Part 9

_House of_ COMMONS, also called _St. Stephen’s Chapel_, joins to the south east angle of Westminster hall. The print represents a view as seen from the Cotton Garden. King Stephen first founded a chapel here, and dedicated it to St. Stephen the Protomartyr: but Edward III. rebuilding it in the year 1347, in a very magnificent manner, converted it into a collegiate church, the revenues of which at its suppression amounted to 1085_l._ 10_s._ and 5_d_. _per annum_: but being surrendered to Edward VI. it was appropriated for the reception of the representatives of the Commons of England, who have ever since continued to meet there every sessions of parliament, except when summoned by the King’s writs to Oxford, and it is now generally called the House of Commons.

It is at present a spacious room wainscotted up to the ceiling, accommodated with galleries, supported by slender iron pillars adorned with Corinthian capitals and sconces, from the middle of the ceiling hangs a handsome branch or lustre. At the upper end, the Speaker is placed upon a raised seat, ornamented behind with Corinthian columns, and the King’s arms carved and placed on a pediment; before him is a table, at which the Clerk and his Assistant sit near him on each hand, just below the chair; and on each side, as well below as in the galleries, the members are placed promiscuously. The Speaker and clerks always wear gowns in the house, as the professors of the law do in term time; but no other of the members wear robes, except the four representatives for the city of London, who, the first day of every new parliament, are dressed in scarlet gowns, and sit all together on the right hand of the chair, next to the Speaker.

The time of sitting is upon any day in the morning, except on Sundays, or some other high festivals or fast days, upon which it is not usual to assemble, unless upon the most urgent occasions: but tho’ the Speaker always adjourns the house to nine o’clock of the morning of the day when they agree to meet again, the house seldom meets till twelve.

This house has an equal share with the Lords in making laws, and none can be made without the consent of the Commons, who are the guardians of the liberties of the people; and as they are the grand inquest of the nation, they have a power to impeach the greatest Lords in the kingdom, both spiritual and temporal.

On the day prefixed by the King in the writ of summons, his Majesty goes in person to the house of Lords, where being seated with the crown on his head, and cloathed in his royal robes, he sends for the Commons by the Gentleman Usher of the black rod, who coming to the bar of the house, bows, and advancing a few steps, repeats this mark of respect a second and a third time, saying, “Gentlemen of the house of Commons, the King commands this honourable house to attend him immediately in the house of Peers;” and then retiring backwards, bowing, withdraws: the Commons then immediately attend his Majesty in the house of Lords, where the Lord Chancellor or Keeper commands them in the King’s name to chuse a Speaker, upon which they return to their own house. One of the members then standing up in his place, and making a short introductory speech, moves that such member as he then names, may take the chair, and his motion being seconded by some other member, if no contest happens, they lead the person mentioned from his seat to the bar of the house, from whence they conduct him bowing thrice, up the chair; where being placed, he stands up, and returns thanks to the house for the honour done him, and modestly acknowledging his inability to discharge so great a trust, desires they would make choice of a more *able person, which being disapproved, he submits to their pleasure; and after receiving the directions of the house, on the usual requests to be made on his appearing before his Majesty, adjourns to the day appointed for that purpose.

But before the Commons can enter upon any business, or even the choice of a Speaker, all the members enter the court of wards, where they take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, with those appointed by the act of the 1st of William and Mary, in the presence of an officer appointed by his Majesty, who is usually the Lord Steward of the houshold; and after they have chosen the Speaker, they take the same oaths again in the house, at the table, and subscribe their opinions against the doctrines of transubstantiation, the invocation and adoration of Saints, and the sacrifice of the mass; and before they can give any vote in the house, except for the choice of a Speaker, they are obliged also to abjure the Pretender.

Upon the day appointed, the Usher of the black rod is again sent for the Commons, when he alters his stile, and addresses himself to the Speaker. The members, obeying this summons, return to the house of Lords, and present their Speaker to the King, who is again seated on the throne, and having obtained his approbation, the Speaker desires, that the Commons, during their sitting, “may have free access to his Majesty, freedom of speech in their own house, and freedom from arrests.” After which the King makes his speech to both houses, the whole house of Commons being supposed to be at the bar of the house of Lords.

After the Speaker and members have taken the oaths, the standing orders of the house are read, and grand committees appointed to sit on usual days: which being done, the house generally begins with reading some bill left unfinished the sessions before. Any member of parliament is at liberty to move for a bill to be brought in; which being agreed to by the house, the person who made the motion, with some of those who seconded it, are ordered to prepare, and bring it in. When the bill is ready, some of the members who were ordered to prepare it, read the order at the side bar of the house, desiring leave to bring the bill to the table; which upon the question being agreed to, it has a first reading by the clerk at the table; and then the Speaker taking the bill in his hand, reads the abbreviate or abstract of it: which one, after the debate upon the bill, if any happens, he puts the question, Whether it shall have a second reading; and sometimes upon a motion being made appoints a day for it.

