Jurisdictions of our English and Irish Parliaments and all other Courts and Grand Officers whatsoever Civil Ecclesiastical Naval or Military the Soveraign Rights Titles of our Kings to the Crowns and all crown-Crown-Lands of England Scotland Ireland Wales France Normandy Aquitain Gascoign Britany the Isles of Oleron Jersy Gernsy Alderny Serke Man Anglesey Scilley Lundy and to the British Ocean the several Prerogatives Royalties of our Kings Queens Princes of Wales and Counâ—y Palatines the Militia and Defence of our Realms by Land or Sea the Successions Endowments Revenues Priviledges Salaries of our Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Judges Officers of all sorts the Charters Foundations Confirmations Franchises of all kinds of Corporations the Appropriations of Churches the Creations Pedigrees Tenures Lands Services Fairs Markets Parks Chaces Warrens Royalties Customs Revenues of most of the English Irish Scotish Nobility and Gentry the Bounds Perambulations Assarts Deafforrestations of all Forests Chaces the Mints Stanneries Mines Coine Trade Exchanges Merchandize Government of England Scotland Ireland and Isles belonging to them the Treaties Leagues with Foreign Kings States sundry rare excellent Writs Prohibitions Proclamations Inquisitions Commissions Charters Letters of our Kings to Foreign Emperors Kings States Popes Cardinals and their Letters Bulls to them concerning State and Church affairs Cases Appeals and matters of Common Martial Marine Law Law of Merchants concerning Reprisals Depredations Arms Heraldry and whatever else may conduce to make heroick studious spirits accomplished Lawyers Heralds Historians Statesmen are comprised and rolled up in obscurity in our over-much neglected Records upon which account our Kings have had special care to preserve them as sacred and their best richest Treasures in the Tower of London and other places of greatest security If these Collections shall excite any Gentlemen of my Profession or others to a more industrious search study of Records or contribute any addition to the Dignity Splendor amplitude of our Common Laws the grand Supporters Preservers of the Crowns Scepters Royalties of our Kings and Queens as well as of the Subjects Liberties Properties Lives I shall repute my pains and cost sufficiently recompenced and be thereby encouraged through Gods assistance to voluminous publications of Records of another more general usefull subject wherein I am engaged for the Honour of our English Kings Kingdom Church Nation Laws against all Foreign and Domestick Usurpations on or Underminers of them From my Study in Lincolns-Inne March 25. 1668. William Prynne A Compendious TRACTATE CONCERNING AVRVM REGINAE The PROEME OBserving in my perusal of ancient Records in the Tower of London and Kings Court of Exchequer at Westminster many remarkable Patents Writs Cases Passages Resolutions and some Accounts concerning the most ancient eminent benefical Royal Prerogative of the QUEEN CONSORTS OF ENGLAND stiled AVRVM REGINAE or QUEEN-GOLD conferred on their Majesties by the Lawes of England as an Honorary contingent Revenue inseparably annexed to their Persons by virtue of their Marriage to our Kings intituling them to this and sundry other Regalities Prerogatives frequently mentioned in our Records and Law-Books Yet finding no Mention nor Discourse concerning AVRVM REGINAE in Sir Henry Spelmans Glossary or any printed Volume of the Common Law except only in Sir Edward Cooks posthumus Twelf Part of his Reports published in a time of Anarchy wherein he cuts off several rich Veins of this Gold Mine contracting it into such diminutive narrow limits not warranted by the Records there briefly quoted as render it inconsiderable unworthy the Title of a Royal Prerogative or the claim receit of any future Quâ—â—n Consorts notwithstanding their undoubted Right Title to this Golden Duty which he doth ingenuously acknowledge Upon this account I apprehended I could not perform a more acceptable loyal Service to the KINGS and QUEENS of ENGLAND or communicate a more desirable Piece of Antiquity Law to the Students or Professors of the Common Law then to present unto their View this Summary Chronological Collection of those rare Records I have met with which most perspicuously evidence the Quiddity Quality Quantity Antiquity Legality of this ROYAL DUTY of QUEEN-GOLD the Fines or Mines out of which it springs the Officers and Processe in the Kings Exchequer by which it was anciently received levied accounted for to the Queen Consort whiles living and to the King himself after her decease with other particulars that concern it necessary for the Exact Discovery knowledge recovery of this long discontinued concealed Treasure and reducing this old GOLDEN FLEECE into our new Queens Wardrobes and Cabinets In order whereunto I have here briefly digested all I yet know that concerns this Subject into these 6. ensuing Sections SECTION I. What AURUM REGINAE is as to its Quiddity Quality Quantity or Proportion THE first thing I shall present you with is a Brief Definition of Aurum Reginae as to its Quiddity Quality Quantity or Proportion Aurum Reginae is a Royal Debt Duty or Revenue belonging and accruing to every Queen Consort during her marriage to the King of England both by Law Custom and Prescription time out of minde due by every Person of what quality or calling soever within the Realms of England or Ireland who hath made a voluntary Oblation Obligation or Fine to the King amounting to Ten Marks or upwards for any Priviledges Franchises Dispensations Licenses Pardons Grants or other Matters of royal Grace or Favor conferred on him by the King arising from and answerable to the quantity of such his Oblation or Fine to wit one full tenth part over and above the intire Fine or Oblation to the King as one Mark for every ten Marks and ten pounds for every hundred pound fine and so proportionably for every other sum exceeding ten Marks Or one Mark of gold to the Queen for every 100. Mark fine in silver to the King being both one in value and proportion Which Summe becomes a real Debt and Duty to the Quéen by the Name of Aurum Reginae by and upon the parties bare agreement with the King for his fine without any promise to or contract with the King or Queen for this tenth part exceeding it which becomes a Debt on Record to the Queen by the very recording of the Fine This Definition or Description of Aurum Reginae the following Records in the 6. Section will both explain and confirm in all its branches to which for brevity I referr you SECT II. Why it was originally and till this day stiled Aurum Reginae THE true reasons as I apprehend why it was originally stiled Aurum Reginae were two First because Gold being the Queen best chiefest purest richest fairest durablest most desirable of all other Metals as Philosophers and Divines assert though paid with a greater proportion of Silver to our Queens or Kings gave the name or denomination of Gold to the intire summe according to the received Maxim Denominatio sequitur meliorem partem to which that of Horace may be applied Et
time and view of all the Records and Presidents viz. Librâ—m Rubrum in Scaccario fol. 56. it should be 46. de Auro Reginae where it is said That it is to be taken De iis qui sponte se obligant Regi c. which is the foundation of this Claim and of a Record in the Tower 52 H. 3. and of a Record in the Exchequer Hill 12 Ed. 3. and in the Tower in the same year in Rot. Claus and of Acts of Parliament 15 E. 3. cap. 6 31. E. 3. cap. 13. and the 13 R. 2. in Turri and divers other Presidenâ—s and Processes out of the Exchequer in the times of R. 2. and H. 4. and other Kings until the time of H. 7. It was Resolved that the Quéen hath right to it but with these limitations 1. That it ought to be sponte by the Subject sine coactione so that this ought to be at the pleasure of the Subject whether he will give or no And for this all Fynes upon Judgement or by offâ—r or Fyne for alienation or in any other case where the Subject doth not do it sponte sine aliqua coactione viz. That the King of Right ought to have it there the Quéen shall have nothing 2. It ought to be sponte fine consideratione allcujus reventionis seu interesse that the King hath in esse in jure Coronae and for this upon sale or demise of his Lands or Wards or Goods of Felons Out lawes Et simili casu for these are Contracts and Bargains concerning the Revenues and Interests of the King and it cannot be said in such case that the Subjects sponte se obligant as to purchase or buying any the Revenues and Interests that the King hath 3. It ought to be sponte super considerationem et non ex mera gratia et benevolentia Subditi For that which is of mere Grace is not properly said of Obligation or Duty and the words of the Records are to have de iis qui sponte se obligant and so it was ordained by the King and his Counsil as appears by the Record of Hill 4. E. 1. in Scaccario 4. It ought to be sponte super considerationem quae non longe reventionem seu interesse Coronae in any thing which the King hath as if the subject give to the King sponte a summ of money for license in Mortmain or for to createâ— a tenure of himself or to have a fair Market Park Chace or warren within his Mannor there the Quéen shall have it For the Subject did this sponte and was not constrained unto it and this doth not concern any revenue or interest of the King but if the King hath a Fair or Market or Park or Warren and grant it for a summ of money there the Queen shall have nothing for this was a thing in esse and parcel of the revenue of the Crown And by that it appears that forasmuch as little or nothing is given in such case where this of right is due this is not now of any such value as was pretended And this Resolution was reported to our soveraign Lord the King by Popham in the Gallâ—ry at Whitehall If this Report of these two Referrees concerning Queen-gold be true and genuine and not vitiated or corrupted with some additional restrictions since superadded to it which I suspect yet it is most clear by both their resolutions That Queen Anne had then a RIGHT UNTO this duty of Queen-gold and that it is due of RIGHT from some sort of Fines and Oblations specified in the fourth resolution But by reason of those limitations put upon it by this Report he saith this is not now of any such value as was pretended And that the â—oundation of this her claim was the Red Book of the Exchequer and other Records then viewed and briefly quoted in the Report Whether they perused those or any other Records I know not but had they viewed all those here transcribed I am very confident they would never have reported to King James that the Queen shall have nothing or no Aurum Reginae by offer or â—ine for Aliâ—nations or for sale or demise of his Lands or Wards Goods of Felons or Outlaws and the like for these are contracts and bargains concerning the Revenue and Interest of the King and it cannot be said in such cases that the Subjects sponte se obligant Since most of the forecited Records expresly averr the contrary against which there can or ought at least to be no averment especially by such eminent Judges and Lawyers as those Referrees then were What further proceedings were used by the Queen or her Counsil for the recovery of this her unquestionable antient legal Duty of Queen-gold after this Report I cannot certainly determine neither the Queen nor her Counsil being satisfied with most of the limitations therein specified since diametrically repugnant to the Records they produced to justifie her Right thereto Sir Edward Cooke in his 4 Institutes p. 357. printed since his death cites the premised Patent of King Henry the 3. to Prince Edward his eldest son Pat. 52 H. 3. m. 26. whereby he granted him the Land of Ireland with all its appurtenances adeo liberè quietè sicut tam in manu nostra teneremus per quod charissina filia nostra Alianora Consors dicti fili nostri AURUM SUUM tam de finibus quam de sponte oblatis in terra Hâ—berniae habere debet sicut charissima Consors nostra Alianora Regina Angliae AURUM SUUM habet de eisdem in regno nostro Angliae Vobis mandamus c. From whence he observes That albeit the Wife of Prince Edward was not Queen of Ireland by name yet she had the effect of it therefore she should have a Duty called AURUM REGINAE as well as the Queen of England being but Laâ—y in Ireland For albeit the King of England was untill the Statute of 33 H. 8. c. 1. stilâ—d by the name of Lord of Ireland yet was he supremus absolute Dominus and had Royal Dominion and Authority and that his Consort was in rei veritate REGINA or else she could not have had AURUM REGINAE A clear confession and acknowledgement that the Queen-Consorts of England by their Prerogative as Queens had an anâ—ient right to Queen-gold not only in England but Ireland too before the Kings of England were 〈◊〉 Kings of Ireland much more then since 33 H. 8. which changed their Title of Lord into King of Ireland In the 11. year of K. Charles the 1. upon the Petition of Mary his Queen-Consort after a full hearing and debate of the Antiquity and Legality of this Royal Prerogative of AURUM REGINAE before the King and Queen by their learned Counsil at Law and the reading of several Presidents and Records produced by them relating thereunto the King was pleased to send this Writ to the Treasurer and Barons of his Exchequer for the levying
