against and pressed to be put to the Question the Speakâ—â— does not make it for Rejection as in the foâ—mer Case but for the Second Reading and if that be denied then for Rejection Or rather in such a Case the Speaker does forbear tâ— make any Question at all thereupon unless 〈◊〉 be much pressed thereto it being more prudential to consider of it before it be put to such a hazard When the Question for Rejection is made and the greater Voice is to have the Bill Rejected the Clerk ought to set it down Rejected in the Journal and so to Indorse it on the back of the Bill and it shall be no more Read that Session But if it be altered in any Point marerial both in the Body and the Title it may be revived and received a second time If the Voice be to have the Bill Retained then it shall have his second Reading in Course 'T is unusual for one and the same Bill to be Read twice in one Day â—â—less there be special Reasons for it Yet it has been done sometimes for want of other Business when the Bill was not of any great Consequence but â—ill upon Motion and special Order Also â—hen special Committees appointed for the â—rawing of a special Bill have presented the same ready drawn to the House it has oftenâ—imes happned that the same Bill has been twice Read and ordered to be Ingrossed the same Day And there are Precedents of late that a â—ill has been thrice Read and Passed the same Day By Sir Simon d'Ewes Journ 90. Col. 1. a Bill was Read the fourth time before it passed the House but this is rare and worth the Observation Though a Bill may be secondly Read the next Day after the first Reading yet the usual Course is to forbear for two or three Days that Men may have more time to consider upon â—t except the Business requires haste After the Bill is secondly read the Clerk as before in humble manner delivers it to the Speaker who reads again the Title and his Breviate as he did upon the first Reading Upon which he pawses a while till some Member or other of the House do speak to it For then â—nd not before is the time when to speak And â—f after some convenient time no Member â—eak against the Bill either as to the Matter or â—orm of it if it be a Bill originally begun in â—e Commons House the Speaker may make â—e Question for Ingrossing thereof that is â—riting of it fair in a Parchment The same 〈◊〉 may do if divers speak for the Bill withâ—t excepting against the Form thereof In short upon the second Reading the â—eaker having delivered the state of the Bill â—ebates do commonly arise upon it After â—hich the House usually calls for the Commitâ—ng of the Bill that is for referring of it to a Committee in order to amend the Bill which is done in this manner After every Speech is ended the Speaker ought to stay a while before he make the Question for the Committing thereof to see whether any Man will speak thereto And when he perceives the Debate is at an end he directs the House in these Words As many as are of Opinion that this Bill shall be Committed say Yea. And after the Affirmative Voice given he proceeds thus to the Negative As many as are of the contrary Opinion say No. The Speaker ought by his Ear to judge which of the Voices is the greatest but if the Thing be doubtful the House does Divide upon it And if upon Division of the House it appear that the Numbers are equal the Speaker has the casting Voice upon all Questions If the Affirmative Voice be the greater he ought to put the House in mind about Naming of the Committees which is thus Any Member of the House may be named to be one of the Committee and the Clerk ought in his Journal to write under the Title of the Bill the Name of every one called for that purpose at least of such whose Names in that Confusion he can distinctly hear And this he ought to do without Partiality either to those that name or to the Party named But he that has directly spoken against the Body of the Bill may noâ— be named to be of the Committee it being supposed that he who is against the Bill is noâ— a proper Person to be imployed for the amending or improving of it A convenient Number being named thâ— Speaker puts the House in mind of the Timâ— and Place when and where the Committees maâ— meet which the Clerk ought likewise to enteâ— into his Journal-book And when the House is in silence he ought with a loud Voice to read out of his Book the Committees Names with the Time and Place of their Meeting that they may take notice thereof When a Bill sent from the Lords is twice Read the Question ought to be for the Commitment If it be denied it ought to be Read the third time and the next Question not for the Ingrossing as when the Bill begun in the â—ower House but for the Passing of the Bill For all Bills that come from the Lords come alâ—ays Ingrossed And though the Question for â—he Passing of the Bill should in Course be then â—ade when the Bill is denied to be Committed yet it is not done till the Bill be Read the third time As to the subject Matter of the Debates the Speaker is not to argue for or against any side but only to hear the Arguments of the House and as I said before to collect the substance of them Neither has he any Voice but the Casting Voice Whoever speaks to a Bill ought to stand up Uncovered and direct his Speech to the Speaker If two rise at the same time and fall speaking together the Speaker has power to determine which shall give way to the other He that speaks is to be heard out and not interrupted unless by Mr. Speaker which he may do in some Cases as when the Discourse spins out to too great a length or is from the Matter in hand c. None ought to speak twice to a Bill in one Day unless sometimes by way of Explication But if the Bill be oftner Read than once a Man may speak as often as the Bill is read And if any Thing be done contrary to the Orders of the House one may rise up and speak to it in the midst of a Debate in case the Speaker do not For if the Speaker stand up he is first to be heard and while he stands up the other must sit down But whoever rises up to speak to the Orders of the House in the midst of a Debate must keep within that Line and not fall to the Matter it self If he do he may be taken down by the Speaker or any other Member calling to the Orders of the House No Member in his Discourse is to mention the Name of any other then present but to describe
