THE HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT and moderne Estate of The Principality of Wales Dutchy of Cornewall and Earldome of Chester Collected out of the Records of the Tower of LONDON and diuers ancient Authors By Sir IOHN DODRIDGE Knight late one of his Maiesties ludges in the Kings Bench. And by himselfe Dedicated to King IAMES of euer blessed memory LONDON ¶ Printed by Tho. Harper for Godfrey Emâ—ndson and Thomas Alchorne M. DC XXX TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY JAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith c. My most dread Soueraigne and Liegelord AMong temporall blessings giuen from God and powred vpon men this is not the least for a man to behold the fruit of his owne body surculum exradice an impe or graffe the Oliue branches about his table the hope of his posterity the image of himselfe and the staffe of his old age The consideration of the want whereof caused that good Patriake out of the bitternesse of his soule to cry and make his complaint vnto his God in these words Behold I goe childlesse and the Steward of my house is Eleazer of Damascus loe to me thou hast giuen no seed wherefore a servant of mine house must bee mine heire But to be furnished with masculine issue and to haue his first borne of that sex to whom the Birthright is due as to the sanctfiied of God and the preseruer of his name and patrimony is a double blessing vnto all men much more vnto Kings the Lords anointed whereby his horne is established his subiects in the middest of the day present do behold the Sunne that shall arise vpon them the day suceeding and haue their hearts setled to say vnto their Soueraine wee and our seed will serue thee and thy seed for euer This made the Propheticall King in the day of his departure to blesse God and say Blessed be the Lord my God who hath caused mine eyes to see this day that one of mine own loynes shall fit vpon my Throne But contrariwise was Achah accursed of whom God said he would not leaue him one mingentem ad parietem threatning as it were by that circumlocution to root out all issue male of Achab that might succeed him And hence it is that all Potentates of the world haue highly respected and aduanced in the eyes of their subiects their heire apparant and giuen and conferred vpon him very high and eminent titles of honor Of the Romans he was called Caesar and Princeps juventutis as the principall of all their hopes in their posterity Of the French he is honored by the name of the Dolphin of that part of the Country being his patrimony And in like manner in this our Country of England the Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester He is next his father the chiefe in the Realme and by course of the ciuill Law is to sit at his right hand in all solemne assemblies of state and honor So that not without reason did King Edward the third King of England place Richard his grandchild and next heire apparant in his solemne feast at Christmas at his table next vnto himselfe aboue all his Vncles being the sonnes of that King and men manifoldly renowned for their prowes and virtue And yet hath not the Prince any Kingly prerogatiues allowed vnto him by the Lawes of this Realme in the life of his progenitors other then such as are due vnto other Noble men that hee might acknowledge himselfe to bee but a subiect and whereof he is put in remembrance euen by the Poesy that he vseth in the old English or Saxon tongues in this forme conceiued Ie dien I am a seruant The due consideration whereof hath caused me by the encouragement of an honorable learned and worthy Councellor my Lord of Buckhurst your Maiesties Lord high Treasurer of England and my very good Lord and being eased therein by the carefull paines and industry of a Gentleman Mr. Richard Connock his seruant in some conuenient method after my rude and vnlearned manner to set downe what the ancient and true estate of his excellency the Lord Prince hath beene what it now is and how impaired and to what estate and dignity by your Maiesties high and Princely wisdome it may againe be reduced Beseeching your highnesse of your accustomed clemency to pardon this my bold attempt and to accept my poore trauels therein with that gratious aspect as you do the manifold gratulations of other your Maiesties louing subiects Your Maiesties loyall and obedient subiect I. D. ABSTRACTS AND ADVERTISEMENTS concerning the Contents of this HISTORIE THe originall and antient estate of Wales before and vntill the Conquest thereof by King Edward the First in the eleuenth yeere of his Raigne Edward of Carnaruon so called because he was born at Carnaruon Castle in VVales and sonne to King Edward the First constituted Prince of VVales and the policy vsed therein by King Edward the First The creation of Edward sirnamed the blacke Prince to be Prince of VVales and the antient manner of the inuesture of the Princes of VVales The strange limitation of the estate of the Lands of the said Principality and the reasons thereof and the difference betweene the Principality of VVales and the Dutchy of Cornewall for the eldest sonne and heire apparant of the King of England is Duke of Cornewall as soone as be is borne or as soone as his father is King of England But he is created Prince of VVales by a speciall creation inuesture and donation of the lands thereunto belonging and not by birth The yeerely value of the reuenues of the Principality of VVales as the same were in the bands of the Prince commonly called the blacke Prince Richard sirnamed of Burdeaux sonne of the said blacke Prince was after the death of his father created Prince of VVales at Hauering at the Bower in the Countie of Essex by E 3. his Grandfather Henry of Munmouth sonne to King Henry the Fourth created Prince of VVales he was afterwards King by the name of King Henry the Fift Edward the sonne of King Henry the Sixt created Prince of VVales and Earle of Chester and for that hee was then very yong there was ordained by an Act of Parliament what allowance should bee made vnto the said Prince for his Wardrobe seruants wages and other necessary expences vntill the said Prince should be of fourteene yeers of age There was also a Counsaile of diuers honourable personages as Bishops Earles and others for the gouernement and direction of the reuenues of the said Prince which dispose the same accordingly with the assent and aduice of the Queene who was also especially appointed in that behalfe Edward the sonne and heire apparant of King Edward the Fourth created Prince of VVales and a Councell of honourable personages allowed to him also for the gouernement of his reuenues and the Lord Riuers Vncle by the mothers side of the
Prince was appointed Gouernour of the Person of the said Prince The creation of Arthure sonne and heire apparant to King Henry the Seuenth to bee Prince of VVales the Copie of the Charter of that creation obserued for the forme and manner of penning thereof and the names of the Councellors that were assigned vnto him After the death of Prince Arthure Henry his brother who was afterwards King Henry the Eight was created Prince of Wales after whose time there are no Charters found of the creation of any Prince of Wales although King Edward the Sixt in the life of his Father and Queene Mary carried the name of Prince generall and the reason why this discourse hitherunto is drawne after an historicall manner After the said historicall discourse Three things are further considered of viz. First in what manner and order the said Principalitie and Marches of Wales were gouerned and directed vnder the Princes of Wales as well before as after the English Conquests thereof wherein by the way are noted the Courts of Iustice of the said principality of Wales the originall of the Baronyes Marchers and when the first Councell was established in the Marches of Wales vnto England and in what manner the same was done and the commodities ensuing thereof which vnion or annexation may serue in some respect as a president in other cases of like consequence The second principall thing proposed is the consideration of the antient and moderne Officers of the said principality seruing the Lord Prince and none others and what fees and sallaries were allowed vnto them The third principall matter is the present reuenues of the principality of Wales as the same was in charge before the Auditors this last yeere past viz. the fortie foure yeere of the late Queene Elizabeth The Dukedome of Cornewall The Dukedome of Cornewall was the first erected Dutchie in England after the Norman conquest and made to be a Dutchie in the eleuenth yeere of King Edward the Third and giuen to his eldest sonne commonly called the blacke Prince who was the first Duke in Cornewall after the Conquest to him and to his first begotten sonnes and heires apparant of the Kings of England and the difference that is betweene the Principalitie of Wales and the said Dutchie At what age of the Duke of Cornewall Liuery may bee made vnto him of the said Dutchy Moreouer touching the said Dutchie of Cornewall three things are considered First what reuenues were bestowed vpon the said Dutchy for the erection thereof both annuall and casuall and the particulars thereof the seuerall natures and differences of them in the construction of the Law together with the Stanneryes and coynage of Tynne and the lawes vsages and customes of the said Stanueryes concerning the managing of Tynne The diuers kindes of Tynners and Tynne and the coynage of Tynne is and for what cause due and payable and the priuiledges that the King and Duke of Cornewall haue in their preemption of Tynne The reuenues of the Dutchie of Cornewall as it is rated by suruey taken in the fifth yeere of King Edward the Third The reuenues of the said Dutchie of Cornewall as it was in the fifteenth yeere of King Henry the Eight The reuenues of the said Dutchie as it was in account vnto the late Queene Elizabeth in the 44. yeere of her raigne which is the last account and the cleere yeerely value thereof as it may be drawne to an estimation annuall appeareth The Countie Palatine of Chester and Flint The third principall reuenue belonging to the Prince as Earle of Chester which Earledome is a Countie Palatine Edward sirnamed the blacke Prince created Earle of Chester by King Edward the Third his Father in the seauenth yeere of the said King Edward the Thirds raigne The totall reuenue of the said Countie Palatine of Chester and Flint as it was in the 44. yeere of the late Queene Elizabeth The antient reuenues of the said Earledome of Chester and Flint as the same were in the fifth yeere of King Edward the Third The reasons why in this History diuers an tiquities not vulgarly knowne are discouered concerning the Principality of VVales Dutchy of Cornewall and Earledome of Chester Inconueniens erit omissis initijs atque origine non repetita atqueillotis vt ita dixerim manibus protinus materiam tractare Ex lege prima DigestoruÌ„ Iuris Ciuilis titulo de origine Iuris THE ANCIENT REVENEWES OF the Lord PRINCE consist of these three kindes The Principality of Wales Dutchie of Cornewall And Earldome of Chester And therefore of euery of these in order as followeth The Principality of Wales THat part of this Island which is called Wales is thought by some learned to be the same which the Romanes hauing reduced this Island vnder their gouernment called Britannia Secunda of some others it is supposed to bee the same that was called by the Romanes Valentia but howsoeuer the truth thereof be it was anciently called by the Brittaines Cambria who diuided the whole Island of Albion into these three parts Loegria Albania and Cambria The Saxons conquering this Island called the said Territorie into the mountaines whereof the remnant of the Britaines that remayned were fled and not to be ouercome by them Wallia and the people Welshmen that is to say vnto them strangers And the other part those Britaines or Welshmen doe yet in their language call the English Saissons or Saxons It was also anciently diuided into three Prouinces or Principalities the first and principall called by them Guyneth or as they haue written in Latine Venedotia viz that which is called North-Wales The second they haue called in Latine Demetia and is that we call South-Wales And the third Powisia or Powisland and euery of these Prouinces were againe subdiuided into Cantreds and euery Cantred into Comots The Records do diuide the same into three parts also Westwales Northwales Southwales The whole Countrey is now allotted into Shires which are thirteen in number and namely these 1 Radnor shire 2 Brecknock shire 3 Munmouth shire 4 Glamorganshire 5 Carmarthenshire 6 Pembrookeshire 7 Cardiganshire 8 Montgomeryshire 9 Merionethshire 10 Caâ—rnaruoushire 11 Denbighshire 12 Flintshire 13 Anglesyshire This Parcell of the said Island called Wales thus possessed by the remnant of those Britaines was no parcell of the dominion of the Realme of England but distinguished from the same as the bookes of the Lawes of this Realme doe testifie and as it were a Realme of it selfe not gouerned by the Lawes of England and was by some of the Saxon Kings diuided from England by a ditch called of the name of the King which caused the same King Offa his Ditch Yet neuertheless was the same Dominion of Wales euer holden in Chiefe and in Fee of the Crowne of England And the Prince thereof being then of their owne Nation compellable vpon Summons to come and appeare in the Parliaments of England and vpon their
