Clayton Kt. Borough of Rygate Sir John Parsons Kt. John Parsons Esq Borough of â—uilford Morgan Randyll Esq Foot Onslow Esq Borough of Gatton Sir John Thompson Bar. Thomas Turgis Esq Borough of Haslemere Geo. Rodeney Bridges Esq Denzill Onslow Esq Susser 20. Sir John Pelham Bar. Sir Will. Thomas Bar. City of Chichester Sir Thomas Miller Kt. Thomas May Esq Borough of Horsham John Machell Esq Thomas White Jun. Gent. Borough of Midhurst Sir William Morley Knight of the Bath John Lewkner Esq Borough of Lewes Thomas Pelham Esq Richard Bridger Esq Borough of Shoreham Sir Edward Hungerford Knight of the Bath John Pery Esq Borough of Bramber Nicholas Barbon Esq Dr. John Radcliffe Borough of Steyning Sir John Fagge Bar. Robert Fagge Esq Borough of East-Greensted The Honourable Thomas Sackvile Esq Sir Thomas Dyke Bar. Borough of Arundel William Morley Esq James Butler Esq Warwickshire 6. William Bromely Esq Andrew Archer Esq City of Coventry Richard Hopkins Esq John Stratford Esq Borough of Warwick The Right Honourable William Lord Digby William Colemore Esq Westmorland 4. The Right Honourable Sir John Lowther of Lowther Bar. Sir Christopher Musgrave of Musgrave Kt. and Bar. Borough of Appleby The Honourable William Cheyne Esq Charles Boyle Esq Wilthshire 34. The Right Honourable Edw. Viscount Cornbury Sir Walter S. John Bar. City of New Sarum Thomas Hoby Esq Thomas Pitt Esq Borough of Wilton Sir Richard Grubham How Kt. and Bar. Thomas Windham Esq Borough of Downton Sir Charles Raleigh Kt. Maurice Bockland Esq Borough of Hindon Robert Hide Esq Thomas Chaffyn Esq Borough of Westbury The Honourable Peregrine Bertie Esq Richard Lewys Esq Borough of Hytesbury William Ash Esq Will. Trenchard Esq Borough of Calne Henry Baynton Esq Henry Chivers Esq Borough of the Devizes Sir Tho. Fowles Kt. Walter Grubb Esq Borough of Chipenham Richard Kent Esq Alexander Popham Esq Borough of Malmesbury The Honourable Goodwin Wharton Esq Sir James Long Bar. Borough of Criclade Edmund Webb Esq Charles Fox Esq Borough of Great Bedwin The Right Honourable Anth. Viscount Falkland Sir Jonath Raymond Kt. Borough of Ludgersale Thomas Neale Esq John Deane Esq Borough of Old Sarum Sir Thomas Mompesson Kt. William Harvey Esq Borough of Wootton-Basset Henry St. John Esq John Wildman Jun. Esq Borough of Marlborough Sir John Ernle Kt. Sir George Willoughby Kt. Worcestershire 9. Sir John Packington Kt. Thomas Foley Esq City of Worcester Sir John Somers Kt. William Bromely Esq Borough of Droitwich The Right Honourableâ— Richard Earl of Bellemont â—hilip Foley Esq Borough of Evesham Sir James Rushout Bar. Edward Rudge Esq Borough of Bewdley Henry Herbert Esq Yorkshire 30. The Right Honourable Thomas Lord Fairfax Sir Joyn Kay Bar. City of York Robert Waller Esq Henry Thompson Esq Town of Kingston upon Hull John Ramsden Esq Charles Osborne Esq Borough of Knaresborough William Stockdale Esq Thomas Fawkes Esq Borough of Scareborough Will. Thompson Esq Francis Thompson Esq Borough of Rippon Sir Edm. Jenings Kt. Sir Jonath Jenings Kt. Borough of Richmond Sir Mark Milbanck Bar. Theodore Bathurst Esq Borough of Heydon Henry Guy Esq Matth. Appleyard Esq Borough of Boroughbrig Sir Henry Goodrick Kt. and Bar. Sir Bryan Stapleton Borough of Malton Sir William Strickland Bar. William Palmes Esq Borough of Thriske Thomas Frankland Esq Richard Staines Esq Borough of Aldborough Sir Mich. Wentworth Kt. Christopher Tancred Esq Borough of Beverly Sir Michael Wharton Kt. William Gee Esq Borough of North-Allerton Sir William Robinson Bar. Thomas Lascells Esq Borough of Pontefract The Honourable Henry Dawney Esq Sir John Bland Bar. BARONS of the Cinque-Ports 16. Port of Hastings The Honourable John Beaumont Esq Peter Gott Esq Town of Winchelsea Sir Robert Austin Bar. Samuel Western Esq Town of Rye Sir John Austen Bar. Sir John Darrel Kt. Port of New Rumney Sir Charles Sidley Kt. John Brewer Esq Port of Hythe Sir Philip Butler Bar. Will. Brockman Esq Port of Dover Thomas Papillon Esq James Chadwick Esq Port of Sandwich John Thurbarne Serjeant at Law Edward Brent Esq Port of Seaford William Campion Esq Henry Pelham Esq WALES 24. Anglesey 2. The Right Honourable Rich. Viscount Bulkely Town of Beaumaris Thomas Bulkely Esq Brecon 2. Sir Rowland Gwyn Kt. Town of Brecon Jeossery Jeffreys Esq Cardigan 2. Sir Carbety Price Bar. Town of Cardigan Hector Philips Esq Carmarthen 2. Sir Rice Rudd Bar. Town of Carmarthen Richard Vaughan Esq Carnarvan 2. Sir Wil. Williams of Vaynal Bar. Town of Carnarvan Sir Robert Owen Kt. Denby 2. Sir Richard Middleton Bar. Town of Denby Edward Brereton Esq Flint 2. Sir Roger Puleston Kt. Town of Flint Thomas Whitley Esq Glamorgan 2. Bussey Mansel Esq Town of Cardiffe Thomas Mansell Esq Merioneth 1. Sir John Wynne Kt. and Bar. Montgomery 2. Edward Vaughan Esq Town of Montgomery Charles Herbert Esq Pembroke 3. Sir Hugh Owen Kt. Town of Haverford-west Sir William Wogan Kt. Town of Pembroke Arthur Owen Esq Radnor 2. Richard Williams Esq Town of New Radnor Robert Harley Esq In all 513. A List of the Lords and others of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council with the Clerks of the Council HIS Royal Highness Prince George Thomas Marquess of Camarthen Lord President Henry Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal Charles Duke of Bolton Robert Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain of England William Earl of Devonshire Lord Steward Charles Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain Aubrey Earl of Oxford William Earl of Bedford Thomas Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery John Earl of Bath Charles Earl of Macclesfield Daniel Earl of Nottingham Secretary of State William Earl of Portland Thomas Earl of Faulconberg Charles Earl of Monmouth John Earl of Marlborough Richard Earl of Scarborough Henry Earl of Warrington Ralph Earl of Montague Henry Viscount Sidney Henry Lord Bishop of London Francis Lord Newport Marquess of Winchester Lord Chief Justice Holt. Sir Robert Howard Sir Henry Capel Sir Henry Goodrick Sir John Lowther Vice-Chamberlain Richard Hampden Esq Hugh Boscawen Esq Thomas Wharton Esq Comptroller of the King's Houshold Edward Russel Esq William Harbord Esq Henry Powle Esq Master of the Rolls Lords Commissioners of the Privy Seal William Cheyne Esq Sir John Knatchbull Bar. Sir William Palteney Kt. The Clerks of the Council Sir John Nicholas Kt. Mr. Blathwait Mr. Mountague Mr. Coleing A List of the Lords Commissioners and other Officers of the Court of Chancery The Lords Commissioners Sir John Trevor Knight Sir William Rawlinson Knight Sir Geo. Hutchins Knight Masters of Chancery Henry Powle Esq Master of the Rolls whose Sâ—cretary is Mr. John Rawlinson Sir William Child Sir John Hoskins Sir John Franklyn Sir Adam Oatley Sir Robert Legar Sir John Edgeburg Sir James Astrey Sir Miles Cook Roger Meredith Esq John Methwyn Esq Samuel Keck Esq The Six Clerks in Chancery Sir Rob. Marsham Kt. Sir W. Perkins Kr. â—hem Bridges Esq Littleton Powel Esq Rich. Garth Esq Basil Herne Esq The Cursitors Mr. Abraham Nelson Principal Mr. Mich. Terry Assistants Mr. Geo. Davies Assistants For Suffolk and
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE XXX RR IE MAINTIENDRAI THE NEW STATE OF ENGLAND BRITANNIA I Sturt Sculp in ye Old Change THE New State OF ENGLAND Under Their MAJESTIES K. William and Q. Mary In THREE PARTS CONTAINING I. A Geographical Description of England in General and of every County in Particular with Usefull and Curious Remarks II. An Account of the Inhabitants their Original Genius Customs Laws Religion and Government of Their Present Majesties Their Court Power Revenues c. III. A Description of the several Courts of Judicature Viz. the High Court of Parliament Privy Council and all other Courts With a Catalogue of the present Officers in Church and State By G. M. LONDON Printed by H.C. for Ionathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard 1691. To the Most Honourable THOMAS Marquess of CAERMARTHEN Earl of DANBY Viscount LATIMER Baron OSBORN OF KIVETON Lord President of His Majesties Most Honourable PRIVY-COUNCIL And Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter This New State of England is humbly Dedicated by the Author TO THE READER 'T IS the late Revolution that has given birth to this new Piece of Work a New Face of Things required a New State of England And of all the Changes this Kingdom has gone through as this was the most sudden so it is the most wonderfull To see Popery in so few days crowing upon the Throne and groaning under its Ruins but t'other day upon the Pinnacle and now stunned with its sudden Fall is such a Change as may deserve the Admiration of this and future Ages In short such is our present Settlement upon Their Majesties happy Accession to the Crown that the Popish Party may assoon see a Protestant Pope of Rome as a Popish King of England Now to make this Work the more acceptable and usefull to the Publick I have divided it into three several Parts In the First you have a particular Description of ENGLAND in its several Counties of every County-Town with the Distance and the common Road to it from London the Metropolis and of all other Places of note in each County Here you have particularly a List of the Market-Towns in every Shire with the Days pointed when their Markets are kept also an account of most other Remarkable Things either of Nature or Art Besides the Honours or Noblemens Titles from Counties Cities Towns Mannors c. And the Number of Men each City or Borough sends to serve in Parliament I conclude this Part with a particular Description of London Oxford and Camidge London as the Capital City of England the Seat of its Monarchs and the Center of Trade Oxford and Cambridge as being the two famous Vniversities of the Land and the glorious Seats of the Muses The Second Part treats of the INHABITANTS of England their Complexion Temper Genius Language c. Of the English Way of Living Commerce Laws Religion and Government Of the King of England and the Royal Family particularly of the present King WILLIAM and Queen MARY with a brief Relation of their Accession to the Crown and the Vnreasonableness of the Disaffected Party under their Government Of Their Majesties