[3] 1431. “So there is owing to them for their appearance for 73 days 6s. and 8d. for each day” (i.e. for two members).
1441-2.—“And it was the same day ordered by assent of the whole congregation that the Burgesses chosen for Parliament shall be allowed each of them two shillings a day, and by no means any more.” (Extracts from the Proceedings of the Corporation of Lynn Regis, 1430 to 1731. Archæologia, vol. xxiv.)
[4] William Prynne was one of the great authorities upon parliamentary history and statistics. All subsequent compilers, who have written upon the subject of constituencies, quoted from his “Brevia Parliamentaria Rediviva.”
[5] Andrew Marvell, who was made assistant-secretary to Milton, when he served the Protector, was, by Cromwell’s death, thrown out of employment. The burgesses of Hull, with whom he was deservedly popular, elected Marvell their representative to Parliament. The payment, of which so much has been made, for these services did not amount to a munificent retainer, the salary being fixed at two shillings a day for borough members; kindly remembrances in the form of acceptable gifts were, however, sent by constituents to those representatives who won their good wishes. Thus Marvell writes to the friends who sent him to parliament: “We must first give you thanks for the kind present you have pleased to send us, which will give occasion to us to remember you often; but the quantity is so great, that it might make sober men forgetful.”
[6] Coleridge, “Northern Worthies.”
[7] Campbell, “Lives of the Lord Chancellors.”
[8] “DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM’S LITANY.
“From cringing to those we scorn and contemn
In hopes to be made the citizens’ Gem,
Who now scorn us more than we e’er did them,
Libera nos Domine.
“From beginning an Execrable Trait’rous health,
To destroy the Parliament, King, and himself,
To be made Ducal Peer of a new Commonwealth,
Libera nos Domine.
“From changing old Friends for rascally new ones;
From taking Wildman and Marvell for true ones;
From wearing Green Ribbons ’gainst him gave us Blue ones,
Libera nos Domine.”