rebellions and disorders the kings of England deuised their Scutagium or Escuage as it is called in the Lawes of England that is to leuy ayd assistance of their tenants in England which held of them Per Seruitium militare to suppresse such disordred Welsh tanquaÌ„ Rebelles and Non hostes as Rebells and not as forraine Enemies And hence it is that King Henry the third vpon those often reuolts of the Welsh indeuored to resume the Territory of Wales as forfeit vnto him selfe and conferred the same vpon Edward the Longshanckes his heire apparant yet neuerthelesse rather in title then in possession or vpon any profit obteyned thereby For the former prince of Wales continued his gouernment notwithstanding this betweene whome and the said Edward warres were continued Whereof when the said Edward complained to King Henry the third his father the said King made this answer as recordeth Matthew Paris a Cosmographer liuing in that time Quid ad me terra tua est ex dono meo Exerevires primitiuas famam excita iuuenilem et de caetero timeant inimici c. But the Charter of this gift is not now readilie to be found among the Records For after this time it appeareth by the Records of the Tower of London that by the mediation of Othâ—bon Deacon Cardinal of S Andrews a peace was concluded between the then Prince of the Welsh blood and the said Henry the 3. which neuerthelesse as it seemeth continued not long for sundry battells were fought betweene the said Edward both before and after he was King of England Lewlyn the last Prince of the Welsh blood and Dauid his brother vntill both the said Prince his said brother were ouercome by the said Edward after he was King of England and who thereby made a finall and full conquest of Wales annexing the same vnto the Crowne of England diuiding some parts thereof into Shires and appointing Lawes for the gouernment of that people Although the Welsh nation doe not willingly acknowledge such conquest but referres it rather to composition The words of the Statute made in Wales at Ruthlan presently vpon the conquest are these Diuina Prouidentia quae in sui dispositione non fallitur inter alia dispensationis munera quibus nos regnum nostrum Angliae decorari dignata est Terram Waliae cum incolis suis prius nobis iure fendali subiectam jam sui gratia in proprietatis nostrae dominium obstaculis quibuscunque non obstantibus totaliter et cum integritate conuertit et corona Regni pradicti tanquam partem corporis eiusdem annexit et vniuit This Territory of Wales thus being vnited the said King Edward vsed meanes to obtaine the peoples good will to strengthen that which he had gotten by effusion of blood with the beneuolence of his Subiects of Wales who promised their harty and most humble obedience if it would please the King either to remaine among them him selfe in person or else to appoint vnder him a gouernour ouer them that was of their owne nation cuntrey The King thereupon purposing a pretty policie sendeth for the Queene then being greate with Child to come vnto him into Wales who being deliuered of a sonne in the Castle of Carnaruon in Wales called by reason thereof Edward of Carnarnon the King thereupon sent for all the Barons of Wales tooke their assurance and submission according to their offers formerly made if they should haue a gouernour of their owne nation affirming vnto them that he was then ready to name vnto them a Gouernour borne in their Countrey and who could not speake any word of English whose life and conuersation no man was able to staine and required their promise of obedience whereunto they yeelding the King thereupon named vnto them his said sonne borne at Carnaruon Castle a few dayes before vnto whom the Barons of Wales afterwards made their homage as appeareth Anno 29 E 1. at Chester The said Edward of Carnaruon after the death of his father was King of England by the name of King Edward the second liuing in a turbulent time betweene him and his Barons was afterwards deposed for his ill gouernment and came to a violent death in the Castle of Barkeley and Edward his sonne by the name of King Edward the third reigned in his steade Neuerthelesse this Edward the third being called Edward of Windsor in the life of his father was created Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitane in a Parliamant holden at Yorke Edward the third in a Parliament holden at Westminster in the fifteenth yeare of his reigne created Edward his eldest sonne surnamed the blacke Prince Prince of Wales being then of tender yeeres and inuested him in the said Principalitie with these ensignes of honour and as in the Charter is conteined Per sertum in capite et annulum in digitâ— aureuÌ„ ac virgam argenteam iuxta moreÌ„ By a Chaplet of Gould made in the manner of a Garland for the word SertuÌ„ importeth by a gould ring set on his finger and by verdge Rod or Scepter of Siluer how be it in the inuesture of the succeeding Princes this Rod or Scepter as appeareth by the Charters of their seuerall creations was changed into a verge of gould The said King for the better maintainance of the said Prince his sonne in honorable support according to such his state and dignity gaue vnto him by his Charter dated the twelfth of May in the seuenth yeere of his reigne of England and in the fourth yeere of his reigne of France and inrolled in the Exchequer in the Terme of S. Hillary in the eighteenth yeere of the said King Edward the third The said Principality and the Mannors Lordships Castles and Lands ensuing to appertaine to the said Principalitie viz. All his Lordships and Lands in Northwales Westwales and Southwales 1 The Lordship Castle towne and County of Carnaruon 2 The Lordship Castle and towne of Conway 3 The Lordship Castle and towne of Crucketh 4 The Lordship Castle and towne of Bewmarish 5 The Lordship Castle and towne of Hardlagh 6 The Lordship Castle and townes and Countys of Anglesey and Merioneth 7 The Lordship Castle towne and County of Caermardin 8 The Lordship Castle and towne of Lampaderuaur 9 The Lordship and Stewardship of Cantermawer 10 The Lordship Castle towne and County of Cardigan 11 The Lordship Castle and Towne of Emelyn 12 The Lordship Castle and Towne of Buelt 13 The Lordship Castle and Towne of Hauerford 14 The Lordship Castle and Towne of Montgomery And all the Lands that were of Rice ap Meridick which came to the hands of King Edward the first together with all the Lordships Cities Castles Borrowes Townes Manours Members Hamlets Lands Tenements Knights fees Voydances of Bishopricks Aduowsons of Churches and of Abbeys Priories and of Hospitals with Customes and Prisages of wines The exercise and execution of
Iustice and a Chancery Forests Chaces Parkes Woods Warrens Hundreds Comots c. and all other Hereditaments as well vnto the said Principalitie as vnto the said King in those parts then belonging To have and to hold the same vnto the said Prince and his heires Kings of England This lymitation of Estate of this Principalitie vnto the Prince and his heires Kings of England may seeme strange to our moderne Lawyers For how is it possible that the Kings of England can inherit the Principalitie sithence the Principalitie being the lesser dignitie is extinguished in the Kingly estate being the greater for in Praesentia maioris cessat id quod minus est Forasmuch as the Heire apparant of the Crowne being Prince is presently vpon the death of his auncester Eo instante in himself King and the Principalitie as the lesser not compitable with the Kingdome being the greater But when I consider that this age wherein this Charter was penned was a learned age of Iudges and Lawyers by whose aduice no doubt in a matter of this importance this Charter was penned and this age much commended for exquisit knowledge of the Laws by those learned men that liued in the Succeeding times I cannot but thinke reuerently of Antiquity although I cannot yeeld sufficient reason of their doings therein For I am taught by Iulianus that learned Roman Lawyer Non omnium quae a maioribus constituta sunt ratio reddi potest Wherof also Naratius there yeeldeth a reason Etideo rationes eorum quae constituuntur inquiri non oportet alioquin multa ex ijs quae certa sunt subuerterētur Neuertheles forasmuch as al the Charters in the ages following made to the Prince doe hould the same manner of lymitation of estate I am perswaded some mystery of good policy to lye hidden therein which as I conceaue may be this or such like The Kings of England thought to conferre vpon their Prince and Heire apparant an estate of fee simple in the lands that they bestowed vpon him for a lesser then an Inheritance had not beene answerable to so greate a dignitie And yet they were not willing to giue him any larger estate then such as should extinguish againe in the Crowne when he came to bee King or dyed for that hee being King should also haue the like power to create the Prince ce of his Heire apparant and to inuest him into that dignitie as he being the father was inuested by his Progenitor For the wisdome of the Kings of England was such as that they would not depriue them selues of that honour but that euery of them might make new Creations and inuestures of the Principalitie to their eldest sonne or next succeeding Heire apparant and that those Lands so giuen vnto the Prince might when he was King be annexed knit and vnited againe to the Crowne and out of the Crowne to be of new conferred which could not so haue been if those Lands had been giuen to the Prince and his Heires generalls for then the Lands so giuen would haue rested in the natural person of the Princes after they came to the Kingdome distinct from the Crown Lands might as the case should happen discend to others then those which were his Heires apparant to the Crowne And herein I do obserue a difference between the Principalitie of Wales giuen to the Prince and the Dutchie of Cornwall giuen vnto him For euery Prince needeth and soe hath had a new Creation and Inuesture But he is Duke of Cornewall as soone as he is borne if his Auncester be then King of England and if not he is Duke of Cornwall Eo instante that his father is King of England as shall be more euidently proued hereafter by matter of Record when I shall come to speak of the Dutchy of Cornwall The said King also by another Charter dated the twentieth of September in the said seauenth yeere of his raigne granted vnto the said Prince all arrerages of rents duties accompts stocks stores goods and chattels remaining in all and euery the said parties due or of right belonging vnto the King and thereupon the Prince accordingly was possessed by virtue of these Charters of all these aforesaid It resteth here that we set down the totall annuall value of the said Principality of Wales by itselfe as it appeareth vpon a diligent survey thereof taken in his fiftieth yeere of the reigne of the said King Edward the Third of England and in the seuen thirtieth yeere of his reigne of France The Suruey of the Principality of Wales is drawne out of a long Record and to avoide tediousnesse the value of the Reuenewes of euery County or Shire is here set downe and then the totall of the whole omitting the particulars of euery Manour Lordship Towne or other profit in euery of the said Counties The setting downe whereof at large would haue been exceeding cumbersome and intricate It is therefore in this manner The Prouince of Northwales The summe totall of the Princes reuenewes in the County or Shire of Carnaruon 1134. l. 16. s. 2. d. ob q. The summe totall of the reuenewes of the Prouince in the County of Anglesey 832. l. 14. s. 6. d. ob q. The summe totall of the reuenewes in the County of Merioneth amounteth vnto 748. l. 11. s. 3. d. ob q. The perquisits and profits of the Sessions of the Iustices of Northwales The summe totall of all the former reuenewes in Northwales amounteth vnto 3041 l. 7. s. 6. d. q. Whereof deducted for the yeerly fee of the Iustice of Northwales and so there remained the summe of 3001. l. 7. s. 6. d. q The Prouince of Southwales The summe totall of the yeerly reuenew of the Prince-in the County of Cardigan 374. l. 11. s. 3. d. q. The summe totall of the yeerly reuenew of the Prince arising in the County of Carmarthen 406. l. 1. s. 7. d. The fee farme of Buelt 113. l. 6. s. 8. d. Montgomery 56. l. 13. s. 4. d. Perquisits and profits of the Sessions of the Iustices of Southwales 738. l. 6. s. 9. d. ob Perquisits of the Courts of Hauerford 41. l. 5. s. 3. d. ob The summe totall of the reuenew in Southwales 1730. l. 4 s. 11. d. ob Out of which deducted for the fee of the Iustice of Southwales fifty pounds there then remaineth 1680. l. 4. s. 11. d. q. The totall of all which the reuenewes of the Principality of Wales cast vp in one intire summe together 4681. l. 12. s. 5. d. q. This Survey was made vpon this occasion as it seemeth after the death of the Prince called the Black Prince the Princesse his wife was to haue her dower to be allotted vnto her out of those Reuenewes which could not bee without an extent and suruey thereof first had by Commissioners thereunto appointed And because the yeerly value of the said reuenewes by reason of the sundry casuall profits thereof were more or