genus et formam Gold REGINA PECUNIA donat 2ly Because anciently many if not most voluntary Oblations Fines made to our Kings and particularly this duty of Queen-gold to our Queens were paid in Gold either in masse by weight or in coyn as the Fine and Pipe Rolls during the reigns of King John Henry the 2. 3. and Edward 1. abundantly testifie I shall instance only in some Fines to the King there being hundreds of the like nature since other Records in the 6th Section will evidence this duty to our Queens to be paid in gold whereupon it was called AURUM REGINAE In the Fine Roll of 36 H. 3. m. 1. in the Tower Adam de Sumery dat Regi dimid marc Auri pro habendo respectu de Milicia sua Solvit P. Chaceper Et quietus est Willielmus fil Odonelli dat Regi pondus duorum solidorum Auri pro habendo respectu de Milicia sua Walterus de Burys dat Regi sex Bizanc Besants a Gold Coin made at Bizantium of the value of a golden Noble then frequent and currant in England and other parts especially among the Jews and Saracens and often mentioned in our Records Histories pro eodem respectu Militiae habendo Thomas de Weseham Cirurgicus Regis dat Regi 12 Talenta viz. Auri pro quadam Carta habenda Richardus de Munfichet dat Regi decem Marc. Auri de quibus solvit duas Marc. in Garderoba Regis pro habenda Balliva sua Forestâ— quae capâ—a fuit in manum Regis Et de residuis octo Marc. Auri Rex concessit ei quod reddat ei 4. Marc. ad Pasch An. 36. Et 4. Marc. ad festnm S. Michaelis prox sequens There are hundreds of like presidents in this and other Fine Rolls Neither was this the usage only of England but of most other Countries to present Kings and pay them their Tributes Rents Customs Fines in Gold the King of all other Metals therefore most apt congruous for their Royal Majesty whose heads were usually adorned with Crowns their hands with SCEpters of pure Gold and their Queens arrayed in vestures of Gold as emblems of their Royalty Upon this ground Hyram King of Tyre and the Queen of Sheba presented King Solomon with sundry Talents of Gold who had likewise coming to him every year the weight of 666. Talents of Gold besides that he received of the Merchant men and all the Kings of Arabia and Governors of the Country in customes and rents whence Solomon stiles Gold The peculiar Treasure of Kings Upon this account King David and Isaiah prophecying of the Kingdome and Regality of Christ used these expressions The Kings of Tharshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts c. and to him shall be given of the Gold of Sheba All they from Sheba shall come and shall bring Gold and Incense Literally fulfilled by the Wise men who came from the East by the conduct of a Starre to worship our Saviour Christ when born KING of the Jews who comming into the house where he was with his mother they fell down and worshipped Him not his Mother as the Romanists erroniously do yea as much or more than him and when they had opened their Treasures they offered unto him not her their gifts GOLD Frankincense and Myrrhe On which u St. Cyprian hath this memorable observation Primitiae gentium Sacramentalia munera proferunt de thesauro profitentes ex ratione munerum de eo quem adorabant quid credebant IN AVRO REGEM in thure Sacerdotem in myrrha incorruptibilem quamâ—is passibilem profitentur Moreover the sacred Story records that Sennacherib King of Assyria put Hezechiah King of Judah to a Fine or Tribute of 30. Talents of Gold to satisfie which he cut off the Gold from the doors and pillars of the Temple and gave it to the King of Assyria After which Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt put the land to a Tribute of 100 Talents of Silver and one Talent of Gold proportionable to Aurum Reginae which King Jehoiakim gave him exacting the silver and Gold afterwards from the people of the Land from every one according to his taxation and that by way of fine or composition for their rebellions against the King of Assyria and Pharaoh Necho In brief As the Kings of England by their Prerogative royal have all Mines of Gold in whose soil soever they are found annexed and appropriated to their Crownes whence they were stiled ROYAL MINES So this duty being a Golden Mine united to the Persons Crowns of the Queen wives of England and for the most part paid in Gold was stiled AVRVM REGINAE SECT III. The Antiquity Legality and Reasonableness of Aurum Reginae THE next thing to be inquired into and evidenced is the Antiquity Legality and Reasonableness of this Duty of Aurum Reginae which I shall but briefly touch because the ensuing Records Sect. 6. will at large demonstrate it It s Antiquity will best appear by the first Record and Discourse I have yet discovered concerning it viz. the learned Dialogue of Gervasius Tilberiensis Nephew to our K. Henry the 2. and an Officer under him in his Court of Exchequer of whom John Bale Bishop of Ossory renders us this character Gervasius Tilberiensis Henrici secundi Anglorum Regis Nepos vir non mediocriter eruditus literarum titulo bonarum insignis c. This Dialogue of his contains the foundation Constitution Jurisdiction Officers Proceedings of the Court of the Kings Exchequer in that and former Ages being reserved therein as a most Eminent Record and Directory for the proceedings thereof stiled by most The Red Book of the Exchequer wherein there is a particular Chapter and Discourse DE AURO REGINAE which I shall present you with in its proper place not as a Prerogative or Duty introduced established in that age but belonging to our Queen-Consorts time out of minde as ancient as any Debts or Duties belonging to our Kings and coaeval with them To which I shall only subjoyn the Writs of King Edward the 3d. directed to the Barons of his Exchequer on behalf of Queen Philip Term. Pasch An. regni sui 12. And to his Justices Treasurer and Chancellor of Ireland An. regni sui 34. for levying this Debt and Duty for her use in Ireland as well as England which recite That aliae Reginae praedictum aurum illud recipere consueverunt totis temporibus retroactis Ipsaque et omnes praedecessores suae Reginae Angliae habere et percipere consueverunt de tempore quo non extat memoria de AURO REGINAE unam MarcaÌ„ de singulis decem Marcis omnium finium Nobis in Curiis nostris tam in Anglia quam in Hibernia factarum This Duty hath been accordingly claimed enjoyed by all Queens since till the reign
of King Edward the 6. who dying before marriage and his Sisters Qu. Mary and Qu. Elizabeth succeeding him in the Throne there being no Queen-Consorts during their three reigns this Duty was suspended for above sixty years together But then claimed by Queen Anne the next Queen Consort and 4 to Jacobi upon a reference by the King to some Judges resolved to be her undoubted right and since claimed by Queen Mary as her due Prerogative The Reasonableness and Justice of it will best appear by the Original Grounds and Reasons thereof which I apprehend to be three First the extraordinary conjugal love affection honor which our Kings of England did usually bear and really expresse to their Royal Queen Consorts upon all occasions which induced them to confer this profitable as well as Honourable Prerogative of Queen-gold on them to be received as a Debt or casual Gold-revenue from all their Subjects to whom they extended or dispensed any Regal grace and favor that by this Royal perquisit they might furnish themselves with Rings Jewels Vessels Vestments and other Ornaments of Gold fit necessary for their Royal State and Majesty For as Vlpian the ancient famous Civil Lawyer informs us concerning the Roman Empresse Augusta licet legibus soluta non est Principes tamen illi eadem Privilegia tribuunt quae ipsi habent Quodcunque privilegii Fisco competit hoc idem et Caesaris AUGUSTA habere solet is true of our English Queens who in the antientest and later times of our Saxon Kings or before and ever since were not only crowned anointed and sat with the Kings in their seats of State but had divers Prerogatives allowed to them by our Kings Laws And anciently the Queen wife had a Revenue of QUEEN-GOLD or AVRVM REGINAE as the Records call it that is the tenth Part of so much as by the Name of Oblata came to the King as Mr. Selden truly observes 2ly The frequent Mediations and powerful Intercessions of Queen Consorts to our Kings in most grants of Honors Offices Licenses Franchises Priviledges Pardons c. to their Subjects out of which this Duty of Aurum Reginae accrued to them which being commonly procured or their fines moderated much abated by their Royal mediations the Subjects therupon for these their favors by way of gratitude and justice held themselves obliged to present them with so much Gold as amounted at least to one Tenth part over and above their intire moderate fines which they voluntarily proffered agreed to pay into our Kings Coffers And in case of their ungrateful neglect thereof they were by the Custome Justice and Law of the Realm enforced to pay it by legal Processe and Executions issued out against them The rather because in many Copyhold and other Manors of this Realm the Wives or Ladies of the Land-Lords did and still do both claim and receive from the Copyhold and other Tenants upon the renewing or changing of Leases or Estates a gratuity or summe of money proportionable to their fines over and above the intire fines paid unto their Husbands as Land-Lords upon the self-same reason of favor and mediation as our Queens claim their Queen-gold 3ly The due honor gratitude and munificence which all faithfull Subjects ought to exhibit to the Kings beloved Consort when they received any special Grace Grant Priviledge Benefit Office or Pardon from the King the King and Queen being but one flesh Person in Law in some respects excited engaged them both in duty gratitude honor to the King Queen and likewise out of self-interest to present the Queen with a piece of Gold proportionable to their fines and benefits received who by their chearfull gratefull payment of her Aurum Reginae obliged her to become their future Mediatrix and Advocate to the King upon all occasions for the enjoyment or continuance of their former indulged Grants Offices Liberties Pardons and for the procuring of new upon any emergent occasions that of the Poet Ovid in another Case holding true in this Auro conciliatur amor This Aurum Reginae arising only from Oblations or Fines that are voluntary not enforced being an ancient customary legal known duty time out of mind it can be no unreasonablenesse oppression injury or injustice in the present Queen Consort or her successors to claim demand and receive it no more then in their Predecessors it being a received Maxime in Law volenti non fit injuria and a precept of the Law and Gospel too Render to all their due especially to Kings Queens and the Higher powers SECT IV. For what Fines and Oblations to the King Aurum Reginae ought to be payd to the Queen and for what not FOR what sort of Fines and Oblations to our Kings this Aurum Reginae ought by Law and Custom to be paid to their Queen Consorts and for what not the ensuing Records Writs Accounts Sect. 6. will fully inform resolve us In brief Aurum Reginae is due and payable for all Fines and Oblations of ten Marks or upwards after the rate and proportion of one mark to the Queen for every ten Marks due or paid to the King for all licenses of Alienation of lands held in Capite of the King all licenses to appropriate Churches or alien Lands Rents Tenements in Mortmain For the Kings Widowes or Wards to marry to whom they please and for all Fines for Pardons of such Alienations or Marriages made without the Kings precedent license For all Fines to the King for grants of the body lands or marriages of his Wards for the Custody of Abbies Priories Monasteries or Bishopricks during their vacancies by those who sued and paid Fines for them For liberty or licenses to hunt the Hare Fox Cat Boar Wolf or Badger or to enclose or fell Woods or plough or assart Lands within the Kings Forests For Fines for respiting or not receiving the Order of Knighthood for not going marching with the Army of the King to his wars when bound by Tenure For Fines for all Charters Patents creating granting confirming Corporations Tenures Honors Dignities Offices Lands Markets Fairs Priviledges Liberties Chases Parks Free-warrens Wrecks Waifes Strayes Felons goods Free fishing or other Royalties Immunities Exemptions from Tallages Tolls Murage Pontage Services in Juries Assises or publike offices And for all Fines for new Patents to confirm alter or enlarge all or any of the premises For Fines for pardons or remissions of all sorts of Trespasses within Forests or elsewhere or for Breaches of the Peace Frauds Deceits Concealments Felonies Manslaughters For Fines for the restitution of Lands Liberties Offices Goods Chattels Merchandizes forfeited to or seised by the King For saving the lives of persons condemned to die For breaches of or dispensations with penal Lawes For Fines for indenizations of Aliens Or Protections Safe-conducts granted to them For Fines Ransoms of Jews for their offences as well as of Christians and for all other Fines of
like nature with those here enumerated mentioned in the Fine and Pipe Rolls and 6. Section On the other hand Aurum Reginae is not due or payable for any Subsidies Aides Quindisms Tonnage Poundage voluntarily granted to the King by the Lords Commons in Parliament or Disms by the Pope or Clergy for the Necessary defence of the Kingdom or Church of England or Holy Land or for Fines for respite or remission of their payment at the times limited as most conceive Nor for Fines imposed and ascertained by Judgement of the Court against the Offenders wills not left indefinite to the Kings pleasure and parties subsequent Composition or agreement Nor for voluntary Fines or Oblations of Palfries Hawks Tuns of Wine or the like to the King either alone or joyntly with any certain sum of money as of 10D marks or pounds in gold or silver and of one two three or more Palfries Hawks or Tunnes of Wine frequent in all ancient Fine and Pipe Rolls because these were not money nor apportionable and their rates values being uncertain variable our Law could set no certain rate or proportion on them nor any processe be legally issued to levy them SECT V. What Interest the Queen-Consorts have in their Queen-Gold By what officer it is to be received By what Processe to be levyed when unpaid and on what lands goods To whom the Arrears there of accrue after the Queens death THIS Duty of Aurum Reginae is so absolutely vested in the Queen that although the King himself should pardon or remit all or any part of his Fine to the party by which it became due to the Queen yet he could not pardon remit nor apportion this Duty to his Queen nor respite the Process to levy it without her own consent And if the King her Husband deceased this Debt survived to the Queen and was leviable in the reign of the succeeding Kings not withstanding by like processe as before This Duty or Revenue was received collected levyed by a special Officer or Clerk in the Court of Exchequer authorized and appointed by Patent from the King or Queen or both of them to receive collect levy and render an Account there of in that Court If this Duty was not voluntarily paid it being a Debt grounded on and warranted by matter of Record as the Fine Rolls in the Court of Chancery or Extracts Pipe-rolls in the Exchequer wherein the Oblations Fines out of which it arose are enrolled it was levied by Writs of Extent or Execution issued out of the Court of Exchequer to the Sheriffs in the self-same manner form as the Kings debts were next after the Kings own debts but not before them and that upon the Debtors lands or goods which he had at the time when it first grew due or upon his Sureties in case he had no lands nor goods to satisfie it If the Queen-Consort deceased all the Arrears of this Duty accrued and survived of right to the King her Husband if living and to his Successor if dead who levied them by processe out of the Exchequer as they did their other proper Debts SECT VI. A Chronological Collection of the Principal Records Patents Writs Accounts in the Tower of London and Court of Exchequer at Westminster concerning Aurum Reginae with brief Observations on them HAving rendred you this Summary Account of this Duty of Aurum Reginae and of the several materials circumstances that concern or relate unto it in general and special I shall in this last Section present to your view a Chronological Collection and Transcript of all the principal Records Patents Writs and Accounts extant in the Tower of London and Court of Exchequer at Westminster which have hitherto come to my view with some brief Observations on and from them Which will copiously evidence justifie ratifie the truth of what I have asserted concerning Aurum Reginae in the premised Sections and display what else may conduce to the full discovery or knowledge of this abstruse over-long-concealed discontinued Prerogative of the Queens of England to all those who desire information or satisfaction therein I shall begin with the ancientest and so descend in order of time to the last Records and Memorials of this Subject referring each of them by figures to the premised Sections so farr as they prove evidence confirm or illustrate the contents thereof The first and most memorable Record I have yet seen which both mentions and Treats of Aurum Reginae is a Dialogue or Treatise enrolled in the Red and Black Book of the Kings Exchequer at Westminster whereof there is a fair Transcript in Lincolns Inne Library given to it by our Famous Antiquary Mr. Will Lambard a Member of that Society An. 1572. intituled Gervasii Tilberiensis De Necessariis Scaccarii Observantiis Dialogus dedicated by him to K. Henry the 2. in the 23. year of his reign as himself relates in his Proeme Anno Domini 1177. in the second Part of which Dialogue cap. 26. 1 DE AURO REGINAE he renders us this exact Account concerning the Quiddity Quantity Quality Legality and manner of levying this duty in the Exchequer in that and former ages per Consuetudines et Iura Scaccarii as his Proeme informs us I shall present you with his intire Dialogue concerning this Duty Ad haec noverint hi 1 qui in pecunia numerata Regi 4 sponte obligantur quod REGINAE similiter tenentur licet expressum non fuerit Quamvis enim non sit expressum est tamen promisso compromissum Vt cum Regi Centum vel Ducentas Marcas promiserit REGINAE pariter teneatur pro Centum Marcis Argenti Regi promissis IN UNA MARCA AURI pro Ducentis IN DUABUS MARCIS AURI et stâ— deinceps In his autem perquirendis 5 eadent lege Vicecomes per omnia utetur qua in Regiis usus est non tamen ante sed post Cum ergo de Regiis debitis summonitiones fiant 5 adest Clericus Reginae ad hoc constitutus Et addit in summonitione de illo has Centum Marcas pro causa illa ET AD OPUS REGINAE UNAM MARCAM AVRI. Summonita autem ad Scaccarium ab eius Officialibus ad 〈◊〉 iâ—â—titutis seorsâ—m suscipiuntur Noveris etiam quod 5 llicet Rex de promissa sâ—bi summa mediam partem dimiserit vel universam vâ—l etiam summonere disâ—ulerit de his tamen quae ad REGINAM pertinent sâ—cundum quod sibi visum fuerit per omnia fiet ut ea nolente nec dimittantur nec differentur quae sibi debentur sed summonita solbantur et non solventes praedicto modo coerceantur Discipulus Nunquid de promissis Regi citra Centum Marcas aliquid REGINAE debetur Magister Quibusdam sic videtur ut 1 usque ad Decem Marcas teneatur ut scilicet is qui Regi decem Marcas promiserit IN UNA UNCIA AURI REGINAE TENEATUR Aliis non nisi de Centum
