=Source.=--_Rotuli Parliamentorum_ (Record Commission), vol. iv.,
p. 22.
Item be it remembered, that the Commons presented to our sovereign lord
the King in this present Parliament a petition, the tenor of which
follows word for word.
Our sovereign Lord, your humble and true lieges that have come for the
Commune of your land beseech your right righteousness, That so it hath
ever been their liberty and freedom that there should no statute nor
law be made unless they give thereto their assent: Considering that the
Commune of your land, the which that is, and ever hath been, a member
of your Parliament, be as well assenters as petitioners, that from
this time forward, by complaint of the Commune of any mischief asking
remedy by the mouth of their Speaker or else by petition written, that
there never be no law made thereupon and engrossed as statute and law,
neither by addition, neither by diminutions, by no manner of term or
terms the which that should change the sentence and the intent asked by
the Speaker's mouth, or the petitions beforesaid given up in writing
by the manner aforesaid, without assent of the aforesaid Commune.
Considering our sovereign Lord, that it is not in no wise the intent
of your Communes, that it be so that they ask you, by speaking or by
writing, two things or three or as many as them lust: But that ever it
stand in the freedom of your high regality to grant which of those that
you lust, and to refuse the remnant.
The King of his grace especially granteth that from henceforth no
thing be enacted to the petitions of his Commune that be contrary to
their asking, whereby they should be bound without their assent. Saving
always to our liege Lord his real prerogative to grant and deny what
him lust of their petitions and askings aforesaid.