryall in that case Cooks 7. part 15. a 6 part 53. But there is a diversity worthy the observation for the highest and lowest dignities are universall and therefore a Knight in all place soever he received his title of dignity and so ought of right and by Law be named in the Kings Courts 26 Ed. 4.6.39 Ed. 3.36 Also if the Emperour or the King of Denmark or any other forraigne King come into this Realm by safe-Conduct as he ought For a Monarch or an absolute Princâ— though he be in League cannot come into England without License and safe-Conduct of the King of England but any subject to such forraigne King in league may come into this Realm without License Cook 7. part 21.6 In this câ—se he shall sue and be sued by the name of Emperour or King otherwise the writ shall abate There is a notable president cited out of Fleta where treating of the Jurisdiction of the Kings Court of Marshalsey it is said And these things he may lawfully do by Office that is to say the Steward of the Kings Houshold notwithstanding the liberty of any other although in another Kingdom where the offender may be found in the Kings house according to that which happened at Paris held in the 14 yeer of Ed. 1. of one Engleam of Nogent taken in the Houshold of the King of England the King himself being then in Paris with Silver dishes lately stollen at which deed the King of France being present and whereupon the Court of the King of France did claym cognizance of the plea concerning that theft by Jurisdiction of the Court of Paris the matter being diversly debated in the Councell of the King of Frâ—nâ—e at length it was ordered that the King of England should use and enjoy that his Kingly prerogative of his Houshold where being convicted by Sir Robert Fitz. John Knight Steward of the Kings Houshold of the theft by consideration of the same Court was hanged on the Gallows in St Germans fields Cooks 7. part 15.6 And there by the way may also be noted from the reason in the recited Books alleadged the person of a King in another Kings Dominions is not absolutely priviledged but that he may be impleaded for debt or trespasse or condemned for Treason committed within the said Dominions for it is a generall Law of Nations That in what place an offence is committed according to the Law of that place they may be judged without regard of any priviledge neither can a King in another Kingdom challenge any such prerogative of immunity from Laws for a King out of his proper Kingdom hath no merum Imperium absolute power but onely doth retain bonoris titulos dignitatis the Titles of Honour and Dignity so that wâ—ere he hath offended in his own person against the King of the Nation where he is per omnia distringitur etiam quoâ—d personam he may be distrayned even to his own person And the same Law is of Ambassadours ne occasio daretur delinquendi lest occasion of offence be given like as a sanctuary will save a mans life from man-slaughter but not when man-slaughter is committed within the Sanctuary for then he doth wilfully wave the benefit of all priviledges and prerogatives and neverthelesse it bindeth firm that Ambassadours are called Legats because they are chosen as fit men out of many and their persons be sacred both at home and abroad so that no man injuriously may lay violent hands upon them without breach of the Law of Nations and much lesse upon the person of a King in a strange Land Bracton a Judge of this Realm in the Raign of King Hen. 3. in his first Book 8 saith in effect as followeth There is no respect of persons with God because God is no accepter of persons
then may proceed upon any thing there moved lawfully as lawfull persons for it is not convenient that they who are attainted should be in places of lawfull Judges And then another question was moved What shall be said of the King himself for he also was attainted by his Predecessour Rich. 3. and after communication had amongst themselves all did agree that the King was a person able and discharged of any former attainder ipso facto That he took upon him to raign and to be King by which it manifestly appeareth that by the Laws of England there can be no inter regnum within the same that presently by descent the next heir in blood is coÌ„pleatly and absolutely King without any essentiall Ceremony or act to be done ex post facto And that Coronation is but a royall ornament and outward solemnization of the descent and of this last matter Read Cooks 7 part fol. 10.6 and that there followeth Of Dukes THe form of the Patent of Duke of York that now is Rex c. To all Archbishops Bishops Dukes Marquesses Earls Viscounts Barons Justices Governours Knights Ministers And to all Bailiffs and faithfull Subjects greeting Whereas We often times call to minde how many and innumerable gifts and what excellent benefits that great worker of all goodnesse of his only benignity and clemencie hath abundantly bestowed upon Us who by his power hath consociated divers and mighty Lyons in firm peace without any strife