Good Parliament

It had a formidable enemy, however, in John of Gaunt, fourth son of Edward III and the effective ruler of England at the time.

Peter de la Mare, a knight of the shire representing Herefordshire, had been elected as Speaker by the House of Commons, and on the first day he delivered an address criticising England's recent military failures, condemning the corruption at court, and calling for close scrutiny of the royal accounts.

Richard Lyons (Warden of the Mint) and Lord Latimer, who were believed to be robbing the treasury, were called before Parliament and then imprisoned.

The members were swayed by the immense prestige of Prince Edward, the country's greatest military hero at the time.

John had the Good Parliament declared unconstitutional[dubious – discuss] and its acts removed from the books.