Page:The histories of Launceston and Dunheved, in the county of Cornwall.djvu/425

jWcmber* of parliament DUNHEVED OTHERWISE LAUNCESTON. The Witenagemot, or national council, of the Anglo- Saxons gave place, at the Conquest, to the Curia Regis, or King's Court. This court was composed of the barons or royal tenants-in-chief, who assembled at the palace on stated occasions, and there, in conference with the king, transacted the business of the kingdom. At length John's quarrels with his barons, and a widespread discontent, led to the issue of writs, which required each sheriff to send four knights from his county to meet at Oxford on the 15th November, 12 13, "to speak _parler, ad loquenduni with Us concerning the affairs of our kingdom." On two or three subsequent occasions the monarch for the time being limited his writs to the sheriffs of particular counties ; but eventually Henry III., in the 49th year of his reign, summoned a complete parliament ; that is, he required every sheriff to send two knights, and every city and borough in England to send two citizens or burgesses, and each cinque port four men, to meet in London on the 20th January, 1264-5. This form of the National Council, varied only in details, has now continued for more than six hundred years. 2 c