lesse yeerly and not of one certaine value the Commissioners obserued this course they did make choice of three seuerall yeeres viz. 47. and 48. and 49 of E. 3. and did take out of the seuerall profits of those yeeres and did cast them all into one summe which they againe diuided into three equall parts esteeming only of the said three parts to be the iust yeerly value of the said reuenewes communibus anâ—iâ— that is one yeere with another And in this accompt we finde no other charges or reprizes allowed then the Iustices fees only This survey and accompt made aboue 200. yeeres past is here inserted to the end it might appeare what the reuenew of this Principallity alone was besides the Dutchy of Cornwall and Earledome of Chester neere the first certaine erection thereof in the hands of that worthy Prince commonly called the Black Prince The said Prince of Wales surnamed the Black Prince being also Duke of Aquitane Guies and Cornwall and Earle of Chester after many fortunate victories atchieued by him hauing subdued a great part of France and hauing taken Iohn the French King prisoner at Poyteers in France and after that also hauing vanquished Henry at Naue-roit in Spaine and restored Peter King of Arragon he died in Iune being then about the age of forty six yeeres and in the fiftieth yeere of the reigne of his father King Edward the Third leauing behinde him Richard his sonne and heire borne at Burdeaux and thereof surnamed Richard of Burdeaux This Richard surnamed of Burdeaux sonne and heire of the said Edward the Black Prince after the death of his father was created by his grandfather King Edward the Third to bee Prince of Wales at Havoring at the Bower in the County of Essex the twentieth day of Nouember in the fiftieth yeere of the reigne of the said King Edward the third the said Richard then being about the age of eleuen yeeres and vpon Christmas day then next following the said King Edward the third caused the said Prince being his Nephew to sit at his table in high estate aboue all his vncles being the Kings sonnes as representing the personage of the heire apparant to the Crowne and gaue to him the two parts of all the said Principalitie Counties Lordships Castles and the most of the said Lands which belonging to the said Blacke Prince and the reuersion of the third part thereof the possession of the third part thereof then being to the mother of the said Prince Richard for her dowry with a hundred thirteene pound sixe shillings eight pence yeerely rent payable by the Earle of March as a fee farme for the Lordship and Lands of Beult and eighty fiue markes for the fee Farme of the Castle Lordship and Land of Montgomery with the vacations of Bishoprickes excepting the fees of the Baron Marches of VVales which doe alwaies hold of the Crowne in Capite and excepting the auoydance of the Bishopricke of S. Dauids in VVales which anciently also belonged to the Crowne with the like limitation of estate viz. To the said Prince Richard his heires Kings of England It seemeth that these Lordships of Beult and Montgomery being formerly granted to Edward the blacke Prince were before this time giuen away in fee farme rendring the rents here spoken of After the death of the said King Edward the Third which was in the 51. yeere of his raigne the kingdome of England descended vnto the said Richard being his grandchilde and he was Crowned King thereof by the name of King Richard the Second and in the three and twentieth yeere of his raigne he resigned his kingdome or rather more truely was deposed against his will and after by a violent death departed this life without issue Henry of Bullinbrooke Duke of Lancaster and Hereford Earle of Darby Leicester and Lincolne sonne and heire to Iohn of Gaunt fourth sonne to King Edward the Third raigning in his stead Henry of Bullingbrooke by the name of King Henry the Fourth by his Charter dated at Westminster the fifteenth day of October in the first yeere of his raigne created Henry his eldest sonne surnamed of Munmouth Prince of Wales and inuested him with the said Princely ornaments viz. the Chaplet Gold-Ring and Rod or Verge of gold To haue and to hold vnto him and his heires Kings of England And by one other Charter of the same date gaue vnto him and to his heires Kings of England the said Principalitie with the Lordships Castles and Lands before mentioned in the Chartermade to the Blacke Prince together with foure Comots in the Countie of Carnaruon viz. the Comots of Isaph Vghaph Nanconeway and Grewthyn not named before and the reuersion of the Lordship of Hauerford with the prices of Wines there and of the Lordships Newyn and Pughby in North-wales which Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester then held for tearme of his life of the demise of King Richard the Second together also with the reuersion of the County and Lordship of Anglesey in North-Wales and the Castle of Bewmarris and the Comots Lands Tenements and Hereditaments belonging thereunto which Henry Percy sonne of the Earle of Northumberland then held for terme of his life of the demise of the said King Henry the Fourth and by an Act of Parliament made in the first yeere of King Henry the Fourth whereby the Dutchie of Lancaster is seuered from the Crowne of England The Stile of the said Prince is declared to be this Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitane of Lancaster and of Cornwall and Earle of Chester For the said King Henry the Fourth hauing beene himselfe Duke of Lancaster before his assumption of the Crowne and knowing that the name of Duke being an inferiour dignity would extinguish and bee surrounded in the Crowne as in the Superiour desired as by that Act of Parliament appeareth not onely to separate the said Dutchie of Lancaster and the lands thereof from the Crowne to the intent he might still hold the said Dutchie as his ancient Patrimony if he were put from the Crowne being but his new acquired dignity but also to preserue the said stile title and name of Duke of Lancaster in his posterity which as the said act affirmeth his Ancestors had so worthily borne and sustained Afterwards the said Henry the Fourth died in the fourteenth yeere of his raigne and the said Henry of Munmouth Prince of Wales succeeded him in the kingdome by the name of King Henry the Fift who also in the tenth yeere of his raigne died leauing Henry his sonne behinde him being an Infant of the age of tenne moneths who by reason of his tender age was not as by any record extant can be proued euer created Prince but was proclaimed King immediately after the death of his father by the name of King Henry the Sixt. King Henry the Sixt by the aduice and counsell of his Lords spirituall and temporall giuen to him in his Parliament holden in the thirtie one
Edward the Fourth hauing thus gained the Crowne which had beene thus shaken from his head did by his Charter dated the 26. of â—une in the eleuenth yeere of his raigne create Edward of VVestminster his sonne heire apparant Prince of VVales and Earle of Chester And by another like Charter of the same yeere gaue vnto him the Lands and reuenues of the said Principality and Earledome To haue and to hold to him and his heires Kings of England This Edward the Prince being of tender yeeres was borne in the Sanctuary of VVestminster whither the Queene his Mother was fled for her security and during the time that the King her husband had auoided the Realme Afterwards the said King by his letters Patents bearing date the eight day of Iuly in the said eleuenth yeere of his raigne ordained his Queene the then Lord Archbishop of Canterbury George Duke of Clarence Richard Duke of Gloucester brothers to the said king The then Bishops of Bath and VVels and Durham Anthony Earle Riuers the then Abbot of VVestminster Chancellor to the Prince VVilliam Hastings knight Lord Chamberlaine to the king Richard Fynes Lord Dacres Steward of the said Prince Iohn Fogge Iohn Scot knights Thomas Vaughan Chamberlaine to the Prince Iohn Alcocke and Richard Fowler to be of Councell vnto the said Prince giuing vnto them and euery foure of them thereby with the aduice and expresse consent of the Queene large power to aduise and counsaile the said Prince and to order and dispose the Lands reuenues and possessions of the said Prince and the nomination of Officers belonging to the said Prince when they should happen to become void or that the parties were insufficient The said authority thus giuen vnto the said Councellors to continue vntill the said Prince should accomplish the age of fourteene yeeres which was performed by them accordingly in all Leases Dispositions and Grants of the reuenues of the said Prince The said king Edward the Fourth by one other Charter composed in English and bearing date the tenth of Nouember in the thirteenth yeere of his raigne appointed the said Earle Riuers being brother vnto the Queene to be the Gouernour of the person of the said Prince and to haue the education and the institution of him in all vertues worthy his birth and to haue the gouernement and direction of his seruants King Edward the Fourth hauing raigned full two and twenty yeeres in the foure and twentieth yeere of his raigne left this mortall life ended his dayes at VVestminster was enterred at VVindsor Edward the Prince his sonne and heire then being at Ludlow necre the Marches of Wales for the better ordering of the Welsh vnder the gouernment of the said Lord Riuers his vncle on the Mothers side and vpon the death of his father drawing towards London to prepare for his Coronation fell into the hands of his vncle by the father Richard Duke of Glocester and the said Lord Riuers being vpon the way towards London was intercepted and lost his head at Pomfret for what cause I know not other then this that hee was thought to be too great an obstacle betweene a thirsty tyrannous desire and the thing that was so thirstily and tyrannously desired Edward King of England the fist of that name for so he was although he enioyed it not long being thus surprized vnder the power of his naturall vncle and yet his mortall enemy was brought to London with great solemnity and pompe and with the great applause of the people flocking about to behold his person as the manner of the English Nation is to doe whose new ioyes cannot endure to be â—ettred with any bonds His said vncle calling himselfe Lord Protector of the King and his Realme but indeed was the woolfe to whom the Lambe was committed for hauing thus surprized the Kings person hee laboured by all meanes to get into his possession also the yonger brother being Duke of Yorke knowing that they both being sundred the safety of the yonger would be a meanes to preserue the elder and therefore by all sinister perswasions and faire pretences hauing obtained the yonger Duke from his mother the King and the Duke both for a time remained in the Tower of London and there shortly after both in one bed were in the night smothered to death and buried in an obscure and secret place vnknowne how and where vntill one of the executioners thereof after many yeeres being condemned to die for other his manifold crimes confessed also his guilty fact in this pitifully tragedy and the circumstance thereof of which by reason of the secrecy and incertainty diuers had before that diuersly coniectured And by this meanes all the prouision for the coronation of innocent Edward serued the turne to set the Crowne vpon the head of tyrannous Richard Out of which by the way I cannot but obserue how hatefull a bloody hand is to almighty God the King of Kings who reuenged the bloodshed of those ciuill broiles whereof Edward the father had beene the occasion and the breach of his oath vpon those his two innocent infants This tyrant and staine of the English Story Richard Duke of Glocester vsurped the Kingdome by the name of Richard the third and became King yet as our records of Law witnesse de facto sed non de iure And in the first yeere of his reigne created Edward his sonne being a child of ten yeeres of age Prince of Wales Lieutenant of the Realme of Ireland But for that the prosperity of the wicked is but as the florishing of a greene tree which whiles a man passes by is blasted dead at the roots and his place knoweth it no more So shortly afterwards God raised vp Henry Earle of Richmond the next heire of the house of Lancaster to exteute iustice vpon that vnnaturall and bloody vsurper and to cast him that had beene the rod of Gods iudgements vpon others into the fire also For in the third yeere of the reigne of the said Richard at the battell of Bosworth whereinto the said Richard entred in the morning crowned in all Kingly pompe he was slaine and his naked carkasse with as much despight as could be deuised was carried out thereof at night and the said Henry Earle of Richmond the Solomon of England father to Margaret your Maiesties great Grandmother reigned in his stead by the name of King Henry the seuenth This King Henry the seuenth tooke to wife Elizabeth the eldest daughter and after the death of her brothers the relict heire of King Edward the fourth by which mariage all occasions of further contention-betweene those noble families of Yorke and Lancaster were taken away and vtterly quenched and the red rose conioyned with the white The said King Henry the seuenth by his letters patents dated the first day of December in the fift yeere of his reigne created Arthur his eldest sonne and heire apparant being then about the age of three yeeres Prince of Wales
