THe Inſtitution of our Parliaments is very ancient; Some hold they were in uſe among the Saxons, but the more certaine opinion is, they are derivative from the Norman Conquerour, being indeed the very Eſſence and primum mobile of the Fundamentall Lawes of this Kingdome; the Subjects beſt inheritance, the Charter by which he holds his liberty.

In the Raigne of William the Conquerour his time, being moſt imployed in France, we reade not of any memorable act performed by Parliament, the Kingdome being then as it were in parties, and the Lawes in their infancy: Nor in his ſons William Rufus raigne, till upon his deceaſe the Body of the kingdome, ſaith William Riſhanger, choſe for their head King Beauclarke diſcarding Robert Duke of Normandy his elder brother from the government; ſo ſupreame was the dignity of the Parliament in thoſe dayes, that for the good of the people, who deſired not a ſtranger ſhould rule over them, Robert being an alien borne, and Henry at Selby in Yorkeſhire, that it could confer the royalty on him that onely had his right in the Soveraignty by the Parliaments Election and ſufferage. The ſame Parliament to unite the ancient Saxon bloud Royall, with the Norman, engaging him to marry Matilda the daughter of Malcolme King of Scots, being the only heire of Edmund Ironſide. The ſame Parliament or another in his Raigne obtaining from that good King many Franchiſes and Priviledges for the ſubject.

King Stephen the ſucceſſor to his Uncle made no great uſe of the Honourable the High Court of Parliament, being indeed an uſurper, he was aſſur'd that juſt and wiſe Aſſembly could never be ſo much recreant to their naturall vertue, as to underprop by their ſtrength his former claime againſt the right heire Maud the Empreſſe, whoſe ſonne Henry the ſhort Mantle, Parliamentary power rather then his forces, ſetled in the Royalty. This powerfull King made frequent and ſpeciall uſe of his Parliaments, both for the ſupplying his coffers exhauſted in his expenſive wars; and for ſetling the affaires of the kingdome, a Parliament in his raigne ſetling the confuſion of our common Lawes, gathering the beſt of the Norman conſtitutions, and adding to them the beſt of King Alfreds and Saint Edwards Lawes; It made up the body of our fundamentall Statutes. The ſame Parliament for the eaſe and benefit of the ſubject obtaining from that King Judges itinerant that ſhould ride the ſeverall circuits of the kingdome, and bring the people right home to their owne doores: His ſon the Lyon-hearted Richard, in his wars in the Holy Land, receiving from his ſubjects the bounteous proviſion of his Parliaments in nine yeres, eleven hundred thouſand markes, a ſtupendious ſumme ſayes one in thoſe dayes, ere the Indean Treaſury had oreſiowed the world, though they were not at all for the profit of the people, were mightily to the honour of the Nation in generall, as thoſe dayes went; So that it is apparant our Parliaments have alwayes been as carefull of the kingdomes honour as its profit.

King Iohn his ſucceſſor indeed an uſurper, declined the uſe of Parliaments till his neceſſities inforced him to call them and relye on them: Our Parliaments having alwayes been our Kings beſt helpers at dead lifts, furniſhing them from the publicke ſtore, when either miſchance, or if ſuperfluity had exhauſted, their private Treaſuries

When this King alienating from the vertue of his Aunceſtors, ſought not only the oppreſſion of the ſubject, but to inſlave the Crowne to a forraine yoake, to avoid excommunication, and to win him to his party, holding his Royalty of the Pope. The Parliament mindfull of the ſubiects ſafety tooke righteous armes up againſt them, and got the charter of their Liberty, ſealed them, his ſonne Henry the third as he raigned longeſt of all our Kings, ſo he had the moſt to doe with the high Court of Parliament, with whom for the Liberty of the Subiect, that Aſſembly had many and frequent contentions at Oxford: A Parliament in his Raigne (all places of credit and truſt being conferr'd upon aliens the Kings kinſmen and halfe brothers) tooke upon them to redreſſe thoſe abuſes, diſplacing thoſe up-ſtarts from their uſurp'd dignities, and baniſh'd them the kingdome.

Parliamentary power was never more uſefull to the Subiect then in theſe times, nor never was it's power better mannag'd. When the King having againe got new and evill Miniſters that waſted the treaſure and Crowne-lands on themſelves and followers; The uſuall reply of their ſervants to the complaints of the Kings Subiects, as ſaith William of Kiſhanger, being quis tibi rectum faciet quod Dominus meus vult. Dominus Rex vult. Then did the Parliament by force rectifie thoſe abuſes when faire meanes would not prevaile, and thence indeed grew thoſe long laſting Barrons wars, wherin the Liberty and property of the ſubiect had been ſwallowed in the gulph of the Royall Prerogative, had not the Parliament preſerv'd it; ſo carefull has that great and wiſe Aſſembly alwayes bin of the kingdomes ſafety, and ſo advantagious to the commodity of the ſubiect.

