Keepers of the peace

Much has already been written about the antecedents of the office of justice of the peace. Here there will be given only a brief summary to relate such writing to this county and explain the present roll.

The keepers of the peace were at first emergency officers, and their duties were largely military. They were appointed during the last years of Henry III’s reign.

In Edward Fs reign came a further development. In 1277 a knight not going to the Welsh wars was ordered to be elected in the shire court, with power to enquire into crimes. The Statute of Winchester in 1285 laid down a system of watch and ward, provided for the clearing of highways, and made Hundreds answerable for crimes committed in their areas. Keepers of the peace were again appointed in the following year when the king was to be in France.

During the reign of Edward II keepers of the peace were appointed on several occasions. The terms of their commissions vary, but generally speaking their powers were limited to the taking of presentments and the arrest of offenders, and the latter were obliged to wait for judgement until the coming of royally appointed justices.

In 1307 the keepers for Bedfordshire were John de Pabenham senior and John de Morteyn. John de Pabenham, a former sheriff and knight of the shire on three occasions, was at this time over 60; his career, and that of his son, John de Pabenham junior (sheriff in 1314) have been sketched in the Society’s publications, as has that of John de Morteyn, of the Marston family, and also a knight of the shire.

In the following year John Rydel, Richard le Rous and John Conquest were appointed. John Rydel was the son of Ralph Rydel, who by his marriage with Agnes, one of the two daughters and heiresses of William de St. Remy, had acquired in the thirteenth century a moiety of that family’s lands, including Wilden manor. Richard le Rous of Clophill and Bromham was another knight of the shire.