NEVER did any Man with more earnest expectation long for a Parlyament then I did;—seeing, to my understanding, the great necessity of one both for Church and State; nor did (so far as my calling led me),  more then I, oppose any illegall course might retard ye calling of one (as my sute wth the Heralds for fees, after my father's death, in my Lord Marishall's Court, might give good evidence; As likewise ye contest I had wth one George Bristock, who, setting up a Brewhouse at Tunbridge, by a power, as he pretended, from Court, prohibeted men the brewing and selling beere of their owne making, and thereupon uttered hys owne, not only at unreasonable rates, but as (was informed) issued out unholesome drink, wch being complayned of, he was so proceeded against by that worthy patriot Mr. Dixon, and myself, when others refused to meddle wth it, as he made little farther use of his patent); Or did more joy at that honble action of some Lords, who delivered a petition to hys late Maty in ye North for the summoning of one; never imagining a Parlyament would have tooke upon them the redressing things amisse, eyther in ye ecclesiastique or Temporall government, by a way not traced out unto them by their auncestors; or the house of Commons would have assumed a power of commanding those who auctorised their sitting in it, otherwise
then by making lawes that both were to obey.
   2. 3rd November, 1640.—But after their Meeting, ye 3 of November, 1640, their entring upon buisinesse, and that I saw ye unusuall proceedings against the Earl of Stratford, by a close Committee¹ first, and after, in Westminster Hall, that Mr. Sollicitor² published, "The
   ¹ There was never any private or close Committee of ye House of Commons till King Charles hys tyme, when some persons endeavoured to make ye Duke of Buckingham guilty of King James hys death.—T.
   ² Mr. Solicitor St. Johns hys argument at law against ye Earl of Strafford, pp. 67, 65.—T.