Y Cymmrodor. v. XIV. 1901.

1 2 English Laiv in Wales and the Marches.
"S
created these unconstitutional councils, it was provided in
the " Ordinances for Wales" that the King's most royal
majesty might alter anything contained in that statute,
and make new laws and ordinances for Wales " as to his
most excellent wisdom and discretion should be thought
coiwenient," and that these alterations and new enact-
ments, if made in writing under his Hig'hness' great seal,
should have the same force and effect as if they had been
made by authority of Parliament. It was afterwards
argued that this power was limited to Henry YIII, and
that the most excellent wisdom and discretion did not
descend with the Crown ;
but the Tudors wore that crown
pretty fìrinly on their heads, and the clause was not
repealed until 21 Jac, cap. 10, which recites that the laws
ordained for Wales are for the most part agreeable to
those of England, and are obeyed with " great alacrity",
and that after so great a quiet any further change or
innovation might be dangerous.
James I yielded to the petition of the Commons
on this point; but another grave constitutional question
was not so easily settled. So far as Wales was con-
cerned the Court of the Marches claimed, and was allowed,
a concurrent jurisdiction with the newly appointed
Court of Great Sessions, but it also claimed jurisdiction
over the four bordering counties of Worcester, Gloucester,
Hereford and Shropshire, as parcel of the ancient Marches
of Wales, and this brought them into collision with the
Courts of Westminster. These counties had been sub-
jected to the Court before the Act of Union and were
afterwards included in the letters of instruction from
which certain places were from time to time omitted on
petition to the Crown, but by 26 Henry VIII, cap. 11,
the three last counties, as then constituted, were clearly
distinguished from the Marches. These letters were