and â—riors who gave their letters usually to Parsons Prebendaries Canonists and such like In that Parliament of Carlile under Edward the first the Bishop of Exeter sent to the Parliament Henry de Pynkney parson of Houghton as his Proxie The Bishop of Bath and Wells sent William of Charleton a Canon of his Church and in like for t other of the spiritualty of that time In the beginning of the 17th yeare of Richard the second the Bishop of Norwich made Richard Corqueanx being then Deane of the Arches Thomas Hederset Archdeacon of Sudbury and Iohn Thorpe parson of Epingham his Proxies by the name of Procuratores sive nuntij And in the same time the Bishop of Durhams proxies were Iohn of Burton Canon of Bewdley and Master of the Rolls and Iohn of Wendlingborough Canon of London and other like are of the same time By which also that of the Preamble of the Statute of Praemunire is understood where it is said that the advice of the Lords spirituall being present and of the procuratores of them that were absent was demanded The like under Henry the fourth and Henry the fift are found in the Rolls And under Henry the fift the Arch-Bishop of Yorke gives the proxie to the Bishop of Durham and to two other Clerkes of his Province And it is observable that in the making of proxies by the whole number of Bishops in case of Attainders upon Appeale their course was sometime to make a Gentleman beneath the degree of a Baron their Proxie as under Richard the second first they made their proxie for assenting in the Parliament but afterwards the Earle of Wiltshire had that place in the same Parliament But this of making others then Barons of Parliament proxies is carefully found in the cases of the Lords spirituall One speciall case of it is under Henry the fift in that of Thomas de la Ware who being a Clergie man had his Barony descended unto him and is stiled in the summons alwayes Magister Thomas de la Ware and not Dominus hee gave his Letters to John Franke and Richard Hulme Clerkes but the proxie Rolls for the Temporall Lords are for the most part lost The following Times especially ever since the first memorie extant of the Iournalls of the upper House which began the first of Henry the eight have kept a constant course of making parliamentory Barons onely proxies And it appeareth in those Iournalls that one two or three are joyned conjunctim divisim and most commonly Temporall Lords have given their proxies to temporall and spirituall men yet not without a Temporall Lords giving his letters of proxie to a Spirituall and Temporall Lord together And under Queen Mary Francis Earle of Shrewsbury made Anthony Viscount Mountague and Thomas Bishop of Ely his proxies And in the beginning of Queene Mary Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester was joyned in letters of proxie sometimes with a Temporall Lord But the Lords spirituall have so much mistataken of late the Lawes of this Kingdome the Kings prerogative given by the Law and what and whence was the Originall of the Honours they themselves had obtained and have beene ready to inlarge the Dominions of Antichrist and to induce an arbitrary government by their writings and other apparent practises in so much as now they have lost both Priviledge and Vote in Parliament CHAP. II. Priviledges in Suites as well for their followes as for themselves during the Parliament IN a Bill exhibited under Henry the fourth is shewed that the Lords Knights c. and their men and servants c. should not be arrested or otherwise imprisoned by the custome of the Realme and it is prayed that if any be the parties offending may make fine and ransome and give dammages c. Hereunto the Answer is there is sufficient remedy in the case In the beginning of Queene Elizabeths reign Iohn Broxham being Plaintiffe in an Assise in the County of Lincolne against the Lord Willoughby it was ordained that an Injunction should goe out of the Chancery Subpaena 500. l. That the Plaintiffe should not proceed to Tryall To this head may bee referred that case of the Lord Cromwell cited in the Title of processe against them in English Courts in the Iournalls of Queen Elizabeth King James and our present Soveraigne the Testimonies of these priviledges for the servants of every Baron of Parliament are most frequent Hereunto may be added that of the first citation out of an Ecclesiasticall Court against the Earle of Cornewall which was served upon him in Westminster Hall as he was going to the Parliament at the Suite of Bago dâ— Clare and the Prior of Saint Trinity in London for the Earle sued them for the contempt and recovered 1000. Markes dammages And in the same Parliament the Master of the Temple petitioneth that he might distraine for rent in a house in London which it seemes the Bishop of Saint Davids held of him In qua non potest distringere in tempore Parliamenti But answer is non videtur honestum quod Rex concedat quod ille de consilio suo distringatur per Ostia fenestras prout Moris est CHAP. III. No Peere of the upper House to be called to answer in the lower House only THomas Philips complained of the Bishop of London upon divers Articles in the lower House and at first by Order of the House whence it was referred by reason of the slight nature of the offence c. whereupon the Bishop remembring the upper House of their Priviledges Ejus verbis auditis prâ—ceres omnes unâ voce dicebant quòd non consentantum fuit aliquem procerum praedictorum alicui in eo loco responsurum So where the Bishop of Bristoll had written the Booke of Vnion which was conceived to be derogatory to the honour of both Houses yet hee was complained of onely in the upper House and that so he might bee and not before the lower House alone it was acknowledged in the message delivered from the lower House touching him The like is the priviledge of the Bishops complained of in this present Parliament 1641. CHAP. IV. The Iurisdiction of the Lords of Parliament in matters of offences aswell capitall as not capitall and in errors out of the Kings bench THe power of Iudicature belonging to the Lords of Parliament is chiefly seene in their Iurisdiction upon Writs of error and their Iudgements of Offences as well capitall as not capitall which they give to any publicke mischiefe in State Of these Iudgements of such Offences many examples are of former times in the Records of Parliament and out of them are here selected some such as most of all conduce to the opening of the course of Accusation the forme of the Defendants answering the usuall wayes of Triall and other Incidents in their various kindes of Iudgements which are found arbitrary in cases not capitall so that they extend not to the life
