ments have been rendered—which things, most of all, are common affairs; thirdly, there should be called the separate matters, and this according to the order of the petitions filed, as has been said.
Concerning the Days and Hours for Parliament.
Parliament ought not to be held on Sundays, but it can be held on all other days; that day always being excepted, and three others, viz.: All Saints', and Souls', and the nativity of John the Baptist. And it ought to begin each day in the middle of the first hour; at which hour the king is bound to be present in parliament, together with all the peers of the kingdom. And parliament ought to be held in a public place, and not in a private nor in a secret place. On feast days parliament ought to begin at the first hour, on account of the Divine Service.
Concerning the Grades of Peers.
The king is the head, beginning and end of parliament; and thus he has no peer in his grade, and the first grade consists of the king alone. The second grade consists of the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, who hold by barony. The third grade consists of the representatives of the clergy. The fourth, of earls, barons, and other magnates and chiefs, whose holding is of the value of a county and barony—as has been explained in the clause concerning laymen. The fifth is of knights of the shires. The sixth, of citizens and burgesses. And thus parliament consists of six grades. But it must be known that even though any one of the said grades except the king be absent — provided, however, that all have been forewarned by reasonable summonses of parliament—nevertheless, it shall be considered as a full parliament.
Concerning the Manner of Parliament.
Having first shown under what form and at what time the summons of parliament ought to be made to each one; and who ought to come by summons and who not; we