et supra ab initio promissis De his igitur ad praesens cum modestia quia re nondum terminata suspensa resolutio est Litigat sane de his pars REGINAE cum debitoribus et adhuc sub Iudice lis est De misericordia 4 Iudaeorum et de redemptione Monetariorum for falsifying clipping and abusing the Kings coin sicut desponte oblatis dictum est sua portio secundum formam praedictam REGINAE debetur Discip Nunquid in pecuniariis sponte oblatis Clerici Laici sine differentia coerceantur Magister In sponte oblatis apud omnes Lex una servatur ut sive Clericus sit sive Laicus qui non solvendâ— fuerit donec satisfecerit careat impetrato Observatur etiam idem in omnibus aliis quae quovis pacto Regi debentur c. To which I shall subjoyn this passage in his Dialog 2. c. 23. Quid de sponte offerentibus facienduÌ„ cum ipsi non solvunt The Queens Gold arising out of such Oblations Noveris igitur quod oblatorum Regi quaedam in rem quaedam in spem offerentur In rem quidem offerri dicimus cum oblatum à Rege suscipitur offerens consequenter pro quo obtulit à Rege suscipit Vt si quis pro libertate aliqua profundo vel pro firma vel pro custodia cujusque qui minor est aetatis usque ad annos legitimos habenda vel pro quovis alio quod ad suam utilitateÌ„ vel honorem accedere videatur sponte Regi Centum libras vel Centum Marcas offerat et assentiente Regi statim post oblatum suscipiat optatum De his qui spontè se obligant qui conventionem cum Principe factam possidere jam ceperint lex nostra decernat ut quamdiu solvendo fuerint indultis sibi beneficiis gaudeant utantur Quod si de Regis debito summoniti solvere desierint statim careant impetratis ut si manente Scaccario super eadem satisfecerint oblata omnia sine molestia restituantur In spem verò dicantur offerri cum quis exhibendae sibi justitiae causa super fundo vel redditu aliquo Regi summam aliquam offert non tamen ut fiat ne in nos excandescas venalia penes eum Justiciam dicas immò ut sine dilatione fiat c. From this Record and Discourse concerning Queen gold stiled in subsequent Records in the Exchequer An Ordinance and Statute to which the Barons and Queens Officers had recourse in succeeding times in Cases concerning Aurum Reginae I shall observe 1. That Aurum Reginae was a Debt Duty Revenue belonging to the Queen-Consorts of England by the Law Custom of England time out of mind long before the reign of King Henry the 2. the beginning whereof is altogether uâ—known But if I conjecture aright it had its original not from the Earls Dukes of Normandy who were no Kings nor their Wives Queens and so could neither create nor denominate this Royal prerogative of Aurum Reginae but from the Roman Emperors whose Wives had the Titles of AUGUSTA DIVA AUGUSTA as the Emperors had of AUGUSTUS DIVUS AUGUSTUS and the SAME PRIVILEDGES with the EMPEROR And that our famous Queen Helena daughter to King Coell wife to the Emperor Constantius who kept his Imperial Court and died at Yorke where he begate the most renowned Christian Emperor Constantine the Great on the body of this first Christian Queen and Empresse in the world canonized afterwards for a Saint for her piety bounty to the Church and finding out the Holy Crosse whereon Christ was crucified was the first who enjoyed this Royal Duty whereof she was most worthy and being stiled REGINA as well as AUGUSTA might well derive the Name of AURUM REGINAE thereunto This munificent Queen as she built the walls of London and Colchester as our Henry Huntindon stories so Nicephorus Callistus Petrus Ribadeniera Capgrave and others relate that she built three Magnificent Temples in the Holy Land the first near Mount Calvary in the place where she found the Crosse whereon our Saviour Christ was crucified the second at Bethlehem where he was born the third upon Mount Olivet in the place from whence he ascended into heaven besides 27 Churches and Oratories more in other places which she endowed with rich gifts giving likewise large Alms to poor people So large was her revenue whereunto it is probable this Duty of Aurum Reginae made some addition To which Nicephorus subjoyns Quam ob causam condigna etiam à Deo accepit praemia Etenim in praesenti hac vita ea est consequuta ut praestantius quidquam nemo ei accidere potuisse putaret Nam AUGUSTA renunciata est ET NUMMOS AUREOS SUB EFFIGIE SUA PROCUDIT a badge or emblem of Aurum Reginae Imperialibusque Thesauris in potestate sua redactis pro arbitrio suo est usa as our Queens use their Aurum Reginae which if I mistake not had its Original in and from this our glorious Queen and Empresse as both the Roman Emperors and also our Kings of England derived their GOLDEN CROWNS from the Emperor Constantine her Son as Mr. John Selden proves at large in his Titles of Honor. 2ly That Aurum Reginae is due to the Queen out of all sums of Mony or Fines voluntarily offered and assented to by the King for any Liberty lands farm Custody Wardship or other thing redounding to the parties profit or honor and for fines for speedy Justice amounting to or exceeding the sum of 10. Marks which though then a point unresolved disputed between the Queens Officers and those who were to pay this Duty who pretended it not due unlesse it were a Fine of 100 Marks or more yet it was soon after and ever since frequently resolved to the contrary as the subsequent Records will inform us 3ly That the proportion of Aurum Reginae is one Mark of Gold out of every hundred Marks of Silver due to the King that is one full tenth part over and above the intire Oblation or Fine to the King to wit one Mark for ten Marks and ten pounds for every hundred pounds without any deduction from or diminution of the Kings Oblation or Fine from which it is distinct and so proportionably for any other sum above 10 Marks 4ly That at the same instant when any party makes a voluntary Oblation or Fine to the King he becomes an actual Debtor for this Aurum Reginae to the Queen by the Law and Custom of the Realm though it be not expresly promised nor agreed 5ly That the Queen is to have her special Clerk or Officer in the Exchequer to receive and recover this Duty for her use 6ly That the Processe for the recovery thereof if not voluntarily paid ought to issue out of the Kings Exchequer in the same course and manner as Processe doe
Oliver de Punchardin debet 2. m. de eod Aurum Reginae Rob. de Albeneio redd Comp. de 9 l. de eod In thesauro 7 l. 8 d. Et debet 20 s. 4 d. Willielm de Bello Campo redd Comp. de 54 m. de eod In thesaur 9 l. Et debet 24 l. di m. Duncanus de Lasceles 7 l. 4 s. de eod Walter de Trailli 45 m. pro eod In Magno Rotulo de Anno 17 Regis Johannis c. Aurum Reginae Willielmus de Belchamp 24 l. di m. de Auro Reginae Duncanus de Lascell 7 l. 4 s. pro eod Walterus de Trailli 45 m. pro eod Aurum Reginae Robertus de Curtenai deb 4 m. auri pro Fine de Sutton Josce de Plugenâ—i deb 1 m. auri pro terra matris suae Aurum Reginae Hawisa de Curtenai 7 m. di auri pro Honor. de Okemanton Will. Painell 2 m. Auri de Fine suo It is evident by all our Historians that Isabel daughter of the Earl of Engolisme married to King John in the first year of his reign after his divorse from Hawes the Earl of Glocesters daughter survived him which being premised I shall observe from these Records in King Johns reign 1. That this AVRVM REGINAE was claimed and received as a just legal Debt and Prerogative to the Queen in and from the first till the last year of King Johns reign by this special Name and Title 2ly That it was specially charged in the Great Rolls in the Pipe Office and levyed accounted for in the Kings Exchequer under this very Title of AVRVM REGINAE in the self-same manner by the same Process as the Kings own debts 〈◊〉 were levyed and accounted for 3ly That 〈◊〉 was due and paid out of all voluntary Fines and compositions made or pay◠〈◊〉 the King for the restitution of lands seised into his hands for reliefs wardships grants of Mariages Lands liberties and for voluntary Fines ransoms amerciaments for offences misdemeanors or pardons of them and that by Jewes as well as Christians 4ly That the proportion of this Duty was one Mark out of every Fine or Oblation of or above the sum of 10. Marks 5ly That King John no doubt by his Queens consent and agreement challenged and levyed AURUM REGINAE as a Debt Duty belonging to himself as well as to his Queen That he ordered it to be paid into and accounted for in the Court of Exchequer where he constituted a special Officer to keep the Rolls thereof and to demand levy receive and account for it from time to time 6ly That he somtimes gave several times for the payment thereof in the Exchequer by equal portions and that what could not be levyed thereof at one time by one Sheriff was afterwards levyed and accounted for by another 7ly That all the Lands as well as goods chattels of the persons from whom it grew due at the time of the Fine or Obiation first made were liable to be extended for it into whose hands soever they came by descent or grant without any suit at Law being a Debt due upon Record in the Fine and Pipe Rolls in the same manner that Debts to Jews were levyed by the King when devolved to him In the Fine Roll in the Tower Anno 17. Johan Regis m. 4 5. I find many considerable Fines and Oblations made to the King by several Persons Cities Corporations in Ireland out of which Aurum Reginae was then due and payd to the Queen in Ireland as well as in England as the Clause Roll of 33 E. 3. 〈◊〉 17. and other Records assure us though I find no Account thereof in the Pipe Rolls here From King John I descend to the reign of King Henry the 3d. his Son who being an infant scarce ten years of age when he was crowned King this Duty of Queen-gold was discontinued till his marriage of the Lady Eleanor second daughter of Raimund Earl of Province in the 20th year of his reign Anno gratia 1236. when it immediately revived and vested in her Majesty as these ensuing Records during his long turbulent reign will inform and resolve us The Red Book in the Kings Remembrancers Office in the Exchequer at Westminster records that at the Coronation of this his Queen Eleanor in the twentieth year of his reign at Westminster one John de Sanford put in his claim to be the Queens Chamberlain and that by virtue of his Office amongst other appendants thereunto belonging he ought to appoint one Clerk in the Exchequer to receive the QVEENS GOLD who ought to have 6 d. a day out of this duty for his Salary which was then deferred and disallowed afterwards as other Records assure us Which claim of his I finde thus certified out of the Red Book by the Barons of the Exchequer into the Court of Chancery and there exemplified at the request of Albred de Vere Earl of Oxford Chamberlain to King Richard the second and inserted into his Patent Anno 20 R. 2. REX omnibus ad quos c. Inspeximus c. Inspeximus etiam quandam Certificationem nobis in Cancellaria nostra per Thesaurarium Barones de Scaccario nostro de mandato nostro missam in haec verba Praetextu Brevis Regii huic Cedulae consuti scrutato Rubro Libro penes Scaccarium residente compertum est in eodem fol. viz. 232. quod Anno vicesimo Regis Henrici filii Johannis coronata fuit Regina Alienora filia Hugonis Comitis Provinciae apud Westm ubi continetur inter alia sic De praedictis Officiis nullus sibi jus vendicavit in domo Reginae excepto G. de Sanford quia veteri jure Praedecessorum suorum dixit se debere esse Camerarium Reginae Cameram Hostium ea die custodire quod ibi obtinuit habuit etiam tanquam jus suum totum lectum Reginae et Bastines et alia quae spetant ad Cameram Vendicavit etiam se debere unum Clericum in Scaccario ad exrigendum AVRVM REGINAE qui percipiet ut dicitur depraedicto AVRO qualibet die seâ— denarios pro liberatione set fuit dilatum Nos autem Transcripta Certificationem praedicta ad requisitionem dilecti Consanguinei nostri Albredi de Veer nunc Comitis Oxon. â—enore praesentium duximus Exemplificanda In cujus c. Teste Rege apud Westm quinto die Februarii Insteed of his Clerk REX 5 assignavit Laurentium de Castellis ad recipiendum et custodiendum AVRVM REGINAE ad magnum Scaccarium Regis ad respondendum inde per manum suam Et mandatum est Justiciariis ad custodiam Iudaeorum assignatis Quod AVRVM quod ipsam REGINAM continget ad Scaccarium Iudaeorum ei faciat liberari ad respondendum inde sicut praedictum est Teste Rege apud Mortelak 13 die Maii. REX Baronibus de Scaccario Mandamus vobis quatinus