When the bill has been read a second time, the question is put, Whether it shall be committed, which is either to a committee of the whole house, if the bill be of importance; or to a private committee, any member at pleasure naming the persons to be of that committee; and their names being read by the clerk at the table, they are ordered to meet in the Speaker’s chamber, and report their opinion to the house. Accordingly meeting there, they chuse their Chairman, and either adjourn to some other time, or proceed upon the bill, which in this last case, the Chairman orders a clerk who attends them to read, then taking the bill himself, and reading it paragraph by paragraph, he puts every clause to the question, fills up the blanks, and makes amendments according to the opinion of the majority of the committee, of whom there must be eight of the persons named, to proceed regularly, though five may adjourn.

When the committee have gone through the whole bill, the Chairman by their desire makes his report at the side bar of the house, reading all the alterations made by the committee, and how any of these amendments have altered the scope of the bill, the clerk having before written down in what page and line of the bill those amendments are to be found; and if the committee have thought fit to add any clauses, they are marked alphabetically, read by the Chairman, and delivered to the clerk, who reads all the amendments and clauses. The Speaker then puts the question, Whether they shall be read a second time, and if this be agreed to, he then reads them himself, and particularly as many of them as the house agrees to. After which the question is put, Whether the bill so amended shall be engrossed, that is, written fair on parchment; and read the third time some other day. It being at length read the third time, the Speaker holds the bill in his hand, and puts the question, Whether the bill shall pass, and if the major part be for it, the clerk writes on the bill _Soit baillé aux Seigneurs_, i. e. Be it delivered to the Lords.

When an engrossed bill is read, and any clauses referred to be added to it, they must be on parchment engrossed like the bill, which are then called _riders_; and if agreed to, they are added to the bill.

Petitions are offered like bills at the bar of the house, and brought up and delivered at the table, by the member who presents them.

When a member speaks to a bill, he stands up uncovered, and addresses himself only to the Speaker; but if he be answered by another, he is not allowed to reply the same day, unless personally reflected on: for nobody is to speak to a bill above once in a day, unless the whole house be turned into a committee, and then every number may reply as often as the Chairman thinks proper. But if a bill be rejected, it cannot be any more proposed, during the same sessions.

Messengers from the Lords, and all persons appearing at the bar of the house, are introduced by the serjeant attending the house, with the mace upon his shoulder.

While the Speaker is in the chair, the mace lies upon the table, except when sent upon any extraordinary occasion into Westminster hall and the court of requests, to summon the members to attend. But when the members resolve themselves into a committee of the whole house, the mace is laid under the table, and the Chairman to that committee takes the chair where the clerk of the house usually sits.

Forty members are necessary to make a house, and eight a committee. But the Speaker is not allowed to vote, except the house be equally divided: nor is he to persuade or dissuade in passing a bill; but only to make a short and plain narrative.

The members of the house of Commons vote by yeas and noes; but if it appear doubtful which is the greater number, the house divides. If the question relates to any thing already in the house, the noes go out; but if it be to bring any thing in, as a bill, petition, &c. the ayes go out: where the house divides, the Speaker appoints four tellers, two of each opinion, who after they have told those within, place themselves in the passage between the bar and the door, and tell the others who went out; which done, the two tellers who have the majority take the right hand, and placing themselves within the bar, all four advance bowing three times; and being come up to the table deliver the number, saying, the ayes who went out, are so many; the noes who staid, so many; or the contrary: which is repeated by the Speaker, who declares the majority.

In a committee of the whole house, they divide by changing sides, the ayes taking the right hand of the chair, and the noes the left; and then there are only two tellers.

If when a bill is passed in one house, and sent to the other, they demur upon it; a conference is then demanded in the Painted Chamber, where certain members deputed from each house meet, and debate the affair, while the Lords sit covered at a table, and the Commons stand without their hats. If they disagree, the affair is dropped; but if they come to an agreement, it is at length brought, with all the other bills that have passed both houses, to receive the royal assent, in the house, where the King being seated in the chair of state, the Clerk of the crown reads the title of each bill; and as he reads, the Clerk of the Parliament, according to the instructions he hath received from his Majesty, pronounces the royal assent; if it be a public bill by saying, _Le Roy le veut_, _i. e._ The King will have it so; or if a private bill, _Soit fait comme il est désiré_; _i. e._ Be it done as is desired. But if his Majesty does not approve the bill, the answer is, _Le Roy s’avisera_: that is, The King will consider of it.

