Statute Roll
Encyclopedia
Statute Roll is a manuscript parchment
roll
with the text of statutes passed by the medieval Parliament of England
. Statute Rolls are also called Tower Rolls since they were kept in Wakefield Tower of the Tower of London
until the 1850s.
At the end of a medieval Parliament a collection of acts of a public character was made in the form of a Statute Roll and given the title of the King’s regnal year; each particular Act of Parliament
forming a section, or a chapter, of the complete Statute, so that, e.g. the Vagabonds Act
of 1383 became VII Ric. II, c.5.
The first Statute Roll is Statute of Gloucester
of 1278. Before 1278 there were Coram Rege Rolls (from 1194), Fine Rolls
(from 1199), Charter Rolls (from 1199), Patent Rolls
(from 1202) and Close Rolls (from 1205). The idea that Magna Charta was the first statute on the first Roll is a mistake.
The statute rolls were discontinued in 1469 when acts of Parliament in their final form began to be enrolled on Parliament rolls. Until 1483 Parliament rolls recorded parliamentary proceedings (petitions, bills and answers, both public and private) which formed the basis of acts of Parliament, but seldom the statutes themselves. From 1483 to 1534 both public and private acts were enrolled in Parliament rolls; after 1535 only those private acts for which an enrolment fee was paid appear, and from 1593 only the titles of private acts are mentioned in the Parliament rolls. By 1629 all proceedings other than the acts themselves disappeared from the Parliament rolls and from 1759 the titles of private acts disappeared too.
The statute rolls were translated and printed in the first two volumes of "Statutes of the Realm" (9 volumes, Record Commission, 1810-1828).
Parchment
Parchment is a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin, often split. Its most common use was as a material for writing on, for documents, notes, or the pages of a book, codex or manuscript. It is distinct from leather in that parchment is limed but not tanned; therefore, it is very...
roll
Rotulus
A rotulus is a roll designed for writing on, in which a long narrow strip of papyrus or parchment, written on one side, was wound like a blind about its wooden staff....
with the text of statutes passed by the medieval Parliament of England
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
. Statute Rolls are also called Tower Rolls since they were kept in Wakefield Tower of the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
until the 1850s.
At the end of a medieval Parliament a collection of acts of a public character was made in the form of a Statute Roll and given the title of the King’s regnal year; each particular Act of Parliament
Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom
An Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom is a type of legislation called primary legislation. These Acts are passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster, or by the Scottish Parliament at Edinburgh....
forming a section, or a chapter, of the complete Statute, so that, e.g. the Vagabonds Act
Vagabonds Act 1383
The Vagabonds Act 1383 was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of England passed in 1383. It empowered Justices of Assize, Justices of the Peace or county sheriffs to bind over vagabonds for good behaviour, or to commit them to the assizes if sureties could not be given.The Act was repealed by...
of 1383 became VII Ric. II, c.5.
The first Statute Roll is Statute of Gloucester
Statute of Gloucester
Statute of Gloucester is one of the most important pieces of legislation enacted in the Parliament of England during the reign of Edward I. The Statute, proclaimed at Gloucester in August 1278, was crucial to the development of English law....
of 1278. Before 1278 there were Coram Rege Rolls (from 1194), Fine Rolls
Fine rolls
The fine rolls record offers of money to the Kings of England for concessions and favours from the 12th to the 17th centuries.In general, a fine is an agreement made with the king, or one of his chief ministers, to pay a certain sum of money for a specified benefit. In some cases the sum of money...
(from 1199), Charter Rolls (from 1199), Patent Rolls
Patent Rolls
The Patent Rolls are primary sources for English history, a record of the King of England's correspondence, starting in 1202....
(from 1202) and Close Rolls (from 1205). The idea that Magna Charta was the first statute on the first Roll is a mistake.
The statute rolls were discontinued in 1469 when acts of Parliament in their final form began to be enrolled on Parliament rolls. Until 1483 Parliament rolls recorded parliamentary proceedings (petitions, bills and answers, both public and private) which formed the basis of acts of Parliament, but seldom the statutes themselves. From 1483 to 1534 both public and private acts were enrolled in Parliament rolls; after 1535 only those private acts for which an enrolment fee was paid appear, and from 1593 only the titles of private acts are mentioned in the Parliament rolls. By 1629 all proceedings other than the acts themselves disappeared from the Parliament rolls and from 1759 the titles of private acts disappeared too.
The statute rolls were translated and printed in the first two volumes of "Statutes of the Realm" (9 volumes, Record Commission, 1810-1828).