per 50. Marc. et AVRVM REGINAE NOSTRAE si dare deberet 4 pro gratia nostra recuperanda et rehabenda custodiam Com. Wygorn c. REX Mand. Baronibus quod cum 5 Regina deputaberit Robertum de Thaury Clericum suum ad colligendum AURUM SUUM eadem Regina habeat Custodiam terrarum Baldewini de Insula vult mandat quod officium Camerar quod Thom. Espurun tenet in Scaccario et ad ipsam Reginam pertinet ratione praedictae Custodiae liberari faciant propter sumptus vitandos praedicto Roberto qui de utroque officio servire poterit Et ipsum Thom. Contrarotular receptae Scacarii custodire fac sicut prius facere consuevit Et Regina similiter mandat quod ex quo hoc placet Domino Regi quod Barones secundum Mandatum Domini Regis in dicto officio ipsum Robertum admittant Breve est in for Maresc PRaeceptum est Vic. Leye quod ingrediatur libertatem Com. Leicestr 5 distringat Willielmum de Quevill pro AURO REGINAE quam nuper ei abstulimus pro Transgressione sua PRaeceptum fuit Vic. London quod 5 distringerent Cives London pro AVRO REGINAE ita quod habeant denarios coram Baron die Lunae prox ante festum S. Barnabe Apostoli Quo die dicti Vic. venerunt coram Baronibus cum requisit esset ab eis an dictos denarios haberent dixerunt quod non sed quod vadia dictorum Civium ceperint et penes se habuerunt sed non invenerunt qui ipsa emerent Postea injunctum fuit eis quod ipsa vadia afferrent coram Baronibus die Martis sequent qua die venerunt et dixerunt quod fere mille homines de Civitate restiterunt eis et non permiserunt dicta vadia asportare Et cum quaereretur ab eisdem Vic. qui essent illi impeditores dixerunt quod plures Draperii Aurifabri Speciar Cordewinarum alii Ministri de Civitate sed nullum nomen exquirere voluerunt Ideo liberati fuerunt dicti Vic. Marescallo REX mandavit Bar. quod ad 3 instantiam Reginae replegiavit Majori Communitati London usque ad Octab. Sancti Hillarii proxim futur Civitatem London quam capi fecerat in manum suam pro 5 Auro praedictae Reginae quod à praedictis Majore Communitate exigitur Ita quidem quod nisi interim satisfaciant eidem Reginae pro AVRO SVO Cibitas illa extunc sit in manu sua in statu in quo tunc fuit Et quod Civitatem praedictam eis restituant sicut praedictum est cum omnibus inde perceptis à tempore captionis ejusdem Civitatis Breve est in For. Mar. Eodem die liberavit Dominus P. Lovell qui habuit Custodiam ejusdem Civitatis Majori Ballivis London 15 l. 9 s. 5 d. ob de exitibus ejusdem Civitatis MEmorand quod Robertus de Thaury 5 Clericus Dominae Reginae venit coram Baron recognovit quod Philippus Basset satisfecit eidem Dominae Reginae de Centum Marcis quas ei debuit pro AURO SUO de fine mille Marcarum quem idem Philippus fecerat cum Domino Rege 4 pro habenda Custodia filii et Haeredis Richardi de Riperiis et de una Marca quam debuit pro eodem Oe fine decem marcarum quam fecerat cum Domino Rege 4 pro habenda Wclarrenna et de 4. Marc. de fine quatuor marcarum Auri 4 pro habenda custodia REgina mand Roberto de Thaurey Archid. Bathon Clerico suo quod relaxavit Johanni de Romesy Canonico Sancti Pauli London tertiam partem 50 Marcarum quas ab eo Petro Capello quondam W. Arch. Eborum Willielmo de Bromham Vicar de Merton in Episcopatu Dunolm Executoribus quondam Richardi Dunolm Episcopi pro Auro suo de Quingentis Marcis quas dederant Domino Regi pro quodam fine quam fecerunt 4 ad habend plenam administrationem bonorum quae fuerunt ejusdem Episcopi Et vult quod residuum illarum 50 Marcarum dempta tertia parte ut praedictum est de praedictis Petro Willielmo Coexecutoribus praedicti J. plenè recuperetur de illa tertia parte praedicto J. nullam de caetero faciat executionem Breve est in Custodia praedicti Roberti REX Thes Hiberniae salutem Cum Edwardus primogenitus noster terram Hiberniae cum omnibus pertinentiis suis habeat et teneat de dono nostro adeò liberè quietè sicut eam in manu nostra tenuerimus per quod karissima filia nostra Alienora Consors dicti filii nostri AURUM SUUM tam de 4 finibus quam sponte oblatis in terra 1 Hiberniae habere debet sicut karissima Consors nostra Alienora Regina Angliae 1 AURUM SUUM habet de eisdem in regno nostro Angliae Vobis mandamus firmiter injungentes quatenus praefatae Consorti filii nostri praedicti AURUM prtediaum de Finibus et sponte oblatis et eciam de quibuscunque aliis finibus praedictis habere facias in forma praedita Et hoc nullo modo omittatis In cujus c. ELianora Dei Gratia Regina Angliae Domina Hiberniae Ducissa Aquitaniae dilectis sibi Philippo de Ey Domini Regis Thesaurario Baronibus ejusdem Domini Regis de Scaccario salutem dilectionem Sciatis quod assignavimus dilectum Clericum nostrum Johannem de Whitebergh Collectorem et Custodem AVRI NOSTRI quamdiu nobis placuerit Et ideo vobis rogamus quatinus eundem Johannem in officio suo informetis et consiium et juvamen ei prout nobis expedire videritis impendatis Ita quod vos regratiari specialiter teneamur Valete Datum apud Guldeford 30 die Junii anno regni Regis H. Domini nostri 56. From these Records of King Henry the 3d. I shall observe 1. That King Henry the 3. himself not the Queens Chamberlain who claimed this priviledge as an appendant due to his office at first appointed the Receiver and Keeper of the Queens gold both in his own Grand Exchequer and in the Exchequer of the Jewes no doubt by his Queens consent and agreement And that the Queen her self by her own Letters Patents in the latter end of his reign appointed her own Clerk to receive it without the King 2ly That Aurum Reginae was then due and payd to the Queen as well out of the Oblations and Fines of Jewes as Christians 3ly That Queen-gold was then due out of Fines made to the King for the Custody of the Lands and bodies of Wards For Licenses for Wards and the Kings Widdows to marry at their pleasure to any that were loyal to the King For grants of Warrens restitution of Lands Liberties Counties seised For licenses to Executors to have full administration of the goods of their Testators who were Tenants to the King or
endebted to him to perform their wills 4ly That the ordinary proportion of Queen-gold in King Henries reign was only one Mark to the Queen for every ten Marks to the King yet in the case of Jone Wake the Queen had one thousand Marks for the Kings nine thousand 6ly That the King himself sometimes appointed when and how the whole Ten thousand Marks as well that due to Queen as to himself should be paid at several payments into the Exchequer and that by expresse agreement when the Fine was made 6ly That the Queens gold was to be levyed by the Kings processe issued to the Sheriffs in the same manner as the Kings Fine was And that the Sheriffs of London were imprisoned by the Barons and the Liberties of the City seised into the Kings hands for their neglect in not levying it and for the Citizens riot and rescous of those pawnes they had given for it 7ly That all the Lands and goods of the parties that made the Fines which they had at the time of the Fines made were to be extended for the Queens gold as well as for the Kings Fines And that if the party failed of the last payment of the Kings Fine he was to lose all that was payd and the Custody of the Wards lands and body too for which it was payd 8ly That Aurum Reginae was due to the Queen out of all voluntary Oblations and Fines made to the King in Ireland as well as in England And that by King Henry his special grant of the Land of Ireland to his son and Heir Prince Edward in as free and ample manner as himself enjoyed it the Queen-gold there became due to the Princes wife by his special Patent to her I shall next present you with such Records concerning QUEEN-GOLD as I have found and perused in the Tower and Court of Exchequer during the reign of King Edward the 1. John de Waterele Keeper of the Aurum Reginae accruing to Queen Eleanor wife to King Henry the 3d and Mother to King Edward the 1. exacting this Duty in the Court of Exchequer after King Henries death from those who granted him the 20th part of their goods in his life-time towards the relief of the Holy Land and likewise out of the Tallages last assessed on the Kings Lands and Tenants throughout England to their great grievance upon complaint thereof to King Edward the 1. his Counsil he being then absent in the Holy Land in the first year of his reign some of them came personally into the Court of Exchequer and there openly prohibited Waterele from thenceforth to exact or receive any Gold from any upon these occasions as this Record and Memorandum in the Office of the Kings Remembrancer in the Exchequer informs us MEmorandum quod die Lunae prox ante festum Conversionis Sancti Pauli vener ad Scaccarium W. Eborum Archiepiscopus Rogerus de Mortuo mari Robertus Burnel quidam alii de Consilio Regis et inhibuerunt 5 Johanni de Waterele Custodi AVRI Alienorae Reginae matris Regis Edwardi 4 ne de caetero exigat seu capiat ab aliquo AVRVM ad opus ejusdem Reginae occasione vicesimae praedicto Regi concessae tempoâ—e H. Regis patris sui in Subsid terrae sanctae nec etiam occasione Tallagii ultimo assess per Angl. super Dominica Regis praedicti In the 3d year of King Edward the 1. Nicholas de Ely Bishop of Winchester being prosecuted in the Kings Exchequer for Queen-gold by Queen Eleanors Clerk for a Debt of 2229 l. 13 s. 1 d. due to King Henry the 3d her husband by John Gernsey his predecessor for the corn and stock of the said Bishoprick which he bought of the King upon the Kings command to the Treasurer and Barons deliverd to them by word of mouth in the Exchequer they discharged him from the payment of the said Gold by authority of the Kings command whether out of meer grace to the Bishop or because the successor Bishop was not obliged by this contract of his predecessor for this stock and corn devolved to the predecessors Executors or to the King by his decease Or because no Aurum Reginae was due in strictnesse of Law upon this bargain or emption appears not by the Record thereof entred in these words MEmorand quod die Lunae proxim post Festum Sanctorum Nerei Achillei venit Walterus de Heleni ad Scaccarium dixit Thes Baron ex parte D. Regis quod in proximo adventu Nicholai Episcopi Wint. ad idem Scaccarium absolverent eundem Episcopum de AVRO quod exigitur ab eo ad oPUS Dominae Reginae matris Domini Regis de 2229 l. 3 s. 1 d. in quibus Johannes quondam Wynton Episcopus Regi H. tenebatur 4 pro emptione bladi et instauri dicti Episcopatus Postea venit idem Episcopus ad Scaccarium praedictum et auctoritate mand praedict absolutus est de AVRO praedicto Eleanor first Queen Consort to King Edward the 1. in the 3d. year of his reign constituted Walter Kent Receiver and keeper of her gold in the Kings Exchequer whereupon she sent this Letter to the Barons to admit him to this Office without any difficulty and to advise and assist him therein when need should require as Eleanor wife to H. 3. had done before her CUM dilecto fideli Waltero de Cantia Clerico nostro terrarum tenementorum nostrorum in Anglia et Auri nostri commiserimus custodiam et exitus inde recipiend de eisdem ordinand et disponend prout nobis viderit expedire ac quaedam dictam custodiam tangentia existant quae per vos cautiorem sortire valeant effectum per quod vos rogamus affectuosè quatinus dictum Walterum ad custodiam Auri praedicti nostro nomine faciend sine aliquo diffugio recipiatis eidem in Ofeficio praedito aliis negotiis nostris coram vobis expediend quociens opus fuerit consulentes esse velitis auxiliantes precibus nostris amore Dat. apud Woodstock 26 die Decembris Anno regni Domini nostri Edwardi tertio Anno 4 E. 1. Queen Eleanor assigned Benett of Wynton a Jew to keep her Gold and dispatch her other businesse in the Exchequer for the Jews as other Jews had alwayes accustomed to do as appears by this Mandate of the King to the Barons to admit him to this office CUM karissima Consors Alienora Regina Angliae 5 assignaverit Benettum de Wynton Judaeum ad Aurum ipsius Consortis Custod ad alia negotia ipsam contingentia exequend prout alii Judaei semper hactenus facere consueverunt Rex mand eisdem quod praefat Benettum ad hoc admittant in forma praedita Teste c. This year there arising some new Controversies and doubts out of what Oblations QUEEN-GOLD ought to be paid the King and his Counsil made these resolutions therein which they
sent to the Barons of the Exchequer to be firmly observed REX mand eisdem quandam Cedulam coram se et Consilio suo super AVRO REGINAE proviso oâ—dinatam praesentibus interclusam Mandantes eisdem quod 4 ea quae super hoc provisa sunt et ordinata de caetero firmiter servari faciant c. BAronibus c. salutem Mittimus vobis quandam Scedulam coram nobis Consilio nostro super Auro Reginae proviso ordinatam praesentibus interclusam Vobis madantes quod ea quae super hoc provisa sunt ordinata de caetero firmiter observari faciatis Teste c. apud Westm 9 die Julii Tenor illius Scedulae talis est De 4 donis quae spontanea voluntate donatoâ—uis ex gratia conferuntur et contingat quod aliquis de dono proprio finem faciat non habebit Regina Aurum Si vero Papa conferat Decimam vel constâ—ilem gratiam Domino Regi et faciant inde finem vel siquis finem pro hujusmodi Decima vel Quintadecima vel Vicesima alicujus Communitatis seu patriae seu pro donis aliorum quam pro sui ipsius ibi fiat sicut fieri debet An. 5 E. 1. The Officers of Eleanor Queen Consort to King Henry the 3d. and mother of King Edward exacting Queen-gold from the Barons of the Cinque Ports for their free courteous gift of the 20th part of their goods to King Henry his Father by processe issued out of the Court of Exchequer against the King and Counsils resolution the year before contrary to all equity and right the King thereupon issued this Mandate to the Barons to discharge them thereof QVia 4 aequitati dissonum fore reputat Rex quod Barones Duinque Poâ—tuum pro curialitate quam Domino Henrico Regi fecerant de micesima bonoâ—um suoâ—um eidem Patri gratis concedenda et praestanda distringantur ad AURUM REGINAE Angliae Matri Regis praestandum occasione micesimae praedictae Rex mandat eisdem Baronibus quod Barones quinque Poâ—tuum praedictos de pecunia quae ab iis erigitur per summonitionem Scaccarii pro AURO praedicto occasione praediatae Micesimae quietos esse faciant Teste c. REX Baroâ—bus suis de Scaccario suo Dublin salutem Allocate Magistro Thomae de Cheddeworth nuper Custodi nostro Archiepiscopatus Dubl in compoto suo ad Scaccarium praedictum triginta unam libras quas per praeceptum nostrum liberavit Willielmo de Walleye Auditori compoti ejusdem Archiepiâ—copatus et 5 AURI Consoztis nostrae c. Teste meipso apud Westm 6 die Julii anno r.n. 7. By which it appears that Queen-gold was then payd to the Queen in Ireland where she had an Officer to receive and account for it In the Roll of Vasconie Anno 8 E 1. I found this Record which hath some Analogie to Queen-gold in England that the wives of all the Lords of Agen for the time being had a certain Annual summe paid unto them over and above the Lords rent and fine out of all Bayliwicks of that land sold or let to farm which the King by this Writ commanded his Steward and Receiver of the Dutchy of Aquitain to pay to his Royal Consort Eleanor Queen of England and Dutchesse of Aquitain in as ample proportion as Jone Countesse of Poictiers and Tholouse in the time of her Husband whiles the lands were in his hands and afterwards the Queen of France enjoyed it when in the hands of the Kings of France that so she might not be in a worse condition than this Countess being a Queen and Dutchesse too REX Senescallo suo in Ducatu Aquitanniae vel Receptori suo in terra Agenensi salutem Cum er antiqua consuetudine Croâ—es Dominoâ—um Agen qui pro tempoâ—e fuerunt de singulis Ballibis illius Terrae benditis seu ad fir mam traditis ab illis qui easdem Ballibas emunt belad firmam recipiunt annis singulis certam habuerunt quantitatem pecuniae Nos nolentes quod karissima Consoâ—s nostra A. Dei gratia Regina Angliae Domina Hiberniae et Ducissa Aquitaniae deteriozis conditionis eristat quam fuerunt Crores Dominoâ—um Agenen tempoâ—ibus retroactis set potius st fieri possit meliozis Hobis mandamus quod diotae Cansoâ—ti nostrae bel ejus Mandato be singulis Ball bis a tempoâ—e quo dida Terra ad manum nostram debenit benditis bel ad firmam traditis seu benditis imposterum aut tradenois tantum quantum Johanna quondam Comitissa Pictaven et Tholesena tempoâ—e birisui et postmodum illustris Reginae Franciae tempoâ—e quo ipsa terra fuit in manu Domini Regis Franciae biri sui consueberunt percipere et babere faciatis annis singulis restitui Teste Rege apud Westm 5 die Julii REX Thes Baronibus suis de Scaccario saluteâ—â— Cum nuper sexto die Januarii anno regni nostri decimo concesserimus Bonefey de Crekelade Judaeo quod de illis viginti quinque libris tresdecim solidis sex denariis per quos 4 finem fecit nobiscum pro transgressione monetae solveret nobis per annum ad Scarcarium nostrum quadraginta solidos ad duos anni terminos donec praedicta pecunia nobis plenè solveretur Aetdem Judaeus in 5 prisona nostra detineatur pro AURO karissimae Consoâ—tis nostrae Alienorae Reginae Angliae per quod pecuniam illam solvere non potest ut accepimus Nos eidem Judaeo gratiam facere volentes uberiorem concessimus eidem Judaeo quod de praedictis viginti quinque libris tresdecim solidis sex denariis solvat nobis per annum ad Scaccarium nostrum viginti solidos unam videlicet medietatem ad Scaccarium nostrum Sancti Michaelis proximo futur aliam medietatem ad Scaccarium nostrum Paschae proximo sequens sic de anno in annum ad eosdem terminos viginti solidos donec pecunia praedicta nobis plenè solvatur Et ideo vobis mandamus quod eidem Judaeo terminos illos habere sic fieri irrotulari fac T. R. apud Westm 20 die Inn. QUia Rex concessit karissimae Consorti suae A. Reginae Angliae omnes exitus finium amerciamentorum catallorum fugitivorum dampnatorum alâ—orum quorumcunque de Hundredo de Gattre in manu ipsius Consortis Regis ex concessione Domini H. Regis existente provenientes de ultimo Itinere Justic in Com. Leyc Rex mand Baron quod exitus illos per extract Scaccar levari Iohanni de Berewyke 5 Custodi Auri ejusdem Reginae ad opus ejusdem Reginae liberari fac That the Queen Debts of AURUM REGINAE and other Debts belonging to her by antient and approved Custome were by her Prerogative to be received and levyed before all other Creditors Debts in the same manner and by like Processe as the