Court Forces and Revenues Of the Queen Dowager the Prince and the Princess of Denmark Of the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty Of the Episcopal Dignify'd and Inferiour Clergy And lastly of Women Children and Servants All of them with their respective Priviledges The Third and last Part is about the COURTS of JUDICATURE Viz. The High Court of Parliament with a large Account of their Proceedings Orders Debates Passing of Bills and Acts c. Of the Privy-Council and there particularly of the Principal Secretaries of State Of the Chancery Kings-Bench Common Pleas Exchequer Dutchy of Lancaster and all other Courts To which is annexed a Catalogue of the chief Persons of the Realm both in Church and State Magistrates and Officers Civil and Military Who being subject to Change though the Offices continue the same I thought it improper to mix Certainties and Vncertainties together Therefore I chose rather to place the Officers together by themselves as I have done here than to have them dispersed where I speak of their Offices And from this Method you will reap this Conveniency that by Interleaving of the Catalogue only you may fill up Vacancies as they become void Thus you have as it were a Scheme of the whole Drift of this Book The Foundation whereof is that Ingenious Piece De Republica Anglorum written in Latin by Sir Thomas Smith Improved as you see and fitted to the present Times The Matter of it self is of a general Vse both for English and Foreiners and the Variety so great that it cannot but be Pleasant and Vsefull to the Reader THE TABLE For the First PART This Table contains the Names of the Towns and Cities Hills Islands Meers and Rivers and other Curiosities mentioned in the first Part of this Book And for such as desire only to know what County any of them lies in the Table it self will give them that Satisfaction without any further Trouble it being so contrived that it is in a manner a Geographical Dictionary for England A ABberforth in Yorks 259 Abbey-holm in Cumb 49 Abbey of Westminster 317 Abbots-bury in Dors 67 Abergavenny in Mon. 148 149 Advantages of England 7 Agmundesham in Buck. 30 Ailesbury in Buck. 30 31 Air of England 13 Alborough in Suffolk 204 208 Aldborough in Yorks 273 Aldermen of London 324 Alford in Lincolns 136 140 Alfreton in Derbysh 57 Alisford in Hampsh 95 Almondbury in Yorks 264 Alnewick in Northumb 168 170 Alney-Isle in Gloc. 87 Alston-Moor in Cumb. 49 Altrincham in Chesh 39 Ambleside in Westm 238 Amersbury in Wilts 246 247 Ampthill in Bedf. 27 28 Andover in Hamps 95 96 Antiquity of Oxf. and Cambr. 350 Appleby in Westm 238 Appledore in Kent 112 Are a Yorks River 256 Arrow a River of Heref. 103 Artillery Company in London 329 Arun a Sussex River 224 Arundel in Sussex 225 227 Ashbourn in Derbysh 57 Ashburton in Devonsh 61 Ashby in Leicest 131 Ashford in Kent 112 Aspley in Bedf. 28 Atherston in Warw. 234 235 Attlebury in Norf. 153 Auburn in Wiltsh 246 Aukland in the Bishoprick of Durham 76 77 Aulcester in Warw. 234 Avon the Name of several Rivers 85 92 c. Axebridge in Somers 192 194 Axholm an Isle in Lincolns 139 Axminster in Dev. 61 B BAkewell in Derbysh 57 Baldock in Hartf 100 Bampton in Oxf. 178 179 Banbury in Oxf. 178 179 Banquetting House at Whitehall 316 Barkin in Essex 81 BARKSHIRE 22 Barnesly in Yorks 259 Barnet in Hartf 100 102 Barnstaple in Dev. 61 63 Barnwel in Linc. 136 Barristers in Lond. 304 Barton in Linc. 136 139 Barwick in Northumb. 168 Basingstoke in Hamps 95 96 Bath in Somers 189 Battel in Sussex 225 228 Battersea in Surrey 221 Bautrey in Yorks 259 Beaconfield in Buck. 30 32 Beckles in Suffolk 204 209 Bedal in Yorks 273 Bedford 26
l. 13. r. some were afterwards p. 355. l. 11. r. certain it is PART II. p. 66. l. 5. dele but. p. 68. l. 35. r. in p. 99. l. 33. r. us PART III. p. 2. l. 10. r. be p. 79. l. 35. r. assisted p. 63. l. 22. r. sit on p. 71. l. 14. r. whose p. 213. l. 18. dele of p. 180. l. 15. r. John Howe Esq p. 224. l. 17. r. 1689. p. 232. l. 27. r. Sir Edward Clark and Sir Francis Child THE FIRST PART OF THE New State OF ENGLAND Under Their MAJESTIES K. William and Q. Mary CONTAINING A Geographical Description of England in General and of every County in Particular with Useful and Curious Remarks London Printed in the Year 1691. THE NEW STATE OF ENGLAND PART I. CHAP. I. Treating of ENGLAND in general and of every County in particular England ENGLAND is the best and largest Part of the greatest Island of Europe An Island anciently called Albion from its white chalky Cliffs but since better known by the Name of Great Britain Great for the vast Extent of â—t reaching as it does in Length from North to South about 600 Miles Britain that is a Country Inhabited by Painted Men as formerly they were wont to be At this time 't is principally divided into three Parts England Scotland and Wales the first two being two distinct Kingdoms the last a Principality but all of them happily united under one Head ENGLAND takes up the South Parts of the Island being parted from Scotland Northward by the River Tweede from Wales Westward in part by the River Dee and from the rest of the World by the Ocean Thus it contains in Length from North to South as from Barwick to Portsmouth 320 miles and in breadth from East to West as from Dover to the Lands End 270. But such is the Variety of its Breadth that in the South Parts which face the Channel 't is three times the Breadth of the North. And all along the Sea-Coast in general there are so many Creeks and Inlets some greater and some lesser that England and indeed the whole Island delineated as it is in Globes and Maps makes but an odd kind of Figure However in this Spot of Ground not exceeding one third Part of France there are reckoned 30 millions of Acres In reference to the Globe it lies between the 50 and 57 Degree of North Latitude the longest Day in the most Northern Parts being 17 hours 30 minutes and the shortest in the most Southern almost eight hours long The name of ENGLAND it took from the Angles an ancient People of Jutland in Denmark who joyning with their Neighbours the Saxons went under their Name in the Conquest of Britain And this Name was given it by a special Edict of Egbert the first sole Monarch of England since the Heptarchy Who being descended from those Angles and having reduced the whole Country from a divided State into one intire Body called it with the Concurrence of the States of the Realm then convened at Winchester Anno 819. by the Name of Engle-lond since turned into ENGLAND From whence the Nation and Language came to be called English When the Romans were possessed of this Country they made but two Parts of it and another of Wales Called Britannia Prima Containing the South of England Britannia Secunda Containing Wales Maxima Caesariensis Containing the North of England Their particular Divisions were not of the Country it self but of the Inhabitants As the Atrebatii Belgae Brigantes Catieuchlani and ten Nations more they reckoned only in England In the time of the Anglo-Saxons England alone was divided into seven Kingdoms Viz. The Kingdom of Kent Containing the County of that Name The Kingdom of South-Saxons Containing Sussex and Surrey The Kingdom of West-Saxons Containing Cornwal Devon Somerset Dorset Wiltshire Barkshire and Hampshire The Kingdom of East-Saxons Containing Middlesex Essex and part of Hartfordshire The Kingdom of East-Angles Containing Norfolk Suffolk Cambridgshire The Kingdom of Mercia Containing Glocester Worcester Hereford Shropshire Cheshire Stafford Darby Nottingham Leicester Rutland Lincoln Huntington Northampton Warwick Salop Oxon Buckingham Bedford and the rest of Hartfordshire The Kingdom of Northumberland Containing York Lancashire Durham Westmorland Cumberland Northumberland and the South Parts of Scotland as far as Edinburg But England's Division into Shires or Counties did not begin till the Reign of Alfred about 800 Years ago Afterwards every Shin was subdivided into Hundreds and Hundred into Tythings a Hundred containing teâ— Tythings and a Tything ten Families The Shires or Counties are either Maritime or Inland in all 40 in number The Maritime Counties I mean such as be watered by the Ocean are these Viz. Cornwal Devonshire Somersetshire Dorsetshire Hampshire Sussex Kent Essex Suffolk Norfolk Lincolnshire Yorkshire Durham Northumberland Cumberland Westmorland Lancashire Cheshire Whereof the first seven Counties take up the most Southern Parts and lye all along the Channel which parts England from France the next seven run from Kent and Sussex Northward bounded on the East by the German Ocean and the last fourâ—ly North-West bounded by the Irish Seas The Inland Counties are Nottinghamshire Derbyshire Staffordshire Shropshire Worcestershire Herefordshire Monmouthshire Glocestershire Wiltshire Barkshire Buckinghamshire Surrey Middlesex Hartfordshire Cambridgeshire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Oxfordshire Warwickshire Northamptonshire Rutland Leicestershire Amongst all which Counties 't is Observable that some of them take their Names from the old Inhabitants as Cumberland from the Cyntbri or ancient Britains Essex and Sussex from the East and South Saxons who setled here after their Conquest Some from their Situation as Northumberland Norfolk Suffolk and Middlesex To which add Kent in Latine Cantium because it lies in a Canton or Corner of the Island Others from their Form or Figure as Cornwal from the figure of a Horn called Kere by the old Britains And indeed this County growing from East to West smaller and smaller is not unlike a Horn besides that in many places it shoots forth into the Sea with little Promontories like unto so many Horns Whereas Devonshire took its Denomination from the British Devinam signifying low Valleys of which this County does very much consist Others again from some Accidents therein As Barkshire from Beroc a certain place wherein grew good store of Box Rutland q. d. Red Land from the Redness of its Soil But the most part from the principal Town of the County as Glocestershire from Glocester Oxfordshire from Oxford Cambridgeshire from Cambridge c. As of all the Counties of England Yorkshire is the biggest beyond all compare so iâ— Rutland the least Out of the first which iâ— counted as big as the Seven United Provinces 70000 Men may be raised for present Service Whereas the Extent of the last is so inconsiderable that one may skip it over in lesâ— than half a day In point of Situation Darbyshire may bâ— look'd upon as the middle Province of thâ— Kingdom Besides the former Division of
