Sir Ralph de Hengham (d 1311) was the Lord Chief Justice of Edward I from 1274-1290, when he was imprisoned and fined for corruption. He continued as a judge of the common pleas, and was the reputed author of the law tracts 'Hengham magna' and 'Hengham parva'.
At a date some time after 1139 (probably 1140), Johannes Gratian compiled the Church laws (`canons') from all available sources and called the collection Concordia Discordantium Canonum (the harmonizing of discordant canons). The collection became known as the Decretum Gratiani.
The Digestum Novum was a section of the Digests or Pandects of the Corpus Iurus Civilis organised by the Roman emperor Justinian I, which compiled the writings of the great Roman jurists such as Ulpian along with current edicts (533).
Aristotle (384-322 BC) was a Greek philosopher who was the student of Plato and tutor of Alexander the Great. His De anima (On the Soul) was a discussion of issues in the philosophy of mind.
Kyng Alisaunder is a long and sophisticated thirteenth century romance poem, written in Middle English, about the life of Alexander the Great.
Publius Cornelius Tacitus (c AD 56-117) was a Roman orator, public official and historian. He was a friend of Pliny the Younger and married the daughter of Gaius Julius Agricola. In AD 97 he was appointed substitute consul under Nerva, and later he was proconsul of Asia. Tacitus was the author of several works, including Dialogus, a discussion of oratory, and Germania, on the origins and location of the Germans. A sense of moral purpose and severe criticism of contemporary Rome, fallen from the virtuous vigor of the old republic, underlies his two longer works, commonly known as the Histories (of which four books and part of a fifth survive) and the Annals (of which twelve books survive). The extant books of the Histories cover only the reign of Galba (AD 68-69) and the beginning (to AD 70) of the reign of Vespasian, and the surviving books of the Annals tell of the reign of Tiberius, of the last years of Claudius, and of the first years of Nero.
Andrew Melville (1545-1622) was a Scottish religious reformer and scholar, who was ardent in his support of civil and ecclesiastical liberty, following in the tradition of John Knox. Melville was Principal of the University of Glasgow, 1574-1580, and the University of St Andrews in Edinburgh. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London from 1607-1611, then exiled to France, where he spent his last years.
One of the first acts of Charles I when he acceded to the throne was the Act of Revocation of 1625, which annulled all gifts made since 1540 of properties which the crown could claim, including the vast ecclesiastical revenues which had fallen into lay hands during the Reformation. In a further attempt to revive the fortunes of the episcopy, Charles insisted on the acceptance of the new Prayer Book in 1637. Many Scots actively opposed the Prayer Book, and a riot at St Giles on 23 July 1637 soon led to widespread and organised agitation. The various grievances against Charles coalesced into the National Covenant of 1638. This Covenant professed loyalty to the crown but asked for a return to ecclesiastical and constitutional practice as it was before Charles' reforms. A General Assembly met in November 1638 in Glasgow and it was decided to abolish Episcopal government. This led to a military confrontation but the kings forces were no match for experienced Scottish veterans and the government army refused to fight. A temporary peace was arranged at Berwick in June 1639.
On the 28 April 1801, the House of Commons appointed a Committee to 'consider acts relative to the Assize of Bread'.
The Exchequer was responsible for receiving and dispersing the public revenue. Excise are inland duties levied on articles at the time of their manufacture, notably, alcoholic drinks, but has also included salt, paper and glass. The term 'customs' applied to customary payments or dues of any kind, regal, episcopal or ecclesiastical until it became restricted to duties payable to the King upon export or import of certain articles of commerce. In 1635, King Charles I opened the Royal mail to the public, and in 1680, an enterprising businessman named William Dockwra set up an efficient and compressive local post within London. It was privately run at first, then taken over by the Post Office on the prompting of the Duke of York, later King James II.
Excise are inland duties levied on articles at the time of their manufacture, notably, alcoholic drinks, but have also included salt, paper and glass. In 1643 a Board of Excise was established by the Long Parliament, to organize the collection of duties in London and the provinces. Excise duty was settled by statute despite widespread aversion in 1660. A permanent board of Excise for England and Wales was established in 1683 with separate boards for Ireland in 1682 and Scotland in 1707.
An antiphoner was a liturgical book containing antiphons, the sung portions of the Divine office, both texts and notation. Such books were often of a large format, to be used by a choir.
After the Glorious Revolution of 1688, control of the major aspects of English coinage passed from the Crown to Parliament. Charles Montagu, Chancellor of the Exchequer, solicited advice from a selection of eminent persons on solutions to the poor state of the silver coinage, 1695-1696.