marc pro omnibus transgr factis in tax praedictis 45 s. Coram H. de Stanton anno 17. De Priore Lanton primae de parte 40 s. de Auro Reginae de 4 fine 20 l. pro confirmatione quarundam Cartarum habenda 13 s. 4 d. Canc. anno 18. Lancastr De Roberto de Dalton de parte 10 marc de Auro Reginae atterminat ad 2 marc per annum de 4 fine 100 marc pro vita sua salvonda et terris suis rehabend 13 s. 4 d. De Willielmo Moigne de parte 20 marc atterminat ad quinque marc per annum de 4 fine 200 marc pro pardonacione habend de transgr 33 s. 4 d. Salop. De Hugone de Mortuo mari de parte 20 l. de Auro Reginae atterminat ad 40 s. per annum de 4 fine 200 l. pro vita sua salvanda et terris suis rehabendis 20 s. Canc. anno 17. Somerset Dorset De Roberto de Neweburgh de parte 10 l. de Auro suo de fine 100 l. pro vita sua salvanda et terris suis rehabend 20 s. Canc. anno 17. Salop. Staff De Philippo Barinton aliis Principal tax subtax Com. Staff de parte 34 marc de Auro Reginae de 4 fine 340 marc pro concelamento et aliis transgr factis in taxationibus praedictis 50 s. Coram J. de Stonore anno 17. De Viviano de Standon aliis pl. Willielmi de Chetilton de parte 40 s. de Auro Reginae de 4 fine 20 l. pro eodem Willielmo pro plur transgr 13 s. 4 d. De Henrico de Cressewell al. pleg Ricardi Shirard senioris Thom. sil ejusdem Ricardi fil Ricardi Shirard Willielmi fratris ejus de parte 40 s. de Auro Reginae de fine 20 l. pro eisdem pro transgressionibus 10 s. Summa ab alia summa usque hac 34 l. 12 s. 02 d. ob Summa total hujus Rotuli conjuncta 80 l. 05 s. 06 d. ob Summa total Recept Auri per totum Annum 19º 231 l. 18 s. 10 d. ob What other Sums were received for AVRVM REGINAE this year in Michaelmas and Hilary Terms I cannot yet finde out by any Records I have hitherto perused Only I read that the King this year on the 11. of January pardoned and remitted 200 〈…〉 Queen-gold due from Bogo de Clare which accrued to him by his Queens decease thus recorded in the Clause Roll in the Tower of London REX Thes Baronibus suis de Scaccario salutem Ob bonam affectionnem quam karissima Consors nostra Alienora quondam Regina Angliae erga dilectum nobis Bogonâ—m de Clare habere novimus dum vivebat pardonabimus eidem Bogoni ducentas marcas in quibus praefatae Reginae die quo obiit tenebatur pro AVRO SVO ipsam contingente de quodam 4 fine duorum milium marcarum quem idem Bogo fecit nobiscum pro quadam transgressione sibi imposita Et ideo vobis mandamus quod praedictum Bogonem de praedictis ducentis marcis quietum esse faciatis Teste Rege apud Asserugg 11 die Januarii This Bogo de Clare was committed Prisoner to the Tower of London by sentence of the King and his Counsil in the Parliament of An. 18 E. 1. for causing the Prior of St. Trinity London to serve a Citation upon Edmund Earl of Cornwall to appear before the Archbishop of Canterbury as he was passing quietly through the midst of the Kings Great Hall at Westminster to the Kings Great Counsil then held at Westminster to which he was summoned by the Kings Writ wherein no person ought to be arrested but only by the Kings Officers and which was exempted from the Archbishops Jurisdiction in manifest contempt and disgrace of the King to his damage of ten thousand pounds until he should satisfie the King for this Trespas for which he put in pledges After which he made a voluntary fine to the King for this Trespasse of 2000 marks which was accepted for payment whereof he put in pledges by the Kings precept before the Treasurer in the Exchequer for which fine he became endebted 200 marks to Queen Eleanor for her AVRVM REGINAE which accruing to the King by her death the King for her good affection to Bogo de Clare in her life-time was pleased graciously to remit it to him after her decease by the precedent Writ issued to the Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequer Anno 27 E. 1. Queen Margaret constituted a Clerk and Receiver of her Queen-gold in the Exchequer by her own Letters Patents and this Writ to the Barons MArgareta Dei gratia Regina Angliae Domina Hiberniae Ducissa Aquitaniae Omnibus ad quos praesentes literae pervenerint salutem Sciatis quod 5 commisimus dilecto Clerico nostro Johanni de Godele Custodiam AVRI nostri assignantes eundem ad Thesaurum nostrum qui ad nos sub nomine dicti Auri pertinet levand colligend et custodiend Ac omnia alia et singula faciend quae ad custodiam illam pertinent prout Custodes REGINARVM Angliae AVRI hujusmodi et Thesauri temporibus retroactis facere debuerunt et consueverunt ita quod de exitibus eorundem nobis respondeat In cujus rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus Patentes Sigillo nostro privato fignatas quamdiu nobis placuerit duraturas Dat. apud Ledes 22 die Septembris Anno regni Domini nostri Regis Edwardi 27. MArgareta Dei gratiâ Regina Angliae Domina Hybernia Ducissa Aquitan Amicis suis in Christo charissimis Thes Baron Domini Regis de Scaccario salutem Quia 5 commisimus dilecto Clerico nostro Johanni de Godleye Custodiam AVRI nostri prout in literis nostris Patentibus sibi inde confectis plenius continetur Vos rogamus quatinus in hiis quae ad Custodiam illam pertinent dictum Clericum nostrum admittatis vestrum Consilium et auxilium eidem impendentes in eisdem Bene valete Dat. apud Ledes sub privato sigillo nostro 22 die Septembris Anno regni Domini nostri Regis Edwardi 27. From these Records in the reign of King Edward the 1. I shall observe 1. That the Queen Consort during the life and likewise after the death of the King her Husband had the same prerogative and processe for the levying of her Queen-gold and other Debts out of the Lands goods and chattels of the Creditors or their pledges which they had when they first grew due into whose hands soever they came as the King himself had and used for the recovery of his own Debts in the Court of Exchequer and that her Debts ought to be levyed before any Debts due to others next after the Kings 2ly That no Aurum Reginae was due to or demanded by the Queen Mother for any Oblations or Fines made with King Edward the 1. her sonne after the decease of King Henry
her husband 3ly That the Queen by her own Patents or Writs both during the life and after the decease of the King usually constituted the Keepers and Receivers of her Queen-gold in the Exchequer whom the Barons were to counsell advise and assist upon all occasions for her advantage who were to cause processe to be issued to levy this and other her Debts and to render an annual Account of them in the Exchequer 4ly That if the Keeper of the Queen Mothers or Queen Consorts Gold or other Officers did injuriously sue or vex the Kings subjects for Queen gold where none was due by Law they were restrained prohibited and the parties discharged by the Kings and his Counsils special Orders and commands to the Barons of the Exchequer 5ly That no Queen-gold was due to the Queen for any publike Ayds Fifteenths or Tenths freely or voluntarily granted to the King out of meer grace and courtesie by the Lords or Commons in Parliament or Clergy in their Convocation or by any particular Corporations or Persons for the ayde and defence of the Holy Land or Realm nor for any Fines or Compositions for the same made by the granters and givers thereof 6ly That Queen-gold was due and payable for Fines to and voluntary compositions made with the King for Disms Quindisms and Twentieth parts granted to the King by the Pope or Parliament out of meer grace by such persons who were not parties to the grant or who made Compositions for them for Counties Corporations or other persons not for themselves alone 7ly That when new questions and doubts arose concerning this Duty of Queen-gold they were usually determined and setled for the future by the King and his Counsil and the Ordinances therein made by them were sent to the Barons of the Exchequer to be there enrolled observed executed 8ly That Queen-gold was due and payd to the Queen Consort in Ireland as well as in England where the Queen had a special Officer and Auditor to receive it 9ly That Queen-gold was due and levyed from Jewes both for their Fines Oblations Trespasses and compositions for Forfeitures as well as from Christians and that the King could not enlarge those Jewes who were imprisoned for Queen-gold without satisfaction made to the Queen or by her consent 10ly That Queen-gold was then due paid levyed for Oblations and â—â—es made to the King for trespasses in falsifying clipping or abusing his money and for all other sorts of Trespasses abuses concealments offences committed as well within or concerning the Kings Forests as without for adhaering to some Nobles against the King for licenses to appropriate Churches or to alien or give lands in mortmain to any pious religious or charitable use for pardons and saving the lives of persons convict or condemned For the restitution of lands or goods seised by or forfeited to the King for any offence breach of Covenants conditions or other lawfull causes for not going with the King beyond the Seas to his Wars when bound by tenure thereunto for respites or discharges from taking the Order of Knighthood when summoned to take it by the Kings Writs for licenses for alienation of lands held of the King in Capite to other persons for the Custody of the lands bodies and marriages of Wards for reliefs and for Charters to confirm Liberties formerly granted In the reign of King Edward the 2. these Records concerning Queen-gold are most observable the first whereof informs us what fee the Bailiff of a Liberty claimed by prescription for every distresse for Queen-gold from the parties distrained which was deemed an abuse for which his Liberty was seised IDem Vic. reddit compotum de Exitibus Libertatis quam Philippus le Lardin aliquando tenuit viz. capiend de unaquaque distr vend pro debito Regis et AVRO REGINAE in hoc Com. 32 d. qua libertate dictus Philippus abusus fuit sicut continetur in rotulo de rebus Regis recuperat in Itinere H. de Cressingham in Com. Eborum In the seventh year of King Edward the second Queen Isabel his Consort assigned John Drury to exact collect and receive her Queen-gold by this Patent ISabella Dei Gratiâ Regina Angliae Domina Hyberniae Ducissa Aquitaniae Universis ad quos praesentes Literae pervenerint salutem in Domino Sciatis quod 5 assignavimus dilectum Clericum nostrum Dominum Johannem Drury ad exigend colligend et recipiend nomine nostro quoscunque denar nobis debitos seu debendos ratione AVRI NOSTRI levand in Anglia quamdiu nobis placuerit Et ideo omnibus singulis quorum interest tenore praesentium fore duximus destinand quod eidem Johanni in praemissis praemissa contingentibus prout decet pareant intendant quousque aliud inde duxerimus ordinand In cujus testimonium has Literas nostras fieri fecimus Patentes Dat. apud Westm 11 die Octobris anno regni charissimi Domini nostri Regis Edwardi septimo In the 10th year of King Edward the 2. there happened this memorable case between Queen Margaret wife to King Edward the 1. and the Mayor Aldermen and Citizens of London about the duty of Aurum Reginae for a fine of 2000l alleged to be made to the King but denied by them in lieu of the twentieth part of all their goods upon a general Tax in Parliament of the 20th part of all mens goods given to K. Edward the 1. her deceased husband which she claimed to be due to her and other Queens by the Books Records and Memorials in the Exchequer which the King ordered to be levyed and payd without delay if it should appear to the Barons to be due by this Writ CUM nuper ex parte Majoris Aldermannorum Civium Civitatis London Regi suggerentium ipsos nuper concessisse Domino E. quondam Regi Angliae Patri Regis 2000 l. pro Vicestmis omnium bonorum ipsam Communitatem ratione Vicesimae eidem patri Regis pro Communitate Civium et Burgorum suorum Angliae tunc temporis concess contingen Ac Barones ad prosecutionem Margaretae Reginae Angliae dictos Majorem Aldermannos et Cives pro 200 l. quas eadem Reginae pro AVRO SVO in hac parte ac se asseruit pertinere reddend Ac cum iidem Major Aldermanni Cives finem per summam praedictorum 2000 l. pro Vicesima praedicta fecissent cum non fecerint per summonitionem dicti Scaccarii graviter distringi secerunt in ipsorum Majoris Aldermannorum et Civium dispendium non modicum et gravamen Rex mandavit Baronibus quod demanda quam eisdem Majori Aldermannis Civibus pro 200 l. praedict per summonitionem dicti Scaccarii fecerunt supersederi facerent quousque modo debito discussum fuisset si praedicta Regina in hujusmodi casu AURVM habere deberet necne Ac etiam ex parte dictae Reginae Regi dicto ostensum fuisset quod in Libris
