Ch. 1, Of the High Court of Parliament 1095
| And this is all that is in the Record, whereby it appeareth that the plea
of the Bishop to the Jurisdiction of the Court after divers dayes given did
stand, and was never over ruled agreeably to the said resolutions in former
times, that Judges were not to determine matters concerning the Parliament,
as is aforesaid. Touching the report of the said case, thus far forth it agreeth,
that this contempt cannot be punished in any other Court then in the Kings
the aforesaid trespass and contempt against him, etc. in contempt of the king [to the extent of] one thousand
pounds. And this he offers to aver for the lord king, etc.
And the aforesaid bishop comes in his own person, and denies all the contempt and trespass, and
whatever, etc., and says that he is one of the peers of the realm and a prelate of Holy Church, and it
behooves him to come to the lord king’s parliament by summons and at the will of the lord king whenever
he pleases. And he says that if any of them offends against the lord king in any way in parliament, it ought
to be corrected and amended in parliament and not elsewhere in a lesser court than parliament; and so
he does not think that the lord king will be answered in this court for such trespass and contempt made
in parliament, etc. Thereupon a day is given to them before the king in fifteen days from the day of the
Holy Trinity, wheresoever (he should then be in England), etc., saving their arguments. At which day the
aforesaid bishop comes in his own person, and he is given a day before the lord king in fifteen days from
Michaelmas, wheresoever (he should then be in England), etc., in the same condition as now, etc., saving
his arguments, etc. At which day come the aforesaid Adam, who sues (for the lord king), etc., and likewise
the aforesaid bishop in his own person. And the aforesaid Adam, for the lord king, says that when it pleases
him to hold his parliament for the utility of the realm, he causes it by his royal power to be summoned
where and when, etc. at his will, and also causes it to be prohibited to those then at the parliament that
none of them should leave contrary to his prohibition, etc., without licence, etc., and if any of them leave
contrary to the prohibition, etc. in contempt of the king, etc. it is perfectly permissible for the lord king
to commence suit against such offenders in whatever court he pleases, etc. And since the lord king holds
his parliaments at his will, etc., he prays judgment for him the said lord king, whether the same lord king
ought to be led or compelled to sue in this behalf elsewhere, against his will, etc.
And the aforesaid bishop says, as before, that when anyone offends in parliament, it ought to be corrected
and amended there, etc., and even if someone is summoned to come to parliament and does not come
there, he ought to be punished, and so he does not think that the lord king will be answered anywhere
other than in parliament, etc. Thereupon a day is given them until the morrow of All Souls wheresoever
(the king should then be in England), etc., in the same condition as now, etc. At which day come both
the aforesaid Adam, who sues for the lord king, and the aforesaid bishop in his own person. And they are
given a day before the lord king in the octaves of St. Hilary, wheresoever (he should then be in England),
etc., saving their arguments, etc. At which day the aforesaid bishop comes, and he is given a further day
before the lord king in the octaves of the Purification of the Blessed Mary, wheresoever (he should then
be in England), etc. At which day come both the aforesaid bishop and John of Lincoln, who sues for the
lord king, and they are given a further day before the lord king in five weeks from Easter day, wheresoever
(the king should then be in England), etc., saving their arguments, etc. At which day come both the
aforesaid bishop and John of Lincoln, who sues for the lord king, and they are given a further day before
the lord king in fifteen days from Michaelmas day, wheresoever (the king should then be in England), etc.,
saving to themselves their arguments to be published, etc.]
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