as for the time and matter sufficient The imperfections if any be I wil heer after as occasion shall serue supply and amend in the meane time hauing ioyned the same vnto this and thinking it moste meet to be offred vnto you I doo moste humbly pray you accept the same in good parte The Lord God from whome commeth what so euer is good and who directeth the councels of the Iust and prospereth the diuices of the godly send his holy spirit vpon you that you liuing in the feare of him may hate iniquitie abhorre couetousnes and without affection giue iust Iudgements and in all trueth equitie and iustice gouerne rule and direct the people ouer whome he hath made you the gouerners and Rulers whereby his name may be glorified the common welth prospered and you at length sitting with the xxiiij Elders may be crowned with them and inioy that peace and blessing whiche is prepared for such as execute iustice and giue true Iudgements Post mortem Vita The olde and auncient order of keeping of the Parlement in England vsed in the time of King Edward the confessor FIrst the monicion or summons of the Parlement ought to be made or doon forty dayes before the beginning of the Parlement The Summons of the Spiritualtie ALl Bishops Abbots Priors and all other great Clarks that holde by countie or barony by reason of their holding ought to be monished and also to come to the Parlement and none other inferiours of the Clergie vnlesse their presence were profitable and necessary for the Parlement And to those the King is bound to giue their costê comming abiding at the ParlemeÌ„t and such inferiour Clarks not to be monished to come to the Parlement But the king was accustomed to send his writs vnto such discrete men desiring them to come and be at the Parlement Also the King was accustomed to send his monicions or summons to the Archbishops Bishops and other exempt persons that is to say Abbots Priors Deanes and other ecclesiastical persons that haue iurisdiction by such exemption and distinct priuiledges that they for euery Deanry and Archdeconry through England should elect and choose or cause to be elected chosen two discrete and wise proctors of their owne Archdeconry whiche should come and be at the parlement there to sustain and alow and to doo that thing that euery man of their Deanry or Archdeaconry might doo if they weer there in proper persons those Proctors so sent for the Clergie should bring with them their double proxies sealed with double seales of their superiours The one of the proxies to remain with the Clarks of the Parlement and thother to remain with the said proctors and vnder this maner the Clergie ought to be called to the Parlement The summons of the Temporaltie ALso all and euery Earle Baron and their péeres that is to say that haue lands and rents to the value of an Earldome or of a whole Barony that is to say xx knights fées euery fée contayning .xx. pound land which amounteth to iiij hundred pound in the whole or to the value of an whole Barony that is to say xiij fées and the third parte of a knights fée euery fée accounted at xx pound which amounteth in the whole to iiij hundred Marks And no inferior persons of the Temporaltie shall come to the Parlement by reason of his holde vnlesse his presence be necessary and profitable and they to be ordred for their charges at the kings costs as is spoken of before of the inferior Clerks The summons of the Barons of the fiue Portes ALso the King ought to send his writs to the warden of the fiue portes that he should cause to be elected or chosen for euery of the said portes two discrete wise Barons that should come and be present at the Parlement there to answere sustain aledge and doo all things concerning the said parlement aswel as if all and euery of the Barons were there personally And these Barons so elect and chosen shall bring with them their double proxies double sealed with the common seal of the port The one therof to be deliuered to the Clarkes of the Parlement and the other to remain with the said Barons so chosen and elected And when it shall chaunce the said Barons licence obteyned to departe they were accustomed to haue a writ sealed with the great seal to the warden of the fiue portes for their resonable expences doon from the first of their comming to the Parlement vntil the time of their departing and comming home to be leuied of the comminaltie of euery party hauing expresse mention made in the writ from the said first day of their comming vntil the time of their licence obteyned and it was accustomed that mention should be made in the said writ what euery Baron should take of the coÌ„mons for a day that is to say some more some lesse a consideration and respect had to the honestest for their tarying labours expences and it was not accustomed that any certain sum was limitted by the said Court. Of the knights of the Parlement ALso the king was accustomed to send his writê to all the Shirifs within the Realme that they should