turn about, and as they were. The Reason is because they
are the prerogative will of those, under any Religion, who count it
no Freedom to them unless they be Lords over the minds, persons and
labors of their bretheren.

"They are called the King's Laws, because they are made by the
King. If any say they were made by the Commoners, it is answered,
They were not made by the Commoners as the Commoners of a Free
Commonwealth are to make Laws. For in the days of the King none
were to choose or be chosen Parliament Men, or Law Makers, but
Lords of Manors, and Freeholders, such as held title to their
Enclosures of Land, or Charters for their Liberties in Trades,
under the King, who called the Land his, as he was the Conqueror or
his successor. All inferior people were neither to choose nor be
chosen. And the reason was because all Freeholders of Land and such
as held their Liberties by Charter, were all of the King's
interest; and the inferior people were successively of the rank of
the conquered ones, and servants and slaves from the time of the
Conquest.

"Further, when a Parliament was chosen in that manner, yet if any
Parliament Man, in the uprightness of his heart, did endeavour to
promote any freedom contrary to the King's will or former customs
from the Conquest, he was either committed to prison by the King or
by the House of Lords, who were his ancient Norman successive
Council of War; or else the Parliament was dissolved and broke up
by the King. So that the old Laws were made in times under Kingly
Slavery, not under the liberty of Commonwealth's Freedom, because
Parliament Men had to have regard to the King's prerogative
interest to uphold his conquest, or else endanger themselves. As
sometimes it is in these days, some Officers dare not speak against
the minds of those men who are the chief in power, nor a Private
Soldier against the mind of his Officer, lest they be cashiered
their places and livelihood. And so long as the promoting of the
King's will and prerogative was to be in the eye of the Law Makers,
the oppressed Commoners could never enjoy Commonwealth's Freedom
thereby. Yet by the wisdom, courage, faithfulness and industry of
some Parliament Men, the Commoners have received here a line and
there a line of freedom inserted int