information, should, therefore, still be inaccessible to a great majority of the Inhabitants of these Realms.

It is hoped, that, by abridging the labour of research, the following Exposition of the Records which illustrate our Parliamentary History, may facilitate the acquisition of sound Political Knowledge, and that an acquaintance with the Principles and Practice of the British Constitution, may tend to give stability to Your Majesty's Throne, and to sustain the Prosperity and Magnificence, which, during so many Centuries, have distinguished the British Empire.

That it may please the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe to grant Your Majesty a long and prosperous Reign, and that, by the exercise of those Personal Virtues which are hailed and acknowledged by all Your Majesty's loyal Subjects, it may be permitted You to promote the substantial welfare and glory of Your People, and Your own enduring Happiness and Renown, is, Madam, the earnest Prayer of

Your Majesty's

Most obedient and devoted Servant,

CHARLES HENRY PARRY.

Summer Hill, Bath, 1839.

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS ADDRESSED TO

THE AUTHOR.

"The Duke of Wellington presents his compliments to Mr Parry, and begs leave to acknowledge the receipt of his note. The Duke returns his thanks to Mr Parry for his work."

"Sir Robert Peel presents his compliments to Mr Parry, and begs leave to return his acknowledgments for the volume which Mr Parry has been good enough to send to Sir Robert Peel, and which shall receive his attention at the first moment of leisure from the pressure of Parliamentary business. The slight inspection which Sir Robert Peel has been enabled to give to the work, convinces him that it is a very useful and instructive record of important facts in the Parliamentary annals of his country."

Mr Murray.

"When I last had the pleasure to see you, I had not seen your Book, nor was I aware of the importance of its contents, and the evidence of labour on your part which it displays. I am sure it will reflect the highest credit on its author."

Sir Harris Nicolas.

"I wish to repeat that I consider your volume one of the most valuable works in every point of view that has appeared for a long time.

"There is no other book which contains all the facts; and historical writers, who prefer truths to theories, will find it a most useful collection of dates and events, which they would pass hours in finding in the voluminous sources which you have consulted, for any period to which their labours refer. Wherever I go, I speak of the advantages which historical inquirers will derive from it; and, while I congratulate our

2

fraternity on its publication, I must extend my felicitations to its author, on the termination of his long and wearisome labours. No one, indeed, can better understand your feelings on this occasion than myself; and, therefore, I can sincerely congratulate you upon the completion of a work with the utility and value of which I am so much impressed, that I am perfectly ready to avow my opinion in any way you may think advisable."

Sir Francis Palgrave.

"I am truly obliged to you for your kind gift of your valuable work on Parliaments. It is a very great accession to our Constitutional Literature, and ought to be considered an indispensable adjunct to every gentleman's library. It is such a conspectus of the rise and progress of our Legislature, as to become the most legitimate guide to the general progress of our National History. With respect to my own publications, I can only say that the proudest reward I can find for my labours is the employment of them by the very, very few, who, like you, are able and willing to devote their industry and talents to the working up of the raw materials which I have been enabled to bring together."

Rev. Joseph Hunter.

"I value your work on Parliaments and Councils very much, and regret that I was not in possession of it sooner. I have referred to it

several times in the course of the labours on which I am at present engaged, and, I think, never without finding in it something that was useful."

William Wordsworth.

"Pray accept my cordial thanks for your very valuable volume on the Parliaments of England; from which, advanced in life as I am, and often interrupted by weak and inflamed eyes, I hope to derive great benefit."

Secretaire du Cabinet (François).

"Vous avez bien voulu offrir au Roi (Louis Philippe) un exemplaire de l'interessant ouvrage que vous avez publié sur les Parlemens Anglais. Sa majesté a esté touchée de cette attention, ainsi que des souvenirs de famille que vous lui rappelez. Elle m'a chargé de vous le temoigner, Monsieur, en vous transmettant tous ses remerciemens."

OF THE

UNIVERSITY

CALIFORNIA
PREFACE.

"PARLIAMENTARIA Scientia quærenda ab omnibus, incognita multis." The lapse of more than two centuries has not diminished the force of either of these Propositions advanced by Sir Edward Coke. It will scarcely be denied, that, in these times, such knowledge is desirable, or that upon few subjects of general interest, is the want of it more conspicuous, than in questions connected with the origin and developement of the Constitutional History of our own Country.

This ignorance may generally be ascribed to one of two causes, either to a conceit which does not prevail to the same extent in any other department of inquiry, or to the difficulty of obtaining information on a subject of unquestionable importance.

It was a saying of Socrates, that though no man undertakes a trade which he has not learned, in that of Government, the hardest of all trades, every one considers himself sufficiently qualified by the gifts which he has received from nature. It is no less true, in our own days, that, though in all other sciences and in every mechanical art, a long experience and much industry are considered necessary for the attainment of a moderate degree of excellence, in the difficult science of Legislation, these means are not unfrequently neglected in the pursuit of the same end. Hence it happens that many incompetent Persons, fancying themselves endowed with talents, which instinctively fit them for immediate action, enter, with confidence, upon the business of Legislation; and

b

that others, under the impulse of caprice or prepossession, exercise the responsible function of determining by their votes, the merits of those who are to be the Framers of Constitutional Enactments.

To this unfavourable combination of circumstances, may be traced numberless errors, which have proved the abundant source of national misfortunes.

If, however, these observations are generally true and important, it must also be acknowledged that, in no period of our History, have intelligence and correct information been more necessary, than in the days in which we live. At no previous moment, has the want of preparatory acquirements been more calculated to produce extensive mischief, than under the changes which have been recently introduced in the Political relations of the People. By the extension of their Privileges, they have been compelled suddenly to decide upon measures which very intimately affect their own welfare, and the common prosperity of the Empire. They have been called upon to express their sentiments on Public Affairs, and by their conduct, to determine the most influential consequences. It can scarcely excite surprise, that under these newly-acquired Powers, and labouring under some degree of unavoidable ignorance as to the nature of that Constitution, which they are bound to protect and support, they should sometimes commit errors of speculation and practice: or, that in the selection of those, who are to represent their unrestrained feelings and opinions, they should sometimes be disposed to seek, as the only security for the discharge of complicated and momentous duties, the pledge given to a particular Party, to pursue, at all events, a prescribed line of conduct, whether consistent, or otherwise, with the permanent and enduring interests of the Commonwealth.

Can it, indeed, be fairly expected that Persons so circumstanced, should follow the advice of Lord Bacon, "Ut cum