this Town has been very much improved and beautified at their Charge and Industry Here is a Town-house erected upon Pillars and Arches of hewn Stone and underneath an Exchange for the Merchants Among its Antiquities a Castle on the South-side which commands the Pool built by King John during his stay here for a Wind to Ireland and on the West-side upon the River the Tower being a stately and strong Pile of Building Preston near to Leverpool is a fair large well inhabited and frequented Borough-Town Seated on the North-side of the Rible over which it has a very fair Stone-bridge In this Town are held the Court of Chancery and Offices of Justice for Lancaster as a County Palatine Not far from Preston aforesaid is a small Town from the River on which it is situate called Rible-Chester which has been esteemed and called the richest Town in Christendom No doubt but it has been a Place of great account in the Time of the Romans if we consider the many Statues pieces of Coin Altars Pillars Inscriptions and other Pieces of Antiquity that have been often digged up here Wigan is another Town of note in this Country Seated on the River Dowles and much inhabited by Braziers Pewterers Diers Weavers of Rugs Coverlets and Tackling for Bedding Of special note for the choicest Coal in England called Caunel but most of all for a burning Well not far from it Warington a good large Town is seated on the River Mersey over which there 's a fine Stone-bridge which leads to Cheshire Dignify'd of late with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Henry Booth Earl of Warington and Baron De la Mere. Poulton Bury and Rochdale lie not far asunder the first on the Irwell and Rochdale on the River Rock in a Vale. Coln is situate on a little Hill near the Eastern Confines of the-County Blackborn near the Derwent Ormskirk not far from Merton Meer Kiâ—kham near the Mouth of the Rible Garstang near the Wire and Hornby on the Lon. This last noted for its Castle called Hornby-Castle the ancient Seat of the Lord Morley and Mounteagle Hawkshead is placed in a hilly and woody Country Clitheroe towards Pendle-hill Dalton in a Champain Country not far from the Sea and Vlverston commonly called Ouslon on a small Stream which empties it self not far off into the Sea or an Arm thereof near Lever-Sand Lastly this County formerly a Part of the Kingdom of Northumberland and its Inhabitants part of the Brigantes as the Romans called them is now in the Diocess of Lincoln It was made a County Palatine by King Edward the Third And out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 12 Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these Towns Lancaster Leverpool Preston Wigan Clitheroe and Newton Leicestershire LEICESTERSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East by the Counties of Lincoln and Rutland on the West by Warwickshire Northward by Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and Southward by Northamptonshire It s Length from East to West is about 30 miles its Breadth from North to South about 25. The whole divided into six Hundreds wherein 192 Parishes and 12 Market-Towns The Air in this County is mild and wholsom and the Inhabitants accordingly are healthy and long-lived The Soil in the South-East parts especially is extream fertile for all sorts of Grain but chiefly Peas and Beans and has also rich Pastures feeding Cattel and Sheep in great Numbers whose Wool for its fineness is had in great esteem But the North-West part is generally barren and in some places rocky and stony About the Forest of Charwood where is Bardon-Hill is great store of Lime-Stone wherewith they manure their Ground For Fewel this Country is but thinly cloathed with Wood especially in the South-East Parts But this Defect is sufficiently supply'd by the great plenty of Pit-coal digged up in the North Parts Here are a great many small Rivers but none of any long Course besides the Stower and the Wreak Leicester the County Town bears from London North-North-West and is distant therefrom 78 miles thus Viz. from London to Northampton 54 for the particulars of which I refer you to Northamptonshire from Northampton to Harborough 12 and from thence to Leicester 12 more It is pleasantly seated in a good Air and rich Soil on the Banks of the Stower of old called Leir that washes its North and West Parts and over which it has two Bridges Once a Bishops See and in those Days beautified with a fair Collegiate Church a magnificent Abbey and a strong Castle all decay'd and ruined by the iniquity and injury of the Times As to the present State of it it is indifferent large containing 3 Parish Churches has several good Buildings and is well inhabited In short 't is in as good plight both for Trade and Buildings as most Towns are that want a navigable River And its Market which is on Saturdays is well served with Provisions and Country Commodities Noted besides for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Philip Sidney the present Earl of Leicester Derived to him from his Father Robert Son and Heir of Robert Sidney Viscount Lisle created Earl of Leicester and Baron of Penthurst by King James the first Anno 1618. Which Robert was descended of a Sister of Robert Dudley the last of many Earls of Leicester before him The other Market-Towns are Ashby Sat. Hinkley Mund. Mont-Sorel Mund. Melton-Mowbray Tue. Harborough Tue. Bosworth Wedn. Loughborow Thu. Waltham Thu. Hallaton Thu. Lutterworth Thu. Billesden Frid. Among which Ashby or Ashby de la Zouche is seated between two Parks on the Borders of Derbyshire In whose Neighbourhood is Cole Overton noted for its Pit-coals Hinkley stands on the Borders of Warwickshire beautified with a fair and large Church and a lofty Spire-Steeple Mont-Sorrel is seated on a great Eminency near the Stowr over which it has a Bridge Of some note formerly for its famous Castle that stood on a steep and craggy Hill but is long since demolished At Barrow near adjoyning is digged up excellent Lime much commended for its binding Melton-Mowbray is situate in a fertile Soil on the banks of the Wreak over which it has two Stone-bridges Harborough on the Borders of Northamptonshire and the banks of the Weland which parts the two Counties Bosworth is loftily seated on a Hill and in a fertile Soil Noted for the bloody Battle fought at Redmore near adjoyning betwixt Richard III. and his Successor Henry VII Which decided the long-depending Differences betwixt the Houses of York and Lancaster giving the Crown from Richard to Henry descended from the latter House Richard being slain in this Battle his Body was ignominiously cast cross a Horse's back naked and torn in pieces and meanly buried in the Grey-Friars of Leicester Which being afterwards destroy'd the Stone-Chest wherein the Corps lay serves now in an Inn for a drinking Trough for Horses Loughborow a good
their Degrees respectively Here is as in Oxford a Chancellor a Vice-Chancellor two Prectors and a Register But the Chancellor is not so durante Vita for he may be elected every three years or continue in the same Office durante tacito Consensu Senatus Cantabr He has under him a Commissary who holds a Court of Record of Civil Causes for all priviledged Persons and Scholars under the Degree of Master of Arts where all Causes are try'd and determined by the Civil and Statute-Law and by the Customs of the University The Vice-Chancellor is a high Officer chosen every Year on the 3d of Nov. by the Senate out of two Persons nominated by the Heads of the several Colledges and Halls Together with the two Proctors chosen as at Oxford there are two Taxers chosen who with the Proctors look to the Weights and Measures as Clerks of the Market Here are also three Esquire-Beadles but only one Yeoman-Beadle The Mayor of the Town is like that of Oxford subject to the University and takes a solemn Oath at the Entrance into his Office to observe and conserve the Priviledges Liberties and Customs thereof And on Friday before St. Simon and Jude he brings with him to St. Maries Church allotted for the Assembly of the whole University two Aldermen four Burgesses and two of every Parish to take their Oaths before the Vice-Chancellor for the due search of Vagabonds and suspected Persons c. At the same time are sworn 14 Persons for the University and 14 for the Town to look to the Cleansing and Paving of the Streets The University has also a Court-Leet held twice every Year wherein are presented all Nusances c. What remains is the Question about the Antiquity of Cambridge as a Place of Learning in opposition to Oxford To me it appears to be in that respect of an older date than Oxford For Cambridge in the time of the Romans among whom it was known by the Name of Camboritum or as some Copies have it Camboricum was a Roman Colony mentioned in the best Copies among the 28 Cities of Britain And the Roman Colonies had their Schools of Learning wherein the several Professors of Arts and Sciences did instruct both the Roman and British Youth In the Bull of Pope Honorius the first bearing date Febr. 20. 