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A.D. 1266.
Anno quinquagesimo primo Henerici III.
Stat. 5.
27
The Accompt of the Keeper of the King's Wardrobe.
VII. And the Warden of the King's Wardrobe shall make accompt yearly in the Exchequer in the Feast of St. Margaret;
The King's Debt shall be first be heard.
(2) and the Treasurer and Barons ⟨of the Exchequer⟩[1] shall be charged by Oath, that they shall not attend to hear the Pleas or Matters of other Men, while they have to do with the King's Business, if it be not a Matter that concerneth the King's own Debt. (3) And when a Sheriff or Bailiff hath begun his Accompt, none other shall be received to accompt, until he that was first appointed hath clearly accompted, and his Money received. (4) And that the Constable, Marshal, Chamberlain, and other that are of Fee in the Exchequer, from henceforth shall present unto the King such as they have put in their Places to do their Offices, which must be of good Fame, and sufficient, for whose Acts themselves will answer.
Deputy officers in the Exchequer.
VIII. And the King commandeth the Treasurer, and Barons of the Exchequer, upon their Allegiance, and by the Oath that they have made to him, that they shall not assign any in their rooms, but such as this Act meaneth of, and that the Exchequer be not charged with more Persons than is necessary. (2) And that none of them, that be sworn to the King, shall put in his room any other Clerk or Lay Person, except he be sworn, without special Licence of the Treasurer; and if any be, he shall be forthwith removed from his Office, and none other shall be received in his stead without the King's Licence. (3) And if any that is received without the Treasurer's Licence do trespass after, Punishment shall be done as well to the Assignor, as to him that is assigned, according to the Trespass. (4) And if both be unsufficient, their Superior shall be punished, whether he be Officer of Fee, or other. (5) And the Treasurer shall put no other in his room, until he hath Commandment from the King. (6) And if he that keepeth the room of another, by Licence of the Treasurer, doth any thing that he ought not to do, he shall be punished according to the Trespass, if he have whereof; and if he have not, he that put him in Office shall be charged for his Trespass; and if he that put him in Office be not sufficient, his Superior shall be charged, whether he be of Fee, or otherwise.
The King's Officers that ought to accompt.
IX. And they of the Wooll-staple[2] shall make Oath, that if any of them may perceive that another doth commit any Default, Offence, or other thing [3]‹dishonest in the Office of the Wooll-Staple, or that he hath done before›, that they shall certify it to the Treasurer, or to the Barons, or to some of them, ⟨who shall cause it to be amended⟩[4] to the King himself, if need require. (2) And that about the Feast of St. Margaret, before that the Exchequer be closed, they shall cause a Search to be made, whether any Sheriff or Bailiff, that ought to have accompted the same Year, have not, and there upon a Remembrance in a Roll shall be made by it self. (3) And if it be a Sheriff, his Accompt shall be first heard after Michaelmas, before that any other be received to accompt: (4) And if he be a Bailiff, he shall be summoned or distrained to come at a certain Day for to accompt, so that no Accompt shall be suffered to sleep.
Surveyors of the King's Works.
(5) And forasmuch as Sheriffs, Constables, and other, obtain many times outragious Allowances, by pretence of the King's Works, and other Things done and provided by his Commandment; it is provided, that all Surveyors of the King's Works shall be chosen by the Oath ⟨of good Men⟩[5] of
Twelve
