Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/19

Rh of procuring patents and writs licensing the carriage of merchandise contrary to the ordinance to other ports than to the staple of Calais. He was declared removed from all his offices and from the privy council for all time, although in the next year he was re- stored. In the same peculations Richard Lyons was accused of being in collusion with certain of the privy council to their own profit. In the impeachment of Lord John de Neville in the same year it was charged that while he was an officer and member of the council he purchased tallies of assignment made by the king to vari- ous parties to whom he was debtor, and then received full payment and allowance for them at the exchequer. In 1380 Ralph de Fer- rers, a knight of the council, was held under suspicion, when cer- tain treasonable letters were traced to him revealing secrets of the government. He was mainpemed before Parliament. In 1386 one of the charges against the earl of Suffolk was that while sworn of the council he had accepted or purchased great estates of the king below their value, an act which would be a direct violation of the councillor's oath. The accusation was not denied, but it was de- cided by the king and lords that, as his guilt was shared by others of the council, the earl should not be condemned alone. It may be needless to say that the exhibition of private interests and corrupt practices in the council is not peculiar to this time.

7. In the Parliamentary legislation of the period may be found many attempts to regulate the council in its actions, the most com- prehensive being the ordinances of 1390 " for the governance of the council ". While some of these are of mere temporary sig- nificance, others are of value as suggesting modes of council pro- cedure. Of some interest in the latter way are the statements made at various times, that the council meet as early as eight or nine in the morning; that six or four members be continually in residence and be counted a quorum; that in cases of disagreement the majority decide; that business of the king should have precedence of all other matters; that all matters requiring the consent of the king should be reported to him; that to carry messages between the council and the king there be two or three authorized reporters ; that answer should be given to matters first brought to the council