but also hath amplified and exalted the bounds and limits of our Government by his unspeakable providence above our progenitors with an indissolvible conjunction of the ancient and famous Kingdoms in the right of blood under our Imperiall Diadem in regard whereof we cannot but most willingly acknowledge our fruitfulnesse and issue plentifully adorned with the gift of Nature which he hath vouchsafed upon us because in truth in the succession of children a mortall man is made as it were immortall Neither unto any mortall men at leastwise unto Princes not acknowledging superiours can any thing happen in worldly cases more pleasant and acceptable then that their children should become notable in all vertues gooodnesse manners and increase of dignity so as they which excell others in noblenesse of bloud and indowments of Nature might not be thought of others to be exceeded Hence it is that that great goodnesse of God which is shewed unto us in our fertility to passe in silence or to be thought not to satisfie the Law of Nature whereby we are chiefly provoked to be well affected and liberall to those in whom we behold our blood to begin to florish coveting with great and fatherly affection that the perpetuall memory of our blood with honours and increase of dignity and all praise may be affected Our well-beloved Son Charls Duke of Albany Marquesse of Ormond Count of Rosse and Lord of Ardmannoth Our sâ—cond begotten son in whom the Royall form and beauty worthy honour and other gifts of vertue do now in the best hopes shine in his tender graces We erect create make and ordain and to him the name stile state title dignity authority and honour of the Duke of York do give and him of that Name with the title state stile honour authority and dignity with other honors to the same belonging and annexed by the girding of the sword cap circlet of gold put upon his head and the delivery of a golden Virge we do really invest to have and to hold the same name and stile state and dignity authority and honour of the Duke of York unto the aforesaid Charles our second begotten son and to his heirs males of his body lawfully begotten for ever And that the aforesaid Charles our second begotten son according to the decencie and state of the said name of Duke of York may more honorably carry himself we have given and granted and by this our present Charter we confirm for us and our heirs unto the aforesaid Duke forty pounds to have and yeerly to receive to the foresaid Duke and his heirs for ever out of the Farms issues profits and other commodities whatsoever comming out of the foresaid County of York by the hands of the Sheriffe of the same County for the time being at the Terms of Easter and Michael the Arch-angel by even portions for that expresse mention of other gifts and grants by us unto the same Duke before time made in these presents made doth not appear notwithstanding These be witnesses the most excellent and most beloved Henry Prince our first begotten son Vlrick Duke of Holst brother of the queen our beloved wife and the Reverend Father in Christ Richard Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan of all England and also our welbeloved and faithfull Councellour the Lord Elesmore and Chancellour of England Thomas Earl of Suffolk Chamberlain of our houshold and also our dear cousin Thomas-Earl of Arundel and our well-beloved cousin and Councellour Henry Earl of Northumberland Edward Earl of Worcester Master of our horse George Earl of Cumberland and also our well-beloved cousin Henry Earl of Southampton William Earl of Pembroke and also our well-beloved cousins Charles Earl of Devon Master of our Ordinance Henry Earl of Northampton Warden of the Cinque-Ports John Earl of Marr Robert Viscount Eranborne our principall Secretary and our well-beloved and faithfull Councellour Edward Lord Zuch President of our Councell in the Principality and Marches of Wales and also ouâ— wel-beloved and trusty Robert Lord Willoughby of Earsby William Lord Mounteagle Gray Lord Chandois William Lord Compton Francis Lord Norris Robert Lord Sidney our well-beloved and faithfull Councellours William Lord Knowles Treasurer of our houshold Edward Lord Wotton Comptroller of out houshold and our well-beloved and faithfull Councellour Alexander Lord and also our wel-beloved and faithfull Councellors George Dunbarr Lord of Barwick Chancellour of our Exchequer Edward Lord Bruse of Kinlose Master of the Rolls of our Chancery and also our faithfull and well-beloved Thomas Lord Eskine of Bielton Lord Balmermoth and others given by our hand at our Pallace of Westminster the sixth day of January in the second yeer of the Raign of K. James K. Edw. 3. in the 11 year of his Raign by his Charter in Parliament and by authority of Parliament did create Edw. his eldest son the Black-Prince D. of Cornwall not onely in title but cum feodo with the Dutchy of Cornwall as by the tenour of the said Letters Patents exemplified may appear Cooks 8 part in the pleading Habend ' et tenend ' eidem duci et ipsius et heraed ' suorum Regum Angliae siliis primogenitis et dicti loci ducibus in Regno Augliae hereditatoria successoris To have and to bold to the same Duke and his heirs Kings of England the first begotten sons and Dukes of the same place in the kingdom of England and to hereditary succession so that he that is hereditable must be heir apparant of the King of England