yeere of his raigne did after wards by his Charter bearing date at Westminster the fifteenth day of March in the thirty two yeere of his raigne created Edward his sonne borne at Westminster by one and the selfesame patent to be both Prince of Wales and Earle of Chester and inuested him therin with the vsuall ensignes of that dignitie as had beene in former time accustomed To haue and to hold the said dignities to him and his heires Kings of England which Charter is recited in the Act of Parliament made for the confirmation thereof by Parliament holden at Westminster the ninth day of Iuly in the three and thirtieth yeere of the raigne of the same King In which act of Parliament is also recited another Charter likewise confirmed by the said Parliament whereby the said King did giue vnto the said Prince the said Principalitie of VVales together with all his Lordships and Lands Castles and Tenements by speciall names aboue mentioned and in the former Charters granted and conuaied to the former Princes and the said fee Farmes and Rents of 113. l. 6. s. 8. d. out of the Lordship and towne of Buelt and the said 56. l. 13. s. 4. d. out of the Lordship Castle and Towne of Montgomery likewise mentioned in the Charters of the former Prince To haue and to hold the same to him and his heires Kings of England By the same act of Parliament also it was enacted because the said Prince was then of tender yeeres there was assigned vnto him a certaine number of seruants to attend on him according to his estate and dignity which should beat dyet in the Kings house vntill the said Prince should accomplish the age of fourteene yeeres and that the King should haue all such summes of money as should cleerely remaine vnto the Prince due of all manner issues and reuenues which the Prince then had in respect of his said Principalitie Dutchie and Earledome vntill the said age of fourteene yeeres the said Reuenues to be accounted for to the King in his Exchequer reseruing vnto the said Prince vntill he should come to be of the age of eight yeeres a thousand pound yeerely and from that age till he come to fourteene yeeres two thousand markes yeerely for his wardrobes wages of seruants and other necessarie expences But sauing alwaies vnto the King the Aduousons of Bishoprickes and spirituall liuings and the gifts of all offices wards releefes and escheats belonging to the said Prince vntill he should accomplish the said age of fourteen yeeres sauing such estate in certaine of the said lands as the Queene had to her before the said time assured vnto the said Prince should be of the said age of fourteene yeeres and sauing certaine particular summes of money in the said Act of Parliament mentioned as were formerly appointed out of the said Lands as well for expence of the Kings of England for their houshold as otherwise during such particular times as are therein declared prouided that all offices formerly granted by the King and needing actuall exercise and the fees due to the same should not be preiudiced by the said Act. Afterwards by another Charter the said King doth release vnto the said Prince all the said grant of the said yeerely summes of money issuing out of the reuenues aforesaid and all things by the said Act granted and appointed vnto the said King reseruing onely for the same vnto the said King yeerely fiue hundred twenty seauen markes foure shillings seauen pence halfepenny to be issuing out of the said Principality and Earledome and feauen hundred sixty seauen markes eleuen shillings seauen pence halfepenny yeerely out of the said Dutchy vntill the said Prince should be of eight yeeres of age then reseruing out of the said Principality and Earledome yeerely vnto the King two hundred seuenty seuen markes foure shillings seuen pence halfe penny and out of the said Dutchy yeerely fiue hundred and seuenteene markes eleuen shillings seauen pence halfe penny vntill the said age of fourteene yeeres of the Prince for the said Dutchy and to be imployed towards the charges of the Kings houshold and not otherwise And the said King by his Letters Patents dated the eighteenth of Ianuary in the fiue and thirtieth yeare of his raigne during the minority of the said Prince ordained the then Archbishop of Yorke the then Bishop of VVinchester Hereford Couentry and Lichfield and the Lord Keeper of the priuie Seale the Earles of Shrewesbury Stafford and VViltes the then Viscount Beamont and also Iohn Sutton and Thomas Stanley Knights to be of the priuie Councell vnto the said Prince enioyning all Officers and Ministers of the said Prince that they and euery of them should be obedient in the execution of all Commandements and Warrants of the said Councellors or at the least soure of them together with the assent and consent of the Queene in all causes and matters concerning the titles rights possessions and interests of the said Prince and that the said Commandements and Warrants should be as auaileable in that behalfe as if the same had beene made or done by the said Prince himselfe being of full age which Commandement in all Leases of the said Princes inheritance was pursued accordingly In the nine and thirtieth yeere of the said King Henry the Sixts raigne he being of the house of Lancaster such is the mutability and so vnstable are all humane things that the said King being a man as the times then were deuout and religious the founder of Schooles and Colledges vertuous and a louer of peace was by the violence of the heires of the house of Yorke put from his kingdome and committed to prison and Edward Earle of March sonne and heire to Richard Duke of Yorke raigned in his stead by the name of King Edward the Fourth But yet behold the hand of God for in the tenth yeere of the said King Edward the Fourth vpon discontentment conceiued against him by Richard Earle of VVarwicke a man more popular and potent then was fit for a Subiect the said Richard with a collected power so pressed the King that he was driuen to flye the Realme and to seeke forraigne aide seeing his homebred subiects proued so vnfaithfull Then King Henry the Sixt after tenne yeeres imprisonment readepted the kingdome and in the said tenth yeere of King Edward the Fourth wrote the fortie ninth yeere of his raigne hauing indured tenne yeeres intermission in the computation of his time as appeareth in the bookes of Law of that age But being thus seated he was yet vnsetled and after much effusion of bloud for in a ciuill warre there is no true victory in as much as he that preuaileth is also a looser King Henry the Sixt was compelled againe to giue place to his aduersary and after to make that part sure was depriued of life hauing lost also Edward his sonne Prince before spoken of the hope of all his posterity in the battell of Tewkesbury
Also there was a Charter of the grant of the lands of the said Principality Earldome of Chester and Flint dated the twenty seuenth of February in the said fift yeere of the said King made vnto the said Prince The said King Henry the seuenth by his Charter bearing date the twentieth day of March in the eight yeere of his reigne did constitute and appoint the said Prince Arthur to bee his Iustice in the County of Salope Hereford Glocester and the Marches of Wales adioyning to the said Shires to enquire of all liberties priuiledges and fraunchises being possessed or claimed or which then after should be possessed or claimed by any person or persons and which were to bee seized into the Kings hands and of all escapes and fellons and those Inquisitions so from time to time to be taken to certifie into the Chancery And by the same Charter gaue him power to substitute and appoint others vnder him for the better execution of the same which after wards by commission was executed accordingly And the said King also by his Charter bearing date the fourteenth of Iune in the eight yeere of his reigne made and constituted the said Arthur Prince of Wales and Gouernor and Warden of the Marches of England towards Scotland and substituted as his Lieutenant and vice-warden vnder him Thomas Earle of Surrey for the due execution thereof Likewise the said King by his letters patents dated the fift day of Nouember in the ninth yeere of his reigne in augmentation of the reuenew of the Prince did grant vnto the said Prince the honor Castle and Lordship of Wigmore and diuers other Castles Mannors and Lands which sometime had beene belonging to the Earledome of March which came to the Crowne by King Edward the fourth who was himselfe Earle of March before he assumed his regall estate To haue and to hold during the pleasure of the King yeelding yeerly the rent of two hundred pounds This Prince was sent into the Marches of Wales for the gouernment of that Country and in the seuenteenth yeere of the reigne of the said King his father had a Councell of very wise and worthy persons assigned vnto him as namely Sir Richard Poole chiefe Chamberlaine of the said Prince Sir Henry Vernon Sir Richard Crofts Sir Dauid Phillips Sir William V dall Sir Thomas Englefield and Sir Peter Newton Knights Iohn Wilson Henry Marian Doctor William Smith President of his Councell and Doctor Charles where not long afterwards the said Prince died in the Castle of Ludlow without issue After the death of the said Prince Arthur King Henry the seuenth by his letters patents dated the eighteenth of February in the 19. yeere of his reigne in Parliament created Henry then his onely soune who after was King Henry the eight and whom before that in the 11 th he had made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland by another Charter of the same yeere Constable of the Castle of Douer to be Prince of Wales and Earle of Chester being then about the age of twelue yeeres to haue and to hold to him and his heires Kings of England for euer being the like limitation of estate and with the like inuesture as in former times had beene accustomed But whether the said King did grant the lands and reuenewes belonging to the said Principality vnto the said Prince Henry or no as hee had done vnto Prince Arthur his brother doth not appeare by any Charter that as yet thereof can be found After the death of King Henry the seuenth the said Prince Henry was King of England by the name of King Henry the eight he had issue a sonne called Henry who dyed very yong hee likewise had issue the Lady Mary afterwards Queene and the Lady Elizabeth our late Soueraigne of most happy memory and lastly Prince Edward the yongest in yeeres who first reigned after the death of his said father by the name of King Edward the sixt But there cannot be found any Charters among the records whereby it may appeare that any of them were created Princes of Wales or whereby any of the reuenewes of the said Principality were giuen or conferred vnto any of them so that it seemeth they were Princes generally by their birth and not Princes of Wales by any creation or investure for in a record of an accompt of the Dutchy of Cornwall in the time of the said Prince Edward he is called by the name of the Prince of England and not by the name of the Prince of Wales And thus much touching the succession or rancks of the Princes of Wales which I haue drawne in an historicall although a plaine and homely manner thereby the better to take away the harshnesse of the particularities of records intermingled therewith which of themselues although they affoord profitable knowledge yet they doe carry with them small delight but also for that the variety of things in those succeeding ages in the sundry occurences and accidents thereof doe yeeld good matter of obseruance and worthy memory representing as it were the English State for the time of more then two hundred yeeres together Now therefore do rest neuerthelesse three things concerning the said Principality to be further considered of First in what manner and order the said Principality and Marches of Wales were gouerned and directed vnder the said Prince Secondly what officers aswell domesticall as others the said Princes had about them and their fees as farre forth as I could come to any certaine knowledge thereof And thirdly an abstract of the reuenewes of the said Principality as they now stand in charge and be esteemed to your Maiesty whereby may bee perceiued what in time past the said reuenewes haue beene and in what case they now stand The manner of the gouernment of the Principality and Marches of Wales THe said Principality being vnder the gouernment of the Princes of the Welsh blood whose ancient patrimony yet remained vntill the Conquest thereof by King Edward the first as before hath beene shewed was guyded gouerned and directed by their owne municipall and homebred Lawes and the Customes of their Country Most of which had their commencement from the Constitutions of one of their ancient Princes called Howell Dah as their Historians haue recorded But being reduced vnder the yoke by the said King Edward he diuided certaine parts of that Territory into Shires as hath beene declared he caused the Welsh Lawes to bee perused some whereof he did allow and approue some others he did abrogate and disanull and in their place appointed new altogether according to the English manner of executing Iustice Hee caused to be deuised ce taine Briefes Writs or formulaeturis and he instituted their manner of Processe pleadings and course of their Iudiciall proceedings All which things doe manisestly appeare by the act of Parliament made at Rithlan in Wales called therefore Statutum Walliae which afore is remembred and when they want a writ of forme
