Page:Letters of Junius, volume 2 (Woodfall, 1772).djvu/185

Rh occasion of a jurisdiction unlawfully assumed by the house in the year 1621, Mr. Attorney-general Noye gave his opinion as follows: "No doubt but in some cases, this house may give judgment, in matters of returns, and concerning members of our house, or falling out in our view in parliament; but, for foreign matters, knoweth not how we can judge it; knoweth not that we have been used to give judgment in any case, but those before mentioned."

Edward Coke, upon the same subject, says, (page 604) "No question but this is a house of record, and that it hath power of judicature in some cases ; have power to judge of returns and members of our house. One, no member, offending out of the parliament, when he came hither, and justified it, was censured for it."

, Sir, if you will compare the opinion of these great sages of the law with Junius's doctrine, you will find they tally exactly.—He allows the power of the house to commit their own members; (which, however, they may grossly abuse.) he allows their power in cases where they are acting as a court of