=Source.=--_Statutes of the Realm_, 7 Henry IV., c. xv.
Item our Lord the King, at the grievous complaints of his Commons
[in this present Parliament] of the undue election of the Knights of
Counties for the Parliament, which be sometimes made of affection of
the Sheriff, and otherwise against the form of the writs directed to
the Sheriff, to the great slander of the Counties and the hindrance of
the business of the Commonalty of the said County; Our Sovereign Lord
the King, willing therein to provide a remedy, by the assent of the
Lords spiritual and temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament
assembled, hath ordained and established, that from henceforth the
elections of such knights shall be made in the form that followeth:
That is to say at the next County to be holden after the delivery of
the writ of the Parliament, proclamation shall be made in the full
County of the day and place of the Parliament, and that all they
that be there present, as well suitors duly summoned for the same
cause as other, shall attend to the election of their knights for the
Parliament; and then, in the full County, they shall proceed to the
election freely and indifferently, notwithstanding any request or
command to the contrary; and after that they be chosen, the names of
the persons so chosen, be they present or absent, shall be written
in an Indenture under the Seal of all them that did choose them, and
tacked to the same Writ of Parliament; which indenture, so sealed and
tacked, shall be holden for the Sheriff's return of the said writ
touching the knights of the Shires. And in the writs of Parliament
to be made hereafter this Clause shall be put: _Et electionem tuam
in pleno Comitatu tuo factam distincte et aperte sub sigillo tuo et
sigillis eorum qui electioni illi interfuerint nobis in cancellaria
nostra ad diem et locum in brevi contentos certifices indilate_.[4]
[4] And thy election in thy full county made, distinctly and openly
under thy seal and the seals of those present at that election, certify
without delay, to us in our chancery, at the day and place contained in
the writ.