him by his Title or Addition as that Noble Lord that Worthy Knight Or by his Office as Judge Sergeant Gentleman of the long or short Robe Or by his Place as the Gentleman near the Chair near the Bar on the other side or that Gentleman that spake last or last save one or the like No reviling or reflecting Expressions must be used And though freedom of Speech and Debates be an undoubted Priviledge of the House yet whatsoever is spoken in the House is subject to the Censure of the House But if any speak irreverently or seditiously against the Prince or the Privy Council he is not only Interrupted but sometimes sent to the Tower After the Debate is ended the Speaker ought to put the Question for Ingrossing If the Plurality of Voices be against it the Clerk ought to make an Entry in his Journal that the same was Dashed and to make a Note of it upon the back of the Bill and the Day when If for it he must make his Entry and Note accordingly A Bill that has been Committed and is Reported ought not in an ordinary Course to be Recommitted but either Dashed or Ingrossed Yet when the Matter is of Importance it is sometimes Recommitted and commonly to the same Committee Some few Days after the Bill has been ordered to be Ingrossed the same being accordingly Ingrossed is offered by the Speaker to be Read the third time for the Passing thereof And to prevent carrying of Bills with a few Voices it has sometimes been ordered that no Bills should be put to the Passing until Nine of the Clock at which time the House is commonly full or shortly after But 't is Observable that the Speaker seldom puts any one Bill to the Passing by it self alone for he commonly stays till there be divers Bills ready Ingrossed for the third Reading And when he has a convenient Number as four or five he gives Notice to the House that he purposeth next Day to offer up some Bills for the Passing and desireth the House to give special Attendance for that purpose Accordingly the Day following he puts 'em to the third Reading first private Bills till the House be pretty full and then the publick ones Ingrossed A Bill being Read the third time by the Clerk of the House he delivers it to the Speaker who as before Reads the Title explains the Nature of the Bill and then tells the House that it has now been Read thrice and that with their Favours he will put it to the Passing But before he does it he pauseth a while that the Members may have liberty to speak thereto For upon the third Reading the Matter comes to a fresh Debate and for the most part it is more spoken unto at this time than upon any of the former Readings But then 't is very rare to have it Recommitted unless it be for some particular Clause or Proviso At last the Debate being over the Speaker still holding the Bill in his hand puts it to the Passing thus As many as are of Opinion that this Bill should pass say Yea. And after the Affirmative Voice given he proceeds thus to the Negative As many as are of the contrary Opinion say No. Whereupon the Speaker is to declare his Opinion whether the Yea's or the No's have it and his Opinion is to stand at the Judgement of the House unless the Case be doubtful and a Motion be made for the Dividing of the House Then the Question is put whether the Yea's or No's are to go out of the House Which commonly falls out to be the Lot of the Yea's especially upon a new Bill for it seems but reasonable that those should sit still who are for the old Law because they are in possession of it To count the House the Speaker does nominate two of the Yea's and two of the No's Who having each a Staff in his Hand are to count the Members that remain sitting in the House and then to stand within the Door two on each side and count the Number of them who went forth as they come in The House being thus told the two Tellers that have the most Votes standing at the Bar on the right hand of the two others the rest being all set in their places make their approaches together to the Table with the usual Obeysance to the House He that stands on the right hand declares to the Speaker the Number of the Yea's and No's That done they all depart with like Reverence into their Places and Mr. Speaker makes the Report to the House If it be carried in the Affirmative the Clerk is to enter the Vote Resolved If in the Negative thus The Question being put then he sets down the Words of the Question it passed in the Negative While the House is divided or dividing in order to gather the Voices no Member is to speak or to remove out of his Place except such as go forth upon the Division The Bill being thus passed the Clerk if the Bill be originally exhibited in the House of Commons ought to write within the Bill on the top toward the right hand Soit baille aux Seigneurs that is Let it be sent up to the Lords But if the Bill passed be originally begun in the Lords House then ought the Clerk to write underneath the Subscription of the Lords which always is at the foot of the Bill Ace Bill les Communes ont assenti And when the Speaker has in his hands a convenient Number of Bills ready passed he then puts the House in mind of sending them up to the Lords and desires the House to appoint the Messengers Amongst which a principal Member of the House is appointed for that purpose to whom the Bills are delivered in such Order as he is to present them to the Lords by the Direction of the Speaker except the House be pleased to give special Direction therein This principal Messenger coming in the first Rank of his Company usually consisting of 30 or 40 Members to the Bar of the Lords House with three Congies the Lords rise from their Places and come down to meet them at the Bar. Then the chief Messenger tells them that the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons have sent unto their Lordships certain Bills Whereupon he reads the Title of every Bill as it lies in order and delivers the same in an humble manner to the Speaker of the House of Lords who is come down of purpose to receive them But when any Answer is to be delivered by the Speaker of this House in the name and behalf of the whole House to such Knights and Burgesses as come from the Commons the Lords are to keep their Places and the Speaker is to deliver their Answer with his Head covered whilst the Knights and Burgesses stand uncovered toward the lower end of the House In this House the Lords give their Voices beginning at the Puisne or lowest Baron and so
