CROSBY, NICHOLS, LEE AND COMPANY,

FOR WILLIAM VEAZIE.

1861.

CONTENTS

OF

THE THIRD VOLUME.

CHAPTER VIII.

PART III.

THE ENGLISH CONSTITUTION.

Reign of Edward I. - Confirmatio Chartarum

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Edward II.

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its

ment- the Prelates the temporal Peers - Tenure by Barony
Changes - Difficulty of the Subject-Origin of Representation of the
Commons-Knights of Shires- their Existence doubtfully traced
through the Reign of Henry III. Question whether Representation
was confined to Tenants in capite discussed-State of English Towns
at the Conquest and afterwards their Progress - Representatives
from them summoned to Parliament by Earl of Leicester-Improba-
bility of an earlier Origin — Cases of St. Albans and Barnstaple con-
sidered Parliaments under Edward I.-Separation of Knights and
Burgesses from the Peers
Gradual Progress of the
Authority of Parliament traced through the reigns of Edward III. and
his Successors down to Henry IV. - Privilege of Parliament - the
early Instances of it noticed-Nature of Borough Representation –
Right of Election - other Particulars relative to Election - House of
Lords Baronies by Tenure- by Writ - Nature of the latter dis-
cussed - Creation of Peers by Act of Parliament and by Patent-
Summons of Clergy to Parliament - King's Ordinary Council-its
Judicial and other Power - Character of the Plantagenet Government
- Prerogative-its Excesses-erroneous Views corrected - Testimony
of Sir John Fortescue to the Freedom of the Constitution - Causes of
the superior Liberty of England considered - State of Society in Eng-
its gradual Extinction - Latter

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land - Want of Police - Villenage ·

Years of Henry VI. - Regencies - Instances of them enumerated —

Pretensions of the House of York, and War of the Roses- Edward IV.

- Conclusion..

NOTES TO CHAPTER VIII., PART III.

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