proces out of the Chancery Kings bench or otherwise where the returne is Coram Rege CHAP. IX Amerciaments IN case of Amerciaments of Barons of Parliament upon nonsuits or other Iudgments ending in misericordia there is a speciall course both for the summe and the way of assertaining of it which differs from the Amerciaments of coÌ„mon persons For the summe the Amerciaments of an Earle or Spirituall or Temporall Baron is equall that is 5 l. of a Duke 10 l. and the sessing of this is by the Kings Iustices before whom the action dependeth The Iustices in this place supplying the roome of Peeres by which according to the grand Charter they are to be amercied as exprâ—ssly it is affirmed in the Iudgement under H. 6. against the Earle of Northumberland where the words of the Iustices are Insomuch as an Earle is a Peere of the Reâ—lme he shall be amercied by his Peeres according to the Statute and therefore we put not the Amerciament iâ— ceâ—taine And thence and thus is the grand Charter to bee understood that saith Câ—mites Barones non amerâ—ientur nisi per Pares suos but continuall usage hath thus as before is shewed interpreted that priviledg and so hath the practise been and thence was it under E. 2. a writ was directed to the Iustices of the Common pleas that they should not amerce the Abbâ—t of Crowland tanquam Baro because he did not hold per Baroniam aut partem Baroniae For this of Amerciament while there were no other Titles of greater Nobility but Earle and Baron which was in the time of E. 3. who created the first Duke in England as Rich. the 2. the first Marquesse and H. 6. the first Viscount And the Amerciaments of the Lords of the Parl. were all at 5 l. whence also is generally so affirmed in the Statutes of Ireland under H. the sixt that every Lord that is called L. of Parl. in all places aswell personall as reall in which amerciaments do ly shall be amercied at 100 s. But when other dignities were made and it seemes according to the proportion of the releifes paied by those new dignities for a Duke is to be amercied at double the summe of an Earle that is 10 l. as his reliefe is double which is 20. CHAP. X. No processe in civill actions to bee awarded against the body of a Baron NO baron of the Parliament or Baronesse is to be arrested by Capias upon action of debt account trespasse or the like but they are to be distrained only and pay issues retorned for an apparance The reason of this was anciently because the Capias in such Cases goes out only upon nihil habet retorned by the Sheriffe which could not be for a Baron who was ever to be supposed to be seised of his Barony by which he might be distrained and lose issues Although the reason failes now in those that have not more than the names alone of their Baronies yet the same Law still remaines but this limited to actions between party and party and party for in cases of rescues felonies or the like where the offence is immediatly to the King A Capias lies against a Baron of the Parl. And it is as other priviledges which are legal in England limited also to the Barons of the Parl. of England for it appeares under R. 2. that in an action of debt a Capias was awarded against the Countesse of Ormond being one Irish Baronesse and participating of her husbands dignities as our Ladies in Eng. neither can a Baron of Ireland be tried here by the Peeres of Eng. for they are not his Peers no more than the L. Zanchar might being a Baron of Scotland who was indicted and arraigned only by the name of Rob. Creighton Esquier and upon this reason that he was no Baron of Parl. tried by a common Iury Thence it is also that an Earle Baron or Duke of France comming into Engl. by the Kings safe conduct shall not in any legall proceedings be stiled so as appeares in the time of Edw. the 1. in the case of the E. of Richmond being then Duke of Brittaine and in the case of Sir John Douglasse under Edw. the 4. And the reason why S. Gilbert Humfravill in the time of Edw. the 3. was legally to have his title in writs of Earle of Anguish was because that in that age the E. of Anguish by that name was L. of the Parl. as it is expresly noted in our year-books And this difference it seemes hath beene here between Temporall dignities and Spirituall that in regard the temporall State of England was ever held as severed and distant from other States not at all communicating with them in civill government Therefore forraigne dignities which are of the Civill part of States had no respect given them as appeares in the examples already brought But on the other side in dignities Spirituall because there was anciently through Christendome supposed an unity in the Church So that England with forraigne Nations and they with England as membeâ—s of one body had a mutuall reference to each others Countrey was legally valued as Bishops in England as may be seen in that case of the Bishop of Vâ—recht for this is the right Name though it be printed Vrston under E. the 3. where being made Bishop of Vtretcht makes a Prebend of England So the Title of Cardinall was usually given in legall proceedings to such as had that dignity in England whence also the Archbishop of Raguse being parson of a Benefice in the Bishoprick of Carliste under King John was it seemes to have been accounted here also an Archbishop for dignity though not for Iurisdiction CHAP. XI A Knight to be retorned upon every pannel where a Baron is party IN every Iury impannelled between any Baron of Parl. and other person whatsoever one Knight at the least is to be returned which failing the array may bee quashed by challenge A testimony hereof aswell for spirituall as temporall Barons is frequent CHAP. XII No day of grace against a Baron IF a Baron of the Parl. be plaintif or defendant in any action and the plaintife or defendant pray a day of grace he shall not have it against him and this is expresly affirmed in the books CHAP. XIII Making deputies of places of trust committed to them Oâ— late years it was agreed in the case of Gilbert Earle of Shrewsbury that whereas the office of Steward-ship was granted to the Earle of Rutland without giviâ—g power to make a deputy and this by Q. Eliâ—abeth that â—et he might exercise the same Office by Deputy by reason of the nâ—câ—ssity that is supposed in the lawe to be of the Eaâ—lâ—s attendancâ— upon the King and the Govâ—rnment of the Kingdome the same reason is it seemes for all Barons FINIS U. 8 Dyer Parl. 14 Eliz. Dyer par â—9 43. Eliz. l. â—ac c. Rot. Parl. 18.
