June 27.

66

"The

June 27, 1686, Mr. Evelyn says, new very young Lord Chief Justice Herbert declared on the bench, that the government of England was entirely in the king; that the crown was absolute; that penal laws were powers lodged in the crown to enable the king to force the execution of the law, but were not laws to bind the king's power; that he could pardon all offences against the law, and forgive the penalties; and why could he not dispense with them by which the test was abolished? Every one, says Evelyn, was astonished." In June 1688, less than two years afterwards, the seven bishops, whom James II. had sent to the tower, by virtue of these doctrines, were tried while he was reviewing his army encamped on Hounslow Heath. James had retired into the general's tent, when he was surprised to hear a great uproar in the camp, with the most extravagant symptoms of tumultuary joy. He suddenly inquired the cause, and was told, "It was nothing but the rejoicing of the soldiers for the acquittal of the bishops." Within another six months he was in lasting exile-excluded from the throne with all his posterity-by a solemn act of both houses of parliament.

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.

Morley, near Leeds, Yorkshire,
May 2nd, 1831.

MR. HONE,
The following Letter presents a
laughable contrast between members of
parliament in Elizabeth's reign and such
as we have had in recent times :-

"To the Right Worshipful the Mayor and Burgesses of Totness-After my most harty commendacions, whereas I, at my brother's request, and for your sakes, have been your burgess for the parliament to my no small coste, for myne expence were above twenty marks, over and above the forty shillings I received of you; and forasmuch as it is like the parliament will go forward at this time, which causeth me to call to mind the charge I took in hand, which with like charge should be prosecuted, if otherwise I prevented not the same: These are therefore to require you, either to bestowe the same upon some other, or else to allow me but the bare fee which is two shillings a day; and, as I

have began, so will I end (God willing) to your contentation. Truly, at this pre sent season, I have no occasion, as I know of, to travel up to London; which considered, I think it reason which I demand, and hope you will take it very reasonably demanded. Thus, trusting you will return an answer of your determination herein with convenient speed, I most hartily commit you to God.From Mount Edgcumbe, this 8th of September 1565.-Yours to command, RICHARD EDGECOMB."

It appears that the custom of boroughs maintaining their members had not ceased in the early part of the last century. Hall, whose collections were brought down till about 1739, speaking of Helstone, says, "this place, and others in Cornwall, are not able to maintain their burgesses in London during the sessions at their own proper costs and charges (as of old was accustomed) in any tolerable post or grandeur; but have found that profitable expedient (as many others) of making country gentlemen free of their town, who bear the burden and heat of the day for them, and, many times, for the honor of their corporations, distress their paternal estates, to exalt the reputation and perpetuate the privileges of a petty society, nade up of mechanics, tradesmen, and inferior practitioners of the law."

In another page of the same volume we read that "Padstow, Lelent, and Marazion formerly sent members to parliament, but were excused upon their petition on the score of poverty."

At what an early period there were returns made of improper persons to sit in parliament in defiance of public opinion, and opposition to the public will, may be seen in Stone, p. 642, under the reign of Henry VI.

In 1679, May 27th, it appeared by the Report of the Committee of Secresy, that £20,000 per annum were paid by the Commissioners of Excise, quarterly, "for secret service" to members of parliament (See Life of Lord Russell, p. 94). Lord Danby extended the system of corrupting members, increasing the sum allowed from 10 to 20,000 (Ib. p. 88). So far had corruption advanced, under his Catholic majesty Charles II. It appears that the first instance of election bribery on record occurred in the 13 of Elizabeth, (Blackstone's Comm. i. 179).

In the reign of Henry III. the parlia

Saffisaunt to praise this floure aright.-
To sene this floure so yonge, so freshe of hewe,
Constrained me with so gredie desire,
That in my herte I felin yet the fire
That made me to rise ere it were daie,
And now this was the first morrowe of Maic,
With dredful herte and glad devocion
For to ben at the resurrection

Of this flourè, whan that it should unclose
Again the sunne, that rose as redde as rose ;-
And doune on knees anon right I me sette,
And as I could this freshè floure I grette,
Kneling alwaie till it unclosed was
Upon the small, and soft, and swetè grasse,
That was with flouris swete embroudr'd all,
Of soche sweetnesse, and soche odoure o'er all,
That for to spekin of gomme, herbe, or tree,
Comparison maie none imakid be,
For it surmounteth plainly all odoures,
And of rich beautie, the most gay of floures-
When Zephyrus and Flora gentilly
Yave to the floures soft and tenderly,
Ther sote breth, and made 'hem for to spredde,
As god and goddesse of the flourie mede,
In which methought I mightè daie by daie
Dwellin alwaie the joly monthe of Maie
Withouten slepe, withouten mete or drinke;
Adoune full softily I gan to sinke,
And lening on my elbow and my side
The longè daie I shope me for t'abide,
For nothing ellis, and I shall not lie,
But for to lokin upon the Daisie,
That well by reson men it callè maie
The Daisie, or else the eye of daie,
The emprise, and the floure of flouris all.
I praie to God that fairé mote she fall,
And all that lovin flouris for her sake.

