Edward I: Whitsun 1298

1298 Whitsun

Introduction Whitsun 1298

York

Whitsun parliament (May)

In early December 1297 it was thought that the next parliament would be held two weeks after Easter (the week beginning 20 April) in 1298 and so an inquisition ad quod damnum into a proposed mortmain alienation by the court clerk, Lambert of Threekingham, was made returnable there. (fn. foot-1298w-1) By 1 April certainty about the precise date had gone but it was still intended to hold a parliament after Easter and so a second inquisition ad quod damnum into a second proposed alienation was made returnable to a parliament described in these more general terms. (fn. foot-1298w-2) In the event the writs for the election of knights of the shire and two representatives from each town and city were not issued till 13 April (though the writs for London and Wiltshire were issued slightly earlier, on 10 and 11 April respectively) and ordered their appearance at York at Whitsun (25 May). (fn. foot-1298w-3) Returns survive from the sheriffs of thirty-six counties. (fn. foot-1298w-4) There are no recorded writs of summons for the magnates or the clergy, though the magnates had already been summoned on 30 March for military service in Scotland with a muster at York on that day. (fn. foot-1298w-5) If, as seems likely, the king was hoping for a further subsidy from his subjects he was unsuccessful. But the meeting probably did serve some purpose. It had also been intended to plan the Scottish campaign there and this may have been done. (fn. foot-1298w-6) There was also apparently some discussion of the internal affairs of London for on 28 May at York (and probably after discussion or approval by parliament) the king issued an ordinance about bakers, brewers and evildoers in the city. (fn. foot-1298w-7) Parliament was probably over quite quickly for the king left York on 30 May.

There is no surviving official record of the business done at this parliament.