or inheritance and in capitall offences so Arbitrary that the forme of the death inflicted sometimes varied from the ordinary course used in the common Law for such offences Under the first Head these cases of 1. Iohn Matravers 2. Borges of Bayons 3. Iohn Deverill 4. Thomas Gourney 5. William of Ocle 6. Iohn of Gomeniz and 7. William of Weston All condemned to death for Treason and all to bee drawne and hanged saving Gomeniz who was judged to bee beheaded because he was a Banneret and had served the King in his Warres Under the second Head are these cases of 1. Iohn at Lee Steward of the houshold 2. Richard Lions 3. William Lord Latimer 4. William Ellis 5. Chichester and Botesham 6. Alice Pierce 7. Cavendish against Sir Mich. de la Poole Chancellour of England 8. The Earle of Northumberland For Writs of error their power and course in them may bee seene some speciall examples which are expressed whereunto is added that of Thorpe being Speaker of the Lower House under Henry the sixt which specially shewes the power of Iudicature in the Lords although otherwise it tast too much of what is wholy against the priviledges of every member of the Parliament at this day Ex rot Parliamenti 4. E. 3. mem. 3. num 3. WItnesse the Peeres Earles and Barons assembled in this Parliament at Westminster that it is openly assented and agreed that Iohn Matravers is guilty of the death of Edmund Earle of Kent the Vnckle of our Lord the King that now is as he that principally traiterously and falsely compassed the death of the said Earle so that the said Iohn did know of the death of King Edward our Father when the said Iohn by haynous manner and by his false and wicked deeds conspiring with the sonne of the said Earle against the life of the King which hee did actually commit for which the said Peeres of the Land and Iudges of the Parliament adjudge and award that the said Iohn bee drawne hanged and quartered as a Traitor in what part of the Kingdome soever he be found and the said Peeres doe pray our Lord the King that hee will command that a writ be made to make search and enquiry throughout the Realme and that he that can take the said Iohn alive and bring him to the King shall have a hundred markes and if in case he cannot be taken alive he that brings his head shall have fiftie pounds of the Kings guift Moreover to have such judgement it is agreed that it be put in execution of Boges de Boyons and John Deverell for the cause afore-mentioned and that hee that can take the said Boges alive and bring him to the King shall have a hundred pounds and he which brings the head of the said Iohn shall have forty pounds of the Kings guift Item it is assented and agreed that Thomas Gourney and William of Ocle shall have such judgement for the death of King Edward Father of our Lord the King that now is who falsely and traiterously murdered him and who can apprehend the said Thomas and take him alive shall have a hundred pound and he that can bring the head of him a hundred markes likewise he that can take the said William alive shall have a hundred markes and hee that brings the head of him if in case hee cannot be taken alive shall have forty pound of the Kings guift Rot. Parliamen 4. R. 2. M. 5. in Schedula annexa THis Schedule the Commons made and caused to be brought in Parliament praying the Lords to ratefie the same and to put in execution in that schedule amongst divers others this Article occurres Item that all those which have lost or rendred when necessity required not Castle Towne or Fortresse to the dishonour of our Lord the King the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament being every of them attainted of such fault shall be punished according to their desert without partiality for to avoyde the evill example which they have given to all others Then afterwards followes an Accusation and a Iudgement upon an offence of that nature ITEM where the Supplication is by the Commons that all those which have rendred and lost Castle or Townes lost by the very default of Captaines may be put to their answer at this Parliament and according to their desert throughly punished by the award of the Lords and Baronage avoyding the evill example which they have given to others and that Allen Buxall Constable of the Tower of London shall cause to come before the Lords of Parliament at Westminster on friday the 27. day of November in the yeare afore mentioned Iohn Lord of Gomeniz and William of Weston imprisoned and detain'd in the said Tower at the commandement of our Lord the King because they have rendered and lost faithfull Castles and Townes of our Lord the King for to answer upon the Articles which there shall be preferred for the said cause on the behalfe of our Lord the King At which day being friday the said John and William were brought by the said Constable of the Tower before the Lords aforesaid sitting in full Parliament in the great chamber They were severally put to answer at the commandement of the said Lords by sir Richard Scroope Knight Steward of the Houshold of our Lord the King in manner as followeth William of Weston you have taken upon you to the thrice powerfull Prince whom God have in his keeping Lord Edward late King of England Vnckle of our Lord the King that now is surely to keepe to him and his Heires Kings of England the Castle of Barwick without surrendring the same to any but him or his said Heirs have you William who were a leige man of our Lord the King that now is true Heire of the late King Edward delivered and surrendered the said Castle to the Enemies of our Lord the King without his Commandement in dishonour of him and his Crowne and of the Estate of his Realme of England against your leigeance and undertakings whereupon hee put his answer in writing having a Schedule contayning the Tenor of many things and came and read the said Schedule in full Parliament upon which the Law was demanded by the said Steward if the said Schedule should bee taken for his finall answer in that behalfe or not And thereupon the said William prayeth that the said Schedule may be redelivered to him and there hee putteth in his finall answer and after the said William put in to the said Schedule an Addition in full Parliament for finall in that behalfe The Tenor of which Schedule is such as followeth To the most sage Councell of our Lord the King and to the other Nobles and Commons of Parliament WIlliam of Weston beseecheth and shewes that he is accused maliciously to have rendered the Castle of Barwick which he had in keeping upon the Trust and assignement of our Lord the King may it please your just
