wisely avoiding these Mischiefs (as Mariners wou’d do dangerous Rocks) decreed that the Publick Affairs shou’d be managed by the joynt Advice and Counsel of all the Estates of the Kingdom.  To which Purpose the King, the Nobles, and the Representatives of the Commons out of the several Provinces, were obliged to meet at a certain Time every Year.  And this very same Institution we find to have been that of many other Nations.  First in our Ancient Gallia, where the Administration of Publick Affairs was intrusted with the Common Councel of the chosen Men in the whole Nation as we have above demonstrated.  But because we are now speaking of a Kingdom, I shall give Instances of them.  ’Tis man felt, that in old Times the Council of the Amphictions was instituted in Greece (as Suidai and others testify) by King Amphyction, Son of Deucalion; and therein it was ordained, that at a certain appointed Time every Year, Representatives chosen out of the Twelve Commonwealths of Greece shou’d meet at Thermopylae, and deliberate concerning all the weighty Affairs of the Kingdom and Commonwealth:  For which Reason, Cicero calls this the Common Council of Graecia, Pliny calls it the Publick Council.

We find the like Wisdom in the Constitution of the German Empire, wherein the Emperor represents the Monarchical State, the Princes represent the Aristocratical, and the Deputies of the Cities the Democratical; neither can any Matter of Moment appertaining to the whole German Republick be firm and ratified, but what is first agreed upon in that great Convention of the Three Estates.  To this End was framed that ancient and famous Law of the Lacedemonians, which joyned the Ephori to their Kings; “Who, as Plato writes, were designed to be like Bridles to the Kings, and the Kings were obliged to govern the Commonwealth by their Advice and Authority.” Pliny, lib. 6. cap. 22. makes mention of the like Practice in the Island of Taprobana, where the King had thirty Advisers appointed by the People; by whose Counsel he was to be guided in the Government of the Commonwealth; “For fear (says he) lest the King if he had an unlimited Power should esteem his Subjects no otherwise than as his Slaves or his Cattel.”

Furthermore, we find the very same Form of Administration of the Kingdom of England, in Polydore Virgil’s History of England, lib. 11. where he has this Passage in the Life of Henry the First.—­“Before this Time the Kings used to summon a publick Convention of the People in order to consult with them, but seldom:  So that we may in some Manner say, that the Institution derived its Original from Henry:  which took such deep Root, that it has always continued ever since, and still does so; viz. That whatever