tutional
writers.

[68] Hoc anno ... convenerunt archiepiscopi, episcopi, comites et
barones, abbates et priores, et de quolibet comitatu quatuor milites, et
de qualibet civitate quatuor. Annales Waverleienses in Gale, t. ii. p.
227. I was led to this passage by Atterbury, Rights of Convocations, p.
310, where some other authorities less unquestionable are adduced for
the same purpose. Both this assembly and that mentioned by Wykes in 1269
were certainly parliaments, and acted as such, particularly the former,
though summoned for purposes not strictly parliamentary.

[69] The statute of Marlebridge is said to be made convocatis
discretioribus, tam majoribus quam minoribus; that of Westminster
primer, par son conseil, et par l'assentements des archievesques,
evesques, abbes, priors, countes, barons, et tout le comminality de la
terre illonques summones. The statute of Gloucester runs, appelles les
plus discretes de son royaume, auxibien des grandes come des meinders.
These preambles seem to have satisfied Mr. Prynne that the commons were
then represented, though the writs are wanting; and certainly no one
could be less disposed to exaggerate their antiquity. 2nd Register, p.
30.

[70] Brady's Hist. of England, vol. ii. Appendix; Carte, vol. ii. p.
257.

[71] This is commonly denominated the parliament of Acton Burnell; the
clergy and commons having sat in that town, while the barons passed
judgment upon David prince of Wales at Shrewsbury. The towns which were
honoured with the privilege of representation, and may consequently be
supposed to have been at that time the most considerable in England,
were York, Carlisle, Scarborough, Nottingham, Grimsby, Lincoln,
Northampton, Lynn, Yarmouth, Colchester, Norwich, Chester, Shrewsbury,
Worcester, Hereford, Bristol, Canterbury, Winchester, and Exeter. Rymer,
t. ii. p. 247.

"This [the trial and judgment of Llewellin] seems to have been the only
business transacted at Shrewsbury; for the bishops and abbots, and four
knights of each shire, and two representatives of London and nineteen
other trading towns, summoned to meet the same day in parliament, are
said to have sat at Acton Burnell; and thence the law made for the more
easy recovery of the debts of merchants is called the Statute of Acton
Burnell. It was probably made at the request of the representatives of
the cities and boroughs present in that parliament, authentic copies in
the king's name being sent to seven of