Edward the firſt, our Engliſh Iuſtinian made often and good uſe of his Parliaments, which liberally furniſh'd him with money for his Scottiſh wars, the Parliament ſupplying him with money, being the maine occaſion of his conqueſts; there thoſe Parliaments in lieu of their liberality obtaining from that good and gracious King the ample confirmation of their former priviledges, divers new ones being added to thoſe of Magna Charta, as the mitigation of thoſe rigorous lawes of the forreſts, which did moſt undoe the ſubjects ſafeties, many excellent and uſefull Statutes, being enacted in thoſe Parliaments. The Jewes, that both by their irreligion and uſury, were growne odious to the people, being not as in former Kings reignes fin'd, but their ill-gotten goods confiſcated, and themſelves for ever baniſh'd the kingdome.

Edward the ſecond, a diſſolute and infortunate Prince, comply'd not with his Pa •• iament but his Minions, and was at laſt by a Parliament depoſed, and the royalty conferr'd on his ſonne, that great Edward the third; who ſtill relying on the love and loyalty of his people, was powerfull and victorious in France, the Parliaments aſſembled here furniſhing him with plentifull ſupplies of treaſure to pay his ſouldiers, and by thoſe ſummes purchas'd ſtil new infranchiſements for the Subjects, that glorious King being every whit as carefull to inſtitute good & wholſome laws for his people here, as he was deſirous to conquer in France. That unfortunate grandchild of his, Richard 2. ſeduced by flatterers, and led away to Oppreſſions and Injuſtices by his evill miniſters, the Subject groaning under their tyrannies, had onely recourſe to the Parliament for reliefe: that great and famous Parliament that wrought wonders, being in his raigne wherein forces were raiſed by the nobleſt Peeres and faithfull commons for the puniſhment of the Kings malignant councellours. Vere Treſilian and the reſt, who from the Parliament received a due reward for their trecheries; and that laſt this King who never would adhere to his Parliaments advice was by Parliament degraded of his royalty, and the Crowne conferr'd by their act upon Henry the fourth, who confiding in his Parliament, repreſs'd by their help all domeſtique troubles and forraigne Enemies: his ſonne that thunderbolt of war, Henry the fifth, by his Parliaments bounty, made an abſolute conqueſt of France, ſo that indeed all the glorious atchievments of our Engliſh Monarchs are to be attributed to the care of and providence of Parliaments: Henry the ſixth, during the life of his Uncles, Bedford and Gloceſter, was happy and feared abroad, as well as lov'd at home; thoſe good Dukes, both to defend their forraigne conqueſts, and to preſerve the Majeſty of their Nephew at home, ſummoning many Parliaments, at laſt the Parliament in it's juſtice taking notice of the undoubted right of Richard Duke of Yorke, to the Crown and the uſurpation of the houſe of Lancaſter, by their act ſetled the royalty upon his Progenie, diſclaiming the ſonne of Henry the ſixth, though a gallant Prince.

Edward the fourth, the firſt Monarch of the Houſe of Yorke, was, though not a frequent caller of Parliaments; yet when they were aſſembled, a great conſenter to them, and at their requeſt a continuall confirmer of the peoples Immunities; ſo was he, who though held the worſt of men, is reputed among the beſt of our Kings. The Tyrant, Richard the third, who at his Parliaments devis'd many new and wholſome Lawes for the benefit of the people: how rich, how puiſſant and glorious Henry the ſeventh liv'd and di'd by the Parliaments advice and furtherance, is not unknowne to all that know our Hiſtories, the union between the two ſo long jarring Houſes, though continued by private perſons, being ratified and confirm'd by Parliament.

Henry the eighth's raign afforded plurality of Parliaments, and very materious ones; at one of them that great Act (the more wondred at then the extirpation of Epiſopacie could be now) was paſs'd for the demoliſhment of thoſe rich Abbies, the nurſeries of ſloth and licenciouſneſſe; for the not onely excluding miter'd Abbots from having votes in Parliament, but for their utter annihilating, their mighty revenues being confin'd the Kings: At another Parliament the power of the Pope was baniſh'd this Iſland, and the Supreme Eccleſiaſticall government annexed to the Prerogative Royall; ſo carefull have our Parliaments alwayes been, not onely to preſerve, but augment the dignity of our King. A Parliament in Edward the ſixth's time refin'd Religion from all the dregs of Romiſh ſuperſtition, and ſettled the purity of Religion in this Kingdome, which obſcur'd and alter'd in Queen Mary's reigne, was in her ſiſters, of famous memory, by Parliamentary power ſettled againe into it's old order, how happy and glorious was that Queen during her long reigne by relying on her Parliament: what bleſſings were deriv'd from the Prince to the people, and from the people to the Prince: ſo it was i • King Iames his time, no difference at all ever happening betweene him and his Parliament; at one of which himſelfe with his whole Nobility, had not God miraculouſly prevented it, had been by the Papiſts divelliſh conſpiracie ſold to deſtruction; nor certainly had there ever been emergent this ſtrange diſtemper between King Charles and this his honourable and loyall Parliament, had the King bin as ready to comply with their juſt deſires, as they were to performe their duties to him; never was Parliament ſo hopefull, never had the State ſo much need of phyſick, becauſe it was never ſo deſperately ſicke: never were wholſomer medicines apply'd to cure its diſtempers, then hath been by this Parliament, had not perverſe malignants altered and tranſformed the Kings intentions from his Parliament now aſſembled, heaven ſend a ſpeedy union betweene them, and there is no doubt but the Parliament (whom God preſerve from all dangers) will make the King great and glorious, and the Subject fortunate and flouriſhing.