624 mention is made of Priviledges granted to the University of Cambridge The Bull says by Eleutherius the 12th Bishop of Rome who lived about the latter end of the second Century but King Arthur's Diploma says by Lucius a British King the first Christian King in Europe and Contemporary with the said Eleutherius Which Diploma says that King Lucius was converted by the preaching of the Doctors of Cambridge for which reason he gave Priviledges to that University which were confirmed by King Arthur Whether the Diploma be counterfeit or not or whether the aforesaid Priviledges were granted by King Lucius or Pope Eleutherius is a Question by it self Certain is that both the Diploma and the Bull agree in point of Time So that here is Proof enough to make it at least probable that in the time of King Lucius and Pope Eleutherius there might be a sufficient Number of learned Men in Cambridge to have instructed King Lucius in the Christian Faith and that Eluanus and Medwinus who were sent by that King to Rome for his fuller Satisfaction in that point might be of that Number Upon these Grounds it must be granted that Cambridge is a Place long since dedicated unto Learning and I doubt much whether Oxford as great a Respect as I have for it can pretend to so great an Antiquity But Dr. Heylin an Oxonian alledges a notable Reason for the Precedency of Oxford before Cambridge Viz. the Resolution of the Commons in the first Parliament held under King James I. For says he when the Clerk of that House had put the Name of Cambridge before Oxford they taking disdainfully that Hysteron-Proteron commanded the Antiquities of both Universities to be searched and after search made gave place to Oxford To clear this Point we must take notice that both Oxford and Cambridge since their first Foundation lay for several Ages forlorn and discontinued during the long Wars of the Saxons and Danes in this Island Till Oxford had the happiness to be first restored by King Alfred towards the latter end of the Ninth Century Which from that time grew into such esteem as to be counted one of the four principal Universities of Europe the other three being Paris in France Bononia now Bologna in Italy and Salamanca in Spain Whereas Cambridge did not begin to flourish again till the Reign of Henry I for his Learning surnamed Beau-Clerc that is in the beginning of the Twelfth Century So that in point of Restauration 't is plain that Oxford has got the start of Cambridge But let us leave this Speculation of Cambridge as an Academy and look upon it as a Title of Honour In this Point we shall find Cambridge to have the Preeminency For it has been Dignify'd not only with the Title of an Earldom in several eminent Persons but also with the Title of a Dukedom in four Sons of the late King James when Duke of York Three of them by the first Dutchess Charles James and Edgar who all died very young and the fourth by the last Dutchess Charles by Name the short Hopes of the Popish Faction Who being born Nov. 7. 1677. died Dec. 12. following and so lived but five Weeks Thus I have done with OXFORD and CAMBRIDGE those two great Fountains of Learning both seated at almost an equal Distance from London the one West and the other North. From whence are yearly sent forth a great Number of Divines Civilians Physicians c. to serve all Parts of this Kingdom For a constant Supply whereof there are several Colledges and famous Schools in England the principal Winchester Eaton Westminster St. Pauls Merchant-Taylors and Charter-House all richly Indowed to maintain Masters Ushers and a certain Number of Scholars So that a Child once admitted into any of these Schools may by his Capacity be preferred to be a Scholar or Fellow in some Colledge of one of these Universities Where having a good Allowance he will want little or no help from his Parents all his Life-time after The End of the First Part. THE SECOND PART OF THE New State OF ENGLAND Under Their MAJESTIES K. William and Q. Mary CONTAINING An Account of the Inhabitants their Original Genius Customs Religion and Government of Their Present Majesties their Court Power Revenues c. London Printed in the Year 1691. THE NEW STATE OF ENGLAND PART II. CHAP. I. Of the Inhabitants of ENGLAND And first of their Complexion Temper Genius Language with an Account of the most famous Men of this Nation either for Souldiery or Learning THAT the Britains were the ancient Inhabitants of England is a Thing agreed by all But whether they â—ere the Aborigines that is
of the Kings of England when all Christendom in the Council of Constance was divided into Nations the English was one of the Principal and not Subaltern having its Voice of equal ballance with the Nations of France or Italy In those General Councils the Emperor of Germany was counted Major Filius Ecclesiae the King of France Minor Filius and the King of England Filius tertius adoptivus Whereas with submission methinks it had been more proper especially in such Assemblies to look upon the King of England as Primogenitus Ecclesiae the Eldest Son of the Church out of respect to the British King Lucius who as I said before was the first King in the World that imbraced Christianity In those Councils the King of France had place next the Emperour on his right hand the King of England next on his left hand and the King of Scotland next before Castille However the King of England acknowledges no Precedence to any Monarch but only to the Emperour and that upon the Score of Antiquity For the Crown of England is free and independent and therefore has been declared in Parliaments long since to be an Imperial Crown CHAP. VIII Of the Solemn Proclamation and Coronation of the King of England THE Kings of England are both Proclaimed and Crowned with so much Solemnity that it won't be improper to describe the Manner of it it being a Solemnity not at all disagreeable to the Design of this Work I begin with the Proclamation which is the first Step to the Crown And being we are upon the New State of England I shall describe the Manner how the present King William and Queen Mary were Proclaimed at Whitehall-Gate within Temple-Bar in Cheap-sideâ— and the Royal Exchange Which happened oâ— the 13th of Febr. Anno 1688 9. The Lords and Commons being then Assembled at Westminster came to the Banquetting-House where they presented the Princâ— and Princess of Orange the Instrument in Writing agreed upon for Declaring Their Highnesse KING and QUEEN of England France and Ireland with all the Dominions and Teâ—tories thereunto belonging and received Their Consent thereto About 11 of the Clock the said Lords and Commons came down to Whitehall Gate preceded by the Speakers of their respective Housâ—â— viz. the Marquess of Hallifax Speaker 〈…〉 Lords and Henry Powle Esq Speaker of 〈…〉 mons each of them attended by a 〈…〉 Arms in order to see Their Majesties 〈…〉 Being come down to the Gate there they found the Heralds of Arms the Sergeants at Arms the Trumpets and other Officers all in readiness being assembled by Order from the Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal of England And Sr. Thomas S. George Knight Garter Principal King of Arms having received a Proclamation in Writing with an Order from the Lords House to the King's Heralds and Pursuivants of Arms for Publishing or Proclaiming the same forthwith the Persons concerned disposed themselves in Order before the Court-Gate for making the said Proclamation The Trumpets having sounded a Call three several times the last of which was answered by a great Shout of the vast Multitudes of People there assembled the Noise ceasing the said Garter King of Arms read the' Proclaimation by short Sentences or Periods Which was thereupon proclaimed aloud by Robert Devenish Esq York Herald being the Senior Herald in these Words VVHEREAS it has pleased Almighty God in his great Mercy to this Kingdom to vouchsafe as a Miraculous Deliverance from Popery and Arbitrary Power and that our Preservation is due next unto God to the Resolution and Conduct of His Highness the Prince of Orange whom God has chosen to be the Glorious Instrument of such an Inestimable Happiness to us and our Posterity And being highly sensible and fully persuaded of the Great and Eminent Vertues of her Highness the Princess of Orange whose Zeal for the Protestant Religion will no doubt bring a Blessing along with Her upon the Nation And whereas the Lords and Commons now Assembled at Westminster have made a Declaration and presented the same to the said Prince and Princess of Orange and therein desired Them to Accept the Crown who have Accepted the same accordingly We therefore the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Together with the Lord Mayor and Citizens of London and others of the Commons of this Realm Do with a full Consent Publish and Proclaim according to the said Declaration William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange to be KING and QVEEN of England France and Ireland with all the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging Who are accordingly so to be owned deemed accepted and taken by all the People of the aforesaid Realms and Dominions who are henceforward bound to acknowledge and pay unto Theâ— all Faith and true Allegiance Beseeching God by whom Kings Reign to bless KING WILLIAM and QVEEN MARY with long and happy Years to Reign over us God save King William and Queen Mary Jo. Brown Cleric Parliamentorum Which being ended and the Trumpeâ— sounding a Flourish was answered by several repeated Shouts of the People And Direction being given to proclaim the same with in Temple-Bar in Cheap-side and at the Royal-Exchange the Proceeding marched in this manner I. The several Beadles of the Liberties of Westminister II. The Constables of the said Liberties all on foot with the high-Constable on horseback III. The Head-Bayliff of Westminster and his Men all on horseback with white Staves to clear the Way IV. A Class of Trumpets nine in all on horse-back the six first riding two and two and the three last together Followed by the Sergeant-Trumpeter carrying his Mace on the Shoulder V. A Pursuivant of Arms single a Pursui â—ant and a Sergeant at Arms and next an â—ther Pursuivant and 〈◊〉 Sergeant at Arms. The Pursuivants in â—heir rich Coats of the â—oyal Arms and each â—f the Sergeants carryâ—â—g his Mace on his Shoulder all of them on horse-back VI. Four Heralds of Arms one after another each with a Sergeant at Arms on his left hand carrying his Mace on the Shoulder and the Heralds being all in their rich Coats of the Royal Arms. VII Garter King of Arms in his rich Coat of Arms carrying the Proclamation Accompany'd with Sr. Tho. Duppa Kt. Gentleman Vsher of the Black Rod in his Crimson Mantle of the Order of the Garter and his Black Rod of Office likewise on Horseback VIII The Speaker of the House of Lords in his Coach Attended by Sr. Roger Harsnet eldest Sergeant at Arms with his Mace IX The Speaker of the House of Commons in his Coach Attended by John Topham Esq Sergeant at Arms to the said House with his Mace X. The Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal and Primier Duke of England in his Coachâ— with his Marshal's Staff in his hand XI The Peers in order in their Coaches XII The Members of the House of Commons in their Coaches In this Order they proceeded towards Temple-Bar And being come as far as the May-pole in the Strand two