and of such a King who is heir unto the said Prince Edward And such a first begotten son and heir apparant to the Crown shall inherit the said Dukedom in the life of the said King his father with manner of limitation of estate was short excellent and curious varying from the ordinary Rules of the Common Law touching the framing of any estate of inheritance in fee-simple or fee-tail And neverthelesse by the authority of Parliament a speciall fee-simple is in that onely case made as by judgment may appear in the Book aforesaid and the case thereof fol. 27. and 21 E. 3.41 b. And ever since that creation the said Dukedom of Cornwall hath been the peculiar inheritance of the Kings eldest son ad supportandum nomen on us bonoris to support the name and weight of that his honourable estate during the king his fathers life so that he is ever Duxnatus non creatus a Duke born not created and the said Duke the very first day of his nativity is presumed and taken to be of full and perfect age so that he may sue that day for his livery of the said Dukedom and ought of right to obtain the same as well as if he had been full 21 yeers of age And the said Black-Prince was the first Duke in England after the Conquest for though Bracton who made his Book in H. 3. saith Et sunt sub rege duces as before appeareth yet that place is to be understood of the ancient kings who were before the conquest for in Mag. Charta which was made in Anno 9 H. 3. we finde not the name of Duke amongst the Peers and Nobles there mentioned For seeing the Norman Kings themselves were Dukes of Normandy for a great while they adorned none with this honour of Duke And the eldest son of every King after this creation was Duke of Cornwall and so allowed As for example Henry of Munmouth eldest son of H. 4. and Henry of Winsor eldest son of H. 5. and Edw. of Westminster the first son of Ed. 4. and Arthur of Winchester first son of H. 7. and Edward of Hampton first son of H. 8. but Richard of Burdeaux who was the first son of the Black-Prince was not Duke of Cornwall by force of the said creation for albeit after the death of his father he was heir apparant to the Crown yet because he was not the first begotten son of a King of England for his father dyed in the life time of king Ed. 3. the said Richard was not within the limitation of the grant and creation by authority of Parliament made in the 11 yeer of king Edward above mentioned And therefore to supply that defect in the 5. yeer of Ed. 3. he was created Duke of Cornwall by a speciall Charter Elizabeth eldest daughter to king Edw. 4. was not Durches of Cornwal for she was the first begotten daughter of king Edw. 4. but the limitation is to the first begotten son Henry the 8. was not in the life of his father king H. 7. after the death of his eldest Brother Arthur Duke of Cornwall by force of the said creation for albeit he was sole heir apparant to the king yet he was not his eldest begotten son Cooks 8 part 29. b. and 30. a. And the opinion of Stamford a learned Judge hath been that he shall have within his Dukedom of Cornwall the kings Prerogatives because it is not severed from the Crown after the form as it is given for none shall be inheritour thereof but the kings of the Realm For example whereas by the Common Law if a man hold divers Mannors or other lands and tenements of severall Lords all by knâ—â—hts service somâ— part by priority and ancient Feoffment and other lands by posterity and by a latter Feoffment and the Tenant so seized dyeth his son and heir within age In this case the custody of Wardshâ—p of the body and his marriage may not be divided among all the Lords but one of them onely shall have right unto it because the body of a man is intire and the Law doth say That the Lord of whom some part of those lands be holden by priority and by the same tenure of Chivalry shall have it except the king be any of the Lords for then though the Tenant did purchase that land last yet after his death the king shall bee preferred before all or any other the Lords of whom the Tenant did hold by priority And so shall the Duke of Cornwall in the same case have the same Prerogative if his Tenant dye holding of him but by posterity of Feoffment for any tenure of his Dutchie of Cornwall although the said Duke is not seized of any particular estate whereof the reversion remaineth in the king for the Prince is seized in fee of his Dukedom as before is said Iohn of Gaunt the fourth son of king Edward 3. did take to wife Blanch who was daughter and heir to Henry Duke of Lancaster who had issue Henry afterwards