Councell established in the Marches of VVales it is conceiued by the best and most probable opinions amongst Antiquaries that the same began in or about the seauenteenth yeere of king Edward the Fourth when as Prince Edward his sonne was sent vnto the Marches of VVales vnder the tuition of the Lord Riâ—ers his Vncle by the Mothers side as aâ—ore hath appeared and at what time also â—ohn Bishop of VVorcester was appointed Lord President of VVales Prince Arthure the sonne of King Henry the Seauenth in the seauenteenth yeere of the raigne of the said King went into VVales at what time Doctor VVilliam Smith was then President of the Councell of the Marches of VVales who was after Bishop of Lincolne and founder of the Colledge of Brâ—sen nose in the Vniuersity of Oxford This man was also President in the time of king Henry the eight vntill the fourth yeere of the raigne of the same king at what time â—effry Blyth Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield succeeded in the office of President of the said Councell The Lady Mary eldest Daughter of king Henry the Eight and afterwards Queene did carry the title of Princes of VVales for a while although the parent of her creation bee not now to be found vnder whom â—ohn Voysey Doctor of the lawes and afterwards Bishop of Exceter was President of that Councell There succeeded him in the office of President of the Councell of the Marches of Wales Rowland Lee Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield And this was the state and gouernement of the Principality and Marches of Wales in the seauen and twentieth yeere of king Henry the Eight The said king by a Statute made in the seauen and twentieth yeere of his raigne vnited and annexed the Principality and Dominion of Wales vnto the Realme of England altering in many parts the former iurisdiction and gouernement thereof bringing the same to the like administration of Iustice as was and yet is vsuall in England appointing that the lawes of England should take place there and that all Welsh Lawes sinister Customes and Tenures not agreeable to the Lawes of England should be thenceforth for euer abrogated and abolished Of which vnion and annexation first for that there of hath ensued great peace tranquility ciuility and infinite good to the Inhabitants of that Country of Wales Secondly because in some respect it may serue as a proiect and president of some other vnion and annexation by your Maiesty of as much or of more consequence and importance And thirdly because the same vnion doth containe an expresse image of the politique gouernement of the Realme of England I haue presumed with conuenient breuity vpon this good occasion here in this place to expresse the same Therefore whereas in former time there had beene in Wales anciently eight seuerall Shires or Counties besides the County of Munmouth which was the ninth and that some other Territories in Wales were then no shire grounds by reason where of the lawes of England could haue no currant passage therein For all the ordinary Ministers and executioners of the processe of the Lawes of England or which haue Vicountiell iurisdiction are the Officers of particular Shires as the Sheriffes the Coroners the Escheators and such like Therefore by the said Act of Parliament there are erected in Wales foure other new ordayned Shires of the Lands not formerly so diuided namely the seuerall Shires of Radnor Brecknock Montgomery and Denbyh and those also together with the former ancient shires are by that Act of Parliament and by the Statute of 38. h. 8. subdiuided into Cantreds and all the Marche grounds being then neither any part of Wales although formerly conquered out of Wales neither any part of the Shires of England The said king by his said Act of Parliament did annexe and vnite partly vnto the said Shires of England and partly vnto the Shires of VVales next adioyning as was thought then by reason of vicinity of place and other correspondency most conuenient as by the said Acts of Parliament appeareth which the said king was the rather occasioned to doe for most of the said Baronies Marchers were then in his owne hands And for that also diuers murthers rapes robberies and enormities had beene there committed and by reason of the flight of the offenders from one Barony as is vsuall vpon the borders they had escaped due and condigne punishment for their such enormities and odious offences He ordained also that the Countie of Mounmouth formerly being a Shire of Wales should be gouerned from thenceforth in like manner and by the same Iudges as other the Shires of England And for the other twelue Shires he ordained a speciall Iurisdiction and Officers but yet in substance agreable and after the manner of the English Lawes although for the circumstance of time and place and persons in some few things discordant He ordained that out of euery of the said Shires of Wales there should be one Knight and out of euery of the shire Townes of Wales named in the said Act of Parliament there should be one Burgesse elected after the English manner which Knights and Burgesses so selected and duly vpon summons of euery Parliament in England returned should haue place and voice in the Parliament of England as other the Knights and Burgesses of England vsed to haue And for the administration of iustice in the said twelue Shires of Wales there was by the Act of Parliament of 34. H. 8. ordained soure seuerall Circuits Precyncts or Conuentus Iuridicus allotting to euery of them three of those Shires so that the chiefe Iustice of Chester hath vnder his iurisdiction the three seuerall Shires of Denbigh Flint and Montgomery his fee is yeerely 100. l. The Shires of Carnarnon Merioneth and Anglesey are vnder the Iustice of North-Wales whose fee is 50. l. The Counties of Carmardin Pembrooke and Cardigan haue also their Iustice whose yeerely fee is 50. l. The Counties of Radnor Brecknocke and Glamorgan haue also their Iustice whose fee is yeerely 50. l. After by an Act of Parliament made 18. Eliz. cap. 8. one other Iustice assistant was ordained to the former Iustices so that now euery of the said foure Circuits haue two Iustices viz. one chiefe Iustice and a second Iustice assistant Their Jurisdiction THese Iustices in euery of their Circuits haue almost the same iurisdiction that the ancient Iustices in Eyre or Iustices Itinerant had First they had power to heare and determine all criminall causes which are called in the lawes of England The pleas of the Crowne and herein they haue the same absolute iurisdiction that the Iustices haue of your Maiesties Bench commonly called the Kings Bench. They haue also iurisdiction to heare and determine all ciuill Causes which are called in the Lawes of England Common pleas and to take the acknowledgement of all Fines leuied of lands or hereditaments without suing any dedimus potestatem and
Parchment Inke and other necessaries spent in the Exquerer at Carnaruon and for bags to put money in 1. l. 10. s. For expence of Bayliffes Itinerant bringing the Writs for collecting of the money by the Receiuers 1â— s. Summa totalis of Carnaruon is 303. l 19. d The Constable of the Castle of Bewmarris and Captaine of the Towne whose yeerely fee was 26. l. 13. s. 4. d. The Steward of Mâ—ney whose fee was yeerely 5. l. The Steward of Rossaire whose fee was yeerely 20. s. Summa totalis Anglesey 32. l. 13. s. 4. d The Constable of the Castle of Hardleigh whose fee is yeerely 50. l. The Auditors whose yeerely fees are 61. l. 18. s. 4. d. And for their charges they are allowed 90. l. The Receiuer whose yeerely fee and allowance for portage of money 30. l. 1â— s. 6. d. The Surueyoâ— whose-yeerely fee is 20. l. The Woodward whose yeerely fee is 10. l. Summa totalis for Merioneth 262. l. 16. â— 10. d. The totall summe for North-Wales 599. l. 8. â— 5. South-Wales The Protonotary and Clarke of the Crowne in the Counties of Cardigan Carmarden Pembrooke and the Towne of Hauerford-west whose fee is 40. s. The 〈…〉 in the Counties of 〈…〉 Cardigan Pembrooke Brecknock and Radnor whose yeerely â—eeis â— l. 13. s. 4. d. The Stewards of the Welsh Courts whose yeerely fee is 6. l. The Sheriffe of Cardigan whose fee is 5. l. Summa totalis of Cardigan 21. l. 13. s. 4d The Chamberlaine and Chancellor of Carmarden whose yeerely fee is 35. l. 11. s. 8. d. The Cryer of the great Sessions holden in the Counties of Carmarden Cardigan and Pembrooke whose fee is 6. s. 8. d. The Constable of the Castle of Carmarden whose yeerely fee is 20. l. The Steward of the Welsh Courts of the Countie of Carmarden whose fee is 10. l. The Iustices of the Counties of Carmarden and Cardigan their yeerely fee is to each of them 50. l. and they are allowed for their dyet in the times of their great Sessions 40. l. There is paid yeerely to the Protonotary and Clarkes of the Crowne for their trauell in making and ingrossing the estreats of the great Sessions 5. l. Summa total is Carmarden 215. l. 19. s. 8. d. The present reuenue of the Principality of Wales as the same was in charge before the Auditors this last yeere past viz. 44 Elizabeth The Farme and yeerely rents certaine of the Mannors Lands and Tenements in the Countie of Carnaruon amounteth vnto 423. l. 3. s. 4. d. ob q. The casuall profits thereof 76. l. 19. s. 9. d. ob Summa totalis is 500. l. 3. s. q. The Farme and yeerely rents certaine of the Mannors Lands and Tenements in the County of Anglesey 398. l. 19. s. 11. d. q. The casuall profits thereof 26. l. 10. s. 10. d. Summa totalis is 425. l. 10. s. 9. d. q. The Farme and yeerely rent certaine of the Manners Lands and Tenements in the Countie of Merioneth 202. l. 9. s. ob q. The casuall profits 60. l. 16. s. 10. d. Summa totalis is 263. l. 5. s. 10. d. ob q Summa totalis of North-Wales yeerely amounteth vnto 1138. l. 19. s. 8. d. q. South-VVales The Farme and rents certaine of the County of Cardigan amounted to 213. l. 2. s. 2. d. The casuall profits thereof 86. l 9. s. 2. d. Summa totalis is 299. l. 11. s. 4. d. The Farme and rents certaine of the County of Carmarden amounted to 185. l. 6. s. 3. d. ob The casuall profits 180. l 11. s. 7. d. Summa totalis is 376. l. 17. s. 10. d. ob The summe totall of South-Wales 676. l. 9. s. 2. d. ob The yeerely summe totall being cast vp together amounteth vnto 1865. l. 8. s. 10 d. ob q The charges aboue specified and other issuing all manner of waies out of the same reuenues amount to 530. l. 6. s. 7. d. Which being deducted out of the former totall summe of 1865. l. 8. s. 10 d. ob q. there doth rest cleere the yeerely summe of 1335. l. 2. s. 3. d. ob q. Whereby may be obserued that the reuenue of the Principalitie of Wales in the time of Prince Edward called the blacke Prince almost three hund'ed yeeres agoe without deductions amounted to 4681. l. 12. s. 5. d. q. is now worne and wasted to the summe of 1865. l. 8. s. 10 d. ob q. and with the ordinary deductions and Reprizes taken out of it at this present in charges fees to officers and other reprizers is brought to the summe of 1335 l. 2. s. 3. d. ob q. Which smal sum also as the reuenue was to Queen Elizabeth was much lessened for that a greater summe in the whole amounting yeerely to 1789. l. 3. s. 2. d. which did partly arise by reason of the allowance of the dyet of the Councell of the Marches being yeerely 1106. l. 13. s. 4. d. The fees of the Barons of the Exchequer in Wales being officers of the Principalitie of Wales the Auditors fees Woodwards fees Receiuers fees Surueyors fees and for the portage of money was charged as well vpon this reuenue of the Prince as vpon other lands and reuenues belonging to the Crowne within the seuerall Counties of Wales And so much of the Principality of Wales THE SECOND PART CONTAINETH THE DVTCHY OF CORNEWALL The second part of this reuenue appertaining to the Prince is that which ariseth vnto him out of the Dutchie of Cornewall and belongeth vnto him as Duke of Cornewall THe vttermost part of this Island towards the West stretching it selfe by a long extent into the Ocean is called the County of Cornewall lying ouer against the Dutchie of Britaine in France The people inhabiting the same are called Cornishmen and are also reputed a remnant of the Britaines the ancient Inhabitants of this land they haue a particular language called Cornish although now much worne out of vse differing but little from the Welsh and the language of the Britaine 's in France which argueth their originall to haue beene out of one Nation This Territorie was anciently reputed a Dukedome but a little before and also after the Norman Conquest it was an Earledome and so continued vntill the eleuenth yeere of King Edward the Third at which time it was of new constituted a Dutchie and the first Dutchie that was erected in England after the said conquest Such as were Earles thereof in ancient time before the erection of the said Dutchie were for the most part of the bloud Royall amongst whom many being memorable there was as most ancient Richard Earle of Cornewall the elect Emperour or King of the Romanes brother to King Henry the Third but his posterity dying without issue it came againe to the Crowne in the daies of King Edward the First who conferred the said Earledome vpon Edward the Prince his sonne sirnamed of Carnaruon who being King conferred the
