243 



NOTES ON THE PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY OF TRURO, 

 A.D. 1295— 1467. 

 By p. JENNINGS. 



Towards the end of the reign of Henry III it was becoming 

 increasingly evident that the ordinary national council was 

 inadequate to cope with the growing necessities of the state. 

 Simon de Montfort accordingly resolved to introduce a new 

 element into it, and issued writs, dated 12th December, 1264, 

 and directed to the counties, cities, and towns of England, 

 enjoining them to send members to a proposed conventionary 

 parliament ; but it does not appear that Truro or any other 

 Cornish town was asked to send burgesses thereto. This 

 assembly cannot be considered as a free parliament, for only 

 those were invited who were known to be on the side of the 

 barons ; neither was it made a precedent, for it was not until 

 thirty years later, in 1295, that the principal of representative 

 government was practically adopted. 



At the close of the thirteenth century the commercial 

 classes were more influential than at any previous period in the 

 nation's history, and Edward I deemed it expedient to enlist 

 their sympathies in his struggle with Philip the Fair of France. 

 He therefore ordered the election of two knights for every 

 shire, two citizens for every city, and two burgesses for every 

 market town, to assist him and the nobles in parliament ; and 

 this, the first general election in England, took place in 

 October, 1295. 



This " Great Parliament," the " first complete and model 

 Parliament," met at the Chapter House of Westminster Abbey, 

 on Sunday, 27th November, and in it were to be found two 

 burgesses from Truro : Henry le Bailly and Hobert Maynard. 



In those early days, the position of a parliamentary 

 representative was one of little honour ; the power of the 

 burgesses was limited to the grant of supplies, and their- office 

 was mainly to assist in collecting these supplies within their 



