86.

The King Orders Accounts Submitted to Parliament

(1379. French original, 3 R. P. 56. Translation by Editors. 2 Stubbs, 468, 698.)

7. AND that you [Parliament] may be fully informed of the real nature of the said necessary expenditures made and to be made, the treasurers for the said war shall be present and shall appear, at such an hour as pleases you, to show you clearly in writing their receipts and expenditures made since the last parliament, and the amounts due, with the other necessary expenditures above mentioned, to be made for the march of Calais, at Cherbourg, at Brest, in the marches of Scotland, in Ireland, and elsewhere. And our lord the king wills that, if anyone in the realm shall feel aggrieved at anything done to him wrongly and contrary to the law, which cannot be remedied without parliament, he shall bring forward his petition in the matter in parliament, and for receiving, trying, and examining such bills, our said lord the king has made assignment of certain prelates, lords, justices, and clerks, in the form and manner which follows: and he wills and commands that full justice shall be done and ordained in this parliament to all men, as well to the least as to the greatest; and that this present parliament shall continue from day to day until the king our lord shall give you his leave and license to depart.

12. These are the names of the prelates and lords appointed to examine the estate of the king, at the request of the commons; that is to say, the archbishop of Canterbury, the bishop of London, the bishop of Rochester, the Earl of March, the earl of Warwick, the earl of Stafford, the Lord Latimer, Guy de Brienne, or John Cobham, and Roger Beauchamp. First, to examine the revenues accruing from the subsidy of wools received since the last feast of St. Michael and which probably will be received before the coming feast of St. Michael. Item, to examine as well all the revenues of the realm received since the said time, also the revenues of the alien priors and the ancient maletote of wools, the vacancies of the bishoprics and abbeys, and all other profits whatsoever, and those which will probably be received and levied before the said feast of St. Michael, both by the hands of the treasurer of war as the collector and of the hanaper of the chancery and all other offices whatsoever of our lord the king. Item, to examine what manner of fees or wages were used to be taken by the grand and petty officers of the king in the time of King Edward, the grandfather of our lord who now is. Item, to examine what annuities granted by our lord the king, the said grandfather, and by the prince, whom God assoil, were paid. Item, to examine the properties of the royal grandfather, that is to say, where they have gone and into whose hands, and what persons were paid in discharge of the alms of the said grandfather; and what part thereof remains for the use of our lord the king; and what has become of the rest. And that those who have the distribution thereof be held to account by the said lords, and whether they have come to the profit of the king in discharge of his people, or not. Item, to look over and examine the sum of the expenses of the household of our lord the king, calling before them the officers of the aforesaid household, the better to inform themselves. Item, the wardships, marriages, forfeitures and escheats. Item, the revenues of Calais, and the other castles and fortresses, the other revenues of the war by sea and by land. Item, the revenues of Bordeaux, that is to say, of wine and money, and other such profits. Item, the subsidy of cloths, that is to say, the cloth with the seal eighteen pence. Item, the profits from the possessions of the rebellious cardinals. Item, to see to it that those who have taken wages for the war be made to give account of them and to answer for that which remains in their hands. Item, of the moneys called Roman pence, which amounts to a great sum, and of the arrears of many years. And be it remembered that the said lords appointed have themselves the command of the king in parliament to enter, that is to say, altogether or three of them at least, of whom one should be of each rank, the places and offices of the king which shall be necessary for this matter, with the officers or guardians of the same, and to examine together with the said officers the rolls, accounts, and whatsoever other things touch upon this matter, and to do and accomplish as much as is said above and to report distinctly to our said lord the king and to his council what they shall have done or found, with their best advice on this matter. And our lord the king wills and commands all his Officers and ministers of the said places to show to the said lords appointed, or three of them, the rolls, accounts, tallies, and whatsoever other evidences touch this matter and to attend them in the manner before said as much and as often as they shall be required by the said lords or any of them.