A medieval psalter usually comprised a Calendar, the 150 Psalms, and a collection of canticles and creeds. The three text-types worked together in the practice of the Divine Office, the Church's daily public prayer. When a psalter-book was intended for private use as well, other texts, such as prologues, hymns, or favourite prayers were added. The psalter from which the miniatures were taken was probably made in the Ile de France in 1225-1250; the style is similar to that found in the miniatures of the Missal of St Corneille, Compiegne (held at the Bibliotheques Nationales, Paris, as Ms Latin 17318).
In Scotland, poor relief was organised using a system of voluntary contributions distributed under the direction of the minister and elders of the Kirk and, from 1752, more strongly by the direction of the landowners, who were the principal ratepayers. The able-bodied poor had no right to statutory relief as in England. A 'stent' was the rate levied on property owners.
Inspeximus (literally 'We have seen') is a word sometimes used in letters-patent, reciting a grant, inspeximus such former grant, and so reciting it verbatim; it then grants such further privileges as are thought convenient. The term letters patent in its most general form refers to a letter delivered open with the royal seal attached, designed to be read as a proclamation.
The Escalade of Geneva took place on 11-12 December 1602, when the soldiers of Duke Charles Emmanuel of Savoy attempted a siege of the city, which the Duke wanted as the capital of his aspiring kingdom. The citizens defended their city and drove off the attackers, thus preserving the independence of Geneva. Several legends have grown up around this historical event, and there is an annual festival on this date.
The island of Newfoundland is situated off the eastern coast of North America between the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean, and is one of the four Atlantic provinces of Canada. Claimed as an English possession in 1583, British sovereignty of the island was recognised in 1713 by the Peace of Utrecht. During the nineteenth century, the population was swelled by labourers brought over from Britain to work in the fisheries, which were the main industry of Newfoundland. In 1855, the island was granted self-government.
The missal is a book which contains the prayers said by the priest at the altar as well as all that is officially read or sung in connection with the offering of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the ecclesiastical year.
An antiphoner is a liturgical book containing antiphons, the sung portions of the Divine office, both texts and notation. Such books were often of a large format, to be used by a choir.
The 'Speights Town' was a merchant ship based in Liverpool. Her captain was Jonathan Jackson, and she was owned by Allanson and Barton.
A 'stent' was the rate levied on property owners in order to pay for local expenses, such as poor relief.
The term 'customs' applied to customary payments or dues of any kind, regal, episcopal or ecclesiastical until it became restricted to duties payable to the King upon export or import of certain articles of commerce.
In 1712, Norwich was one of the earliest cities to set up a poor law incorporation by special act of parliament. It comprised 44 parishes and was presided over by a Court of Guardians. There were two workhouses, one formerly a palace of the Duke of Norfolk, and the other a former monastery.
English bards and Scotch reviewers...a satire, was written by George Gordon Noel Byron, 6th Baron Byron of Rochdale, and first published by James Cawthorn of London in 1809.
The War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713), was fought against France over the choice of successor to the throne of Charles II of Spain. England, Holland, Austria and most of the German states sided against France, and a series of battles were fought in Europe. The Dutch and English armies were led by John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough.
James Brydges (1674-1744), successively Earl of Carnarvan and Duke of Chandos, was Paymaster General to the Forces during this period, and managed to accumulate a large personal fortune through the illicit investment of public funds and bribes paid by merchants.
The Exchequer was responsible for receiving and dispersing the public revenue.
The Victoria County History of Surrey, Vol.III, dates the grant of the reputed manor of Little Ashtead by Newdegate to Cole as 1604.
Robert Holcot (1290-1349) was a Dominican theologian and preacher. Born in Holcot, near Northampton, Holcot joined the Dominican Order and studied at Oxford. After gaining his doctorate in theology, he became Regent Master of Oxford University (1331-1333). It is also surmised that Holcot was Regent Master of Cambridge from 1334-1335. In 1343 he returned to the Dominican priory at Northampton, where he died of plague in 1349. Holcot wrote many theological works, including Commentaries on the Books of Wisdom, one of the best known works of the 14th century, which was printed in 1480 and went through 17 editions.
A Collectar is a manuscript containing the prayers (specifically 'collects') for the canonical hours of the Divine Office.
John Stafford, Archbishop of Canterbury, was the son of the Earl of Stafford. He held high political and religious office, being Bishop of Bath and Wells and Lord Chancellor to Henry V and VI; in 1443 he was created Archbishop of Canterbury, an office which he held until his death in 1452.
No information at present.
John Warrow was born in Africa in 1810.
Great Tower Street is in the centre of the City of London, and was formerly the site of the parish church of St Dunstan in the East, which was built in the 13th century. For biographical details of William Allen, see A.B. Beaven, The aldermen of the City of London (1908). He may have been the same William Allen who was elected Mayor of London in 1571.
