Book of the Exchequer The former was six Years a making by William the Conqueror and is a Cense or compute of all England as it was then viz. all the Lands with the value and Owners and Account of all Cities Towns Villages Families Men Souldiers Husbandmen Bondmen Servants Cattle how much Money Rents Meadow Pasture Woods Tillage Common Marsh Heath every one possessed So that in Disputes about Taxes this determined it without further controversie as the Book of the Great day of Doom will then and therefore so called It is kept under three Locks and not to be lookt into under 6 s. 8 d. And for every Line Transcribed is to be paid 4. d. The Auditor of the Receipts is to File the Bills of The Tellers whereby they charge themselves with all Money Received and to draw all Orders to be Signed by the Lord High Treasurer for Issuing forth all Moneys by Vertue of the Privy Seals which are Recorded and Lodged in his Office He makes all Debentures to the several Persons who have Fees Annuities or Pensions by Letters Patents from the King out of the Exchequer and directs them for payment to the Tellers He receives every Week the state of the Account of each Teller and also Weekly certifies the whole to the Lord High Treasurer who presently presents the Estimate or Ballance to the King He takes the Tellers Account in Gross at Easter and Michaelmas By him are kept the several Registers appointed for paying all Persons in Course upon several Branches of the King's Revenue he is Scriptor Talliorum hath five Clerks to manage the whole Estate of Moneys received disbursed and remaining There are four Tellers who Receive all Moneys due to the King and thereupon throw down a Bill through a Pipe into the Tally-Court where it is received by the Auditors Clerk who there attends to write the words of the said Bill upon a Tally and then delivers the same to be Entred by the Clerk of the Pells or his under Clerk who Enters it in his Book Then the Tally is cloven by the two Deputy Chamberlains who have the Seals and while the Senior Deputy reads one part the Junior Examines the other part with the other two Clerks The Clerk of the Pels Enters every Tellers Bill into a Parchment of Skin in Latin Pellis whence this Office hath its Name all Receipts and Payments for the King for what cause or by whomsoever and is in Nature of a Comptroller hath four Clerks whereof one is for the Introitus and another for the Exitus Moreover he is to make Weekly and half Yearly Books both of the Receipts and Payments which are delivered to the Lord Treasurer He that Pays the King any Moneys receives for his Acquittance a Tally so called from the French Verb Tallier to cut that is one half of a Stick cloven with certain proportionable Notches thereon expressive of the Sum from the said Deputy Chamberlains who keep the other cloven part of the Stick called the Foyl and Delivers it to the Tally-Joyners on the other side of the Exchequer who are also Deputies to the Chamberlains an◠they joyn it with the Foyl which agreeing the◠give it their Test and send it by an Officer of the◠own to the Pipe where their quietus est is Ingrosse◠in Parchment In the Office of the Deputy-Chamberlains Westminster are preserved all the Counterfoyls 〈◊〉 these Tallies so exactly ranged by Months an◠Years that they are to be presently found out t◠be joined with their respective Stock or Tally when required which proving true they deliver it Attested for a Lawful Tally to the Clerk of the Pipe for to be allowed in the great Roll but in Case any Corruption hath been used the same is easily and soon discovered and the Offender severely punished by Fine and Imprisonment This Antient way of striking of Tallies hath been found by long experience to be absolutely the best way that ever was invented for it is Morally impossible so to Falsifie or Counterfeit a Tally but that upon rejoyning it with the Counterfoyl it will be obvious to every Eye either in the Notches or in the Cleaving in the Longitude Latitude Natural growth or shape of the Counterfoyl whereas Acquittances in Writing cannot be so done but that they may be Counterfeited by skilful Penmen and that so exactly as that he who wrote the Original shall not be able to know his own hand from the Counterfeit as hath been frequently seen in all the Courts of Westminster There are two Vshers whose Office it is to secure the Exchequer by Day and Night and all the Avenues leading to the same and to furnish all Necessaries as Books Paper c. There is a Tally-Cutter and four Messengers This Exchequer is the best ordered publick Revenue in the World Court of the Dutchy of Lancaster Before we come to treat of the High Court of Parliament we will give an Account of the Court of the Dutchy of Lancaster kept at Westminster-Hall on the left hand above Stairs which takes Cognizance of all Causes that any way concern the Revenue of that Dutchy which hath been long since Annexed to the Crown The Chief Judge of this Court is the Chancellor of the Dutchy who is assisted by the Attorney of the Dutchy To this Court belong divers other Officers It is kept near the lower Exchequer and at the Office of Sir Gilbert Gerrard at Grays-Inn Of the High Court of PARLIAMENT Sir Richard Baker tell us in his Chronicle that King Henry the I. instituted the Form of the High Court of Parliament and that the first Council of this sort was held at Salisbury on the 19 th of April and the 16 th of his Reign which is 560 and odd Years ago Before the Conquest the great Council of the King consisting only of the Great Men of the Kingdom was called Magnatum Conventus the Convention or Meeting of the Grandees or Great Men or else Prelatorum Procerumque Concilium and by the Saxons in their own Tongue Michel Gemot the great Assembly After the Conquest it was called Parlementum a French word derived of Parler to talk together consisting still only of the great Men of the Nation till the aforesaid King's Reign None but the King hath Authority to Summon a Parliament In the King's absence out of the Realm the Custos Regni in the King's Name doth Summon a Parliament and During the King's Minority within the Realm the Protector Regni doth the same When the King of England is with His Parliament in time of peace He is then said to be in the height of His Royal Dignity as well as when He is at the head of His Army in time of War He can with the concurrence of his Lords and Commons then do any thing in point of Enacting or Repealing Laws Legitimate one that is born Illegitimate Bastardize one that is born Legitimate He can make an Infant of full Age make an Alien or
together six Dishes each Meal The Moveables of this Wardrobe are at length divided into three parts whereof the Yeoman hath one for his own use the Grooms another and the Pages the third In the Office of the Tents Soyls Hayes and Pavilions are two Masters four Yeomen one Groom one Clerk Comptroller and one Clerk of the Tents The Master of the Revels is to order all things concerning Comedies c. there is one Yeoman one Groom Engraver Sculptor one in each Office In the Office of the Robes besides the Master above-mentioned there is one Yeoman three Grooms one Page two Purveyors one Brusher one Taylor one Dyer one Girdler one Clerk one Lace-man one Cutter and Racer two Embroiderers two Silkmen one Shoemaker one Perfumer one Feather-maker one Millener one Mercer one Hosier one Draper one Surveyor c. Falconer with Thirty three Officers under him Master of the Buck-Hounds with a Sergeant and Thirty four persons under him Master of the Otter-Hounds Master of the Harriers and five under him Master of the Ordnance a Lieutenant and Master Armorer with Seventeen Under-Officers Messengers of the Chamber in Ordinary two Clerks of the Check and Forty more in all Forty two Musitians in Ordinary Sixty two Trumpeters and Kittle-Drummers Fifteen Drummers and Fifes Seven Apothecaries Two one for the King's Person and one for the Houshold Chyrurgeoâ—s two Bâ—rbers two Printers three besides one for the Oriental Tongues Bookseller Stationer and Book-binder Silâ—man Woollen-Draper and two Taylors Post-Masters for all the Port-Towns in England all sworn to and paid by the King A Master of the Game of Cock-fighting One Sergeant Skinner who hath the care of His Majesties Furrs Two Embroiderers Two Keepers of the Privy Lodging Two Gentlemen and one Yeoman of the Bows One Cross-Bow-maker One Fletcher One Cormorant-Keeper One Hand-Gun-maker One Master and Marker of Tennis One Mistriss Semstress and one Laundress One Perspective-Maker One Master-Fencer One Haberdasher of Hats One Comb-maker One Sergeant Painter One Painter One Limner One Picture-Drawer One Silver-Smith One Goldsmith One Jeweller One Peruque-maker One Keeper of Pheasants and Turkies Joyner Copier of Pictures Watch-maker Cabinet-maker Lock-Smith of each one Game of Bears and Bulls one Master one Sergeant one Yeoman Two Operators for the Teeth Two Coffer-bearers for the Back-stairs One Yeoman of the Leash Fifty five Watermen Vpholsterer Letter-Carrier Foreign-Post Coffee-maker of each one Ten Officers beionging to Gardens Bowling-Greens Tennis-Court Pall-Mall Keeper of the Theatre at Whitehall Cutler Spurrier Girdler