informed of the manner of this Iudgement the execution thereof shall be respited untill our Lord the King shall be informed thereof where it is commanded to the aforesaid Constable safely to keepe the said Iohn untill he hath other commandement from our Lord the King And it is to be remembred that Geffery Martyn Clerke of the Crowne was named in this record and delivered the same there in writing in this present roll by his own proper hand Ex. Rot. Parliamen 42. E. 3. M. 2. N. 22 23. c. WIlliam Latimer of the County of Dorset preferred a Petition in this Parliament in manner as followeth To our Lord the King and his Couâ—cell sheweth William Latimer of the County of Dorset That whereas ouâ— Lord the King otherwhiles in the pestilence granted to the Bishop of Salisbury the Wardship of the Mannor of Dentish and Devillish in the said County being in his hands by the minority of Robert son and heire of Robert Latimer Knight together with the marriage of the said Robert the son being then of the Age of sixe yeeres for a certaine summe of money to him payed which Estate the said William Latimer hath held untill Master Iohn Lee then Steward by procurement of Thomas Delaber sent one Richard Inworth Serjeant at Armes in Dorset to the said William Latimer to bring him to London in safeguard as prisoner with the Intent aforesaid that is to say the Monday next before the Feast of the Nativity of Saint Iohn the Baptist in the yeare of our Lord the King that now is the nine and thirtieth and the said serjeant also performed the same and the said Master Iohn Lee did charge and command the said William in the Kings name that he should not goe out of Town upon paine of a hundred marks untill he had surrendered the body of the said heire contrary to the patent of the King to the said Mr. Iohn Lee and outed the said William of his Charter and moreover made a deed of release whereupon the said Master Iohn Lee commaâ—â—â—â— to hold all the Lands and Tenements aforesaid untill the Feast of St. Michael then next ensuing for a certain summe of money and then the said Master Iohn Lee leased to the said William the Wardship of the said mannor of Devillish rendring forty pounds per annum whereof he was seised as prochein amy of the Infant viz. Pulchrain Helto Whitechurch Oxford Staket let the same to the said William and to divers other persons at his will by such duresse imprisonment and arresting the said William to the great mischiefe grievous dammages and losses to the great wrong of his simple estate wherof hee prayeth remedy To the points of which Petition the said Iohn Lee answereth and saith that because that the Mannors Lands and Tâ—nements of Inheritance there comprised in the said Petition were wickedly extended by the Escheator and leased out of the Kings hand at too small a value to the great dammage and deceit of the King he caused the same Mannors Lands and Tenements to be resumed into the Kings hands the Wardship of which Mannors and the marriage of which said heire the King had committed to him And likewise the said Iohn Lee was put to answer before the Lords of the affaires in such time as hee was Steward of the Kings houshold for that he had attaiched divers Gentlemen by their Bodies some by Serjeants of Armes and some by other wayes as William Latimer and others and caused them to come before himselfe as before the Counsell of the King in places where pleased him out of any of the Kings accustomed places to answer to divers things whereof the recognizances ought to appertaine to the Courts of the King Item It was debated concerning his authority of Stewardship that he within the verge had attaiched divers Gentlemen of the verge as Iohn Goddard and others to answer in the Marshallsea of things done out of the verge and caused some men to be apprehended and sent to the Tower of London of his owne Authority without Commandement of the King or his Councell It was likewise debated that Hugh Lavenham had appealed certaine Gentlemen of Felony and that before the Kings Iustices at Newgate and divers Gentlemen arraigned at his suit whereof some put themselves upon the Country and some defended themselves by their bodies and stayed in prison as the Law demanded and that an Appeallee of murder was let goe at large by Commandement of the said John Lee against the Law and command of the Iustices and that hee tooke the said Hugh by his owne Authority and let him goe at large and some that were not appeallees in roll of the Crowne at the suggestion of the said Hugh were taken and imprisoned as if they had beene appeallees It was also affirmed that whereas the said Iohn Lee was sworne to the King and his Councell he did bargaine with Master Nicholas Lovaine concerning the Wardship of the Mannor of Reinham in Kent being then in the hand of the said Nicholas by the under age of the sonne and heire of Iohn Stanton as appeared by certaine evidences as well by letters Patents under the Kings Great Seale as others which the said Iohn had in his keeping that very plainely the said Mannor was holden of our Lord the King in chiefe as of his Castle of Dover and Fort that the Wardship thereof appertained to the King to the great dammage and deceit of the King against his Oath Of which points and articles hee cannot duely and sufficiâ—ntly excuse himselfe by the Law and therefore was the said Iohn commanded to the Tower of London and there to stay as a prisoner till he had made fine and ransome to the King according to his will And it was commanded to Master Allen Buxall Constable of the Tower that he take safe keeping of him and so departed the Prelates Dukes Earles and Barons and afterwards by the commandement of the King the said Iohn was caused to come guarded from the Tower to Westminster before the Great Councell and at other times examined upon the points of the Petition the â—ad Williâ—m Latimer answered and said Thaâ— our Lord the King had committed the wardship of the Mannors Lanâ—s and Tenements of the said heire untill the Age of the said heire together with the marriage of the said heire and as intirely hee would render it into the Kings hands And then before the said Councell it was agreed and assented by them That the said Mannors Lands and Tenements and the body of the heire aforesaid ought to be released in the Kings hand and delivered to the said William Latimer to hold as hee held of the said Bishop untill the full Age of the said heire doing to the King in manner as it was before the said Iohn surrendered the same and that the Letters Patents of the King made to the said Bishop of the same ward and marriage and the Letters of the said
That the King would declare the certainty of it But the answer of it is onâ—y As at other times c. A like petition and answer is afterwards under the same King in a petition touching the same thing under Richard the 2 it is supposed that all ought to pay but those which come in Parliament by summons by writ and do stay there at their own charges c. In a Petition afterwards it is supposed that the Tennants of such lands as were immediatly held of the Lords of the Parliament contributed not to those expences but it is complained against and the answer is only Let it be as at other times and if that any found himself agrieved he should have remedy in the Chancery yet by a Statute which is not in the Rols of three yeares before the Tenants of the Lords themselves shall pay for such lands as of late times they have purchased before being contributary To this belongs that in Fitzherbert The villaines of Lords which come to Parliament shall not be therefore contributary to the expences of the Earles which come to Parliament And to this purpose the Lords may by Letters in their own names command the Sheriffe that he distraine not their villaines THE SECOND kind of their Priviledges Priuiledges or speciall Rights that concerne the Barons that have place in Parliament as they are every one single in their private estates CHAP. I. Touching the Oath and Protestation upon Honour ALL Oaths being either promissory or assentatory and the first being that which binds to a future performance of Trust The second that which is taken for discovery of a past or present truth The first kind they as occasion requir'd used in taking the oath of all the Barons for the maintenance of the great Charter and the like was under King John and H. 3 as also swearing of the Lords in ParliameÌ„t in the time of H. the 6. that they should not take parts in the great Controversie between the Earle Marshall and the Earle of Warwick and the oaths of divers Lords appointed for the keeping of the Parliament in 8 11 H. 4 where yet the Prince was not sworn being one of those appointed for the keeping of the ordinances Because of the highnesse and