Regi solvend sicut continetur inter brevia execut pro Rege de hoc Termino in Northumbr Et ad praedictum Crastinum praedictus Vic. retornavit breve mandavit quod cepit in manum dicti Domini Regis de terris catallis praedictorum hominum et pleg suorum ad valenciam 40 s. de debito praedicto Et quia praefata Regina mortua est prout superius continetur et denar praedict ad 5 Regem et non ad alium de jure pertinent Ideo idem Vic. viz. Ricardus de Horsley oneretur bersus Regem de 40 s. praedictis praetextu retorn 〈◊〉 Pasch 48 E. 3. Bristoll PRaeceptum fuit Vic. Bristoll per Breve hujus Scaccarii dat 13 die Febr. hoc anno 48. quod de bonis et catallis johannis Ken Thomae Panes Junioris Nicholai Panes Thomae de Coventre de Bristoll Johannis Castleacre Johannis Bath de Bristoll Willielmi Iageroun 5 plegâ—i praedicti Johannis Ken et de terris et ten quae sua fuerunt Anno 27 Regis nunc et postea in Balliva sua fieri faceret 56s quos debent Philippae nuper Reginae Angliae defunct de AVRO SVO de 4 fine 40l pro diversis transgressionibus conspirationibus ertorsionibus dampnis er grabaminibus super ipsum praesentatis Ita quod denar illos haberet hic in Crastino Claus Paschae hoc Termino Regi solvend sicut continetur inter Brevia executa pro Rege de hoc termino Et ad praedictum Crastinum praedictus Vic. videlicet Johannes Viell return breve Et mandaverit quod cepit in manum Regis de terris catallis Thomae Coventre Johannis Castleacre Jehannis Bathe plegii praedicti Johaennis Kenn ad valentiam 56s praedictorum Et quia praesata Regina mortua est prout superius continetur et denar praedict ad Regem et non ad alium de jure pertinent Ideo idem Vic. videlicet Johannes Viell oneretur versus Regem de 56s praedictis praetextu returni sui praedicti London PRaeceptum fuit Vicecom London per breve hujus Scaccarii dat 18 die Novembris Anno 47 Regis nunc sicut plur quod de bonis catallis Antonii de la Vale de Ast de 5 terris et ten quae sua fuerunt An. 37 Regis nunc seu postea in quorumcunque manibus eadem terr et ten tunc extiterunt in balliba sua fieri facerent 20 l. quas praefatus Antonius debuit Philippae nuper Reginae Angliae defunctae de AVRO SVO de 4 fine 200l pro diversis Custumis Regi debitis de diversis Mercandisio per ipsum in Angl. adductis et abinde eductis subtractis et concelatis unde coram Domino Rege Consilio suo fuit convictus sicut continetur in Memorand de Anno 37. Regis nunc inter Fines de Termino Sanctae Trinitatis s qui quidem denar ad Regem occasione mortis praefatae nuper Reginae sunt devâ—â—â—ti ita quod denar illos haberent hic in Crastino Sancti Hillarii hoc Termino Regi solvend sicut continetur ligula Brevium de Termino Sancti Michaelis hoc Anno 48 in London Et ad praedictum Crastinum praedict Vic. non return Breve set praedictus Antonius inventus hic in Curia 27. die Januarii hoc termino quesitum est ab eo si quid dicere sciat quare de praedictis 20l. Regi satisfacere non debeat Dicit quod ipse non habet Munimenta Memoranda sua ostendenda ad praesens pro exoneratione sua inde petens diem citra quem informari poterit inde Ideo inhibitum est ei per Barones ne recedat a Curia quousque satisfecerit Regi de praedictis 20.l vel ostenderit siquid habeat pro exoneratione sua in hac parte Et nichilominus idem Antonius praestitit corporale Sacramentum quod ipse non transibit per spacium unius Leucae extra Villam quousque satisfecerit Regi de eisdem 20l. vel ostenderit sufficiens warrantum pro exoneratione sua inde In Magno Rotulo Scaccarii de Anno Quinquagesimo Regis Edwardi 3. in Item Eborum in Custod Clerici Pipae reman inter alia continetur ut sequitur Anno 50 E 3. Philippus Darcy frater haeres Johannis Darcy filii haeredis Johannis Darcy fil haer Johannis Darcy le Piere reddit Compotum de 42 marc 6s 8d in quibus cognovit se velle onerari versus Regem in exonerationem praedicti Johannis Darcy le Piere de quodam debito de 100 marc de AVRO REGINAE viz. de quodam 4 fine mille marcarum pro maritagio Jacobi le Botiller Comitis D'ormond habendo sicut continetur in Memorand de Anno 49 Regis hujus inter Record de Termino Hillar In Thesauro liberavit per dictum Philippum Et quietus est Thomas Preston Vic. 6s 8d de quodam debito 20s quos debuit Philippae nuper Reginae Angliae de AVRO SVO de 5 fine 10l pro maritag Feliciae filiae et unius haered Hug. de Mussinden habend sicut continetur de Anno 44 Regis hujus inter Record de Termino Paschae Thomas de Preston Vic. 40d de bon cat Thom. de Brauncestre Agnet ux ejus de AVRO REGINAE de 4 fine 10l pro maritag Feliciae filiae et unius haered Hugo de Mussynden habendo sicut continetur in Memorand de Anno 45. inter Record de Termino Sancti Mich. From these Records during the reign of King Edward the 3d. to which more might be added had I leisure to peruse all the Records in his reign extant in the Treasuries of the Exchequer at Westminster I shall observe 1. That the Queen Mother and Queen Consort in the reign of King Edward the 3d. by their Letters Patents constituted their own Clerks Attorneyes and Receivers in the Court of Exchequer to demand levy recover and receive their Queen-gold and other their Debts to their uses 2ly That Queen-gold was due unto the Queen Consort by Law and Custom out of all Oblations and Fines to the King in any of the Kings Courts in the Land of Ireland in the same and in as ample manner as it was in England yea leviable recoverable by the self-same Writs Processe in the Exchequer as the Kings own debts were and to be levyed before the debts due to any other Creditors 3ly That King Edward the 3. as our other Kings by his Writs and Mandates to his Treasurers Barons and other Officers took special care that his Queen Mother and Queen Consort might speedily and effectually recover their Aurum Reginae from all sorts of Oblations and Fines in all their Courts in England and Ireland out of which it ought to be paid because the defrauding the Queen of this Duty and Prerogative was not only a dishonor but a disinheriting to the King himself 4ly That
in doubtfull cases concerning this duty the Barons of the Eschequer principally grounded their Judgements Resolutions and Certificates to the King concerning it upon the words of Gervasius Tilberiensis recorded in the Red and Black Books of the Exehequer to which they had reourse as to an ancient Statute Ordinance for that Court as they stiled and reputed it which they were obliged to observe in such controversies 5. That upon the Queen Mothers or Queen Consorts deaths all the Debts and arrears of Queen-gold due to either of them by the Law of the Realm and Kings Prerogative accrued devolved to the King then reigning and to none else who recovered demanded levyed received the same in his Court of Exchequer and disposed thereof as his own proper Debts 6ly That Queen-gold was then demanded levyed out of the Lands and Tenements of the parties from whom it was due which they had at the time of their making of the Oblations and Fines to the King into whose hands soever they came by descent or assignment And out of their goods chattels and the lands goods and chattels of their Pledges or Sureties if the principal Debtors had none out of which it might be levyed 7ly That Sheriffs Bailiffs of Liberties and Receivers of this Duty were obliged to levy pay and account to the Queen in the Exchequer for what ever Queen-gold they were charged to levy by Writs directed to them within their respective Bayliwicks when they there accounted to the King for his Debts levyed and were enjoyned by the Barons not to depart out of the Court till they had accounted and agreed with the Queen for the same That they were attached imprisoned fined for their neglects and contempts in not serving returning the Writs or not levying paying in the moneyes charged by them to the Queen or not accounting for the same in manner as in cases of the King and not discharged till the Queen was satisfied or further day given them by the Queens Attornies consent and acknowledgement in open Court 8ly That Queen-gold was then payd recovered received as due by Law and Custom for all Oblations or Fines to the King for grants of the Lands bodyes or mariages of Wards for licenses of alienations of lands rents or appropriation of Churches Advowsons in mortmain for licenses of alienation of lands in Capite from one person to another for the Temporalties of Archbishopricks Bishopricks Monasteries during their vacancies Fines for Ransoms or pardons of all sorts of Trespasses offences against the Peace capital or criminal Fines for Reliess for Licenses to marry for Grants or Confirmations of Charters of Franchises Liberties for Fines for discharge of Hoblars and other Souldiers And for pecuniary Compositions or Fines made by Corporations for Disms Quindisms Subsidies out of goods and chattels in specie not specially exempted from it by those Acts of Parliament whereby they were granted to the King 9ly That no Queen-gold is due out of publike Aydes and Subsidies voluntarily granted to the King in Parliament when paid in specie or compounded for by any particular person that ought to pay them nor for the grant of the Wardship or marriage of Wards where the Wards die soon after and the grantees receive no benefit by reason of the Wards sudden deaths 10ly That Queen-gold shall not be doubly paid upon a double Recognizance or Security for one and the same Fine given to the King by the same person and his pledges though there be some variance in the Name The reign of King Richard the 2d furnisheth us with these observable Records concerning Aurum Reginae An. 5 R. 2. MEmorand quod praeceptum fuit Vicecomitibus London Midd. per breve hujus Scaccarii dat 12. die Julii hoc anno quinto quod de terris catallis Thomae Saundford Adae Yedding Thoma de la Lodelowe de Com. Surr. Adae de Hadham in Balliva sua fieri faciat 704l 6s 8d de remanen 750 l. de AVRO REGINAE as the Marginal Note thereof resolves us quas iidem Thomas Adam Thomas Adam in Curia Domini Edwardi nuper Regis Angliae Avi Regis hujus coram Baronibus de Scaccario 9. die Junii anno regni sui quinto recognovit se quemlibet eorundem in solidum debere Philippae nuper Reginae Angliae defunct quas ei solvisse debuerunt ad terminos dudum praeteritos prout Domino Regi constat per inspectionem Rotulorum hujus Scaccarii ei non solverint qui quidem denar 5 ad manum Domini Regis Avi occasione mortis praefatae nuper Reginae fuerunt devoluti et jam ad manum Regis hujus per mortem diti Regis Avi devolvuntur Ita quod denarios illos haberent hic in crastino Sancti Michaelis hoc termino Regi solvend sicut continetur inter Brevia execut pro Rege hoc Termino Et ad praedict Crastinum praedicti Vicecom retornaverunt breve mandarunt quod ceperunt in manum Domini Regis de terris catallis praedictor Thomae Saunford Adae Yeddyng in balliva sua ad valenciam 10 s. de debito praedicto Et quod praedicti Thomas de Lodelowe Adam de Hadham nichil c. Et quia praefata Regina mortua est prout superius continetur et denarii praediti ad Regem et non ad alium de jure pertinent Ideo eidem Vic. viz. Walterus Deget Willielmus Kingeston onerentur de 10 s. versus Regem de 10 s. praedict praetextu returni sui praedict MEmorand quod praecept suit Vic. Glouc. per breve hujus Scaccarii dat 8. die Novemer anno quarto Regis nunc sicut pluries quod de bonis catallis Thomae Moigne de terris ren quae sua fuerunt anno regni Dom. E. â—nuper Regis Angliae Avi Regis hujus 38 seu postea in 5 quorumcunque manibus eadem terrae tenementa tunc existerent in balliva sua fieri faceret 74 s. 4 d. ob de remanentia 4 l. 14s 10 d. ob quaâ— dictus Thomas debet Philippae nuper Reginae Angl. defunctae de AVRO SVO de 4 fine 47 l. 8 s. 3 d. pro maritagio haeredum Adae de Bromhull Roberti Robelkyn Willielmi Malefant infra aetatem in misericordia Domini Regis Avi existentium havend qui quidem denar ad manum dicti Dom. Regis per mortem praefatae nuper Reginae fuerunt devoluti jam ad 5 manum Regis nunc per mortem dicti Regis Avi devolvuntur Ita quod denarios illos hic haberet in crastino Sancti Michaelis hoc Termino Regi solvendos sicut continetur inter brevia execut pro Rege de hoc tempore Et ad praedict Crastinum praedict Vic. returnavit breve Et mandavit quod cepit in manum Regis de bonis catallis praedicti Thomae Moigne ad valenciam 74 s. 10 s. ob
et non de sponte oblatis Consideratum est de assensu Thesaurarii Angliae quod praedict W. de Asthorp de 100 l. praedictis eroneretur et quietus eristat praetextu praemissorum Salbo semper actione Regis st alias inde loqui voluerit 20 R. 2. REX c. fieri facias de bonis catallis Johannis Crumhall 13 s. 4 d. quos debuit Philippae nuper Reginae Angliae de AURO SUO de quodam 5 fine 10 marcarum quem ipse secit pro duabus falsitatibus de quibus convictus fuit in Scaccario Edwardi nuper Regis Angliae 5 Abi nostri charissimi Anno regni dicti Avi nostri 12. Qui quidem denarii ad manus dicti Avi nostri per mortem dictae nuper Reginae fuerunt devoluti jam per mortem dicti Avi ad nos devolvuntur Et denarios illos habeas apud c. From these Records of King Richard the 2. I shall observe 1. That the arrears of Queen-gold due to King Edward the 3d by the decease of Queen Philip devolved by his death to his successor and grandchild King Richard the 2. by vertue of his Prerogative and to none other 2ly That it was due for Fines for the Custody of the Lands bodies and marriages of the Kings Wards of which duty right the King would not suffer his Queen to be deprived at the Petition of the Commons in Parliament for fines for alienations of Advowsons and Lands in Mortmain Confirmations of Lands and Archdeaconries in Ireland Fines for deceipts or frauds But not for fines certain imposed by Judgement of the Court upon Offenders against the parties will or consent 3ly That all Lands and Tenements which the parties had at the time when this Debt to the Queen first accrued by reason of their fine to the King were liable to be extended for it in whose hands soever they came 4ly That Sheriffs were to levy and account for it to the King and Queen in the same manner as they did for the Kings other Debts and were ordered not to depart the Court till they had accounted for or paid in all the moneyes they had levyed for this duty by the Kings Writs and were attached and fined for their contempts in departing from the Court before they accounted for or paid what they had levyed for this duty to the Queen The Principal Records concerning Queen-gold during the reign of our next King Henry the 4. I have yet discovered are these ensuing SImon Ocle Prior Prioratus de Barnstaple venit coram Baronibus hu jus Scaccarii modo in crastino Clausi Paschae hoc termino queritur se grahiter diffrictum esse per Vicecomitem Devon pro sexdecim marcis de eo Conventu suo ad opus Dominae Johannae Reginae Angliae exactis de AVRO SVO de quodam 4 fine Centum et ser Librarum tresdecim solidorum et quatuor denariorum quem praefata Regina asserit se Conventum suum fecisse cum Domino Rege 4 pro licencia concedendi eisdem Prioiri et Conventui quod ipsi et successores sui sint quieti et exonerati imperpetuum de fine firma subsidio et apporto et omnibus aliis oneribus impositionibus et demandis quae de ipsis tanquam alienig possint demandari in augmintationem divini servicii pro dicto Domino Regi et progenitoribus haeredibus et successoâ—ibus suis inibi faciend Et praefatus Prior dicit quod ipse pro AURO REGINAE in hoc casu minus juste distringitur quia dicit quod AURUM REGINAE per legem Ierrae levari non debet nisi solummodo de finibus et rebus Domino Regi sponte oblatis Sed dicit quod pra dicta summa Centum et ser Libâ—arum tresdecim solidorum et quatuor denariorum praedictorum in casu praedicto non est finis sponte oblatus Domino Regi in quo casu per legem Terrae dicta Domina Regina AURUM SUUM erigere non debet ac Vnde petit judicium et quod districtio praedicta versus eum cesset â—c What the issue of this Plea was I cannot yet discover but in all probability it was over-ruled against him for the Queen being such a Priviledge Liberty and Exemption for which others usually payd Queen-gold without any such plea or dispute which would totally elude this Duty Inter Communia de Termino Paschae Anno 13 H. 4. post Conquest Rot. 3. ex parte Remem Regis there is this memorable Record concerning Queen-gold DOminus Rex mandavit hic breve suum de magno Sigillo suo quod est inter Communia de hoc Termino Rot. 3. in haec verba Henricus Dei gratiâ Rex Angliae Franciae Dominus Hiberniae Thes Baronibus de Scaccario salutem Cum ad Reginas Angliae pro tempore existentes de 1 quolibet fine decem marcas attingen temporibus Progenitorum nostrorum quondam Regum Angliae facto unam marcam de viginti marcis duas marcas de centum marcis decem marcas et de majori majus et de minori minus et de quolibet fine decem marcas bel amplius attingen percipiend de illo qui buiusmodi finem facit ultra finem illum nobis solut vel solvend vocat AURUM REGINAE habere pertineat prout tam per Rubrum librum Scaccarii praedicti quam compota Thes et Generalium Receptorum Reginarum praedictarum in Scaccario praedicto residen plenius apparet de Recordo prout sumus informati Ac carissima Consors nostra Regina id quod ad eam pertinet de certis finibus in Camera nostra factis nisi fines illi coram vobis in Scaccarium praedict mittantur de Recordo consequi non potest ut est dictum Nos nolentes eidem Consorti nostrae iusticiam differri in hac parte quandam Cedul de diversis pecuniarum summis de dictis 4 finibus in Camera nostra ut praedictum est factis in quodam brevi nostro de Privato sigillo in Cancellar nostram per nos missam cujus quidam Cedulae tenor una cum dicto brevi in dicta Cancellaria nostra remanet de Recordo vobis mittimus sub pede sigilli nostri Mandantes quod inspectis libro Compotis cedula praedictis ulterius ad prosecutionem praefatae Consortis nostrae pro â—albacione juris sui in hac parte fieri fac prout de jure et secundum legem et consuetudinem regni nostri Angliae fuerit â—aciend Teste meipso apud Westm 27 die Aprilis Anno regni nostri 13. Per breve de privato sigillo Et tenor Cedul de quo fit mentio superius in brevi sequitur in haec verba Memorand de finibus fact in Camera Domini H. Regis Angliae Franciae quarti Annis regni sui quinto sexto septimo octavo nono decimo
