those also for whom he is sent. And the king, with the consent of his commons, had ever a sufficient and full authority to make, ordain, and establish good and wholesome laws for the commonwealth of this realm. Wherefore the lords, being lawfully summoned, and yet refu sing to come, sit or consent in parliament, cannot by their folly abridge the king and the commons of their lawful proceedings in parliament.

The lords and commons, in time past, did sit all in one house; but, for the avoiding of confusion, they be now divided into two several houses; and yet, nevertheless, they are of like and equal authority, every per son of either of the said houses being named and counted a peer of the realm, (for the time of the parliament) that is to say, equal; for par is equal. And therefore the opinion, censure, and judgment of a mean burgess, is of as great avail, as is the best lord's, no regard being had to the party who speaketh, but the matter that is spoken.

They be also called peers, as it were fathers; for pére is a father; by which is meant, that all such as be of the parliament should be ancient, grave, wise, learned, and expert men of the land; for such were the senators of Rome, and called patres conscripti; for the wisdom and care that was in them in governing the commonwealth. They are also called counsellors, because they are assembled and called to the parliament for their advice and good counsel in making and devising all such good orders and laws as may be for the commonwealth.

They, therefore, which make choice of knights, citizens, and burgesses, ought to be well advised, that they do elect and choose such as, being to be of that assembly, and thereby equal with the great estates, should be grave, ancient, wise, learned, expert and careful men for their commonwealth, and who (as faith ful and trusty counsellors) should do that which should turn and be for the best commodity of the commonwealth; otherwise they do great injury to their prince and the cominouwealth.

Also, every person of the parliament, during the times of the parliament; and at his coming and going from the same, is free from all troubles, arrests and molestations; no action or suit taking effect, which, during that time, is begun, entered, or commenced against him, in what court soever the same be, except in cases VOL. II.

of treason, murder and felony, and except all executions in law awarded and granted before the beginning of parliament.

Also, every person, having voices in parliament, hath free liberty of speech to speak his mind, opinion and judgment, to any matter proposed, or of himself to propose any inatter for the commodity of the prince and of the commonwealth; but, having once spoken to any bill, he may speak no more for that time.

Also, every person once elected and chosen a knight, citizen, or burgess, and returned, cannot be dismissed out of that house; but being admitted, shall have his place and voice there, if he be a layman. But if by error a man of the clergy is chosen, then he ought and shall be dismissed; also, if he be excommunicated, outlawed or infainous.

Also, every one of these members ought to be incor rupt, no briber, nor taker of any rewards, gifts, or money either for devising of any bill, or for speaking of his mind, but to do all things uprightly, and in such sort as is best for the king and commonwealth.

Also, every one ought to be of a quiet, honest, and gentle behaviour; none taunting, checking, or misusing another in any unseemly words or deeds, but, all affections set apart, to do and endeavour, in wisdom, sobriety, and knowledge, that which that place requireth.

Also, if any one do offend or misbehave himself, he is to be corrected and punished by the advice and order of the residue of the house.

Also, all the prisons, wards, jails within the realm, and the keepers of the same, are at the commandment of the parliament for the custody and safe keeping, or punishment, of all and every such prisoners, as shall be sent to any of them by the said parliament houses, or any of them; howbeit, most commonly the Tower of London is the prison which is most used.

Also, if any one of the parliament house be served, sued, arrested, or attacked by any writ, attachment, or minister of the King's Bench, Common Pleas, Chancery, or what court soever within this realm, the party so troubled and making complaint thereof to the parliament house, then forthwith a serjeant at arms is to be sent to the said court, not only advertising that the party so molested is one of the parliament house, but also inhibiting and commanding the officers of the said

court to call in the said process, and not to deal any further against the said party; for the parliament being the highest court, all other courts are inferior, and yield and give place to the same.

Also, as every one of the parliament house is free for his own person for all manner of suits to be commenced against him, so are all his servants free, and not to be troubled or molested, but being troubled, they have the like remedy, as the master hath or may have.

Also, no manner of person, being not one of the parliament house, ought to enter or come within the house, as long as the sitting is there, upon pain of imprisonment, or such other punishment as by the house shall be ordered and adjudged.

