Thesaurarius et camerarii, nisi regis expresso mandato vel præsidentis justiciarii, susceptam pecuniam non expendunt: oportet enim ut habeant auctoritatem rescripti regis de distributa pecunia, cum ab eis compotus generalis exigitur (i. 6).
[De combustione] ... ut de summa ejus thesaurarius et camerarii respondeant (ib.).
These are sufficient allusions to the Treasury, as distinct from the Exchequer, account. I invite particular attention to this Treasury audit, because, so far as I can find, it has hitherto escaped notice. The second extract refers to the use of the £10,000 space on the chequered table, and therefore proves the use of such a table for the Treasury account as well.
Now my point is that the earl of Gloucester and Brian ‘Fitz Count,’ in 1130, were magnates (magni regni) delegated by the king, as described in the second passage,[168] to audit the Treasurer’s account. And this view is confirmed by the fact that William de Pont de l’Arche, who here accounts to them, is styled by Dr. Stubbs “the Treasurer,” and is, in any case, subsequently described as “custos thesaurorum regalium.” Their mission had nothing, I hold, to do with that audit of the sheriffs’ accounts, which was the annual function of the Exchequer.
There is a remarkable entry on the roll of 1187 which alludes to an overhauling of the national treasure at Winchester, at the beginning of that year, the date proving that it was wholly unconnected with either session of the Exchequer:
Et in custamento numerandi et ponderandi thesaurum apud Wintoniam post Natale, et pro forulis novis ad reponendum eundem thesaurum et pro aliis minutis negociis ad predictum opus, etc.... Et pro carriando thesauro a Wintoniâ ad Saresburiam et ad Oxinford’ et ad Geldeford’ et ad plura loca per Angliam £4 8s. 3d.
One might compare with these phrases the ‘Dialogus’ language as to the knights, ‘qui et camerarii dicuntur, quod pro camerariis ministrant.’
Item officium horum est numeratam pecuniam, et in vasis ligneis per centenos solidos compositam, ponderare, ne sit error in numero, tunc demum in forulos mittere, etc. (i. 3).
Also the description of the usher’s office:
Hic ministrat forulos ad pecuniam reponendam, etc. (ib.).