Falkiner — Parliament of Ireland under Tudor Sovereigns. 519 



regarding the origin of Poynings' Act is well founded, and that " this 

 Act, though it seemed pr ima facie to restrain the liberty of the subjects 

 of Ireland, yet it was made at the prayer of the Commons upon just 

 and important cause." 



But to return to the Parliaments of Henry YIII. Although there 

 is extant no description of the assembling of the Parliament of 1536-7, 

 nor any proper record of its constitution, not a little may be gathered 

 respecting it from the references in the State Papers of the time. Thus 

 we are able to say with certainty that it possessed two important 

 attributes of a modern Parliament, of which no definite mention is to 

 be found at any earlier period. It is in connexion with Grey's Parlia- 

 ment that we first find clear proof that the Commons sat as a separate 

 assembly, and that we first find specific mention of the Speaker as the 

 mouthpiece of the Lower House. The language of a letter of Sir 

 "William Brabazon to Cromwell, in which he eulogises the Commons, 

 though not conclusive as regards the first point, is scarcely consistent 

 with the theory that the Lower House remained down to this time 

 part of one general assembly of Parliament, and had no separate cor- 

 porate existence. " The Commen House," wrote the Yice-Treasurer, 

 " is merveilous good for the King's causes, and all the lerned men within 

 the same be very good."^ More definite is Grey's language a year 

 later: "At this session some billes were passed the Comon House, 

 and by the Speaker delivered to the Highe House to be debated 

 there."- Here we have the first definite indication of the separate 

 session of the Commons, and the first mention of its great constitutional 

 officer.^ 



It is in relation to Lord Leonard Grey's Parliament also that we 

 have the earliest allusion to the ceremonies attending the meetings of 

 the Tudor Parliament during its sessions in Dublin. From a letter of 

 the Mayor and Aldermen of Dublin to Cromwell* we learn that *' the 

 Cathedral Churche of the Blessed Trinite of the Kynges citie and 

 chambre of Dublin , . . is the very station place whereas the Kinge's 

 Graces honorable Parliaments and Councillors are kepyn " ; and Grey 



1 Brabazon to Cromwell, May 17, 1536. State Papers, Henry VIIL, vol. ii., 

 pt. iii., p. 315. 



2 Grey and Brabazon to Cromwell, May 18, 1537, ih., p. 438. 



3 In the State Tapers, Henry YIIL, vol. ii., pt. hi., p. 403, there is printed a 

 letter of the King, desiring a " benevolence " from the laity of Ireland, which is 

 addressed " To the Commen House of the Parliament in Irlande." 



4 23 Jan., 1537-8, ib., p. 545. 



