Legal Definitions - billeta

The term billeta is a historical legal term that refers to a formal written proposal or petition presented for consideration within the English Parliament.

These proposals could take two main forms:

• A draft of a new law or an amendment to an existing law (a statute).
• A formal request or appeal seeking action, redress, or a specific resolution from Parliament (a petition).

Essentially, a billeta was a document that initiated a legislative or grievance-addressing process within the parliamentary system of the past.

Examples:

• Imagine a group of merchants in 15th-century London who were experiencing significant losses due to new, unfavorable trade regulations imposed by a foreign kingdom. They might have drafted a detailed document outlining their grievances and proposing a specific new law to protect English trade interests. This formal proposal, submitted to Parliament for debate and potential enactment, would have been considered a billeta.

• Consider a scenario in medieval England where a local community felt unjustly burdened by excessive taxes levied by a powerful baron, despite existing laws. The villagers could have collectively prepared a formal written appeal, detailing their plight and requesting Parliament's intervention to enforce the law and provide relief. This type of formal request, seeking parliamentary action to remedy a specific grievance, would have been known as a billeta.

• During a parliamentary session in the 14th century, a prominent noble might have wished to introduce a significant change to the laws governing land inheritance. They would have prepared a written proposal outlining the new legal framework they envisioned. This document, presented to Parliament for discussion and potential approval as a new statute, would historically have been referred to as a billeta.