House of Commons.
C. Grignion sculp.
In this court there are three officers unsworn, viz. a clerk of the treasury, a clerk of the enrollments of fines and recoveries, and a clerk of the outlawries: there are besides a clerk of the King’s silver; a clerk of the warrants; a clerk of the juries; a clerk of the essoins; a clerk of the supersedeas; filazers for the several counties of England; an exigenter; four criers and a porter.
Common Serjeant, an officer of the city, who is obliged to attend the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen on court days, and to be in council with them on all occasions, both within and without the precincts or liberties of the city; and formerly he was to take care of the estates of the city orphans.
House of Commons, also called St. Stephen’s Chapel, joins to the south east angle of Westminster hall. The print represents a view as seen from the Cotton Garden. King Stephen first founded a chapel here, and dedicated it to St. Stephen the Protomartyr: but Edward III. rebuilding it in the year 1347, in a very magnificent manner, converted it into a collegiate church, the revenues of which at its suppression amounted to 1085l. 10s. and 5d. per annum: but being surrendered to Edward VI. it was appropriated for the reception of the representatives of the Commons of England, who have ever since continued to meet there every sessions of parliament, except when summoned by the King’s writs to Oxford, and it is now generally called the House of Commons.
It is at present a spacious room wainscotted up to the ceiling, accommodated with galleries, supported by slender iron pillars adorned with Corinthian capitals and sconces, from the middle of the ceiling hangs a handsome branch or lustre. At the upper end, the Speaker is placed upon a raised seat, ornamented behind with Corinthian columns, and the King’s arms carved and placed on a pediment; before him is a table, at which the Clerk and his Assistant sit near him on each hand, just below the chair; and on each side, as well below as in the galleries, the members are placed promiscuously. The Speaker and clerks always wear gowns in the house, as the professors of the law do in term time; but no other of the members wear robes, except the four representatives for the city of London, who, the first day of every new parliament, are dressed in scarlet gowns, and sit all together on the right hand of the chair, next to the Speaker.
The time of sitting is upon any day in the morning, except on Sundays, or some other high festivals or fast days, upon which it is not usual to assemble, unless upon the most urgent occasions: but tho’ the Speaker always adjourns the house to nine o’clock of the morning of the day when they agree to meet again, the house seldom meets till twelve.
This house has an equal share with the Lords in making laws, and none can be made without the consent of the Commons, who are the guardians of the liberties of the people; and as they are the grand inquest of the nation, they have a power to impeach the greatest Lords in the kingdom, both spiritual and temporal.
On the day prefixed by the King in the writ of summons, his Majesty goes in person to the house of Lords, where being seated with the crown on his head, and cloathed in his royal robes, he sends for the Commons by the Gentleman Usher of the black rod, who coming to the bar of the house, bows, and advancing a few steps, repeats this mark of respect a second and a third time, saying, “Gentlemen of the house of Commons, the King commands this honourable house to attend him immediately in the house of Peers;” and then retiring backwards, bowing, withdraws: the Commons then immediately attend his Majesty in the house of Lords, where the Lord Chancellor or Keeper commands them in the King’s name to chuse a Speaker, upon which they return to their own house. One of the members then standing up in his place, and making a short introductory speech, moves that such member as he then names, may take the chair, and his motion being seconded by some other member, if no contest happens, they lead the person mentioned from his seat to the bar of the house, from whence they conduct him bowing thrice, up the chair; where being placed, he stands up, and returns thanks to the house for the honour done him, and modestly acknowledging his inability to discharge so great a trust, desires they would make choice of a more *able person, which being disapproved, he submits to their pleasure; and after receiving the directions of the house, on the usual requests to be made on his appearing before his Majesty, adjourns to the day appointed for that purpose.
But before the Commons can enter upon any business, or even the choice of a Speaker, all the members enter the court of wards, where they take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, with those appointed by the act of the 1st of William and Mary, in the presence of an officer appointed by his Majesty, who is usually the Lord Steward of the houshold; and after they have chosen the Speaker, they take the same oaths again in the house, at the table, and subscribe their opinions against the doctrines of transubstantiation, the invocation and adoration of Saints, and the sacrifice of the mass; and before they can give any vote in the house, except for the choice of a Speaker, they are obliged also to abjure the Pretender.
Upon the day appointed, the Usher of the black rod is again sent for the Commons, when he alters his stile, and addresses himself to the Speaker. The members, obeying this summons, return to the house of Lords, and present their Speaker to the King, who is again seated on the throne, and having obtained his approbation, the Speaker desires, that the Commons, during their sitting, “may have free access to his Majesty, freedom of speech in their own house, and freedom from arrests.” After which the King makes his speech to both houses, the whole house of Commons being supposed to be at the bar of the house of Lords.