cause to be chosen two honest wise and discrete knights for euery Shéere to come to the Parlement with such proxies as is before spoken of the Barons of the fiue portes But for the expences of the said two knights for euery shéere was not accustomed to be graunted abooue .xiij. shillings .iiij. pence for a day Of the Citizens of the Parlement IN the like the Maior of London and the Shiriffes The Maior and Baliffes or the Maior and Citizens of York and all other Cittyes were wunt to be warned that they for the comminaltie of their cittyes should elect choose two discrete honest wise Citizens to come and be at the Parlement vnder the fourme as is spoken of before of the Barons and of the knights of the shéere And the said Citizens were accustomed to be like and equall in their expences for comming abiding and returning to and from the Parlement as are the knights Of the Burgesses of the Parlement IN like manner the Bayliffes and wise men of the Boroughes were accustomed and ought to be warned that they should choose two discrete honest and wise Burgesses of them selues and by theÌ„ to come and be at the Parlement in like maner as is spoken of the Citizens But it was not accustomed that twoo Burgesses should haue for their charges abooue x. shillings sometime not abooue vj. shillings .viij. pence and that should be taxed by the Court after the habilitie of the borough and the honestie of the Burgesses Of the two principall Clarkes of the Parlement ALso two principall Clarkes of the Parlement shall sit in the midst of the Iustices which shall inrolle all plaintes and matters of the Parlement And it is to be knowen that these twoo Clarkes be not subiect to
it is to be noted that the two principall Clarks of the Parlement for the King and his Councel and other secondary Clarks of whom and of whose office mencion shal be héerafter made The chéef Cryer of England with his deputies and the chéef Porter of England howbeit these two offices were accustomed to be occupyed by one person these ought to be there the first day of the Parlement The Lord Chaunceler of England the Treasurer the Chamberlain the Barons of the Eschequer the Iustices all the kings Clarks and knights with Sergeants at the Law of the kings retinew or fée ought to be there the second day vnlesse they haue a resonable impediment or let Of the beginning of the Parlement THe King ought to be in the Parlement the first day and should sit in the midst of the high bench The sixt day the Chaunceller the Treasurer the Barons of the Eschequer and the Iustices were accustomed to recorde the defaults doon in the ParlemeÌ„t in forme folowing The first day they must call all the Citizens and Burgesses of all England and for lack of their apparaunce a Citty shal be amerced in a C. pound and a borough a C. markê The second day they shall call knights of Shéeres and in default of their apparance the shéere shal be amerced a C. pouÌ„d The third day the Barons of the fiue portes after them th' other Barons and then the Earles and for lack of apparance of euery Baron they shal be amerced a C. markê and of an Erle a C. pound the like shal be doon to them that be Earles and Barons Péeres that is to say as haue Lands and rents to the yéerly value of an Earledome or of a barony as is before expressed The fourth day the Proctors of the Clergie shal be called and for lack of their apparance their Bishops shal be amerced a C. marks for euery Archdeaconry that maketh default The fifth day Deanes Priors Abbots Bishops and Archbishops and for lack of apparaunce of an Archbishop he shal be amerced a C. pound a Bishop an Abbot and a Prior whiche holde an whole barony a C. marks Of the Proclamations THe first day of the Parlement proclamation shal be made first in the Hall or in the Monastery or some other open place where the Parlement shal be holden or kept and after in the Citty or Town opeÌ„ly that euery man hauing Bil or Peticion to be eranuned or determined in the Parlement that is should be laid in within fiue dayes of the beginning of the parlement Of the preaching of the Parlement AN Archbishop or some famose discrete and eloquent Clark tobe assigned by the Archbishop in whose prouince the Parlement shal be kept and holden shall preach on the first of the fiue dayes in the ful Parlement in the Kings presence and he shall begin when all the Parlement or the moste parte shal be there assembled in his prison or prayer he shall require all the whole Parlement that they humbly beséech almightie God for the peace and tranquilitie of the King and Realme Of the Speaker of the Parlement AFter the Sermon doon the L. Chaunceller of England or the chéef Iustice elect shall stand declaring in the parlement house first generally and then specially the causes of the Parlement and wherfore the same is holden And it is to be noted that euery man the King excepted shall stand while the said Speaker dooth declare his matter to th'entent that euery man may hear him in