The “Chronicle of St. Alban’s” says:—
“The parliament was protracted by numerous disagreements among the nobles. They had formed a plan to harass the king, and provoke him to anger, by demanding a right to appoint the chancellor, the chief justiciary, and the treasurer.” The king is said to have replied, “Would ye deny us a right which every one of you enjoys? Each head of a house among you has power over that house. Why do ye not demand the crown itself?—you might as well do that as make it a shadow. In your own households ye may prefer—ye may pass over—ye may depose this man or that. And would ye deny us the same right? Nay, truly, the king shall appoint his chancellor, his justiciary, his treasurer, during his own pleasure; or else king we will not be.” He added, “If our justiciary or any officer shall do unjustly, and the offence is not punished, then, indeed, complain if ye will.”—“Straightway,” continues the chronicler, “those who had urged the demand blushed. Many, however, preferred the confederacy and war to peace, and this preference did not escape the king’s notice; but when the nobles generally saw how vain their demands were, they humbled themselves before the king, and asked pardon for their presumption.”
Of the same transactions Peter Langtoft gives this account:—
“The erles and barons at their first summoning,
For many manner reasons ’plained to the king.
And next they made plaint of his Treasorere;
That evil things attaint he maintained thro’ power.
‘Of many has it been told; to thee we ’plain us here;
Him for to remove through common assent.