Note (39) — Chapter II
Reading edition
For the whole career of Simon I must again refer generally to Pauli and Blaauw. The great writ itself, dated at Worcester, December 14th, 1264, will be found in Rymer’s Fœdera, i. 449. It has often been noticed how small is the number of Earls and other lay Barons, and how unusually large the number of churchmen, who are summoned to this Parliament. The whole list will be found in Rymer. The parts of the writ which concern us stand thus:
“Item mandatum est singulis vicecomitibus per Angliam; quod venire faciant duos milites de legalioribus, probioribus et discretioribus militibus singulorum comitatuum, ad Regem London’ in octab’ prædictis, in formâ supradictâ.
“Item in formâ prædictâ scribitur civibus Ebor’, civibus Lincoln’, et cæteris burgis Angliæ; quod mittant in formâ prædictâ duos de discretioribus, legalioribus, et probioribus, tam civibus, quam burgensibus suis.
“Item in formâ prædictâ mandatum est baronibus, et probis hominibus Quinque Portuum.”
“This is often regarded as the origin of popular representation; but it is not in any sense entitled to that praise. The novelty was simply the assembling the representatives of the towns in conjunction with those of the counties; this was now done for the first time for the purpose of the national council.” Stubbs, 401.