Page:The Scourge - Volume 5.djvu/22

10 Liberties of the people.

of the people's having at a very eariy period a voice in the regulating the affairs of the nation in fast coeval with monarchy itself; and it would be unnecessary occupying very narrow limits by proving by abundant evidence, that fact for which one or two will be fully sufficient: that the people had a powerful voice in the framing of all laws, in the passing of all acts is certain — cum tharris, baronibus, et populo, runs the wittena-gemot held by Ethelwolf in the year 855, when a tenth was given to the church — and in the 35th law of Edward the Confessor, we find the assent of the people expressed as follows, " Hoc enim factum fint par commune consilium, et assenstjm omnium episcoporum, principum, procerum, comitum, et omnium, sapientum, seriorum, et populorum totius regni." Thus, Sir, in th« earliest ages you will perceive law and reason prevailed, and the people had a voice in whatever affected themselves. William the conqueror even in his conquest felt how necessary it was to support the customs and privileges of the people and called a council of the nation to determine what they were. However, from this period there are no proofs on record of the commons having been summoned until the 49th of Henry 3d, when knights of the shire were directed to be chosen, — Mr. Petyt writes with great confidence that citizens and burgesses were expressly summoned in the 16th of King John, and it is by no means improbable, Although the record he quotes as his authority is by no means conclusive evidence, it appears certain that the monarchs of those ages were by no means disposed to call these national councils, and they were never summoned but when circumstances of more than an ordinary nature required that such an expedient should be resorted to. Henry III. no sooner gained the reins of government in his own hands by the defeat of Simon Montfort the F?rl of Leicester, then he dismissed the parliament, and in future summoned only the barons. In the 18th of Edward, the first the commons were again assembled, each count}/ being summoned to send two knights of the shire;