same vpon his Minion Pierce de Gaueston but hee being afterwards attainted of Treason and executed the same Earledome was bestowed vpon Iohn sirnamed of Eltam because hee was borne there yonger brother to King Edward the Third who dying likewise without issue it was lastly erected into a Dutchy as hath beene said and conferred vpon Edward afterward surnamed the black Prince in the eleuenth yeere of the raigne of the said King Edward the third his father Therefore the said King Edward purposing to augment the title of his said sonne did in the Parliament holden in the eleuenth yeere of his reigne create not only the said Edward then before made Earle of Chester to be Duke of Cornwall but also to honor that publique proceeding the more did at the same time create diuers and sundry worthy persons and well deseruing to sundry dignities of nobility as by the records extant thereof doth appeare The manner of the first creation of the Duke of Cornwall was very speciall for the said dignity was conferred vnto the said Edward then Earle of Chester and to the first begotten sonnes and heires apparant of him and his heires Kings of England for euer So that it seemeth that the intention thereof was first that none should bee Dukes of Cornwall but such as were eldest sonnes and heires apparant to the Crowne and that when there was any faile of such person then the said dignity should remaine insuspence vntill such son heire apparant againe were extant Secondly that the said sonne and heire apparant without any further solemnity or creation should presently vpon his birth being then heire apparant to the King or from the time that hee is heire apparant to the Kingdome bee also Duke of Cornwall herein much differing from the order of the Principality of Wales which requireth in euery new succeeding Prince a new creation and inuesture and gift of that Principality as hath formerly appeared The truth of this assertion is made most euident by an act of Parliament in the 33. yeere of the reigne of King Henry the 6. the words whereof are these Moreouer the King considering that his said best beloued first begotten sonne at the time of his birth is Duke of Cornwall and ought of right to haue Liuery of the said Dutchy and of all Honors Lordships Signiories Castles Mannors Lands Tenements Rents Possessions Hereditaments with their appurtenances to the said Dutchy belonging or parcell of the same in any wise by the aduice assent and authority c. deliuereth and doth cause to bee deliuered to the said Prince his first begotten sonne the said Dutchy of Cornwall and all Honors Lordships Signiories Castles Mannors Lands Tenements c. with all other things Possessions and Inheritances Profits and commodities with their appurtenances to the said Dutchy annexed vnited pertaining or belonging or parcell of the same in any wise The same was after many likewise verified by the Charter of King Henry the seuenth being the Charter of Liuety made vnto Prince Arthur his sonne whereof some part followeth in these words Hemicus deigratta Angliae Franciae Rex dominus Hiberniae c. Salutem Sciatis quod nos considerantes quod regnum Angliae cuius regni soliâ—â— dei gratia portimur filij primogeniti in ducatu Cornubiae haereditario in perpetuum dicti regni nostriiure sunt successuri atque ex speciali superinde Actu promulgato primo nativitatis suae die maioris atque perfectae praesumitur aetatis fic quod liberationem dicti ducatus eo tum à nobis petere valeant atque de iure obtinere debeant acsi viginti uninius annorum aetatis plene fuissent volentes etiam uti debemus praecharissimo filio nostro primogenito Arthuro ius reddere in nullo eius iure derogare eundemque ducatum Cornubiae cum omnibus singulis suis membris atque iuribus dicto primogenito nostro sicuti caeterorum Principum temporibns bactenus fieri consuevit liberare ex certa scientia mero motu nostro acâ—de advisamento assensu Consilij nostri dedimus concessimus liberamus damusque per praesentes concedimus liberamus pro nobis haeredibus nostris bac praesenti charta nostra confirmavimus eidem filio nostro sub nomine honore Ducis dictiloci castra manneria terras tenementa alia subscripta ut ipse statum honorem ducis dicti ducatus decentius generis sui nobilitatem valcat continuare onera in hac parte incumbentia facilius supportare c. By which is proued not only that the sonne and heire apparant of the Crowne is Duke of Cornwall from his birth or when he is knowne to be sonne and heire apparant but that the King his father is by law to make vnto him liuery of the said Dutchy Lands and the hereditaments thereunto belonging although though he be within the age of one and twenty yeeres as if he were of full and perfect age But to returne againe vnto King Edward the third and to consider the bestowing of the reuenewes of the said Dutchy and the managing thereof for orders sake I shall therein observe these generall things First what reuenewes were bestowed vpon the said Dutchy Secondly the yeerly value of the same aswell of ancient time as of latter yeers And lastly to set downe the particular officers of the said Dutchy aswell ancient as moderne by all which the present state of the said Dutchy may best appeare As concerning the former namely the reuenewes of the said Dutchy as it is obserued that the same doe consist generally of these two kindes first the lands and hereditaments that are annuall and secondly the reuenewes that are casuall The reuenewes annuall are of three kindes first the lands giuen by the Charter made in the eleuenth yeere of King Edward the third and were sometimes the ancient of the said Dutchy Secondly certaine Knights fees and other hereditaments gâ—uen by other letters patents of the same King Edward the third vnto the said Duke which were vnited and annexed by the said latter letters patents vnto the said Dutchy Thirdly and lastly the lands giuen by act of Parliament vnto the said Dutchy and annexed thereunto in liew of other lands that by act of Parliament were afterwards taken from the same againe at sundry times as hereafter shall appeare for in euery of these there is difference of estate and quality The reuenewes annuall giuen by the Charter made by King Edward the third in the eleuenth yeere of his reigne and established for the Dutchy are situate and doe lye first in the County of Cornwall secondly in the County of Devon thirdly in other Shires dispersed within this Realme And first of all in the County of Cornwall are these following County of Cornwall 1 The Castle Mannor and Parke and Borough of Launceston with his appurtenances 2 The Castle and Mannor of Trematon and the Borough of Saltash and the Parke
and if any false and vniust iudgement be giuen in any of the said Courts the party grieued may make his appeale vnto the Lord Warden of the Stanneries who is their superiour Iudge both for law and equity and from him vnto the body of the Councell of the Lord Prince Duke of Cornewall to which Duke the Stanneryes are giuen as by the former charters haue appeared and from them the appeale lyeth to the Kings most Royall person When matters of moment concerning the state of those Mynes or Stanneryes shall come to be questioned or debated there are in euery of the said Counties by the direction of the Lord Warden seuerall Parliaments or generall assemblies of the Tynners summoned whereunto euery Stannery within that Countie sendeth Iurates or Burgesses by whose aduice and consent constitutions orders and lawes are made and ordained touching Tynne causes which being promulged the same doe binde the whole body of Tynners of that Countie as firmely as if the same had beene established in the generall Parliaments of the Realme As touching the persons that deale or entermeddle with Tynne and therefore carry the name of Tynners they are of foure kindes First the owners of the soile where Mynes are found Secondly the aduenturer for Tynne which may haue by the law of Tynners power and disposition of a Myne or Tyn-worke although he be not owner of the soile Thirdly the merchant Broker or Regrator of Tynne which either buyeth to transport out of the Realme or else to regrate and sell againe within the realme And fourthly the Spadiard or Spaliard so called because he liueth by his Spade and is the Myne-worker and labourer for Tynne who commonly in respect of his poore estate is eaten out by the hard and vsurious contracts for Tynne which he is driuen to make with the merchant or regrator For those poore labourers hauing no wages certaine but onely shares in the mynes as the quantity thereof shall arise and being not able to sustaine themselues and their family vntill the Tynne of coynage and Marts for Tynne shall come which are halfe yeerely hee is by necessity compelled for a small summe of money aforehand to enter into bond vnto the Merchant or Regrator of Tynne to deliuer him at the the time of the next ensuing coynage Tynne in value much more then the money he had formerly receiued There are also two kindes of Tynne the one called blacke Tynne which is the Tynne oare broken and washed but as yet not blowne molten or founded into mettall and white Tynne which is the Tynne after that it is founded and moulten into mettall and this is also of two sorts soft Tynne which is best merchantable and hard Tynne which is least merchantable It is not lawfull by the law of Tynners and it is by the ancient Charters of the priuiledges granted by the Kings of England vnto the Tynners expresly forbidden vnder forseiture of the Tynne that no Tynne shall be sold within euery of the said Counties either blacke or white Tynne but onely at two set times of the yeere at places appointed in which places all the vendable Tynne in the said seuerall Counties is brought and there by the Officers of the Duke the same is weighed by a Beame and weights thereto appointed and after the same is coyned with a stampe it is thereupon allowed to be sold and not before for which weighing and stampe commonly called the Coynage there is due to the Lord Prince as Duke of Cornewall the summe of 40. s. for euery thousand weight of Tynne so weighed and coyned which is parcell of the casuall reuenues of the said Dutchie and first granted by King Edward the third vnto the Duke of Cornewall and annexed vnto the said Dutchie by the name of Coynage of Tynne Moreouer not onely the Kings of England in their times but also the Dukes of Cornewall in their times haue had the preemption of Tynne which is a priuiledge belonging and reserued vnto themselues by their Charters of liberties granted vnto the Tynners which appertaineth vnto them as is conceiued by the learned Ratione proprietatis tanquam summis Dominis proprietarijs quam ratione praerogatiuae suae not vnlike that which other Kings haue in forraigne Countries whereof Casaneus thus maketh mention Praefertur princeps in emptione metallorum alledging an imperiall constitution of the Coad for proofe thereof and of which preemption as by some presidents may be proued both the Kings of England and Dukes of Cornewall haue made vse when otherwise they stood in need of money for the managing of their affaires And thus much touching the reuenues of the Countie of Cornewall The whole reuenues vnto Edward the Prince sirnamed the blacke Prince sonne and heire apparant vnto King Edward the Third as by a notable suruey thereof appeareth accounting all profits annuall and casuall as they hapned communibus annis one yeere with the other and as rated 50. E. 3. in manner as ensueth The reuenues of the Dutchie of Cornwall as it was rated by suruey taken 50. E. 3. amounting in the whole without reprises vnto 3415. l. 18. s. 5. d. q. whereof in particular viz. For Cornewall 2219. l. 7. s. 9. d. ob For Deuon 0273. l. 19. s. 5. ob q. In other shires 922. l. 1â— s. 2 d. The summe totall of the whole reuenue of the said Dutchie amounteth vnto 3415 l. 18. s. 5. d. q. The reuenue of the said Dutchie of Cornewall as it appeareth by the accounts of the Receiuer thereof in the fifteenth yeere of King Henry the Eight amounted of cleere yeerely value vnto 10095. l. 11. s. 9. d. q. In particular as followeth Cornewall The issues of the Mannors and Boroughes in the Countie of Cornewall 624. l. 17. s. 2. d. q. The issues of the Hundreds and Hundred-Courts and of the office of the Sheriffe 59. l. 14. s. 2. d. ob The issues of the Stannery Courts in both the Counties of Deuon and Cornewall accounted for by the seuerall Bayliffes of the seuerall Stanneries of the Counties 54. l. 9. s. â— d. The profits of the office of the Hauenour in the said Countie of Cornewall 53. l. 3 d. The profits of the offices of the Feodarie and Escheâ—tor of both the Counties 33. l. 16. s. 10. d. ob Deuon The issues of the Mannors and Boroughes in the Countie of Deuon and of the Chase and Forrest of Dertmore in the said Countie of Deuon 170. l. 14. s. 3 d. ob q The issues of the water of Dartmouth 8. l. The fee Farme of the Citie of Exon and of the Castle there 21. l. 15 s. The issues and profits of the Coynage of Tynne in the said Counties of Deuon and Cornewall in the said 15. H. 8. 2771. l. 3. s. 9. d. q. For white rent which is a dutie payable yeerely by euery Tynner in the County of Deuon and antiently due that is of euery Tynner 8. d. which summe in the whole collected from 424.
