" and Weybridge, in Com. Surr. and feveral "other manors, are made part and parcel of that "honour: fo likewife in 33 Henry VIII. other "acts to the fame purpose paffed in favour of the "manor of Ampthill and Grafton, by which they "were made honours. And I believe that no in"ftance can be given from the conqueft unto this day, of any honours being erected otherwife "than in parliament." On this paragraph the reader will observe, 1. That the first act of parliament was for making Henry VIII's own manor an honour; and unlefs he had an intent to part with that, or had a mind to add the title of Baron of Hampton-Court to that of King of England, the argument proves nothing. 2. By this author's manner of writing, it fhould feem that he had seen these three acts, and found fomething in them that gave at least a colour for his fuppofition; but fure I ani, in one of them, which I have feen and perused, no such thing appears, and I am well affured nothing does in the other two. 3. One would imagine by this kind of reafoning, that Henry VIII. had met with fome difficulty in the advancing perfons he intended to honour, and took this indirect way of compaffing his end; whereas nothing is lefs true: for he never was on any occafion obftructed in fuch defign; many he advanced to the peerage, but not one perfon by the grant of these honours. 4. Two of these honours (viz. Ampthill and Grafton) did in time become the property of feveral fubjects, yet did they not affume the titles of Barons of these places. From this period of time to the prefent, (the exclufion of abbots and priors, on the reformation, only excepted) the legislative power has been vefted as it now is; fo we may, I think, fafely conclude, that from the earlieft accounts of time, our ancestors in Germany were a free people, and had a right to affent, or diffent to all laws; that that right was exercised, and preserved under the Saxon and Norman kings even to our days and may an uninterrupted exercife thereof (for the right itfelf can never be extinguished) continue till time fhall be no more. INDEX. I I N Bergavenny, how held D EX. Alodium, what, and the derivation of the word page 117 18 ibid. ibid. ibid. 46 ibid. 31 30 76 77 71 ibid. 77 89 how, as to Burgess, the use of the word became of knight of the fhire the meaning of the word in Scotland ibid. 100 107 108 in Scotland their names fubfcribed to charters ib. by writ, where the barony before in the father ib. patent, whether paffed in parliament ibid. 125 by writ, what the gains by fitting in parliament 123 when many efcheated Barony, what when split into small tenures Baronage, what Barons fervices, their origin Berkley-caftle, feoffment of it how held Beneficium, the origin and fenfe of the word Bondmen had fome lands affigned them Brady, his opinion of the Saxon legislature Breve Teftatum, what Bordarii, who Burgess, what, and who the appellation used for fat in parliament before any knights of the fhire 98 made by peers 2.2 46 85 originally fo many little commonwealths 89 the derivation of the word lity ibid. the various acceptation of the word ibid. how divided: 90 ibid. originally confifted of tradesmen how they derive a right to fend members 91 what rights they had within themselves why they may prefcribe for customs have loft much of their ancient rights 93 Earls, how and why their creation here and in foreign page 105 when made of places that were no counties Edward the Confeffor polifhed the Norman laws and Normans had no enmity ib. 84 63 126 63 107 Franks, how their kings to decide their titles 19 ibid. Feuds, their characteristic and origin when the word first used its derivation 12 ibid. General of the Germans, why vefted with the office Gerefa, what it fignifies Germany, what provinces comprifed under that name preferved its liberties how divided had few kings had but two abfolute monarchs 8 13 2 ibid. ibid. ibid. ibid. 3 great part of it under princes in it the people determined affairs of moment 4 Germany |