The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-02-16
THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT.
Growth Of the British House Of Commons
from Edward I, to the Present Time.

IL MT. George Il. Jennings "Anecdotal His
tory OF the English Parliament" Cd. Apple
ton q Co.. yet its many excellencies far out
weigh the defects. There are two drawbacks
to the success Of such q book as that now be-
fore us-its arrangement should be tropical,
instead OF having the anecdotes grouped un-
der the. names Of the persons of whom they
are told its compiler should quit the beaten
paths SO familiar to readers Of intelligence,
and introduce us to tales and traits less sadly
trite. 1t is a pity, too, that Mr.. Jennings
could not have waited q few weeks and SO
have taken advantage of new Blue Book,
showing the names of all members of Par
lament returned since 1896, and of such
members returned to the House before that
date, as can be traced. We shall take the
liberty of correcting and checking the author
by this invaluable compilation. No copies
Of Writs have been found Of an earlier date
than 1913, nor have the returns to those writs
or to those issued in the 10th, 18Th, 18th and
49th years Of Henry Iii. been preserved. The
loss Of these last is particularly to be regret
ted, since that was the first Parliament which
consisted Of knights, citizens and burgesses.
DULY one return to the Writs of 8 Edward |.
Q275) exists-that for the county Of Kent
SO that the first 'Knights Of the Shire on
record are Fulco Peyferer and HenricuR de
Appeldrefued, names now existing as Peever
and Appleford and Appleyard. Returns for
the next two Parliaments are missing, but
very full lists Of those Of 1890 and its imme-
diate successors have come down to US. A.
Corbert sat for Shropshire il 1890; one Of
his descendants represented the county in the
last Parliament from 1890 to 1850 that house
figured on the rolls, though there were inter-
walls when apparently it's ascendancy had
been successfully contested by rival country
families.
The Commons were for q long time used
by the Lords and the Sovereign with scant
courtesy, or none at all. The Blue Book al
ready mentioned tells US that Shefiffs in the
earlier times constituted themselves Return
ing Boards, and cancelled names and inserted
others into the returns very openly. The
constituencies did not always appreciate the
privilege of representation. When, in 1547,
a writ was issued to Cheshire for the first
time, no members were returned in 1864,
Durham county, hitherto memberless, de-
clined to send representatives. Prynne tells
us that many boroughs petitioned to be ex-
cused from sending members to Parliament,
On account Of the expense. From the BIRD
of Edward III. during five successive reigns,
the Sheriff Of Lancashire certified that there
were no cities or boroughs in that county
which could afford the luxury Of q member.
And vet it was not an expensive luxury, the
wages allowed by statute being four shillings
atday for a Knight Of the Shire and two shil-
lilgs for q citizen or burgess. Ia 1863 Sir
John Strange took a barrel and half of her.
rings from Dunwich in composition Of his
wages. In 1886 Mr.. Hall sued Grantham for
the payment of his wages. The last payment
Of wages was to Thomas King, Of Harwicb,
il 1851. Lord Chancellor Campbell was Of
opinion that the writ he obtained might still
be claimed. In 1870, Mr.. P. a. Taylor:s
motion for leave to introduce a bill to revive
the practice was lost we venture a predic-
ton that before the century closes this ancient
constitutional feature will be restored as a
radical reform. Andres MARVEL, "the incor-
ruptible," took wages, and when Dandy was
sent TO him from Charles II. with q check for
s1,0 900 and an offer Of place, MARVEL called
the cook to ask what he was to have for din
ner that day. The boy replied that the bone
of the little leg Of mutton IN which he had
dined on the previous day was 70 be broiled-
tsMy Lord" said MARVEL, ''do you hear that
Andrew Marvell's dinner is provided: There's
your piece Of paper" Il may be doubted
whether a century or SO before a member of
the Commons would have ventured on such
@ retort. Sir Peter de Ia Mare, Speaker Of
the "Good Parliament, was imprisoned for
his share in its reforms by John Of Gaunt
under Henry wi. 1t was decided that the
privileges Of the Lower House were altogether
in the keeping Of the Lords. In 1886, when
one Of Henry Wits bills for the spoliation
of the monasteries hung in the house, the
bluff King lobbied it through by advising the
Opposition to beware Of their heads. On an
other occasion he sent for an influential
member, Mr.. Edward Montague, and cried !
to his humbly- kneeling subject. laying q {
hand on his head: sHo, man, will they not
suffer my bill to pass? Get my bill passed by {
tomorrow, or else tomorrow this head Of
yours will be off. Wolsey had not long be- /
fore gone in state to 'sbulldoze" the Com
49, %hoY,rI, G;r ThnYnac Mara tho 81