excellency of his honorable person As the words are in the Roll so under H. the 7. the Lords Spirituall and Temporal swoare in the Parliament to the Article of taking care for the preserving of the peace and under H the 8. to the Bill of Succession but under Richard the second the Arch-bishop of Canterbury challenged that neither he nor his predecessors were compellable to any oath but to the K. and this kind of Oath is frequently taken by such Barons as undertake the great Offices of the Kingdome and they are all liable to the like by their tenures by fealty and by Statutes of the Oath of Allegeance but of these kinds of Oaths for the Supremacy they are discharged by the first Statute that gives it and in the case of Essoynes wherein by the ancient Law the Essoiner was to sweare that the party Essoined should appeare at a certain day all Barons and Bâ—ronesses were excepted from the Oath and instead of the Oath they put in surety Ratio vero diversitatis saith Bracton talis esse poterit ut videtur quod ita nobiles dignae personae in warrantizatione Essonii non per se jurabant sed per procuratores scilicet plegios suos Assentary Oaths are in Cases of tryall by 12 or 24 witnesses defendants which proceed by Bill and Answer Plaintiffâ—s examined in actions of debt brought upon arrerages of accompt in cases of tryall by 12 they are discharged of the Oath that is in cases of tryall of their Peeres in which they answer guilty or not guilty only upon honour for in other tryals they have no part but are exempted from being impanelled in Juries Nisi eorum Sacramentum adeo sit necessarium quod sine illis veritas inquiri non possit and thence was it that some Barons under Edward the first of the Marches of Wales refused to swearâ— before the Iustices of Oyer and Terminer upon an Enquiry to be made by them and others of certaine outrages committed by Cilbert of Clare Earle of Gloucester against Humphrey of Bohun Earle of Hereford and Sussex those Barons were Joâ—n de Hastings John Fitz Raynold Roger de Mortimer Theobald of Weldon John Troger and â—efferey of Camvill to whom dictum est as the Roâ— saith ex parte Regis quod pro statu â—ure Regis pro conservatione dignitatis Coronâ— pacis sua apponit manum ad librum ad faciendum id quod eis ex parte injungetur qui omnes unanimiter responderent quod ipsi vel eorum antecessores hactenus in hujusmodi casu ad praestandum Sacramentum aliquid coacti fuerunt And afterwards the Oath being offered them they answered every one by themselves quod nihil inde facerent sine consideratione parium suorum Barons being witnesses in Cases of witnesses Examples are that they give in their Testimonies only upon Honour IN the Courts of the Delegates in the 3 of E. 6 in the proceedings against Gardiner Bishop of Winchester upon a speciall Commission from the King the then L. Chancellor and Marquesse of Northum and the Earle of Wiltsh and Bedfora are examined only upon their honor or somtime upon alleageance or fidelity to God the K. and this was upon the speciall priviledg of such persons for both by the Civill Laws and Common no testimony is taken regularly but upon Oath In Chancery in a Case between Jeffery and Jeffery and in another between Blighton and Dantrey Thomas Lord Buckehurst under Queen Elizabeth delivers his testimony only upon honour In the Court of Chivalery under Rich. the 2 in the great Case between Sir Rich. Scroope appellant and Sir Robert Gravenor defendant touching matter of Armes the Attestations taken by Commission from John of Gaunt the Earle of Darby the E. of Northumberland the Duke of Yorke and the Earle of Arundell are for ought appeares without oath for whereas others are sworne the Entry of their deposition is Pray and requests according to the right of Armes by the procurator of Master Rich. Scroope to testifie and say c. And amongst others the Earle of Devonshire was examined by Commission by Iohn Kentwood who in the returne of his Commission and the depositions certifies the Court that hee had swore all the witnesses there being none of the Nobility but only the Earle in his returne who was not sworne but spake in the loyalty of his Chivalery But in the multitude of witnesses of this cause divers Barons are sworn as the Lord Poynings the Lord Scales the Lord Gray the Lord Ruthen the Lord Basset To every of which names in the attestations is
full Parliament to the said Iohn that he the said Geffery was at that time in the said Town and Company with the said Iohn and that the Town and Castle of Ardee were not at any time delivered by his assent but that he was ready to stay come upon the safe guard thereof and this the said Geffery affirmed And moreover it was demanded of the said Iohn if hee had any other thing to say and hee answered no whereupon the Constable was charged with the safe keeping of the said Iohn and William untill the morning of the next day and then to bring them againe safely before the said Lords in the said Parliameâ—t at the place and day afoâ—esaid At which day that is to say the eight and twentieth day of November in the yeare aforesaid wâ—re the said Iohn and William brought againe in full Parliament and there it was shewed severally by the sâ—id Steward at the same day by Commandement of the Lords aforesaid how upon the Answers which the said Iohn and William have given in the said Parliament as before mentioned to the Lords of the said Parliament viz. the King of Castile and of Leon and the Duke of Lancaster Edmond Earle of March Richard Earle of Arundell Thomas Earle of Warwick Hugh Earle of Stafford William Earle of Suffolke William Earle of Salislbury Henry Earle of Northumberland Iohn Lord Nevill Roger Lord Clifford and many other Lords Barons and Baronets being assembled in the said Parliament to advise at the time when the said Answers were given in Parliament the Friday Even at the howeâ— of three a clock of the matters touching the answers aforesaid and viewing and examining diligently the said Answers and other Articles concerning that businesse And upon good and mature deliberation and Information given of the most valiant and discreet Knights and òthers being in the said Parliament it was said in manner as followeth to the said William by the Steward reciting the things aforesaid touching the said William It seemed to the Lords aforesaid that you William without â—uresse or default of victualls have wickedly delivered and surrendered to the Enemies of our Lord the King for your owne lucre contrary to all plea of right or reason and against your liegeance and undertaking according to an Information in such case which meâ—tioneth whereas the late Baron of Graystock who was a Lord and one of the Peeres of the Realme had taken upon him safely to keepe to the aforesaid King the Towne of Barwick presently after the said King prepared himselfe to travell to the Kingdome of Francè the said Baron without the Kings Commandement left the said Towne of Barwick and a valiant Esquire Robert Ogle as Lievtenant of the said Baron who safely should keepe the said Town of Barwicke to the King And the said Baron went aâ— a horseman to the parts of France to the said King and there stayed in his company surmizing that an assault of warre was made at the said Towne of Barwick by the Scots And the said Robert as Lievtenant of the said Baron defended forcibly there and at last by their assaults the said Towne was taken and the sâ—id Robert and two of the sonnes of the said Robert were slaine he being in the company of the King in the parts of France And it was said that it was adjudged by the advise of the said King in the parts of France the said Dukes Nobles and Earles tâ—gâ—ther with Henry Duke of