Conveyance for Letters to and from the said Post Office in the due Course of the Mails every Post There are Weekly three general Post Days to send from London to any Part of England Wales Scotland and Ireland viz. Tuesday Thursday and Saturday The Returns certain upon Mundays Wednesdays or Fridays except Ireland from whence the Return is not so certain by reason of the Sea As to Kent and the Downs the Post goes thither from London every Day of the Week except Sundays The Post Days fix'd for France Italy Spain and Portugal are Mundays and Thursdays For the Low-Countries Germany Denmark Sweden and other Parts that way Tuesdays and Fridays But since our late Breach with France his Majesty to out off all immediate Correspondency with that Kingdom has settled the Correspondency with Spain and Portugal by Sea from Falmouth iâ— Cornwal to the Groyn a Sea-Port Town of Gallicia in Spain And the Letters to Italy go by the way of Flanders For the Transports of Letters and Pacquets over Sea there are Between England and Flanders 2 Pacquet Boats Between England and Holland 3 Pacquet Boats Between England and Ireland 3 Pacquet Boats Between England and Spain 2 Pacquet Boats The last of which goes out on Tuesdays every Fortnight All which Offices Post-Masters and Pacqueâ— Boats are maintained at the Post-master General 's own Charge For the better Ordering whereof he has several Officers under him amongst which these are the chief viz. two Comptrollers one of thâ— Inland and the other of the Outland Office 〈◊〉 Receiver General an Accomptant General aâ— twelve Clerks whereof six of the Inland aâ— the other six of the Outland Office Now for the Conveniency of the Londoners that live far from the Post-Office there are particular Post-Houses from Place to Place appointed to take in the Letters to be transmitted from thence in due time to the General Post-Office By what is said it may easily be guessed in general that the Charge of the Post-Office is infinitely great But the Return of it to the King does so much over-ballance it that this Office yields to his Majesty yearly about Fifty thousand pounds all Charges born Another Use of this excellent Conveniency is in relation to Travellers whose Business requires expedition To which purpose there are always Post-horses in readiness in every Post-Stage which is the main Profit of the Deputy Post-Masters The Pay is 3 pence for every English Mile besides the Allowance to the Post-Boy for Conducting As for the Peny-Post which is used only for London and its Neighbourhood I have already spoke of it in my Description of London And so I proceed to the Coyns Formerly all English Coyns were coyned or stamp'd by Hammers but since the Restauration of King Charles II a new Way of Stamping by a Mill or Screw was found out and followed ever since Which makes the English Coyns for neatness and security from Counerseiting to be the most excellent The Mony of England is either Gold or Silâ—er called Sterling Mony The Gold is either Guinea or a half Guinea the first valued at 〈◊〉 Shillings and six pence the half Guinea proâ—rtionably that is at Ten shillings nine pence â—lled Guinea from a Country of that Name in Africa from whence is brought the Gold whereof this Coyn is made But there is besides an old sort of Goid called Jacobus from King James I. under whose Reign it was Coyned at the value of 22 shillings now current at 25 shillings 6 pence Another Coyn called Broad-piece coyned in the several Reigns of King James and King Charles I at the value of 20 Shillings and now current at 23 and 6 pence But the Broad-pieces and Jacobus's being both a pure sort of Gold are kept close by the Curious and therefore seldom seen abroad The Silver Coyns now current in England are a Crown Half-crown Shilling Six-pence Four-pence Three-pence Two-pence and One Peny Amongst which the Half-crowns Shillings and Six-pences are the most common 'T is true there are still besides some Ninepences and Four-pence half peny's also some pieces of Thirteen-pence-half-peny and others half their value But these are at this time very scarce For the Conveniency of small Change and the Benefit of the Poor Farthings and Half-pence first of Copper and lately of Tin have been suffered to be Coyned but no man is bound to receive them in pay for Rent or Debt But besides the Species we have as other Nations such Collective Words as fignify a Sum greater or lesser As the Word Piece for 20 Shillings Pounds when the Sum amounts to 60 Shilling and above a Mark whch is 13 Shillings 4 pence an Angel 10 Shillings a Noble 6 Shillings 8 Pence 'T is true there are Angels to be seen in Specie which is a piece 〈◊〉 Gold so called from the Impression of an Angel But the proper Use of it has been in former Reigns for such as the King touched for the Evil. The Spanish French and Flemish Gold is almost of equal fineness with the English and so is the French Silver almost as fine as the English The Office of the Mint where all English Coyns are coyned is kept in the Tower of London And the Officers that belong to it were made a Corporation by King Edward III by virtue of whose Charter they have been always exempted from all publick Offices and their Estates free from all Taxes and Parish Duties The chief Mint Officers are  l. The Warden Whose Fee is 400. The Master and Worker Whose Fee is 500. The Comptroller Whose Fee is 300. The Assay-Master Whose Fee is 250. The Two Auditors each Whose Fee is 20. The Surveyor of the Melting Whose Fee is 100. The Weigher and Teller Whose Fee is 100. The His Assistant Whose Fee is 40. The Engineer Whose Fee is 100. The Two Gravers each Whose Fee is 125. The Warden or Keeper of the Mint receives the Gold and Silver brought in by the Merchants Goldsmiths and others and pays them for the same He is the chief Officer and oversees all the rest The Master and Worker receives the Bullion that is the Gold and Silver to be coyned from the Warden causes it to be melted delivers it to the Moneyers and when it is Minted receives it again from them The Comptroller's Office is to see that the Mony be all made according to just Assize and to comptroll the Officers if it don't prove accordingly The Assay-Master weighs the Bullion and sees that it be according to the Standard The Auditors take and make up the Accounts The Surveyor of the Melting sees the Bullion cast after the Assay-Master has made trial thereof and that it be not altered after it is delivered to the Melter But besides the foresaid Officers there is the Provost of the Company of Moneyers the King 's chief Clerk and four other Clerks for the Receipt Office the Melters and Smiths the Blanchers Moulders Labourers c. The Weights and Measures ought to be by Magna
