tirely unacquainted;
that they could not better show their wisdom, as well as duty, than by
keeping within their proper sphere;[*] and that in any business which
depended on his prerogative, they had no title to interpose with their
advice, except when he was pleased to desire it. And he concluded with
these memorable words: "And though we cannot allow of your style, in
mentioning your ancient and undoubted right and inheritance, but would
rather have wished that ye had said, that your privileges were derived
from the grace and permission of our ancestors and us, (for the most
of them grew from precedents, which shows rather a toleration than
inheritance,) yet we are pleased to give you our royal assurance, that
as long as you contain yourselves within the limits of your duty, we
will be as careful to maintain and preserve your lawful liberties and
privileges as ever any of our predecessors were, nay, as to preserve our
own royal prerogative."[**]

This open pretension of the king's naturally gave great alarm to the
house of commons. They saw their title to every privilege, if not
plainly denied, yet considered at least as precarious. It might be
fortified by abuse; and they had already abused it. They thought proper,
therefore, immediately to oppose pretension to pretension. They framed a
protestation, in which they repeated all their former claims for freedom
of speech, and an unbounded authority to interpose with their advice and
counsel. And they asserted, "That the liberties, franchises, privileges,
and jurisdictions of parliament, are the ancient and undoubted
birthright and inheritance of the subjects of England."[***]

The king, informed of these increasing heats and jealousies in the
house, hurried to town. He sent immediately for the journals of the
commons; and, with his own hand, before the council, he tore out this
protestation;[****] [56] and ordered his reasons to be inserted in the
council-book. He was doubly displeased, he said, with the protestation
of the lower house, on account of the manner of framing it, as well as
of the matter which it contained.

* "Ne sutor ultra crepidam." This expression is imagined to
be insolent and disobliging: but it was a Latin proverb
familiarly used on all occasions.

** Franklyn, p, 62, 63, 64. Rushworth, vol. i. p. 46, 47
etc. Kennet, p. 743.

**** See note DDD, at the end of the volume.

***** Journ. 18th Dec. 1621.

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