king of England so that the said Dutchy of Lancaster did come unto the said Henry by discent from the part of his mother and being a subject he was to observe the Common Law of the Land in all things concerning his Dutchie For if he would depart in Fee with any part thereof hee must make livery and seizen or if hee had made a Lease for life reserving rent with a reentery for default of payment and the rent happen to be behind the Duke might not enter unlesse hee doe make a demand or if he had aliened any part thereof whilest he was with age hee might defeat the purchaser for that cause and if hee would grant a reversion of any estate for life or yeares in being there must also be Attornment or else the grant doth not take effect But after that hee had deposed King Richard the second and had assumed upon him the Royall estate and so had conjoyned his naturall bodie in the bodie Politique of the King of this Realme and so was become King Then the possessions of the Duchie of Lancaster were in him as King and not as Duke For the name of Duke being not so great as the name of a King was drowned by the name of King and by the State Royall in him who was Duke for the King cannot bee a Duke within â—â—s owne Realme but out of his Realme hee may And likewise the name of the Duchie and all the Franchizes Liberties and Jurisdictions of the same when they were in the hands of him who had the Crowne and Jurisdiction Royall were gone by the Common Law and extinct for the greater doth distinguish the lesse and after those times the possessions of the Dutchie of LANCASTER would not passe from King Henry the fourth but by his Letters Patents under the great Seal of England without livery of seisin and without Attornment and if he make a Lease for life being Duke reserving a rent with reentry for
default of payment and after his assumption of the Crown the rent happen to be unpaid he might re-enter without demand for the King is not bound to do such personall Ceremonies as the Subjects are by the Law compelled to do Therfore to have the said Dutchy to be still a Dutchy with the liberties to the same as it was before and to alter the order degree of the lands of the Dutchy from the Crown the said King H. 4. made a Charter by authority of Parliament which is intituled Charta Regis Henrici quarti de seperatione ducatus Lancastria a corona authoritate Parliamenti anno Regni sui primo The Charter of Henry the fourth for the separation of the Dutchy of Lancaster from the Crowne by the authority of Parliament in the first yeer of his raign of the said King as by the tenure thereof may appear And so by authority of Parliament the said Dutchy withall the Franchises and liberties were disjoyned from the Crown and from the Ministers and Officers of the Crown and from the receit of the revenues of the Crown and from the order to passe by such conveyance which the said Law did require in the possessions of the Crown But although the possessions of the Dutchy by force of the said Statute stood divided from the Crown and ought to be demeaned and ordered and passe as they ought before Henry the fourth was King yet there is no clause set down in the said Charter which doth make the person of the king who hath the Dutchy in any other degree then it was before but things concerning his person shall in the same estate as they were before seperations Insomuch as if the Law before the Charter by the authority of Parliament adjudged the person of the King alwayes of full age having regard unto his gifts as well of the lands which he doth inherit in his naturall body as in that he doth inherit in the right of his Crown or politique body it shall be so adjudged for the Dutchy land after the said Statute for the Statute doth go and reach unto the estate condition and order of the lands of the Dutchy but doth not extend to the person of the king who hath the lands in points touching his person neither doth it diminish or alter the preheminences which the Law doth give or attribute to the person of the King For if king Henry 4. after the said Act had made a Lease or other grant of parcell of the Dutchy by the name of H. Duke of Lancaster onely it had been void for it should have been made in the name of Henry 4. king of England And thus stood the Dutchy of Lancaster severed from the Crown all the raign of H. 4. H. 5. and H. 6. being politiquely made for the upholding of the Dutchy of Lancaster their true and ancient inheritance howsoever the right heir unto the Crown might in future time obtain his right thereunto as it happened in king Edward 4. his time But after king Edward 4. obtained his right unto the Crown of England and was in his remitter he in Parliament attainted H. 6. and appropriated unity and annexed the said Dutchy again unto the Crown of England as by the Statute thereof made in the first yeer of his Raign may appear By which Statute three things were ordained 1. First the County Palatine of Lancaster was again established 2. Secondly he