Page:An Essay Concerning Parliaments.djvu/22

 By the Reaſon given in the 36. Ed. 3. cap. 10. juſt now recited for a Yearly Parliament, one would think it ſhould be a Daily Parliament; becauſe it is for the Maintenance of former Statutes, and Redreſs of divers Miſchiefs which Daily happen: But I believe that a Parliament which Sits but Forty Days in the Year are able to do that Work, Concerning which we will enquire further afterwards.

In the 50. Ed. 3. p. 138. The Parliament’s Demand or Petition is this, “That a Parliament may be holden every Year; the Knights of the Parliament may be choſen by the whole Counties; and that the Sheriff may likewiſe be without brokage in Court.”

The King’s Anſwer is this. “To the Parliament, there are Statutes made therefore; To the Sheriffs there is anſwer made; To the Knights it is agreed, that they ſhall be choſen by common Conſent of every County.”

After theſe Three Laws in Ed. 3d’s Time, we come to the Firſt of King Richard the Second, p. 163. where the Petition or Demand for a Yearly Parliament is this. “That a Parliament may be Yearly holden in convenient place, to redreſs Delays in Suits, and to end ſuch Caſes as the Judges doubt of.” The