CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 353 



consequence much diminished, but an assurance is held out that the 

 promised portion of literary matter will be strictly conceded as the 

 volume advances to completion. What is given, however, is extremely 

 interesting-, having been derived almost wholly from the original docu- 

 ments belonging to the Office of the King's Remembrancer of the Ex- 

 chequer, and from the Chancellor's Roll of the 12th of King Edward 

 I, in the British Museum. 



The following instances (among others) of infringement on the 

 privileges of the palace, in the reign of Edward 11. with the awards 

 made in each case, are derived from the Placita and other rolls. 



" In the King's second year, Alice, the daughter of Nicholas le Ken, was sum- 

 moned to answer the complaint of Walter de Bedewynde, the Rememlirancer of 

 the Exchequer, who had accused her of reviling him, by calling him " a thief, ser 

 ducer, and other opprobrious names,' in the great hall at Westminster, and else- 

 where within the King's Palace there, and which she denied. A jury of the court, 

 and of persons dwelling near the palace, was consequently impannelled ; and 

 having found that the insult was given "upon the King^s Bridge of his palace at 

 Westminster," they awarded damages to the amount of forty pounds. 



•* In the sixth year of Edward II., a court of the palace for pleas of the Crown — 

 " Placita aulse domini Regis de Corona" — was held at Westminster, before Hugh 

 de Audley, steward and marshal of the king's household, when John de Redinges 

 was arraigned for counterfeiting the king's privy seal ; but he alleged that he had 

 purchased it of Edmund de Malo Lacu, the former steward, (who was also before 

 the court,) for forty talents of gold, and judgment was in consequence given against 

 the latter.* 



" On the eve of Ascension day, in the 8lhof Edward II. (anno 1315,) Thomas 

 de Gerdestan, Archdeacon of Norfolk, and one of his officers, were impleaded before 

 the king and his council, then sitting in parliament at .Westminster, for that they, 

 on the eighth of March preceding, — the king being then in his palace and holding 

 his parliament, — did cite Joan de Barr, Countess of Warenne, she being then in at- 

 tendance on the queen consort in the chapel of the said palace, to appear in the 

 church of St. Nicholas of Braheden, to make answer to Maud de Nerford, in a 

 cause of divorce between her and John Earl of Warenne. The fact having been 

 proved, the archdeacon and his officer were committed to the Tower, f" 



The embellishments in No. 4 are plans of the south half of the 

 Crypt, and of the northern half of St. Stephen's Chapel, drawn by 

 Billings, and engraved by Bellin ; View of the Long Gallery, in ruins, 

 looking north, drawn and engraved by T. Clark ; View of the South 

 Walk of the Cloisters, drawn by Billings and engraved by Clark ; and 

 View of the House of Lords, &c. after the fire, drawn by Billings, and 

 engraved by Woolnoth: — those in No. 5 are — St. Stephen's Chapel, 

 Interior, looking east, drawn by Billings, and engraved by Le Keux ; 

 New House of Lords, drawn by Billings, and engraved by Clark ; New 

 House of Commons, drawn by Billings, and engraved by Taylor. 



With the exception of the diminution of the letter-press, w^ich is 

 sufficiently explained, and cannot be deemed an excuse for complaint, 

 this work fully maintains its high ground in all its departments, and we 

 see nothing to justify the slightest depreciating observation. When 

 finished, it will be a most interesting and valuable history. 



* Vide "Additional Manuscripts" in the British Museum, Ayscougrh's Catalogue, No. 

 4,486, fo. 52. 



+ Vide Ryley's " Placita Parliamentaria," p. 543 ; and '• Cal. Rot, Patentium," p. 75, 6 : 

 edit. 1802. 