Corn-cutter Button-maker Embosser Enameler of each one Writer Flourisher and Embellisher Scenographer or Designer of Prospects Letter-Founder of each one Comedians Seventeen Men and Eight Women Actors Gunner Gilder Cleanser of Pictures Scene-keeper Coffer-maker Wax-chandler of each one Keeper of Birds and Fowl in St. James's Park one Keeper of the Volery Coffee-club-maker Sergeant-Painter of each one with divers other Officers and Servants under the Lord Chamberlain to serve His Majesty upon occasion Many of which Offices and Places are of good Credit and great Profit and enjoyed by Persons of Quality As to the Officers under the Master of the Horse there are Twelve Querries so called of the French Escayer derived from Escury a Stable Their Office is to attend the King on Hunting or Progress or on any occasion of Riding abroad to help His Majesty up and down from his Horse c. Four of these are called Querries of the Crown-Stable and the others are called Querries of the Hunting-Stable The Fee to each of these is only 20 l. yearly according to the ancient Custom but they have allowance for Diet to each 100 l. yearly besides Lodgings and two Horse-Liveries Next is the chief Avener from Avena Oats whose yearly Fee is 40 l. There is moreover one Clerk of the Stable four Yeomen-Riders four Child-Riders Yeomen of the Stirrup Sergeant-Marshal and Yeomen-Farriers four Groom-Farriers Sergeants of the Carriage three Surveyors a Squire and Yeomen-Sadlers four Yeomen-Granators four Yeomen-Purveyors a Yeoman-Peckman a Yeoman-Bitmaker four Coach-men eight Litter-men a Yeoman of the Close Wagon Sixty four Grooms of the Stable whereof 30 are called Grooms of the Crown Stable and Thirty four of the Hunting and Pad-Stable Twenty six Footmen in their Liveries to run by the King ' s Horse All these Places are in the Gift of the Master of the Horse There is besides these an antient Officer called Clerk of the Market who within the Verge of the King's Houshold is to keep a Standard of all Weights and Measures and to burn all that are false From the Pattern of this Standard all the Weights and Measures of the Kingdom are to be taken There are divers other considerable Officers not Subordinate to the Three Great Officers as the Master of the great Wardrobe Post-Master Master of the Ordinance Warden of the Mint c. Upon the King are also attending in his Court the Lords of the Privy-Council Secretaries of State the Judges the College of Civilians the King's Council at Law the King's Serjeants at Law the Masters of Requests Clerks of the Signet Clerks of the Council Keeper of the Paper-Office or Papers of State c. There is always a Military Force to preserve the King's Person which are His Guards of Horse and Foot The Guards of Horse are in Number 600 Men well Armed and Equipped who are generally Young Gentlemen of considerable Families who are there made fit for Military Commands They are divided into Three Troops viz. The King's Troop distinguished by their Blew Ribbons and Carbine Belts their Red Hooses and Houlster-Caps Embroidered with His Majesties Cypher and Crown The Queens Troops by Green Ribbons Carbine Belts covered with Green Velvet and Gold Lace also Green Hooses and Houster Caps Embroidered with the same Cypher and Crown And the Dukes Troop by Yellow Ribbons and Carbine Belts and Yellow Hooses Embroidered as the others In which Troops are 200 Gentlemen besides Officers Each of these Three Troops is divided into Four Squadrons or Divisions Two of which consisting of one hundred Gentlemen and Commanded by one Principal Commissioned Officer two Brigadiers and two Sub-Brigadiers with two Trumpets mount the Guards one day in six and are Relieved in their turns Their Duty is always by Parties from the Guard to attend the Person of the KING the Queen the Duke and the Dutchess wheresoever they go near home but if out of town they are attended by Detachments out of the said Three Troops Besides this there is a more strict Duty and Attendance Wâ—â—â—ly on the KING's Person on Foot wheresoever He walks from His Rising to His going to Bed by one of the three Captains who always waits immediatly next the KING 's own Person before all others carrying in his hand an Ebony-staff or Truncheon with a Gold head Engraved with His MAJESTIES Cyper and Crown Near him also attends a Principal Commissioned Officer with an Ebony-staff and Silver head who is ready to Relieve the
9 28. Rutland 2 29. Shropshire 12 30. Somersetshire 18 31. Southampton Or Southamptonshire 26 32. Staffordshire 10 33. Suffolk 16 34. Surrey 14 35. Sussex 20 36. Warwickshire 6 37. Westmorland 4 38. Wiltshire 34 39. Worcestershire 9 40. Yorkshire 30 BARONS of the CINQUE-PORTS Port of Hastings 2 Town of Winchelsey 2 Town of Rye 2 Port of new Rumney 2 Port of Hieth 2 Port of Dover 2 Port of Sandwich 2 Port of Seaford 2 WALES 1. Anglesey 1 Bewmaris 1 2. Brecon 1 Town of Brecon 1 3. Cardigan 1 Town of Cardigan 1 4. Carmarthen 1 Town of Carmarthen 1 5. Carnarvan 1 Town of Carnarvan 1 6. Denbigh 1 Town of Denbigh 1 7. Flint 1 Town of Flint 1 8. Glamorgan 1 Town of Cardiff 1 9. Merioneth 1 10. Pembrook 1 Town of Haverford-west 1 Town of Pembrook 1 11. Montgomery 1 Town of Montgomery 1 12. Radnor 1 Town of Radnor 1 The Barons of the Cinque-Ports are at this Day only as Burgesses in Parliament yet they are still called Barons after the antient manner because heretofore they got Renown by their Exploits at Sea in defending the Kingdom in Memory whereof they have yet the priviledge to send Burgesses to bear the Cloth of State over the King's Head on the day of His Coronation and to Dine that Day in the King's presence The Writ or Summons to the Sheriff for Election of Members to Serve in the House of Commons runs to this purpose The KING to the Sheriff c. Greeting WHereas by the Advice and Assent of our Council for certain arduous and urgent Affairs concerning Vs the State and Defence of our Kingdom of England and the Church of England We have Ordamed a certain Parliament of Ours to be held at this Our City of the Day of next Ensuing and there to have Conference and to Treat with the Prelates Great Men and Peers of Our said Kingdom We command and strictly enjoyn you that making Proclamation at Our next County Court after the Receipt of this Our Writ to be holden the day and Place aforesaid you cause two Knights girt with Swords the most fit and discreet of the County aforesaid and of every City of that County two Citizens of every Burrough two Burgesses of the discreetest and most sufficient to be freely and indifferently chosen by them who shall be present at such Proclamation according to the Tenor of the Statutes in that Case made and provided and the Names of the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses so châ—sen to be inserted in certain Indentures to be then made between you and those that shall be present at such Election whether the Parties so Elected be present or absent and shall make them to come at the said Day and Place so that the said Knights for themselves and the County aforesaid and the Citizens and the Burgesses for themselves and the Commonalty of the said Cities and Boroughs may have severally from them full and sufficient Power to do and to consent to those things which then by the Favour of GOD shall happen to be Ordained by the Common Councel of Our said Kingdom concerning the businesses aforesaid so that the business may not by any means remain undone for want of such Power or by reason of the improvident Election of the foresaid Knights Citizens and Burgesses But we will not in any Case that you or any other Sheriff of Our said Kingdom shall be Elected and at the Day and Place aforesaid the said Election being made in a full County Court you shall certify without Delay unto Vs in Our Chancery under your Seal and the Seals of them who shall be present at the Election sending back unto Vs the other part of the Indenture aforesaid affixed to these presents together with the Writ Witness Our Self at c. The King is in the sence of Law the Fountain of Justice He is Lord Chief Justice of England and therefore all the Laws of the Realm are called His Laws for He is Caput principium finis Parliamenti that is the head beginning and end of Parliament and nothing can have the Force of a Law but what has His Royal Assent The highest Court of Judicature in England is the House of Lords in Parliament who are assisted with the most Grave and Eminent Lawyers of England both in Common and Civil Law who are only Ministerial there and have no Voices but to give their Opinions in matters of Law which become doubtful To the Judicature of this Supreme and most Honorable Court all other Courts and Persons that are Subjects of England are accountable for all Crimes not properly Tryable Remediable or Punishable in other inferiours Courts of Justice and to this Court all last Appeals are made from whose Sentence there lies no Appeal but to a succeeding Parliament and this Supreme Judicatory or Judicial Power lies only in the King and House of Lords and at the Bar of this High Court may the House of Commons as the Grand Inquest of the Nation Impeach the Highest Subject of England whether of the Clergy