of the Officers of Arms with a Sergeant at Arms and two Trumpets went before to Temple-Bar where the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs were by this time arrived and had ordered the Gates to be shut The Herald at Arms knocked thereat and the Sheriffs being come to the Gate on Horse-back he acquainted them That he came by Order of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled at Westminster to demand Entrance into that famous City for the Proclaiming of WILLIAM and MART King and Queen of England France and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging and therefore required their speedy Answer Whereupon the said Sheriffs ordered the Gates to be opened Thus the Head-Bayliff Constables and Beadles of Westminster being left without the Bar the rest of the Proceeding entered Where they found the Lord Mayor Aldermen Recorder and Sheriffs all in their Formalities and on Horse-back Except the Lorâ— Mayor who was in his Coach attended by the Sword-bearer and other of his Officers The Proceeding being there joyfully received they made a Stand between the two Temple-Gates and Proclaimed Their Majesties a second time From whence they marched towards Cheapside a Class of the City-Trumpets and the Lord Mayor's Livery-men leading the Way the said Aldermen and Lord Mayor falling into the Proceeding And near Wood-street end the Place where Cheap-side Cross formerly stood they made another stand and Proclaimed Their Majesties a third time At last arriving at the Royal Exchange about two of the Clock they Proclaimed Them a fourth time Each Proclamation was ecchoed with universal Acclamations of Joy by the Multitudes of people which crowded the Streets Windows and Balconies the Streets all the way from Temple-Bar to the Royal Exchange being lined with four Regiments of the City Militia And the Night was concluded with Bonfires Ringing of Bells and all other Expressions of Duty and Affection towards Their Majesties King WILLIAM and Queen MARY with hearty Wishes for Their long and happy Reign Their Coronation was performed at Westminster in Manner following Apr. 11th 1689. Their Majesties being come about Noon from Whitehall to the Palace at Westminster where the Nobility and others who were to go into the Proceeding were assembled came down in State from the House of Lords to Westminster-Hall then fitted up for this great Solemnity Where being seated on the Throne the Sword of State the Curtana or pointless Sword being an Emblem of Mercy and the two pointed Swords together with the gold Spurs were presented to Their Majesties and laid on a Table before Them Then the Dean and Prebends of Westminster having before brought the Crowns and other Regalia in solemn Procession from the Collegiate Church there came up the Hall and presented them severally to Their Majesties Which being likewise laid on the Table were together with the four Swords and Spurs delivered to the Lords appointed to carry them in the Procession which was thus First marched The Drums and Trumpets The Six Clerks in Chancery two abreast as the rest of the Proceeding went Chaplains having Dignities The Aldermen of London Masters in Chancery Sollicitor and Attorney General Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber Judges Then the Children of Westminster and of the King's Chappel The Choir of Westminster Gentlemen of the Chappel Prebend of Westminster Master of the Jewel-House Privy Counsellors not Peers Two Pursuivants The Baronesses Barons Bishops A Pursuivant A Vicountess The Vicounts Two Heralds The Dutchesses The Dukes Two Kings of Arms. The Lord Privy Seal Lord President of the Council Arch-bishop of York The Prince of Denmark Two Persons in Robes of State representing the Dukes of Aquitain and Normandy Next the Lords who bore Their Majesties Regalia with the Sergeants at Arms going on each side of them Viz. The Earl of Manchester carrying S. Edward's Staff and the Lord Grey of Ruthen now Vicount of Longueville the Spurs The Earl of Clare carrying the Queen's Scepter with the Cross and the Earl of Northampton the King's The Earls of Shrewsbury Derby and Pembroke the three Swords Then Garter King Arms between the Vsher of the Black Rod and the Lord Mayor of London The Lord Great Chamberlain single The Earl of Oxford with the Sword of State between the Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal and the Duke of Ormond Lord High Constable for that Day Next the Earl of Bedford with the Queen's Scepter of the Dove and the Earl of Rutland with the Kings The Duke of Bolton with the Queens Orb and the Duke of Grafton with the Kings The Duke of Somerset with the Queen's Crown and the Earl of Devonshire Lord Steward of the King's Houshold and Lord High Steward of England for that Day with the King's Crown The Bishop of London with the Bible between the Bishop of S. Asaph with the Paten and the Bishop of Rochester with the Chalice The KING and QUEEN followed next under a rich Canopy born by Sixteen Barons of the Cinque-Ports the King assisted by the â—ishop of Winchester and the Queen by the Bishop of Bristol Both Their Majesties array'd in Royal Robes of Crimson Velvet furred with Ermine the King with a Velvet Cap and the Queen with a gold Circlet on her head His Majesties Train born by the Master of the Robes assisted by the Lords Eland Willoughby Lansdowne and Dunblain and Her Majesties by the Dutchess of Somerset assisted by the Ladies Eliz. Pawlet Diana Vere Eliz. Cavendish and Henrietta Hyde The Gentlemen Pensioners marched on each side of the Canopy Next to the King followed a Gentleman and two Grooms of the Bed-Chamber And after the Queen a Lady of the Bed-Chamber and two of Her Majesties Women Who were followed by the Captain of His Majesties Gard between the Captain of the Yeomen of the Gard and the Captain of the Band of Pensioners And these by the Officers and Band of the Yeomen of the Gard who closed the Proceeding Thus Their Majesties with all the Nobility in Crimson-Velvet Robes and their Coronets in their hands and the rest of the Proceeding being richly habited or wearing their proper and peculiar Robes proceeded on foot upon blue Cloth spread from the Steps of the Throne in Westminster-Hall to the Steps of the Theater in the Quire of the Collegiate Church of S. Peter Westminster The whole Passage was Railed in and Garded with Their Majesties Horse and Foot-Gards all the Way and Houses on each side being Crowded with vast Number of Spectators expressing their great Joy and Satisfaction by loud repeated Acclamations Being entred the Church and the Nobility and others all duly placed Their Majesties ascended the Theater Who being seated in their Chairs of State the Bishop of London who performed this great Solemnity began with the Recognition which ended with a mighty Shout Then Their Majesties Offered and the Lords who bore the Regalia presented them at the Altar where they were deposited After that the Litany was sung by two Bishops And after the Epistle Gospel and Nicene Creed the Bishop
of Salisbury began the Sermon his Text being taken out of 2 Sam. 23. V. 3 4. The Sermon ended Their Majesties took the Oath And being conducted to their Regal Chairs placed on the Theater that they might be more conspicuous to the Members of the House of Commons who were seated in the North-Cross They were Anointed After the Unction they were presented with the Spurs and Sword invested with the Palls and Orbs and then with the Rings and Scepters At four of the Clock the Crowns were put upon their Heads at sight whereof all the People shouted the Drums and Trumpets sounded the great Guns were discharged and the Peers and Peeresses put on their Coronets Then the Bible was presented to Their Majesties and after the Benediction They vouchsafed to kiss the Bishops Being Inthroned first the Bishops and then the Temporal Lords did their Homage and Kissed Their Majesties left Cheeks In the mean while the Treasurer of the Houshold threw about the Coronation Medals which were of Silver about the bigness of a half-crown Piece representing of one side the King and Queen with their Names thus Gulielmus Maria Rex Regina And on the Reverse giddy-brained Phaethon unskilfully guiding the Chariot of the Sun with Jupiter above striking him with a Thunder-bolt and this Motto about it Ne Totus Absumatur that is Lest the whole World be Consumed with fire A very pat Emblem to the present Juncture as those may best judge who are well acquainted with the Story of Phaethon Next followed the Communion And Their Majesties having made Their second Oblation received the holy Sacrament Then the Bishop read the final Prayers After Prayers Their Majesties retired into S. Edward's Chapel where they were new Arrayed in Purple Velvet And in this Habit they returned to Westminster-Hall with Their rich Crowns of State upon their Heads and the Nobility their Coronets A splendid Dinner being prepared in the Hall for Their Majesties and the whole Proceeding the first Course for Their Majesties Table was served up with the proper Ceremony being preceded by the great Officers and the High Constable High Steward and Earl Marshal But the Tables of the Nobility c. were all ready furnished before their Coming in Before the second Course Charles Dymoke Esq Their Majesties Champion came into the Hall on horse-back between the High Constable and the Earl Marshal where be performed the Challenge After which the Heralds proclaimed Their Majesties Styles Dinner being ended and the whole Solemnity performed with great Splendour and Magnificence Their Majesties about eight in the Evening returned to Whitehall CHAP. IX Of the King's peculiar Prerogatives Also of His Power Court and Revenues in general BEsides the Royal Marks of Sovereignty inherent in the Crown of England the King has certain Priviledges properly called by the Name of