600 Years ago viz. in the Reign of William the Conquerour and was six Years a making The same is Kept under three Locks and Keys not to be lookt into under 6 s. 8 d. and for every Line transcribed is to be paid 4 d. Under the two Chamberlains are their Deputies who sit in the Tally-Court where they examine the Tallies and there is also a Tallyâ—utter attending this Way of Tallies being found by long experience to be absolutely the best Way to avoid all Cozenage in the Kings Revenue Which is after this manner He that pays any Monies into the Exchequer receives for his Acquittance a Tally that is a stick with Words written on it on both sides containing the Acquittance proper to express what the Mony received is for This being cloven asunder by the Deputy-Chamberlains the Stock is delivered to the Party that paid the Mony the Counter-stock or Counter-foil remaining with them Who afterwards deliver it over to other Deputies to be Kept till it be called for and joyned with the Stock After which they send it by an Officer of their own to the Pipe to be applied to the Discharge of the Accomptant Next to the two Chamberlains is the Auditor of the Receipts who files the Bills of the Tellers whereby they charge themselves with all the Monies received and upon the Lord High Treasurer's Warrant or the Lords High Commissioners draws all Orders to be signed by him or them for Issuing forth all Monies by virtue of Privy Seals Which Orders are recorded by the Clerk of the Pells and are entred and lodged in the said Auditor's Office He also by Warrant of the Lord Treasurer or Commissioners makes Debenturs to the several Persons who have Fees Annuities or Pensions by Letters Patents from the King out of the Exchequer and directs them for Payment to the Tellers He daily receives the state of each Teller's Account and weekly certifies the Whole to the Lord High-Treasurer or Lords Commissioners who immediately present the Ballance to the King Twice a Year viz. at Lady-Day and Michaelmas he makes an Abstract of all Accounts made in the preceeding Half-Year whereof he delivers a Copy to the Lord Treasurer and another to the Chancellour of the Exchequer He keeps the several Registers appointed for paying all Persons in course upon several Branches of the Kings Revenue Lastly he has five Clerks to manage under him the estate of Monies received disbursed and remaining Next there are four Tellers whose Office is to receive all Monies due to the King And though their Salary from the King be small and inconsiderable yet they are bound to His Majesty in 20000 l. Security and Keep each of them two Clerks who constantly attend their Offices There is moreover a Clerk of the Pells so called from Pellis a Skin his Office being to enter every Teller's Bill into a Parchment Skin He has two Clerks under him one for Incomes the other for Issue Lastly there are three Ushers of the Receipt a Tally-cutter and four Messengers The Ushers Office is to see the Exchequer secured Day and Night and to find Paper Books c. for the Use of the Exchequer 'T is observable that in case of a Gift from the King or Pension out of his Exchequer he that receives it pays but 5 l. per Cent. amongst all the Officers And out of publick Payments as for the Navy Ordnance Wardrobe Mint c. there goes not amongst them so much as 5 s. per Cent. On the other side for Monies paid in by any of the King's Tenants it costs them at the most but 3 s. for every Payment under a thousand pounds and that goes only to the Clerks for their Pains in writing and attending CHAP. XVIII Of the Queen Dowager the Princess Ann of Denmark Prince George and the Duke of Glocester QUeen Catharine the Widow of the late King Charles and now the third Person in the Kingdom is the only Sister of Pedro the present King of Portugal Where she was born Nov. 14th 1638 and marrried to the late King Charles in the Year 1662. The Portion she brought with her was about 300000 pounds Sterling besides Tangier in the Streights upon the Coast of Africk and the Isle of Bombay near Goa in the East-Indies To which was added a Priviledge for any Subjects of England to Trade freely in the East and West-India Plantations belonging to the Portugueze Her Majesties Joynture by the Articles of Marriage is 30000 pound a Year To which King Charles added 10000 l. more which he settled on her Majesty for her Life So that the Queen Dowager has 40000 pound a Year wherewith she keeps a Court suitable to Her Majesty The Princess Ann of Denmark second Daughter to the late King James and only Sister to our Gracious Queen Mary was born in Febr. 1664. And July 28th 1683 being S. Anns Day she was married to the Illustrious Prince George the only Brother to Christiern V the present King of Denmark His Royal Highness was born at Copenhagen the chief City of Denmark in April 1653. At 15 Years of age he began his Travels into Holland England France and Italy which lasted about two Years Being 20 Years old in the Year 1673 he travelled into Germany where he saw the Imperial and the French Armies near the Rhine Anno 1675 his Royal Highness served in the War against the Swedes and was at the taking of Wismar The next Year he commanded a part of the Danish Army at the Battel of Lunden in Schonen against the King of Sweden And in the Year 1677 he commanded again a part of the Danish Army at the famous Battle of landscroon where he signalized his Valour Afterwards His Royal Highness made several Voyages into Germany and continued some Years abroad And after his Return into Copenhagen the Treaty of Marriage with Him and the Lady Ann being set on foot was happily brought to Conclusion By which Treaty His Royal Highness is declared to be received as one of the Princes of the Bloud Royal of England all his Officers and Servants to be from time to time appointed by and with the Approbation of the King of England and his Revenue coming from Denmark to be 17500 pounds sterling Yearly which is a great Revenue in that Country The Princesseâ— Portion is 30000 l. a Year to be paid by thâ— King To which 20000 l. per Annum being lately superadded and payable out of the Excise the whole Yearly Revenue of the Prince and Princess amounts to 67500 l. sterling Wherewith they Keep a Court suitable to their Royal Highnesses The Prince has four Sisters The first married to John George the present Elector of Saxony The second to Christian Adolph Duke of Holstein Gottorp The third to the late Elector Palatine of the Rhine who died without Issue And the fourth to the present King of Sweden Charles XI His Brother the present King of Denmark has three Sons and two Daughters The
