I Shall humbly crave liberty to shew you that the House of Commons hath done no more in rating and propor­tioning of these particular summes upon your Lord­ships, then by the ancient rights and priviledges of Par­liament they might; and to speake the truth, they could in possibility doe no lesse.

It hath been severall times spoken in this place, no lesse justly then nobly by some of your Lord­ships, that all matters of Supply should originally proceed from the House of Commons: for so hath been the practice of former times in the ages past. [Page]In the Parliament Roll de anno 9. H. 4. Numero 21. when the Peeres began but in a small circumstance to trench upon this priviledge of the Commons, there arose a long and an earnest debate upon it, the issue of which produced a full Declaration agreed upon by both Houses, That matter of supply must first proceed from the grant of the Commons, and then the assented unto by the Lords: so as if we had sent up the present Bill either with blankes, for your Lordships to have filled them up, or have left you out wholly, to have inserted your owne degrees and proportions (one of which wee must have done if we had not proceeded as we did) it must of neces­sity have followed, that your Lordships, contrary to the undoubted priviledge of the same house, had originally granted aide and subsidy, and the Com­mons had but assented.

Before that time, though not upon so great an occasion, it was declared in Parliament, as appeares in Rotulo Parliamenti de anno 5. R. 2. n 16. That the house of Commons are first to treat of matter of supply, to resolve upon it, and then to communi­cate their resolutions to the Peeres. Now my Lords our resolutions are most properly couched in a Bill, so as we did transmit the present Grant of aid and supply to your Lordships in the ancient and due forme.

But perhaps your Lordships will say, you que­stion not that generall right wee have of granting Subsidies, that it is to receive its birth & being from [Page]the house of Commons; but that in this particular case of Poll-money you expect a particular satisfa­ction, and much more to see it proved that the Peer­age of England were ever before rated in such a Bill.

For the first, my Lords, this way is an ancient and a knowne way; it began in the time of that wise and victorious Prince King E. 3. as appeares upon Record in Rotulo Parliamenti de a. 51. E. 3. Numero 19. And I assure my selfe, neare upon three hundred yeares continuance is able to chalenge both allow­ance and imitation from this present age.

During the reigne of R. 2. his grandchilde, this course of raising money by the Poll was againe put in practice, as an advantagious and a speedy way. Your Lordships shall finde one example of it in the Parliament Roll de a. 4. R. 2. n. 15. being almost the same with that rate and proportion granted in the time of E. 3.

But that Record which comes home to this case, and is an identicall president in the very particular before your Lordships to give you full satisfaction, is found in Rotulo Parliamenti in Parliamento 2. (for the miseries at home, and the calamities abroad, caused in one yeare sometimes two, sometimes three Parliaments, in those elder times) de a. 2. R. 2. n. 14. where the Dukes, Earles, and Barons, are all parti­cularly rated, and the Duke of Britaine is there as­sessed as a Duke, though he were a free Prince, and had onely the title of Earle of Richmond in Eng­land. [Page]Nay my Lords the house of Commons a [...] this time hath come farre short of the same presi­dent, in favour of the Noble Ladies: for whereas the Countesses Dowagers were there rated at the same proportions with Earles, and the widowes of Barons at as high a rate as the Barons themselves, we have now eased them of two parts of that, and onely charged them with the third.

I hope now your Lordships have seene both rea­son and president for our proceedings at this time, you will bee pleased to beleeve that the house of Commons will be as carefull and tender of your Lordships Rights and Priviledges, as of their owne.

We know, my Lords, that this is the way to preserve peace and unity betweene us, which as it is alwayes expedient, so is it at this time most necessa­ry. For the two houses are as the two armes of the Kingdome, if we hold fast together, we shall be able to accomplish great things worthy to be transmitted to after ages, but if we dissever and disunite, we may end in ruine and calamity.

So much of the said Record a [...] concernes the rating of the Nobility and Gentry is here added, it being pre­sented thus ready written at the said Conference.