in general and afterwards in particular, standing. And here be it made known that each of the members of parliament, whoever he be, excepting the king, shall stand when speaking, so that all the members of parliament may be able to hear him; and if he speak obscurely, or too low, he shall repeat what he is saying and shall speak more loudly, or another shall speak for him.
Concerning the Address of the King after the Announcement.
The king, after the announcement, ought, on behalf of the parliament, to ask the clergy and laity, naming all their grades—namely the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, archdeacons, representatives and others of the clergy, counts, barons, knights, citizens, burgesses, and other laymen—that they diligently, studiously and heartily labour to treat of and deliberate upon the business of parliament: according as they shall learn and feel, in the first place that this is, principally and chiefly, according to the will of God; and secondly, that such things will be of advantage to his (the king's) and their own honour.
Concerning the Absence of the King from Parliament.
The king is in every way bound to be personally present in parliament, unless he be detained by bodily sickness; and then he can keep his room, provided it do not lie beyond the manor, or at least the town, where the parliament is held; in which case he ought to send for twelve of the greater and more illustrious men who have been summoned to parliament: two bishops, namely, two earls, two barons, two knights of the shires, two citizens and two burgesses,—to view his person and testify about his condition. And, in their presence, he ought to enjoin upon the archbishop of the place, the seneschal, and his chief justice, that they together and separately shall begin and continue the parliament in his name; express mention being made then, in that commission, of the cause of his absence: which proceedings ought to suffice and, together with the clear testimony of the said twelve men their peers, to convince the other nobles and magnates of par-
