Edward I: Easter 1289

1289 Easter

Introduction Easter 1289

Westminster

Easter parliament (April)

Only one of the conciliar sessions held by the regent (Edmund of Cornwall) and the king's council in England during Edward's long absence in France and Gascony between 1286 and 1289 is described in contemporary sources as a parliament. This is the session held at Westminster after Easter in 1289, not long before Edward's return in August. A session of the king's council at Westminster in late April was envisaged as early as mid-February when the sheriff of Dorset was instructed to bail two men who had been put in exigent after the recent eyre but who had surrendered for appearance before the king's council two weeks after Easter. (fn. foot-1289e-1) A mandate of 5 March to master Henry de Bray, escheator south of the Trent, ordered the temporary conditional release of a wood and associated pasture which had been seized for an alleged breach of the statute of Mortmain but had been subsequently found by inquest not to have been acquired in breach of the statute and required the prior of Christchurch to appear at the next 'parliament' after Easter to receive the council's judgment on the matter. (fn. foot-1289e-2) A further mandate of 10 March to the same escheator required his appearance before king and council one month after Easter (the wek beginning 8 May) to show why he had seized lands held at her death by Maud countess of Gloucester and to deliver them to Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester until then. (fn. foot-1289e-3) Bray was also the recipient of a further mandate on 3 April to deliver the lands of John Musard, a lately deceased tenant in chief, to his uncle Nicholas Musard to hold till one month after Easter and on condition of his appearance before Edmund of Cornwall and the king's council to do and receive what justice required. (fn. foot-1289e-4) Proof that the session did indeed take place is provided by a King's Bench record of Michaelmas term 1289 which records the sequel to the order for the conditional release of the pasture belonging to the prior of Christchurch: the recitation before the earl of Cornwall and the king's council at parliament of various inquisitions about the acquisition and their decision that a fresh inquiry be made before Ralph de Hengham, chief justice of King's Bench. (fn. foot-1289e-5)