l. 13. s. 4. d. The fee of the Steward and keeper of the Courts of the Mannors in the County of Cornewall which sometimes were the Marquesse of Exceter and now parcell of the lands annexed vnto the said Dutchy 46. s. 8. d. The fee of the Bailiffe Itinerant of the said Dutchie of Cornewall 3. l. 10. d. The fee of the Woodward of the said Dutchie of Cornewall yeerely 5. l. The summe totall of the fees of the Officers of the said Dutchie of Cornewall 138. l. 3. s. 4. d. Money paid vnto the Captaine of the Castle of Saint Mawes 118. l. 12. s. 6. d. Money paid to the Captaine of the Castle of Pendynas both which Castles are for the defence of the Hauen of Falmouth 118. l. 12. s. 6. d. Summe totall 237. l. 5. s. Paid yeerely to the Bishop of Exceter for the tenth of the coynage of Tynne in Deuon and Cornewall 16. l. 13. s. 4. d. Paid yeerely vnto the Barons of the Exchequer forth examination of the accounts belonging to the said Dutchie 5. l. The summe totall of all the charges and reprizes taken out thereof amounted vnto 615. l. 9. s. 6. d. Which being deducted out of the generall summe of the reuenues of the said Dutchie being by estimation 4569. l. 12. s. 2. d. q. there may remaine of cleere reuenue the summe of 3954. l. 2s 8 d. q. which cannot be cast into a certaine yeerely value by reason of the casuall profits and casuall expences which may happen yeerely And thus much of the Dutchie of Cornewall THE EARLEDOME OF CHESTER The third reuenue is the Earledome of Chester whereunto is annexed the Countie of Flint belonging to the Prince as Earle of Chester THe Earledome of Chester is the third reuenue before spoken of this Earledome bordering vpon North-Wales for the better defence of that Country and that the Inhabitants should not be thence withdrawne in sutes of law was made Palatyne and conferred by the Conquerour vpon his kinsman Hugh sirnamed Loupe or Lupus sonne to the Earle of Awrenches in Normandy to whom hee gaue this Earledome To haue and to hold to him and his heires as the words of the first donation import It a libere adgladium sicut ipse Rex tenebat Angliam Coronam This Earledome for the more honour thereof and for the better accomplishment of the Palatyne iurisdiction therin hath certaine substitute Baronyes vnder it who doe acknowledge the Earle Palatyne to be their superiour Lord as 1 The Baron of Halton 2 The Baron of Mountalt 3 The Baron of Maâ—banâ—k 4 The Baron of Shibrooke 5 The Baron of Malpas 6 The Baron of Mascey 7 The Baron of Kinderton 8 The Baron of Stockport This Earledome from the said Hugh Lupus discended in his bloud and kâ—ndred by sundry descents vnto Iohn sirnamed Scot Earle of Chester Anguise Galway and Huntingdon who in the time of King Henry the Third dying without issue the said King Henry the Third seized the same into his hands giuing the Aunts and next coheires of the said Iohn other Lands by exchange which thing the said King was induced to doe as the Record saith netanta haereditas inter colos diduceretur not willing that so great a patrimony should beâ— parted amongst disttaffs Afterward King Edward the first was by his father the said King Henry the third created Earle of Chester But the same Earldome being afterwards conferred vpon Simon de Monford by his attainder it came the Crowne After that Edward the third in the life-time of his father and before he tooke vpon him the Kingdome had the said Earledome but afterwards hee being King gaue the same to his eldest sonne Edward surnamed the Black Prince by his Charter bearing date at Pomfret the eighteenth day of March in the seuenth yeere of his reigne and inrolled of record in the Exchequer anno 33. of the same King By which Charter the said King did grant vnto the said Earle of Chester the Castles of Chester Beston Rothlan and Flint and all his lands there And also the cantred and lands of Englefield together with the Knights fees aduousons liberties franchises forrests chaces parks woods warrens and other the appurtenances thereunto belonging to haue and to hold to him and to his heires Kings of England And the same King by another Charter bearing date the ninteenth of March in the seuenth yeere of his reigne granted vnto the said Earle of Chester all his goods chattels stock of cattell then being in or vpon the said lands of the said Earldome formerly granted Moreouer all the Kings of England succeeding when they created their sonnes and heires apparant Princes of Wales did also create them Earles of Chester to haue and to hold the same vnto him so created and his heires Kings of England in such manner as the Principality of Wales was giuen vnto him And did by their seuerall Charters giue vnto the said Earle the said Earledome and lands as namely the said Castles of Chester Beston Rothlan and Flint and the Castle also of Hope and the Mannors of Hope and Hopedall and of Foreshaâ— and the said Cantred and lands of Englefield and other their lands in the said Counties of Chester Flint and elsewhere belonging vnto the said Earledome And the Aduouson of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Asaph in Wales and the auoydance issues and profits of the temporalities of the Bishopricks of Chester and Saint Asaph aforesaid together with all aduousons pentions portions corrodies offices prizes customes liberties franchises lordships comots hundreds escheats forfeitures and hereditaments vnto the said Earldome belonging And to the intent that it may the better appeare both what the ancient reuenewes were of the said Earledome and also what it is at this present I shall according to the order before pursued set downe the ancient reuenew thereof as it was in the latter time of King Edward the third and also how it now standeth in charge to your Maiestie The ancient reuenews of the Earldome of Chester as it was taken vpon the suruey thereof made in the fiftieth of Edward the third The County of Chester The fee farme of the City of Chester 100. l. For other profits out of the said Citie 4 l The farme of the towne of Medwick 64. l The Farme of the Milles vpon the Riuer of Dee 240 l The Manner of Dracklow in yeerly rent 49. l. 22. d. The farme of the Mannor of Dummarsh 15. l The Forrest of Mara the issues and profits thereof 51. l. 7. s. The rents and profits of Norwich are 66 l The Mannor of Shotwick the rents are 30. l. 14. s. 1. d. The Mannor of Eordsham in yeerly rent 56. l. 13. s. 4. d. The profits of the office of the Sheriffe of the said County 124. l. 7. s. 4. d. The perquisits of Courts holden by the Iustice of Chester 180. l. The profits of the office of the Escheator 100 l The summe totall of the reuenew of the said Earldome
to serue the present case then vse they the writ of Quod ei deforciat which supplieth that defect And although the Principality of Wales as hath appeared by some of the records aboue mentioned were diuided into three Prouinces Northwales Southwales and Westwales for so in some of the former patents they are mentioned yet for the Iurisdiction thereof it was diuided into two parts Northwales and Southwales for a great part of Westwales was comprehended within the Shire of Pembrooke which is a very ancient Shire of Wales and the Territory thereof conquered by the English in the time of William Rufus Long time before the generall conquest of Wales by Richard Strangbow being English and the Earle thereof and called also by some Earle of Strigulia or Chepstow was the first that attempted the conquest of Ireland in the dayes of Henry the second which was aboue an hundred yeeres before the conquest of Wales by King Edward the first This Earledome of Pembrooke had in ancient time palatine Iurisdiction and therefore in some records is called regalis comitatus Pembrochiae The Prouinces of Northwales and Southwales were gouerned for Law in this manner The Prince had and vsed to hold a Chancery and a Court of Exchequer in the Castle of Carnarvon for Northwales and had a Iudge or Iustice which ministred Iustice there to all the Inhabitants of Northwales and therefore was called the Iustice of Northwales The like Courts of Chancery and Exchequer he held in the Castle of Carmarthen for Southwales where he had a Iustice also called the Iustice of Southwales and the Courts of their Iustices or Iudges so held within their seuerall Prouinces were called the great Sessions of those Prouinces and sometimes these Iustices were itinerant and sate in euery of the seuerall Counties of his Prouince in these great Sessions the causes of greatest moment reall personall and mixt and pleas of the Crowne concerning life and members were heard and determined In these great Courts also vpon creation of euery new Prince there were granted by the people of that Prouince vnto the Prince nomine recognitionis ad primum adventum principis certaine summes of money as it were in acknowledgement or reliefe of the new Prince which summes of money are called by them Mises These Mises or summes of money were granted by the people vnto the Prince for his allowance of their Lawes and ancient Customes and a generall pardon of their offences fineable or punishable by the Prince and that summe of these Mises for the Shire of Carmerthen only amounted vnto eight hundred markes and for the Shire of Cardigan the totall summe of these Mises amounted vnto sixe hundred markes as by sundry records doth appeare these summes of mony were paid at certaine daies by seuerall portions such as were appointed and in the said Sessions agreed vpon Also in â—uâ—ry Shire of euâ—ry of the said Prouinces there were holden certaine inferior Courts called therefore County Courts and Shire Courts and Tournes after the manner of England and which by some were also the petty Sessions And there were also Courts inferior in sundry Counties for ending of causes of lesse moment and importance and if any wrong iudgement were giuen in any of these Courts inferior the same was redressed by a writ of false iudgement in the Court superior And if any â—rronious iudgement were giuen in the great Sessions which was the supreme Court of Iustice that error was either redressed by the iudgement of penall Iustices itinerant or else in the Parliament and not otherwise in any the Courts of Iustice now at Westminster As touching the gouernment of the Marches of Wales it appeareth by diuers ancient monuments that the Conqueror after hee had conquered the English placed diuers of his Norman Nobility vpon the confines and borders towards Wales and erected the Earldome of Chester being vpon the borders of Northwales to Palatine and gaue power vnto the said persons thus