32 ENFORCEMENT OF THE STATUTES OF LABOURERS 



one of the three was tried in the court of king's bench 

 and acquitted ; ' another was restored on better evi- 

 dence brought before the king's council.'' Parliament 

 was meeting at the time of this last decision,^ but only 

 three times did its sessions coincide with the dates of 

 the instances of removal/ In the first of the three cases 

 where the entire commission was cancelled, it is because 

 another and somewhat different commission was issued a 

 few months later ; in the second I have no information as 

 to cause ; 5 but in regard to the third, Northumberland, 

 there is definite evidence." A writ of the great seal, 

 signed per consilium, directed to the barons of the ex- 

 chequer, informs them that the letters patent to the 

 justices of Northumberland have been cancelled on ac- 

 count of the state of war prevailing in that county, and 

 in its wording clearly implies that the action of the crown 

 had been taken as a result of complaints to the council. ^ 

 The story of the repeal of the special commissions^ as 

 well as of the final repeal of all the separate commissions 

 for labourers,^ plainly indicating action of the council 



ham, Folvill (removed), Laundels, Michel, Munden, Pakeman (re- 

 moved), Ughtred, atte Wode (removed); in the case of Broun, "Void" 

 is written after the entry. 



'Atte Wode. -Pakeman. 



^The letter close is dated 6 Feb., 1352; the session was from 13 Jan. 

 to II Feb. 



*In the case of Broun," Haldenby and Laundels. 



•''Essex and Northants.; app., 35, note 10 and ZT, note 2. 



*App., 39, note I. 



^Mem. K. R., 30, Trin., Breu. Baron., rot. 2 d; pro lohanne de 

 Striuelyn et aliis: "propter discrimina guerrarum iminencia in partibus 

 supradictis." Four years later it was necessary for these same justices 

 to petition the crown to order the exchequer to stop process against 

 them for their estreats; ibid., 34, Pasch., Breu. Baron., rot. 5. 



*See pt. I, ch. iii, s. 2, B. 'See p. 23-24. 



