The House of Lords and taxation / by Ernest E. Williams.

  • Williams, Ernest Edwin.
Date:
[1909]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The House of Lords and taxation / by Ernest E. Williams. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    \Reprinted from the FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW, / *&/ THE HOUSE OF LORDS 110 By ERNEST E. WILLIAMS, BARRISTER-AT-LAW. Being an attempt to examine the position of the House of Lords in reference to Money Bills and Taxation. Seven hundred years ago—in 1225, to be exact—the Crown of England, as in more modern times, found itself in need of money, and, through the mouth of the Justiciary, made its need known to its faithful lieges assembled at Westminster. The faithful lieges granted the money, but subject to a bargain. If the King would assure to the people certain liberties the people would give to him a fifteenth part of all their movables. The bargain was concluded. But by whom ? The ancient chronicler, Roger de Wendover, tells us. “ The Archbishop, and the whole assembly of the Bishops, Earls, Barons, Abbots, and Priors, after deliberating, answered that they would gladly grant the request, subject to the assurance of the aforesaid liberties ” ; and the King agreed to “that which the Magnates asked.”1 Put in modern language, the Crown wanted revenue, and the House of Lords, after deliberating as to terms, granted it—on behalf of the people, and binding the people. This also, stated in other words, is the conclusion arrived at by an historian of the House of Lords. After relating the episode, Mr. L. O. Pike comments on it thus :—“ It is clear, both from the attestation of the charters and from the words of the chronicler, that the final bargain was effected 1 Roger de Wendover, Flores Historiarum (Rolls series), Vol. II, p. 282. I