or of the Laity and prosecute them till it come to a Sentence All Members of Parliament both Lords and Commons that they may attend the publick Service of their Country are priviledged with their Menial Servants attending on their Persons together with all their necessary Goods brought along with them from all Attachments and Imprisonments for Debts Trespasses Account or Covenant all the time that they are on the way to the Place of Parliament all the time that they tarry there and return Eundo Morando ad propria redeundo but not from Arrests for Treason Felony or breach of the Peace The place of Meeting for this High and Honorable Assembly is in whatsoever City Town or House the King pleaseth but most usually at Westminster All the Lords Sit in a fair Room by themselves and the Commons not far from them in another Fair Room heretofore the antient Free Chappel of St. Stephen The King as oft as he comes which is usually at the opening of Parliaments passing of Bills or Solemn Debates is placed at the upper end of the Room in a Chair of State under a Cloth of State under which on either hand sit none but the King's Children On the King 's right hand is a Seat for the Prince of Wales on His left hand is a Seat for the Duke of York On the King 's right hand next the Wall are placed on a Form the two Archbishops next below on another Form the Bishops of London Durham and Winchester Upon other Forms on the same side the rest of the Bishops sit according to the Priority of their Consecration On the King 's left hand upon Forms are placed the Lord Chancellor Treasurer President of the King's Council the Lord Privy Seal if they are Barons above all Dukes except those of the Royal Family if they are not Barons then they Sit uppermost on the Wool-sacks On the same side Sit
the Dukes Marquesses and Earls according to their Creations Upon the first Form across the House below the Woolsacks sit the Viscounts and upon the next Forms the Barons all in Order The Lord Chancellor or Keeper if the King be present stands behind the Cloth of Estate otherwise sits on the first Woolsack thwart the Chair of State his Great Seal and Mace by him he is Lord Speaker of the Lords House Upon other Woolsacks sit the Judges the Privy Counsellors and Secretaris of State the King's Council at Law the Masters of Chancery who being not Barons have no suffrage by Voâ—ce in Parliament but only sit as was said to give Advice when required The Reason of their sitting upon Woolsacks is thought to be to put them in mind of the Great Importance of our Woollen Manufactories which is the Grand Staple Commodity of England and so not to be by any means neglected On the Lowermost Woolsack are placed the Clerk of the Crown and Clerk of the Parliament whereof the former is concern'd in all Writs of Parliament and Pardons in Parliament The other Recordeth all things done in Parliament and keepeth the Records of the same This Clerk hath also two Clerks under him who kneel behind the same Woolsack and write thereon Without the Bar of the Lords House sits the King 's first Gentleman Usher called the Black-Rod from a Black-staff he carries in his hand under whom is a Yeoman Usher that waits at the Door within a Cryer without and a Serjeant at Mace always attending the Lord Chancellor When the King is present with His Crown on his Head none of the Lords are covered The Judges stand till the King gives them leave to sit When the King is absent the Lords at their entrance do Reverence to the Chair of State as is or should be done by all that enter into the King's Presence Chamber The Judges then may sit but may not be covered till the Chancellor or Keeper signifies unto them the leave of the Lords The King's Council and Masters of Chancery sit also but may not be covered at all The Commons in their House sit Promiscuously only the Speaker hath a Chair placed in the middle and the Clerk of that House near him at the Table They never had any Robes as the Lords ever had but wear every one what he fancyeth most The time of Sitting in Parliament is on any day in the Morning or before Dinner When the day prefixt by the King in His Writs of Summons is come the KING usually in his Royal Robes with His Crown on His Head declares the cause of their being Assembled in a short Speech leaving the rest to the Lord Chancellor who then stands behind His MAJESTY the Commons in the mean time standing bare at the Bar of the Lords House who are Commanded to chuse then a Speaker which without the KING's Command they may not do whereupon they Return to their own House and choose one of their own Members whom they present on another Day to the KING and being approved of by His MAJESTY sitting in His Chair and all the Lords in their Scarlet Robes he makes a modest refusal which not allowed he Petitioneth His Majesty That the Commons may have during their Sitting 1. A free Access to His Majesty 2. A freedom of Speech in their own House 3. Freedom from Arrests Which the King Grants Before they enter upon Affairs all the Members of the House of Commons take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy in the presence of an Officer appointed by the KING And since the Papists have been found by the Wisdom of the KING and Parliament to be Plotting and Contriving to introduce the pretended Supremacy of their Pope and inslave the Nation to their Tyrannical Anti-spiritual Jurisdiction by Horrid Projections Plots Intrigues c. to prevent any such from Voting in either House it was thought meet though no Oaths can bind such who profess the Impious Doctrine of Equivocation that all are to declare their Opinion against the Doctrines of Transubstantiation Invocation and Adoration of Saints the Sacrifice of the Mass which Test the Lords also are Obliged to take in their House before they can Sit and Debate upon any Affair The Lords House hath a power not only in Making and Repealing Laws but also in tractando Consilium impendendo that is in Treating and Counselling c. as the words of the Writ are also in Judging of Controversies Judging in the Arraignment of any Peer of the Realm putting Men to their Oaths especially in matters of Importance as the Corruption of Judges and Magistrates in Illegal proceeding in other Courts in Appeals from Decrees in Chancery No Papist is to Sit or have Suffrage in the Lords House The Lords in case of necessary or unavoidable absence may make their Proxies to Vote in their place after License obtained under the KING's Signet The Commons as was said have a power in Making and Repealing Laws they have a Negative Voice as the KING and Lords have for nothing can pass into a Law without the joint concurrence of the King and both Houses Bills for Levying of Mony upon the Subject begin in the House of Commons because the greater part of the same arises from them The Commons have a power to Supplicate and propose Laws and as before to Impeach publick Delinquents of the Highest Quality that are Subjects for they are the Grand Inquest of the Nation and are to present Publick Grievances to be Redressed and Delinquents to be punished To this end the Lords sit in their Robes on the Bench covered they Swear and Examine Witnesses and at last pass Sentence the Members of the House of Commons stand bare at the Bar of the Lords House produce Witnesses manage Evidences c. Though every Member of the House of Commons is chosen to Serve for one particular County City or Borough yet he Serves for the whole Kingdom and his Voice is equal to any other his power is absolute to consent or dissent They are to make it their special care to promote the good of that County City or Borough for which they Serve so as that no particular benefit may interfere with or be prejudicial to the Good of the whole Kingdom The Lords are to bear their own Charges because they Represent only themselves The Commons usually had their Reasonable expences In the 17 of Ed. II. they had Ten Groats for Knights and Five Groats for Burgesses a day and not long after Four s. a day for Dubbed Knights and Two s. for all others which in those days as appears by the Prices of all things was a considerable Sum above Twenty times more than it is now So that some decayed Boroughs finding the expence heavy Petitioned that they might not be obliged to send Burgesses to Parliament and so were Vnburgessed c. It is the Practice of each House to debate all publick Affairs relating to the general or