Hackney is an area of East London.
The English Parliament is the main legislative body of the country, and at this time consisted of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the fledgling Cabinet.
Lanarkshire is a county of south-west Scotland.
Tithes were a tax of a tenth of the income from the agricultural yield of the land and livestock, which was paid to the etablished church for the support of the clergy, or for religious and charitable uses.
The Bank of Scotland was established by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland in 1695, and the Royal Bank of Scotland was founded as a corporation by grant of a Royal Charter under the Great Seal of Scotland, May 1727.
The decretals are canonical epistles, written by the pope alone, or by the pope and cardinals, at the instance or suit of some one or more persons, for the ordering and determining some matter in controversy, and have the authority of a law in themselves. Pope Gregory IX (1143-1241) ordered the first complete and authoritative collection of papal decretals, the Corpus Iuris Canonici.
Canon law is the body of laws and regulations made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members.
The Vagrancy Act of 1531 made a distinction between those found begging although able to labour, and those incapable of work. Magistrates were allowed to give licences to beggars allowing certain kinds of begging.
The Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies was created by an Act of the Scottish Parliament in Jun 1695. Under this act the Company was granted exclusive privilege of trade between Scotland and America, and perpetual monopoly of trade with Asia and Africa. The Company undertook two disastrous voyages to the Darien Isthmus, Panama, in 1698-1699, where it hoped to establish a Scottish colony named Caledonia. The attempt failed and the colony was abandoned by 1700. The Company was dissolved in 1707.
Sir Patience Ward (1629-1696) was Lord Mayor of London, 1681; a Fellow of the Royal Society, 1681; and a Lieutenant of the City of London, 1690.
Joseph Yorke, younger son of Philip, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, was born in 1724. He entered the military, where he served under the Duke of Cumberland at the Battle of Fontency, 1745. In 1749 Yorke was appointed Secretary to William Anne, 2nd Earl of Albermarle, then the ambassador extraordinary to France, and later later (1751) the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the United Provinces. In 1761, Yorke himself was appointed ambassador extraordinary to the United Provinces, a post which he held until 1780, when he resigned due to the breakdown of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Holland (caused by the latter giving aid to the US colonists during the War of Independence). During this period he was also elected MP for Dover in 1761 and 1768, and for Grampound, Cornwall, in 1774. He was created a General in 1777 and Baron Dover in 1788. Yorke died in 1792.
Possibly produced during the War of the Grand Alliance, 1689-1697, the third major war of King Louis XIV of France, in which his expansionist plans were blocked by an alliance led by England, the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and the Austrian Habsburgs.
Titus Lucretius Carus was a Roman poet and philosopher. He was probably born in 98 or 96 BC, though few other details of his life are known. Carus was said to have been driven mad by a love-philter, and to have finally committed suicide in 55BC. He left one work, the De Rerum Natura, a didactic poem in 6 books setting forth the Epicurean system of philosophy, especially relating to the origin of the world and operations of natural forces.
Aside from the poor rate, which was set by the overseers of the poor, much of the money for local poor relief came from various charities. The parish of Lutton was in the Thrapston Union of Northamptonshire for Poor Law administration.
The Russell family were a prominent English noble family, who played an important part in the government of England, especially from the reign of Henry VIII onwards, when John Russell (1486-1555) was created 1st Earl of Bedford.
The East India Company (formally called the Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies (1600-1708) and the United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies (1708-1873)), was an English company formed for the exploitation of the spice trade in East and Southeast Asia and India. It was incorporated by Royal Charter in December 1600.
Southampton is an important port in the south of England.
From the 16th century onwards, each parish was required to appoint Surveyors of Highways as officers of the parish. These surveyors were empowered to call upon residents to work on the roads to prevent them becoming neglected.
Quincampoix is a parish in France, in the Rouen area, founded in 1215.
Excise are inland duties levied on articles at the time of their manufacture, notably, alcoholic drinks, but has also included salt, paper and glass.
A tax on households employing male servants was levied in Britain from 1777-1852.
In 1764, the British government introduced various financial Acts into the American colonies, prompted by a need for greater revenue to support the growing empire. These acts forbade the importation of foreign rum; put a modest duty on molasses from all sources; and levied duties on wines, silks, coffee, and a number of other luxury items. To enforce them, customs officials were ordered to show more energy and strictness. British warships in American waters were instructed to seize smugglers, and "writs of assistance" (blanket warrants) authorized the King's officers to search suspected premises.
The Court of King's Bench exercised a supreme and general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases as well as special jurisdiction over the other superior common-law courts until 1830.The Court of Common Pleas was the main court for cases between individuals about land and debt rather than prosecutions by the crown.