The EUROPEAN LEGISLATURES. 149 



ancient entry in the journals of the Houfe of Lords fuggefts 

 the idea of the nation having been aflembled along with them : 

 " Pracfente etiam tato populo, et plebe de domo communi." The 

 laft words, ct plebe de domo ccmmum, muft evidently have been 

 added after the admiflion of the reprefentatives of trading incor- 

 porations among the milites, or proper citizens of the nation. 



WE alfo find the fame indifcriminate application of the diet 

 to civil and military purpofes as in the continent. So low 

 down as 23d HENRY II. A. D. 1177, mention is made of an 

 extraordinary parliament being aflembled at Windfor, attended 

 by all the earls, barons, and almoft the whole military tenants . 

 of the king, with their horfes and arms, prepared to go where- 

 ever he mould command them *. 



IN Scotland, alfo, we have full evidence of the ancient diets 

 being a national aflembly. BENEDICTUS Abbas, under the 

 year 1188, mentions, That the bifhop of Durham, and others, 

 were fent by HENRY II. to WILLIAM, king of Scotland, to col- 

 lect tithes : That WILLIAM, being defirous to get back certain 

 caftles that had been taken from him, agreed, provided the 

 confent of his fubjecls could be obtained : That the ambafTa- 

 dors came accordingly, " In LEONEIS ad locum quae dicitur 

 " Brigeam ; et ipfe rex Scotorum, cum omnibus fere epifcopis 

 " et comitibus et baronibus terras fuse, et cum infinita homi- 

 " num fuorum multitudine, ad locum praefixum venerunt ; et 

 ' audita adventus nunciorum regis caufa, et eorum petitione, 



" habito 



his fee, addrefles the grant, " Archiepifcopis, epifcopis, abbatibus, comitibus, baroni- 

 " bus, et omnibus Jidelibus, per toram Angliam, conAitutis ;" and adds, that the grant 

 proceeded, " Canon ica prius eledtione praecedente, et communi veftro concilio, voto et 

 " favore profequente." This charter is tefted in a general council at Weftmiufter } 

 " Audientibus et collaudantibus omnibus fidelibus," <iyc. 



* BENEDICT. Abb. apud LITTKLTON, HEN. II. vol. 3. p. 290. Even under HENRY III, 

 an. 1223, " Natali domini," fays the Chronicle of Dunftaple, " venit rex Northamp- 

 " ton. et cum eo D. Cant, archiepilcopus, et tot epifcopi, et comiies et barones, et 

 " milites armati, quod nee in diebus pat ris fui, nee poftea, dignofcitur tale feftum in 

 w Anglia celebratum." Af. Hody, p, 300. See alfo note below, on p. 150. 