Lancaster the Earles of Northumberland and Stafford and Sir VValter Maney that the sâ—id Towne was lost in default of the said Baron And for that cause hee had Iudgement of life and member and that he ought to forfeit all that hee had and Iudgement was rendered in these words by the commandement of the King which things also considered for that you William have surrendered the Castle of Barwick to the Enemies of our Lord the King aforesaid without duresse or default of victuall against your alleageance and undertaking aforesaid the Lords aforenamed sitting in full Parliament adjudge you to death and that you be drawne and hanged but for that that our Lord the King is not yet informed of the manner of this Iudgement the execution thereof shall be put in writing untill the King bee informed wherefore it is commanded to the said Constable safely to keepe the said William untill he hath other commandement from our Lord the King And as touching the said Iohn Lord of Gomeniz touching the Answers aforesaid It was shewed there by the said Steward how the said Lords were assembled and advised of the said Answers as before said Moreover it was shewed how that at the time that Sir Ralph Ferrars Knight had the keeping of the Towne and Castle of Ardee the said Towne was not so strong by the one halfe as it was at the time when the said Iohn surrendered the same and the said Ralph did put himselfe in perill for the safeguard thereof and forthwith the said Ralph did hold and forcibly defend the same against a very great and forcible assault and other evidences concerning the said Iohn in this behalfe were delivered as followeth to the said John being in Parliament by the said Steward reciting all the matters aforesaid touching the forementioned Iudgement of the said Baron and the cause thereof in manner as before it seemeth to the Lords before named sitting in full Parliament considering your answers in this behalfe and your examinations and Informations therein that lately amongst the number of Gentlemen by whom you have strongly undertaken safely to keepe the said Towne and Castle with twentiâ— men of Armes and twenty Archers you were sent to the said Towne and Castle of Ardee in the Afforcement thereof according to your requâ—st thereof made to certain Lords being sent in message to Callis under our late King Edward and at such time also as you were advised by the King of Castile that if you could not welâ— keepe it you ought in no sort to take upon you to keepe the same and there were that would have undertaken the safe keeping thereof to the said King Edward and his heires and you have undertaken safely to guard the same with no surrender to any but in manner as aforesaid and now have you Iohn without duresse or default of victualls or of Artillery or of other things necessary for the defence of the said Townes and Castles of Ardee without Commandement of our Lord the King wickedly delivered and surrendered it to the Enemies of our Lord the King by your owne default against all plea of right or reason and against your undertaking aforesaid The Lords aforesaid in full Parliament adjudge you to death and for that you were a Gentlemen Banneret and have served the late King Edward in his warres and have not proved a leige man to our Lord the King you shall be beheaded without having other iustice And for that also our Lord the King is not yet
added Sworn and Examined And agreeable hereunto is the examination in the Case of Alice Pierce in the beginning of Rich. the 2. Barons answering to Bils as Defendants For Barons answering in Chancery as Defendants are divers presidents of such their answers in the times of H. the 7 and Henry the eight but there are none of that time that cleeres it whether they were sworne or no for the answers of that time as also of the time following till about the middle of Elizabeth or later are frequently filed without any Jurat to them BVt under Queene Mary in a suit by William Armer against Thomas Lord Wentworth touching the Inheritance of Copy-holders in Stepney the defendant presents in his answer with Master Sackfords hand to it who was his Councell And on the upper part of his answer wher Iurat is sometimes but rarely in that Age written These words are found this answer is made by councell and the Defendant not sworne by order of Court Then in Queene Elizabeths time the Lord Dacres being Plaintiffe against the Lord Buckhurst and Parker and Manwood these two defendants are sworne but not the Lord Buckhurst And afterwards the Lord Buckhursts answer is inscribed per traditionem Comitissae super honorem suum So the Countesse of Northumberland In virtute honoris sui agnovit responsionem suam esse veram as the entry is upon her answer at that time And in the Countesse of Rutlands case where she with Sir George Shaworth were Defendants about the later end of Queene Elizabeth The Dedimus potestatem was to answer upon his Oath super Evangelia as also a Dedimus towards the end of Queene Elizabeth was directed to Roger Bromeley and Richard upon the bill of complaint of one Brooke against George Earle of Huntington to take his Oath super honorem c. About which time also the Lord Eure put in his answer super honorem only to the bill of John Barnes and Robert Talbois In other Courts as the Starr-chamber and Court of Wards it was questioned in Queene Elizabeths time whether Barons being Defendants should put in their answers upon Oath and in the Court of Wards an Order was made in the Lord Mountagues case that they should and that so the course should be henceforth constant The like course hath beene held of late in the Starre-chamber as also in the Ecclâ—siasticall proceedings and about the end of Queen Elizabeths time in Chancery also the Lord Wharton by a compulsory order answered there upon Oath And within these few dayes the Earle of Shrewsbury was ordered to answer upon Oath to one Revell being plaintife there and divers Noble men have beene sworne to their answers in Chancery since the beginning of the King and some in Queene Elizabeths time also neither is the time of Queene Mary and Edward the sixt wholy without example but the summe of all seemes this that according to the clayme of the Barons in 20. E. 1. they were not anciently till about the end of Queene Elizabeth or the time of King James and of our present Soveraigne compellable to sweare to their answers for the first compulsory order falls in the 33. of Eliz. in the Court of Wards but that some of them taking no advantage of their priviledges in this case voluntarily tooke the Oath and others standing upon their ancient right put it in onely upon honour as also we see in that case of Gravenor and Scroope and Alice Pierce under Richard the first for it were not a speciall Priviledge it will fall out that in all the Examples where they were not sworne the Iudges committed great Injustice in receiving their answers and depositions without oath if they had not beene subject by compulsion to an oâ—th no otherwise then if a Iudge of the Common Law should admit evidence given to a Iury or take a verdict without Oath which were not excusable And a few examples of giving in their answer without Oath upon this reason are of great weight against many that shewed that they were voluntary sworne and these orders which were compulsory are of so late time and of so weak power that they cannot at all take any right from the Baronage which was before setled in them Examined as Plaintifs in actions of debt upon arrerages of accompts BY the Statute of 5. Henry 4. cap. 8. In actions of debt upon Arrerages of accounts the Iudges have power to examine the Attourney of the Plaintife or whom they please this