Prerogatives which are so many Flowers of the Crown The principal are these that follow First all Estates for want of Heirs or by Forfeiture escheat or revert to the King To Him also belong all Lands of Aliens dying before Naturalization or Denization unless they leave Issue born within his Dominions All Waste Ground or Land recovered from the Sea All Gold and Silver Mines in whose Ground soever they are found All Wayfs Strays and Wracks not granted away by Him or any of his Predecessors All Treasure found as Gold Silver Plate Bullion c. the Owner whereof is unknown All Royal Fishes as Whales Dolphins c. And Royal Fowl as Swans not markt and swimming at liberty on the River The King by his Prerogative has the Right of Pre-emption of all Sorts of Victuals near the Court and may take Horses Carts Ships and Boats for his Carriages at reasonable Rates By his Letters Patent he may erect new Counties Cities Boroughs Universities Colledges Schools Hospitals Fairs Markets Forests Chases Free-Warrens c. And without his Authority no Forest Chase or Park can be made or Castle built He has Power likewise to Infranchise an Alien and make him a Denison whereby he is inabled to purchase Houses and Lands and to bear some Offices But none can be Naturalized but by King and Parliament The King only can give Letters of Mart or Reprisal And in case of Losses by Fire or otherwise He only can give Patents to receive the charitable Benevolences of the People without which no Man may ask it publickly Debts due to the King are in the first place to be satisfied in case of Executorship and Administratorship and till the Kings Debts be satisfied He may protect the Debtor from the Arrest of other Creditors He may Distrein for the whole Rent upon one Tenant tho he do not hold the whole Land Is not obliged to demand his Rent as others are and may sue in what Court he pleases and Distrain where he list No Occupancy can stand good against the King nor any Entry before Him prejudice him And the Sale of the Kings Goods in open Market do's not take away his Property therein All Receivers of Mony for the King or Accomptants to Him for any Branch of his Revenues are chargeable for the same at all times in their Persons Lands Goods Heirs Executors and Administrators And when any Debtor to the King is disabled to pay him by reason of Debts owing him which he has not been able to recover in such a Case the Kings Debtor being Plaintiff has some Priviledges above others by virtue of a Quo minus in the Exchequer In Doubtfull Cases always there ought to be a particular Regard and favourable Presumption for the King And Judgments against the King's Title are always entred with a Salvo Jure Domini Regis That if at any time the King's Council at Law can make out his Title better that Judgment shall not prejudice Him Which is not so for a Subject The King's Servants in Ordinary are free from Arrest also from all Offices that require their Attendance as Sheriff Constable Church-Warden c. And for reasonable Causes Him thereunto moving He may protect any Man against Suits at Law c. with a Noli Prosequi As to Church Matters the King by Act of Parliament is the Supream Head of the Church as He is of the State and is lookt upon as her Gardian and Nursing Father He is as Constantine the Emperor said of himself an external Bishop of the Church and in some Sense a Priest aswell as a King Therefore at his Coronation He is Anointed with Oyl as the Priests were at first and afterwards the Kings of Israel to intimate that his Person is Sacred and Spiritual and has the Dalmatica and other Priestly Vests put upon Him By virtue of his Prerogative He has Power to call a National or Provincial Synod and to make such Alterations in the Church-Discipline as they shall judge expedient And as He is the Lord Paramount or Supream Landlord of all the Lands in England so He has all over England the Supream
Right of Patronage called Patronage Paramount Insomuch that if the mean Patron or the Ordinary or the Metropolitan present not in due time the Right of Presentation comes at at last to the King As for the Bishopricks the King only has the Patronage of them For none can be chosen Bishop but whom he nominates in his Conge d'Estire and a Bishop Elect cannot be Consecrated or take possession of the Revenues of the Bishoprick without the King 's special Writ or Assent In short as the King is the only Sovereign and Supream Head both in Church and State so there lies no Appeal from Him as from some other States and Kingdoms beyond Sea either to the Pope of Rome or to the Emperor But indeed the greatest and safest of the Kings Prerogatives is as the present King wrote in a late Letter to his Council of Scotland to Rule according to Law and with Moderation The Dispensing Power so much contended for in the late Reign by the Court-Party as a Branch of the Kings Prerogative and as vigorously opposed by some true Patriots is â—ow quite out of Doors by the Act of Settlement which makes it plainly Illegal And as to that divine Prerogative which the Kings of England claimed as a Thing de Jure divino I mean the Curing of the King 's Evil only by the King 's laying his hands on the Sick assisted with a short Form of Divine Service it is now laid aside as a Traditional Errour at least a Doctrine not fit to be trusted â—o So that the French King is at this time the only Monarch that pretends to this Miraculous Priviledge Our Historians derived it here from King Edward the Confessour who lived so holy a Life that as they say he received Power from above Intailed to his Royal Successors for ever to cure this stubborn Disease But now 'c is lookt upon as a Doctrine not so fit for Protestants as bigotted Papists to whom no Miracle is amiss I come now to the King's Power with relation to forein Parts Which I shall describe as near as I can first as Defensive secondly as Offensive In the first Sense England if well united is of all the States in Europe the least subject to an Invasion especially since the Conjunction of Scotland The whole Island is naturally so well senced with the Ocean and when Occasion requires so well garded by those moving Castles the King's Ships of War the strongest and best built in the whole World The Kingdom besides is so abundantly furnished with Men and Horses with Provisions and Ammunition and Mony the Sinews of War that nothing but our intestine Divisions can make us a Prey to the greatest Potentates of Europe tho united together As for the King's Power abroad not only our Neighbours but the most remote Places have sufficiently felt it and this at a time when Scotland and Ireland were usually at enmity with Him 'T is true since the Reign of Qâ— Elizabeth what with our Distractions at home and the Weakness or Effeminacy of some of one Kings England has either been Idle or taken up with Intestine Broils Only in Cromwel's Time we humbled the Hollanders scowred the Algerines kept the French and the Pope in aw and took Jamaica from Spain Our greatest Exploits were upon our own selves when being unhappily involved in Civil Wars for several Years together we destroy'd one another with a fatal Courage Then were computed about two hundred thousand Foot and fifty thousand Horse to be in Arms on both sides which had they been imploy'd abroad might have shaken the greatest part of Europe And here I cannot but with an aking heart apply the Words of Lucan Heu quantum potuit Coeli Pelagique parari Hoc quem Civiles fuderunt Sanguine Dextrae In English thus How much both Sea and Land might have been gained By their dear Bloud which Civil Wars have drained Of so martial Spirit the English are and their fear of Death so little that as Dr. Chamberlain has well observed no Neighbourâ—â—ation scarce durst ever abide Battle with â—hem either by Sea or Land upon equal Terms â—nd now we are ingaged in a just War both with Ireland and France under a Prince of â—o great Conduct and Courage incouraged by â—â—s Parliament assisted and faithfully served by the greatest General now in Europe I cannot but hope well from our Armies both by Seu and Land if our provoked God do not fight against us The next Thing that offers it self to our Consideration is the King of England's Court which for State Greatness and good Order besides the constant Concourse of Nobility and Gentry resorting thither when there is no Jealousy between the King and his People is one of the chief Courts of Europe It is as an Author says a Monarchy within a Monarchy consisting of Ecclesiastical Civil and Military Persons the two last under their proper Government To support the Grandure of this Court and the other Charges of the Crown in time of Peace the Kings of England have always had competent Revenues Which never were raised by any of those sordid Ways used in other Countries but consist chiefly in Domains or Lands belonging to the Crown in Customs and Excise Anciently the very Domains of the Crown and Fee-Farm Rents were so considerable that they were almost sufficient to discharge all the ordinary Expences of the Crown without any Tax or Impost upon the Subject Then there was scarce a County in England but the King had in it a Royal Castle a Forest and a Park to Receive and Divert Him in his Royal Progresses A piece of Grandure which no King else could boast of But upon the Restauration of King Charles the Crown Revenues being found much Impaired and the Crown Charges increasing upon the growing Greatness of our Neighbours the French and Dutch the Parliament settled upon the King a Yearly Revenue of Twelve Hundred Thousand Pounds by several Imposts besides the Domains and other Profits arising to the Crown in Tenths and First-Fruits in Reliefs Fines Amerciaments and Confiscations And the whole Revenue improved to that degree that in the late Reign it was judged to amount to near two Millions Which is a Fair Revenue in Time of Peace In Time of War the Parliament supplies the King according to his Occasions by such Taxes to be raised upon the Nation as they think most convenient CHAP. X. Of the Government of England by Regency Also of the Succession to the Crown THere are three Cases wherein the Kingdom of England is not immediately governed by the King but by a Substitute Regent And those are the Kings Minority Absence or Incapacity The King is by Law under Age when he is under twelve Years old And till he has attained to that Age the Kingdom is governed by a Regent Protector or Gardian appointed either by the King his Predecessor or for want of such Appointment by the Three States assembled in the Name of the Infant
