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
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
for moving the King and power of France and by such repute as then and yet is taken to bee wherefore all the said profit ought to appertain to the KING as of a Schismatick and alien which thing of reasoâ— ought to have beene made known by the said Eaâ—le before hee demanded of the KING the said profit and hee kâ—ew expressely that hee demanded it for â—is sonne as an Hospitall and alleadged not in his answer that the King when hee granted the profit was informed of the matters aforesaid and also in that that when hee was such an Officer as beforesaid hee sent to the Court of Rome to have the same profit for his Sonne of the Collation of the Pope as benefice of the holy Church and to have also the profit out of the KINGS hand by the Sea Apostolicall as the Record termeth it and hee denies not that hee received of the said profits foure hundred pounds per annum alleadging that hee rendered to the KING the sâ—me and that after the said Earle had made a bargainâ— to have the provision which hee claymed of the said profit in England of the Pope a hundred pound per annum of the said provision to him and his Sonne John for term of their two lives for to deliver the said profit to the said provision for payment of which 100. l. to him and his sonne he tooke surety of the provision by recognizance and Obligations of divers summes notwithstanding that the King had commanded by his Letters to deliver all the profit aforesaid out of his hands to the said provision there where it seems for any thing that yet was shewn that all the said profit ought to have rested in the Kings hand for the causes aforesaid at least untill it had beâ—ne discussed whether the said profit were the benefit of holy Church grantable by the Pope or appurtenant to the K. by reason of Schismasie and endemnity of the said Master and he alleadged not in his answer that the King was cleerely informed of the matters aforesaid wherefore it is awarded that the said foure hundred markes per annum in time that the said profit was so granted to him by the King untill the time that hee delivered the same profit to the said provision as also the said 100. l. a yeare received also of the sâ—id provision untill the same bee levied to the use of our Lord the King of his Lands and chaâ—tells and that all the profit which should of late appertaine to the said Earle by reason of the said recognizance or of other Obligations and Covenants also made in surety of payment And as also to the 1000. markeâ— which hee had alleadged that he payed to the King for the said Exchanges It is awarded that the said 1000. markes remaining in the hands of the King as part of payment of the fine and ransome thâ—t the said Earle shall likewise make to the King before hee be delivered from prison Ex rotulo Parliamenti Anno 5. H. 4. N. 11. ITem Friday the last day of February the Earle of Northumberland came before the King and the Lords and Commons of Parliament and there the Chancellor of England shewed how on Tuesday last past hee had beene before the King the Lords and Commons in the same Parliament and there beseeched the King as hee had done at other times at his comming before him in Yorke that it would please our said Lord the King to grant him pardon of those things wherein he hath offended against him not keeping his Lawes and Statutes as Ligeance demandeth as by a Petition by him preferred in Parliament written in English whereof the Tenor ensueth may appeare more at large To my most Dreadfull and Soveraigne liege LORD I Your humble liege beseech your Highnesse to have in remembrance my comming to your Highnesse to have in remembrance my comming to your Worshipfull presence unto Yorke of my free will by your goodly Letters where I put mee in your Grace as I that nought have kept your Lawes and Statutes as liegeance asketh and especially of gathering of power and giving of Liveries as that time I put mee in your Grace and yet doe And I sent it like to your Highnesse that all gracelesse should not goe Wherefore I beseech you that your High Grace be seene on mee at this time and of other things which you have examined mee of I have told you plainely and of all I put mee wholy in your Grace WHich Petition by Commandement of the King examined by the Iustices for to have their Counsell and advice in this behalfe by Protestation made by the said Lords that the Iudgement appertained to them onely and after reaâ—ing and understanding of the same Petion before the Lords as Peers of the Parliament to whom such Iudgements appertaine of right to heare and understand by the Statutes made in the 25th yeare of the King that now is by deliberation of King Edward cozen of our Lord the King that now is they adjudge that those things which the said Earle hath don contained in the said Petition are not treason nor Felony but onely Trespasse for which Trespasse hee ought to make fine and ransome according to the Kings pleasure wherefore the said Earle most humbly reverenceth our Lord the King and the said Lords the Peeres of Parliament concerning the right Iudgement and further the said Earle prayed our Lord the KING that in affirmance of those matters hee might bee purged from all suspitions and prayed to bee judged de Novo in the presence of the KING and of the LORDS and Commons in Parliament the said Earle tooke his Oath upon the Crosse of the Arch-bishop to bee faithfull and loyall liege man to our Lord the King and to his eldest sonne and to the Heires issuing of his body and to his brothers and their Issue successesively and inheritably at which time if the King would command him hee should bee ready to shew and declare that which hee knowes in that he halfe and set forth the truth thereof And that our Lord the King might not bee deceived the said Earle was present and charged in his liberty the said Earle upon his Oath which hee had made upon the said crosse setteth forth and declareth openly in Parliament that which hee knoweth in this matter upon which charge to him given the said E. saith That at the day of Tryall of his life hee knew not of the Dukes and Bishops and other Lords any thing that â—ounded in derogation of the honourable estate of the K. and of his royall Majesty but that they were and are to him good and lawfull Lieges and that for such our Lord the King may hold and repute them and may faithfully put his trust in them in perill of his life and by the Oath which heâ— had made as before said And moreover the said Earle of Northamberland humbly beseeched the Lords and Earles and Commoners that they will beseech our Lord the
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.
