Page 321
The Parliament holden at WESTMINSTER the Munday after the Purification of our Lady, in the eleventh year of the raign of King RICHARD the second.
[unspec 1] THe same day Thomas Bishop of Ely Chancellor of England by the Kings commandement declared very wisely,* 1.1 & eloquently. the cause of the Parliament;* 1.2 viz. by what means the great troubles grew within the Realm,* 1.3 for want of good Government,* 1.4 might be appeased, the King better counselled,* 1.5 the Realm better governed,* 1.6 Peace better observed,* 1.7 the laws more straightly maintained,* 1.8 Justice more indifferently ministred,* 1.9 Misdemeanors more severely puni∣shed,* 1.10 and Well-doers the better cherished; How also the Realm might be best defended,* 1.11 how the Sea kept,* 1.12 the Marches of Scot∣land well guarded,* 1.13 and the parts of Guienne valiantly acquitted,* 1.14 whereof some part was then besiedged, and how the charges a∣bout these exploits might most easily be levied.* 1.15
Receivers of the Petitions for England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.
Receivers of Petitions for Gascoin, and other places beyond the Seas, and of the Isles.
[unspec 2] Triars of Petitions for England &c. as above.
Triars of Petitions for Gascoin &c. as above.* 1.16
[unspec 3] [unspec 4] After this Thomas Duke of Gloucester,* 1.17 kneeling before the King, said, that he understood how that the King was informed, [unspec 5] that he went about to depose the King, and to make himself King; [unspec 6] wherefore he offered there to declare and shew his Estate in that behalf, as the Lords of the Parliament would award;* 1.18 whereupon the King said openly in the Parliament,* 1.19 that he thought that the said Duke was nothing faultie, and therefore held him excused.
[unspec 7] In the Parliament all the Lords, as well Spirituall as Temporal, being present, claimed their Liberties,* 1.20 and Franchises; viz. that all weightie matters in the same Parliament which should be after moved,* 1.21 touching the Peeres of the Land,* 1.22 ought to be determined and judged, and discussed by the course of the Parliament,* 1.23 and not by the Civill Law,* 1.24 nor yet by the Common Laws of the Land used in other more Courts of the Realm;* 1.25 the which clayme and liberties the King most willingly allowed, and granted thereto in full Parliament.
[unspec 8] In full Parliament also the 5. Lords Appellants;* 1.26 viz. Tho. Duke of Gloucester, Henry Earl of Darby, Rich. Earl of Arundell, Tho. Earl of Worcester, and Thomas Earl Marshall, made their open protestations,* 1.27 that whatsoever they attempted, touching their Ap∣peal,* 1.28 and Suit in this Parliament or before, they, and their par∣takers did the same, chiefly to the honour of God,* 1.29 the ayde and