Note 483 — Chapter VI · THE WITENA GEMÓT.

These were usual periods for holding the gemót. “Actum Wintoniae in publica curia Natalis Christi, in die festivitatis sancti Sylvestri,” etc. Cod. Dipl. No. 815. The old folcmót probably met three times in the year at the unbidden Ðing or placitum: so did the followers of the first Norman kings at least, and it is remarkable enough that the barons at Oxford should have returned to this arrangement, 42 Hen. III. anno 1258. “Fait a remembrer qe lez xxiiii ount ordeignez qe trois parlementz seront par an, le primere az octaues de seint Michel, le seconde lendimayn de le chaundelour, le tierce le primer iour de Juyn ceste asauoir trois semayns deuant le seint Johan; et a ces troiz parlementz vendront lez conseillours le roi eluz tut ne seyent il pas mandez pur vere lestat du roialme, et pur treter les communes busoignes du reaume et del roi ensement et autrefoitz ensembleront quant mester sera par maundement le roi.” Prov. Oxon., Brit. Mus., Cotton MS., Tiberius B. iv. folio 213. According to the later custom Parliaments were to be, at least, annual, and were frequently admitted so to be by law, until the Tudor times. See 5 Ed. II. an. 1311. “Nous ordenoms qe le Roy tiegne Parlement vne foiz par an ou deux fois se mestre soit, et ceo en lieu convenable,” etc.: which ordinance of the Lords was passed into an act of Parliament 4 Ed. III. cap. 14. Some years later the Commons petitioned the same king, that for redress of grievances and other important causes, “soit Parlement tenuz au meinz chescun an en la seson que plerra au Roy.” Rot. Parl. 36 Ed. III. n. 25. To which the king answered that the ancient statute thereupon should be held. This petition the Commons found it necessary to repeat fourteen years later, “qe chescun an soit tenuz un Parlement,” etc.: to which the answer was, “Endroit du Parlement chescun an, il y aent estatuz et ordenances faitz les queux soient duement gardez et tenuz.” Rot. Parl. 50 Ed. III. n. 186: and the same thing took place at the accession of Richard the Second. Rot. Parl. 1 Ric. II. n. 95. 2 Ric. II. n. 2. Triennial parliaments were, I believe, first agreed to by Charles the First.