The "Place Act," against place-men, 1742 (p. 138.) The Bribery Act, 1762 (p. 139.) The Grenville Act regulating election Committees, 1770 (p. 109.) The Reform Act, 1832 (pp. 132, 133, 141.) The Corrupt Practices Act, 1854 (p. 139 note). Lord Derby's Reform Act, 1867 (pp. 132, 134, 141.) Names of Parliaments. The Mad Parliament, met at Oxford, 1258, and passed the Provisions of Oxford; so called by the supporters of Henry III. (p. 16). The Model Parliament, 1295, the first complete “Model,” 1295. or model Parliament (p. 130.). The Good Parliament, 1376, from its attempt “Good,” 1376. under the Black Prince to end abuses and initiate reform; its efforts were ineffectual owing to the death of the Black Prince, and the return of John of Gaunt to power (pp. 47, 146.) The Wonderful Parliament, 1386. "Wonderful," 1386. The "Merciless " Parliament, 1388, from the "Merciless," proceedings of the Lords Appellant, and its im- 1388. peachment and execution of Sir Simon Burley, Sir John Holt, and others of the King's friends (p. 146.) The Unlearned Parliament, 1404, from the fact "Unlearned,” that lawyers were entirely excluded. 1404. The Parliament of Bats, 1425, from the "bats," of "Bats," 1425. or clubs, carried by the two hostile factions which supported Gloucester and Bedford. The Reformation Parliament, 1529, from its "Reformation," abolition of the Papal supremacy in England, and 1529, reform of the English Church (ch. ix.) The Addled Parliament, 1614, from its sitting "Addled," 1614. only two months, and passing no Bill at all. 'Short," 1640. "Long," 1640 1660. Rump," 1648. "Barebones," 1653. "Barebones," Parliament or Assembly of The Short Parliament, 1640, April 13th to May 5th. The Long Parliament, Nov. 1640—1660 (p. 95.) The Rump Parliament, 1648, the members of the Long Parliament remaining after the Presbyterian party had been driven out by Colonel Pride; about fifty remained. The Little Parliament or Barebones Parliament (also called the Assembly of Nominees), 1653, was chosen by Cromwell and his officers from a list of Nominees, 1653. names submitted by the ministers of the various independent Churches. It consisted of one hundred and thirty-nine members, and took its name from one of its chief ornaments, Praise God Barebones, one of the members for London. First "Convention," 1660. Second "Convention," 1689. Pensionary or "Drunken," 1661-1679. The First Convention Parliament, 1660, from meeting without a summons from the King. The Second Convention Parliament, 1689, for the same reason. The Pensionary Parliament, 1661-Jan. 1679, from most of its members being bribed by either France or Spain; also called The Drunken Parliament. CHAPTER IV. LEGISLATION. Legislation. ANGLO-SAXON laws were enacted by the King with Anglo Saxon the Counsel and consent of the Witan, and were proclaimed in the shire-moot (p. 63); they usually took the form of recording and amending existing customs, previously handed down by oral tradition, and are often difficult to explain, owing to our ignorance of the customs referred to. Some of the more ambitious attempts at legislation, e.g., by Alfred, Ethelred, and Canute, have been dignified by the name of Codes or Dooms. Laws were passed1 by circ. 600. Ethelbert of Kent (circ. 600), Lothaire and Edric Ethelbert, of Kent (circ. 680), chiefly concerned with judicial Lothaire and matters, e.g., fixing of penalties. Edric, circ. 680. Wihtred of Kent (circ. 696), dealing with Church Wihtred, circ. affairs, as well as with justice. 696. Ini of Wessex (circ. 690), to prevent the mis- Ini, 688—728. carriage of justice; these laws contain the first mention of the King's prerogative of mercy, e.g., a man compounding a felony, if an ealdorman, is "to forfeit his shire unless the King is willing to be merciful to him." 871-901. Alfred (circ. 890), who was not an original Alfred, legislator, but who "gathered the laws together" which previously existed, and embodied them in a Code. They refer mainly to bots, wites, wers, and the like (p. 75.) One is an anticipation of the Law of Entail, and one makes treason deathworthy (p. 2.) 