Sir Robert Howard and others did expressly repeat often:
viz., “the King nor any King ever could
do any thing which was hurtful to their people.”
Now the Lords did argue, that it was an ill precedent,
and that which will ever hereafter be used as a way
of preventing the King’s dispensation with acts;
and therefore rather advise to pass the Bill without
that word, and let it go, accompanied with a petition,
to the King, that he will not dispense with it; this
being a more civil way to the King. They answered
well, that this do imply that the King should pass
their Bill, and yet with design to dispense with it;
which is to suppose the King guilty of abusing them.
And more, they produce precedents for it; namely,
that against new buildings and about leather, wherein
the word “Nuisance” is used to the purpose:
and further, that they do not rob the King of any
right he ever had, for he never had a power to do
hurt to his people, nor would exercise it; and therefore
there is no danger, in the passing this Bill, of imposing
on his prerogative; and concluded, that they think
they ought to do this, so as the people may really
have the benefit of it when it is passed, for never
any people could expect so reasonably to be indulged
something from a King, they having already given him
so much money, and are likely to give more. Thus
they broke up, both adhering to their opinions; but
the Commons seemed much more full of judgment and
reason than the Lords. Then the Commons made
their Report to the Lords of their vote, that their
Lordships’ proceedings in the Bill for examining
Accounts were unparliamentary; they having, while
a Bill was sent up to them from the Commons about the
business, petitioned his Majesty that he would do the
same thing by his Commission. They did give
their reasons: viz., that it had no precedent;
that the King ought not to be informed of anything
passing in the Houses till it comes to a Bill; that
it will wholly break off all correspondence between
the two Houses, and in the issue wholly infringe the
very use and being of Parliaments. Having left
their arguments with the Lords they all broke up,
and I by coach to the ordinary by the Temple, and there
dined alone on a rabbit, and read a book I brought
home from Mrs. Michell’s, of the proceedings
of the Parliament in the 3rd and 4th year of the late
King, a very good book for speeches and for arguments
of law. Thence to Faythorne, and bought a head
or two; one of them my Lord of Ormond’s, the
best I ever saw, and then to Arundell House, where
first the Royall Society meet, by the favour of Mr.
Harry Howard, who was there, and has given us his
grandfather’s library, a noble gift, and a noble
favour and undertaking it is for him to make his house
the seat for this college. Here was an experiment
shown about improving the use of powder for creating
of force in winding up of springs and other uses of
great worth. And here was a great meeting of
worthy noble persons; but my Lord Bruncker, who pretended