Parliament dispenses with that Act. Neither can any be legally chosen that is not of full Age that is 21 Years old at least And reason good for if no Man under that Age can dispose of his Estate much less should he have any share in the supream Power of the Nation to judge vote or dispose of the Estate of the Realm Yet the Practice in the House of Commons has often been otherwise in the House of Lords but seldom Whoever stands to be Elected must be a Native Englishman or at least must be Naturalized by Act of Parliament No Alien Denizated ought to sit here None of the Judges can be chosen that sit in the Bench Common Pleas or Exchequer because they are Assistants in the Lords House But any that have Judicial Places in other Courts Ecclesiastical or Civil being no Lords of Parliament are Eligible No Sheriff nor Clergy-man can be chosen a Member of Parliament Not the first because his personal Attendance is required within his Bayliwick during the time of his Sheriffalty Nor the last because he is of another Body viz. the Convocation and the Clergy of the Convocation-House are no Part or Member of the Parliament A Man attainted of Treason or Felony c. is not Eligible For he ought to be magis idonâ—us discretus sufficiens But a Person Outlawed in a Personal Cause may be a Burgess And tho the Common Law do's disinable the Party yet the Priviledge of the House being urged prevails over the Law Anciently the Elected Members had a competent Allowance from the respective County City or Borough for which they served in Parliament A Knight of the Shire was allowed 4 shill and a Citizen or Burgess 2 shill a Day which in those Days was a considerable Sum. But then the Sessions were but short sometimes but eight Days sometimes less seldom above three or four Weeks and yet during that short space of time several great and weighty Affairs were dispatched Which as some think were prepared to their hand by the King and Council as it is now practised in Sweden by the 40 Counsellors of State and in Scotland by the Lords of the Articles And if they did only debate upon such Things as the King did propose a little Time might serve well enough to do it But it do's not appear to be so by what passed Feb. 9. 1597 39 Eliz. When the Queen gave her Royal Assent to 24 publick and 19 private Bills but refused 48 Bills more which had passed both Houses Certain it is that there was less Canvassing and more Plainness in those Days than there is at present The Place of Meeting for this honourable Assembly is in whatsoever City Town or House the King pleases But of latter times it has been ufually at the Kings ancient Palace at Westminster the Lords in a Room by themselves and the Commons not far from them in another Room which formerly was S. Stephens Chappel When the Day prefixt by the King in his Writs of Summons is come His Majesty usually comes in person to the House of Lords cloathed with his Royal Robes the Crown upon his head and the Sword of State before Him At the upper end of the Room is placed a Chair of State under a Canopy upon which His Majesty sits Then all the Temporal Peers appear in their Scarlet Robes every one according to his Degree and the Spiritual Lords in their Episcopal Habit which they do all the Sessions On the Kings right hand next the Wall are placed on a Form the two Arch-Bishops next below on another Form the Bishops of London Durham and Winchester then upon other Forms on the same side all the rest of the Bishops sit according to the priority of their Consecration The Lord Chancellor or Keeper when there is one stands behind the Cloth of State or fits on the first Wool-sack before the Chair of State with his Great Seal and Mace by him On the Kings left hand are placed the Treasurer President of the Council and Lord Privy Seal of they be Barons above all Dukes but those of the Royal Family if not Barons then they sit uppermost on the Wool-sacks And on the same side sit the Dukes Marquesses or Earls according to their Creation Cross the House below the Wool-sacks the first Form is that which the Viscounts sit upon and upon the next Forms the Barons all in order The King being thus seated in his Throne with this noble Appearance of the Peers of the Realm all standing uncovered his Majesty sends for the Commons from their Room where they are assembled Who being come at least part of them stand at the Bar of the Lords House Whereupon the King makes a short Speech to both Houses concerning such Matters as He thinks fit to lay before them for the Good of the Kingdom Amongst which that of a Supply of Mony is most commonly one in order to answer the extraordinary Charges of the Crown The King having ended his Speech the Chancellor or Lord Keeper did formerly use by the Kings Appointment to inlarge upon it with all the Rhetorick and Logick the Matter could bear to dispose both Houses to a Compliance with the King But His present Majesty has declined that Method and being a Prince of few Words gains more upon rational Men by his concise and plain Way of Delivery as the more agreeable to a true generous Nature than perhaps he might with all the Windings and Turnings of artificial Rhetorick Then the Speaker of the House of Lords commands in the Kings Name the Commons to assemble in their House there to chuse one of their Members for their Speaker and to present him such a Day to His Majesty Upon which the King withdraws and the Commons presently re-assemble themselves in the Lower House in order to chuse one of their Members for Speaker Sometimes as in the last Session the Speaker is chosen by the Kings Command before fore His Majesty delivers his Speech to both Houses of Parliament After the Speaker is chosen and the Choice approved by the King His Majesty leaves both Houses to their private Debates upon the Subject of his Speech and do's no more appear amongst them that Session in his Royal Robes except upon the passing of any Act or at the Close of the Session whether it be by Adjournment Prorogation or Dissolution 'T is true upon any extraordinary Debate in the House of Lords 't is customary with the Kings of England to assist at the same not to argue upon it or to influence the House one way or other but only to hear the Arguments of the House upon the Matter in Debate But then the King appears without his Crown and Robes and every Peer sits except when he speaks to the House as if the King were not there The House of Lords otherwise called the House of Peers or the Vpper House consists of 189 Members Viz. 163 Temporal Lords whereof 14 Dukes 3 Marquesses
