The constitution of parliaments in England deduced from the time of King Edward the Second, illustrated by King Charles the Second in his Parliament summon'd the 18 of February 1660/1, and dissolved the 24 of January 1678/9 : with an appendix of its sessions / observed by Sr. John Pettus ... Knight.

Observations.

1. THis Writ agrees with all the former, except in the word Ʋni, and so if there be more; (as I have shewn in the Writ to the Judges) yet commonly in Su∣perscriptions, he that is made Chief is Stil∣ed Principal without the word one; and the other One of the Principal Secretaries of State.

2. The word Capitalis is us'd in the Writs to the two Chief Justices and Chief Baron; but to the chief Secretary the word Principali is us'd, not only signify∣ing the Capital, First, or Chief, but in∣timating his more immediate Imployment on his Prince, for Principali is properly from Principe.

3. If there be more Secretaries than one, (as there are seldom less than two) they divide their negotiations into the Title of Provinces, both in relation to this Kingdom, or Foreign Kingdoms or States; and so each of them give an account to the King accordingly, and they have an Office appertaining to them, call'd the Signet Office,* 1.1 where they have four Clerks as their Substitutes to perform their Directi∣ons, for all Dispatches both Foreign and Domestick, and generally they are of his Majesties Privy-Council.

4. Their Imployments in Parliament are either in the House of Lords or House of Commons, according as they are Sum∣mon'd to one, or Elected to the other, and as the King thinks them in either place most useful for his occasions.

5. I need not go back to find the Anti∣quity of their Summons, for it may be presum'd to be ancient from the Eminency and nature of their Imployments; so it may suffice only to instance here, that in the 36 Hen. 8. William Packet Mil. had his Writ, Secretario suo,* 1.2 and at the same Par∣liament, William Petre Mil. had his Writ, Secretario suo, without other addition; in the first of Edw. the Sixth, William Pe∣tre Mil. had his Writ only Secretario suo; but in the 6. of Edw. the 6th. the Title al∣ter'd, viz. Willielmo Petro Mil.* 1.3 Ʋni pri∣mariorum Secretariorum suorum; and to Willielmo Cecil alt' primariorum Secreta∣riorum,* 1.4 and Jo. Cheke Mil. alt' primario∣rum Secretariorum, (so here were three Secretaries Summon'd to this Parliament) and the same three were Summon'd in the 7th. of Edw. 6. and in the first of Mary, and 1st. of Mary, the same Petre was Summon'd, Ʋn' Primariorum Secre∣tariorum Domini Regis, and Jo. Bourne Militi alt' Primariorum Secretariorum Do∣mini Regis; and so the 1st. and 2d. and 2d.

and 3d. of Philip and Mary, the same Petre and Brown had Writs by the words, Ʋni & alteri primariorum Secretariorum Domini Regis; the 4th. and 5th. Phil. and Mary, Writs were to Jo. Broxal, Ʋni pri∣mariorum Secretariorum Regis & Reginae; the like to the said Jo. Bourne, Militi alt' primariorum, &c.* 1.5 the 25th. Eliz. Fran∣cisco Walsingham, Militi Principali Secre∣tariorum suorum, and no other Secretary; the 30th. Eliz. Consiliario suo Roberto Cicil Militi Primario Secretario,* 1.6 and no other; the 35th. Eliz. to the same Francisco Wal∣singham, Militi principali, &c. and no o∣ther; the 39th. Eliz. Consiliario Roberto Cicil Primario, and no other; 43. Eliz. none Summon'd; the 1 Jacobi, Johanni Herbert Militi vni Primariorum; and no other; 21 Jacobi, Georgio Calvert, Militi vni Primariorum, & Edwardo Conway, Mi∣liti vni Primariorum; the 1 Car. primi, Olivero Vicecomiti Grandison vni Primario∣rum Secretariorum, & Johanni Cooke, Mi∣liti vn' Primariorum, &c. 15 Caroli primi, Francisco Windibanck vni Primariorum, & Henr. Vane, Militi uni Primariorum; and so in this 13 Car. 2di. the Writ was Ed∣wardo Nicolas, Militi, uni Primariorum Se∣cretariorum suorum; and no other Secre∣tary was Summon'd during this Parlia∣ment, the rest being Elected, and accord∣ingly

did sit in the House of Commons, except the Lord Arlington, who sat as Earl and Secretary in the Lords House; and though the word Primario is more generally used in Writs, yet in Superscrip∣tions, &c. the word Principal is altogether used, as more agreeable (I conceive) to the Idiom of our Language.

6. The dignity of this Office is shewn in their Summons and Place in the Lords House according to the Act of Precedency; but I must say something more of the antiquity of the Office, and of the nature of such are imployed in it.