particular Welfare of the Kingdom or Subject And every Parliament may get a Bill drawn and give it to the Speaker or Clerk of the Parliament to be presented in convenient time Whatsoever is proposed for a Law is first put in Writing and called a Bill which being read in a full Assembly it is either unanimously rejected or else allowed to be Debated and then it is Committed to a certain Number of the House presently Nominated and called a Committee After it hath been Amended and twice Read two several Days in the House it is Ingrossed that is Written Fair in a Parchment and Read the Third time another day and then if in the Lords House the Chancellor or if in the House of Commons the Speaker demands if they will have it put to the question whether a Law or no Law If the Major part be for it there is Written on the Bill by the Clerk of the Lords House Soit baille aux Seigneurs or of the House of Commons Soit baille aux Communes retaining the Antient Custom which was to speak in French When the Speaker finds divers Bills prepared to be put to the Question he gives Notice the day beâ— before that to morrow he intends to put such Bills to the passing or third Reading and desires the special attendance of all the Members If a Bill be rejected it cannot be any more proposed during that Session All Bills sent by the Commons to the Lords House are usually attended to shew their respect with several of their Members and as they come up to the Lords Bar the Member that 's to present the Bill maketh three profound Reverences and delivers it to the Lord Chancellor who comes down to the Bar to receive it A Bill sent by the Lords to the Commons is usually by some of the Masters of Chancery or some other whose seat is on the Wool-sacks and by none of the Members who coming up to the Speaker bow thrice and deliver it to him after one of them hath read the Title and desired it might be taken into Consideration If it pass that House then is Written on it Les Communes ont assentez When any Member of the House of Commons speaks to a Bill he stands up uncovered and directs his Speech only to the Speaker then if what he Delivers be confuted by another yet he is not allowed to Answer again the same day lest the whole time should be spent in a Dispute between two talkative persons Also if a Bill be debating in the House no man may speak to it in one day above once If any one speak words of offence which the House takes cognizance of as such he is called to the Bar and sometimes sent to the Tower The Speaker is not allowed to persuade or dissuade in passing of a Bill but only to make a short and plain Narrative nor to Vote except the House be equally Divided In Committees though of the whole House it is allowed to Speak and Reply as often as they please In the House of Lords they give their Suffrages or Votes beginning at the lowest Baron and so to the highest Peer in order every one Answering apart Content or Not content In the House of Commons they Vote by Yea's and No's and if it be doubtful which is the greater Number then the Yea's are to go forth and the No's sit still because these are content with their present condition without any addition or alteration of Laws as the other desire and then some are appointed to Number them But at a Committee though it be of the whole House as it is sometimes the Yea's go on one side and the No's on the other whereby they may be discerned If a Bill pass in one House and being sent to the other House they of the other House Demur upon it then a Conference is demanded in the Painted Chamber where certain deputed Members of each House Meet the Lords sitting covered at a Table and the Commons standing bare the business is then debated If they agree not it is Nulled if they do agree it Passes When Bills have past both Houses they are presented to his Majesty for his Royal assent who comes in his Robes with the Crown on his Head and being Seated in his Chair of State the Lords being all in their Robes the Clerk of the Crown reads the Tiâ—tle of each Bill and as he reads the Clerk of the Parliament according to his Instructions from the King who before hath maturely considered each Bill pronounceth the Royal assent If it be a Publick Bill the Answer is Le Roy le veut and then that Bill becomes a Law If a Private Bill the Answer is Soit fait comms el est desire If it be a Pubblick Bill which the King likes not then the Answer is Le Roy s'avisera which is taken for an absolute Denial in a more Civil way and that Bill wholly nulled So that nothing but what the King confirms by his Royal Assent hath the force of a Law The King can by Commission granted to some of His Nobles give His Royal Assent to any Bill that requires haste If it be a Bill for Monies given to His Majesty then the Answer is Le Roy remercie ses Loyaux Sujets accepte leur Benevolence aussi le veut which is an ancient Ceremony of Thanking the Subjects for parting with their Money The Bill for the King 's General Pardon hath but one Reading in either House because they must take it as the King will please to give it so the Bill of Subsidies granted by the Clergy Assembled in Convocation for the same Reason When the Bill for the General Pardon is passed by the King the Answer is thus Les Prelates Seigneurs Communes en ce Parliament Assemblez au nom de tous vos autre Sujects remercient tres humblement votre Majeste prient Dieu vous donner en sante bonne vie Congue All Acts of Parliament before the Reign of Henry 7. were Passed and Enrolled in French now in English The stile runs thus Be it Enacted by the King 's most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons c. When it pleases the King the Parliament is Adjourned Prorogued or Dissolved thus Adjournments are usually made in the Lords House by the Lord Chancellor in the King's name to what other day and place the King pleases and then all things already Debated and Read in one or both Houses may be resumed because they continue in the same State they were in before to the next Meeting When the Parliament is Prorogued there is a Session and then all Bills and Debates must begin anew at the re-assembling of the Parliament The Speaker of the House of Commons upon notice given that it is the King's pleasure that that House shall also Adjourn doth say with the Assent of the House This House is Adjourned
sense of Honour in persons of Birth and Fortune engages them to preserve their Reputation These Colleges are called Inns which was the old English Word for the Houses of Noblemen or Bishops or men of great Note as the French word Hostel at Paris There are Two Inns of Sergeants Four Inns of Courts and Eight Inns of Chancery of which there are Nine within the Liberty of the City and five in the Suburbs Those within the City Liberties are Sergeants Inn Fleetstreet Sergeants Inn Chancery-lane For Judges and Sergeants only The Inner The Middle Temple in Fleet-street are Inns of Court Cliffords Inn Fleetstreet Thavies Inn Furnivals Inn Bernards Inn Staple Inn Holborn Are Inns of Chancery Without the Liberties are Grays Inn Holborn Lincolns Inn Chancery-lane Inns of Court Clements Inn New Inn Lyons Inn Inns of Chancery Of these we shall briefly speak in this Oâ—deras 1. The Sergeants Inns are so called because Divers Judges and Serjeants at Law keep their Commons and Lodge there in Term-time In these Inns or Colleges the Students of the Common-Law when they are arrived to the highest Degree have Lodging and Dyet They are called Servientes ad legem Sergeants at Law These are bred two or three years in the University and there chiefly versed in Logick and Rhetorick which are expedient for a Lawyer as also in the Theory of the Civil-Law and some knowledge in the French Tongue as well as Latine then the Student is admitted to be one of the Four Inns of Court where he is first called a Moot-man and after about seven years Study is chosen an Vtter Barrister and having then spent twelve years more and performed his Exercises of which more hereafter he is chosen a Bencher and sometime after a Reader During the Reading which heretofore was three Weeks and three Days as afore-mentioned the Reader keeps a Constant and sumptuous Feasting Inviting the Chief Nobles Judges Bishops Great Officers of the Kingdom and sometimes the King himself that it costs them sometimes 800 l. or 1000 l. Afterwards he wears a long Robe different from other Barristers and is then in a capacity to be made a Sergeant at Law when his Majesty shall be pleased to call him which is in this Manner When the Number of Sergeants is small the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas by the advice and consent of the other Judges makes choice of six or eight more or less of the most grave and learned of the Inns of Court and presents their Names to the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper who sends by the Kings Writ to each of them to appear on such a Day before the King to receive the State and Degree of a Serjeant at Law at the appointed time they being habited in Robes of two Colours viz. Brown and Blew come accompanied with the Students of the Inns of Courts and attended by a Train of Servants and Retainers in peculiar Cloath-Liveries to Westminster-Hall and there in publick take a Solemn Oath and are Cloathed with certain Robes and Coifs without which they may be seen no more in publick After this they Feast the great Persons of the Nation in a very Magnificent and Princely manner give Gold Rings to the Princes of the Royal Family the Archbishops Chancellor and Treasurer to the value of 40 s. each Ring and to Earls and Bishops Rings of 20 s. To other Great Officers to Barons c. Rings of less value Out of these are chosen all the Judges of the King's Bench and Common-Pleas Wherefore all those Judges do always wear the white Linnen Coif which is the principal Badge of a Sergeant and which he has had the priviledge to wear at all times even in the King's presence and whilst he spake to the King