Money bills always begin in the house of Commons; because the greatest part of the supplies are raised by the people, and for this reason the Commons will not allow the Lords to alter them; and on the presenting these bills to his Majesty, the answer is, _Le Roy remercie ses loyaux sujets, accepte leur benevolence, & aussi le veut_: that is, The King thanks his loyal subjects, accepts of their benevolence, and therefore grants his consent.

A bill for a general pardon has but one reading in each house; because they must take it as the King will please to give it: and when this bill is passed, the answer is, _Les Prélats, Seigneurs, & Communes, en ce parlement assemblez, au nom du tous vos autre sujets, remercient_ _très humblement vôtre Majesté, & prient Dieu vous donner en santé, bonne vie & longue_: that is, The Bishops, Lords, and Commons in this Parliament assembled, in the name of all your other subjects, most humbly thank your Majesty, and beseech God to grant you a long and healthful life.

The King, without his personal presence, may, by a commission granted to some of his Nobles, give his royal assent to any bill that requires haste.

When his Majesty prorogues or dissolves the Parliament, he generally comes in person, and being seated with the crown on his head, sends the Black Rod for all the house of Commons to come to the bar of the house of Lords; and then the speech being read by the Lord Chancellor, he, by the King’s special command, pronounces the Parliament prorogued or dissolved.

The Parliament was formerly dissolved at the death of the King; but to prevent tumults and confusion, it is now expressly provided by a solemn act, That a Parliament sitting, or in being at the King’s demise, shall continue; and if not sitting shall meet expressly, for keeping the peace of the realm, and preserving the succession. See _House of_ LORDS.

COMPASS _alley_, Spitalfields market.*

COMPTER _alley_, near Compter court.

COMPTER _court_, near Tooley street.

COMPTER _lane_, St. Margaret’s hill.

COMPTERS, two prisons, for the confinement of all who are arrested within the city and liberties; one in the Poultry, belonging to one of the Sheriffs of London, and another in Wood street, Cheapside, which belongs to the other Sheriff. Both these prisons are of the same nature, and have the like officers, each being a place of security both for debtors and criminals.

Under the Sheriffs there are the following officers in each Compter, who give security to the Sheriff, for the faithful discharge of their respective trusts.

I. The principal officer, next to the Sheriff, is the Secondary, who returns writs, marks warrants, and impannels juries for the courts both above and below, and also for the sessions.

II. The Clerk of the Papers: whose office is to impannel juries, for the Sheriffs court; and who enters upon judgment, and makes out all processes for the Sheriffs court.

III. Four Clerks Sitters, who enter actions, take bail, receive verdicts after trial, &c.

IV. Sixteen Serjeants at mace, each of whom has his yeoman, or follower. Their office is to arrest persons for debt, to execute all processes, to serve writs, executions upon actions, and summonses from above, as well as from the courts below. Each of these serjeants give 400_l._ security to the Sheriff, for the due execution of his office. Four of these serjeants, and as many yeomen out of each Compter, wait upon their respective Sheriffs daily; and during the time of sessions, double the number. At which time in the morning they bring the prisoners down from Newgate to the sessions house; put them in the dock; and after waiting all day, return the prisoners back to the jail at night: they also attend at the execution of prisoners. Upon their days of waiting, they always wear blue cloth gowns, which are given them annually by the Sheriffs.

To each Compter also belong a Master keeper, two turnkeys, and other servants.

The prisoners in the common side, in both Compters, receive daily relief from the Sheriffs table, of all the broken meat and bread; and there are also several benefactions made by charitable persons, settled upon the Compters for their relief. _Maitland._

COMPTING HOUSE _court_, Christ’s hospital.

COMPTON _street_, 1. St. John’s street, near Clerkenwell.† 2. Soho.†

CONDUIT _alley_, Quakers street.

CONDUIT _close_, Phenix street.

CONDUIT _court_, Long Acre.

CONDUIT _street_, 1. New Bond street, runs from New Bond street eastward to Swallow street. 2. Red Lion street, Holborn.

CONNOWAY’S _court_, Nightingale lane, in Limehouse.†

_Court of_ CONSCIENCE, also called the _Court of Requests_, was first instituted in the reign of Henry VIII. by an act of Common Council, for the recovery of small debts, under the value of 40_s._ and has since been confirmed by several acts of parliament. It is of great use to such poor debtors as are not able to pay their debts immediately; and also of great benefit to such poor persons as have small debts owing to them, and are unable to enter into a more expensive suit. The Lord Mayor and court of Aldermen appoint monthly such Aldermen and Commoners to sit as Commissioners in this court as they think fit, and these, or any three of them, compose a court, kept in Guildhall every Wednesday and Saturday, from eleven till two o’clock, to hear and determine such causes as are brought before them. They have the power of administering an oath to the creditor, of examining witnesses, and of making such orders between the plaintiff and defendant, the creditor and debtor, as they think most agreeable to equity and conscience; and if the debtor be unable to pay the whole sum at once, they appoint it to be paid monthly in such proportions as they judge to be in his power; but if he neglects paying monthly into court the small sums appointed, he may be served with an execution, and carried to prison; or if the person cannot be found, his goods may be seized.

