These
were in addition to other matters sworn to by the councilors.
Parliament soon was required to meet at least once a year at the
Great Hall at Westminster beside the royal palace. London paid its
representatives 10s. per day for their attendance at Parliament.
From the time of Edward II, the counties paid their knight-
representatives 4s. daily, and the boroughs paid their burgess-
representatives 2s. daily. When it convened, the Chancellor sat on
the left and the Archbishop of Canterbury on the right of the
king. Just below and in front of the king his council sits on wool
sacks brought in for their comfort from wool stored nearby. It
answers questions. Behind them on the wool sacks sit the justices,
who may be called upon to give legal advice, e.g. in framing
statutes. Then come the spiritual and lay barons, then the
knights, and lastly the elected burgesses and citizens. Lawmaking
is now a function of Parliament, of which the King's council is a
part, instead of a function of the king with his council and
justices. The common people now had a voice in law-making, though
legislation could be passed without their consent. The first
legislation proposed by the commons was alteration of the forest
laws governing the royal pleasure parks. Such a statute was passed
in a bargain for taxes of a percentage of all movables, which were
mostly foodstuffs and animals. The king offered to give up the
royal right to tax merchandise for a new tax: customs on exports.
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