Ordinances of 1311 - Notes

Notes

a. ^ The Oxford English Dictionary defines an "ordinance" as of "narrower scope, less permanent nature, or less constitutional character than a law or statute." The use of the word "new" ("novo") is not to be understood in the sense that the Ordinances replaced an earlier set of ordinances.

b. ^ The word "ordainer" was used by contemporaries simply as a descriptive noun, not as a title. "Lords Ordainers" is not found until the 19th century.

c. ^ Much speculation has centred around whether Edward and Gaveston’s relation was of a homosexual nature. An in-depth discussion of this issue – and an alternative to the predominant view – is presented by P. Chaplais.

d. ^ According to contemporary sources, he called the earl of Warwick "the black dog of Arden".

e. ^ The Ordainers were chosen by indirect election; the barons elected two bishops while the bishops elected two barons. These four then elected two more barons, and these six finally co-opted the remaining fifteen. The process built on that behind the Provisions of Oxford of 1258.

f. ^ The Ordainers were: the earls of Lincoln, Pembroke, Gloucester, Lancaster, Hereford, Richmond, Warwick and Arundel; the archbishop of Canterbury, the bishops of Chichester, London, Salisbury, Norwich, St. David's and Llandaff; and the barons Hugh de Vere, Hugh de Courtenay, Robert FitzRoger, John de Gray, William Marshall and William Martin, as well as Robert Clifford, who replaced FitzRoger on the latter’s death. Neither McKisack or Prestwich supplies a complete list; while Prestwich omits the bishops of Chichester and Norwich, McKisack fails to include Gray, and FitzRoger as the original appointee.

g. ^ The traditional view is that the breach was caused by the ejection from court of one of Lancaster’s dependants, on Gaveston’s instigation. Maddicott points out that even though this event took place, it happened later – after Lancaster’s defection.

h. ^ These preliminary Ordinances were concerned, among other things, with royal grants, payment of customs, and the maintenance of Magna Carta, reflected in the later paragraphs 3, 4 and 6; see below.