A cause may be brought and determined in this court for the value of 10_d_. viz. 6_d_. for the plaint and summons, and 4_d_. for the order; but if the defendant does not appear the second court day after the summons, an attachment may be awarded against him.

If any citizen shall be arrested for a debt under 40_s._ this court will grant a summons for the plaintiff in the action; and if he does not appear on the first court day after the summons is left at his house, the court will grant an attachment against him, force him to take his debt, and pay the defendant his costs; and if any attorney in London shall presume to proceed in any such suit, after notice to the contrary, or shall refuse to obey the order of this court, upon complaint thereof to the court of Aldermen, they will suspend such person from his practice.

The fees taken by the clerks of the court of conscience at Guildhall are as follow: For every plaint 2_d_. For every appearance 2_d_. For every order 4_d_. For every remittance to the common law 4_d_. For every precept or warrant to commit to prison 6_d_. For every search 2_d_. For every satisfaction acknowledged on an order 6_d_. For warning any person within the liberties 6_d_. For serving any precept or warrant 6_d_.

Besides the court of conscience held at Guildhall for the city, there is one in Bedford court, near Covent garden; another in Fulwood’s rents, High Holborn; another in St. Margaret’s hill, Southwark; and another in Whitechapel.

_Court of_ CONSERVACY; a court held eight times in the year before the Lord Mayor, at such places and times as his Lordship shall think proper to appoint, within the counties of Middlesex, Essex, Kent and Surry, in which several counties he has the power of summoning juries, who, for the better preservation of the fishery of the Thames, and the regulation of the fishermen, are upon oath to make inquisition of all offences committed in and upon that river from Staines bridge in the west, to Yenfleet in the east, and to present all who are found guilty of a breach of certain articles, relating to unlawful methods of fishing, and the destruction of the young fry. See WATER BAILIFF.

CONSTABLE’S _alley_, Hoxton.†

CONEY _court_, Gray’s Inn.

COOKS, a company incorporated by Edward IV. in the year 1480, by which patent every member of the company is to be presented to the Lord Mayor, before he is admitted into the freedom. They have two Masters, two Wardens, twenty-five Assistants, and seventy-eight Liverymen, who upon their admission pay each a fine of 10_l._ They have an old convenient hall in Aldersgate street.

COOK’S _alley_, Bedfordbury.†

COOK’S _court_, 1. Camomile street.† 2. Searle’s street.†

COOPERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by Henry VII. in the year 1501; and in the succeeding reign impowered to search and gauge all beer, ale, and soap vessels within the city of London, and two miles round its suburbs, for which they were allowed a farthing for each cask. They are governed by a Master, three Wardens, and twenty Assistants, and have a livery of 244 of their members, whose fine of admission is 15_l._ Their hall is in Basinghall street. _Maitland._

COOPER’S _alley_, 1. Wapping dock.† 2. Whitechapel. 3. Whitecross street, Cripplegate.†

COOPER’S _court_, 1. East Smithfield.† 2. Portpool lane.†

COOPER’S _rents_, East Smithfield.†

COOPER’S _square_, Goodman’s fields.

COOPER’S _yard_, 1. Lower Shadwell.† 2. Green Bank.† 3. Wapping.† 4. Petticoat lane.†

_English_ COPPER OFFICE, in Bush lane, Canon street, belongs to a company incorporated by letters patent of the third of William and Mary in 1691, by the name of _The Governor and Company of Copper Miners in England_; which was confirmed by Queen Anne in the year 1710; and by subsequent grants their power of working of mines was extended to all parts of Ireland and New England.

This corporation consists of a Governor, Deputy Governor, and eighteen Assistants. _Maitland._

COPPICE _row_, or CODPIECE _row_, Petty France, Westminster.

COPT HALL, the seat of John Conyers, Esq; is situated in Essex, between Epping and the forest, and being built on an eminence above Waltham Abbey, is seen at a great distance.

COPTHALL _court_, a very handsome well-built court in Throgmorton street.

COPTICK’S _court_, Poppin’s alley, Fleet street.†

CORAL _court_, Near Southampton street, in the Strand.

CORBET’S _court_, 1. Brown’s lane, Spitalfields.† 2. Gracechurch street.†

CORBET’S _yard_, Back street, Lambeth.†