OF RECEIVING THE KINGS MESSAGES. 41 



thority we ought to be tender, as he is likewise of 

 our liberty, let us enter into a true and indifferent 

 consideration, how far forth the case in question may 

 touch his authority, and how far forth our liberty : 

 and, to speak clearly, in my opinion it concerns his 

 authority jnuch, and our liberty nothing at all. 



The questions are two : the one, whether our 

 speaker be exempted from delivery of a message from 

 the king without our licence ? The other, whether 

 it is not all one whether he received it from the 

 body of the council, as if he received it immedi 

 ately from the king ? And I will speak of the last 

 first, because it is the circumstance of the present 

 case. 



First, I say, let us see how it concerns the king, 

 and then how it concerns us. For the king, cer 

 tainly, if it be observed, it cannot be denied, but if 

 you may not receive his pleasure by his representa 

 tive body, which is his council of his estate, you both 

 straiten his majesty in point of conveniency, and 

 weaken the reputation of his council. All kings, 

 though they be gods on earth, yet, as he said, they 

 are gods of earth, frail as other men ; they may be 

 children ; they may be of extreme age ; they may 

 be indisposed in health ; they may be absent. In 

 these cases, if their council may not supply their 

 persons, to what infinite accidents do you expose 

 them ? Nay, more, sometimes in policy kings will 

 not be seen, but cover themselves with their coun 

 cil ; and if this be taken from them, a great part of 



