140 Stat. 3. Anno vicefimo o£tavo Edward 1 I. A. D. 1300. cap. 1. A Confirmation of the Great Charter, and the Charter of the Foreft. 1 Infr. 537. A Confirmation of the Great Charter, and the Charter of the foreft. CommiiTioners to enquite of Oirences done contrary to the Charters. Other Officers (hill be attend- ant upon the <:ommiflioncrs. THAT is to fay, That from henceforth the great Charter of the Liberties of England, granted to all the Commonalty of the Realm, and the Charter of the Foreft, in like Manner granted, fhall be ob- ferved, kept, and maintained in every Point, in as ample wife as the King hath granted, renewed, and confirmed them by his Charter. (2) And that the Charters be delivered to every Sheriff of England un- der the King's Seal, to be read four Times in the Year before the People in the full County, that is to wit, the next County-day after the Feaft of Saint Michael, and the next County-day after Gbrijlmas, and at the next County after Eq/ler, and at the next County after the Feaft of Saint John. (3) And for thefe two Charters to be firmly obferved in every Point and Article (where before no Remedy was at the Common Law) there fhall be chofen in every Shire-Court, by the Commonalty of the fame Shire, three fubftantial Men, Knights, or other lawful, wife, and well-difpofed Perfons, which fhall be Juf- tices fworn and affigned by the King's Letters Pa- tents under the Great Seal, to hear and determine (without any other Writ, but only their Commif- lion) fuch Plaints as fhall be made upon all thofe that commit or offend againft any Point contained in the forefaid Charters, in the Shires where they be affigned, as well within Franchifes as without, and as well for the King's Officers out of their Places, as for other, and to hear the Plaints from Day to Day without any Delay, and to determine them, without allowing the Delays which be allowed by the Com- mon Law. (4) And the fame Knights fhall have Power to punifh all fuch as fhall be attainted of any Trefpafs done contrary to any Point of the forefaid Charters (where no Remedy was before by the Com- mon Law) as before is faid, by Imprisonment, or by Ranfom, or by Amerciament, according to the Tref- pafs. (;) Neverthelefs the King, nor none of thofe that made this Ordinance, intend, that by virtue hereof any of the forefaid Knights fhall hold any Plea by the Power which fhall be given them in fuch Cafe, where there hath been Remedy provided in Times parTed, after the Courfe of the Common Law by Writ, nor alfo that any Prejudice fhould be done to the Common Law, nor to the Charters aforefaid in any Point. (6) And the King ivilleth, That if all three be not prefent, or cannot at all Times attend to do their Office in Fo:m aforefaid, that two of them fhall do it. (7) And it is ordained, That 'the King's Sheriffs and Bailiffs fnall be attendant to do the Com- mandments of the forefaid Julfices, as far forth as appertaineth unto their Offices. (8) And belides thefe Things granted upon the Articles of tie Char- ters aforefaid, the King of his fpecial Grace, for Redrefs of the Grievances that his People hath fuf- tained by reafon of his Wars, and for the Amend- ment of their Eftate, and to the Intent that they may be the more ready to do him Service, and the more willing to affiil and aid him in Time of Need, hath granted certain Articles, the which he fuppofeth fhall not only be obferved of his liege People, but alfo (hall be as much profitable, or more, than the Artick-3 heretofore granted.' 3 Ex Rot. in Turr. Lond. CE S T afavoir qe de ci en avant la Grant Char- tre des Franchifes dEngleterre grantee a tote la commune dEngleterre e la Chartre de laForefte en meifme la manere grantee foient tenues gardees e meyntenues en chefcun article e chefcun poynt aufi pleinement come le Roi ad grante renovele e par fa chartre conferme. E qe celes chartres foient baillees a chefcun vifcont dEngleterre defoutz le feal le Roi a lire quatre foiz par un devant le poeple en plein conte ceft afavoir a prochein conte apres la feint Michel al prochein conte apres le Noel al prochein conte apres la Pafqe & al prochein conte apres la feint Johan. Et a celes deus chartres en chefcun poynt e en chefcun article de eles ferme- rhent tenir ou remedie ne fuft avant par la com. mune ley foient eflus en chefcun conte par la com- mune de meifme le conte trois prodes hommes chivaliers ou autres loiaux fages e avifes qui foient Juftices jures e affignes par les lettres le Roi overtes de foen grant feal de oyr e determiner faiitz autre bref qe leur commun garant les pleintes qe le fer- ront de touz iceaus qe vendront ou mefprendront en nul des ditz poyntz des avantdites chartres les contetz ou il font affignes aufi bien dedenz fran- chifes come dehors e aufi bien des miniftres le Roi hors de leur places come des autres. Et les pleintes oyes de jour en jour fantz delay les terminent fanz alluer les delais qe font allues par commune ley. E qe meifmes ceaus chevaliers eint poer de punir touz ceaus qe ferront atteintz de trefpas fait en- contre nul point des chartres avantdites ou reme- die ne fufl avant par commune ley aufi come avant eft dit par enprifonement ou par ranceoun ou par amerciement felonc ceo qe le trefpafs le demande.. Et par ceo nentent pas le Roi ne nul de ceaux qe fuft a ceft ordenement fere qe les chivaliers avant- ditz tiegnent nul play par le poer qe done leur ferra encas ou avant ces houres fuft remedie purveu folonc la commune ley par href ne qe prejudice en- foit fet a la commune ley ne a les chartres avant- dites en nul de leur pointz. E voet le Roi qe fi touz treis ne foient prefentz ou ne purront as totes les foiz entendre a faire leur office en la fourth's avantdite qe deus des trois le facent. E ordehe eft qe les vifconte's e les baillifs le roi foient enten- dantz as les comandementz des avantdites juftices- en quant qe apent a leur office. E eftre ceftes- chofes grantees fur les poiiitz des chartres avant- dites le Roi de fa grace efpeciale en aleggeance- des grevances qe foen poeple ad eti par les guerrcs qe unt eft e en amendement de leur eftat c pur taunt qil foient plus preftz a fon fervice e plus vo- luntiers aidantz quaunt il enavora aferc ad grante afcuns articles les quieus il ententqi tendront aufi. grant lieu a fan poeple tk aufi grant profift ferront ou plus qe les points avant grantcs. C A r •