executione inde ad opus Reginae faciend Memorand quod idem breve irrotulatur inter brevia directa Baron de Termino Paschae Anno 13 Regis Henrici quarti Rot. 13. in dors Ibid. Trin. Rot. 15. De F. R. allocat de quadam Summa AURI quod W. F. satisfecit c. From these Records of King Henry the 4th I shall observe 1. That Queen-gold was an ancient duty belonging to our Queen Consorts by the Lawes and Custom of England for the due levying whereof King Henry was very zealous out of his affection to his Queen 2. That it was due out of every fine amounting to the summe of 10. marks or more made to the King at and from the time that the fine was made and recorded and that the proportion of it was one Mark for every ten Marks and ten pound for every hundred pound Fine or Oblation 3ly That it was charged ascertained and levyed as a Debt upon Record by the Extracts of the Fines in the Chancery or before the Justices in Eyre and other Courts of the King certified into the Court of Exchequer 4ly That the Red Book Records and Accounts in the Exchequer were the best and surest Directions to shew for what Oblations and Fines it was due and how to be levyed 5ly That it was then due and levyed for Fines for licenses of alienation of Lands Tenements and Appropriations of Churches in mortmain for Wardships granted for mariages of Wards during their minority of the Kings Widows for Charters Liberties and Exemptions to Monasteries Cities and Corporations for Fines for breaches of the Peace concealments of goods forfeited to the King from Merchants for transporting Wools stealing Customs and other misdemeanors Fines for Writs and Inquisitions for exemptions from Fee-farms Subsidies Aydes Impositions levying and collecting Disms when granted by the Clergy or Laity for redemption restitution of Lands or goods forfeited to the King for Pardons of any offences for ransoms of Prisoners taken in the Wars and for a Fine for a Charter of the Isle of Man In the reign of King Henry the 5. I finde this Patent of Queen Jone constituting Geoffrey Paynell to be her Treasurer and Receiver General of all her Seigneuries rents monies profits issues emoluments whatsoever both in England Wales or elsewhere wherein Queen-gold was included though not particularly expressed as in the Patents of some other precedent and succeeding Queens IOhanne par la Grace de Dieu Royne Dengleterre de Fraunce Dame Dirlaunde A tous ceux qui cestes nouz lettres verront ou orront salut Sachez nouz 5 aboir fait ordene et constitut nostre chier et bon ame Escuper Geffray Paynell nostre Tresorer et Resceyvour Generale be touz noz deniers provenaunts sibien de touz noz Seigneuries terres tenemens rentz Feefarms customes apportz pensiouns annuities profres issuez emolumentz qe conques en Angleterre Gales et parailleurs come de tous autres proffitz a nous en aultre manere queconque duez assignez et on apres a estre assignez Renduit a nous due accompt de tout ce qil resceyvera en son dite office chescun an preignaunt rescevaunt annuelment pur le dit office tieux fees gages regardez sicome Sire Johan Tabbay nadgairs nostre Tresorer et Resceyvour General qui Dieu perdount pur mesme l'office affaire prist resceut qe y son accompt a luy sont allouez Mandaniz chargeantz a touz nos Fermers Bailiffs Officers Ministres Tenantz et Subgiz quiconqes prions a tous altres as queux affrert qe a nostre dit Iresorer et Resceivour General enfaisant le dit office ils soient apparantz entendantz respoignantz aidantz conseillantz obeiantz en due manere Avantz forme estable tout ce qe nostre dit Tresourer et Resceibour General pour nous in nostre noune pour nostre proffiâ— face ou serra en apres en l'office avantdit Et evoultre sachez nouz pour certaines causes nous moignauntz avoir ordene constitut le susdit Geffray nostre Garderober A avoire et occupyer mesme l'office si entirement et en meisme la manere come nostre treschier bon ame Escuyer Nichola Alderwyche lavoit a occupia rendaunt a nos due accompt annuelment de touz les deniers pur luy employez despenduz en l'office avauntdit preignant par an pour meisme l'office tiel regarde come per nous de l'advys de nostre conseil lui serra ordeine En tesmoignance de quelle chose nous avoms faite faire cestez noz letres Patentz adurer a nostre pleiser volente Don dessoubz nostre Grand Seal a nostre Manoir de Langley le 28 jour de Septemb. l'an du Regne de mon treshonour Seigneur filz le Roy Henr. le quint puis le Conquest tierce Mr. Hackewill in his Treatise of Queen-gold hath made a brief reference to 5 H. 5. Rot. 29. ex parte Rem Regis in Scac. to prove that the arrears of Queen-gold due to the Queen accrue to the present or succeeding King by her decease but I can yet find no such Record in that year upon search of the Rolls there of In the Reign of King Henry the 6. I only yet find these Writs of the King and Letters Patents of his Queen Consort Margaret constituting John Croke and William Essex Clerks of her Writs and Attornyes in the Exchequer to exact and demand her Queen-gold and other duties and to prosecute and defend her suits actions there and what else belonged to their offices HEnri par la grace de Dieu Roy c. As Barons de nostre Eschequier saluz Come nostre tresentierement bien ame 5 la Royne nostre Compaigne ait ordenne et constitute no bien amez Johan Croke et William Essex Clercs de ses briefs en nostre Eschequier a Westm et ses Attournees illoeques pour demander et exiger L'OK appelle L'OK de la ROYNE et autres choses faire exercer continnez es lettres de nostre dicte compaigne sur se factes soubz son Signet Dont le tenour censuist Marguerete par la grace de Dyeu Royne Dengleterre et de France Dame Dirlande a tous ceulx qui ycestes noz lettres verront on orront salutz Sachiez nous avoir ordenne constitute noz chiers serviteurs Johan Croke William Essex noz Clercs de nor briefs en L'eschequier nostre tresredoubte Souveraign Seignior le Roy à Westm et noz attornes illeoqes â—â—bien pour demander et exiger nostre OK appelle le OK de la ROYNE come a poursuir et defendre en tous plees et querelx pour nous et encontre nous moebes on desire moeves en meisme L'eschequer et auxi a faire tout ce que alesdit offices raisonnablement appertient A avoir et occupier les avant ditz offices
praefatae Reginae centum solidorum Et hoc offert c. Et praedictus Robertus Radclyff per praedictum Attornatum suum praesens c. petit auditum Billae praedictae et ei legitur c. Qua audita per praedictum Attornatum nichil dicit in barram et exclusionem dict Actionis praefatae Reginae Et super hoc eadem Regina ex quo supradict nuper Vic. nichil dicit in barram et exclusionem dictus Attornatus praedict Reginae petit judicium suum in praemissis et debitum suum praedictum una cum dampnis suis praedictis sibi in hac parte adjudicari c. Super quo visis praemissis per Barones praedictos habitaque inde deliberatione pleniori inter eosdem consideratum est per eosdem Barones quod praedicta Regina recuperet versus praefat nuper Vic. debitum suum praedict quatuor librarum et decem et nobem solidorum praedict et dampna sua praedicta tam occasione injustae detentionis debiti illius quam pro misis custagiis et expensis suis circa sectam suam praedictam in hac parte appositarum taxata per eosdem Barones ad tresdecem solidos et quatuor denarios Quae quidem summae in toto se attingunt ad summam quinque librarum duodecim solidorum et quatuor denariorum quod praedictus nuper Vic. sit in misericordia Domini Regis c. From this Record and the precedent Writs of King Edward the fourth I shall observe 1. That Queen-gold was payd for every Fine and Oblation amounting to 10 Marks and upwards after the rate and proportion of one mark to the Queen for every 10 marks due or payd to the King and that all the Goods and Chattels of the parties who made the Fines in their own hands or in their Executors or Administrators and all their Lands and Tenements at the time of the Fine or after into whose hands soever they came were liable and extended to satisfie this Duty to the Queen 2ly That the goods chattels lands and tenements of the pledges for the Fine were liable to and extended for Queen-gold as well as the parties who made the Fine and that it was levyed by special Writs directed to Sheriffs who were to levy and be accountable to the Queen for the monies levyed by them for this duty and obliged to satisfie them before they departed out of Court in the selfsame manner as they were to levy account for satisfie the Kings own debts and were liable to actions and dammages to the Queen if they detained her Gold when levyed 3ly That Aurum Reginae was due to the Queen for Fines for licenses to alien Lands held of the King in Capite to other persons for licenses to alien Lands in mortmain to Chantries Gilds Fraternities and other Corporations Civil or Ecclesiastical for appropriations of Churches or Chappels for Fines for alienating Lands in Capite or mortmain without license for the Custody of the bodies lands and mariages of Wards for fines for grants and confirmations of antient Kings Charters of Lands or Liberties granted to Monasteries Bishops Deans Chapters other Corporations and to particular persons for Fines for indenizations of Aliens Custodies of the Temporalties of Abbyes and Bishopricks during their vacancies for marying the Kings Wards or Widdowes without his precedent license For fines for not receiving the Order of Knighthood upon Writs of Summons for Fines or Compositions for all sorts of Trespasses of Jurymen attainted for false Verdicts and Breaches of the Peace For Fines for Original Writs as of Assise and Novel Disseisin Writs of Concord or Covenant to levy Fines or suffer Common Recoveries of Manors Lands Tenements conveyed to others in which last sort of Writs it is observable that where several Writs of Concord and Covenant were sued forth for divers Mannors Lands or Tenements lying in several Parishes or Counties whereof one Fine or Recovery only was to be levyed or suffered though the Fine for every of these Writs severally considered amounted not to ten marks yet if they all conjoyned did arise to the sum of ten marks or upwards Aurum Reginae was paid for them all conjunctively either because they amounted but to one Concord or because one Fine only was imposed on them all in the Fine Office wherein they differ from the Fines of all other Writs 4ly That the extracts of Fines for Trespasses Offences Misdemeanors of all sorts Writs of Assise Concord and Covenant transmitted by the Kings Justices out of his other Courts into the Exchequer and Fines in the Court of Exchequer being Records were a sufficient charge and warrant to the Queens Clerks Officers and Barons of the Exchequer to issue forth Writs of Fieri facias and Extents to Sheriffs to levy the Queens gold arising out of them according to the proportion of one mark for every ten marks due to the King and did bind the goods chattels lands and tenements of the parties and their Sureties towards the payment thereof from the time the Fines were first made and recorded Before I proceed to the reigns of our succeeding Kings I thought fit to present you with some Antiquities and Records concerning this Duty of Aurum Reginae in the reigns of Henry the 2. Edward the 1 3. Richard 2. and Henry the 6. according to their Antiquities omitted in their proper Chronological series in the premised printed sheets because lately discovered upon my further search of Records and Antiquities at Westminster since the first sheets were committed to the Presse Jocelinus de Brakelande a Monk of the Abbey of St. Edmunds Bury in Suffolke flourishing in the reign of King John qui res gestas sui Coenobii libro accuratè Scripto perstrinxerit as Johannes Balaeus records in his life in his Chronicon Coenobii Sancti Edmundi Buriensis the Manuscript whereof I perused in Sir John Cottons Library hath this memorable passage concerning a Golden Cup of the value of 100 marks given to Queen Alianor wife of King Henry the 2. by the Abbot in lieu of her Queen-gold due by the Custome of the Realm for a fine of 1000 marks given to King Henry for the Manor of Mindenhale which she restored to the Monastery and afterwards redeemed for 100 marks when pawned by the Monastery towards the redemption of King Richard the 1. and bestowed it on them again for the soul of King Henry her husband upon condition never to alienate it Upon which account King Richard the 1. refused to take 500 and demanded received 1000 marks for the new grant of this his Manor to that Monastery His own words I transcribed out of cap. 24. are these Abbas optulit Regi Rich. 1. quingentas marcas pro Manerio de Mindenhale dicens illud Manerium 60 libr. 10. pro tanto esse collatum in magna Rolla de Wincestre Cum it a spem voti sui concepisset cepit res dilationem usque in
and other Debts and profits belonging to her as himself and his Officers had and enjoyed as his Father King Henry had granted her the like priviledge before in his life-time HENRICVS Dei gratia Rex Angliae Franciae Dominus Hiberniae Thesaur Baronibus suis de Scaccario qui nunc sunt vel qui pro tempore fuerint salutem Ex parte Johannae Reginae Angliae nobis extitit intimatum quod cum Dominus H. nuper Rex Angliae Pater noster defunctus per Breve suum sub Magno Sigillo suo nuper mandaverit tunc Thes Baronibus suis de Scaccario quod omnia negotia querelae et agenda dictam Reginam tangentia occasione terrarum tenementorum firmarum feod Franches et Libertat eidem Reginae in dotem seu alias ad terminum bitae suae per Abum nostrum concessarum ac ratione AVRI et aliarum rerum suarum coram tunc Thes Baron in Scaccario praedicto deducta auditura expedita essent sicut propria negotia Patris nostri supradicti quod Ballivi Officiarii Ministri quicunque praedictae Reginae Feodor Franches Libertat praedict in omnibus quae ad officia negotia sua pertinerent necnon debitares AVRI et omnium aliorum denar seu sâ—mar praedictae REGINAE debit ut proprii Debitores ipsius Patris nostri ibi deducti essent et pertractati prout per irrotulament Brevis praedicti inter Memorand ejusdem Scaccarii plenius continetur prout in diversis Recordis ejusdem Scaccarii tempore Dominae Isaebellae nuper Reginae Angliae in Viduitate sua post mortem Domini E. nuper Regis Angliae Progenitoris nostri est compertum nobis est supplicatum ut eidem Reginae pro majori quiete et celeriori levatione denar et deditorum suorum quorumcunque Breve sub magno Sigillo nostro quod omnia negotia querelae Actiones etdemandae praefatae Reginae tangen tam occasione Castrorum Maneriorum Villarum Dominiorum Reddit terrarum tenementorum firmarum feod firmarum Custodiarum terrarum maritagiorum Custodiarum Prioratuum alienig firmar appor Prioratuum alienig parvarum magnarum Custumarum Franchesiarum Libertat aliarum rerum possessionum quarumcunque eidem REGINAE in dotem seu alias ad terminum vitae suae concessarum vel assign concedend seu assignand quà m occasione AURI aliarum denariorum firmarum feod firmarum et debitorum quorumcunque prafat Reginae de tempore praedicti Patris nostri debitorum coram vobis una cum executione eorundem per Iudicium seu Mandat proprium ut propria negotia nostra quod Ballivi Officiarii Ministri Reginae praedict Cur. Castrorum Maner Villarum Dominiorum praedictorum in hiis quae ad eorum officia pertinent Ac debitores ejusdem REGINAE AVRI praedicti denar firmarum feod firm reddit appor aliorum debitorum