examination was meant and hath beene practised upon Oath yet in action brought by the Lady of Abergavenny being a Baronesse against another in the time of Henry the sixt when the Counsell of the Defendant desired that the plaintife might be examined Cockanie the Iustice said that they should not doe well to make her being a Baronesse come to be examined And how ever the Statute were generall for high as well as low as the words of the bookes are yet hee saith the Law will bee otherwise and different betweene another common person Of the forme that was used in swearing of spirituall and Temporall Barons IN the forme of swearing the promissory Oath a difference hath been amongst the Barons of Parliament the Temporall Barons under Henry the 7. sweare with their hand upon the Booke the Spirituall with their hand upon their breast first the one tactis the other visâ—s Evangeliis Anciently this Oath was taken by the Lords in the house upon the Arch-Bishops crosse To this day the Spirituall Lords have challenged it sometimes have used to sweare visis onely as a thing to be done by the priviledge of the Church But there is the Testimony that shewes that all the Bishops in a provinciall Synode did sweare here their Iuramentum corporale which is tactis howsoever if it be a priviledge of Nobility in some other States or of Gentry to depose by writing without a corporall oath as in Bohemia Austria Bavier c. yet there is no sufficient certainty with us for aâ— establisht difference of forme in swearing CHAP. II. Tryall by Peeres IN all cases of Treason or felony or misprision of either of these offences a Temporall Lord of Parliament is to bee tryed only by his Peeres if arraigned by inditement per Judicium parium suorum or of 12. or more Temporall Barons of Parliament This holds as well in all cases made Treason or Felony by Statute as received anciently to be so by the Common Law as Iustice Stamford expressely affirmeth although usually in Statutes which make Treason or Felony a speciall clause bee inserted for Peeres to be tryed by their Peeres as also to the now tryall where perhaps more need was of such a clause upon the Statute of remainder made for tryall of offences committed by the English in Scotland It is added that if the Offender bee a Peere of the Realme then his
tryall shall bee by his Peeres And this is cleere for all Temporall Barons and their Ladies but it hath beene doubted whether the same Law bee in case of tryall of spirituall Barons or no and without doubt one speciall Argument among others hath beene made from the name of Peeres some concluding thus Spirituall Barons are no Peeres therefore not to be tryed by their Peeres others for the other part thus Spirituall Barons are Peers therefore to be tryed by their Peeres but of these two Arguments the first is false in matter the second in forme For the first it is true and plaine that Spirituall Lords have beene Peeres and of the antecedent false the Testimonies justifying them to have beene so are very frequent in the Bish of Winchesters case who departed from the Parliament at Salisbury about the beginning of Edward the third and was questioned for it afterwards in the Kings Bench hee pleaded to the Declaration Quod ipse est unus ê paribus Regni Praelatus c. and in that short disputation of the case which is lest in the the yeare bookes hee is supposed cleerely both by the Court and Councell to bee a Peere So afterwards under the same King in a Writ of Wards brought against the Bishop of London he pleaded to issue and the Defendant could not have day of grace for he said as the words of the booke are that a Bishop is a Peere of the Land Et haec erat causa c. And in a like case upon an Action of trespasse against the Abbot of Abyndon who was one of the Lords Spirituall day of Grace was denyed against him because he was Peere de la terre So expressely upon the Question of having a Knight returned into a Jury where a Bishop was Defendant in a quare impedit the rule of the Court was that it ought to bee so because the Bishop was a Peere of the Realme So the Iudgement given against the Bishop of Norwich in the time of Richard the second hee is in the roll expressely allowed to bee a Peere for hee had tooke eeceptions that some things had passed against him without assent or knowledge of his Peeres of the Realme To which exception the answer was It behooves you not at all to touch your Prelate of onely certaine misprisisions which you as a Souldier of the King c. have done and committed c. Here is to be avoided that challenge of Stafford Arch-Bishop of Canterbury under Edward the third when upon his being excluded the Parliament he thus challenged his place Ego tanquam major par Regni post Regem vocem habeus Jure Ecclesiae mea tantum vendico ideo ingressum in Parliamento peto the same is justified by the Clergy touching their Ius paritatis before recited at large and entered in the Parliament roll And in the Assignement of the Errours under Henry the fifth for the reversall of the Attayndor of the Earle of Salisbury one errour is assigned that Iudgement was given without assents of the Prelates which were Peeres in Parliament and that although that were adjudged to bee no errour yet it hath been allowed cleerely in the roll and the Petition that they were Peeres So in an Act of Parliament under the same King the Bishops and Arch-Bishops and Arch-Bishops of Ireland are called Peers of that Kingdome and divers other passages occurre touching this name of Prelate neither could any scruple bee further made of it untill the passing of an Act of this Parliament 17. Car. 1641. But as this is cleere that they were Peeres so also it is cleere that they were not by the lay to bee tryed as Temporall Barons by their Peeres and the conclusion of the contrary drawn as before out of that that they have been Peers is wholy without consequence this having been a point of the common Law as it is distinguished from Acts of Parliament which falls out generally to bee onely the knowne and received custome within the Kingdome if the practise and custome within the Kingdome be therein observed the point of Law may bee soone resolved In the practises and customes divers Bishops are found to have beene arraigned and legally tryed upon Capitall offences yet all that have beene so have had their Triall onely by common Iuries and whether by Statute any alteration bee of this common Law shall presently be examined there being many Bishops now to be tryed THat practise and Custome appeareth in particular examples found from the time of Edward the second to the age next before us thus collected Adam Bishop of Hereford under Edward the second was indicted of divers Felonies and of joyning with Roger Mortimer hee is arraigned in the Kings Bench and upon question how hee will be tryed he saith Quòd ipse est Episcopus Heref. ad voluntatem Dei summi Pontificis quòd materia praedicta Articulorum sibi imposit adeò ardua est quod ipse non debet in Curia sic super praedictis sibi impositis respondere nec inde responders potest absque offensu divino sanctae Ecclesiae Hereupon day is given over and then the Inditement is brought into the Parliament whereupon his arraignment hee giveâ— the like answer and Walter Arch-Bishop of Canterbury petit eum ei liberatur and this is commanded that hee have him ready at a certaine day in the Kings Bench Et praeceptum est vicecomiti Hereford quòd venire faciat coram Domino Rege tot tales c. ad inquirend. prout moris est c. And a common Iury is returned which finds the Bishop guilty whereupon hee is committed to the Arch-Bishop and convict and his Lands and goods are seised into the KINGS hands Here was the Bishop tryed by a common Iury although it appearâ—s both in the Record and in the History of that time that the whole Clergy earnestly indeavouâ—ed to have kept him from conviction but no pretence of any right of Tryall by Peeres is once mentioned in this behalfe though other complaints are full enough expressed against the wholâ— proceedings VNder Edward the third Iohn de Isle brother to Thomas Hen Bishop of Ely was indiâ—ed in Huntingtonshire that he with divers others per assensum procurationem Episcop 28. E. 3. die Lunae post festam Sancti Iacobi burnt the house of the Lady Wake at Colne by Sommersham quòd praedictus Thomas Episcopus sciens praedictam combustionem per praedict. servientes suos esse factam dictos servientes apud Somersham postea receptavit c. And also it was found before the Sheriffe and Coroner that 29 Edward the third the Bishop was guilty de assensu of the murther of one William Holme slaine by Ralph Carelesse and Walter Ripton called little Watt upon malice conceived against Holme because hee followed the suit of the Lady Wake the principalls were attainted by Outlary