did vest it in the body politique of the kings of this Realm 3. Thirdly he did divide it from the order of the Crown-lands and in this force it did continue untill the time of H. 7. who forthwith being descended from the house of Lancaster did separate it onely in order and government from the Crown and so continueth at this day and all that is before spoken concerning the Duke and the Dukedom of Lancaster appeareth in Plowden 212. and that which there followeth Before I write further concerning the Nobility I should set down the form of the Kings Letters Patents of their Creations and the manner of solemnity used in the admittance and investry of Marquesses Earls Viscounts and Barons according to their severall degrees But I do willingly omit so to do partly because in effect the same may appear by that before recited Patent for the Creation of a Duke altering onely such things which of right ought to be altered and partly because their Patents are not onely extant and of Record but also because all those things are to be read in a printed English Book of this subject judicially made by Tho. Mills being a matter also proper to the Colledge and Corporation of Heralds and not unto the drift of my discourse and I will briefly set down some other things observable concerning each of them Of Marquesses A Marquesse that is if we consider the very nature of the word is a Governour of the Marches and hath the next place of honour after a Duke This title came to us but of late dayes and was not bestowed upon any one before the time of King Rich. 2. who made Robert Vere Marquesse of Dublin and then it became with us to be a title of honour for before time those that governed the Marches were called commonly Lords Marchers and not Marquesses After the Normans had conquered this land it was carefully observed by them as a matter of much moment and a point of speciall policie to place upon the confines and borders of the Britains or Welsh c. not then subdued men of much valour not onely sufficiently able to incounter the inrodes and invasions of the enemy but also willing to make on-set of them and inlarge the Conquest these men thus placed were of high bloud credit and countenance among their country-men the Normans and in whose faith and power the Conqueror reposed speciall confidence and trust and therefore in their territories given unto them to hold their tenures were devised to be very speciall and of great importance and their honours inriched with the name and priviledges of Earls of Chester and for the North border of Wales created to be a County Palatine and the Barons of the middle Port of the South Marches were adorned in a manner with a Palatine Jurisdiction having a Court of Chancery and Writs only among themselvs pleadable to th' intent that their attendance might not thence be driven for the prosecution of controversies and quarrells in the Law and as for the other part of the South Marches they seemed sufficiently fenced with the River of Severn and the Sea Of Earls FIrst It is to be observed that originally within this Kingdome Earldomes of Counties in the ancient English Saxon Government were not onely Dignitieâ— of Honour but also Offices of justice for that they did further the administration of justice in the Counties whereof they were Earls or Aldermen They had likewise their Deputies under them the Sheriff an Officer yet in being and retayning the name of his Substitution
or for his marriage though he be within age Cooks 6. part 74. in Druries case Nobility and Lords in reputation onely THere are other Lords in reputation and appellation who neverthelesse are not de jure neither can they enjoy the priviledge of those of the Nobility that are Lords of the Parliament The sonne and heire of a Duke during his fathers life is onely by curtesie of speech and honour called an Earle and the eldest sonne of an Earle a Baron but not so in legall proceedings or in the Kings Courts of Iustice Brook Treason 2. But the King may at his pleasure create them in the life of their Ancestors into any degree of Lords of the Parliament Cook 8. part 16. b. A Duke or other of the Nobilitie of a forraigne Nation doth come into this Realme by the Kings safe conduct in which the Kings said Letters of Conduct he is named Duke according to his Creation yet that appellation maketh him not a Duke c. to sue or to be sued by that name within England but is onely so reputed But if the King of Denmark or other Soveraigne King come into England under safe conduct he during his aboad in England ought to bee stiled by the name of King though hee have not merum imperium out of his owne Kingdome yet he shall retaine honoris titulos Cook 7. part 15. b. sequentia All the younger sonnes of the Kings of England are of the Nobility of England and Earles by their birth without any other Creation and onely Lords in reputation And if an English man be created Earle of the Empire or of other title of honour by the Emperour he shall not beare the