Also, every person of the parliament ought to keep secret, and not to disclose the secrets and things done and spoken in the parliament house, to any manner of person, unless he be one of the same house, upon pain to be sequestered out of the house, or otherwise punished, as by the order of the house shall be appointed.

Also, none of the parliament house ought to depart from the parliament without special leave obtained from the speaker of the house, and the same his licence should be also recorded.

Also, no person, being not of the parliament house, ought to come into the same during the sitting of the same; so every one coming into the same, oweth a duty and reverence to be given when he entereth and cometh in.

If a baron or lord come and enter into the higher house, he ought to do his obeisance before the cloth of estate, and so take his place.

Also, when he speaketh, he ought to stand bareheaded, and speak his mind plainly, sensibly, and in

decent order.

If any come in message, or be sent for to the higher house, they must stay at the inner door until they be called in; and then, being entered, must first make their obeisance; which done, they go to the lower end of the house, and there stay until they be called; and being called, they must first make one low courtesy, and obeisance, and going forwards must, in the middle way, make one other low courtesy; and then, being come forth to the bar, must make the third courtesy, the like must be done at the departure,

Also, when any knight, citizen, or burgess, doth enter or come into the lower house, he must make his dutiful and humble obeisance at his entry in, and then take his place. And you shall understand, that as every such person ought to be grave, wise, and expert, so ought he to shew himself in his apparel; for, in times past, none of the counsellors of the parliament came otherwise than in his gown*, and not armed nor girded with a weapon. For the parliament house is a place for wise, grave, and good men, to consult, debate, and advise, how to make laws, and order for the commonwealth, and not to be armed as men ready to fight, or to try matters by the sword. And albeit the writ for the election of the knights have express words to choose such for knights as be girded with the sword, yet it is not meant thereby that they should come and sit armed, but be such as be skilful in feats of arms, and, besides their good advices, can well serve in martial affairs; and thus the Roman senators used, who, being men of great knowledge and experience, as well in martial affairs as in politic causes, sat always in the senate house and places of council in their gowns and long robes. The like also was always, and hath been the order in the parliament of this realin, as long as the ancient laws, the old customs, and good order thereof, were kept and observed.

If any other person or persons, either in message or being sent for, do come, he ought to be brought in by the serjeant, and at the first entering must (following the serjeant) make one low obeisance, and being part in the middle way, must make one other; and when he is come before the speaker, he must make the third, and then do his message: the like order he must keep in his return. But if he do come alone, or with his learned counsel to plead any matter, or answer to any objections, he shall enter, and go no farther than to the bar within the door, and there do his three obeisances.

When any bill is committed, the committees have not authority to conclude, but only to order, reform, examine and amend the thing committed unto them;

* From a motion that was made in the House of Commons in the year 1613, it appears, that the members in the last parliaments of Elizabeth wore gowns,

and of their doings they must give report to the house again, by whom the bill is to be considered.

Every bill, which is brought into the house, must be read three several times, and upon three several days. And a bill, which upon any reading is committed and returned again, ought to have its three readings, unless the committees have not altered the bill in any substance or form, but only in certain words. Also, when any bill upon any reading is altogether by one consent rejected, or by voices after the third reading overthrown, it ought not to be brought any more to be read during that session of parliament.

If any man do speak unto a bill, and be out of his matter, he ought to be put in remembrance of the mat. ter by the speaker only, and by none other, and be willing to come to the matter.

Whensoever any person doth speak to any bill, he ought to stand up, and to be bare-headed, and then with all reverence, gravity, and seemly speech, to declare his mind. But whensoever any bill shall be tried, either for allowances or to be rejected, then every one ought to sit, because he is then as a judge.

Also, every knight, citizen, and burgess, before he do enter into the parliament, and take his place there, ought to be sworn and to take his oath, acknowledging the king to be the supreme and only governor of all the estates within the realm, as also to renounce all foreign potentates.

[From a Paper written in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth.]

THE ARTS.

No. VI.

AN APOLOGY FOR THE CHALK MANNER OF ENGRAVING.

"The times have been,

That, when the brains were out, the man would die,

And there an end; but now they rise again,

With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,

And push us from our stools."

Mr. CONDUCTOR,

EVERY man that has made the most trifling ap proaches towards refinement, must observe with pleasure,