5.]
But all lawyers knew that such grants did not convey full civil or
criminal jurisdiction, which, when thought needful, was specially
conferred, as was done in the case of the East India Company upon their
petition in 1624, [Footnote: Bruce, _Annals_, i. 252.] and in that of
Massachusetts by the charter of William and Mary.
Such was the undoubted theory, and evidently there must always have been
some practical means of checking the abuse of power by these strong
organizations. In semi-barbarous ages the sovereign took matters into his
own hands by seizing the franchise, and even the Plantagenets repeatedly
suspended or revoked the liberties of London,--often, no doubt, for cause,
but sometimes also to make money by a resale; and a succession of these
arbitrary forfeitures demonstrated that charters to be of value must be
beyond the grantor's control. Resort was had to the courts, as a matter of
course, and finally it was settled that relief should be given by a writ
of _quo warranto_, upon which the question of the violation of
privileges could be tried; and curious records still remain of ancient
litigations of this nature.
In 1321 complaint was made against the London Weavers for injuring the
public by passing regulations tending to raise the price of cloth.
[Footnote: _Liber Customarum_, i.
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