cace he doo speak obscurely or darkly or so lowe that he cannot be heard he must begin again or els an other speak in his place What the King shall say after the Speaker hath doon THe King after the speaker hath declared the causes of the Parlement shall desire the Spiritualtie and the Temporaltie naming euery degrée that is to say Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Archdeacons proctors and others of the Clergie Earles Barons knights Citizens and Burgesses and others of the Temporaltie that they doo diligently studiously and loouingly indeuer them selues to examin pertract and handle the causes of the Parlement to the honor of God principally secondarely to the Kings honor and lastly to the welth of the Realme Of the Kings absence THe King ought dayly to be present in the Parlement vnlesse he be sick or diseased and then he may kéep his chamber so that he lodge not out of the manor or town where the Parlement is holden and then he ought to send for xij persons of the great estates that be monished or summoned to the Parlement wherof two to be Bishops two Earles two Barons two Knights two Citizens and two Burgesses to sée his person to certifie of his estate in their presence he ought to commit power to the Archbishop of the prouince to the Lord Steward and to the chéef Iustices that they ioyntly and seuerally shall begin and continew the Parlement in the Kings name making expresse mention in his commission of his disease to th' other estates and that the persons abooue named can expresse the same for it is a perilous cace and dangerous for the communaltie and Realme that the King should be absent from the Parlement but onely for bodely sicknes Of places and seates in the Parlement FIrst as it is before said the King shall sit in the midst of the bench vpon the right hand the Archbishop of Canterbury at his left hand the Archbishop of Yorke and then Bishops Abbots and Priors in order and then euery man in his degrée and amongst his péeres and that this order be kept the Lord Steward of England is bound to look vnto vnlesse the King assigne some other At the Kings righ foot the Chaunceller of England the chéef Iustice of England with his felowes and their Clarks that be of the ParlemeÌ„t And at his left foot shall sit the Treasurer the Chamberlain the Barons of the Eschequer the Iudge of the common place with their Clarks that been of the Parlement Of the porters of the Parlement THe chéef Porter of the Parlement shall stand within the great gate or Monastery hall or place wher the Parlement is holden and shall attend that no man enter into the Parlement except he be called for matters that he sheweth in the Parlement And it is expedient that the said Porter haue knowledge of euery mannes name that shall enter into the Parlement and if need require to haue many porters vnder him Of Cryers of the Parlement THe Cryer shall stand without the Parlement door and the Porter shall shew him when and what he shall call The king was accustomed to appoint his SergeaÌ„ts at armes to kéep the Parlement door that no thrust presse or noyse were made there by meanes wherof the Parlement might be letted and that such thrust preace or noyse might he auoyded and proclamation should be made that no person enterprise such things there vnder pain of imprisonment for by Law
the Parlement door should not be shut but he kept by the Porter or Sergeaunt at Armes Of the help for the King. THe King was not accustomed to demaūd help of his Realme but onely for war that was instant or for the creation of his Sonnes to bée made knights or his Daughters to be maryed and these helps ought to be demaunded in the ful Parlement and in writing to be deliuered vnto euery degrée and they in writing to make answere And if this help ought to be graunted then euery degrée of the Parlemēt should cōcent therto And it is to be knowen that two Knights or two Citizens or two Eurgesses whiche come to the Parlement in graunting or denying any thing demaunded in the Parlement haue more aucthoritie then the greatest Earle in England And in like cace two proctors for the Clergie in one diocesse haue more aucthoritie then their Bishops in things to be graunted or denyed in Parlement and the reason is this The King may holde his parlemēt for the communaltie of his Realme without Bishops Earles or Barons so that they haue lawful sūmons and come not for some time there was no Bishop Earle nor Baron and yet the King hid kéep his Parlemēt but of the contrary if the communaltie of the Clergie and of the Temporaltie be monished to the parlement as they ought to be by the Law and for certain causes they doo not or wilnot come as if they pretend that the King hath not ruled or gouerned them accordingly and doo therin expresse wherin he hath not ruled them accordingly in this cace the Parlement whiche the King holdeth with the Bishops Earles and Barons is of no effect and therfore in all things that are to be graunted ordayned established