though antiently no Subject may be so much as capped in the King's presence When any of the Judges are wanting the King by advice of the Council makes choice of one of those Sergeants at Law to supply his place and by Letters Patents Sealed by the Lord Chancellor who Constitutes him sitting in the middle of the rest of the Judges by a set Speech Declaring to the Serjeant that upon this occasion he is called to do Justice with Expedition and Impartiality to His Majesties Subjects causing the Letters Patents to be read and then Departs after which the Lord Chief Justice places the said Sergeant on the Bench Junior to all the rest and having taken an Oath well and truly to Serve the King and his People in his Office to take no Bribâ— to do equal and speedy Justice to all c. He sets himself to the Execution of his Charge Being thus advanced he hath great honour and a considerable Salary besides perquisites for each one hath 1000 l. a year from the King His habit of a Sergeant is somewhat altered his long Robe and Cap his Hood and Coif are the same but there is besides a Cloak put over him and closed on his Right Shoulder and instead of a Caputium lined with Minever or de minuto vario divers small pieces of white rich Fur only the two Lord Chief-Justices and the Lord Chief-Baron have their Hoods Sleeves and Collars turned up with Ermine ☞ Note that the two Sergeants Inns belong to the twelve Judges and about twenty-six Sergeants The Fees in old times from a Client to a Sergeant at Law for advice in his Chamber or for pleading in any Court of Judicature was but 20 s. and the Fee of a Barrister 10 s. which is now more then is given in our Neighbour Nations but at present it is usual to give some some Sergeants 10 l. and some 20 l. and to a Barrister half as much at the pleading of any Considerable Cause so that some Lawyers gain 3000 or 4000 l. yearly in Fees and purchase great Estates in a few years and are sometimes advanced to be Peers of the Realm as late times especially have shewn When there was a call of Serjeants at Law it was almost incredible to hear of their preparations in old times they have often kept their Feasts in Ely House which was the Bishop of Ely's Palace in Holborn There was a call of Seven Sergeants in the year 1464. 4. E. 4. in Michaelmas Term who kept their Feast in this Palace to which Sir Matthew Philip Lord Mayor of London with the Aldermen Sheriffs and the most eminent Commoners were invited to which they came but the Lord Gray of Ruthen then Lord Treasurer of England was placed against the minds of the Serjeants as they said before the Lord Mayor who thereupon took such Distaste that he went away with the Aldermen Sheriffs and Commons without partaking of the Feast to the great trouble of the New Sergeants as well as the dissatisfaction of the City There was another Feast kept there for Five days by the Sergeants in the Year 1531. 23 Henry VIII where the King Queen and Foreign Ambassadors Dined as also the Lord Mayor the
and Children with the Arms belonging unto them Upon the story of 1588 were these Verses Star-gazing Wizards sate upon this year Matter of wonder and did threaten fear Towards us insomuch that Rome and Spain This Land accounted their assured gain But mark how God did quite their hepes confound Both ships and men we did see flee and drown'd Queen Elizabeth's Monument Marvel not why we do erect this Shrine Since Dedicated in to Worth Divine Religion Arts with Policy and Arms Did all concur in Her most Happy Reign To keep God's Church and us from Plotted Harms Contriv'd by Romish Wits and force of Spain The Powder-Plot 1605. When Force could not prevail nor Plots abroad Could have Success Sin now invents new Fraud Guy Faux is sent Ambassador to Styx And thence returning furnisheth with Tricks His damned Crew who forthwith all conclude To blow up King the State and Multitude The Great Plague 1625. The Story 's past God's blessings to the State Do clearly shew but sure we were Ingrate For now behold instead of sweet protection Thousands are swept away by foul Infection But mark God's mercy in midst of greatest crys He sheath'd his Sword and wip't tears from our eys The Founder's Figure with their Wife Children and Arms. These Ensigns which you see and Monument Are not so much to represent The Founder's Person as his zealous care T' express God's Love and Mercies rare To this his Vineyard for to that sole end Did he these Stories thus commend To After-Ages that in their Distress They might God's Goodness still express LXXX In the main Body of Cheap-Ward stands the Parish-Church called St. Mildred Poultrey The Founder is not to be read in any credible Record but it appears by certain ancient Evidences of the said Church that from the beginning it had not so much spare ground about it as to make a Church-yard of until Anno 1420. And the 8 of H. 5. Thomas Morstead Esq and Chyrurgeon to the Kings H. 4. H. 5. H. 6. and afterwards Anno 1436. was Sheriff and Alderman of London gave unto the Church a parcel of Ground lying between his dwelling House and the said Church adjoining to it towards the North to make a Burying place of containing from the course of Walbrook towards the West 45 Foot and in Breadth from the Church towards the North 35 Foot Besides other Monuments here was one for Queen Elizabeth with several Copies of Verses some of which are before recited for there were Monuments for Her in several Churches and She well deserved it as being a most Heroick Princess that check'd the Plots and Incroachments of the Pope and his Adherents and is therefore to be perpetuated to Posterity and therefore what we have not elsewhere met with shall be inserted On the top of the Monument were these Lines If Prayers or Tears of Subjects had prevail'd To save a Princess through the World esteem'd Then Atropos in Cutting here had fail'd And had not cut her thrâ—ad but been redeem'd But pale fac'd Death and cruel Churlish Fate To Prince and People brings the latest Date Yet spight of Death and Fate fame will display Her Gracious Vertues through the World for aye Under Her were these Verses Th' Admired Empress through the World applauded For Supream Vertues Rarest imitation Whose Scepters Rule Fames loud voto'd Trumpet lauded Vnto the Ears of every Foreign Nation Canopied under powerful Angels Wings To her Immortal Praise sweet Science sings LXXXI The Parish-Church of St. Nicholas-Acons in Lumbard-street in Langborn-Ward was Repaired and Imbattled by Sir John Bridges Draper and Lord Mayor Anno 1520 who was buried there It was afterwards Repaired and Beautified at the Charge of the Parish Anno 1615. There was the Monument of John Hall Master of the Worshipful Company of Drapers who dyed the Nineteenth of November 1618. Aged Ninety three Years and Fifty eight Years a House keeper in that Parish and had Twenty seven Children all born there LXXXII Towards the West-end of Knight-Riders-street in Queen-Hith-Ward is the Parish-Church called St. Nicholas Cole-Abbey formerly Cold-Abbey which was an Antient and proper Church In the Twenty sixth of Edward the III. Thomas Frere Fishmonger gave a piece of Ground to the said Parish-Church of St. Nicholas containing Eighty Six Foot in Length Forty three Foot at one end and Thirty four at another in Breadth for a Burying place or Church-Yard It was Repaired and Beautified at the cost of the Parish Anno 1630. LXXXIII On the West-end of Bread-street-Hill also in Queen-Hith-Ward is the Parish-Church called St. Nicholas Olave wherein were divers Monuments Thomas Lewen Ironmonger Alderman and one of the Sheriffs 1537 gave his Messuage with Fourteen Tenements in the said Parish to the Ironmongers and they to give Stipends to Alms-Men in Five Houses built in the Church-Yard of that Parish His Monument with Agnes his Wife was Revived and Beautified at the Charge of the Right Worshipful Company of Ironmongers Anno 1623. LXXXIV At the North-west corner of Sydon-Lane in Tower-street-Ward is the handsom Parish-Church called St. Olave Hartstreet in which were many Monuments It was Repaired and Richly Beautified at the Parish Charges in the Years 1632 and 1633 at the cost of above Four hundred thirty seven pound LXXXV In the Street called the Old Jewry in Coleman-street-Ward is the Parish-Church called St. Olave Jewry in old Records called St. Olave Vpwell in which were several Monnments LXXXVI At the North-end of Noble-street in Alders-gate-Ward is the Parish-Church called St. Olave Silver-street It was New built in the Year 1609 and inlarged in Breadth above seven Foot and Anno 1619 Repaired and Beautified and inriched with a Fair Gallery Anno 1632. LXXXVII In Needlers-lane in Cheap-Ward is the Parish-Church called St. Pancras Soper-lane Here was a fair Monument of James Huâ—sh Citizen and Grocer of London who by two Wives had twenty nine Children he dyed the twentieth of August 1590. he was a good Man and Charitable upon his Tomb was an Elegant Latin Epitaph Mr. Thomas Chapman in the Year 1617 gave a very fair and costly Table bearing the Figure of the Monument of the Renowned QVEEN ELIZABETH LXXXVIII At the South-West corner of Wood-street in Farringdon-Ward within is the handsom Parish-Church called St. Peter-Cheap In which are but few Monuments Sir John Shaw Goldsmith and Lord Mayor deceased 1503 appointed by his Testament the said Church and Steeple to be New built at his cost with a flat Roof Yet Thomas Wood Goldsmith of the Sheriffs 1491 iâ— accounted a Principal Benefactor because the Rooâ— of the middle Ile was supported by Images of Wood-Men It was Repaired and Beautified at the charge of the Parish in the Years 1616 and 1617 which came to 314 l. LXXXIX The Parish-Church of St. Peters in Cornhil is an antient building there is in that Church a Table fast chained wherein it is said thâ— Anno 179 King Lucius founded this Church anâ— made it an Archbishops See
