Statute of Westminster 1275


The Statute of Westminster of 1275, also known as the Statute of Westminster I, codified the existing law in England, in 51 chapters.
Chapter 5, known as the Freedom of Election Act 1275, is still in force in the United Kingdom. William Stubbs says of it:
Though it is a matter of dispute when peine forte et dure was first introduced, chapter 3 states that those felons standing mute shall be put in prison forte et dure.

History

The Statute of Westminster of 1275 was one of two English statutes largely drafted by Robert Burnell and passed during the reign of Edward I. Edward I had returned from the Ninth Crusade on and was crowned King of England on. His first Parliament was summoned for the of the Purification on but was prorogued until the day after Easter on 22 April 1275 and met at Westminster, its main work being the consideration of the Statute of Westminster I. This was drawn up, not in Latin, but in Norman French, and was passed "by the assent of Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Earls, Barons, and the Commonalty of the Realm, being thither summoned."

Chapters

The Statute of Westminster I is composed of 51 chapters:

Ireland

In the early history of the Lordship of Ireland, English statutes were often applied to Ireland. A 1285 writ authorised Stephen de Fulbourn, then Justiciar of Ireland, to apply there English statutes including Westminster I, Westminster II, Gloucester, and those of merchants. A 1320 act of the Parliament of Ireland readopted all these statutes. An act of Edward Poynings' 1495 session of the Parliament of Ireland adopted statutes "formerly made for the common weal" in England; later the Maintenance and Embracery Act 1634 adopted all English statutes dealing with champerty and maintenance and embracery. Many chapters of the 1275 English statute were repealed with respect to Ireland by the Statute Law Revision Act 1872. In the Republic of Ireland, the Short Titles Act 1962 assigned the short title "Distress Act 1275" to chapter 16 of the 1275 English statute, as adopted under the 1495 Irish act; and the short title "Maintenance and Champerty Act 1275" to chapters 25 and 28 of the 1275 English statute, as adopted under the 1634 Irish act. The Statute Law Revision Act 1983 repealed the whole of the 1275 English statute and the 1285 and 1320 Irish statutes.