=Source.=--_Rotuli Parliamentorum_ (Record Commission), vol. iii.,
p. 611, § 21.
Be it remembered that on Monday the 21st day of November, the King our
sovereign lord being in the Council Chamber in the Abbey of Gloucester,
there being in his presence the lords spiritual and temporal at
this present Parliament assembled, there was a discussion among them
concerning the state of the realm and the defence of the same to
resist the malice of the enemies, who on every coast appeared to be
harassing the said realm and the faithful subjects of the same.... And
thereon it was demanded of the said lords, what aid would be sufficient
and necessary in this case. To which demand and question the lords
replied severally, that considering the necessity of the King on the
one part, and the poverty of his people on the other part, a less aid
could not suffice than to have a tenth and a half from the cities
and boroughs, and a fifteenth and a half from other laymen. Further,
to grant an extension of the subsidy on wool, leather and woolfels,
and three shillings on the ton, and twelve pence in the pound, from
Michaelmas next until Michaelmas in two years next ensuing. Thereon,
by command of the King our said lord, it was conveyed to the Commons
of this present Parliament that they should send to our said lord the
King and the said lords a certain number of persons of their company
to hear and to report to their colleagues what they should have as a
command of our said lord the King. And thereupon the said Commons sent
to the presence of the King our said lord, and the said lords, twelve
of their number: to whom, by command of our said lord the King, was
declared the question above-mentioned and the reply of the aforesaid
lords to it. This reply it was the will of our said lord the King that
they should convey to the rest of their colleagues [in the Commons];
finally that they (of the Commons) should conform as near as possible
to the purpose of the aforesaid lords. This report thus conveyed to the
said Commons, they were greatly perturbed by it, saying and affirming
this to be in great prejudice and derogation of their liberties; and
when our said lord the King heard this, not wishing that anything
should be done at present nor in the future, which could turn in any
wise against the liberty of the estate for which they were come to
Parliament, nor against the liberties of the lords aforesaid, willed
and granted and declared, with the advice of the said lords, in the
following manner: That is to say, that it is lawful for the lords to
debate among themselves in this present Parliament, and in every other
[Parliament] in time to come, in the absence of the King, touching the
state of the realm and the remedy necessary for it. And that, in like
manner, it is lawful for the Commons, on their part, to debate together
touching the state and remedy aforesaid. Provided always that the lords
on their part and the Commons on theirs, make no report to our said
lord the King of any grant granted by the Commons and assented to by
the lords, nor of the communications concerning the said grant, before
the said lords and Commons shall be of one assent and of one accord in
this matter, and then in the manner and form that is customary, that
is to say by the mouth of the Speaker of the said Commons for the time
being, so that the said lords and Commons should have the agreement of
our said lord the King. Also our said lord the King wills, also with
the assent of the aforesaid lords, that the communications held in this
present Parliament as aforesaid shall not be treated as an example for
the future, nor be turned to the prejudice or derogation of the liberty
of the estate for which the Commons are now come together, neither in
the present Parliament nor in any other in the future. But he [the
King] wills that the said, and all the other estates, be as free as
they had been before.