or broken by parlement the communaltie of the parlement of necessitie must concent therunto For in the cōmunaltie are conteyned iiij degrées of Parlement that is to say proctors of the Clergie Knights of Shéers Citizens of Cittyes and Burgesses of Townes these persons doo represent the whole cōmunaltie of England wher as th' other estates doo represent but their owne persons For billes and peticions of the Parlement THe Parlement ought not to bée ended whiles any peticion dependeth vndiscussed or at least to whome a determinate aunswere is not made and if the King permit the contrary hée is periured also no Péere of the Parlement shall departe from the same without licence obtayned of the King and of his péeres which licence is to be obteyned in open parlement and to be recorded in rolle of Parlement And if it happen any of the Péeres to be sick during the Parlement so that he cannot come to it then for thrée dayes he shall send his excuse to the Parlement but if after thrée dayes passed he come not then two of his péeres shal be sent to him to sée his person and therof to aduertise the Parlement and if any suspicion be had these two Péeres shal be sworne to testifie the very trueth and if it appéer he haue fained him self sick he then to be amerced as a fault for his not appéeraunce at the beginning of the Perlement and if he be sick then before then he shall make a sufficient to appéer in Parlement for him No person of the Parlement can be excused hauing his helth and memory The ending of the Parlement THe finishing of the Parlement must be assigned appointed and openly proclamed bothe in the Parlement and within the palace of the Parlement And if there be any wil say that he hath no answere of his bil deliuered into the Parlement then the Parlement to continue but if no man so say it is to be supposed that euery man hath remedye or assigned how to haue remedy by the Lawes and at the proclamation made if there be no Billes to be laid in the King may licence his Parlement Of the Coppyes of the Records of the Parlement THe Clark of the Parlement shall deny to no man the coppy of his processe but shall deliuer vnto euery man that demaundeth it taking for euery ten lines a peny And if the party be poore and therupon maketh his othe to haue nothing the rolle of the Parlement shal be tenne inches brode The Parlement shal be kept whersoeuer it shall please the King. THese orders in processe of time did successe and were out of all vse few or no Parlements béeing kept from the time of William the Conqueror vntil the reign of King Edward the first who by th' aduise of his wise learned counsailers prescribed a forme order how the Parlements within this Realme should be obserued and kept which orders also in the course of certain yéeres grew out of vse in many points and the order héer ensuing is that which is in our dayes receiued and vsed THE ORDER AND Vsage how to keep a Parlement in England in these dayes colected by Iohn Vowel alias Hooker gentleman one of the Citizens for the Cittie of Exeter at the Parlement holden at VVestminster Anno domine Elizabethae Reginae decimo Tertio 1571. By whome and for what cause a Parlement ought to be summoned and called THe King who is Gods anoynted béeing the hed and chéef of the whole Realme and vpon whome the gouernment and estates therof doo wholy and onely depend hath the power and authoritie to call and assemble his Parlement and therin to séek aske the aduise councel and assistāce of his whole Realme and without this his authoritie no parlement can properly be summoned or assembled And the King hauing this authoritie ought not to summō his Parlement but for weightie great causes and in which he of necessitie ought to haue the aduise and counsel of all the estates of his Realme whiche be these and suche like as foloweth First for Religion for for asmuche as by the Lawes of God and this Realme the King next and immediatly vnder God is his deputye and Vicar in Earth and the chéefest ruler within his Realmes and dominons his office function and duty is abooue all things to séek and sée that God be honored in true Religion and Vertue and that he and his people doo bothe in profession and life liue according to the same Also that all Idolatries false Religions heresies scismes errors supersticions and what so euer is contrary to true Religion all disorders and abuses either among the Clergie or the Laietie be reformed ordred and redressed Also the assuraunce of the King and Quéens persons and of their Children their aduancement preferment in mariages the establishing of succession the suppression of Traitors the aduoyding or eschewing of warres the attempting or mooving of warres the subduing of Rebelles and pacifying of ciuil warres and commotions the leuying or hauing any aide or Subsidye for the preseruation of the King and publique estate Also the making and establishing of good and wholsome Lawes or the repealing and debarring of former Lawes as whose execution may be