High Admiral of England an Office held by Patent and of so great a Trust that it has usually been given to Princes of the Royal Bloud For the Lord High Admiral is Intrusted with no less than the Management of all Maritime Affairs with the Government of the King's Navy with Power of Decision in all Causes Maritime aswell Civil as Criminal of all Things done upon or beyond the Sea in any Part of the World in all Ports and Havens upon the Sea-Coasts and all Rivers below the first Bridge next towards the Sea In short the Admiralty being in a manner a separate Kingdom from the rest the Lord High Admiral may be reputed at least the Viceroy thereof A Multitude of Officers high and low are under him both at Sea and Land some of a Military others of a Civil Capacity some Judicial others Ministerial And under him is held the High Court of Admiralty the Places and Offices whereof are in his Gift The last High Admiral of England was the late King when Duke of York For since he came to the Crown the Office was executed by Seven Lords Commissioners as it is to this day CHAP. XIII Of Their present Majesties King WILLIAM and Queen MARY With a brief Account of Their Accession to the Crown KING WILLIAM our present Monarch is the only Issue of the late Illustrious Prince William of Nassaw Prince of Orange and of the Deceased Princess Royal Mary eldest Daughter to King Charles I who was wedded to the foresaid Prince in the Year 1641. His Majesty was born in Holland Nov. 4th 1650 ten days after his Fathers Death and was Christened by the Names of William Henry William being his Fathers Name and Henry his Grandfathers The House of Nassaw is an Ancient and most Illustrious Family so called from Nassaw a Town and County in Weteravia a Province of Germany That Branch of it from whence the King is descended had their usual Seat at Dillenburg not far from Nassaw before they settled in the Low-Countries whence for Distinctions sake they were named the Earls of Nassaw of the House of Dillenburg Otho of Nassaw who died Anno 1190 was the Founder of the present Family of the Princes of Orange out of which descended Adolph Earl of Nassaw who was chosen Emperour in the Year 1292. By the Marriage of Engelbert the seventh Earl of this House with Mary Daughter and Heir of Philip Lord of Breda in Brabant that Town and Barony with many other fair Estates in the Netherlands was added to the Family And by the Marriage of Henry the tenth Earl of Nassaw Anno 1515. with Claude of Chalons Sister and Heir of Philibert Prince of Orange this Principality bordering upon Provence and Dauphene within the Dominions of France accrued to the Family So much the worse for having so ill an Neighbour as the present French King who has long since rapaciously seized upon it but left however what he could not take away the King 's just Title to it In short our Gracious King William is the 18th Earl of Nassaw beginning with Otho aforesaid and the 7th Prince of Orange of his Family beginning with Rene of Nassaw Son of Henry and Claude who succeeded Philibert his Uncle in the Principality of Orange A Family as much honoured for the personal Merit of the Princes of it as any other in Europe and to which the States of Holland ow the Liberty and Greatness they injoy All the World knows how great a Patron and Assertor of the Belgick Liberties against the Spaniard was the most noble and generous Prince William of Nassaw one of his Majestieâ— Ancestors And to pass by the generous Exploits of his noble Successors till the present King William 't is well known what his Majestly has done to rescue not only his Native Country but the best Part of Europe from its Oppressors It has been of late Years both at home and abroad the Maxim of some Princes to outvy each other in preying upon and destroying not only their Neighbours but their own Protestant Subjects by all Methods of Perfidiousness and Cruelty To establish or maintain their Tyranny they went about to introduce a general Ignorance For where Subjects part with their Reason 't is easy for them to part with their Liberty witness those miserable Inslaved Countries where Popery domineers On the contrary the House of Orange has always appeared against that ravenous and inhumane Principle And as if Providence had appointed them for a Check to Tyranny God has been pleased accordingly to bless their just Indeavours Never the Liberty of England and the Protestant Interest in general lay more at stake than it did in the late Reign 'T is plain there was a general Design to extirpate Herely in a Popish Sense and to inslave all Europe The Plot was laid in the Reign of blessed King Charles who with a shew of Proteslantism made the Way smooth for Popery At last when all Things were finely prepared to the hand of his next Heir King Charles go's off the Stage and his Brother to play the last Act enters and ascends the Throne No Prince more Courteous more Obliging or more Promising at first than He was to his new Subjects The Church of England Triumphed in his Exaltation and Addressed Him from all Parts of the Kingdom as their Tutelaâ— Angel The People in general look'd upon him as an Incomparable Hero who would quickly make it his Business to pull down the Hector of France and to carry the Glory of England beyond all his Predecessors In short so great were the Hopes of this King that Edward III and Henry V the most glorious Monarchs of England were upon his Account to be hissed out of our English Chronicles No body dreamed of a Popish Catechism to be the first step to this Glory nor of an Army to be raised for the defence of it Under whose shelter besides a secret League with France the Prerogative began presently to swell above its Banks the Laws to be Overwhelmed the Liberty and Property of the Subject Invaded the Church of England Crushed that had raised the King to the Throne Popery crowing over all the Nation and to crown all their Hopes presto a Prince of Wales In short to speak in terms of War the Miner was fix'd and we must either Surrender or be Stormed This was our Condition when the Prince of Orange our present King undertook our Deliverance and effected it under God in a miraculous manner Upon whose Approach our Mass-Hero fled left us to shift for our selves and the Popish Party to the mercy of the Rabble This hapned Dec. 11th 1688 a fatal Year in this and the foregoing Age to Popery iâ— England In that state of Anarchy what could the Nation do less than provide for a Settlement under the gracious Influences of the Prince Which was accordingly done in as regular 〈◊〉 Way as the present state of Affairs would â—ow King James having thus deserted the
Pounds Next to the Consecration of a Bishop follow his Installation by virtue of a Mandate from thâ— Arch-Bishop to the Arch-Deacon of his Prevince This is performed in the Cathedral Church upon any Day between the hours of nine and eleven in the presence of a publick Notary Wheâ— the Bishop elect or his Proxy which is most â—sual is introduced into the Cathedral by thâ— Arch-Deacon or his Proxy There he declaies iâ— the first place his Assent to the King's Supremacy and swears that unless he be otherwise Dispeâ—sed with he will be Resident according to thâ— Custom of that Cathedral and observe the Customs of the said Church and cause others to observe the same Whereupon the Arch-Deacon with the Petty-Canons and Officers of thâ— Church accompany the Bishop up to the Quinâ— and there place him in a Seat prepared for him between the Altar and the right side of the Quine Then the Arch-Deacon pronounces these Wordâ— in Latine Ego Authoritate mihi commissa Induco Inthronizo Reverendum in Christo Patrem Dominâ—â— N. N. Episcopum Dominus custodiat suum Introâ—tum Exitum ex hec nunc in saeculum c. Upon which Te Deum is sung and the Bishop in thâ— mean while conducted from his own Place 〈◊〉 the Dean's Seat where in Token of his takiâ— Possession he stands till Ye Deum and some â—ther Prayers be ended After Prayers the Bishop is conducted inâ— the Chapter-house and there placed on a hiâ— Seat Where the Arch-Deacon together with 〈◊〉 the Prebends and Officers of the Church coâ— before him and acknowledge Canonical Obeâ—ence to him Finally the publick Notary is 〈◊〉 the Arch-Deacon required to make an Insâ—â—ment declaring the whole Matter of Fact iâ— this Affair Afterwards the new Bishop is introduced into be Kings Presence to do his Homage for his â—emporalities or Barony Which he does by â—eeling down before the King sitting in a Chair â—f State by putting his Hands between his Maâ—sties Hands and by taking a Solemn Oath to â—e true and faithful to Him and that he holds is Temporalities of him After this he Compounds for the first Fruits â—f his Bishoprick that is agrees for his first â—ears Profits to be paid to the King within two â—ears or more if the King please When a Bishop is Translated from one Bishopick to another all the Difference there is in the â—ranslation from the manner of making a Biâ—op is that there is no Consecration And â—hen a Bishop is made Archbishop the Diffeâ—â—ce is only in the Commission which is directed 〈◊〉 King to four Bishops or more to Confirm 〈◊〉 Now there is this Difference between an Archishop and a Bishop that whereas a Bishops Caâ—â—ical Authority reaches no further than the â—unds of his Diocese the Archbishops Power â—tends it self over all his Province so that he 〈◊〉 Ordinary to all the Bishops thereof Accorâ—ingly the Bishop Visits only his Diocese but 〈◊〉 Archbishop Visits the whole Province The â—ishop can Convocate only a Diocesan but the â—rehbishop may Convocate a Provincial Synod The Bishop with other Priests does Ordain a â—riest but the Archbishop with other Bishops â—â—es Consecrate a Bishop 'T is Observable that several Bishops of Engâ—nd having large Bishopricks it was provided 〈◊〉 a Statute made in the Reign of Henry VIII â—at they should