LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 289 



who are for this bill think or aim at such a 

 matter. But if ever there should come a gene- 

 ration of men who should think of it, would it 

 not much tend to the facilitating their business, 

 that there was such a law already made ? Would 

 it not be a natural and easy foundation for them 

 on which to raise greater superstructures? 



" It will be said, and it is truly said, that the 

 King may dissolve Parliaments when he pleases. 

 And if any such motion as I have now men- 

 tioned be made to him, he may reject it, 



" Right ; he may so. And so his Majesty 

 did the last year reject this very bill. But will 

 his once rejecting such a motion as this hinder 

 it from being offered again ? No ; we see, by 

 this very bill, that it will not ; and when it is 

 offered, will it not be much harder and more 

 offensive in him to refuse it a second time ? Will 

 it not cause some ferment and ill humour in his 

 people ? So that at last the King must give his 

 consent to it, or be under a necessity of dis- 

 obliging his subjects. 



** And therefore, in my poor opinion, since all 

 our properties and liberties are already so well 

 secured to us by law, we should not make one step 

 to abridge the King of any of his rights, which have 

 been so long in the possession of the Crown. 



" But, my Lords, there is another reason for 

 which I cannot give my vote for this bill ; and 



u 