title in England and therefore is an Earle onely in reputation A Lord of Ireland and Scotland though he be a Postnatus is not a Lord in England in legall Courts of Iustice though he be commonly called and reputed a Lord. NOBLE VVOMEN ALthough Noble women may not sit in Parliament in respect of their sexe yet they are in the law Peeres of the Realm and all or most of the Prerogatives before mentioned which to Noblemen are belonging doe also appertaine to them Cook 8. part 53. But the opinion of some men hath been that a Countesse Baronesse or other woman of great estate cannot maintaine an action upon the statute de scandalis Magnatum because the statute of 2. R. 2. cap. 5. speaketh but of Prelates Dukes Earles Barons or other Nobles and other great men of the Realme and of the Chancellour Treasurer Clarke of the Privie Seale Steward of the Kings house Iustice of the one Bench or of the other great officers of the Realm by which words they conceive the meaning of the makers of that statute was onely to provide in that case for Lords and not for women of honour Crompton Justice of Peace 45. b. Also if any of the Kings servants within his Check-roll doe conspire the death of any Noble man it is not felony within the compasse of the statute 3. H. 7. cap. 13. Honourable women are of three sorts By creation by Descent or by Marriage King Henry the eighth created Anne Bullen Marchionesse of Pembrook and so may the King create any woman into any title of honour as to his Highnesse shall seem good As the King by by his Letters Patents openly read in the Parliament did create _____ Widow the sole daughter of _____ late Baron of Abergavenny Baronesse De le Spencer Cambden 63.6 Noble women by descent are those to whom either the lands holden by such dignity do descend as heir and they are said to be honourable by tenure or those whose Ancestors to whom they are heires were seised of an estate descendable unto them in their titles of Dukedomes Earldomes or Baronies or those whose Ancestors were summoned to the Kings Parliament for thereby also an inheritance doth accrue to their posterities Noble women also are those who do take to their husbands any Lord or Peere of the Realme although they of themselves were not of any degree of Nobility Fortescue de laudibus legum Anglia fol. 100. Question and doubt hath been made whether if a man be summoned to the Parliament and afterwards die without issue male the dignity and title of honour may descend to the heire female and many arguments have beene made pro contra in that which at this time I doe purposely omit because I have before discoursed thereof in the title of Barons in this Treatise Concerning the title of honour descendable to the heire female by reason of a tenure in her Ancestor there need no more doubt to be made than of offices of honour the which doe much import the publike wealth and being of estate of inheritance doe descend to the heire female if there be no heire male as the office of high-Constableship of England challenged in the time of H. 8. by the Duke of Buckingham and judged by the advice and resolution of the Judges as by a note of that case extant whereof my Lord Dyer in his Reports hath a memoriall is most evident Dyer 283. b. Kellaway 6. H. 8.170 b. which descended to the daughters of Humphrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and Essex as afore is declared the office of a Lord Steward descended to Blanch daughter of Henry Earle of Lancaster in whose right John of Gaunt her husband enjoyed the same The like may be said of the office of Earle Marshall which descended by an heire female unto the house of Norfolk all which offices are as unfit to be exercised by a woman as it is unfit for a woman to be summoned to the Parliament as Baronesse by writ as before is written And when the title of honour doth descend to a woman if question in Law doe arise betweene the noble woman and any other person whether she be of that degree of noblenesse or no the issue shall be tried by the Record thereof and by the Kings writ it shall be certified and not by a Jury of twelve men even as it should be in case her Ancestors had beene party Cooks 6. part 53. 7. part 15. Although the Lawes of this Realme regularly doe make all the daughters where there are no sonnes equally to inherit Lands and Tenements and to be but one heire to their Ancestor yet it is not so in the descent of dignities and titles of honour for inheritances concerning matters of honour being things in their nature entire paticipating of superiority and eminency are not partable amongst many and therefore must of necessity descend unto one and that is to the eldest daughter sister aunt or cosin female inheritable where there is no heires males that may lawfully challenge the same and so in this point is the civill Law Neverthelesse there was a Judgment in the time of H. 3. touching the descent of the Earldome of Chester after the death of the Earle who dyed without issue his sisters being his