any of the Iustices of England nor that any Iustice hath any aucthoritie in the Parlement except he be assigned to any thing by the King and Péeres of the Parlement And when they be assigned with other Suetors of the Parlement to hear and determin diuers pleaes and peticions to be finished by Parlement yet the twoo Clarks to be immediat subiectê to the King and Parlement in commoÌ„ vnlesse one of the Iudges or two be assigned to examin and ameÌ„d their inrolling And if the péeres of the ParlemeÌ„t be assigned to hear examin any speciall petition after they haue broken their matter they shall giue their sentence and Iudgement in the ful Perlement and the two Clarks inrolle the same and all other plaints and iudgements of the Parlement in the principall of the ParlemeÌ„t and there to deliuer those rolles to the Treasurer before the Parlement be finished Prouided that the said Clarks shall haue a transumpt or Copy of it if they list and these two Clarks shall haue for their expeÌ„ces xiij shillings and iiij pence vnlesse they haue any fees or offices by the king and be dayly waitors hauing meat and drink of the Kings cost and then they to haue .vj. shillings and viij pence euery day during the Parlement Of the fiue Clarks ALso the King shall assigne fiue Clarks wise and approbate of whom the first shall atteÌ„d the Bishops The second the proctors of the Clergie The third the Earles and Barons The fourth the knights of the Shéeres and the fifth the Citizens and Burgesses And euery of them shall haue ij shillings a day vnlesse they be the Kings seruants and haue sufficient liuing of the King then they to haue but xij pence the day which Clarks shall write all doutes betwéen the King and the Parlement and they to be at their couÌ„cels where so euer they be commauÌ„ded And in cace they shal be vacant they shall help the two principall clarks to inrolle their busines Of the causes and douts of the Parlement WHen any breach difficultie of dout or defuse cause of warre or peace dooth appéer within the Realme or without that cace ought to be declared in writing in the ful Parlement there to be treated and disputed among the Péeres of the Parlement and if it be necessary the King shall commaund or in the Kings name it shal be commaunded that euery degrée and the persons of euery degrée of the Parlement shal be present in the parlement and to the Clark of euery degrée in the Parlement the cause breach and dout shall be deliuered and by him at a certain place to be to them deliuered and declared And the vpon they to study imagine and consider how this dout or breach may be prouided for as they in time comming shall make answere for the prseruation of the King them selues and the commons whose persons they doo represent and so in this behalfe they shall make their answere or councel to be written so that euery degrées answere and aduisement heard the whole Parlement to admit and alowe the best and wisest councel and therafter to doo and wheras béen diuers opinions then to incline to the more parte of the Parlement And in cace there be any discorde betwéen the king and any of the estates or betwéen estates wherby the peace of the Realme or the people of the countrie might be disturbed in this cace if the King think it expedient it ought to be commoned of and reformed by the aduise of all the Péeres of the Realme Or in cace the King and Realme béen troubled with warres or a doutful cace be depening before the ChauÌ„celler of England or a defuse iudgement be depending before the Iustices and if in those the Péeres of the degrées of the Parlement cannot agrée then the Earle Steward the Earle Constable and the Earle Marshall or twoo of them shall elect .xxv. persons of euery degrée of the péeres of the Realme that is to say twoo Bishops thrée proctors for the Clergie two Earles thrée Barons fiue knights of the Shéeres fiue Citizens and fiue Burgesses and these .xxv. may condiscend into xij of them selues and these xij into .vj. of them selues and these six may condiscend into thrée but these thrée cannot condiscend into a lesse number without the Kings concent and then those thrée may condiscend into two and the two into one and after his opinion and determination the matter shal be ordered vnlesse the King wil discent as he may and then may he and his councel examin and amend the ordination so it be vnwritten and doon out of the Parlement house without their concents Of matters of the Parlement THe matters whereof the Parlement is holden or kept ought to be deliuered into the Parlement and to be called vpon in manner of a kalender according to euery mannes petition and no respect to be had to any mannes person but that he who layeth first his bil in shal be first heard In the Kalender of the Parlement euery matter ought to be had in memory vnder this manner and forme First of warres if their be any of matters concerning the King and Quéenes person and of their Children Secondly of matters