If he be taken for a Scribe, because they write the Kings literal Dispatches; it had the same esteem among the Hebrews that the Magi had with the Chaldeans, and the Quindecemviri among the Romans, (which latter were the Expounders of the Secrets of Sybills Oracles) These Scribes were usually selected out of the Cler∣gy, and not out of the Laity, so that such as were used out of the Laicks were call'd Notarij, and not Scribes; and such as were us'd by the Clergy were call'd Clerks from Cleros, because the Clergy by reason of their learning did for the most part Guide both Secular and Spiritual Affairs; but the word Secretary (in which Office the Clergy in former times were more com∣monly

imployed than Laymen) doth im∣port something of another nature, being derived from Secretum, and that from Cre∣tum the Supine of Cerno, to see or discern; so by adding Se to Cretum, it makes Secre∣tum, and renders the Person imployed in that Office to be one who knows Se (id est) himself, and can also Judiciously discern and judge of other mens matters, and yet reserve the Determination or Execution of them in his own breast; and for this te∣nacity of mind, he is properly call'd a Se∣cretary, and the Kings Secretary, or Se∣cretary of State, as a preserver of the Secrets of the King and Kingdom for pub∣lick and private use, till just occasion re∣quire their impartments to others; and indeed considering the perpetual Designs of Princes towards each other, and the Discontents and Seditious Humors which are in every Kingdom; there is no quality more requisite to a Minister of State, than a secret and reserved mind, and more particularly to this Officer, his very Title intimating his Duty, in which he ought to be master of three Properties;* 1.7 a Prudent Dispatch, Exquisite Intelligence, and Se∣crecy in all; for by these (especially the last) all Minings and underminings are still disappointed by the rules of Politick Secrecy; by which Art, Kingdoms are

kept in quiet, by quenching fires before they flame; and because this requires not only a great skill but as great a vigilancy, which few are capable to perform; Boca∣lini tells us in his pleasant Chapter of re∣forming the World, that to ease it of this indifatigable trouble, without using so many Meanders; Apollo resolved to make a Window in every mans breast, so as at first view, each man might see the thoughts and intentions of each other, and there∣by prevent the prejudices which daily a∣rise for want thereof; but before Apollo did execute his Resolves, he caus'd the Wise Men of Greece with some others of the Literati to be Summon'd, and to give their Opinions therein, where Thales was the first that press't for it with such Arguments, that Apollo was almost con∣firm'd; but at last he was disswaded by many other Lawyers, Poets, Physicians and Theologicks by more convincing Ar∣guments, shewing that nothing caus'd a greater reverence to those and other Pro∣fessions, than the mysteries which were con∣tain'd in them, which would make them contemptible, if they should be seen or known by every vulgar Eye, whereupon the Windows were not made.

7. Now the same reasons which were us'd against making these Windows in the

Bodies of Men, may serve to oppose the Windows too often made in the Bodies of such Councils or Parliaments as are to sup∣port a Kingdom, where every Member or Counsellor indeed should be a Secretary of State; because the publishing of Consul∣tations commonly meets with Seditious Tempers, who think nothing is well done but what is done by themselves, looking meerly on the Fact and Success, not on the Deliberations, Grounds and debated Rea∣sons of that Fact; for it is not the event which makes the reason of managing that Fact to be the less Reason; for let the event be good or bad, the reason is still the same; if the Reason be good and solid, yet the Event bad, it may be said, that it meets with an ill constellation; but if the Rea∣son be bad and the Event as ill, the disco∣very of these do still raise a worse con∣stellation; and if the Reason be bad and the Event good, (if the bad Reason be kept secret) the glory of the Event would quickly drown the censure of the bad Rea∣son, and make the Counsellors stand fair; but if divulged, they are sure not only to lose the credit of the Event, but double the disrepute, if both be bad.

Herein some men are naturally of a more reserved temper than others; how∣ever those are only fit to be Counsellors

and Secretaries of State, who have no Windows in their Breast; that is, no such transparent Eyes, as men may easily see their disposures of Affairs, but can wisely keep the Secrets of State from other mens Inspections: and in Parliaments I con∣ceive such Tempers are very useful, for if the People Trust them, they do well in performing their Trust; but appealing a∣gain to the People, shews a diffidence in their own Judgments.

Thus having shewn the Kings Warrant in the Front, and the Secretaries Writ in the Rear, and fix't the Noble Lords be∣twixt those who manage the Laws Divine, and those who are Assistants in Human Laws, and run through the most constant Writs which are us'd for Summoning such as are to fit in a Parliament, either as Es∣sential, or Assisting Members thereof; I should now proceed to the House of Com∣mons, but I shall crave leave; First, To speak of some accidentall Writs for Assi∣stants; Secondly, Of the manner of re∣turn of all the aforesaid Writs; Thirdly, Of such as sit there without Writ or Pa∣tent; Fourthly, Of such as sit there only by Patent; and Fifthly, Of some other Officers who are imployed there by vertue of Patents.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Signet.
• * 1.2

  Secretario.
• * 1.3

  Uni.
• * 1.4

  Alteri.
• * 1.5

  Princi∣pali.
• * 1.6

  Primario.
• * 1.7

  Lord Veru∣lam.