[26] Brady's Hist. of England, vol. i. Appendix, p. 227.

[27] 2 Prynne, p. 23.

[28] "This writ tends strongly to show that there then existed no law by
which a representation either of the king's tenants in capite or of
others, for the purpose of constituting a legislative assembly, or for
granting an aid, was specially provided; and it seems to have been the
first instance appearing on any record now extant, of an attempt to
substitute representatives elected by bodies of men for the attendance
of the individual so to be represented, personally or by their several
procurators, in an assembly convened for the purpose of obtaining an
aid." Report, p. 95.

[29] 2 Prynne, p. 27.

[30] 12 Ric. II. c. 12. Prynne's 4th Register.

[31] Pinkerton's Hist. of Scotland, vol. i. p. 120, 357. But this law
was not regularly acted upon till 1587. p. 368.

[32] What can one who adopts this opinion of Dr. Brady say to the
following record? Rex militibus, liberis hominibus, et _toti
communitati_ comitatus Wygorniae tam intra libertates quam extra,
salutem. Cum comites, barones, milites, liberi homines, et communitates
comitatuum regni nostri vicesimam omnium bonorum suorum mobilium,
civesque et burgenses et communitates omnium civitatum et burgorum
ejusdem regni, necnon tenentes de antiquis dominicis coronae nostrae
quindecimam bonorum suorum mobilium nobis concesserunt. Pat. Rot. 1 E.
II. in Rot. Parl. vol. i. p. 442. See also p. 241 and p. 269. If the
word communitas is here used in any precise sense, which, when possible,
we are to suppose in construing a legal instrument, it must designate,
not the tenants in chief, but the inferior class, who, though neither
freeholders nor free burgesses, were yet contributable to the subsidy on
their goods.

[33] Madox, Firma Burgi, p. 99 and p. 102 note Z.

[34] Prynne's 2nd Register, p. 50.

[35] Carte's Hist. of England, ii. 250.

[36] The present question has been discussed with much ability in the
Edinburgh Review, vol. xxvi. p. 341. [Note III.]

[37] Wilkins, p. 71.

[38] Burgensis Exoniae urbis habent extra civitatem terram duodecim
carucatarum: quae nullam consuetudinem reddunt nisi ad ipsam civitatem.
Domesday, p. 100. At Canterbury the burgesses had forty-five houses
without the city, de quibus ipsi habebant gablum et consuetudinem, rex
autem socam et sacam; ipsi quoque burgenses habebant de rege triginta
tres acras prati in gildam, suam. p. 2. In Lincoln and Stamford s