Page:An Essay Concerning Parliaments.djvu/50

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Which Numerals ſtand for 48. The Greeks likewiſe taught the Welch to tell Twenty, and I believe they taught the Romans too. Now by the ſame Rule, if there was a very Ancient Folkmete in the Neighbouring Kingdom of France upon every Kalends of May, then perhaps King Arthur borrowed from them; and it is good to look upon their Kalends, becauſe it is poſſible they may give Light to Ours.

The French Kalends of May lie thus in Radulphus de Diceto, a Famous Dean of Paul’s in King John’s time, whoſe Hiſtory was thought ſo Authentick, that the Engliſh Parliament, in Edward the Firſt’s time, Relied upon his Teſtimony, amongſt ſome others, in no leſs a Point than the Claim of the King of England, to the Supream Dominion of the Realm of Scotland. As to our preſent buſineſs he has theſe Words, Abbreviat. Chronicorum, pag. 439.

“Abhinc Francorum Regibus à ſolita fortitudine & ſcientia degenerantibus, regni potentia diſponebatur per Majores domus, Regibus ſolo nomine regnantibus; Quibus moris erat principari quidem ſecundum genus, & nil agere vel diſponere præterquam irrationabiliter edere & bibere domique morari, & Kal. Maii præſidere coram totâ gente & ſalutari, obſequia & dona

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