The composition of the Parliament of May 1413

Parliament had been summoned to meet on 3 Feb. 1413, but was dissolved abruptly after six weeks as a result of Henry IV’s death on 20 Mar., and the proceedings were nullified. The Parliament roll, if one were ever compiled, was destroyed, and so too were all the returns to the writs of summons bearing the names of those elected to the Commons. The identity of only 24 Members of Henry IV’s last Parliament are now known, having survived in the records of the boroughs they represented. Of these 24 as many as 15 were re-elected to the first Parliament of the new reign, which assembled on 14 May, but how many of their 236 colleagues had similarly sat in the Lower House just before is now impossible to tell, although information about the Membership of earlier Parliaments does show that at least 49% were not complete newcomers to the House. What is also clear is that a substantial number of the 251 known Members were linked in some way with the new King, Henry of Monmouth. Seventeen had been very close to him for a long period, as officials in his estate administration, his companions-in-arms on the campaigns against Owen Glendower in Wales, or members of his household. They included such intimates as John Phelip, knighted on the eve of Henry’s coronation, and now wearing royal livery as a knight of the Chamber, William Porter II, an esquire of the Household long reputed to be his counsellor, two former receivers-general of his estates, the steward and the controller of his meinie when prince, and the steward of the principality. Five of this group had also received annuities from Henry IV, as had 17 others, most of whom now obtained confirmation of their grants by the new King. The Commons included nine men with posts in central government, five of them re-appointed from the previous reign (including Thomas Chaucer, the chief butler, and Robert Frye, the clerk of the King’s Council), and the rest awarded their posts by the new King (notably John Hotoft, the keeper of the records of the court of common pleas, Lewis John, the master worker of the Mints in London and Calais, and John Spencer, the cofferer of the Household). Eight of those present were constables of royal castles, and 15 were officials on crown estates, including the receiver-general of the duchy of Lancaster (John Leventhorpe, unusual among his colleagues in duchy administration in being kept on in his post by Henry of Monmouth), and the newly-appointed chief stewards of the duchy, Sir Walter Hungerford and (Sir) Roger Leche. They were joined by the new receiver-general of the duchy of Cornwall. Of less significance is the fact that 12 of the Members were currently involved in the collection of customs revenues, half of them by Henry of Monmouth’s appointment. At the start of the reign he had placed his allies at the core of government: Henry Beaufort, bishop of Winchester, was made chancellor, and Thomas Fitzalan, earl of Arundel, treasurer, and these two both had friends in the Commons, in Beaufort’s case including the receiver-general and the steward of his episcopal estates, two annuitants and his influential cousin, Thomas Chaucer (who was himself surrounded by at least seven close associates); and in Arundel’s case by 11 members of his circle, including his newly-appointed under treasurer of the Exchequer and at least seven retainers. Other Members were linked with the King’s friends, the earls of Warwick and Westmorland and Richard Courtenay, the receiver of the Chamber, whom Henry was shortly to make bishop of Norwich.

Given the presence of so many men (some 72) who were presumably well disposed towards the new King and kept or had recently received official positions of importance, it might be expected that the Commons as a whole would display few signs of opposition to the new regime; rather, a ready compliance to fit in with whatever was required of them. Indeed, at the outset William Stourton, who had been steward of the principality of Wales up to Henry’s accession and was now made Speaker by the assembly, was quite willing to agree to the King’s request that the Commons’ grievances, as then expounded to him and the assembled Lords, might be submitted in more detail and in writing to ensure their adequate consideration.  Yet the Speaker’s fellows in the Lower House disavowed his action, taken ‘sanz advys et assent de ses ditz compaignons’, saying that they wished to make their complaints orally, as was the custom, and offering through a new spokesman, John Doreward, no more than a schedule listing general headings. No doubt past experience made them wary of committing any opinions to paper or trusting too readily to fair words. Stourton had recalled to the King’s face how often the Commons had asked his father for ‘bone governance’ and had received promises that all would be put right, ‘Mes coment y feust tenuz et perfourne en apres, mesme nostre Seigneur le Roy en ad bone conisance’. Even though the Commons ‘for their great love and affection, for the good of the realm, and for good governance in future’ granted Henry the wool subsidy for four years as well as a whole fifteenth and tenth, they underlined the principle that direct taxation was extraordinary and should be confined to times of war, by disclaiming any obligation to grant further taxes for the maintenance of the permanent garrisons.1

Certain Members of the Commons of May 1413 were awarded offices in the Crown’s appointment during or soon after the session, and 17 of them were appointed to royal commissions set up over the same period, most of those singled out being known as loyal adherents of the King and his friends. More significantly, 22 of those present in the Lower House now secured letters patent confirming grants of annuities or offices, or bestowing fresh grants. Of the latter undoubtedly the most important were the awards to Sir John Phelip and William Porter II of the estates of alien priories, but there is nothing to show that it was the support given to the King’s policies in the Lower House which led to these concessions being made.

RETAINERS OF HENRY IV

* Positive confirmation of annuities by Henry V.

ASSOCIATES OF HENRY OF MONMOUTH FROM BEFORE HIS ACCESSION

OFFICE-HOLDERS

ASSOCIATES OF THE CHANCELLOR, BISHOP BEAUFORT

ASSOCIATES OF THOMAS CHAUCER

ASSOCIATES OF THOMAS FITZALAN, EARL OF ARUNDEL

ASSOCIATES OF RICHARD BEAUCHAMP, EARL OF WARWICK

ASSOCIATES OF THE COURTENAYS

ASSOCIATES OF HUMPHREY, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

ASSOCIATES OF RALPH NEVILLE, EARL OF WESTMORLAND

APPOINTMENTS MADE DURING OR SHORTLY AFTER THE PARLIAMENTARY SESSION

COMMISSIONS

GRANTS MADE TO MEMBERS DURING OR SHORTLY AFTER THE PARLIAMENT

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Author: J. S. Roskell

End Notes

• 1. RP, iv. 4-6.
• 2. RP, iv. 12-13.
• 3. Ibid.