Edifices yet there is not in Christendom a Court more convenient and meet for Royal Accommodation nor more Richly Furnisht But for the Readers more distinct information we will give him a Brief account of our King 's Court under two heads Viz. 1. It s Government both Ecclesiastical Civil and Military 2. It s Hospitality and plentiful Tables 1. It s Government c. The Dean of the Kings Chappel is usually some Grave and Learned Prelate chosen by the King who only is his Superiour his Chappel being exempt from all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction being called Capella Dominica the Demean Chappel in no Diocess but is a Regal Peculiar Exempt and Reserved to the Visitation and immediate Government of the King who is Supream Ordinary and as it were Prime Bishop over all the Churches and Bishops of England By the Dean are chosen all other Officers of the Chappel viz. A Sub-Dean or Praecentor Capellae Thirty two Gentlemen of the Chappel whereof twelve are Priests the other twenty commonly called Clerks of the Chappel are to perform with the said Priests the Office of Praying Singing c. One of these being well skill'd in Musick is chosen Master of the Children whereof are twelve in Ordinary to instruct them in the Rules and Art of Musick for the service of the Chappel three others are chosen to be Organists to whom is joyned upon Solemn Days a Consort of the King's Musick to make the Musick more full and compleat There are four Officers called Vergers because they carry Silver Rods in their hands viz. a Sergeant two Yeomen and a Groom of the Chappel Common Prayers are Read there three times a day The King has his private Oratory where some of his Chaplains in Ordinary perform the Office every day of the Week Upon twelve high and Principal Festivals in the Year the King after the Service is over attended with the Principal Nobility offers a Sum of Gold to God in signum specialis Domini that by his Grace he is King and holds all of Him which belongs to the Dean to be distributed amongst the Poor This Gold offered is called the Bizantine which anciently was a Piece of Gold Coyned by the Emperours of Constantinople in Latin Bizantium That which was used by King James was a piece of Gold having on the one side the Pourtrait of the King kneeling before an Altar with four Crowns before Him and this Motto circumscribed Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi On the other side was a Lamb lying by a Lyon with this Motto viz. Cor Contutum humiliatum non despiciet Deus The King hath besides His Extraordinary which are many Fourty Eight Chaplains in Ordinary who are Eminent Doctors in Divinity whereof Four every Month wait at Court to Preach The Lord High Almoner is usually the Bishop of London who disposeth of the Kings Alms and for that use receiveth besides other Moneys allowed by the King all Deodands and bona felonum de se to be that way disposed Under the Lord High Almoner there is a Sub-Almoner two Yeomen and two Grooms of the Almonry Then there is the Clerk of the Closet usually some Reverend Divine much esteemed by His Majesty who attends at his Right hand in Service time to Resolve Doubts about Spiritual matters to wait upon His Majesty in His private Oratory or Closet The Dean of the Chappel's Fee is 200 l. Yearly And the Sub-Deans one hundred pound The Clerk of the Closet's Fee is twenty Nobles per annum The Chief Officer of Civil Government in His Majesties Court is the Lord Steward To whom the State of the Kings-House is committed to be Ruled and Guided by his Discretion whose Commands in Court are to be obey'd whose Power State and Dignity is very great He hath Authority over all Officers and Servants of His Majesties Court except those of His Majesties Chappel Chamber and Stable c. He may by his Office without any Commission Judge of all Discords as Treasons Murders Felonies Bloodsheds committed within the Court or the Verge thereof which is every way within Twelve Miles of the Chief Funnel of the Court only London by Charter is exempted because where the King is Justice ought to be immediatly sought of the King 's own Officers So that the Jurisdiction of the Verge hath been from very Antient times Executed by the Lord Steward with great Ceremony in the Ntaure of a peculiar King 's Bench and that not only within but without the Kings Dominions The Lord Steward is a White-staff-Officer for he in the King's presence carrieth a White-staff and at other times going abroad it is carried by a Footman bare-headed Which White-staff is taken for a Commission When the King Dies he breaketh his Staff over the Herse made for the King's Body and thereby discharges all the Officers whom the succeeding Kings usually establish in their former Offices His Fee is 100 l. yearly and 16 Dishes of Meat daily besides Wine Beer c. The next Officer is the Lord Chamberlain who hath the Over-sight of all Officers belonging to the King's Chamber except the Precincts of the King's Bed-Chamber which is wholly under the Groom of the Stole and all above Stairs who are all sworn by him or his Warrant to the Gentlemen Ushers to the King He hath also the Over-sight of the Officers of the Wardrobe at all His Majesties Houses and of the Removing Wardrobes or of Beds of the Tents Revels Musick Comedians Hanting and of the Messengers of the Trumpeters Drummers of all Handicrafts and Artizans retained in the King's Services He hath also the Over-sight of the Heralds and Pursuivants and Sergeants at Arms of all Physicians Apothecaries Chyrurgeons Barbers Chaplains though himself be a Lay-man Also of the Charges of Coronations Marriages Entries Cavalcades Funerals c. His Fee is 100 l. yearly and 16 Dishes each Meal with the Appurtenances The third great Officer is the Master of the Horse anciently called Comes Stabuli or Constable who hath the ordering and disposal of all the King's Stables and Races or Breed of Horses He hath also power over the Escuries and Pages Footmen Grooms Riders of the Great Horses Farriers Smiths Coachmen Sadlers and all other Trades working to the King's Stables to all whom he or by his Warrant the Avener giveth an Oath to be true and faithful He hath the Charges of all Lands and Revenues appointed for the King's Breed of Horses and for Charges of the Stable and for Litters Coaches Sumpter-Horses c. At any Solemn Cavalcade he Rides next behind the King and leads a Leer Horse of State His annual Fee is 666 l. 16 s. 4 d. and a Table of 16 Dishes each Meal The Accompt of the Stables for Horse-meat Livery Wages and Board-Wages are brought by the Avener being chief Clerk of the Avery to be passed and allowed by the Green-Cloth Under these Principal Officers are almost all the other Officers and Servants as under
the Lord Steirard in the Compting-house is the Treasurer of the Houshold the Comptroller the Cofferer the Master of the Houshold the two Clerks of the Green Cloth the two Clerks Comptrollers one Sergeâ—nt two Yeomen the Cofferers Clerks or Clerks of the Assignments the Groom two Messengers The Compting-house is so called because the Accompts for all Expences of the King's Houshold are theâ—e daily taken by the Lord-Steward the Treasurer Comptroller the Cofferer the Master of the Houshold the two Clerks of the Green Cloth and the two Clerks Comptrollers who also there make Provisions for the Houshold according to the Law of the Land and make Payments and Orders for the Well-governing of the Servants of the Houshold In the Compting-house is the Green-Cloth which is a Court of Justice continually sitting in the King's House composed of the Persons last mentioned whereof the three first are usually of the King 's Privy Council To this Court being the first and most ancient Court of England is committed the charge and over-sight of the King's Court Royal for matters of Justice and Government with Authority for maintaining the Peace within 12 Miles distance wheresoever the Court shall be and within the King's House the power of correcting all the Servants therein that shall any way offend It is called the Green-Cloth of a Green-Cloth whereat they 〈◊〉 over whom are the Arms of the Compting-house bearing Vert a Key or and a Staff Argent Saultier signifying their power to Reward and Correct as Persons for their great Wisdom and Experience thought fit by His Majesty to exercise both these Functions in His Royal House The Treasurer of the King's House is always of the Privy Council and in absence of the Lord Steward hath power with the Comptroller and Steward