The Angevins and the Charter (1154-1216): The Beginning of English Law, the Invasion of Ireland and the Crusades — John Shaqi
The Angevins and the Charter (1154-1216): The Beginning of English Law, the Invasion of Ireland and the Crusades
History
The Angevins and the Charter (1154-1216): The Beginning of English Law, the Invasion of Ireland and the Crusades
Great Britain -- History -- Angevin period, 1154-1216 -- Sources; Magna Carta
_M._ All the sheriffs, therefore, and the bailiffs, to whom summonses
are directed, are bound by the same necessity of the law; that is, by
the authority of the royal mandate; that, namely, on the day mentioned
and at the place designated, they shall come together and render
satisfaction for their debts. In order that this may be clearer to thee,
look more closely at the tenor of the summons itself, for it reads: "See
to it, as thou dost love thyself and all thy belongings, that thou art
at the exchequer of such and such a time and place; and that thou hast
with thee whatever thou owest of the old farm and the new, and these
debts written below." Pay attention, then, for two things are said which
fit in with the two which follow: for this, "See to it as thou dost love
thyself," refers to "that thou art there and there at such and such a
time and place"; that expression, however, "and as thou dost love all
thy belongings," seems to refer to this: "and that thou hast with thee
these debts written below"; as if it were openly said, "thy absence,
whoever thou art that receiveth a summons, unless it can be excused by
causes necessary and defined by law, will redound to the peril of thy
head; for thou wilt seem thus to have spurned the royal mandate, and to
have acted irreverently in contempt of the royal majesty, if, being
summoned concerning the matters for which thou art bounden to the King,
thou dost neither come nor send one to excuse thee...."
* * * * *
7. _Liveries._
_D._ What is that thou didst speak of as liveries of both kinds?
_M._ Some of the liveries are of poor people; as when, solely from the
promptings of charity, one penny a day or two or more, are accorded to
someone by the King for food and clothing. But some are of people who do
service, so that they receive them as wages; such are the custodians of
the palaces, the guardians of the royal temples, the pipers, the seizers
of wolves, and the like. These, then, are liveries of different kinds
which are paid for different reasons, but are counted among the fixed
payments. And mark that, although the King is free to confer these
liveries on any poor people whatever, they nevertheless, by ancient
custom, are usually assigned to those who minister at court, and who,
having no income, fall into bodily sickness and become unfit for labour.
PART II. MISCELLANEOUS SOURCES.
HENRY PUTS HIS HOUSE IN ORDER, 1155-7.
+Source.+--_Roger de Hoveden_, Vol. I., Part II., pp. 255-6. Bohn's
Libraries. G. Bell & Sons.
In the year 1155, being the first year of the reign of King Henry, son
of the Empress Matilda, the said King laid siege to the castles of his
enemies in England, and captured them; some of which he retained in his
own hands, and some he levelled with the ground. After this, he crossed
over into Normandy, and did homage to Louis, King of the Franks, for
Normandy, Aquitaine, Anjou, Maine, and Touraine, with all their
appurtenances.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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