These groups sometimes
formed alliances in a common cause. Women sometimes petitioned.
From 1293, the petitions were placed in four stacks for
examination by the King and council, by the Chancery, by the
Exchequer, or by the justices. Many hours were spent hearing and
answering petitions. From 1305, the petitions were presented to
the king in full Parliament.
The king still exercised the power of legislation without a full
Parliament. He might in his council issue proclamations. The Chief
Justices still had, as members of the king's council, a real voice
in the making of laws. The king and his justices might, after a
statute has been made, put an authoritative interpretation upon
it. Royal proclamations had the same force as statutes while the
king lived; sometimes there were demands that certain
proclamations be made perpetual by being embodied in statutes,
e.g. fixing wages. There was no convention that agreement or even
the presence of representatives was required for legislation. The
idea that the present can bind the absent and that the majority of
those present may outvote the minority was beginning to take hold.
Edward I's councilors and justices took an oath to give, expedite,
and execute faithful counsel; to maintain, recover, increase, and
prevent the diminution of, royal rights; to do justice, honestly
and unsparingly; to join in no engagements which may present the
councilor from fulfilling his promise; and to take no gifts in the
administration of justice, save meat and drink for the day.
Pages:
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372