quorumcunque eidem Reginae debita debend in Scaccario praedicto durant vita ejusdem Reginae tanquam Ballivi Officiar et Ministri ac debitores nostri deducantur audiantur pertractantur et expedientur omnimodo dignaremur Nos supplicationi praedict annuentes Vobis mandamus quod omnia negotia querelas actiones et demand praefatam Reginam tangen tam occasione Castrorum Maner Villarum Dominiorum reddituum terr ten firm feod firm Custodiarum terr et maritag Custod terrarum et appor Priorat alienig parbarum et magnarum Custum Franches Libertatum et aliarum rerum et possessionum quorumcunque eidem Reginae in dotem seu alias ad terminum vitae suae concess vel assign concedend seu assignand quam occasione AVRI denar firmar feod firm reddit appor et aliorum debitorum quorumcumque eidem REGINAE ut praedictum est debit et debend Ac etiam Ballivos Officiar Ministros ejusdem Reginae Castrorum Maner Villarum Dominiorum praedict in hiis quae ad officia sua pertinent tanquam Ballivos Officiar et Ministros nostros proprios necnon debitores AVRI REGINAE praedicti Ac denariorum firmar feod firmar reddit appor et aliorum debitorum praefatae Reginae quorumcunque ut praedictum est debit et debend coram vobis in Scaccario praedicto ut debitores nostros proprios quamdiu nobis placuerit deduci audiri pertractari et expediri fac Teste meipso apud Westm. quinto die Decembris Anno regni nostri quinto Per Concilium What effects this Writ produced appears by the premised Recognition of Thomas Dokes In the Records of King Henry the 7th in the Exchequer I have hitherto met with little of moment concerning Queen-gold but only this memorable Patent of his Queen Consort Elizabeth to Edmund Chaderton Clerk constituting him Receiver General of all her Lands Revenues Annuities Rents and Fee-farms and likewise of her Queen-gold signified to the Barons by Thomas Earl of Ormond her Chamberlain MEmorandum quod Thomas Comes Ormond Camerar Dominae Reginae Angliae venit coram Baronibus hujus Scaccarii 12 die Julii hoc Termino in propria persona sua exhibuit Curiae hic 5 quasdam Literas Patentes praefat Dominae Reginae Edmundo Chadderton Clerico de Officio generalis Recept ipsius Reginae confect petens ex gratiâ Cur. literas illas irrotulari Barones illos irrotulari praeceperunt in haea verba scilicet Elizabetha Dei Gratiâ Regina Angliae Franciae Domina Hiberniae Omnibus ad quos praesentes Literae nostrae pervenerint salutem Sciatis quod nos de gratia nostra speciali ac de fidelitate circumspectione et industria dilecti fidelis Capellani nostri Edmundi Chaderton Clerici plenius confident 5 Constituimus et Ordinavimus ipsum Edmundum Generalem Receptorem nostrum omnium Castrorum Honorum Dominiorum Maneriorum Terrae Ten. Reddit Firm Feod Firmarum Annuitat AVRI vocat Quene Gold ac aliarum Commoditat nostrarum quarumcunque nobis pertinen seu spectan jam in manibus nostris existen quae ad manus nostras imposterum devenient Et ulterius officium Generalis Receptoris nostri praedict praefato Edmundo damus et concedimus per praesentes Ac etiam volumus tenore praesentium Authoritatem damus et concedimus praefato Edmundo dimittend approvand omnia praedict Castra Honores Dominia Maneria Terr Ten. ac caetera praemissa cum pertinentiis ad manus nostras ad proficuum commodum nostrum ad constituend deputand ordinand omnes officiarios pro Receptione omnium singulorum denarâ— nobis debit imposterum debend de Exit Recept dictorum Castrorum Honorum Dominiorum Maneriorum Terr Ten. ac caeterorum antedictorum secundum suam discretionem prout sibi melius videbitur pro nostris commodo et proficuis ac de Recept suis acquietan nomine suo dand sigilland Habend tenend occupand officium praedictum à festo Sancti Michaelis Anno
de 4 quodam fine 48 l. nobis solut in Hanaperio nostro pro licentia habenda quod ipsi cum quaedam Cantaria perpetua de uno Capellano perpetuo divina singulis diebus in dicta Ecclesia beatae Mariae Sarum ad Altare Sanctarum Reliquiarum ubi corpus dicti Gilberti humatum existit juxta ordinationem Executorum praedictorum in hac parte faciend imperpetuum celebratur facta stabilita fuerit praefat Capellan Cantariae praedictae dare possint et concedere Manerium de Westhawe cum pertinentiis in dicto Com. Wiltes Habend sibi et successoribus suis Capellanis Cantariae illius imperpetuum ad manum mortuam Ita quod denar c. ad diem praedictum praefatae Consorti nostrae c. T. c. per Orig. Rotulo 75. De bonis et catallis c. Magistri Richardi Andrew Decani Ecclesiae Cathedral beati Petri Eborum Johannis Pakenham Clerici Willielmi Poteman Clerici Johannis Gyburgh Clerici et Richardi Pigott unius servient nostrorum Michaelis de Magna Ricot in Com. Oxon habend sibi et successoribus suis Capellanis Ecclesiae sive Capellae illius imperpetuum ad manum mortuam Ita quod denar c. in crastino Sancti Michaelis dicto Anno 14 praefatae Consorti c. Teste c. per Warr. praedictum Rotulo praedicto De bonis et catallis terris et tenementis Decani et Capituli Ecclesiae Cathedralis beatae Mariae Sarum in Com. praedicto in dicta Balliva tua fieri fac 26 s. 8 d. quos debent c. de AVRO SVO de 4 quodam fine 20 marc nobis solut in Hanaperio nostro pro licentia habend quod ipsi liberam Capellam suam infra Maner de Sumer in Com. praedicto scituat sibi et successoribus suis ac Ecclesiae praedictae appropriare valeant et eandem Capellam sic appropriat tenere possint sibi et successoribus suis in proprios usus imperpetuum ad manum mortuam Ita quod denar c. in Octabis Sancti Michaelis dicto Anno 14. praefatae Consorti nostrae c. T. c. per Warr. praedictum Rotulo praedicto REX Vicecomit salutem De bonis et catallis terris et tenementis Roberti Booth et Matildae uxoris ejus in Balliva tua fieri fac 53 s. 4 d. quas debent charissimae Consorti nostrae Elizabethae Reginae Angliae de AVRO SVO de 4 quodam fine 40 marc nobis solut in Hanaperio nostro pro licentia habend quod quidem Capellanus cujusdam Cantariae perpetuus divina singulis diebus ad Altare beatae Mariae in Capell de Stretton in dicto Com. Bedf. juxta ordinationem praedictorum Roberti Matildae in ea parte faciend et success suis imperpetuum celebratur terras seu reddit et Annuitates cum pertinentiis ad valorem 12. marc per annum ultra repris perquirere possit habend sibi et successoribus suis imperpetuum ad manum mortuam Ita quod denar c. in crastino Sancti Michaelis Anno 14. praefatae Consorti nostrae c. T. c. per Origin de Anno 14 Regis nunc Rotulo 63. De bonis catallis terris tenementis Mauritii Berkley Militis Johannis Parre Militis Thomae Sellenger Armigeri necnon Henrici More Hugonis Crikland Vicarii perpetui Ecclesiae Parochial Sancti Laurentii de Aulton in Com. South Johannis Swychener Willielmi Hacker Roberti Bayly Richardi Wise Johannis Pigott Roberti Plecy Roberti Mayo in Balliva tua fieri fac 30 s. quos debent c. de AURO SUO de 4 quodam fine 15 l. nobis solut in Hanaperio nostro pro licentia habend quod ipsi terras tenement reddit alias possessiones ad valorem 10 l. per annum ultra repris dare possint assignare cuidam Capellan cujusdam Cantariae perpetuo divina singulis diebus in quadam Capella nuper per quendam Johannem Champflour in Ecclesia de Aula praedicta construct Habend sibi successoribus suis Capellanis ibidem imperpetuum ad manum mortuam Ita quod denar c. in crastino Sancti Michaelis praefatae Consorti c. T. c. per Warrantum praedictum Rotulo praedicto De bonis catallis terris tenementis Georgii Darell Militis in Balliva tua fieri fac 14 s. quos debet c. de AURO SUO de 4 quodam fine 17 l. nobis solut in Hanaperio nostro pro licentia habend quod ipse Manerium de Ficelton cum pertinentiis in dicto Com. Wiltes Manerium de Balston cum pertinentiis in Com. Berk. dare possit concedere charissimo Consanguineo nostro Thomae Cardinal Archiepiscopo Cantuar. aliis Habend sibi haered assign suis imperpetuum Ita quod denar illos habeas c. in crastino Sancti Michaelis praefatae Consorti nostrae c. T. c. per origin praedict Rotulo 64. De bonis catallis terris tenementis Briani Roucliff tertii Baronis de Scaccario nostro Johannis Marshall Civis Mercer London in Balliva tua fieri fac 4 l. quos debent c. de AURO SUO de 4 quodam sine 40 l. nobis solut in Hanaperio nostro pro licentia habend quod ipsi quaelibet altera persona seu eorum aliquis dare possit possint concedere Capellano beatae Virginis Mariae in Ecclesia Parochiali de Warr. in Com. Hertford in honorem ejusdem Virginis gloriosae It is observed by some that Johannis Icham fuit Attornatus Generalis Clericus ad Brevia pro Elizabetha Regina Angliae Hil. Regis 22 E. 4. rot 2. Rem Regis Et signavit Brevia de AURO REGINAE An. 23 E. 4. Sed hoc fecit ut Clericus Brevium Reginae et non ut Attornatus Generalis Thomas Stydolfe qui fuit Receptor Generalis ejusdem Reginae signavit omnia Brevia de AURO de An. 19 20 E. 4. Et tamen fuit aliquis alius Attornatus Unde Quaere I have recited these Writs concerning Queen-gold in the reign of King Edward the 4th at large the transcripts whereof were delivered to Mr. Herbert when the now Queen Mothers Attorney which I could not compare with the Originals out of which they were transcribed upon several Accounts 1. Because the Files and Bundles wherein these Writs were extant are very numerous digested into no order seldome looked into and most of them either lost or mislayed so as I cannot yet finde any of them 2ly Because they particularly inform us of the original Authors Founders and foundations of sundry Chantries Appropriations Colledges Corporations of the Honors Pedegrees Wardships Purchases Tenures in Capite of sundry of the Nobility and Gentry of England 3ly Because they more fully evidence and expresse the particular Fines for which Queen-gold was demanded and levyed in this Kings reign and in what proportion and
from whose and what goods chattels lands and tenements then any others in his predecessors reigns except those of King Edward the 1. and 3. I read in the Chronicle of Fabian printed at London by John Kyngston An. 1559. as likewise in Holinshed and Stow That Anno 1467. the seventh of King Edward the 4th his reign Sir Thomas Cooke late Mayor of London was peached of Treason by a servant of the Lord Wenlocks called Hawkins for refusing to lend 1000 marks upon good Surety to Queen Margaret arrested and sent to the Tower and his goods seised by the Lord Rivers then Treasurer of England After the said Sir Thomas had lyen a time in the Tower he was brought unto the Guildhall and there arraigned of the said Treason and quit by sundry Enquestes Finally after many persecutions and losses he was compelled as for a Fine set upon him for offence of misprision to pay unto the King eight thousand pounds And after he had thus agreed and was at large he was then in new trouble against the Queen The which demanded of him as Her right for every thousand pound payd unto the King by way of Fine an hundred marks it should be pounds For which he had after long suit and great charge and in conclusion was fayne to agrée and to give her a great pleasure besides many good gifts that he gave to her Counsel Or as Raphael Holinshed Grafton and John Stow storie he could not be delivered out of Prison till he had payed eight thousand pounds to the King and eight hundred pounds to the Quéen to wit for her Queen gold due out of his Fine I shall cloze up the Records of this Kings reign with a memorable Action brought by Elizabeth his Queen Consort against a Sheriff who detained her Gold he had levyed in the Office of the Clerk of the Pleas which I transcribed out of the Plea Rolls with my own hand Placita coram Baronibus apud Westm de Termino S. Trinitatis Anno Regis Edwardi quarti post Conquestum vicesimo Rot. 1. dorso ELIZABETHA Regina Angliae Consors Domini Regis venit coram Baronibus hujus Scaccarii sexto die Julii hoc anno per Robertum Calcote Attornatum suum queritur per Billam versus Robertum Radclyffe Armig. nuper Vic. Com. Norff. Suff. hîc in Curia eodem die super Compoto suo de Officio suo praedicto hîc ad hoc Scaccarium reddendo per Thomam Aldehouse Attornatam suam de eo quod praedict nuper Vic. ei debet injustè detinet quatuor libras decem et novem solidos Argenti pro eo injustè Quod cum Dominus Rex nunc 14. die Februarii Anno regni sui decimo septimo mandasset quoddam Breve suum fieri fac extra hoc Scaccario suo Vic. Norff. Suff. tunc existenti direct per quod quidem Breve eidem Vic. praeceptum fuit Quod non omitteret propter aliquam libertatem quin eam ingrederetur de bonis catallis terris tenementis Gilberti Debenham Armig. in Balliva sua fieri faceret viginti et tres marcas parcellam viginti et sex marcarum quas dictus Gilbertus debebat praefatae Reginae per nomen carissimae Consortis ipsius Domini Regis Elizabethae Reginae Angliae de AVRO SVO de quodam 4 fine Ducentarum sexaginta Marcarum dicto Dom. Regi solut pro Dominio et Manerio de Catyngston cum pertinentiis in Catyngston Holbrooke Wolmerston Fryston alibi infra Hundredum de Staunford in dicto Com. Suff. praefato Gilberto haeredibus de corpore suo excuntibus per dictum Dom. Regem nuper concess Et quod denarios illos haberet ad Scacc. dicti Dom. Regis apud Westm crastino Claus Paschae anno regni ejusdem Regis decimo octavo praefatae Reginae seu 5 ejus in ea parte Receptori ibidem tunc solvend prout in eodem brevi pletus continetur quod quidem Breve deliberatum fuit sextodecimo die Februarii dicto Anno 18. apud Villam Westm in Com. Midd. praefato nuper Vic. jam Defend tunc Vic. dict Com. Norff. Suff. per manus Roberto Calcote tunc servienti praedictae Reginae virtute cujus quidem brevis praedict jam Def. tunc Vic. dict Com. Norff. Suff. vicesimo die Martii dicto Anno 18. apud Gippewicum in praedict Com. Suff. fieri fecit levavit de bonis catallis praedicti Gilberti ad triginta et quinque solidorum de 4 l. 19 s. praedict prout ipse nuper Vic. jam Defend super brevi illo coram praefatis Baronibus apud Westm ad crastinum Clausi Paschae praedicti returnavit prout hic in hoc Scaccario liquet de recordo Ac cum dictus Dom. Rex quinto die Maii dicto Anno 18. mandasset quoddam aliud breve de fieri fac extra hoc Scac. praefato nuper Vic. jam Defend tunc Vic. dicti Com. Norff. Suff. existent direct per quod quidam breve eidem Vic. praeceptum fuit quod non omittat propter aliquam libertatem quin eam ingrederetur de bonis catallis terris tenementis praedicti Gilberti in dicta balliva sua fieri faceret 11l 17s 8d de remanencia 26 marc quas debebat praefatae Reginae de AVRO SVO de quodam 4 fine 260marc dicto Domino Regi solut pro Dominio Manrrio de Catyngston c. ut supra Et quod denarios illos haberet ad Scac. dicti Dom. Regis apud Westm in Crastino Sancti Michaelis dicto Anno 18. praefatae Reginae seu 5 ejus in ea parte Receptori ibidem tunc solvend prout in eodem brevi plenius continetur quod quidem breve deliberatum fuit sextodecimo die Julii dicto anno 18. apud Villam Westm praedict praefato jam Defendenti tunc Vic. dict Com. Norff. Suff. existenti per manus praedicti Roberti Calcote virtute cujus quidem brevis dictus jam Defendens tunc Vic. dict Com. Norff. Suff. 20 die Septembr dicto anno 18 apud Gippewicum praedict fieri fecit et levavit de bonis et catallis praedicti Gilberti ad valenciam 30 solidorum resid de 4. l. 19 s. praedict prout ipse jam Defend super brevi illo coram praefatis Baronibus apud Westm ad crastinum Sancti Michaelis returnavit prout hic in hoc Scaccario liquet de recordo Quae quidem summae per dictum jam Defend sic levatae in toto se attingunt ad dict 4 l. 19 s. Et licet praefata Regina post levationem return brevium praedictorum sic factorum saepius requisivit praefat jam Defend ad ei solvend dict 4 l. 19 s. jam in demanda ipse tamen jam Defend 4 l. 19 s. illos sive aliquam inde parcellam praefatae Reginae nondum solvit sed hoc facere contradixit ad dampnum