Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/303

Rh begun in the octaves of Eaſter [perhaps upon May-day] there was a great deal of buſineſs done, and a great deal of buſineſs left undone; amongſt the reſt the pope’s, becauſe of the King’s ſickneſs, who thereupon could not give anſwers to bills or petitions; and that the nuncio’s petition was unanſwered went to the King’s heart. But upon occaſion of that ſickneſs it was, that the parliament was diſſolved, and the pope’s buſineſs hindered, to the King’s great regret. What, could not the King keep his parliament alive till the nineteenth of June, when he himſelf began to be well again, which is the date of the letter? It is no more than fifty days from their firſt ſitting down to the date of his letter; and yet, though he ſet his heart upon the buſineſs that lay before that parliament, it was diſſolved, and to ſtop this gap, he promiſes to call another parliament at Michaelmas. Then it ſeems they did not underſtand the method of prorogations, and it is unknown to me by what law it came in. If there be ſuch a law, I never minded it; for I am ſpeaking of the conſtitution, and not of innovations.

I believe the true reaſon of the abrupt diſſolution of that ſummer parliament, in