Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/312

266, for it conſiſts of the princes, as well biſhops as magiſtrates, and the freemen; that is to ſay, the chiefs of the whole nation. And they are employed in parliament work, for they conſult of the common ſafety, of peace, of war, and promoting the public profit. And did not the general title of our laws every ſeſſion run thus; To the high honour of, and to the profit of the common-wealth? If ever there were wites in parliament, ſure they were princes, as well biſhops as magiſtrates, and the freemen. Why then does this learned knight diſtinguiſh betwixt a Wittenagemote and a Folkmote, ſeeing they were both made up of wites? I am governed by things and not by words, and am thoroughly ſatisfied that an aſſembly which does parliament buſineſs is a parliament. And no doubt the Folkmote made laws; for it is not to be ſuppoſed that an aſſembly of the whole nation ſhould ſit conſulting forty days of peace and war, of armies and fleets (which in thoſe days were three thouſand ships, and were able to make out the dominion of the seas) of the grievances of the nation, and the redreſs of thoſe grievances; and of providing for the common profit of the realm; and after all not to be able to enact their own concluſions. That is juſt as if our preſent parliament ſhould ſpend forty days in finding out ways and means for the