"Those of the council who were nigh at hand."—Anglo-Sax. Chron., ii, 204.
Mat. Paris, Hist. Angl. (Rolls Series No. 44) i, 176.
See Round's Geoffrey de Mandeville (p. 366), where the writer conjectures the date of the charter to have been between 1130 and 1135, and brings evidence in favour of it having been purchased by the payment of a large sum of money.
Set out under fifteen heads in the City's Liber Albus. (Rolls Series) i, 128-129.
Stubbs, Const. Hist., i, 404, 405. Round, Geoffrey de Mandeville. p. 356.
The sum of 100 marks of silver recorded (Pipe Roll, 31 Hen. I) as having been paid for the shrievalty in 1130, appears to have been more of the nature of a fine than a firma.
"Whereas from time immemorial there have been and of right ought to be two sheriffs of this city, which said two sheriffs during all the time aforesaid have constituted and of right ought to constitute one sheriff of the county of Middlesex...."—Preamble to Act of Common Council, 7th April, 1748, re Nomination and election of Sheriffs. Journal 59, fo. 130b.
Round, Geoffrey de Mandeville, p. 357. Mr. Round's statements (op. cit., Appendix P), that "this one firma ... represents one corpus comitatus, namely Middlesex, inclusive of London," and that "from this conclusion there is no escape," are more capable of refutation than he is willing to allow.
"It is probable that whilst the Sheriff in his character of Sheriff was competent to direct the customary business of the Court, it was in that of justitia that he transacted business under the King's writ."—Stubbs, Const. History, i, 389, note.
"Post hoc prædictus Justitiarius ... accessit ad Gildhalle Londoniarum, et ibi tenuit placita de die in diem ... et incontinenti ... ilia terminavit nullo juris ordine observato contra leges civitatis et etiam contra leges et consuetudines cujuslibet liberi hominis de regno Anglie. Quod vero cives semper calumpniaverunt, dicentes quod nullus debet placitare in civitate de transgressionibus ibidem factis nisi vicecomites Londoniarium."—Lib. de Ant. (Camd. Soc.), p. 40.