1 Sel. Charters, pp. 61-64. 2 "The man who has bocland and which his kinsmen left him, then ordain we that he must not give it from his magburgh (kindred), if there be writing or witness that it was forbidden by those men who at first acquired it." Edward the Elder, 901-925. Athelstan. 925-940. Edgar, 959-975. Ethelred II., 979--1016. Canute, 10171035. Edward the Edward the Elder (circ. 920), concerning the "ranks of the people," they declare the amount of land necessary for a ceorl to become thegnworthy, and give privileges of thegnhood to successful scholars and merchants (p. 75, and ch. vii.) Athelstan (circ. 930), at Greatley, Faversham, Exeter, and Thundersfield, chiefly against theft, and for the establishment of associations of mutual responsibility (p. 69.) Edgar (959-975), who issues an "Ordinance of the hundred," orders justice to be done to all, and that " one money, one measure, and one weight pass, such as is observed at London and Winchester." Ethelred II (979-1016), at Woodstock, establishing borhs or sureties, foreshadowing trial by jury (pp. 78 sq.), enforcing the fyrdwite (ch. x.), and decreeing "mild punishments" instead of death (p. 73.) Canute (1017-1035), who confirmed the laws of Edgar, and afterwards issued a code at Winchester. No one was to apply to the King for justice unless he had been first denied it in the lower courts. Every man was to be in a hundred and tithing, and the burdens of heriots were to be lightened. This code also contains an enactment against purveyance, (ch. v.) and the earliest forest law (ch. v.). The so-called laws of Edward the Confessor, so frequently demanded by the popular voice on occasions of bad government, were not issued until 1070, and are merely a compilation of the laws of Canute, Edgar, and others. "As a rule," says Professor Stubbs, "the pub1 Sel. Charters, 65. 2 Ib. 66, 67. 8 Ib. 70-72. Ib. 72, 73. 5" And that a gemot be held in every Wapontake; and the twelve senior thegns go out, and the reeve with them, and swear on the relic that is given them in hand, that they will accuse no innocent man nor conceal any guilty one." Sel. Charters, 72. 6 Sel. Charters, 73, 74. lication of laws is the result of some political change," e.g., Alfred's code marks the consolidation of Wessex, Kent, and Mercia; Edgar's that of the whole of England. tion. William I. Legislation by the Norman Kings took the form Norman Legislaof Charters issued by the King and assented to by Charters. the barons; these charters usually confirmed customs and liberties, and made grants. William I. separated the spiritual and temporal courts by charter (ch. ix.); Henry I. in his Charter of Liberties, Henry I., 1100. 1100 (Appendix A.) makes several legislative enactments, and restores the old laws and customs1; the charters of Stephen and Henry II. were simply Stephen. confirmations. Henry II. Assizes. The Angevin Kings legislated by Assizes, (the word Angevin Assize at this time signifying edict or statute), which Legislation. were issued with the counsel and consent of the Great Council, (and more especially of the Concilium ordinarium, (pp. 32 sq.) though the consent was usually a mere form; the assizes were proclaimed in the County Courts by the Sheriffs (p. 64), and were "chiefly composed of new regulations for the enforcement of royal justices" (see Appendix A.) They were of a temporary rather than a permanent nature. In 1197 the Assize of Measures was Assize of issued, with the advice and at the request of Measures, 1197. the prelates and barons. In the reign of Henry III., in addition to the old forms of legislation, that of Provisions was added, e.g., Provisions of Oxford, 1258 (p. 16), (re-enacted Provisions. as the Statute of Marlborough, 1267), and of Westminster, 1259 (p. 17), (see Appendix A.) 1 The "leges Henrici primi" were not compiled until Henry II. 2 Instances: Assize of Clarendon, 1166; of Northampton, 1176; of Arms, 1181; of the Forest, 1184. 3 Stubbs, Const. Hist. i., 573. |