72 Earls 9 Viscounts 65 Barons and 26 Spiritual Lords whereof 2 Arch-bishops and 24 Bishops But the King may by virtue of his Prerogative increase the Number of the Peers to sit and vote in their House as Barons by sending his Writs for that pupose to whomsoever His Majesty thinks fit for that Service The Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper when there is one is of course the Speaker of this House Otherwise they may appoint any of their own Members or else one of the Judges for that Place as in the Case of their late Speaker the Right Honourable the Marquis of Hallifax and that of Sir Robert Atkins Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer the present Speaker of the House of Lords Besides the first Wool-sack which is the usual Seat for the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper there are other Wool-sacks Upon which the Judges the Kings Council at Law and the Masters of Chancery not being Barons sit not to give their Suffrage but only their Advice when required thereto The Use of which Wool-sacks is probably to put them in mind of the great Advantages the English Wool has brought to this Nation so that it may never be neglected On the lowermost Wool sack are placed the Clerk of the Crown and Clerk of the Parliament The first being concerned in all Writs of and Pardons in Parliament and the other in keeping the Records of all Things passed therein Under this there are two Clerks who kneeling behind the Wool-sack write upon it Without the Bar of the House sits the Black Rod so called from a black Stick he carries in his hand who is as it were the Messenger of this House For he is imploy'd amongst other Things to call for the House of Commons to the House of Lords upon His Majesties Command and to his Custody are Committed all such Peers as the House things fit to Commit upon any Trespass Under him is a Yeoman Vsher that waits at the Door within a Crier without and a Sergeant at Mace always attending the Speaker The House of Commons otherwise called the Lower house is by much the greater Body of the two For as England consists of 40 Counties in which there are 25 Cities 8 Cinque-Ports 2 Universities and 168 Borough-Towns all which are Priviledged to send Members to Parâ—ament if we reckon two Members from each the Whole amounts to 486 Members To which adding 24 from Wales the Whole is 510. 'T is true there are three Boroughs in England each of which sends but one Member viz. Abington in Oxfordshire Higham-Ferrers in Northamptonshire and Bewdley in Worcestershire But these three wanting of the Number are made up by the City of London which sends four Members and by the City of Bath which sends three Of all this great Number many are usually absent upon Business or Sickness c. So that if they be three hundred met together 't is counted a pretty full House And if they be but forty Members in all they make a house This House representing the whole Commons of the Realm do's generally consist of the Flower of the Gentry some of them Noblemens Sons Privy Counsellors Courtiers Men learned in the Law Officers and Commanders Merchants c. but most of them Gentlemen of good Estates with the advantage of a liberal and genteel Education This is an aggregate Body from all Parts of the Nation whose Learning and Eloquence Wit and Policy strive to outdo each other A â—oble School for young Gentlemen chiefly to be versed in Things relating to the English Government Here they Sit promiscuously except the â—peaker who has a Chair placed about the middle of the Room with a Table before him the Clerk of the House sitting near him at the Table But none wears a Robe but the Speaker except as I hinted before the Members of Parliament for the City of London who at their first Meeting appear in their Scarlet Robes Every Member wears what he fancies most and so do the Temporal Lords in their House on all Days when the King comes not thither in State To Strangers I confess it looks something odd that so august an Assembly vested with a Legislative Power and met together for the Exercise of the same should have no proper Garb for so great a Council but appear in their usual Dress But Custom has so far prevailed against the Inconveniencies that attend those Formalities which the English Nebility and Gentry are generally averse from that they are not like to be ever ballanced by the Respect and Veneration that might be gained as in forein Countries by the small trouble of them The usual Time for the Meeting of each House is in the Forenoon from eight or nine a clock till twelve or one except Sundays high Festivals and Fast-Days These Things being premised my next Business is to speak about the Choice of the Speaker of the House of Commons Who is the Mouth of the House and so necessary a Part thereof that they can do no Business without him For 't is the Speakers Part to see the Orders of the House observed to state the Bills that are brought in to collect the Substance of the Debates and the Sense of the House upon them The fitst Day each Member is called by his Name every one answering for what Place he serveth That done a Motion is made to chuse their Speaker who ought to be a Person of great Ability and is usually one of the long Robe And to avoid all Delays the Choice is commonly such as the King approves of This Choice is made by the Plurality of Votes Upon which the Party chosen desires according to ancient Custom to be excused from so weighty an Office and prays the House to proceed to a new Election But he is commonly answered with a full Consent of Voices upon his Name And then two of the principal Members go to him and lead him from his Place to the Speakers Chair where being set they return to their Places Then the Speaker rises and makes a short Speech to the House consisting of his humble Thanks for their good Opinion of him with Promises of his best Indeavours for their Service At the Day appointed for his Presentation to the King which is usually the next Day His Majesty being come to the House of Lords in his Royal Robes and the Lords also in their Robes the Commons are called in Who being come the Speaker is brought between two of them with low Obeysance to the Bar and so presented at the Bar to His Majesty where he makes likewise a modest Refusal But the King approving the Commons Choice and not allowing of his Excuse the Speaker nakes an Oration to His Majesty the Matter whereof is left to his own Thoughts having â—o Direction about it from the Commons But it usually ends with these three Petitions First that the Commons may have during their Sitting a free Acess to His Majesty Secondly Freedom of Speech in their