placed vpon those borders to make such conquests vpon the Welsh as they by their strength could accomplish holding it a very good policy thereby not only to encourage them to be more willing to serue him but also to prouide for them at other mens costs And hereupon further ordained that the lands so conquered should be holden of the Crowne of England in capite and vpon this and such like occasions dâ—uers of the Nobility of England hauing lands vpon the said borders of Wales made roades and incursions vpon the Welsh whereby diuers parts of that Country neere or towards the said borders were wonne by the sword from the Welshmen and were planted partly with â—nglish Collonies and and the said lands so conquered were holden per Baronia and were called therefore Baronyes Marchers In such manner did Robert Fitzhamoâ— acquire vnto himselfe and such others as assisted him the whole Lordship of Glamorgan vsâ—â—g in some resemblance the Roman policy to enlarge Territories by stepping in betweene two competitors and by helping the one hee subdued the other and after â—urning his â—word against him whom he assisted and making this the pretence of his quarrel alleadge that he whom he had assisted had denied to make vnto him sufficient recompence for his susteined trauils and so made himselâ—e abso'ute owner of all likewise Barnard Newmarch conquâ—â—ed the Lordship of Brecknock containing three Cantreds and established his conquest by a mariage in the Welsh blood Hâ—gh Lacy conquered the lands of Ewyas called after his name Ewyas Lacy and others did the like in other places of the borders all which were Baronies Marchers and were holden by such the Conquerors thereof in capite of the Crowne of England and because they and their posterity might the better keepe the said Lands so acquired and that they might not bee withdrawne by suits of Law from the defence of that which they had thus subdued The said Lordships and Lands so conquered were ordained Baronies Marchers and â—ad a kinde of Palatine â—urisdiction erected in â—uâ—ry of them and power to administer Iustice vnto their Tenants in euery of their Territories hauing therein Courts with diuers priuiledges franchises and immunities so that the Writs of ordinary Iustice out of the Kings Courts were for the most part not currant amongst them Neuerthelesse if the whole Barony had come in question or that the strife had beene two Barons Marchers touching their Territories or confines thereof for want of a Superiour they had recourse vnto the King their supreame Lord and in these and such like cases where their owne Iurisdiction failed Iustice was vnministred vnto them in the Superiour Courts of this Realme And this was the state of the gouernement of the Marches of Wales both before and after the generall Conquest of Wales made by king Edward the First as hath beene declared vntill the seauen and twentieth yeere of King Henry the Eight And as touching the first
may be requisite first a perfect and speciall suruey of all the said reuenues after which it may stand with your Maiesties gratious pleasure either to supply the same by Act of Parliament as did King Edward the Third or else to direct the same so as to your Princely wisedome shall be thought most conuenient This Treatise I haue accomplished with as much perspicuity and breuity as my slender ability could afford to giue vnto it For as touching perspicuity this argument intreated of is such as it refuseth all ornament and good composition as a knotty Timber that reiecteth the plaine And I may say thereof truely as in the like case the Poet affirmeth Vix est contenta doceri Some presidents found of Record concerning the forme and disposition of the said reuenues with sundry other particularities I haue purposely omitted fearing lest this Treatise be growne already too tedious and yet the same are carefully reserued neuerthelesse vntill time doe minister occasion to make further vse of them Which my trauell with all dutie and loyaltie I lay downe at your Maiesties feete crauing pardon for my presumption and manifold imperfections appearing therein for omnia habere in memoria in nullo errare diuinum est potius quam humanum as writeth Bracton an auntient Iudge of this Realme who liued three hundred yeeres agoe The Lord blesse your Maiestie with all his blessings both spirituall and temporall and who hath giuen you this particular blessing that your Maiestie may truely say with King Dauid Thou hast deliuered me from the contentions of my people Thou hast preserued mee to be the head ouer nations the people which I knew not doe serue mee And the Lord further grant that you and your Royall issue may gouerne vs and our posterity in peace and happinesse vnto the worlds end FINIS Suetonius Lampridus Tacuus Wales what part of the Island of Albion Hum. Lloyd apud Ortâ—lium in Thesaur Geographico Et idem Hum. Lloyd in frag mento Britanniae descriptioue â—ol miâ—i â—O Rilsanus Duflius in Dictionario suo Teutonico-Latino in verbo Walliae Saissons or Saxons Wales anciently no parcell of the Realme of England 10. b 4. 6. b. 19. b. 6. 12. a. â—2 b. 6. 25. b. 36. b. 6. 33. b. Com. Plow 129. b. 2 6 b. Vid. Cambd. in com Radnor expolicratico Ioâ—â—nis Barisburiensis 10. b. 4. 6 b. Com. Plowd 126. b. 129. b. Les auncient tenures fol 116. Com. Plow 12â— b. Edw. 1. tooke vpon him the name of Prince of Wales Record Tuâ—â—is London 29. H. 3. Polydor Virgil lib. 16. fol. miâ—i 311. Doctor Powel in the Welsh Chro. fo 311. Matth. Paris aâ—â—o 1257. so miâ—i 914. Patent 51. â— 3 Paâ—â—prima Wales suâ—â—â—ed by K. Edw. 1. The Shires made by E. 1. were these Statum Waliae 12 Ed. the first The Chronicle of Wales compiled parâ—ly by H. Lloyd and partly by Doctor Powel page 376. Cronica Angliae â—mnia huiuâ— temporis Edward the black Prince Prince of Wales Ex chartacreationis in parliamentâ— a. 15. â— â— The manner of the inucsture of the Prince Garter King at armes hath the manner and order of this creation and inuesture painted Ex charta regia data 4 Marâ—â—j a. 17. Ed. 3. Termino Michaelis a. 16 E. 3. Rot 6. exparte remen â—ratoris Thesaury in curia Scaccariâ— This Rice ap Meredick rebelled against K. Edw. 1. after his Conquest of Wales as appeareth in the Chronicles of that time Voydance of Bishoprickes Customes and prices of wines Executions of iustice and a Chancery Forrests Chases Parkes Wariens Vid. 4. et 5. P. et M. 159 nu 34. Vid. Com. 217. a. 1. Eliz. 165. a. nu 1. Dier 14. h. 4. Libre prime digestorum Iuris Civilis tituulo de legibus lege 19. Ex charta regui data 20. Septem irrotulata in memorandis Scij a. 36. e. 3. termino Michaelis Rot. 14. The Cronicks of England of this time Rich. of Burdeaux sonne of the Black Prince created Prince of Wales after the death of his father Charta Regia dâ—â—a 20. Nou. An. 50. Ed. 3. Ex Rotule Chartarum de deanno 1. regni regis b. 4. Alta Charta eodem Anno. Carta Regia 15. Marty 32. heâ— 6. Edward sonne and heire apparant of King Hen. the Sixt Prince of Wales His Creation 33. h. 6. The King to haue the reucnues till the Prince accomplish the age of fourteene yeeres Ex Charta Regia dot In Scaccario penes Rememâ—r Thesaurar remanente In Chartes pat 35 b 6 pars 2. â— 11. E. 4 pars 1. membr 1. pat 13. E. 4. pars 2. Ed. 4. vpon his returne into England tooke an oath at York that he would not claime the Kingdome but only the Dutchy of York Inter warra ad magnum sigillum in Cancellaria Ex charta de concess de â—ryg c. 9. h. 7. Inter warr ad magnum sigillum in cancellaria A Councell assigned the said Prince Charta creationis Priâ—â— Waliae 10. h. 7. Com. ministre ducat cornw 30. 31. b. 8. inter recordeur augment Doctor Pow. in Chronic. Wall Statum Walliae fol. 53. 2 E. 4 12 a. Geraldus Camb. 23. 24. E. I. Roâ— 51. Hill 7. E. apud 〈…〉 r. Sca 〈…〉 rij The Chamberlaines accompts 3. E 3. 19. iâ— le nouel print 63. a. 7. H 35. b. Chamberlains accompts Ministers accompts 18. H. â— Ministers accompeâ— 16 E. 4 Chamberlains accompts 19. H. 6. 12. b. 21. H. 7. 33. a. The Marches of Wales Another policy The originall of the Baro niâ—s Maâ—â—â—â—â—â—s 1â— E 2. Fitz. â—ssâ—â— 182. 13. E. â— Fitzâ—a Iurisdiction 23. 47. E. 3. 5. 67. 6. h. â— Fitzâ—a â—urisdiction 34. 7. â— 635. 36. â— 30. â—6 6. â— â—ohn Bishop of Worcester first President of the Marches of Wales Doctor Powell in Câ—â—on Walliâ— p. 389. Stat. 27 h. 8. cap. 26. Statutum de 24. h. 8. cap. 26. Stat. 27. h. 8. cap. 26. Stat. 27. h. 8. cap. 26. Stat. 27. h. 8. cap. 26. Circuits 34. h. 8. cap. 26. Stat. Iustice Stat. 18. Eliz. cap. 8. Stat. 34. h. 8. cap. 2. 4. Stat. 18. Eliz. cap. 8. Criminall Causes Ciuill Causes Common pleas Iustices of afâ—ise Writs either Iudiciall or Originall The great Sessions Adiournements 34. â— 8. cap. 26. â— 33. Prothonatory Clarke of the Crowne At the Kings appointment The Marshall Cryer The Clarke of the Peace The Sheriffe 34. h. 8. cap. 16. The County Court deriued from Iustice Commutatiue Escheator 34. h. 8. cap. 16. Coroners 34. h. 8. cap. 26. Skeene in verborum significationem Iuris Scotiae These are in Scotland Constables of the hundred The Goale The Iurisdiction of the Councell of the Marches of Wales Statum 34. H. â— ca. 26. Iustice of Northwales Chamberlaine Auditor Comptroler Atturney Surueyor Constable Captaine Souldiers Porter Constable Captaine Souldiers Porter Constable Souldiers Constable Captaine Souldiers Porter Forrester Steward Marshall Exchequer Iustice Auditor Attorney Constable Sheriffe Steward Clarke Crier Steward Penkeys Steward Clarke Bailiffe Baliffe Constable Sheirffe Clarke Cryer Clerke Steward Clerke Clerke Bayliffe Bayliffe Captaine Escheator Clerke Exchequer The Councell Gouernour Chamberlaine 21 E. 3 pat part 2. Hollinshead The Attourney 11 E. 4 â—at pars 1. The Clarke The Vsher The Vsher of the Princes Chamber Carnaruonshire Anglesey-shire Merioneth-shire Cardigan-shire Carmarden shiâ—e The County of Carnaruon The County of Anglesey The County of 〈…〉 The County of Cardigan The County of Carmarden Statut. de a. 33. b. 6. In originale de a. 35. b. 6. rot 29 ea parte Rememor Thesaur in Scaccar Charâ—a data 4. Septem 11. E. 3. 1. Mar Diar 94 b. 32. Parliament 9. b. 5. Carta dat 10. Iuly â—6 E. â— Carta dat 17. Martij 11. E. 3. Carta dat 18. Martij 11. E. 3. Carta dat 3. â—â—â—â— 11 â— 3. The Coynage of Tynne Casaneus in Catalâ—go gloriae mundi par â— consider 24. numero 121. Ex compoto Iohannis Arundel militis receptoris generalis Ducatis Cornubiâ— 15 H. 8. Officers of the Dutchy These summes ought n 〈…〉 e to be charged vpon the reuenue of the Dutchy for that these Castles belong to the Crown