concerning the common weale and to ordain new lawes debarring th' olde lawes made in times past whose execution haue béen preiudiciall Thirdly the matters concerning the priuat weale and these to be examined according to the file and Kalender as is before writen The dayes and houres of the Parlement THe Parlement shal be holden euery day Sundaies Allhallon day all soules day the natiuitie of Saint Iohn the Baptist excepted And euery feriall day it should begin at mid prime time and that houre the king is bound to be in the Parlement and all the péeres of the Realme On the holy daies the parlement shall begin at the prime because of the diuine seruice should be first heard The degrees of the Parlement THe King is head and chéef at the beginning and at th' end of the parlement and to him no comparison is to be made and so the King is one degrée by him self The second is of Archebishops Abbots and Priors holding by Baronyes The third is of the Proctors of the Clergie The fourth of Earles Barons and other estates and gentles holding to the value of an Earledome or Baronye as is before written The fift of Knights of the Shéeres The sixt of Citizens and Burgesses and so the Parlement is of six degrées And it is to be noted that if any of the said degrees be absent after their first lawful monicions or summons the Parlement is not of sufficient effect The forme of the Parlement SIth it is showed vnder what forme euery man ought to be monished and how long time the monitions should be and what they be that should come vnto it it is to be knowen who they be that ought to be monished to come to the Parlement by reason of their offices And also
they shall come into the Parlement house in armoure or with their Swoordes but because they should be suche as haue good experience and knowledge in feates of Warre and of martiall affayres whereby they may in suche caces giue the King and Realme good aduise and councel likewise they ought to be Lay men and of good fame honestie and credit béeing not vtlawed excoÌ„municated or periured or otherwise infamose for such persons ought not to haue place or to be admitted into the Parlement house The degrees of the Parlement IN times past there were six degrées or estates of the Parlement whiche euery of them had their seuerall officers and ministers of attendaunce but now the same are reduced into foure degrées The first is the King who in his personage is a ful and whole degrée of him self and without whome nothing can be doon The second degrée is of the Lords of the Clergie and of the Temporaltie and are all called by the names of Barons The third is of knights Citizens and Burgesses and these be called by the names of the communaltie The fourth is of the Clergie which are called by the name of conudcacion and these persons haue no voice in the Parlement nether can they doo any thing other theÌ„ to intreat in causes of Religion which from them is to be commended to other estates Of the places and houses of the Parlement AS it lyeth in the King to assigne and appoint the time when the Parlement shall begin so that he giue at the least forty dayes summons so likewise he may name and appoint the place where it shal be kept but wheresoeuer it bée kept th' olde vsage and maner was that all the whole degrées of the parlement sat togither in one house and euery man that had there to speak did opeÌ„ly before the king and his whole Parlement but héerof did growe many inconveniences and therfore to auoid the great confusions which are in such great assemblies as also to cut of th' occasions of displeasures which eftsoones did happen when a mean man speaking his conscience fréely either could not be heard or fel into the displeasure of his betters and for sundrye other great gréefs did deuide this one house into thrée houses that is to wit the higher house the lower house and the conuocation house In the first sitteth the King and his Lords spirituall and Temporall called by the name of Barons and this house is called the higher house The second is where the Knights Citizens and Burgesses doo sit and they be called by the name of Commons and this house is called the lower house The third is where the prelats and Proctors of the Clergie sit béeing called by the name of the Clergie and this house is called the conuocation house of euery of these houses their orders and officers we wil bréefly subuect and declare perticulerly in order as foloweth Of the higher house THe higher house as is said is where the King and his Barons doo sit in Parlement where the King sitteth highest and the Lords and Barons beneath him eche man in his degrée the order is this The house is much more in length then in breadth and the higher end therof in the middle is the Kingê seat or Throne hanged richly with cloth of estate and there the king sitteth all waies alone On his right haÌ„d there is a long bench next to the wall of the house whiche reacheth not so farre vp as the Kings seat and vpon