The Assize of Arms of 1252, also called the Ordinance of 1252, was a proclamation of King

Henry III of England Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272), also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death in 1272. The son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, Henry a ...

concerning the enforcement of the

Assize of Arms of 1181 The Assize of Arms of 1181 was a proclamation of King Henry II of England concerning the obligation of all freemen of England to possess and bear arms in the service of king and realm and to swear allegiance to the king, on pain of "vengeance, not ...

, and the appointment of

constables A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...

to summon men to arms, quell breaches of the peace, and to deliver offenders to the sheriff. British historian, F.M. Powicke identified that it was actually issued on 12 May 1242, but was subsequently transcribed incorrectly. Along with the Ordinance of 1233 that required the appointment of watchmen, the appointment of constables has been cited as one of the earliest creation of the English

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...

, as has the Statute of Westminster 1285. Stubbs saw the significance of the writ of ordinance as the bringing together of two separate but long-standing modes of ensuring peace and defence, expanding the 1181 Assize of Arms by adding the system of

watch and ward ''Watch and Ward'' is a short novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in ''The Atlantic Monthly'' in 1871 and later as a book in 1878. This was James' first novel, though he virtually disowned the book later in life. James later called ...

, and pointing the way forward to subsequent legislation along similar lines by Edward I and Henry IV.W Stubbs ''Select Charters Illustrative of English Constitutional History'' (Oxford 1895) p. 154

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* * * * * {{UK legislation English laws Royal prerogative 1250s in law 1250s in England History of archery 1252 in Europe

See also

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References