Edward I: Michaelmas 1290

1290 Michaelmas

Introduction Michaelmas 1290

Clipstone

Michaelmas parliament (October-November)

The Michaelmas parliament of 1290 was the third parliament of 1290, but its timing would fit with the attempt to re-establish the earlier practice of regular meetings after Easter and Michaelmas. This parliament must always have been intended to be a relatively small- scale, even domestic, meeting, for Clipstone in Nottinghamshire was the site of a royal hunting-lodge in Sherwood Forest and there cannot have been much accommodation available in the immediate vicinity. (fn. foot-1290m-1) It seems to have been chosen as the meeting-place for parliament simply to fit the king's convenience. Edward's stay at Clipstone (from 12 October to 4 November) was the final stage of a royal hunting tour of the Midlands. (fn. foot-1290m-2)

There are no surviving writs of summons for this parliament and it is not entirely certain when it opened. A month after Michaelmas (the week beginning 27 October) is the date given in the only membrane to assign proceedings specifically to this parliament. (fn. foot-1290m-3) It is also the date ascribed to the initial complaints made in two other cases initiated at this parliament but continued later, (fn. foot-1290m-4) and the date to which a case was adjourned from the Easter parliament. (fn. foot-1290m-5) There is, however, some reason to suppose that the parliament may already have been in session a little prior to this, for it was on 23 October at Clipstone and apparently at parliament that the earl of Gloucester surrendered his claim to custody of the temporalities of the see of Llandaff, (fn. foot-1290m-6) and on 25 October that the king agreed (presumably after consultation with his council) to the plans of Pope Nicholas IV for him to set out on crusade. (fn. foot-1290m-7) Still earlier (on 18 October) a commission of oyer and terminer was issued at the request of the abbot of Bury St Edmund's but with the consent of the king's council to try trespasses committed against him by the men of Bury and a licence issued to the same abbot to leave his own goods and chattels by will. (fn. foot-1290m-8) Both may well have been discussed by the king's council at parliament. The Charter Roll shows charters being issued by the king at Clipstone from 14 October onwards and this may well indicate that the parliamentary session had already begun by that date. (fn. foot-1290m-9) Nor is it certain how long the parliament lasted. The ordinance providing that only the principal was to be demanded in respect of any Jewish debt now in the king's hands and establishing a procedure for the exchequer to establish its amount that was communicated to the exchequer on 5 November 1290 from Clipstone was presumably agreed at this parliament and may mark its termination. (fn. foot-1290m-10) The absence of writs of summons also means that it is not possible to discover exactly who was summoned to attend parliament, but the evidence of the Charter Roll lists of witnesses suggests the presence of at least three bishops in addition to the chancellor, (fn. foot-1290m-11) of six of the earls (fn. foot-1290m-12) and of several magnates, including John de St John and William Latimer.

Only a single membrane of SC 9/1 (Membrane 11) is specifically allocated to recording business from this parliament, but there are also references on other membranes to business done there.

Appendix Michaelmas 1290

Evidence of business done at this parliament from chancery enrolments

1

Mandate for restoration to the prior of the Hospitallers till the parliament after Michaelmas of a manor seized from the prior. Dated 19 September 1290 at Rufford.

Source : CCR 1288-96 , 103

2

Grant to king's consort, Eleanor, of the lands of William de Mountchesney of Edwardstone, imprisoned at London for certain trespasses, but on condition that William may answer any persons claiming right in the lands, as was lately ordained in parliament. Dated 12 November 1290 at Clipstone.

Source: CPR 1281-92 , 394