This house has an equal share with the Lords in making laws, and none can be made without the consent of the Commons, who are the guardians of the liberties of the people; and as they are the grand inquest of the nation, they have a power to impeach the greatest Lords in the kingdom, both spiritual and temporal.
On the day prefixed by the King in the writ of summons, his Majesty goes in person to the house of Lords, where being seated with the crown on his head, and cloathed in his royal robes, he sends for the Commons by the Gentleman Usher of the black rod, who coming to the bar of the house, bows, and advancing a few steps, repeats this mark of respect a second and a third time, saying, “Gentlemen of the house of Commons, the King commands this honourable house to attend him immediately in the house of Peers;” and then retiring backwards, bowing, withdraws: the Commons then immediately attend his Majesty in the house of Lords, where the Lord Chancellor or Keeper commands them in the King’s name to chuse a Speaker, upon which they return to their own house. One of the members then standing up in his place, and making a short introductory speech, moves that such member as he then names, may take the chair, and his motion being seconded by some other member, if no contest happens, they lead the person mentioned from his seat to the bar of the house, from whence they conduct him bowing thrice, up the chair; where being placed, he stands up, and returns thanks to the house for the honour done him, and modestly acknowledging his inability to discharge so great a trust, desires they would make choice of a more *able person, which being disapproved, he submits to their pleasure; and after receiving the directions of the house, on the usual requests to be made on his appearing before his Majesty, adjourns to the day appointed for that purpose.
But before the Commons can enter upon any business, or even the choice of a Speaker, all the members enter the court of wards, where they take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, with those appointed by the act of the 1st of William and Mary, in the presence of an officer appointed by his Majesty, who is usually the Lord Steward of the houshold; and after they have chosen the Speaker, they take the same oaths again in the house, at the table, and subscribe their opinions against the doctrines of transubstantiation, the invocation and adoration of Saints, and the sacrifice of the mass; and before they can give any vote in the house, except for the choice of a Speaker, they are obliged also to abjure the Pretender.
