The 295
During the minority of III. the of
sellors was especially active; it practically a
Most of the royal with its
tion and It was regularly to as the or the
king's council. It Is clear, as natural the cir-
cumstances, that was a more vivid conception of
the counselling group at this time than This has
led some writers to the origin of the Council to
this period. There certainly a hastening of a natural
evolution, but the counsellors did not then acquire their
more technical distinguishing characteristics. Their work
during the early thirteenth century was very extensive
and very hard to define, for It on no theory
than the king's plenary power would have no theoreti-
cal limitations. They the king's diplomatic work,
advising him upon peace and war, In Ms
with rebellious subjects. He might at any time
them about routine administrative work; many of the
public and private orders that he bear evidence
that he had done so. They were quite regularly con-
cerned with forest matters, the surveys carried out
under their oversight; also with church matters, the felling
of vacancies and points upon which royal and ecclesiastical
Interests clashed; and with the government of Ireland,
Poltou, and Gascony. During the minority, the coun-
sellors had much to do with straightening out the Ex-
chequer, which had broken down late In John's reign;
and since regulating taxation was one of their
duties and many financial obligations to the crown were
then in an uncertain state, they sat as a sort of board of
equalisation. Their judicial province was large, but of a
distinctly supervisory character. They sent mandates
to the courts telling them what to do under exceptional
circumstances, as when Innocent IIL's bull interfered
with the ordeal; they told into what courts unusual cases
should go, and judges often asked them for instruction
upon points of law; they were a court of first Instance for
many cases touching barons, sheriffs, or Judges; they