of the Marshalsea to hear and determine Treasons Felonies and other Crimes committed within the King's Palace and that by Verdict of the King's Houshold If any Servants within the Check-Roll be found Guilty of Felony they are to have no Benefit of Clergy allowed them The Comptrollers Office is to Controul the Accompts and Reckonings of the Green-Cloth His Fee is Annually 107 l. 12 s. 4 d. A Table of 16 Dishes each Meal He bears a White Staff c. The Cofferer is a principal Officer and hath especial Charge and Over-sight of other Officers of the House for their good Demeanor and Carriage in their Offices and is to pay the Wages of the King's Servants above and below Stairs And for Provisions by the Direction and Allowance of the Green-Cloth His Annual Fee is 100 l. and a Table of seven Dishes each day The Office of the Master of the Houshold is to survey the Accompts of the House His Fee is 100 Marks and seven Dishes daily All Bills of Comptrolment Parcels and Brievements are lotted and allowed by the Clerks Comptrollers and summed up by the Clerks of the Green-Cloth ☞ Note That though the King pays still the ancient Fees which at first were above ten times the value they are now yet the Perquisites in many Oâ—fices make sometimes a place of 10 l. Fee to be worth near 500 l. per Annum ☞ Note also That in each Office there is a Succession from one to another the inferior Degree still coming into the place of the next above if he dyes as one of the Children may come to be Groom then Yeoman then Gentleman then Sergeant c. as he happens to out-live them above him The Chief Clerk waits upon and appoints the Kings Queens and Houshold Dyets every third Month waits upon all Foreign Princes Strangers and Ambassadors when His Majesty gives them Entertainment He keeps all the Records Leger-Books and Papers relating to that Office makes up all Bills Parcels and Debentures for Board-Wages and Provisions and Necessaries issuing from the Offices of the Pantery Buttery and Cellar Keeps Accompt of and makes up the Remains with several other Duties which oblige him to constant Waiting He appoints Scowrers Turn-Brochers and Porters in his turn with the Master Cook in the several Kitchens and hath a Fee equal to an Officer of the Green-Cloth and Diet of seven Dishes each Meal The second and third Clerks wait upon the Diet as abovesaid each of them one month in three and attend the King and Queen in their Progresses when appointed by the Green-Cloth and have a Table of five Dishes There are three Master Cooks for the King Queen and Houshold who have each a Table of five Dishes There is a Knight Harbinger three Gentlemen Harbingers and seven Yeomen Harbingers The Office is given to the Knight-Harbinger by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England during Life When the King goes on Progress in England or Beyond the Seas he does by himself or his Deputy provide and appoint all Lodgings and Harbingage for all great Persons all Noblemen Bishops all His Majesties Servants and Attendants c. For all Ambassadors and Foreigners c. His Salary is 20 Marks per Annum and 10 s. a day out of the Exchequer besides Fees for Honours given by the King and Homage done to His Majesty and divers other Perquisites In the Court the Officers according to their several Degrees are called either Lords Knights Esquires Sergeants Gentlemen Clerks Yeomen Grooms Pages or Children There are two Lords viz. the Lord Steward and the Lord Chamberlain Two Knights viz. the Knight Marshal and the Knight Harbinger Four Esquires of the Body c. The Knight Marshal called Mareschalus Hospitii Regis hath Jurisdiction and Cognizance of all Crimes within the Royal Palace whereunto one of the Parties is the King's Servant He is one of the Judges of the Court called the Marshalsea or Marshal-Seat of Judicature which is held in Southwark and hath there a Prison belonging to the same Upon Solemn Occasions he Rides before the King with a short Baston tipt at both ends with Gold and hath six Provost Marshals or Virgers in Scarlet Coats to wait on him and to take care of the Royal Palace that no Beggars Vagabonds Common Women that prostitute their Bodies Malefactors c. come within or near the Court. There are divers other Officers below Stairs under the Lord Steward as also the Officers belonging to the Queens Kitchin Cellar Pantery c. and to the Lords Kitchin together with Children Scowrers Turn-Broaches c. His Majesties Servants in Ordinary above-stairs are as followeth THE Gentlemen of the Bed-Chamber whereof the first is called the Groom of the Stole as it were Servant of the Robe or Vestment he having the Office and Honour to Present and Put on His Majesties first Garment or Shirt every morning and to order the things of the Bed-Chamber The Gentlemen are usually of the prime Nobility of England Their Office is each one in his Turn to wait a Week in every quarter in the King's Bed-Chamber there to lie by the King in a Pallet-Bed all Night and in the absence of the Groom
the Queens Chamber was consumed but after that repaired In the year 1397 King Richard II. caused the Walls Windows and Roof to be taken down and new made with a stately Porch and divers Lodgings of a marvelous Work and with great Costs which being finished Anno 1399. He kept a most Royal Christmas there with daily Justings and Runnings at Tilt whereunto resorted such a number of People that there was every day spent 28 or 26 Oxen 300 Sheep and Fowl without number He caused a Gown to be made for himself of Gold garnished with Pearl and precious Stones to the value of 3000 Marks There daily fed there 10000 People as appeareth by the Messes told out from the Kitchin to 300 Servitors A great part of this Palace was burnt Anno 1512 the 4th of Henry VIII since which time it hath not been Re-edified Only the Great Hall with the Offices near adjoining are kept in good Reparations and serveth as afore for Feasts at Coronations Arraignments of Great Persons charged with Treason and keeping of the Courts of Justice For whereas formerly the Courts and Benches followed the King wheresoever he went before and since the Conquest but being found to be troublesom chargeable and inconvenient to the People it was Anno 1224 9 H. 3. agreed that theâ—e should be a standing place appointed where Matters should be heard and judged which was in the Great Hall at Westminster I. The Court of COMMON-PLEAS Where he appointed Three Judgment-Seats viz. at the Entry on the Right-hand the Court of Common-Pleas So called because there are debated the usual Pleas between Subject and Subject as about Tenures of Lands and Civil Actions None but Sergeants at Law may plead in this Court and so many of them as the King shall appoint are bound by Oath to assist all that have any Cause depending in that Court Pleas are distinguished into Pleas of the Crown as Treason and Felony with Misprision of Felony which belong to the Kings-Bench and Common or Civil Pleas whereof this Court takes Cognizance This Court may grant Prohibitions as the Kings-Bench doth The Chief Judge is called the Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas or de Communi Banco the Common Bench who holds his place by Letters Patents Durante Beneplacito and so do the other inferior Judges of this Court whereof there are commonly Three Here all Civil Causes Real and Personal are usually Tryed according to the strict Rule of the Law Real Actions are pleadable in no other Court nor Fines levied or Recoveries suffered but only in this Court The King allows to the Lord Chief Justice of this Court a Fee Reward Robes and two Tun of Wine Also to the other Judges of this Court and to four Sergeants is allow'd Fees Reward and Robes to each one The Officers are many Custos Brevium three Protonatories Clerk of the Warrants Clerk of the Kings Silver four Exigenters fourteen Filazers Clerk of the Juries Clerk of the Essoignes Clerk of the Outlawries which belongeth to the Attorney General who exercises it by Deputy c. For which at large see the Present State of England Pag. 102. Edit 1679. II. KINGS-BENCH At the upper End of the Hall on the Right-hand or South-east Corner the Court of Kings-Bench was appointed which is of a larger Extent of Power and more Uncontroulable than any other Tribunal For the Law presumes that the King is there still in Person He being Lord Chief Justice of England Himself yet it is observable that though He should personally sit upon the Bench He can pass no Sentence of Judgment but by the Mouths of His Judges who did use to sit there at His Feet when He was present After the House of Lords in Parliament this is the Highest Court in England and the Judicature in the Absence of the King belongs to His Judges In this Court are handled the Pleas of the Crown all things that concern loss of Life or Member of any Subject for then the King is concern'd because the Life and Limb of the Subject in the sense of the Law belong only to the King so that the Pleas here are between the King and the Subject Here are handled all Treasons Felonies Breach of Peace Oppression Misgovernment c. This Court hath power to Examine and Correct all Errors in Facto and in Jure of all the Judges and Justices