ract are expressed all the duties that a monarch can owe
to his people; viz. to govern according to law: to execute judgment in
mercy: and to maintain the established religion.

[Footnote f: _cap._ 1. Sec. 2.]

[Footnote g: _l._ 3. _tr._ 1. _c._ 9.]

[Footnote h: In the old folio abridgment of the statutes, printed by
Lettou and Machlinia in the reign of Edward IV, (_penes me_) there is
preserved a copy of the old coronation oath; which, as the book is
extremely scarce, I will here transcribe. _Ceo est le serement que le
roy jurre a soun coronement: que il gardera et meintenera lez droitez
et lez franchisez de seynt esglise grauntez auncienment dez droitez
roys christiens dEngletere, et quil gardera toutez sez terrez honoures
et dignitees droiturelx et franks del coron du roialme dEngletere en
tout maner dentierte sanz null maner damenusement, et lez droitez
dispergez dilapidez ou perduz de la corone a soun poiair reappeller en
launcien estate, et quil gardera le peas de seynt esglise et al
clergie et al people de bon accorde, et quil face faire en toutez sez
jugementez owel et droit justice oue discrecion et misericorde, et
quil grauntera a tenure lez leyes et custumez du roialme, et a soun
poiair lez face garder et affermer que lez gentez du people avont
faitez et esliez, et les malveys leyz et custumes de tout oustera, et
ferme peas et establie al people de soun roialme en ceo garde
esgardera a soun poiair: come Dieu luy aide._ _Tit. sacramentum regis.
fol. m. ij._]

CHAPTER THE SEVENTH.

OF THE KING'S PREROGATIVE.

IT was observed in a former chapter[a], that one of the principal
bulwarks of civil liberty, or (in other words) of the British
constitution, was the limitation of the king's prerogative by bounds
so certain and notorious, that it is impossible he should ever exceed
them, without the consent of the people, on the one hand; or without,
on the other, a violation of that original contract, which in all
states impliedly, and in ours most expressly, subsists between the
prince and the subject. It will now be our business to consider this
prerogative minutely; to demonstrate it's necessity in general; and to
mark out in the most important instances it's particular extent and
restrictions: from which considerations this conclusion will evidently
follow, that the powers which are vested in the crown by the laws of
England, are necessary for the support of society; and do not intrench
any farther o