Page:An Essay Concerning Parliaments.djvu/20

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ſent contravener le Roy; eins deſirent de luy plaire; & de luy Counſeller a ſon profit, tout ne ſoit my le Counſel Covenable al Commons del People, ſans enſuer les Rules de droit, & dount pluſores Ordinances ſe foundent ore pluis ſur Volunt, que ſur Droit. The ſecond Abuſion of the Law is, that whereas Parliaments ought to Convene for the Salvation of the Souls of Treſpaſſors, and this at London, and Two Times in the Year, now-a-days they meet but ſeldom, and at the Will of the King for Aids and Gatherings of Treaſure: And whereas Ordinances ought to be made by the Common Aſſent of the King and his Counties, now they are made by the King and his Clerks, and by Aliens and others that dare not Contradict the King, but deſire to Pleaſe him, and to Counſel him for his own Profit, though it be not Counſel which is Convenient for the Commons of the People; without applying to the Counties, and without following the Rules of Right; Whereupon there are ſeveral of the preſent Ordinances that are rather founded upon Will, than upon Right.

From this Paſſage I ſhall only obſerve, that the Place of a Parliament’s meeting is Fixed, and ſtill at London, And that the Two Times a Year was ſtand

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