Title:	The Transition of Ewyas Lacy from a Marcher Lordship to a Hundred in the County of Hereford
Date:	1535

 

From Norman times Ewyas Lacy had been governed as a Marcher Lordship, a privileged status which conferred upon the Lord many of the legal powers otherwise reserved to and jealously guarded by the King, so that these Lordships operated effectively as a quasi-autonomous ‘state within a state’. This unique legal position of the Marches had always led to greater or lesser degrees of friction between the powerful Marcher Lords and the Crown. By the time of King Henry VIII, however, the power, wealth and political influence of the Marcher Lords had diminished to the point where the King felt able to take control of the Marches back to the Crown. This was accomplished as part of a wider legal and political realignment not only of the Marches but of the whole of Wales, which was effectively ‘annexed’ into England and made subject to English law and administration.

The vehicle for this was the ‘Laws in Wales Act’ of 1535, which divided the Marches between the Counties of England and Wales and imposed the same legal and administrative framework throughout. In this Act the former Marcher Lordship of Ewyas Lacy was renamed as the ‘Hundred of Ewyas Lacy’ and annexed into the County of Herefordshire. The contents of the Act are listed below, together with a transcription of extracts relating directly to Ewyas Lacy

 

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The Laws in Wales Act 1535

A.D. 1535 Anno vicesimo septimo Henrici VIII c. 26

Concerning the Laws to be used in Wales

CONTENTS
I	Preamble
II	The Laws of England shall be used in Wales
III	Reformation of Marcher Lordships — Monmouthshire
IV	Justice in Monmouthshire
V	Brecknockshire
VI	Radnorshire
VII	Montgomeryshire
VIII	Denbighshire
IX	Chancery and Exchequer at Brecknock and Denbigh
X	Justice used in Brecknock, Radnor, Montgomery and Denbigh
XI	Towns annexed to the County of Salop
XII	Towns annexed to the County of Hereford
XIII	Towns annexed to the County of Gloucester
XIV	Towns annexed to the County of Glamorgan
XV	Justice in Glamorganshire
XVI	Towns annexed to the County of Kayermarthen
XVII	Towns annexed to the County of Pembroke
XVIII	Towns annexed to the County of Cardigan
XIX	Towns annexed to the County of Merioneth
XX	Courts kept in English Language
XXI	Power of Sheriffs to put every misruled Person under common Mainprise
XXII	Certificate of Recognizance in Monmouthshire
XXIII	Certificate of Recognizance in Brecknock, Radnor, Mountgomery and Denbigh
XXIV	Appearance of them which are bound.
XXV	Lords Marcher shall have Half of the Forfeiture of Tenants.
XXVI	Commissions to divide the Shires of Wales into Hundreds.
XXVII	Commissions to inquire into the Laws and Customs of Wales.
XXVIII	Two Knights for the Shire of Monmouth, and one Burgess for the Town.
XXIX	Knights and Burgesses for the Parliament in Wales, and their Fees.
XXX	Lords Marchers shall keep their Liberties.
XXXI	The Customs of North Wales and the County Palatine of Lancaster saved.
XXXII	A reservation of Patents.
XXXIII	Earl of Worcester Justice of Glamorgan.
XXXIV	26 H. 8. c.6.
XXXV	Lands partable.
XXXVI	The King may suspend or revoke this Statute.
XXXVII	The King may erect in Wales so many Courts and Justices, &c. as he will.
XXXVIII	The Office of Prothonotary and Clerk of the Crown.
XXXIX	Lord Ferrers's Offices in Wales referred.

 

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Lordships Marchers, and the Disorders committed therein.

III. And forasmuch as there be many divers Lordships Marchers within the said Country or Dominion of Wales, lying between the Shires of England and the Shires of the said Country or Dominion of Wales and being no Parcel of any other Shires where the Laws and due Correction is used and had, by reason whereof hath ensued, and hath been practised, perpetrated, committed and done, within and among the said Lordships and Countries to them adjoining, manifold and divers detestable Murders, burning of Houses, Robberies, Thefts, Trespasses, Routs, Riots, unlawful Assemblies, Embraceries, Maintenances, Receiving of Felons, Oppressions, Ruptures of the Peace, and manifold other Malefacts, contrary to all Laws and Justice; and the said Offenders thereupon making their Refuge from Lordship to Lordship, were and continued without Punishment or Correction; (2) for due Reformation whereof, and forasmuch as divers and many of the said Lordships Marchers be now in the Hands and Possession of other Lords, It is therefore enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That divers of the said Lordships Marchers shall be united, annexed, and joined to divers of the Shires of England, and divers of the said Lordships Marchers shall be united, annexed, and joined to divers of the Shires of the said Country or Dominion of Wales, in Manner and Form hereafter following;

 

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Towns annexed to the County of Hereford.

XII. And that the Lordships, Towns, Parishes, Commotes, Hundreds and Cantrefs of Ewyas Lacy, Ewyas Harold, Clifford, Wynforton, Yerdesley, Huntington, Whytney, Wygmore, Logharneys and Stepulton in the said Marches of Wales, and every of them, and all and singular Honours, Lordships, Castles, Manors, Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments, lying or being within the Compass or Precinct of the said Lordships, Towns, Parishes, Commotes, Hundreds and Cantrefs, or any of them, in whole Possession forever they be or shall be, and every Part thereof, shall stand and be for ever, from and after the said Feast of All-Saints, guildable, and shall be united, annexed and joined to and with the County of Hereford, as a Member, Part or Parcel of the same County of Hereford; (2) and that the Lordships of Wygmore and Logharneys, with their Members, shall be taken, named and known by the Name of the Hundred of Wygmore in the County of Hereford aforesaid; and that the Inhabitants thereof shall be attendant and do every Thing and Things at every Sessions, Assize and Gaol-delivery, to be holden within the County of Hereford, as the inhabitants of all other Hundreds do within the said County of Hereford, according to the Laws of this Realm of England. (3) and that the Lordship of Ewyas Lacy, with the Members, shall be taken, named and known by the Name of the Hundred of Ewyas Lacy in the County of Hereford aforesaid; and that the Inhabitants thereof shall be attendant and do every Thing and Things at every Sessions, Assize and Gaol-delivery, to be holden within the County of Hereford, as the inhabitants of all other Hundreds do within the said County of Hereford, according to the Laws of this Realm of England.