Legal Definitions - Westminster the First, Statute of

The Westminster the First, Statute of is an English law that was divided into 51 chapters, which later became separate acts of Parliament. It was created in 1275 during the reign of King Edward I. The statute included various provisions that aimed to protect the rights of the church, regulate the levying of tolls, and amend the criminal and civil procedures.

• Protecting the property of the church from the violence and spoliation of the Crown and nobles.
• Providing for the freedom of popular elections.
• Enforcing the rules contained in Magna Carta against excessive fines.
• Enumerating and correcting the abuses of tenures, especially concerning marriages of wards.
• Regulating the levying of tolls.
• Correcting and restraining the powers of the royal escheator and other officers.
• Amending the criminal law, especially by classifying rape as a most grievous, though not capital, offense.
• Making criminal and civil procedures more expeditious and less costly.

For example, the provision that protected the property of the church from the violence and spoliation of the Crown and nobles aimed to prevent the powerful individuals from taking advantage of the church's wealth and resources. Similarly, the provision that regulated the levying of tolls aimed to ensure that the tolls were reasonable and fair for everyone.