The Reforms at the Exchequer (1232–1242)

In a paper read to the Society nearly two years ago, an attempt was made to bridge the gulf between exchequer procedure under Henry II and under his grandson. By 1232 the first stage of development from the organisation revealed in the Dialogus was already complete: the exchequer had met the crisis with which it was faced on Henry II's death by the invention of new procedure, and had passed through the experimental stage under John and during Henry III's minority. The curtain was drawn up for the second act, when in July 1232 Peter des Roches became all powerful in the king's counsels. The time for a general review of the financial position, for reorganisation and for codification had already arrived. The first paper dealt with “Experiments in Exchequer Procedure (1200–1232)”: the second proposes to consider the “Reforms at the Exchequer (1232–1242)” which were the direct result of that experiment.