King of his grace towards him concerning the fine and ransome and if at any time he doe any thing against our Lord the King other then liegeancy that they make no prayer nor request for him in whatsoever ensueth thereon but that they be altogether against him And also the same Friday it was adjudged by the King and the Lords in Parliament that leave of Battaile be made by the said Mr. Henry Mr. Thomas which are holden to be guilty of Treason and that as well for themselves as for others which shall bee in their company at the time of the said licence And those to whom the King had granted favour and pardon the King will that they stand firmely in their force and vertue Ex rotulo Parliamenti Anno 31. H. 6. N. 26. ITem the Friday the 15. of February it was opened and declared to the Lords Spirituall and Temporall being in the Parliament chamber by the Counsell of the Duke of Yorke that whereas Thomas Thorpe the monday the first day of August in the raigne of Henry the sixt 30. camâ— to the place of the Bishop of Durham and then and tâ—ere tooke and bore away certaine goods and â—attle of the same Dukes against his will and licence and thereupon the said Duke came and tooke an action by Bill in Mich Terme last past against the said Thomas in the Court of Exchequer according to the Priviledge for so much as the said Thomas was one of the Court to which Bill the said Thomas willingly appeared and had divers dayes to imparle at his request and desire and to the said Bill and action pleaded not guilty whereupon there was awarded in the said Exchequer a venire facias to the Sheriffe of Middlesex returnaeble in the said Exchequer and thereby the Iury that passed betweene the Duke and the said Thomas it was found that the said Thomas was guilty of the said trespasse contained in the said Bill and the same Iury assessed the dammages to the said Duke of the said trespasse to a 1000. l. and for his costs 10. l. And thereupon Iudgement was given in the said Exchequer and the said Thomas acâ—â—rding to the â—ourse of the Law was committed to the Fleete for the fine belonging to the King in that behalfe And thereupon it was prayed humbly on the behalfe of the said Duke that it should like their good Lordships considering that the said Trespasse was done and committed by the said Thomas since the beginning of the present Parliament And also the said Bill and action were taken and scanned and by processe of Law Iudgement given thereupon against the said Thomas in time of vacation of the said Parliament and not in Parliament-time and also that if the said Thomas should bee relieved by priviledge of Parliament ere the time that the said Duke bee satisfied of his said dammages and costs the said Duke should bee without remedy in that behalfe That the said Thomas according to the Law bee kept in ward according to the time that he have fully satisfied and contented the said Duke of his dammages and costs the said Lords Spirituall and Temporall not intending to impeach or hurt the liberties and priviledges of them that were come for the Commons of this Land in this prâ—sent Parliament but equally afâ—er the course of the Law to minister Iustice and to have knowledge what the Law will weigh in that behalfe opened and declared to the Iudges the premisses and asked of them whether the said Thomas ought to be delivered from prison by force and vertue of the priviledges of Parliament or no To the which Question the chiefe Iustice in the name of all the Iustices after some Communication and mature deliberation had among them answered and said that they ought not to answer to that question for it hath not beene used aforetime that the Iudges should in any wise determine the Priviledges of this High Court of Parliament for it is so high and mighty in his nature that it may make Law and that which is Law it may make no Law and the determination and knowledge of that priviledge belongs to the Lords of Parliament and not to the Iudges But as for the Declaration of proceedings in the lower Courts in such cases as Writs of Supersedias of priviledge of Parliament to bee brought and delivered to the said chiefe Iustice hee said there be many and divers Supersedeas of priviledge of Parliament brought into the Courts but there is no generall Supersedias brought to surcease all processe but if there should bee it should seeme that this high Court of Parliament that ministreth all Iustice should let the proces of the common Law and so it should put off the party complaynant without remedy for so much as actions of common law be not determined in this high Court of Parliament and if any person that is a member of this high Court of Parliament bee arrested in such cases as be not for felony or Treason or security of the peace or for condemnation had before a Parliament it is used that all such persons should be released of all such arrests and make an Attourney so that they may have their freedome and liberty freely to attend the Parliament After which answer and declaration it was throughly agreed assented and concluded by the Lords Spirituall and Temporall that the said Thomas according to the Law should remaine still in prison for the causes above said the priviledge of Parliament or that the said Thomas was Speaker of the said Parliament notwithstanding and that the Premisses should be opened and declared to them that were common for the Commons of this Land and they should bee charged and commanded in the Kings name that they with good hast and speed proceed to the Election of another Speaker The which Premisses for as much as they were matters in Law by the commandement of the Lords were opened and declared to the Commons by the mouth of Walter Moyle one of the Serjeants at Law in the presence of the Bishop of Elie in the Kings name that they should proceed to the Election of another Speaker with all godly hast and speed so that the matter for which the K. called this Parliament tooke good and effectuall conclusion and end ITem 16. die Febr. tunc prox sequenti praefati Communes quidam de sociis suis declaraveruÌ„t dominis spiritualibus teÌ„poralibus in presenti Parliamento quòd ipsi per mandatum ex parte domini Regis pridie sibi injunct cum omni diligentia exequentes eligerunt loco praefat. Thom. Thorp Thom. Carleton militem prolocutorem suum humillimè deprecando quatenus praefatus dominus Rex hujusmodi electionem vellet acceptare Quâ—bus per domiâ—um Cancellarium Angliae de mandato dicti Domini Regis advisamento consilii extitit respons quod quidem dominus Rex de electione praesenti Thom. Carleton se bene contentavit injungendo eis quatenus ad
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