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THE Inconveniences of a long Continuance Of the same PARLIAMENT.
THAT there is a necessity of a Government among Mankind, is admitted by all wise men; but to convince mad men and fools of this, is too great a task. Johannes Woolebius in his Compendium, Theolo. Christ. says, that it is unworthy in a Christian so much to seem to mistrust the Divine Authority of the Scrip∣ture, as to make any question of it. It being a Principle so necessary to be be∣lieved, as it ought not to be brought into doubt by Disputes. To the like pur∣pose it may be said that it is unworthy in an English Cummonwealths-man, to bring it into de∣bate whether or no the Sovereignty of this Realm be in the King alone, dis-joyned from any o∣ther persons; and true it is, there are as yet but few, if any, that dare be so hardy, as positively to say otherwise, whatever their thoughts be, and though their Actions seem to look that way: And forasmuch as the word Commonwealth hath been of late years for the most part applied to the Government when it is in the hands of many: It might not be impertinent to insert here what a Commonwealth is. A Commonwealth therefore is a lawful Government of many Fami∣lies, and that which unto them in Common belongeth; and the end and design thereof is, that the wicked be punisht, and the good and just protected. So that it is as much, nay, rather more a Commonwealth, and tends more to Common good when the Government is in the hand of one man, than in the hands of many; and for this we have the general consent of all great Poli∣ticians in past Ages, who after the tryal of all sorts of Governments, and comparing the Con∣veniences and Inconveniences of each, have concluded that Government best for the generality of the people, when the Sovereign Power to Command was in one man, and not in many: For oftentimes even where a Tyrant hath Reigned, and he removed, and the Commonwealth changed into a popular State, the People have been soon sensible that the change hath been much for the worse, and that instead of one Tyrant they had a multitude of Tyrants to oppress them. Yet the Dissolution or Prorogation of a Parliament hath been of late lookt upon to be so high a violation of Right, and so great a point of mis-government, as if thereby our Liber∣ties were lost, and our Lives and Estates subjugated to the Arbitrary Power and Pleasure of our King; or else we falsely conclude it impossible that the King can be so wise as to Govern with∣out their Counsels. To remove which mistakes, and to quiet the minds of men misled, these following Considerations and Collections out of English History are offered to publick view, whereby it will be most apparent that not only the Proroguing but the frequent Dissolving of Parliaments is absolutely necessary for preservation of Monarchy, our now establisht Government, and the best sort of Government for the people of England, and most sutable to their temper; in preservation whereof, our own preservation consists. But the long continuance of one and the same Parliament, or the same Members in Parliament, which are both alike, is the most per∣nicious thing imaginable both to King and People.
It is necessary for preservation of Monarchy, that Parliaments be often Dissolved, because no∣thing makes it more manifest in whom the Sovereign Power resides, for it puts them in mind by what Authority they have their Being, whereas by a long Continuance they are apt to plead pre∣scription to their Seats, and think themselves dis-seized if removed thence, though by the same power that plac'd them there.
In former times, Parliaments in this Kingdom consisted only of some of the Nobility and wise men of the Nation, such as the King pleas'd to Call; and the first time that ever the Commons of England were admitted to Parliament, was in the 16th Year of Henry the 1st. which Parlia∣ment was Assembled at Salisbury, and it was so Assembled of the Kings own Pleasure, not of any Obligation that by Law lay upon him so to do. And certain it is, the Kings of England were no ways obliged to Assemble Parliaments, or being assembled, to permit them to sit during their own pleasure, till of late Years, that such vapours corrupted our Region with a destructive Contagion. By the Ancient Statutes of E. 3. whereby Parliaments were to be holden once a Year, and oftner if need were, cannot by any reasonable construction be intended, so much to