The debate at large, between the House of Lords and House of Commons, at the free conference, held in the Painted Chamber, in the session of the convention, anno 1688 relating to the word, abdicated and the vacancy of the throne in the Common's vote.

Earl of C—n.

I would speak one word to that Record which Mr. S—s men∣tioned, and which the Lord that spake

last hath given a plain Answer unto; by making that difference (which is the great Hinge of the matter in de∣bate) between Hereditary and Elective Kingdoms. But I have something else to say to that Record.

First, It is plain in that Case King Richard the Second had absolutely re∣signed, renounced, or (call it what you please) Abdicated in Writing un∣der his own Hand. What is done then? After that, the Parliament be∣ing then sitting, they did not think it sufficient to go upon, because that Wri∣ting might be the Effect of Fear: And so, not voluntary; thereupon they pro∣ceed to a formal Deposition upon Ar∣ticles, and then comes in the Claim of Hen. IV,

After all this, Was not this an Ele∣ction? He indeed saith, That he was not the next Heir, and claimed it by De∣scent from Henry the Third; yet he that was really the next Heir did not appear, which was the Earl of Maroh;

so that Henry the Fourth claimed it as his indubitable Right, being the next Heir that then appeared.

But, Gentlemen, I pray consider what follow'd upon it; All the Kings that were thus taken in (we say Elected, but the Election was not of God's Approba∣tion) scarce passed any one Year in any of their Reigns, without being disturbed in the possession.

Yet, I say, he himself did not care to owe the Crown to the Election, but Claimed it as his Right. And it was a plausible Pretence, and kept him and his Son (though not without interru∣ption) upon the Throne. But in the time of his Grandson Henry the Sixth, there was an utter Overthrow of all his Title and Possession too: For if you look into the Parliament Roll, 1 Edw. 4. the Proceedings against King Richard the Second, as well as all the rest of the Acts during the Usurpation (as that Record rightly calls it) are annul'd, repeal'd, revok'd, revers'd, and all the

words imaginable used and put in, to set those Proceedings aside as illegal, unjust, and unrighteous. And, pray what was the Reason? That Act de∣duceth down the Pedigree of the Royal Line, from Henry the Third to Richard the Second who dy'd without Issue, and then Henry the Fourth (saith the Act) Usurped; but, That the Earl of March, upon the Death of Richard the Second, and consequently Edward the Fourth from him, was undoubted King by Conscience, by Nature, by Custom, and by Law.

The Record is to be seen at length, as well as that 1 Hen. 4. and being a later Act, is of more Authority.

And after all this, (I pray consider it well) the Right Line is restored, and the Usurpation condemned and re∣pealed.

Besides, Gentlemen, I hope you will take into your consideration, what will become of the Kingdom of Scotland if

they should differ from us in this Point, and go another way to work, then will that be a divided Kingdom from ours again. You cannot but remember how much Trouble it always gave our An∣cestors, while it continued a divided Kingdom; and if we should go out of the Line, and invest the Succession in any point at all, I fear you will find a Disagreement there, and then very dan∣gerous Consequences may ensue.