cause they were feudal vassals of
the king.

Edward's council was the highest tribunal. It comprised the
chancellor, treasurer and other great officers of state, the
justices of the three courts, the master or chief clerks of the
chancery, and certain selected prelates and barons. The council
assisted the king in considering petitions. Most petitions to the
King were private grievances of individuals, including people of
no social rank, such as prisoners. Other petitions were from
communities and groups, such as religious houses, the two
universities, boroughs, and counties. These groups sometimes
formed alliances in a common cause. Women sometimes petitioned.
>From 1293, the petitions were placed in four stacks for
examination by the King and council, by the Chancery, by the
Exchequer, or by the justices. Many hours were spent hearing and
answering petitions. From 1305, the petitions were presented to
the king in full Parliament.

The king still exercised the power of legislation without a full
Parliament. He might in his council issue proclamations. The Chief
Justices still had, as members of the king's council, a real voice
in the making of laws. The king and his justices might, after a
statute has been made, put an authoritative interpretation upon
it. Royal proclamations had the same force as statutes while the
king lived; sometimes there were demands that certain
proclamations be made perpetual by being embodied in statutes,
e.g. fixing wages. There was no convention that agreement or even
the presence of representatives was required for legislation. The
idea that the present can bind the absent and that the majority of
those present may outvote the minority was beginning to take hold.
Edward I's councilors and justices took an oath to give, expedite,
and execute faithful counsel; to maintain, recover, increase, and
prevent the diminution of, royal rights; to do justice, honestly
and unsparingly; to join in no engagements which may present the
councilor from fulfilling his promise; and to take no gifts in the
administration of justice, save meat and drink for the day. These
were in addition to other matters sworn to by the councilors.

Parliament soon was required to meet at least once a year at the
Great Hall at Westminster beside the royal palace. London paid its
representatives 10s. per day for their attendance at Parliament.
>From the time of Edward II, the counties paid their knight-
representatives 4s.