Fee-simple make Leases and Grants and sue in her own Name without the King which is not in the power of any other Feme-covert or married Woman to do A Queen Dowager or Widow-Queen is still Respected as a Queen in her Widowhood and keeps a Court accordingly And though she should marry a private Gentleman as did Queen Catharine King Henry the Fifths Widow she does not lose her Dignity By the Sons and Daughters of England I mean the King's Children So called because all the Subjects of England have a special Interest i◠Them though their Education and the Disposing of Them is only in the King The Eldest Son commonly called the Prince of Wales is born Duke of Cornwal and afterwards created Prince of Wales Upon his Birth he is by Law of full Age to sue for the Livery of the said Dukedom as if he were full a Years of Age. But so much of the Lands 〈◊〉 Demesns of it have been Alienated that h◠Revenues are chiefly out of the Tin-Mines i◠Cornwall Which with all other Profits of the Dutchy amount yearly to the Sum of 140◠Pounds and the Prince's whole Revenues to about 20000 l. When King Edward I had compleated the Conquest of Wales He divided it into Seven Shires to which Henry VIII added five more out of the March Lands Over each of the Seven Shires King Edward placed a particular English Lieutenant and over the whole he designed a Vicegerent The Welch being disgusted at this He sent for his Queen then great with Child to Caernarvan where she was delivered of a Son Upon the News whereof the King assembled the Chief Men of that Nation and offered to name them a Governour born in Wales who could not speak one word of English and against whose Life they could take no just exception Such a one when they had all sworn to obey he named his young Son Edward Whereupon He created him Prince of Wales and since that time the Kings of England eldest Sons have been called Princes of Wales Whereas while Normandy was in the Power of the English which lasted till the Reign of King John they were stiled Dukes of Normandy The Investiture is performed by the Imposition of a Cap of Estate and a Coronet on the Princes Head as a Token of his Principality by delivering into his hand a Verge of Gold the Emblem of Government by putting a Gold Ring on his Finger in token that he must be a Husband to his Country and a Father to her Children and by giving him a Patent to hold the said Principality to Him and his Heirs Kings of England By which Words the Separation of it from the Crown is prohibited and the King keeps to himself an excellent Occasion of obliging unto Him his Son when he pleases In Imitation of which Custom John I King of Castille and Leon made his Son Henry Prince of the Asturias a Country so Craggy and Mountainous that it may not improperly be called the Wales of Spain And all the Spanish Princes ever since have been honoured with that Title The Mantle worn in Parliament by the Prince of Wales has for Distinctions sake one gard more than a Duke's his Coronet of Crosses and Flower de luces and his Cap of State indented His Arms differ from the Kings only by addition of a Label of three points And his peculiar Device is a Coronet beautified with three Ostrich Feathers inscribed with ICH DIEN that is I serve Alluding perhaps to that in the Gospel The Heir while he is a Child differs not from a Servant Which Device was born at the Battel of Cressy by John King of Bohemia serving there under the French King and there slain by Edward the Black Prince Since worn by the Princes of Wales and by the Vulgar called the Princes Arms. In short the King of England's Eldest Son has ever since been stiled Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain and Cornwal and Earl of Chester and Flint these Earldoms being conferred upon him by Letters Patent As Eldest Son to the King of Scotland he is Duke of Rothsay and Seneschal of Scotland from his Birth Though he is a Subject yet the Law looks upon his Person as so Sacred that it is high Treason to imagine his Death or violate his Wife The Younger Sons of England depend altogether upon the King's Favour both for Titles of Honour and Revenues sutable to their Birch For they are not born Dukes or Earls but are so created according to the Kings Pleasure Neither have they as in France certain Appanages but only what Revenue the King pleases to bestow upon them They are indeed by Birth-right as well as the Prince of Wales Counsellors of State whereby they may fit themselves to manage the weighty Affairs of the Kingdom The Daughters are called Princesses And to violate them unmarried is High Treason The Title of Royal Highness is common to all the King's Children All Subjects ought to be uncovered in their Presence to kneel when they are admitted to kiss their hands and to be served on the Knee at Table unless the King be present Lastly all Persons of the Royal Bloud being a Lawful Issue have the Precedency of all others in England As for the King 's Natural or Illegitimate Sons and Daughters they are commonly created Dukes and Dutchesses and bear what Surname the King pleases to give them King Henry I. and Charles II. of blessed Memory are noted to have had the most of any CHAP. XII Of the Nine Great Officers of the Crown NEXT to the Royal Family the Great Officers of the Crown come of course to be Inquired into which are Nine in Number Viz. The Lord High Steward The Lord High Chancellor The Lord High Treasurer The Lord President of the Kings Council The Lord Privy Seal The Lord Great Chamberlain The Lord High Constable The Lord Earl Marshal The Lord High Admiral The Lord High Steward of England is the highest Officer under the King His Office not unlike that of the Mayre of the Pallace under the ancient Kings of France is to rule and govern the Kingdom under the King in Time of Peace and War during his Reign Which Power being thought too large and exorbitant for a Subject to have this Great Officer has been discontinned ever since Henry of Bullingbrock Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster afterwards King of England under the Name of Henry IV. Only at a Coronation also for the Trial of a Peer or Peeress for Treason or Felony or some other great Crime the King makes a High Steward for that Time Who during his Stewardship is called His Grace and bears a white Staff in his hand which he openly breaks when the Business is over and so ends his Office By virtue of his Office at a Coronation he sits Judicially at the King's Pallace at Westminster Where he receives the Bills and Petitions of all such Noblemen and others who by reason of their Tenure or otherwise
