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THat although our hearts were enlarged with joy and thankfulneſs, for your late Voting the Law and all its
Proceedings to be in Engliſh, and for conſtituting the Honourable Committee for Regulating the Courts
of Juſtice; yet remembring that the firſt Remonſtrance of this Parliament, took notice of the tedious,
chargeable, and corrupt practifes in Law, as one of the greateſt Grievances of the Nation, promiſing ſpeedy and
effectual relief therein; And that nevertheleſs the Corruptions are ſtill increaſed, and the Burthen become more
intolerable: We truſt it will admit a favourable conſtruction at this time to give you to underſtand, that our doubts
and fears begin to abound in us, that the ſame cauſe which hath hitherto fruſtrated the firſt good intentions of Par
Of which our fears we cannot acquit our ſelvs, whileſt ſo many Members of this Supream Authority) profeſſing
the Law) are poſſeſſed of ſo great places, amounting to one, two, or 3000l
per annum, and the ſeveral places of one,
to 6000l
per annum, all ariſing from corrupt or unneceſſary Practices and Proceedings, in Law; and whileſt others of
them purſue their pleadings for unreaſonable Fees, in every Court; And now appear daily at the Honourable Com
Pardon us, we beſeech you, that we cannot chuſe but judge this worthy our Fear, for unto this cauſe onely, we aſcribe the continuance and encreaſe of thoſe corruptions, during all the time of this Parliament, which otherwiſe (as we conceive) would never have continued.
And that theſe may appear no vain or groundleſs imaginations, divers well meaning Clerks have been already
threatned and otherways diſcouraged, for giving in their Informations and Propoſitions, and from attending the
Honourable Committee in order to a Regulation, by ſome Lawyers now Members of Parliament; And as for thoſe
that are not Members, their numbers are ſo great, and their influence ſo powerful, by their monopolizing all Plead
But what ever means ſhall appear neceſſary to your wiſdoms, ye have this to ſtrengthen you; That it is a work most
acceptable to God: For if there Lawyers are the men. It is then a
Work for Gods glory, to reduce them to a
Nor can any Work (as we humbly conceive) be more acceptable to the people, as freeing them not onely from innummerable vexations, but from an exceſſive charge; their unneceſſary Fees drawing from amongſt them yearly, almoſt as much as the neceſſary charges of the Common-wealth.
In all which reſpects we are exceedingly encouraged (as the moſt effectual means to remove all obſtacles hinder
1 That no practiſing Lawyer (while ſuch) may continue a Member of this Supream Authority, nor be permitted to Sit
or Vote in the Honourable Committee for Regulation.
2 That no perſon whatſoever, poſſeſſing any place of profit belonging to the Law, or to any Court of Juſtice, may (whil'st
he is ſo poſſeſſed) be continued a Member either of the Parliament, or of that Honourable Committee. But yet in due
reſpect to the honour of the Parliament, that the Honourable Mr Speaker may be provided of an allowance ſutable to the
Honour of his place.
3 That all people may be at liberty either to plead their own Cauſes, or to retain either Lawyers or other their Friends, and that they may have equal Freedom and reſpect, in all Courts and places whatſoever.
4 That the Honourable Committee for Regulation, may be Ordered to take ſpecial care in clearing the paſſages and proceedJuries: Which (as we
humbly conceive) is the most just and ſpeedy way of Tryal of Cauſes, that the World affords, or we can deſire; were the
paſſage to them quit of thoſe many Lab'rinths that have been deviſed by Lawyers: And that an affixt time, as four or
ſix Months at the most, may be expreſly ſet; wherein every Cauſe ſhall, from its beginning be finally ended.
5 That thoſe Clerks, and all other perſons whatſoever, may have eaſie and free admittance to the Honourable Committee for Regulation, and receive encouragement from this Honourable Parliament, in their tender of ſuch Propoſals, as they deſire to offer for the furtherance of ſo just and neceſſary a Work.