490 Constihdional History. [chap.
Bills sent
down to the
commons.
be more, then the clerk writeth underneath “ Soit baillé aux
commons.” And so when they see time they send such bills as
they have approved, by two or three of those which do sit on
the woolsacks ɪ, to the commons ; who asking licence and coming
into the house with due reverence, saith to the speaker, “ Master
Speaker, my lords of the upper house have passed among them
and think good that there should be enacted by parliament”
such an act, and such an act, and so readeth the titles of that
act or acts ; “ they pray you to consider of them and show them
your advice : ” which done they go their way. They being
gone and the door again shut, the speaker rehearseth to the
house what they said. And if they be not busy disputing at
that time in another bill, he asketh them straightway if they
will have that bill, or, if there be more, one of them.
Procedure
in the house
of commons.
Practice in
debates.
Standing
oxders.
‘ In like manner in the lower house ; the speaker, sitting in
a seat or chair for that purpose somewhat higher that he may
see and be seen of them all, hath before him, in a lower seat,
his clerk who readeth such bills as be first propounded in the
lower house, or be sent down from the lords. For in that point
each house hath equal authority to propound what they think
meet, either for the abrogating of some law made before, or for
making of a new. All bills be thrice, in three divers days,
read and disputed upon, before they Come to the question. In
the disputing is a marvellous good order used in the lower
house. He that standeth up bare headed is Understandcd that
he will speak to the bill. If more stand up, who that is first
judged to arise is first heard ; though the one do praise the
law, the other dissuade it, yet there is no altercation. For
every man speaketh as to the speaker2, not as one to another,
for this is against the order of the house. It is also taken
against the order to name him whom ye do confute but by
circumlocution, as he that speaketh with the bill or he that
spake against the bill and gave this and this reason. And
so with perpetual oration not with altercation he goeth through
till he do make an end. He that once hath spoken in a bill,
though he be confuted straight, that day may not reply, no
1 See above, p. 476. a Lex Parliamentaria, p. 150.
XX.]
Forms of Parliament.
491
though he would change his opinion ; so that to one bill in one
day one may not in that house speak twice, for else one or two
with altercation would spend all the time. The next day he
may, but then also but once1. No reviling or nipping WordsMainten-
must be used ; for then all the house will cry “ it is against the order,
order ; ” and if any speak Unreverently or seditiously against
the prince or the privy council, I have seen them not only inter-
rupted, but it hath been moved after to the house and they
have sent them to the Tower. So that in such multitude and
in such diversity of minds and opinions there is the greatest
modesty and temperance of speech that can be used. Never-
theless with much doulce2 and gentle terms they make their
reasons as violent and as vehement one against the other as
they may ordinarily, except it be for urgent causes and hasting
of time. At the afternoon they keep no parliament. The
speaker hath no voice in the house, nor they will not suffer him
to speak in any bill to move or dissuade it. But when any office of
ɪ . . , _ speaker,
bill is read, the speaker’s office is as briefly and as plainly as lie
may to declare the effect thereof to the house. If the commons
do assent to such bills as be sent to them first agreed upon from
the lords [they send them back to the lords] thus subscribed
“ les commons ont assentus ; ” so if the lords do agree to such
bills as be first agreed upon by the commons, they send them
down to the speaker thus subscribed “les seigneurs ont as-
sentus.” ` If they cannot agree, the two houses, for every bill c≈∞≡ °f
j . ∙ b ’ , j difference
from whencesoever it doth come is thrice read in each of the between the
"^ e 4 two houses,
houses, if it be understood that there is any sticking, sometimes
the lords to the commons, sometimes the commons to the lords,
do require that a certain of each house may meet together and
so each part to be informed of other’s meaning ; and this is
always granted. After which meeting for the most part, not
always, either part agrees to other’s bills.
‘ In the upper house they give their assent and dissent, each
man severally and by himself, first for himself, and then for so
1 Lex Pai-Iiamentaria, p. ɪ 86.
' 2 So in the reign of Bichard II, the commons urged that the petitions
should be ‘par amyable manere debatez;’ Bot. Parl1 iii. 14.