of England in their Judgments and Proceedings and this not only in Pleas of the Crown but in all Pleas Real Personal and Mixt except only in the Exchequer In this High Court sit commonly four Grave Reverend Judges whereof the first is stiled The Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench and is Created not by Patent but by a short Writ yet of large Extent in point of Authority thus Rex c. Mathaeo Hale Militi salutem Sciatis quod constituimus vos Justiciarium nostrum Capitalem ad placita coram nobis tenenda Durante beneplacito nostro teste Me Ipso apud Westm c. That is in English The King c. To Sir Matthew Hale Kt. Greeting Know ye That we have Constituted you our Capital or Chief Justice in Pleas held before Vs during Our Pleasure Witness My Self at Westminster c. The rest of the Judges of the Kings-Bench hold their Pleas by Letters Patents in these words Rex omniblis ad quos praesentes literae pervenerint Salutem Sciatis quod Constituimus Dilectum Fidelem nostrum A. B. Militem unum Justiciariorum ad placita coram nobis tenenda Durante beneplacito nostro Teste c. These Judges and all the Officers belonging to this Court have all Salaries from the King and the chief of them have Robes and Liveries out of the great Wardrobe In this Court all young Lawyers that have been called to the Bar are allowed to plead and practise This Court may grant Prohibitions to keep other Courts both Ecclesiastical and Temporal within their due Bounds and Jurisdiction The Jurisdiction of this Court is general extending to all England as before None can be a Judge in this Court unless he be a Sergeant of the Degree of the Coif that is a Sergeant at Law and yet in the Writ or Patent to them made they are not called Sergeants who upon taking this high Degree is obliged to wear a Lawn Coif under his Cap for ever after For the Officers of this Court see the Present State of England of the same Edition Pag. 98. III. CHANCERY On the Left-hand or South-west Corner sitteth the Lord Chancellor accompanied with the Master of the Rolls and eleven other Men learned in the Civil Law and called Masters of Chancery which have the King's Fee This Court is placed next the Kings-Bench to mitigate the Rigor of it It is Curia Cancellariae because as some think the Judge of this Court sate anciently intra Cancellos or Lattices as the East-end of Churches are separated per Cancellos from the Body of the Church as
each other in which is manifest the Infinite Wisdom of the Soveraign Disposer of all things who has order'd Human Affairs to so due and regular a Subordination to each other and so necessary a Concatenation among themselves that by a perfect Symmetry or Symphony of Parts they conclude in a perfect Harmony of General Good to Mankind which Superlative Blessing should be improved to mutual Advantage and the Glory of the Supreme Author of it In this Chapter we Design to produce some Remarks with respect to Trade in some Particulars as 1. The Particular Advanges of London with Respect to Trade 2. Its Merchants 3. It s Trade into the Country 4. It s Trade to Foreign Parts 5. Of the twelve Principal Companies with their Coats of Arms c. 6. Of the other Corporations with their Coats of Arms. 7. Of the Custom-House 8. Of the Post-Office 9. Of Of the Rates or Fares of Watermen Carmen Coachmen 10. Of the Carryers Waggoners and Stage-Coaches that come to the Principal Inns with the Days of their coming in and setting forth to all the Principal Parts of England SECT 1. SOme of the Advantages of this great City were hinted Page third and fourth to which we shall add that one of the Supreme Advantages is by the goodly River of Thames which opening Eastward towards Germany and France is much more Advantageous for Traffick than any other River in England and it may be said without Vanity that no River in the World can shew a Braver sight of Ships than are commonly to be seen like a Floating Forrest from Black-Wall to London-Bridge which in continual Voyages Import all sorts of Goods either for Need or Ornament and Export our Superfluities to the extraordinary Advantage of all sorts of People high or low of this see more in the Section of the River Thames Another Advantage that London hath is its being Situate so farwithin the Land that it is plentifully supplyed with all necessary Provision from the Country at easie and indifferent Rates and the Manufactures of the Respective Counties which the City disperses to Markets beyond Seas in Recompence the Country is supplyed by the City with all sorts of necessary Merchandizes wanting there c. Insomuch that London is a large Magazine of Men Money Ships Horses Ammunition of all sorts of Commodities necessary or expedient for the Use or Pleasure of Mankind It is the mighty Rendezvous of Nobility Gentry Courtiers Divines Lawyers Physitians Merchants Seamen and all kind of Excellent Artificers of the most Refined Wits and most Excellent Beauties for it is observed that in most Families of England if there be any Son or Daughter that Excells the rest in Beauty or Wit or perhaps Courage or Industry or any other rare Quality London is their Pole-Star and they are never at rest till they point directly thither which vast Confluence besides being the Kings Chief and Imperial Seat where Parliaments and the Principal Courts of Justice are held where the Inns or Colledges of the Municipial Laws are Seated with the Great Houses of the Nobility and Ministers of State must needs bring a vast Advantage and Increase to Trade besides the most Exquisite Ornament and Gallantry that any Place in the World can shew SECT 2. Of the Merchants of London MErchandizing may be said to be an Art or Science invented by Ingenious Mankind for the Publick Good and Profit of all supplying as was said the Native wants of one Place by the abundance of others that do not Consume their own Growths Products or Manufactures Such as Negotiate and Traffick this way are called Merchants The things Sold or Exchanged are two First Wares or Goods And Secondly Moneys or Coyn which are usually Contracted or Bargained for three ways First When Goods are Exchanged for Goods that is so much of one Sort for like value of another and this is called Bartering usual here in old times and in many places of America Asia and Affrica in these days but in Process of time Men finding it too difficult and troublesom to carry about them all things thus Bargained and Truckt for from place to place invented a common Standard or Measure that should countervail and be in Value as all other things and be Accounted in Payments Satisfaction and Equivalency to all others and this is called Money of Gold Silver or other Mettals This Use of Money is as old as Abraham but it was not then Coyned but only in Pieces Unstampt and since by Authority of Princes it was divided into great and small Pieces and into several and Distinct parts and Denominations and Stampt or Coyned with several Characters denoting the true Weight and Value of the same This was done first by Servius in Rome of Brass whereon was Imprinted the Image of Sheep and Oxen betokening the Wealth and Riches of those days ten of those Pieces made a Denier or Penny and were called by Latines Denarii This was the Original of Money which afterward came to be Coyned of Silver and Gold Secondly The Second way is of Goods for Money and this is Termed Bargaining or Buying and Selling this Facilitates Merchandizing and to prevent the Inconvenience and Danger of the Carriage of Money about a Man another Medium was found and that was Thirdly Exchanging which is the giving of so much Money in one Place to one who should cause it to be again repay'd in another place by another for him In all Exchanges there is concluded two Payments two places and four distinct Persons viz. he that Payeth in one place and Receiveth in another and he that Receiveth in the one place and Payeth in the other and so no Man can Remit except there be another to Draw nor can any Receive except there be another Authorized to Pay The first of these ways was taught to Maâ—kind by Necessity the second was found out to Facilitate the first and the third to Facilitate the second Thus was the Original of Exchanges to Accommodate Commerce which was first Practized without Benefit or Loss or any other Consideration they using to Pay the Value of the very Sum Received but in time it came to be considered that the Party Paying loses time and runs a hazard and therefore it was held reasonable that he should have some benefit Hence Exchanges are converted to an Art or Mystery Moneys being remitted for benefit without so much respect to the end of its Original Institution In the first sort the Merchant ought to know the Commodities delivered and received the present Value of both the quality viz. whether lasting or perishable the property viz. whether of Natural growth or Artificial and lastly the quantity viz. whether plentifulâ— or scarce and in few Lands In the second sort the same things are necessary and also a knowledge how the things are bought and sold whether by weight as ponderous Goods by concave or long measures as Commodities of length or such as are Solid or Liquid A knowledge