claim to do Services at the King's Coronation and to receive the accustomed Fees and Allowances In the Procession on the coronation-Coronation-Day 't is he that carries the King's Crown The Right Honourable the Earl of Devonshire was honoured with this great Office in the last Coronation Upon the Trial of a Peer he sits under a Cloth of State and his Commission is to proceed secundum Legem Consuetudinem Angliae He is not Sworn nor the Lords who are the Tryers of the Peer arraigned and tho he call all the Judges of the Land to assist him yet he is the sole Judge Next to the Lord High Steward is the Lord High Chancellour who in Civil Affairs now there is no High Steward is the highest Person in the Kingdom next to the Royal Family as the Arch-bishop of Canterbury is in Ecclesiastical His Oath is to do Right to all manner of People rich and poor after the Laws and Customs of the Realm truly to counsel the King and keep secret the King's Counsel to stand for the Rights of the Crown c. The Great Seal of England is in his Custody He is the Judge of the Court of Chancery otherwise called the Court of Equity where he is to judge not according to the Rigour and Letter of the Law but with Equity and Conscience He also bestow's all Ecclesiastical Benefices in the King's Gift under 20 l. a Year in the King's Books Since the Reign of Henry VII this great Office has been commonly executed by Lawyers whereas formerly Bishops and other Clergy-men learned in the Civil Laws were usually intrusted with it The Lord High Chancellour holds his Place but durante Regis Beneplacito during the King's Pleasure And his Place is counted to be worth 8000 l. a Year Anciently he had sometimes a Vice-Chancellour commonly called Keeper of the Great Seal But of later Times they differ only in Name For the late Kings have always beflowed the Great Seal either with the Title of Lord Keeper or of Lord Chancellour but still with the same Power and Right of Precedence Only the Lord Chancellour receives a Patent from the King for his Office which the Lord Keeper do's not and by the Title of Chancellour he is lookt upon as in greater favour with the King But his present Majesty since his Accession to the Crown thought fit to have this Office managed by Commissioners and accordingly it has been hitherto managed by three Lords Commissioners The third Great Officer of the Crown is the Lord High Treasurer who has the Charge and Government of all the King's Revenue kept in the Exchequer He has the Gift of all Customers Comptrolers and Searchers in all the Ports of England and the Nomination of all Escheators in every County He has also the Check of all the Officers imploy'd in collecting all the Revenues of the Crown He has power either by himself or with others joyned in Commission with him to let Leases of all the Crown-Lands And it is he that gives Warrants to certain Persons of Quality to have their Wine Custom-free Anciently he received this Office and Dignity by the delivery of the golden Keys of the Treasury which is now done by delivery of a white Staff to him by the King His Oath do's not differ much from that of the Lord Chancellour and he holds his Place as he do's during his Majesties Pleasure His Place is also reckoned to be worth 8000 l. per ann But this great Office is now executed by four Persons called the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Next is the Lord President of the King 's Privy Council an Officer as ancient as King John's Time made by the King's Letters Patent under the Great Seal durante Beneplacito His Office is to manage the Debates in Council to propose Matters from the King and report the Transactions to his Majesty In the late Reigns this Office was often supplied by the Chancellour Next to the Lord President is the Lord Privy Seal whose Office is of great Trust and Skill He is so called from the Privy Seal which is in his custody All Charters and Grants of the King and all Pardon 's signed by the King pass through his hands before they come to the Great Seal of England And hâ—â— ought not to put this Seal to any Grant withâ— out good Warrant under the King 's Privy Signet nor with Warrant if it be againsâ— Law or Custom until the King be first acquainted He manages also divers other Matters of less concernment which do not pass the Great Seal He is by his Place of the King 's Privy Council and takes his Oath accordingly besides a particular Oath as Lord Privy Seal Wheâ— there is a Court of Requests he is the chieâ— Judge of it His Place is also during the King's Pleasure 〈◊〉 and his Salary is 1500 l. per annum The sixth Great Officer of the Crown iâ— the Lord Great Chamberlain of England an Officer of State and of great Antiquity whose chief Business is on the Coronation-Day For it is his Office that Day to bring the King his Shirt Coyf and Wearing Cloaths before his Majesty rises and to carry at the Coronation the Coyf Gloves and Linnen to be used by the King upon that Occasion In the Church where the King is Crowned he undresses and attires his Majesty with Robes Royal and giveâ— Him the Gold which is offered by Him at the Altar Before and after Dinner he serves the King with Water to wash his hands For this Service he has 40 Ells of Criâ—â—son Velver for-his own Robes the King 's Beâ— and all the Furniture of his Bed-Chamber all the King's Night-Apparel and the Basoâ— and Towels used at Dinner for his Fees He has also Livery and Lodging in the King's Court certain â—ees from all Peers of the Realm at their Creation and from each Arch-Bishop or Bishop when they do their Hoâ—â—age or Fealty to the King To him belongs the Care of providing all Things in the House of Lords in Parliament-Time and therefore has an Apartment allowed him near the House of Lords This Office is Hereditary and belongs to the Earls of Lindsey The Lord High Constable is another great Officer but of too great Authority and Power to be continued and therefore is only created for the Solemnity of the King's Coronation The Duke of Ormond was High Constable in the last The next is the Earl Marshal of England an Officer of great Antiquity and anciently of great Power His proper Office is to summon the Nobility to the King's Coronation with such Directions for State and publick Appearance as becomes that Solemnity He also takes Cognizance of Matters of War and Arms out of the reach of the Common Law and in these Matters he is commonly guided by the Civil Law Neither can any obtain a Coat of Arms but he must first apply himself to the Earl Marshal to whom the Heralds Colledge is subordinate The last is the Lord