Page:An Essay Concerning Parliaments.djvu/17

 lived in the Reign of Ed 1. and Ed 2. Antiquity enough for a Book, we deſire no more; for we are ſure that no Common-wealths Man had the Penning of it.

The words of the Myrror are theſe, p. 10. “Pur le eſtate del Royalme fiſt l’ Roy Alfred aſſembler les Comitees, & ordeigne pur Uſage Perpetuelle, que a deur foits per l’ An on pluis-ſovent, pur meſtier, en temps de peace ſe aſſembleront a Londres pur Parliamenter ſur le guidement del people d’ Dieu, coment gents ſe garderent de peche, viverent en quiet, & recieverent droit per certaine uſages & ſaincts judgements. Per cel eſtate ſe fierent pluſiours ordinances per pluſors Royes jeſque al ore Roy; Les quells Ordeinances ſont diſuſes per meins ſages, & pur default que elles ne ſont my miſe en eſcript & publies en Certeine.” For the Good Eſtate of the Realm, King Alfred cauſed the Counties to Aſſemble, and Ordained it for a Perpetual Uſage, that at Two Times yearly, or oftner if need were, in Time of Peace, they ſhould Aſſemble at London, to ſit in Parliament, for the Guidance of God’s People, how the Nation ſhould keep themſelves from Sin, live in Quiet, Rh