if any such right had anciently belonged to them not only they themselves but the temporall Baronage under H. 6. protesteth by the mouth of Viscount Beaumont for their triall by Peeres when William de la Poole put himselfe upon the King and not on his Peeres in such sort as those Bishops put themselves on the Pope and not upon any legall Triall But one particular case is here to be added touching this right singled by it selfe that is Triall by Peeres upon the third offence against the Statute of Service and Sacraments under Queen Elizabeth for the known triall by Peeres is in cases of treasons or misprisions or one of them And triall by Peeres saved to the Baronage in the Statute of new treason of felony hath reference only to the known use of such triall so that in those new treasons or felonies such as for other offences which were before treason or felony were to be tried by their Peeres are likewise and none else to be tried by their Peeres for new treasons or felonies and therein the Spirituall Lords are equally excluded But this of the third offence against that Statute is neither treason felony nor misprision but a Trespasse punished only by forfeiture of goods and perpetuall imprisonment In which Case this act saith without reference to the use of triall by Peeres as it is usually expressed in other Statutes that all and singular Lords of the Parliament for the third offence shall be tried by their Peeres CHAP. III. Scandala Magnatum IF any person shall divulg false Tales of any of the Lords of Parliament by which dissention may bee betwixt the Commons and them the offender is to be imprisoned untill hee bring forth the Author but this also is communicated to the greaâ—er Officers of the Kingdom CHAP. IV. Proces against them in English Courts by Bill and Answer THe course of the Chancery is and of the late Starcham was that the Chancellor writes to the Lords of Parliament and sends out Subpoena's and usually his letters are prayed in the Bils that are exhibited against them But whether upon a Barons not appearing on a Subpoena an attachement may be awarded hath been a question neither do I find it cleerely resolved otherwise than that in later times the practise is that it may but in the time of Queen Elizabeth in a suit between Tavernor and the Lord Cromwell the defendant disobeying an Injunction in the Chancery it was questioned what course should bee taken against him and upon good and deliberate advice taken by the Court having the opinion of some of the Iudges herein an attachment was awarded to the Sheriffe of Norfolke and returned so and the Sheriffe had his costs for bringing him This attachment was awarded in Michaelmas Terme and in Hillary Terme he was returned so but afterwards there being a Parliament began in May and ended in June the Lord Chancellor complained of it and it was pretended that it was gotten in Court in the absence of the Lord Chancellor and advice was had with Councell and Iudges and it appeares not as the words of the Iournall booke are that by the Common Law or by any presidents of the said Court of Chancery it was warranted that the person of any Lord having place and voyce in parliament in the like case in the said Court of Chancery before this time had been attached and therfore they took it to be against the priviledges of the Lords of this Kingdom and he was discharged But for that of attachment upon Subpoenas and in the course of proceeding against noble men by such Writs or Bils as are used in the Exchequer Chancery or elsewhere it is not likely that any certain Course of ancient Common Law or proceeding in equity can be found to justifie it at all either against them or any other persons beyond the time of R. 2. under whom John Waltham Bishop of Salisbury and Chancellor of England brought in the Writs of Subpoena caeteris de causis in the Chancery and the Exchequer by example whereof other Courts have used them against which the Commons passed a Bill in Parliament under Henry the fift but the King would not give assent to it The like is found under Henry the sixt and Henry the fourth CHAP. V. Their number of Chaplaines qualified BY the Statute of Pluralities every Arch-bishop may have eight Chaplaines that may take dispensations for a plurality but for the plenty of Schollers of good ability in Arts and Learning it is like the Law in these points will be altered that they all have and none want convenient benefice Every Marquesse and Earle may have 5 Chaplaines Every Viscount may have 4 Chaplaines Every Bishop may have 6 Chaplaines Every Temporall Baron may have 3 Chaplaines Every Dutchesse being Widdowes two Every Marchionesse being Widdowes two Every Countesse being Widdowes two Every Baronesse being Widdowes two CHAP. VI Their retaining of Strangers A Baron of the Parliament may keepe six strangers borne out of the Kings obeysance at one time whereas another man may retaine not above foure CHAP. VII Clergy VNder Edw. the sixt a priviledge was given to the Nobility that in all cases where a common person as a Clerke convict shall and may have benefit of his Clergy and in all cases where priviledge of Clergy is restrained or taken away by that Statute except in willfull murder that is Burglary Robbery by or neere the high-way stealing of Horses and Sacriledge a Lord of the Parliament and Peere of the Realme should at the first offence only of common grace without prayer have benefit of the Clergy and stand as a Clerke convict to make purgation although hee cannot read But as Stamford notes in all other cases in which Clergy is taken away since that Act. A Baron of the Parliament is in the same case as any other common person is And by Acts made since it was taken away generally 1 For stealing of Horses 1. E. 6. cap. 33. 2 Robbing in dwelling houses c. in or neere the high way 5. E 6. c. 9. 3 Burning of Houses or Barnes pety treason 5 Phil Mar. c. 4. 4 Stealing of 5 s. in any dwelling house or any place adjoyning 39. Eliz. cap. 15. 5 Stealing of 12 d. or more without the knowledge of the person c. 8. Eliz. cap. 4. 6 Burglary and Rape 16. Eliz cap. 7. 7 Killing one that hath no weapon drawn 1 Jac. cap. 9. CHAP. VIII Their liberty of hunting in the Kings Forrests QVicunque Archiepiscopus Comes vel Baro veniens ad nos per mandatum nostruÌ„ transiret per forestam nostram liceat ei capere unam bestiam vel duas per visum Forestarii si presens fuerit sin autem faciat cornare ne videatur hoc furtim facere hoc liceat eis redeundo facere sicut praedict est and this hath been interpreted to the comming of a Lord by summons to the Parl. by