have a Power to Nominate â—me to the King to be with his Approbation Suffragan or Assistant Bishops in case that anâ— of them desired it for the better Government of his Diocese or easing himself of some part oâ— his Burden The Sees of those Suffragan Bishopâ— were only to be at Dover for the Diocese oâ— Canterbury at Nottingham and Hull for thaâ— of York For the Diocese of London at Coâ—chester of Durham at Berwick of Winchester in the Isle of Wight at Southampton and Guilford For the Diocese of Lincoln at Bedford Leicester Huntington and Grantham of Norwich at Theâ—ford and Ipswich of Salisbury at Shaftsbury Melton and Marlborough of Bath and Wells at Taunton of Hereford at Bridgenorth of Coventry and Lichfield at Shrewsbury of Ely at Cambridge of Exeter at S. Germans of Carlisle at Perith. Now for any one of the foresaid Places appointed for Suffragan Bishops Sees the respective Bishop of the Diocese presented two able Men whereof the King chose one These Suffragan Bishops had the Name Title and Dignity of Bishop and as other Bishops were Consecrated by the Archbishop of the Province They executed each of them such Power Jurisdiction and Authority and received such Profits as were limited in their Commissions by the Bishops or Diocesans whose Suffragans they were In these Bishops absence when they were either residing at Court to advise the King or imployed upon Embassies abroad the Suffragans usually supply'd their Places Whâ—â— in publick Assemblies took place next after the Temporal Peers of the Realm But since the Diocesan Bishops grew less Courtiers and more Residentiary the Suffragan Bishops began to be laid aside so that there have been none for many Years in the Church of England I come now to the Prerogatives Priviledges Bower Revenues and great Deeds of Bishops All the Bishops of England are Barons and Peers of the Realm and sit as such in the House of Lords They are the Spiritual Lords lookt upon as the Fathers or Gardians of the Church and therefore commonly stiled Right Reverend Fathers in God And as 't is usual in England for well-bred Children to ask their Parents Blessing Morning and Evening with one Knee upon the Ground so the true Sons of the Church looking upon the Bishops as their Spiritual Fathers commonly begin their Addresses to them by asking their Blessing in the same respectful manner Besides the Priviledges injoy'd by Bishops as Peers and therefore common with those of the Temporal Lords they have some peculiar Prerogatives and those of a high nature 'T is undeâ—iable that all Jurisdiction in England is inseparably annexed to the Crown And yet the Bishops Courts tho held by the King's Authority are not counted to be properly the King's Courts Therefore the Bishops send forth Writs in their own Names Teste the Bishop and not in the King's Name as all the King's Courts properly so called do And whereas in other Courts there are several Judges to each a Bishop in his Court judges and passes Sentence alone by himself A Bishop besides has this transcendent Priviledge that he may as the King does depute his Authority to another as to a Bishop Suffragan his Chancellour or Commissary Which â—one of the King's Judges can do Bishops in whatsoever Christian State they come their Episcopal Dignity and Degree is acknowledged and may as Bishops confer Orders c. Whereas no Temporal Lord is in Law acknowledged such out of the Prince's Dominions who conferred his Honour The Law of England attributes so much to the Word of a Bishop that not only in the Trial of Bastardy the Bishops Certificate shall suffice but also
the Fee He is free to consent to Marriage and may by Will dispose of Goods and Chattels At the Age of 15 he ought to be Sworn to his Allegiance to the King at 21 he is said to be of full Age. Then he is free to make any Contracts and to pass by Will both Goods and Lands which in other Countries may not be done till the Age of 25 called Annus Consistentiae A Daughter at the Age of 7 Years may consent to Marriage but at 12 she is free to retract or confirm it If she confirms it then the Marriage is good and she may make a Will of Goods and Chattels At 21 she may Contract or Alienate her Lands by Will or otherwise Servants in England are either tied to a certain Number of Years or only by the Year these being free to quit their Service at such a Warning as is agreed upon between the Master or the Mistris and the Servant By those that are tied to a certain Number of Years I mean Apprentices the usual Time for their Apprentiship being 7 Years This is the most Servile Condition in England considering the Lash they ly under together with their long and strict Confinement under Articles And whereas other Servants receive Wages for their Service these commonly do pay a Sum of Mony to their Masters for their Prenticeship The Condition of other Servants is much easier all over England For besides that few undergo the Hardship that Prentices do they may be free at the Years end giving 3 Months Warning and if a Servant do not like one Master he may go to another where perhaps he may find more favour or advantage But before a Person ventures upon such a Servant 't is civil first to get his former Masters Leave and prudential to have from him a testimony of his faithfulness and diligence Now there are so many Degrees of Serâ—ants in England that if some live meanly there are others who live genteely and some of these so splendidly as to keep Servants of their own In great Families where a Person of quality makes a proper Figure and has a sutable Attendance there is a necessary Subordination of Servants so that the Inferiour Servants may be at the beck of their Superiour Officers to answer the several parts of their respective Duties Thus a great Man lives like a Prince and Keeps a Court of his own In general it may be said no Country is more favourable than England to Servants who generally live here with more ease and less Subjection and have larger Salaries than any where else The truth is if we consider the nature of a Servant how by going to Service he devests himself of what is dearest to Mankind his Liberty and Subjects his Will to another who sometimes proves magget-headed cruel or tyrannical I think it but reasonable to have a tender Regard for good Servants For this amongst other Things was that great Man of Spain Cardinal Ximenes so noted in his time who proved so bountiful and so generous a Master to his Servants that History to this day does admire him for it As for stubborn and unruly Servants the Law of England gives Masters and Mistresses Power to correct them and Resistance in a Servant is punished with severe Penalty But for a Servant to Kill his Master or Mistris is so high a Crime that it is counted Petty Treason or a Crime next to High Treason Since Christianity prevailed here England admits of no forein Slaves In forein Plantations indeed the English as other Nations buy and sell Negro's as Slaves But a forein Slave brought over into England is upon Landing ipso facto free from Slavery though not from ordinary Service 'T is true there has been a sort of Tenure here called a Tenure in Villenage and the Tenant Villain who was in effect a Bond-man to the Lord of the Land For the Lord might take Redemption of him to marry his Daughter and to make him free He might put him out of his Lands and Tenements Goods and Chattels at his Will and might beat and chastise but not maim him Now such Villains are out of date though the Law concerning them stands unrepealed to this day Servorum Nativorum says Spelman apud nos sublata est Conditio quas ideo possidebant Terras vel Praedia hodie libere tenent sub antiquae Servitutis Consuetudinibus And Sir Edward Coke out of Fortescue has this Note Impius Crudelis judicandus qui Libertati non favet for which he gives this as the Reason of it Anglia Jura in omni Casu dant favorem Libertati the Laws of England in all Cases stand for Liberty The End of the Second Part. THE THIRD PART OF THE New State OF ENGLAND Under Their MAJESTIES K. William and Q. Mary CONTAINING A Description of the several Courts of Judicature Viz. The highest Court of Parliament Privy Council and all other Courts with a Catalogue of the present Officers in Church and State London Printed in the Year 1691. THE NEW STATE OF ENGLAND PART III. Of the Courts of Judicature CHAP. I. Of the Parliament of England THE High Court of Parliament being the Great Council of England the Supreme Court of Judicature and One of the most August Assemblies the World is the Court that I am to speak in the first place It came to be called Parliament from the French Parlement and this from their Verb Parler to speak or talk together The same is taken in a two-fold Sense First as it includes the Legislative Power of England as when we say an Act of Parliament In which Acceptation it includes the King Lords and Commons each of which have a Negative Voice in making Laws so that without their joynt Consent no Law can by either abrogated or made Secondly in a Vulgar Sense as when we say the King and Parliament or the King has called a Parliament by which is meant the Two Houses viz. the House of Lords and the House of Commons This Court is a Body Corporate consisting according to the first Acceptation of the Word of the Three Estates of the Realm And though the Name Parliament by which it is now called be not probably older than the Conquest by William Duke of Normandy yet 't is made plain by ancient Records and Precedents that the former Kings of England even in the Saxons-time had from time to time great National Councils much of the same nature as our Parliaments In the Saxons Time says Lambard the great Council of the Nation consisted of the King Lords and Commons It is most apparent says Prinn by all the old Precedents before the Conquest that all our ancienâ— Councils were nothing else but Parliaments called by different Names in several Ages till at lasâ— that of Parliament was fixed upon them and that our Kings Nobles Senators Aldermen Wisemen Knights and Commons were usuall present and voted there as Members and Judge The same is averred
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-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