this sit the Archbishops and Bishops euery one in his degrée On his left hand there are two like beÌ„ches vpon the inner sit the Dukes Marquesses Erles and Vicounts On the other which is the hindermoste next to the wall sit all the Barons euery man in his degrée In the middle of the house betwéen the Archbishops seat and the Dukes seat sitteth the Speaker who commonly is the Lord Chaunceller or kéeper of the great Seale of England or the L. chéef Iustice of England as pleaseth the King who dooth appoint him and he hath before him his two Clarks sitting at a Table before them vpon which they doo write and lay their Bookes In the middle rowme beneath them sit the chéef Iustices and Iudges of the Realme the Barons of the Eschequer the Quéenes Sergeants and all such as be of the Kings learned Councel either in the common Lawes of the Realme or of the Ecclesiasticall lawes and all these sit vpon great Wool sacks couered with red cloth At the lower end of all these feates is a bar or a Rail betwéen which and the lower end of the house is a void rowme seruing for the lower house and for all Sutors that shall haue cause and occasion to repair to the King or to the Lords This house as it is distinct from the others so there bée distinct Officers to the same belonging and appertaining whiche all be assigned and appointed by the King and all haue allowances for their charges at the Kings hands of which Officers what they are what is euery of their offices and what allowances they haue shal be written in order héerafter Of the Officers of the higher house and first of the Speaker and of his office THe chéefest Officer of the higher house is the Speaker who is appointed by the King and commonly he is the Lord Chaunceller or kéeper of the great Seale or Lord chéef Iustice of England his office consisteth in diuers points First he must on the first day of the Parlement make his oration in the higher house before the king his Lords and commons then there declare the causes why the King hath summoned that parlement exhorting and aduising euery man to do his office and duty in such sorte as may be to the glory of God honor of the King and benefit of the common welth Also he must make one other oration but in way of answere to the Speakers Oration when he is presented to the King. Likewise he must make the like on the last day of the Parlement and you shall vnderstand that vpon these thrée dayes he standeth on the right hand of the King néer to his seat at a bar there appointed for him but at all other times he sitteth in the middle of the house as is before said When he hath ended his oration vpon the first day he must giue order vnto the lower house in the Kings behalf willing them to repair vnto their house and there according to their ancient order and customes make choice of their Speaker All Billes preseÌ„ted vnto the higher house he must receiue which he hath foorthwith to deliuer to the Clarkes to be safely kept All Billes he must cause to be red twise before they be ingroced and béeing red thrée times he must put the same to question If any Bil put to question doo passe with their conseÌ„t then the same must be sent to the lower house vnlesse it came first from thence and in that cace it
potitus victoria mane autem facto mediante Gen wissa Regina concordes effecti sunt Mathevv of Westminster writeth Aruiragus BritannoruÌ„ Rex in tantam prolapsus est superbiam quod Romanae potestati noluit diutius subiectione parere Vespasianus igitur a Claudio missus cum in rutupi portu applicare incepisset Aruiragus illi obuians prohibuit ne ingrederetur ac Vespasianus retortis velis in Totonesio littore applicuit et ciuitateÌ„ que Biitannice Kayer penhuelgoite nunc autem Exonia appellatur obsedit elapsis inde septem diebus Aruiragus superuenit preliumque cum Romanis commisit et vtrorumque exercitu valde lacerato mediante Genvvissa Claudii filia duces amici facti sunt In the History intituled Noua Cronica de gestis Anglorum a Britonibus vsque ad Henricum sextum in effect is written the like Vespasianus a Claudio missus est vt Aruira guÌ„ pacisicare vel Romani ditioni restitueret cui obuiaÌ„s Aruiragus prohibuit ne terram suam ingrederetur timens Vespasianus armatorum cohortem retraxit seseretortisque velis in Totonesio littore est appulsus atque vrbem Exone obsedit post septem dies superuenit Aruiragus preliuÌ„ committitur laceraturque vtrorumque exercitus sed neuter potitur victoria demum mediante Genuissa Regina reconciliati snnt It was also in many troubles and great perplexities in the vncertain and troublesome estates of this Realme when some times the Romaines sometimes the Picts sometimes the Scottes sometimes the Saxons made their incursions warres vpon in this land by reason wherof the Records memorialles of the states in those dayes were for the moste parte lost and consumed And yet neuerthelesse Mathevv of Westminster writeth the it was beséeged by Penda King of Mercia An. 632. in the time of Cadvvallin