29th June, 1678, Mr. Evelyn enters in his diary" Now were brought into service a new sort of soldiers called Grenadiers, who were dextrous in flinging hand grenades, every one having a pouch full; they had furred caps with coped crowns like Janizaries, which made them look very fierce; and some had long hoods hanging down behind, as we picture fools; their clothing being likewise py-bald, yellow, and red." Grenadiers derived their name from being trained to throw grenades. In battle, after throwing this

Alas! you have not known that show'r
That mars a flow'r;

Nor felt the unkind
Breath of a blasting wind:
Nor are ye worn with years,
Or warp'd as wc,

Who think it strange to see

Such pretty flowers, like to orphans young,
To speak by tears before ye have a tongue.
Speak, whimp'ring younglings; and make
known

The reason why
Ye droop and weep.
Is it for want of sleep;
O childish lullaby?

Or that ye have not seen as yet
The violet?

Or brought a kiss

From that sweetheart to this?
No, No; this sorrow, shown

By your tears shed,

Would have this lecture read;

That things of greatest, so of meanest worth, 'Conceiv'd with grief are, and with tears brought forth.""

Herrick, 1648

THE SEASON.

More appropriately a few weeks earlier, yet here, for their feeling and descriptiveness, may be introduced these beautiful verses-t

BY DELTA.

Come hither, come hither, and view the face Of Nature enrobed in her vernal grace

By the hedgerow way side flowers are springing;

On the budding elms the birds are singing, And up-up-up to the gates of heaven

Fosbroke's Ency. of Antiquities.

The work in which they first appeared would be referred to were it known: they are derived into the Year Book from an ano nymous collection,

Mounts the lark, on the wings of her rapture driven :

The voice of the streamlet is fresh and loud; On the sky there is not a speck of cloud : Come hither, come hither, and join with me In the season's delightful jubilee.

Haste out of doors-from the pastoral mount The isles of ocean thine eye may countFrom coast to coast, and from town to town, You can see the white sails gleaming down, Like monstrous water-birds, which fling The golden light from each snowy wing; And the chimnied steam-boat tossing high Its volum'd smoke to the waste of sky: While you note, in foam, on the yellow beach, The tiny billows, each chasing each, Then melting like cloudlets in the sky, Or time in the sea of eternity!

Why tarry at home ?-the swarms of air
Are about-and o'erhead-and every where :
The little moth opens its silken wings,
And, from right to left, like a blossom flings;
And from side to side like a thistle-seed,
Uplifted by winds from September mead :
The midge, and the fly, from their long dull
sleep,

Venture again on the light to peep;
Over lake and land, abroad they flee,
Filling air with their murmuring ecstacy:
The hare leaps up from his brushwood bed,
And limps, and turns its timid head;
The partridge whirrs from the glade; the mole
Pops out from the earth of its wintry hole;
And the perking squirrel's sinall nose you see
From the fungous nook of its own beech tree.

Come, hasten ye hither-our garden bowers
Are green with the promise of budding flowers;
The crocus, and spring's first messenger,
The fairy snowdrop, are blooming here:
The taper-leaved tulip is sprouting up;
The hyacinth speaks of its purple cup:
The jonquil boasteth, "Ere few weeks run,
My golden sunlet, I'll show the sun;'
The gilly-flower shoots its stem on high,
And peeps on heaven with its pinky eye;
Primroses, an iris-hued multitude,

By the kissing winds are wooing and woord: While the wall-flower threatens with bursting

Come along, come along, and guess with me
How fair and how fruitful the year will be!
Look into the pasture grounds o'er the pale,
And behold the foal with its switching tail,
About and abroad, in its mirth it flies,
With its long black forelocks about its eyes,
Or bends its neck down with a stretch,
The daisy's earliest flowers to reach.
See, as on by the hawthorn fence we pass,
How the sheep are nibbling the tender grass,
Or holding their heads to the sunny ray,
As if their hearts, like its smile, were gay;
While the chattering sparrows, in and out,
Fly, the shrubs, and the trees, and roofs about;
And sooty rooks, loudly cawing, roam,
With sticks and straws, to their woodland
home.

Out upon in door cares-rejoice

In the thrill of nature's bewitching voice! The finger of God hath touched the sky, And the clouds, like a vanquished army, fly, Leaving a rich, wide, azure bow,

O'erspanning the works of his nand below:The finger of God hath touched the earth, And it starts from slumber in smiling mirth; Behold it awake in the bird and bee,

In the springing flower and the sprouting tree, And the leaping trout, and the lapsing stream, And the south wind soft, and the warm sun