one of the last Kings of the Britons The history is Edvvin the Saxon King of the Northumbers hauing warres against Cadvvalline or Cadvvallo did so preuail and had such conquests ouer him that he was fain and driuen to forsake his Realme of Wales and flée into Ireland where Cadvvallo béeing careful to recouer his land cuntreye repaired his Armye and gathered a new force and often times did attempt to land there within his owne Contreye but all was in vain for Edvvin was euer in redines and alwaies resisting him would not suffer him to land in any place For this Edwin had about him a certain man named Pellitus who was a Magitian skilful in Nicromancie and by his science and Art did forshow declare vnto Edwin what thingê were dooing and attempted against him Cadwallo hauing such euil successe was in vtter dispair to recouer or auail against Edwin wherfore he sailed into Armorica now called Britain vnto the king therof named Salomon to whom he disclosed his miserable estate fortune as also coÌ„plained much of Pellitus of his Sorceryes WheÌ„ these two Kings had consulted of the matter it was at length coÌ„cluded thought best that some wittie and bolde man should be sent ouer and giue the attempt to kil Pellitus whervpon Brienus Nephew to king Cadwallo taketh vpon him to attempt this matter appareling him self in poor mans wéed saileth ouer into EnglaÌ„d and traueleth vnto York where King Edwin lay kept his court And there he ioyned and accompanyed himself emong the poor people whose custome and maner was to lye about the Kings gates at dinner and Supper times awayting for the Almes after Dinner and Supper Pellitus béeing the Kings Alomener and hauing the charge to distribute the almes commeth foorth and setteth the poor people in order Brienus by his béeing there watcheth his time to woork his feat and sudainly in the prese of the people with his weapon which he had prepared for the purpose thrusteth Pellitus into the body and killeth him and foorth with the thing in such a throng not perceiued shifteth him self away priuely and through woods thickets hilles and Dales commeth to Exeter where he discloseth and declareth vnto the Britons what he had doon they glad and reioysing héerof and hoping that now their King Cadwallo would return doo prepare and make redy bothe them selues and the Cittie aswell for the resisting of their enemyes as also for the receiuing and ayding of their King. Penda hearing of this iniury doon to King Edvvin his contreye man and minding to reuenge the same gathered a great armye of Saxons marcheth vnto Exeter and beseegeth y same round about minding the vtter subuertion of the Cittie and nation but the Citizens and Britons manfully withstanding his force defended bothe them selues and their Cittie vntil that king Cadwallo beeing héerof aduertised did with his force come ouer who not onely reskewed deliuered bothe his Cittie and contrey but also ioyning battel with his enemyes gaue them the ouerthrowe 3 It was also in great trouble in the time of King Allured or Alphred the fourth Sonne of Ethelvvolphus for Polidorus and others doo write that in the fifth yeer of the said Kingê reign the Danes concluded a peace with the King and gaue hostages for the kéeping therof notwithstanding contrary to the same moste perfideously they assembled theÌ„ selues and with all haste marched towards this Cittie perforce entred took the same Daci etenim qui Religionem et fidem pre suo commodo postponendam ducebant Londino se mouentes maximusiti neribus Exoniam proficiscuntur vrbemque per vim capiuÌ„t but long they inioyed no rest there for the winter passed the King to be reuenged of their periurye marched towards the said Cittie with his power which the Danes vnderstanding and not able to abide the vexation and trouble of the Citizens would not abide the end but fled some to Dartmouth there took shipping who were in a tempest at the Seas for the moste parte drowned some fled to Chipenham or as soÌ„e write to Bristovv whom the king so hardly pursewed that he neuer gaue ouer vntil he had ouercome them and slain their Captains Hubbert and Hungar. 4 Likewise in the xix yéer of the reign of the saidking the Danes contrary to their faith pledges and promises did again come to this Cittie and layd siege to the same Danorum Excercitus Anno. 877. ab vvarham nocte quadam federe dirupto ad Exeancestre diuerterunt quod Britannici dicitur Cayerewise at audito Regis aduentu ad puppes fugerunt et in mare predantes manebant 5 It was also besieged by the said Danes in the xix yéer of king Elgered Anno. 1001. For the Danes which were theÌ„ in Normandye hearing of the good luck successe and great spoiles their company in England had in euery place and their téeth set on edge therwith sudainly prepared their Shippes to sail come ouer and as it chaunced they landed vpon the costes of Deuon and foorthwith took their iourney and marched towards this cittie of Exon thinking to haue found them napping and to haue